The importance of understanding abstract ideas

1. Marriage 
2. Morality
3. Tradition
4. Principle 
5. Justice
6. Liberty
7. Faith
8. Honour
9. Reason
10. the long term national interest

Imagine Cameron and his advisers and cronies attempting to write a decent essay about each of these topics, explaining what they are, what they are for, and what they have done to promote it.   

Do you think they would pass this test with flying colours or would they fail to even write a coherent paragraph?

Nick Griffin's Tweet and the British Quality of Justice (that should not be "strained")

http://twitter.com/nickgriffinmep

Tweeted Nick Griffin today:

"Second killer on run with a shotgun in a month suggests that the financial crisis is starting to cause real strain in society. Britain going mad. It's not the gentle place it used to be. Such a shame."

While I disagree with the Chairman that Derrick Bird and Raoul Moat's grievances are anything to do with the financial crisis, I do think there is a theme of "No Justice, No Peace" running through the stories of both men.  They are clearly very angry about the legal system, the behaviour of the police and the quality of justice they received from the government.  


Many non-serial killers are too.  Let us hope the government does not push too many of us beyond the limit with which we will not put. 

The quality of mercy is not strained (The Merchant of Venice, IV.1)
The beginning of Portia’s famous speech is often quoted, but it is so familiar that many people never consider what it actually means. It’s often vaguely assumed to mean “mercy can spread a long way”, or “it’s not difficult to be merciful”, but I would suggest that in fact the meaning of “strained” is closer to our modern sense “restrained”. In its context, the line would therefore mean “mercy is not subject to control by man’s laws.”

Read more at Suite101: Misunderstood Shakespeare: Famous But Frequently Misapplied Quotations from The Bard http://shakespeareantheatre.suite101.com/article.cfm/misunderstood_shakespeare#ixzz0symRAoGe

 Mercy is of course a crucial ingredient of Justice.

Why some people prefer to believe in God who dispenses Perfect Justice

http://www.dilbert.com/strips/comic/2009-11-05/

"Wrong [and Justice] is one of those concepts that depends on witnesses."

It is analogous to the difference between a reported crime and a solved crime.

The journey to Justice is long and arduous.

First a wrong has to be suffered.

Then it has to be reported.

Then it has to be investigated.

Then the suspect arrested (if found).

Then the suspect interrogated and the right questions asked.

Then brought to trial (if sufficient evidence).

Then convicted (but it may be the wrong man).

Then punished (but it may be inadequate or too harsh, in which case yet another injustice is committed while in pursuit of justice.

Perhaps this is why some people prefer to believe in God.