Those coming from Central Asia, Bahrain, Qatar or Saudi Arabia to the Olympics, interested to see what life in a democracy feels like, will find it seems exactly like life at home in their dictatorship. 17,000 soldiers will be glowering over the venues, checking identity documents, stopping and searching. The mlitary will occupy residential buildings, be buzzing overhead, rolling down the streets and patrolling the river. There will be missiles on land, sea and air, though nobody knows what the threat is that this is supposed to counter.
What will make our dictatorship resident visitors feel especially at home is the contempt for the ordinary citizen. Not only will they have the military all over them and be subject to frequent stopping and questioning, they will be expected continually to get out of the way of their betters. Special VIP lanes on the road will allow officials to sweep by, while normal citizens will simply have to sit in gridlock and stew. Who cares? The military will stick missiles on your roof if they wish. What they are going to shoot down, and which bit of London it will land on, is not to be questioned.
Here in Ramsgate we are losing our regular train service to London completely for the duration. All the HS1 trains are being commandeered to run a shuttle service between Ebbsfleet and Stratford. 22 trains a day from Ramsgate are simply cancelled. Slow trains are available, but a journey normally 70 minutes will become – at the fastest possible – 2 hours and 35 minutes. A large number of commuters will simply be unable to get to work anything like on time, and have to spend door to door over seven hours a day in travelling as well as their working day. Nobody was consulted. Quite a few don’t yet know – there has been no determined effort to tell people. Leaflets are available in the ticket office if you ask for one.
But the leaflets might as well just say, “You are fucked, and we don’t care”.
The extra 3,500 military personnel it was today announced will be used at the games cover a shortfall in Group Four personnel. Group Four were providing 4,000 paid staff and 6,000 unpaid volunteers. It is the unpaid volunteer numbers which are short by 3,500.
Most people are not stupid. They may volunteer happily for sport or for charity, but to work for nothing to make tens of millions of pounds of profit for Group Four as it exploits them, plainly does not have universal appeal. Those 2,500 who have volunteered to work for nothing for G4S are the idiots in this story. How gullible can you be?
Bob Russell, MP for Colchester, today in parliament made the excellent point to Teresa May that Group Four (or G4S as they now call themselves) should not be employed because of their role in aiding and abetting Israel’s illegal activities in the West Bank and human rights abuse there. With breathtaking chutzpah Teresa May replied that it was this kind of valuable international experience that made Group Four the right company to provide security for the games.
Which brings me back to my point at the start. Those visiting from oppressive regimes will feel absolutely at home. That is the one and only thing you can trust Teresa May to ensure with grim efficiency.
Guano,
Moon of Alabama led me last night to an article in the Guardian which I hadn’t seen. It’s worth a read:
“The Syrian opposition: who’s doing the talking?”
“The media have been too passive when it comes to Syrian opposition sources, without scrutinising their backgrounds and their political connections. Time for a closer look …”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/12/syrian-opposition-doing-the-talking
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I’m sorry to hear you’re still having problems with your ex-wife. It sounds like a nasty vindictive situation.
The israeli bus in Bulgaria gets blown up, no one taking any responsibility but as the Bulgarian emergency services arrive on the scene, ben has an epiphany and declares Iranians is wot done it, and blames Iran for the attacks.
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The same day that sees the Syrian bomber who killed Assad’s brother in law, being hailed as a super hero and a “Martyr”, with declarations of the turning point of war on Assad, whilst suddenly the ugly terrorists attack the innocent israeli bus.
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Excellently put. Note also that Israel is entitled to murder Iranian scientists at will.
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I suspect, though, that the target for tonight will not be Iran, but Lebanon. The g_dbotherers have been looking for a casus belli ever since they got their arses handed to them in 2006. Despite Barak’s unsupported assertion that Hizb’ullah were responsible for the Bulgarian bombing, Hizb’ullah deny involvement:
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=141429
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But I’m sure the ME’s champions of freedomanddemocracy won’t let that affect their thinking.
AIPAC speaks (see its lips move? I didn’t):
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=141438
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Yeah, Barry. You’re going to bring them to justice. The guy who did it is smeared thinly across a carpark in Burgas, and your chums in Tel Aviv are as you speak organising some extrajudicial extraterritorial assassinations of anyone else they think might be involved, along with anyone else they don’t like much. Justice? Twat.
