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.
guest,
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[Mod/Clark…
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Passerby, I’m really sorry to have deleted this, but it breaks the rules that I had to invent. Please be civil to other contributors. I’ll write a comment about this below]
Clark,
By default if you search for “onion router” the fist site, is that of the US navy that crops up. Furthermore, the guys who developed tor have indicated that it is compromised, I will try and locate the relevant papers, it is a long time since last time these were read.
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The earlier comment was based on contemporaneous data witnessed in first person.
Passerby
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Try to put your one brain cell into overdrive and understand that when it comes to nuclear weapons the USA and Russia are playing against each other, as some of the comments below the above article point out…”the B53 has been considered obsolete by the U.S. military for a long time”…thats why the US is building even greater ones!. You must be one of the most naive people I have come across!!!, everything in your thinking is just one dimensional. The use of bad language only illustrates a curtail intellect.
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http://www.carnegieendowment.org/files/Zhenqiang.pdf
I just want to say that I have very good feelings towards Suhayl Saadi, Clark, Jon, Komodo and the King of Welsh Noir. I would hope that from now on any disagreements we have are recognised as being in good faith. I think I understand why some people here disagree with me and I am quite happy for things to be that way. I don’t like the idea that somehow I am paid or co-opted by evil Jews. Those who I consider my friendly interlocuters are already aware of this.
Although I have favourites, my feelings are to all who come here and comment, as long as they are humane and genuine. why would I possibly pick favourites when our debates are at a level that makes such an exercise futile.
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Lest take this moment to appreciate each other for what we are, seekers who have many commonalities, dare I say this, more commonalities than what divide’s us.
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Anopther point, we are prepared to talk about these differences and don’t need to throw paddies, but…. we all do at differing times, we are human.
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Thanks to all of you, the smelly dragon and furtive fingered Mary, Guest, Clarke and many others. Not all the links we dig up are useful, but the vast majority matters and it helps to give readers a more accurate vision, over and above the distortions that cloud our everyday news.
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Now, all those residing in these hallowed isles, what are your active (involves getting physical) ideas for the next set of county council elections next year and what plans to upset the cut and thrust of our established parties in providing candidates fopr police commissioners.
This job is perfect for Independents and the electorate is so fed up with what’s on offer, bar the deluded hankering for the same in a red jumper, that it becomes viable to stand as an Independent.
Except, standing for police commissioner takes a deposit of 5000,- and I can’t think of for what reason and/ or whether its refundable.
Maybe it would be good to start concentrating on the ‘Heimat’, its people and their needs.
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2012/07/2012717104035237926.html
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Jesus pbuh started to re-educate the Muslims of the time, the Jews, to enjoin compassion, instead of dirty political dealings with the superpower Rome, sincerity of worship , instead of having a false sense of superiority over all and sundry.
The result was that those who relied on politics were destroyed by the empire they played politics with, and those who listened to Jesus pbuh formed a new religion of compassion which is suffering a long, lingering decline.
The lesson for the so-called rebels in Syria is that the same will happen to them. Their collaboration which is loosely called al Qaida will be culled by its own sponsors soon.
Jesus pbuh will return soon inshallah to Damascus and complete the task of building real Islam, a religion of peace, forgiveness, tolerance, and harshness against oppressors and tyrants like NATO, banksters and colonisers of other peoples.
The rebels are proven to be collaborating with the latter.
Nuff said.
I’m sorry to hear of the death of Alexander Cockburn. He was someone who knew how to be nasty and ruthless in the right way, i.e holding people in power to account. I think there are few like him.
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Angry, our discussions were always amicable as far as I’m concerned. And I enjoyed your contrarian views. Although I admit they probably wouldn’t be considered contrarian out in the real world!
Passerby, I’ve tried to compose a message about my deletion of your comment, but it keeps coming out as self-pitying drivel that I am unwilling to publish.
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‘Undisclosed Recipient’, I wish I hadn’t inadvertently suggested such an awkward screen-name for you. I’m sorry that I didn’t know what to write about Alexander Cockburn. I’m feeling unwell and the words don’t flow easily today. Suspecting that my e-mail is being blocked doesn’t help either. For instance, I’ve no idea whether you sent an e-mail in reply. All I know is that nothing arrives.
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My defence of Firefox is more than a defence of a web browser. Firefox is produced by community effort. I’m defending the whole concept of the community empowering itself by its own creativity. Results aren’t perfect for everyone, but they’re a damn sight better than what the corporations would offer in their absence. We’ve already seen that in the way that Firefox development has forced Microsoft into improving Internet Explorer.
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The same thing goes for blogs like this. Without the blogsphere and other independent journalism pushing things along, the corporate media would have free reign. Our efforts here, and countless similar efforts, actually force the mainstream media into being a bit more realistic. That is a big and very worthwhile result. We’ve seen it happen, with the Werritty scandal leading to a resignation, and with the Breivik incident highlighting islamophobia and forcing deletions on blogs that advocate violence.
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I wish Craig would post, and I hope he is all right.
“New Scientist”
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http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21228354.500-revealed–the-capitalist-network-that-runs-the-world.html
Within this $13 trillion is the ‘black fund’ – $6.7 trillion to finance an American/British/Israeli new global economic restructuring after Americans have been disarmed and China and Russia have been chocked and subdued.
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Tin foil hat or ‘old hat’ you choose.
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/jul/21/global-elite-tax-offshore-economy?INTCMP=SRCH
Passerby,
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Whatever “special” weapons the USA did or did not use, it would be interesting to review wee small hours footage from news channels about that time. Some astonishing reporting went out on some channels at the time and was never shown again.
