I've done Normblog's rather detailed blogger's questionnaire, which he has put on his blog today, HERE. Here's a taster...
Can you name a major moral, political or intellectual issue on which you've ever changed your mind? > Devolution. I'm now a vocal supporter of an English Parliament.
What philosophical thesis do you think it most important to disseminate? > The economics of Adam Smith.
What philosophical thesis do you think it most important to combat? > Marxism.
Can you name a work of non-fiction which has had a major and lasting influence on how you think about the world? > A book called In The Arena by Richard Nixon. Nixon is a great writer and this book had an effect on me largely because it crystallized what being in politics is all about. In order to make a difference you have to be in the arena – not just on the sidelines mouthing off.
Who are your political heroes? > Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan, Konrad Adenauer.
If you could effect one major policy change in the governing of your country, what would it be? > To halve the size of the state.
What would you do with the UN? > Move it to Switzerland, halve its size and budget, reform its voting structures and change the terms of engagement for UN peacekeepers.
What do you consider to be the main threat to the future peace and security of the world? > Islamic fundamentalism.
What personal fault do you most dislike? > Selfishness.
In what circumstances would you be willing to lie? > To save someone's life.
What commonly enjoyed activities do you regard as a waste of time? > Fishing where you put the fish back.
What, if anything, do you worry about? > My weight.
Who would play you in the movie about your life? > Patrick Duffy.
What are you reading at the moment? > The autobiography of Jimmy Armfield and Richard Evans's history of the Third Reich. He taught me Austrian history at university.
Where would you most like to live (other than where you do)? > Washington DC.
If you could have any three guests, past or present, to dinner who would they be? > Richard Nixon, Otto von Bismarck and Cliff Richard.
What animal would you most like to be? > My Jack Russell, Gio.
So if you want to read more click HERE.
9 comments:
"Who would play you in the movie about your life? > Patrick Duffy"
As The Man From Atlantis or Bobby Ewing?!
from : http://iaindale.blogspot.com/2009/02/taking-normblog-test.html
Here are some New Types of Questions:
Can you name a major moral, political or intellectual issues on which you've ever changed your mind? >
I used to support Toryism. Being a Catholic moved me to the left, so that I am now a Democratic socialist. I used to be opposed to Nuclear power , but now think it's a good thing. I used to support the criminalization of abortion, but now, while I oppose abortion just as strongly, I think high quality sex education and supportive state welfare for mothers is a better way to reduce abortions (Compare the Netherlands with Brazil)
What philosophical thesis do you think it most important to disseminate? >
Popperism - that we cannot be beholden to closed ideological systems.
What philosophical thesis do you think it most important to combat? >
Scientific reductionism.
Can you name a work of non-fiction which has had a major and lasting influence on how you think about the world? >
Who are your political heroes? >
Harvey Milk, Clement Attlee, Barack Obama
If you could effect one major policy change in the governing of your country, what would it be? >
To stop the encroaching reach of the "database state"
What would you do with the UN? >
Develop it as a future basis for a kind of World Wide European Union.
What do you consider to be the main threat to the future peace and security of the world? >
Global warming.
What personal fault do you most dislike? >
Stupidty.
In what circumstances would you be willing to lie? >
The question is too hard. I would lie to save a life, but for other reasons as well. I think there are evil lies, minor lies, and white lies.
What commonly enjoyed activities do you regard as a waste of time? >
Computer games
What, if anything, do you worry about? >
Umm. My health. My Dad's Health. My friends. My country. My world. Finding a husband. Whether we are alone in the universe. Whether people really go to hell. The usual things.
Who would play you in the movie about your life? >
Philip Seymour Hoffman
What are you reading at the moment? >
Stephen Oppenheimer: the Origins of the British. Brian Greene: The Fabric of the Cosmos; and Jean Genet: Our Lady of the Flowers
Where would you most like to live (other than where you do)? >
Central Park South in New York
If you could have any three guests, past or present, to dinner who would they be? >
Aidan Nichols OP (received me into the Catholic Church); Jane Cromar (I sponsored her as she entered the Church); Jesus (I have a lot of questions he would be in just the right position to answer.
What animal would you most like to be? >
A Panda
[BTW the word verification for this was "licapig"]
“What do you consider to be the main threat to the future peace and security of the world? > Islamic fundamentalism.”
Good grief! I’ve finally found myself in agreement with Iain Dale about something (though I would include other religious loonies like catholics and US creationists and some extremist Hindus). I must go and lie down.
Atheist bus • Canadian Atheist bus • Atheist buses in Barcelona & Madrid
The National Federation of Atheist Humanist and Secular Student Societies
"In order to make a difference you have to be in the arena – not just on the sidelines mouthing off."
How many seats have you applied for lately in relation to how many blog posts you have written?
Fishing where you put the fish back.
Catch & Release; has its place as a conservation measure. There's also the fact that some fish don't taste good or are full of bones etc.
No matter, those that banned fox hunting now have their sights on angling.
Andy, you must have felt so pleased with yourself after you wrote that.
Sooooo clever. Still leaves you looking a prat, though. :)
@ Andy
So 'being in the arena' is, in your book, 'applying for seats'? Interesting. Does that mean that all the party workers and supporters (of whichever denomination) must apply for seats, too?
Actually the 'main threat to the future peace and security of the world' is sheer bleeding stupidity.
"In what circumstances would you be willing to lie? > To save someone's life".
That's a lie. Go on, tell me, who's life was you saving this time?
Well, cool! Norm profiled me in late 2004, and I selected many of the same questions you did. And answered much the same way.
My profile is here.
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