Sam Iles's Blog

CHANTIX (it’s stylised in upper-case, for inexplicable reasons), the miracle stop-smoking drug from American drug giant Pfizer has a wonderful (that’s sarcasm, by the way) success rate of 44%. However, it has made quite a storm in America. But, for me, the most entertaining part is the health notices which it carries on the homepage of its website (and said at double-time at the end of its TV adverts):

Some people have had changes in behavior, hostility, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal thoughts or actions while using CHANTIX to help them quit smoking. Some people had these symptoms when they began taking CHANTIX, and others developed them after several weeks of treatment or after stopping CHANTIX. If you, your family, or caregiver notice agitation, hostility, depression, or changes in behavior, thinking, or mood that are not typical for you, or you develop suicidal thoughts or actions, anxiety, panic, aggression, anger, mania, abnormal sensations, hallucinations, paranoia, or confusion, stop taking CHANTIX and call your doctor right away. Also tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems before taking CHANTIX, as these symptoms may worsen while taking CHANTIX. Do not take CHANTIX if you have had a serious allergic or skin reaction to CHANTIX. Some people can have serious skin reactions while taking CHANTIX, some of which can become life-threatening. These can include rash, swelling, redness, and peeling of the skin. Some people can have allergic reactions to CHANTIX, some of which can be life-threatening and include: swelling of the face, mouth, and throat that can cause trouble breathing. If you have these symptoms or have a rash with peeling skin or blisters in your mouth, stop taking CHANTIX and get medical attention right away. The most common side effects include nausea (30%), sleep problems, constipation, gas and/or vomiting. If you have side effects that bother you or don’t go away, tell your doctor. You may have trouble sleeping, vivid, unusual or strange dreams while taking CHANTIX.

So, there you have it. You know, I think I’d rather be addicted to smoking than take a drug that will make me suicidal and aggressive and apparently make all my skin fall off. And, not even just suicidal thoughts, but suicidal actions. I understand that drug companies have to cover themselves for headaches, sickness, swelling and the like, but, really – suicide?! No thank you, Pfizer.

Global carbon emissions reach record, says IAE

How depressing. Despite the environmental movement apparently being stronger than ever, CO₂ emissions in 2010 were the highest on record.

A better Pledge of Allegiance for America’s children:

“God bless Citigroup and God bless GE.”

DuPont – the company you can thank entirely for cannabis being illegal – is apparently funding a series of programs for the BBC which essentially explain the world’s ostensible problems and how DuPont and its friends intends to fix them.

These programs are called “Horizons” and are being made for BBC World News, a service which doesn’t use the UK licence fee but rather commercial organisations like DuPont to fund itself, but these shows will apparently be shown within the UK all the same.

Is this really OK? DuPont paying for the BBC to make programs which are very much to its benefit? The one thing about the BBC has always been that it is independent and free from influence and advertising. Once the World News service starts taking these kinds of, well, bribes, what’s next for the BBC?

Germany to close all existing nuclear power plants by 2022 (and not build any new ones)

(German Green Party winning Baden-Wuerttemberg and being second in national polls are a key factor in this, as well as many protests against nuclear. A reason to vote Green in the UK!)

This is what the celebrities do. They “endorse” candidates and, if you get the right person (read: Oprah) you get a major boost to your campaign. I, of course, carry just as much influence on the American people, so here is my endorsement: Ron Paul. Yes, that Ron Paul. The “Godfather” of the right-wing Tea Party movement. In fact, out of all American politicians 1937-2008, Paul is ranked in some study as the most conservative. But, stick with me.

Ron Paul is kind of the anti-government. The person who, while he is a member of the right wing Republican party (and therefore bad, in theory) he is great. He is that rare breed of politician who dares to speak out against the normal abuse of the public by the government. The one who votes against the Patriot Act. The one who opposes public surveillance . The one who supports gay marriage. The one who is strictly non-intervention in his foreign policy. The one who is for net neutrality. The one who supports the legalisation of prostitution. The one who wants to take all the crazy powers the President has away from him. The one who wants to ban torture. The one who wants to stop security-theature at airports. The one who wants warrants to be required before police surveillance can happen. A staunch environmentalist (although his position on climate change does remain a little more ambiguous, but no more than any other American politician). He wants to end the War on Drugs, believing the prohibition doesn’t work.

He is, simply put, the one I agree with on every single issue. he is, by far, the politician in the US most passionate about civil liberties, in that he wants to reinstate and maintain all of them. He advocates public choice and public freedom from government.

In fact, he’s so seemingly left wing that it’s almost impossible to see how he is considered (by the media) so right wing. I really do not understand it. It’s almost as if it’s some kind of smear campaign.

You see, the Republicans tend to distance themselves from Paul (believing him to be too left wing) and the democrats dislike him too (believing, wait for it, him to be too left wing for them). The media never, ever talks about him (even though most Americans would agree with him if they knew him. In fact, he is a Presidential Candidate but on TV when they list them five or so candidates, they always miss Paul off. It’s like he doesn’t exist.

And, this, sadly, is why Paul has little chance of becoming President. He is an outsider, too left for anyone, seen as unpatriotic because he wants to restore public freedom and consequently LET THE TERRORISTS WIN. He’s too out there, too liberal and, although he is what the people want, the media and politics doesn’t let him get in anywhere.

Poor Ron Paul. I do hope you win. I literally cannot conceive in my tiny mind how incredible the USA would be if Paul was President of the (Formerly) Free World.

On the day when the UK continues to enforce the Libyan no-fly zone by bombing Gaddafi’s house (which I assume must be an airport), it seems I should give an update on the Libyan crisis.

Essentially, nothing has changed. We are still bombing things which we shouldn’t be, we are still holding all of Gaddafi’s money and still he is in power.

Although, some things have changed.

In our effort to enforce the no-fly zone we were so desperate for, we have bombed eight warship ports (presumably to destroy his flying boats).

Libyan people have been attacking journalists. According to the news in the West, that’s inexplicably because they are angry at petrol shortages, although it’s much more likely that they are aware of and angry at the disinformation spouted by the media over here.

Obama changed his prediction of military involvement in Libya from “days” to “years”. Yeesh.

Obama continues to flout the law by being at war without any vote allowing him to do so as he nears ever closer to the deadline and will require a vote (which he likely won’t get).

The rebels (you know, the ones we were originally told were a cell like guerilla group with no organisation) have been given offices all over the place (one, two and three).

In fact (and this really is my favourite), the rebels have even set up their own central bank and oil company and even have an economic minister! Tell me: how can a group of protesters be so damn organised? It’s almost like it’s been on the drawing board of the CIA for years!

I could go on. Story after story of ridiculous nonsense. Although, I am enjoying the Arab Spring. So wonderful that the West will soon own all the countries. (That’s sarcasm, by the way.)

The brain has a great way of revealing its true meaning, often. This wonderful slip from David Cameron is not to be missed:

“Americans and Brits do not need to explain terrorism to each other. Both our people have suffered at our hands.”

Our hands, David? Do you not mean “its” hands?

@3:30