Mutley The Dog RIP

It is with sadness that I report to those who haven't heard that Robert Chambers who ran the mutleythedog website passed away suddenly in the early hours of Friday 21 May. A webpage has been set up where his many online and offline friends have left suitable tributes to the man. Robert certainly knew satire and had a genius for making serious points via wacky fantasies.

I was fortunate enough to meet him offline as well as online. One evening in early March 2007 he came to visit Prague on some EU quango conference. My recollection of our conversation remains vivid. Not only did he provide political and blogging inspiration, but his demeanour taught me a few things about how to engage with other people.

We both had lots of fun on our blogs embellishing our adventures. I have tagged blogposts that involved Mutley which included a few days in July 2007 when he took on a pro-European alter-ego in my absence to wind up some of my regular site visitors. My favourites were Mutley the Dog's Night Out in Prague and a provocative post on a United Europe (see the comments!).

Now that I am a Conservative constituency chairman, I look back on those more carefree blogging days with fondness and won't forget Robert's support. A true libertarian, he didn't live his life like a dress rehearsal, yet exuded a natural kindness. God bless and RIP.

More On Roman

Thanks for looking after the blog, Roman. Regulars will be pleased to know that Roman shouldn't have invoked my name as a supporter for his deeper EU vision - I think there has been a misunderstanding about what EU reform means. Roman is a veteran of the protest "actions" of 2000 and some of his rebellious youth has persisted in his political DNA. Unfortunately, some of Roman's comments do pass muster in the student bars of red Zizkov. I'd be much obliged if anyone can accommodate Roman in London this August.

As further evidence of the old adage that it doesn't matter who you vote for the government always gets in, the Socialist opposition (CSSD) in Czech (who are in the same EU grouping as the beloved British Labour Party) are calling for a referendum on the EU treatistution whilst the ODS are denying Czechs a say.

Update May 2010 - This set of blogs were assisted by Mutley the Dog aka Robert Chambers RIP

Peace and Disarmament

GUEST POST BY ROMAN CUNIK - PRAGUE STUDENT

A future United Europe can only be a force for good in the whole world by making as the United Nations has said, that peace and disarmament are a ways and means to to politics, not some future goal. It means

That all international relations affairs can only be viewed with the question of disarmament and peace as the crucible. Especially in the Middle East, the question is Does what we do enhance peace or make war? Does it advance disarmament or does it contribute to weaponisation?

To make a very cobcrete example - and I am sorry USA fans but here I make some constructive criticisms of USA foriegn policy. Should there be a kind of tripwire missile detection and launching system here in the Czech Republic? If so should it be in the sole control of the USA? I think no and so no to the second as well. President Bush says it contributes to security by promising to shoot down attacking missiles - from where they are flying he does not say. But it also heightens tension with the Eastern countries like Russia to have such powerful weapons systems on their borders. So I say instead approach and make disarmament deals with those countries which might fire those missiles. Then there will be no need for such defences. This peace and disarmament as a policy not a goal.

I am waiting to see who has house room preferably in Londons West End for me to stay for a few weeks this summer...in return you can stay by me in Prague 1, whenever you like.

OK, what say you??

Update May 2010 - this was a joke blog by Robert Chambers aka Mutley the Dog

A United Europe - the Future?

GUEST POST BY ROMAN CUNIK - PRAGUE STUDENT

Like most pro-Europeans I believe that strength in unity is particularly important in today's multipolar world. We argue that a united and independent Europe has become increasingly necessary, while a politically divided one would bring disadvantages in many areas, including economic, cultural, political, social, scientific, diplomatic and military. A major argument is the relative small size and importance of the individual European countries with respect to the current and rising powers on the world scale. The individual countries have limited geopolitical influence and are unable to represent their own interests effectively. On the other hand, a united Europe, with a population and an economy larger than that of the United States, would make a viable partner, or competitor, whose opinion and interests would be taken into account on the world stage. Let us be clear - a United Europe can stand up to America - even by force of arms if needed, but hopefully it will not come to that!

I would like as well to refer to the benefits of the EU to its member states. Citizens enjoy benefits such as the right to free movement across the EEA and social benefits such as employment rights, and consumers benefit from greater choice and guaranteed standards. Such 'cost / benefit' assessments are not the most important however. We also feel that we belong to a community of people with common bonds. Further European Integration and cooperation is a peacemaking force. This is so important I feel no single member state can stand in the way, and if it s needed the European army can enforce reluctant countries to integrate in the name of their own people - that is the United European people.