Two terrorist attacks, each treated entirely differently by media in the West. Glenn Greenwald has predicted that nobody will describe the Damascus suicide bombing as “terrorism” and so far, I haven’t seen it – other than on Twitter.
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The official account of the Netanyahu’s spokesperson to the Arab media, @ofirgendelman, has tweeted “We know that Iran is behind the Burgas attack because it tried to carry out similar attacks in recent months. This is its Modus Operandi” and “Hezbollah is often used as Iran’s proxy in carrying out terrorist attacks against Israelis and Western interets”
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That’s some real forensic investigation, that is.
A bit like Bush blaming bin Laden for 9/11, or Clinton blaming Assad for Houla. “Get the word out there, never mind the details”.
Jives, you can dismiss the RT report, which is completely untrue, and (rofl) was specifically contradicted (snigger) by Chris Allison, Britain’s national Olympic security coordinator, last year, here. {http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/story/2011-11-22/london-olympics-security/51353924/1} Ridiculous (snort). Our security is second to none….(no, I can’t go on and keep a straight face. Sober up, Komodo.)
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You thought that was bad?
http://www.timesofisrael.com/shin-bet-to-help-secure-israeli-athletes-in-london/
“The report didn’t mention whether the Shin Bet operatives would be armed.”
I bet it didn’t.
Has anyone watched Free Speech yesterday? It was about Olympics and how it affected east Londoners.
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As expected nothing was mentioned about tenants (mostly east Europeans) kicked out of their houseshares by greedy landlords. Shelter estimated that around 15.000 long term tenants have been forced out of East London to make way to more lucrative short-term tenants.
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For those tenants who remained in East London rent in the last 2 years was up by 15-25% (more than London average).
Let me get this right, 500 FBI agents to ensure US athletes are safe and sound, Shin Beth officers ‘keeping a low profile’ as not to embarrass the London police, does this mean we can expect other nations to arrive with their security services as well?
How many security men will there be from Russia and China, both having a problem with secession of regional independent movements? How many for Indonesia’s team? Or that of Iran, Saudi and Argentina? Will the Olympics be a security service nightmare?
Any terrorist wanting to disrupt the games, disguised as a security bod could easily succeed, given he has a pass to get in. Boy am I glad of not living in Canning Town any more, it was bad then, now it must be hellish.
Nevermind
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Living in East London was never a good idea.
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Security ridden paranoia of London Olympics is in pace with worldwide security paranoia of rich nations. The bottom of this problem is not terrorism itself but sources that generates terrorism. It is internal or external (quite often both) oppression, denial of self-determination, neo-colonisation, exploitation of natural recourses and/or cheap labour etc. Those are the problems that are articulated by developed nations (mostly by US and UK) and generating growing anger around the world. Thus the security paranoia in London – capital of world financial exploitation, where billions of bloody money laundered each year.
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But as it happens unfortunately East London (where all this show is taking place) is also a home to London’s most deprived, most of whom are by no means connected to all those who generate anger and poverty home and abroad.
THE FACE BEHIND TERRORISM IN SYRIA
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http://www.coia.org.uk/kodmani.png
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‘This year was Kodmani’s second Bilderberg. At the 2008 conference, Kodmani was listed as French; by 2012, her Frenchness had fallen away and she was listed simply as “international” – her homeland had become the world of international relations.’
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‘In September 2005, Kodmani was made the executive director of the Arab Reform Initiative (ARI) – a research programme initiated by the powerful US lobby group, the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).’
Radio Free Europe (CIA) says:
Speaking on July 19, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov said work was under way to indentify the suspected Burgas bomber, whose body is reported to have suffered extensive damage.
“We have strong evidence to believe that [attack] was the work of a suicide bomber,” Borisov told reporters. “We’ve been working closely with our FBI and CIA colleagues and no information was found about the [alleged perpetrator] in their databases. So, we can say with certainty that one of the victims had false [ID] documents.”
http://www.rferl.org/content/bulgaria-blames-suicide-bomber-iran-denies-israel-accusation-of-role-in-deadly-burgas-bombing/24649944.html
. Compare and contrast with P20 of today’s PRINT Guardian:
The Israeli foreign ministry later denied that the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber. The Bulgarian interior minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov…quoted on national radio BNR as saying the police were investigating two possible causes…a device was put on the coach before the tourists boarded or that explosives were in the tourists’ luggage.
