Tim Noakes, athlete, author, well-respected South African professor of exercise and sports science and ex-carb muncher has caused a bit of a stir by going back on advice he once gave. My emphasis:

“Sports science expert Professor Tim Noakes has caused a stir in health circles by refuting his own nutritional advice, widely espoused as athletics gospel. In an about-turn, Noakes is blaming food containing carbohydrates for the rise in obesity, diabetes and heart disease.”

Interesting to see he credits Gary Taubes for changing his mind. If you want to know more why government dietary advice is plain wrong and why carbohydrates are bad for us, I recommend this fascinating discussion between Taubes and Lew Rockwell.

h/t karen de coster

This is food for thought!

Thousands of households in NI may be affected by the government’s plans for a £26,000 annual limit on total household benefits, including child benefit. The figures were revealed in a written answer from the Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland to the Ulster Unionist MLA Michael Copeland. There are around 340,000 households which receive social security benefits. More than 99% receive less that £500 per week. Mr Copeland said that this meant that over 3,000 households could be affected by the proposed benefits cap.

Affected is a strange word to use. It seems to me that it is an outrage that those who DO NOT WORK get more income through Welfare than the average working person. I would also like to know how many receive in excess of £17,000? The fact is that Northern Ireland has a real dependency issue on Welfare and when people like me point it out, we are subject to vilification BUT that does not make our insight wrong. Only by slashing welfare dependency can we grow our economy and unhook it from the unhealthy addiction that so holds us back.

As you know, Northern Ireland had an Assembly election last year and I suppose it is timely to consider the impact it has made on that most crucial of issues – employment. So, how are we doing?  The Ulster Bank reports ;

Whilst the UK recorded its highest rate of growth in employment in eleven months, Northern Ireland’s private sector firms posted their sharpest rate of job losses since June last year, with all sectors reporting lower staffing levels in January.

Oh dear. And then this….

“Overall in the private sector…..more than a third of local companies signalled a decline in business output, and the survey’s main index again didn’t cross the 50 threshold (denoting growth) for the 50^th month in succession. 

50 MONTHS in a row and NO growth? That’s four years and counting. Who says devolution doesn’t deliver. The consistency in the failure to cope with our economic mess is impressive although I am unsure it that is what voters were expecting. Either way, that is what they are getting. In spades.

The totalitarianism of Islam is manifest in this news;

A journalist could be the first person to face the death penalty for remarks made on Twitter after allegedly insulting the Prophet Mohammed. Hamza Kashgari fled his home in Saudi Arabia for Malaysia after some Islamic clerics called for him to be put to death. It is believed he had tweeted his doubts about Mohammed on the Prophet’s birthday last week.

Mr Kashgari’s controversial tweet caused uproar with more than 30,000 responses and a number of death threats. Insulting the prophet is considered blasphemy in Islam and is punishable by death in Saudi Arabia. It is not a capital offence in Malaysia. More than 13,000 people joined a Facebook page called, ‘The Saudi People Demand the Execution of Hamza Kashgari’.

Where is the tolerance? Where is the pluralism? Where is the freedom? A civilised society must allow diverse opinions but in Saudi this seems to be a real problem.

The coming war against Iran is not a popular topic and most of us would rather it does not happen but believe me, you will all be talking about is sooner or later. I note that Charles Krauthammer takes my line on this issue;

Krauthammer referred to a Washington Post column in which David Ignatius indicated, generally, when Defense Secretary Leon Panetta thought such an attack might happen.

“Our own secretary of Defense has said it’s highly likely and he gave a timeframe — April, May, June — which means the Israelis think that the moment, the zone of immunity where they can no longer attack successfully, is approaching,” Krauthammer said.

“I think he is right. I think the Israelis are serious unless happens between now and midyear or even November that will threaten the regime, because it won’t change the policy. I think Israel will strike because it cannot live under the threat of annihilation from Iran.”

Krauthammer also had some strong words about why he thought an attack was likely.

“Unless something intervenes,” Krauthammer replied. “I cannot imagine the Israelis are going to allow Iran to go nuclear and to hold the Damocles sword over 6 million Jews all over again. Israel was established to prevent a second Holocaust, not to invite one.”