I hope you agree me and Dominic in this idea for a collective Europe - please let us know.

If you are OK to invite me to visit you in London, please let me know,soonest as I make my summer holiday plans.

Update May 2010 - this post was written by Robert Chambers aka Mutley the Dog to wind up the serious politicos who tended to visit this blog.

Posting By A Stranger - Soon to be A Friend

GUEST POST BY ROMAN CUNIK - PRAGUE STUDENT

Hello All!!

My friend Praguetory here in Prague is allowing me to

make some posts with a set purpose of getting some

internationalist discussions going on some themes

which I can choose as being my "close to the heart"

topics!!

He has warned me that there are many "aristocrats of

blogging" who are readers here and so I begin my

residence making apologies in advance for my English -

which is not as the Queens and for any naivety I may

still have about politics.

For my part I a Czech student with a big interest for

Europe and a desire to travel. I will willing accept

any invitations to stay at your country house or

London abode - I am great reader of Wodehouse and

would abide all conventions (Joke)

Today I present to you my simple agendas:

The need for a deeper as well as wider European Union,for the benefit of the people.

Peace and Disarmament as a a means to politics not a

distant goal.

Ways equality in wealth can be reached in a just and

fair way for all.

Praguetory has said me that he is OK with these themes

and so I invite all your comments to topic one.

Update May 2010 - this blog was written by Robert Chambers aka Mutley the Dog to wind up the serious politicos who normally visited this blog.

Mutley The Dog's Night Out

When I went out with Mutley last night, I was given two rules by Ms PT. Firstly, no pictures and secondly don’t wake her up when I come back. I met Mutley in his hotel lobby. He had green absinthe stains all down the front of his shirt, but reckoned that he could pass it off as a tie.

Mutley’s colleagues from the Bridport tourist board were knocking about. Diverse bunch - pictured is Marj the shoplifter (check the top of her back). It’s well known that Mutley got his job by ticking the homosexual box so he introduced me as his gay tryst for the evening. I think he gets a bit tired of “caring” and “enabling” his colleagues and he ordered them to get the staff to put them to bed.

Unimaginatively, we ended up in U Buldoka – only skinheads are allowed downstairs (had you heard that Britney’s in town?), but it was quieter upstairs anyway. We started to reflect on blogging. Apparently, Mutley’s been making a fair wedge from ads since he started, but also explained that he’s just found some Albanian sites that guarantee greater riches. Mutley plans to set up a Bridport diaspora website for people like Paul Newman who were forced to leave their home town.

I told Mutley about the Reagan monument in Prague - Mutley is thinking of getting a George Bush done for Bridport. Town twinning is always so competitive isn’t it?

After making a pass at the waitress using his Czech swear list we had to leave. Mutley got to thinking about Ms Honeysmack on the walk home and we tried a few doorbells just in case. (Cyber-appeal - he loves you – can’t you give him another chance?) Anyway, I left him to walk the last bit. Mutters, can let me know whether you got back OK?

Monday Evenings In Prague

Trying to decide what to do tomorrow evening.

Favourite to start the evening is Bulldog. Straddling the fence between a smokey dive of a bar and a club because it's open late and has DJs, The Bulldog, is a receptacle for the local flotsam and jetsam. It's where I met the future Ms PT.

Chateau is an option, but it isn't much more than a grimy, seedy bar with red walls. Last Wednesday, there was a David Cameron look-alike in there who appeared to be trying to score some drugs - he was certainly looking in the right place.

Zlaty Strom (meaning Golden Tree) is one of those places that has a video outside with loads of people dancing, but is usually deserted inside. Check out the losers on their website when you click "music-club". That chap who's bent double on the dancefloor starts fights.

There is also an absinthe bar somewhere near the Globe bookstore, but I'm not sure which street it's on.

On reflection, maybe we'll go up-market and shoot some pool at Cafe Louvre. As you can probably tell, I don't often go out in Prague. Does anyone have any ideas?

Steady On Mutley

Everybody has a friend who always gets them in trouble. Mutley is mine. Just before he went out to meet an old friend of his, he posted this picture on my blog.

No Mutley & No Girlfriend

Arrived in Prague on the overnight train with a present for my old friend Mutley. It was a pleasant morning, but I was rather worried about the fact that neither Mutley nor my fiancee were answering their mobiles. Got home and the front door was wide open. No sign of Mutley or Ms PT except for a short note stuck to the screen of my desktop. I suppose I'll just have to wait here for Mutley to return to give his side of the story.