Today’s Guardian WEB edition:
{http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/19/bulgaria-bombing-suicide-attack-israelis}
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As Unrael (sic) needs it to have been a suicide bomber in order to assert that the modus operandi is that of Hamas/Hizb’ullah/Iran/[insert current bogeyman here], it’s nice to see everyone agreeing again. Isn’t it?
On some unrelated topic.
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On Monday largest mobile operator in Central Asia, MTS – Uzbekistan stopped all its services that it provided to around 10 million customers in Uzbekistan.
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Russian based MTS once (in 2006) purchased from Gulnara Karimova, majority of shares of then Uzdunrobita, first established mobile operator in Central Asia, which was owned by US based company. Back in 2006 (few months after Andijan) Uzdunrobita was forcibly taken by Gulnara Karimova and re-sold to MTS for estimated 500.000.000 USD, of which 0 USD was received by the Ministry of Finance. All money via Swiss based and Gulnara Karimova owned ZeroMax company were invested in Europe and Middle East. That is how Russian based MTS originally got hold of Uzdunrobita and developed it into MTS-Uzbekistan one of the largest mobile operators in former USSR.
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In July 2012 Uzbek Prosecutors started raid on MTS-Uzbekistan office in Tashkent. Several top managers have been arrested and few days later MTS-Uzbekistan stopped its services. So far there are no signs of pressure from either Russian government (where Russian based MTS has strong support) or from Russian based MTS itself. It is believed that Gulnara Karimova openly requested Russian based MTS to “donate” her 200.000.000 USD which according to her, the company owned her according to the agreement signed back in 2006. After delayed response from Russian based MTS, Uzbek prosecutors were sent to shut down MTS-Uzbekistan.
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It is believed that shutting down major Russian investment is in pace with current prioritisation and foreign policy direction of everlasting uzbek president karimov, father of ever-greedy Gulnara Karimova.
http://www.kapital.uz/
Just follow the money, Uzbek…
“We are excited about the opportunity to provide KBR’s technology and services for the first time in an Uzbek plant,” said David Zelinski, KBR’s Downstream President. “The region’s abundant supply of gas and other natural resources have the potential to deliver growth and prosperity to
both KBR and Uzbekistan,the Karimovs.”.
Obviously, some adjustment to the ownership will have to take place once it is up and running, and I’m guessing some overcritical commentators will be complaining of daylight robbery, but hey, KBR’s a former subsidiary of Halliburton, and I’ll try to hide my pain…
Mark Golding, please check your Inbox:
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7A47 2CBD EBCC 8814 B78B
D491 D03B EE77 E67A AA43
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John Goss, did you get my reply?
The Middle East Master Plan Towards War and Fascism.
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“The Arab Spring” is being played out in two versions, depending on whether a nation is considered as an ally of NATO or not.
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http://nsnbc.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/middle-east-master-plan-towards-war-and-fascism-2/
It seems we don’t even know the number of different spy agencies who’ve sent operatives to London for the Olympics, like we don’t even know how many species of beetle there are.
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How on Earth are all the “security agents” supposed to tell what behaviour is “terrorist” and which is “legitimate” covert activity?
Komodo
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Pay attention how ‘informative’ Avesta Investment Group’s (owner of the kapital.uz) web site is.
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No doubt that Avesta IG hides a LOT of dirty names behind its doors. Those promoting and participating in large money laundering businesses and benefiting from child slavery in uzbek cotton fields.
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Another INTERESTING point is that capital.uz portraits itself as “This blog has been set up and is maintained by the Avesta Investment Group research team. Its purpose is to inform foreign investment community of the latest events in the Uzbekistan business community, with the focus on topics related to activities of international strategic and portfolio investors.”
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And yet no word about shutting down one of the largest (foreign owned) mobile operator and one of the largest (foreign) investments in Uzbekistan.
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Has anyone got any membership information of Avesta IG?
This is one of the reasons why Ketts Independent Alliance was formed, this man is a menace.
