It's been a bad month for stupid legislation inspired by grieving mothers, what with this and the violent porn thing. I would have thought that having a close relative killed in a particular way would make you less reliable on that subject, not more.

If it's such a great basis for deciding legislative matters, isn't it odd how MPs don't use it more? "I've been mugged, burgled, maimed by a hit-and-run drunk driver, and gang-raped. All my children, my siblings, and both my parents were tortured to death by sadists. Vote for me."

Legislation based on keeping the tabloids happy. What a wonderful idea.

Your post's been quoted in today's web round-up on page 2 of the Guardian, btw.

Blimey. The Guardian read my blog? Had I known, I'd have insulted them more.

Don't despair, maybe they'll be back! You could do a post on their front page on the 5th anniversary of 9/11. I know this will come as a shock, but the highlight was Nicole Kidman.

Terrible actress these days.

"This is something that Americans understand and the British, as a rule, don't. The point of the criminal justice system is not merely to find guilty people guilty. It is to protect innocent people from the state."

Yet don't you find it ironic that we over here on the other side of the pond actually put our violent criminals behind bars -- often for the rest of their natural lives -- where the British do not?

No, I don't find it even slightly ironic that a country that believes in protecting the individual from the state also believes in severely punishing criminals. I think the fact that so many people in this country would find that ironic is our problem.