Update

Mulling letting Mutley post his story here - it is totally implausible, but quite amusing. On a partly related note, I may be in some local difficulties after hearing reports that Mutley attempted to set the Mayor of Prague up with a profile on adult friendfinder. Also, the gf is staying with a friend, but I've decided to take down the picture as she'll probably get annoyed.

Researching Nymphomania Prague Style

Being stranded last night after the arrest of the transgendered John Bull
impersonators, and being ejected from a Bar named "Alcohol" (plain folks
these Czechs) I returned to my garret room in Zlatnicka Ulika, to pen this
pondering for Mr PTs’ Blog. As he is a world famous political commentator I
am somewhat in awe, so if I stumble over my words a little or giggle
nervously please forgive me.

Nymphomania is sadly a little studied phenomenon outside of the adult film
industry. As my friend Mr F has rightly stated – Prague has become a hub
for the production of celluloid erotica, and so I could not be in a better
place to research the topic. Yesterday morning I popped into the Tourist
Information office on Kunda Platz ( Kermit Place – it is named like much in
Prague Old Town after characters from the Muppets) . A woman with a face
like a sack of porcupines greeted my stuttering Czech with horror "Ty debile
Zasranej - …. Er Nymphomaniac Movies?" I began.

I did not realise it was possible to really make a revolving door spin round like that as a body shoots through it. I thought that was only in cartoons!! Later I met the GF who Mr PT claims is his long term partner. I am suspicious of that as not only is she rather cute, she is also a game girl! She said for flat fee and an hourly rate plus expenses she was willing to help my research efforts in person!!

What do you think I should do?

Guest Blogger

I am taking a train later tonight to deepest Slovakia and will have intermittent Internet access.


Mutleythedog is now in charge of the blog until I return at some point on Sunday. Provided we are still friends, I will be giving Mutley the Praguetory tour of the city next week - so hopefully we'll have a few anecdotes for you.

Other Prague Pictures

A permanent Jan Saudek museum is in residence on a street called Celetna which is just off Old Town Square in medieval Prague. The following picture is probably the most famous. It's called "Fate Descends towards the River Leading Two Innocent Children" from 1970.


After visiting the museum we decided to visit a Franz Kafka museum. There are two or three Kafka museums, so we asked in a very small one where the others were. This involved crossing the Vltava river. Here's a nice picture of Prague Castle from that bridge.


At the other end of the bridge we took a picture of Charles Bridge - you can see the throngs of tourists.



In other news, we are preparing the guest room for a visit by Mutley the dog, Jen and Mr Frobisher.

Bloggers I Would Like To Meet

Mutley the dog and his brothers are visiting Prague soon and we should find time to meet.

Things To Do People To See

Over the next week, I have a fairly hectic schedule with lots of things to do and people to see. Mutley the dog (NSFW) is coming to Prague soon to tie up details around a city twinning arrangement with Bridport, so I will be trying to improve my local political network. I know that my forecasts of lighting blogging tend to be inaccurate (events, dear boy) so just take this as guidance.

Meanwhile, there are a group of lurkers on this blog who rarely or never comment. I got a nice email from one old friend who is from a family of active Labour supporters.

Good to see the blog is still going well- of what I've read you're extremely informative, thought provoking and balanced and that coming from a Guardian reader.

Any other first time commenters out there?

Blogwatch and Mutley The Dog

BLOGWATCH

My new sidelinks feature is blogwatch. It keeps a focus on the must see blogs. PHITCH has started blogging and is experimenting with graphics. Over at Suz's blog, she's having some fun at the expense of the Lib Dem leadership. Martin Kelly has had a sad death in the family (I extend my sympathies) and issues a warning about the new video release "Snakes On A Plane".

BRIDPORT -> PRAGUE

A man swollen with civic pride, Mutley the dog has intimated that he wants to allow Prague to twin with Bridport Wales. I noted my surprise that he was considering undertaking this venture from a distance, so he is coming to Prague some time next week or in March.

LITERARY ONE-UPMANSHIP

Mutley mentioned the Bridport Literary Festival and I admit it made me feel a bit competitive. In Prague we have Shakespeare & Son and Big Ben Books and occasional open mike slots where Americans anyone can read their own poetry, prose or conspiracy theories. There is no truth in the rumour that Piper Publishing s.r.o has opened for business. I'm not bothering with the news websites today, so feel free to let me know what's happening?