Money, Greed, and God: Why Capitalism Is the Solution and Not the Problem.

Author Jay Richards discusses Capitalism and Christianity at the Cato Institute.

The Shakedown Begins

This from American Power.


Developing countries used the forum of the United Nations climate summit here to demand that rich nations commit money and accept sharper cuts in their emissions, highlighting the divisions among the world's rich and poor nations that stand in the way of a new global climate deal.

Representatives of China, the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, said President Barack Obama's proposal that the U.S. reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 17% from 2005 levels by 2020 isn't ambitious enough. Su Wei, the Chinese chief negotiator, said industrialized countries must provide money and technology for developing countries as they seek to limit their greenhouse-gas emissions and face the challenges of climate change. "They have the responsibility to provide financial support and technology transfer," he said.

Developing countries want billions of U.S. dollars to reduce their own emissions and limit the impact of global warming, but rich nations have been shy in pledging specific figures. The U.S. and the European Union have said they are willing to provide their "fair share" of a total global figure of $10 billion a year between 2010 and 2012.

That amount "would not buy developing countries citizens enough coffins," said Ambassador Lumumba Stanislaus Di-Aping, who represents the Group of 77, a body which includes players such as China, India and Brazil.

So ... not content with undercutting wages, and moving our entire manufacturing industries to developing nations, we in the West must now help these countries undercut us more by making them even more competitive?

Now is rather the time for the West to use its technological advantages to take the lead in "green" manufacturing, and bring back industry to where it all began.

Egyptians on the Swiss Ban

HAT TIP: Blazing Cat Fur

An uneventful yet interesting article from the Telegraph.
What's more interesting is the comment below, which is worth reprinting here:

As an Iranian, I should say that the swiss voters are very intelligent and right in their votes. Those who are interested in Islam can stay in Islamic countries, why do they want to change the architecture of Switzerland? Do islamic countries let christians to build churches in Islamic cities? I am sure "NO". So I congratulate the swiss voters for their correct decision.

Well said.

Exeter Too White - Needs More Blacks, Says Thompson

I had to read this one twice, just to make sure. It's in the Telegraph too, but I've posted the Daily Mail's version, a previous mention of the events involved can be found here.

Apparently, "Exeter is very white and middle class and it needs to be cracked open a bit." [with big heavy multicultural boots?]
50-year old acress Emma Thompson's adopted Rwandan son, Tindyebwa Agaba, had a "rough time" at Exeter University, having been racially abused on two (yes, two) occasions (and at least one of these wasn't on campus).

Despite having been lifted off the streets, where he was living, by Thompson and being given the opportunity to attend a British university, Agapa saw fit to blame the whiteness of the University rather than express any gratitude for his privilege.

According to the Mail, "he expressed his anger that he is the only African on his politics course."

And this gem -
He also criticised the subject matter of his courses and how in Britain students are wrongly taught that the developing world is 'diseased, war-ravaged and squalor-ridden'. [no comment]

Thompson weighed in, lecturing students of the University, at an event she organised on campus, for its perceived lack of diversity:

'You're not going to get hundreds and hundreds of black students here overnight, but what you can do is make them more comfortable.'

Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw replied,
"Is one celebrity's soundbite worth the livelihoods and self-respect of an entire city?"

Interestingly, Agapa is now studying for an MA at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, where whites are notoriously underrepresented. Will he be scandalised by this too? Will mumsie? I think not.

'Nick Griffin would be happy at your uni...' Emma Thompson in astonishing attack on Exeter's "very white" students

By Luke Salkeld

Emma Thompson caused controversy yesterday after she said the BNP would love Exeter because it's so white.

The actress told students at Exeter University that her adopted African son had been racially abused during his time at the college.

But she stunned her audience by saying the Far Right party's leader Nick Griffin would 'feel very comfortable' in the city.

Stunned: Emma Thompson, pictured with adopted son Tindyebwa Agaba, said Nick Griffin would feel at home at Exeter University because of the scale of racism

Emma said it was up to staff and students to encourage more people from ethnic minorities

Her comments came at an event she organised to discuss racism.

Previously Miss Thompson has said: 'Exeter is very white and middle class and needs to be cracked open a bit.'

During her talk she drew on the experiences of her 22-year- old Rwandan son Tindyebwa Agaba - known as Tindy - who was bullied during his college days.

The former child soldier was sleeping rough in London before being taken in by Miss Thompson and her family six years ago.

She paid for his education and he learnt to speak English before going on to take his GCSEs and Alevels and then winning a place at Exeter to study politics.

But he described two incidents when he was the victim of racist abuse - the first by a bunch of 'nerds' with nothing else to do and the second by 'three or four tattooed and macho-looking bouncers at a club'.

At the lecture on Thursday, a member of the audience asked Miss Thompson about the BNP and Mr Griffin, to which the 50-year-old actress replied: 'He'd love Exeter, he would feel very comfortable here.'

She then urged staff and students to be more tolerant towards ethnic minorities, saying: 'You must understand you have a staff who want this university to be the most humane safe place it can be.

'You're not going to get hundreds and hundreds of black students here overnight, but what you can do is make them more comfortable.'

Tindy opened the event saying he had suffered racist abuse in his first year at Exeter.

Miss Thompson and her son were at Exeter University, pictured, to talk about racism in society

He said: 'I studied politics and international relations here and had a beautiful time, especially in my second and third years. I had some problems in my first year.'

The 22-year-old was unofficially 'adopted' by Miss Thompson in 2003. His father had died from Aids when he was just nine and his mother and sister were listed as missing during the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

He has previously attacked his university experience complaining about the 'complete death of politically and socially stimulating activism which has been replaced by the pathetic celebrity culture and living a pretentious life'.

Emma Thompson Nick Griffin would be 'happy at Exeter University'

He has also claimed his college had made too little effort to attract students from ethnic minorities.

Miss Thompson's lecture appeared to have back-fired with Exeter residents last night.

Stephanie Johns, 28, said: 'This is a classic case of reverse prejudice.

'She's accusing us of being racists by using sweeping generalisations that racists use about ethnic minorities. It's galling and patronising. Nick Griffin is a racist and a white supremacist who would not be welcome in Exeter at all.'

John Miles, 42, added: 'It's very noble of her to adopt an African child but that doesn't give her the right to tar us with the Nick Griffin brush.'

The university was at pains to point out that Miss Thompson wasn't saying Nick Griffin would be happy at Exeter University.

A spokesman said: 'She did say he might feel more comfortable in the South West of England because it is not as ethnically diverse as London.

'This was in response to Mr Griffin's reported comments that London can no longer claim to be a British city because of its diversity.'

She added: 'Emma Thompson spoke in very positive terms about the university's efforts to encourage equality and diversity.'

She said that about 12 per cent of Exeter's student population comprised black and minority ethnic students.

This compares to the Exeter area at 3.2 per cent and the UK as a whole at about 10 per cent.