Tuesday, September 19, 2006

a legal matter, baby

Can anyone explain the difference between martial law (which the army's declared) and a state of emergency (which the PM's called)? Which is better? Is it like Top Trumps?

God, the World Service is rubbish.

(Nismes-Desclous 1976 Armagnac, however, is very nice. Shall I have another, or a cup of tea. Oh, all right then.)

Everyone's saying that a military coup will be lousy for business and tourism, but since there's been no effective government for most of the year, I'm not so sure.

Oh Christ, I'm just listening to GWB's speech to the UN. Why does he always sound as if he's about to blub like a gurl?

6 comments:

patroclus said...

I'm afraid my mum's switched over to Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, so I am no longer on top of the Thailand situation. I'm relying on you for news now, Tim. Even if it's just about the Guillemots album.

Molly Bloom said...

Tim - you are just the best ever Timsterxxx Sending you all the best ever heart-felt last moments on the lap-topxxx

Billy said...

The Guillemots rule. Especially their (upright) bass player. *sigh*

I would have thought state of emergency comes before martial law. "We've been at the state of emergency for a while, now it's martial law."

Sounds scary. I'd be staying in and plying myself with booze, watching the news sites like a hawk.

patroclus said...

After martial law...Beige Alert!

I don't really like the Guillemots. Is that wrong? I like the New Pornographers today, though.

patroclus said...

Sorry, I seem to have strayed from the matter at hand.

*turns telly on*

Oo! The Bill's just starting!

Anonymous said...

A state of emergency is the gubberment saying: 'Everything's going tits up, stay indoors until it all blows over.

Martial law is the military saying: 'The gubberment has lost the plot. We're taking charge, and we've got all the guns, so you might want to do what we tell you.'

Which one is better depends on whether you trust the army or the gubberment to do the right thing.

lc (posting from my Treo, so can't log in. we must all cope as best we can in these dificult times...)