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where did I get that inner calm from? walking past him the other day in Norwich, rather than into him.
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/politics/email_probe_at_norfolk_county_council_places_blame_on_council_leader_derrick_murphy_1_1451334
Legal precedent officially establishes thought-crime in the UK:
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jul/18/royal-wedding-protesters-lose-case
All is now clear, the Nacht und Nebel have given way to the clear light of truth. The Guardian updates its version of events –
A suicide bomber detonated the fatal blast that killed five Israelis and their bus driver in Bulgaria on Wednesday evening.
The Israeli foreign ministry stated on Thursday that initial speculation on the part of the Bulgarian authorities that a bomb had been planted on the side of the bus or in its boot was incorrect.
Within hours of the explosion, conflicting reports of how the attack was carried out and the number of those killed and injured in the explosion poured from Bulgarian and Israeli news sites. However, the Bulgarian and Israeli authorities have both confirmed that the attack was a suicide bombing.
Unsubstantiated reports claim an additional and badly damaged male body has been found on the bus carrying a fake US passport issued in Michigan.
Boyko Borisov, the Bulgarian prime minister, said on Thursday that video tapes from Sarafovo airport terminal capture a Caucasian man with long hair dressed in sportswear roaming the area around the buses apparently waiting for the Israeli tourists for more than an hour. This man is the suspected suicide bomber.
A Caucasian suicide bomber? With long hair? The obvious choice to pass as an Israeli long enough to get on their bus as one of them, and obviously Hamas/Hizb’ullah/etcetera. Fiendish. The sportswear aspect is also intriguing. Was he dressed for the 800 metres or the javelin?
BTW, two Bulgarians were also killed. Easy to miss, I know…
Clark – Nothing received?
Police officer Simon Harwood was today cleared of killing newspaper seller Ian Tomlinson during the G20 protests in London in 2009. Concerns about the Pc’s alleged previous ‘heavy handed policing’ were only disclosed after acquittal.
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9412232/Police-officer-Simon-Harwood-cleared-of-killing-Ian-Tomlinson.html
Mark, that’s interesting. I sent it yesterday, but not from an e-mail account of mine. I also sent you some from my Plusnet account a while ago; I thought you’d reply to those as they included some *nix command line hints, but nothing came back. I’ll dig up the dates and times, and check I didn’t make a mistake. All were sent to your coia account.
Mark, I’ve posted an excerpt (suitably trimmed) from one of my Thunderbird folders, here:
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http://www.killick1.plus.com/e-mail-record.png
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I’ve added “Stars” in the right-most column for encrypted e-mails. The list does not include the one other e-mail from someone else’s account, also encrypted for your key.
Just when I was relieved to hear my check up went well they spring this on us komodo, now we will really get to see, and hear something up there.
Just watched their video, it looks a right nimble number.
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http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/breaking_news_and_analysis_joint_strike_fighter_will_likely_be_based_at_raf_marham_1_1452092
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You oughta stop enslaving gremlins to spin your hard drive Mark..:)
Forgot to mention, it will most likely make us a prime target, nuclear or otherwise,for the same reason.
“The sportswear aspect is also intriguing. Was he dressed for the 800 metres or the javelin?”
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They’re claiming this is a pic of him here:
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/watch-footage-of-suspected-suicide-bomber-in-attack-on-israelis-in-bulgaria-1.452240
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“This year was Kodmani’s second Bilderberg”
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Mark, there is background on a number of them, including Kodmani, in this Comment is Free piece by Charlie Skelton:
{http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/12/syrian-opposition-doing-the-talking}
Scratch that, Mark, I see you’ve been there.
Mark Golding, I checked the details of the e-mail I sent from elsewhere. It was addressed to your coia account:
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Subject: .
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2012 20:25:11 +0100
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I’ve also sent a couple of tests, each TO coia and CC your other account.
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Apologies folks for the off-topic. I’ll delete them when we’ve finished.
@Clark
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‘I find these one-eyed Olympic Teletubbies really creepy, swastikas or none. I know, I know, no one needs tell me about “Illuminati symbols”, I’m just saying…’
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Yep they are grotesque aren’t they? One thing’s for sure, the Illuminati had a much better graphic design department when they did the dollar bill.