Alexander Obolensky

Today's DNB entry is Prince Alexander Obolensky , hero of England's first win over New Zealand. Suitable preparatory fare for today's ritual slaughter of that other lot of sheep fanciers.

Environment Canada has a sense of humour!

In the longer term..In spite of what some groundhogs may say..It appears this storm will alter the north american weather pattern sufficiently to introduce real winter weather back across the province for the foreseeable future.

A few thoughts on the cartoon contoversy

• Jyllands Posten is a squalid right wing rag. The editor knew exactly what he was doing when he originally printed the cartoons. I'm not going to paint the editor as a martyr anymore than I would the editor of the Sun or the Toronto Sun when they get up to similarly border line racist antics.
  
  
• The motives of the Arab governments that dragged this story back into the limelight four months later are dubious at best. See The Religious Policeman for more.
  
  
• Boycotting things Danish because a newspaper printed something one doesn't like is asinine. It's like boycotting all American products every time Pat Robertson opens his mouth.
  
  
• Boycotting Norwegian products is even more stupid.
  
  
• Reprinting the cartoons was probably ill judged. I see the point in not wanting to be seen as giving into pressure but I don't really see that any purpose has been accomplished by the reprints.
  
  
• The demonstration in London was by 500 people, which is pretty pathetic for a demonstration in London. The placards and chanting were highly offensive and undoubtedly illegal. As Asghar Bukhari has said the demo should have been stopped by the police. In my view those inciting violence should be prosecuted.
  
  
• The demonstrations in Gaza, Syria etc are the usual Rent-a-Mob efforts to distract attention from the utter incompetence and brutality of the local governments,
  
  
• The press would have been better advised not to concentrate on the antics of a handful of nutters.
  
  
• Kudos to those in the Muslim community and the Arab world who have condemned the violence and pointed out its utter lack of proportion.
  
  
• Thanks to the Muslim community in Toronto and Canada as a whole for not jumping on the bandwagon. Also to the tens of millions of Muslims worldwide who just shrugged and got on with life.

Six nations

It seems almost absurd to be saying so after only two games but it looks like a racing certainty that the Six Nations and likely the Grand Slam will be decided at Stade de France on March 12. Ireland needed a fair bit of help from the referee not to suffer an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Azzurri and, frankly, don't look like much of a threat to anybody. England are not the finished article yet but they were way too good for Wales. They have an awesome pack and devastating outside backs. If they ever get the midfield sorted they will be world champions again. So we haven't seen Scotland or France yet but surely the only question about Scotland is whether they are good enough to beat Italy. France look the goods on paper. They have a solid scrum with the best loosies in the tournament and a typically Gallic (for some values of Gallic) back division. If France demolish the Scots tomorrow then look for them to clean up against everyone else. If they are a bit jittery then it's game on.