http://www.newmatilda.com/election07/index.php/2007/10/30/the-ties-have-it-round-two/

Canute’s experimental design could never falsify the hypothesis: “King Canute can stem the tide if he wants to.”

Canute’s experimental design was pre-Popperian, unsurprising really, when you take into account the fact that Canute lived in the 11th century.

Indeed it would be difficult to construct an experiment to disprove that hypothesis, because Canute, being the pious fellow he was, never wanted to test whether he had god-like tide-stemming powers.

And that, of course, was the conceit that lay behing my little joke.

I believe Canute was attempting to show his inpotence: some things, a King can do; others, he can’t, Nothing to do with Popper. Something about the limits of governance. And prudence. And not-to-get-too-big-fer-yer-boots. Modesty. Temperance.

“My dear, impotence had nuthin’ to do with it!” – Mae West.

cheerio

Given that the polls indicate that many ministers in the current government, including even the Prime Minister, are in serious danger of losing their seats, in the unlikely event that the Coalition retains government after the election and Mr Costello becomes Prime Minister, whom would he choose as the ministers in his new government?

However, I know Iâ??m more likely to get â??investmentsâ?? like Quixotic Turbines, Desalination plants, and Gigabit broadband for the homeless.

Fabulous. Now reality is mirroring my hyperbole.

Installing leopards everywhere is rarely a good idea. I tried it once, for security purposes, and barely escaped alive. The damn things have no loyalty whatsoever. Apologies to those mauled, especially my private-army stalwarts. Good thing we were on a remote uncharted island, otherwise boats, extra ammunition and medical supplies would not have been placed by me in a hidden coastal cache quite so craftily.

On the whole, I’d say installing even one leopard should be mulled over very carefully indeed. Take a look at “The Killer Shrews,” “Fiends Without a Face” or “The Devil Is a Man” if you don’t believe me. In my experience, a few zombies on a good sturdy neck-chain are a much better bet, and they really frighten the shit out of Dr. Maestro’s super-dobermans, long before they reach your perimeter. It’s something to see.