That’s the bottom line. If Iran gets nuclear weapons, the second Holocaust draws closer. The Mad Mullahs are intent on their stated aim of “wiping Israel off the map” and only a comprehensive attack on their atomic capabilities can prevent this. I differentiate between the people of Iran and the  tyrants that run it. No one wants to see innocent people hurt but the Mullahs have shown their unreason, their hatred, their zeal to finish what Hitler started.

Interesting to read that the Government has launched a review of public sector bonuses amid anger over payouts at bodies such as Royal Bank of Scotland.

Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander and Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude have written to all government departments asking them to examine their reward structures. The process is intended to ensure that in future only “genuine excellence” is recognised, after it emerged that up to a quarter of officials automatically qualified for payments.

25% AUTOMATICALLY getting bonus payments? This shows the scale of troughery in the State sector, that most unproductive of all sectors. I suggest that ALL bonus payments are ceased forthwith if these public servants want to avail of their gold plated pension provisions. For them to seek bonus payments, on top of their inflated salary provision, generous holidays AND minted pensions is taking the proverbial. If the Government wants to show leadership, it should STOP all these payments.

Last week we talked about the judicial decision to keep the Islamist Jihad preacher, Abu Qatada, in the UK. As you may recall, he is illegally here on a forged passport, he is wanted on crimes of planning acts of terrorism in his home nation of Jordan, and he has allegedly called for the murder of Jews and Americans. Even his own DEFENCE council have described him as a “dangerous man”. So, what to do?

At a cost to taxpayers of £10,000 a week, a team of up to 60 police officers and MI5 agents will provide round-the-clock protection for a man described as Osama Bin Laden’s ambassador in Europe when he returns to his London home.

It seems the Police worry for Mr Qatada’s safety. It strikes me that IF it is so unsafe for him to be here – why do we not put him on the next flight to Jordan?

Greece. Monday 13th February 2012.

The Parliament  passes the austerity bill even as Athens burns. 40 politicians are expelled from their respective Parties because they refused to support the Bill and the unelected technocrat who presides over all of this – Lucas Papademos – says that in a democracy there is no place for violence. He’s right – but IS Greece in any sense a democracy? Just think about what is happening. Greek politicians are imposing policies AGAINST the will of the people. There’s a name for that and it is tyranny. Greek politicians are doing their bidding of their mistress – Angela Merkel – in order to get a second tranche of Euro cash to keep the gravy train rolling as best as possible. Does Anybody ACTUALLY believe that Greece will now settle down and put up with the harshness of what is being imposed?

For example, the austerity bill envisages a 20% pay cut. In the private sector. Who thinks that one will work?

There is a terrible reality here that needs spelt out. Greeks, politicians and citizens, joined the Eurozone in order to avail of the easy credit and cash that came with membership. It pretended to adopt strict standards of economic management – but these never materialised. People lived beyond their means, infrastructure was built on Euro-roubles, tax was avoided at all costs. And then…reality dawned. It became obvious that Greece was a financial basket-case and that if it was to be stopped from defaulting on vast loans from French and German Banks – “bail outs” were needed. The price of the “Bail Out” is essentially moving Greek standards of living back in time at least a few decades. That is what has caused the riots. Now another “Bail Out” is required and so more adjustment is sought. At this point, the politicians now act against the will of those who elected them. And Athens burns.

What to do? No easy answers but there are at least some fundamentals that could be put right;

1. Greece must default on its debt and leave the Eurozone in an orderly manner. This can be managed.

2. Greece must bring back its own currency – the Drachma. This will bring prices down, help tourism, and also ensure that the debtors are given a massive shave.

3. Greece must end its dangerous flirtation with socialism.

We get the word democracy from Greece. We also get the word tyranny from Greece. At the moment, the latter has been on the rise, driven on by the Eurozone.

Adele is a first class phenomenon and tonight she rocked the Grammy Music Awards, winnning 6 grammies, including Best Song of the Year, with her beautiful hit song, “Rolling in the Deep.”

Best Country Album award went to Taylor Swift’s album “Speak Now,” which includes  her hit song, “Mean.”