Angry, our discussions were always amicable as far as I’m concerned. And I enjoyed your contrarian views. Although I admit they probably wouldn’t be considered contrarian out in the real world!
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In the real world I hold different opinions.
Angrysoba, please clarify. Do you mean that the opinions you post here are not your true opinions?
Guano,
Jesus, like any other prophet before him and Muhammad saw after him, came to reinstate tauhid, which is worshipping Allah only. You are wrong in referring to syrian rebels and comparing them with the enemies of Jesus. It’s Assad and his regime and who support him are likes of enemies of Jesus.
Anyway, you should really try to understand core teachings of Islam before you take sides of muslim killers, if you are a believer of course. And final point: islam was complete when Allah revealed last suras of the Quran to the prophet Muhammad. There is no need for anyone to complete it. Jesus will desend as a sign to prove to christians (not muslims) that Islam was complete and is a true religion.
Paserby,
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Extract from NBC’s David Bloom – last email from Iraq before he died.
http://www.sounddude.com/Sounddude_files/bloom2.htm
You can’t begin to fathom – cannot begin to even glimpse the enormity – of the changes I have and am continuing to undergo. God takes you to the depths of your being – until you are at rock bottom – and then, if you turn to Him with utter and blind faith, and resolve in your heart and mind to walk only with Him and toward Him, (He) picks you up by your bootstraps and leads you home.
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I hope and pray that all my guys get out of this in one piece. But I tell you, Mel, I am at peace. Deeply saddened by the glimpses of death and destruction I have seen, but at peace with my God, and with you. I know only that my whole way of looking at life has turned upside down – here I am, supposedly at the peak of professional success, and I could frankly care less. Yes, I’m proud of the good job we’ve all been doing, but – in the scheme of things – it matters little compared to my relationship with you, and the girls, and Jesus. There is something far beyond my level of human understanding or comprehension going on here, some forging of metal through fire.
Bilal Taheeri, you wrote: “You are wrong in referring to syrian rebels and comparing them with the enemies of Jesus. It’s Assad and his regime and who support him are likes of enemies of Jesus”.
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That seems unreasonably black-and-white to me. News from Syria seems contradictory and highly unreliable, but at the minimum, it seems clear that atrocities have been committed by various groups, and that all such atrocities are in contradiction to the teachings of Jesus.
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A comment by Guano that I entirely agree with is this, from his post of 21 Jul, 2012 – 4:57 pm above:
Has anyone seen this,I would love to be the first I just cant wait for the bright bright shite,if you have “forhttp://www.veteranstoday.com/2012/07/18/breakingunconfirmed-sec-clinton-assassination-attempt-in-israel/give me.ta
Ahh it’s nice to see so many familiar names posting here again =)
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Angrysoba:
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While I often disagree with you, I think your determination to break the circle jerk around is beneficial for all involved. Although it seems to me that more recently your stance has become a little less antagonistic than it previously was. For example in your old blogspot posts you come across as much more condescending and it seems like you have very little time for anyone on the forum. However these days your attitude seems closer to one of fond exasperation as if your crazy uncle went on some rant again 😉 I’m interested in your real opinions also, not just your contrarian views.
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BTW as our resident Korea expert, what are your thoughts of the reports of Kim Jung-Un putting down a coup attempt by vice admiral Ri?
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RE Greenwald and The Guardian:
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I think it is a good thing. I wish Greenwald much success, and I have faith in him maintaining his critical stance on the current positions of both government and the media. While The Guardian may well be using Greenwald as a fig leaf, the more people who read Greenwalds arguments the better.
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Guano:
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“Jesus pbuh started to re-educate the Muslims of the time, the Jews”
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I’m not sure what that even means?
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Bilal Taheeri
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“And final point: islam was complete when Allah revealed last suras of the Quran to the prophet Muhammad.”
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I don’t know how you can make this argument when you consider that the Medinan surahs deal with specific political and legal issues of the time. Surely these specifics cannot apply 100% to the world we live in today? Don’t some of the differences between the Meccan and Medinan surahs show how religious thought evolves/grows? Surely if these ‘divine laws’ evolve over the 62 years of Muhammads life, they can’t possible be infallible for the next 1400 years?
What an opportunistic weasel Clegg is.
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Clegg ‘ready for Labour coalition’
(UKPA) – 6 hours ago
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Nick Clegg would take the Liberal Democrats into a coalition after the next election which would put Ed Miliband in Number 10, he said.
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The Deputy Prime Minister suggested his party would do its “duty” by working with Labour in the same way it is now in partnership with the Conservatives if voters fail to return an overall victor in 2015.
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It comes after Business Secretary Vince Cable indicated he would be open to taking over leadership of the party, which has seen its popularity plummet since going into government with the Tories.
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Mr Clegg said he hoped that by 2015 the public would see the Lib Dems had “created a better economy and a fairer society”.
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“If the British people, like they did last time, say no-one has won, then I’ll be open to working with other parties,” he told The People. And asked if he could do business with Mr Miliband, he replied: “Yes.”
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He added: “If the British people said that was the only combination which could work would be those two parties, in the same way as after the last election the only combination which could work was Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, it would be obvious that Liberal Democrats would need to do their duty.”
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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gi0mlXbk5B3AHitVeGZehGVI1_MQ?docId=N0335341342899326996A
Whoopee! Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne say we can all have extra shopping hours on Sundays for the duration of the games. How much we have to spend is another matter entirely.
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Olympic boost for big shops as Sunday trading laws lifted
Shops with floor area of more than 280 sq metres will be able to open longer on Sundays until the end of the Paralympics
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/jul/20/olympic-boost-sunday-trading?newsfeed=true
This £80m royal yacht is just a patriotic distraction
Both David Cameron and Ed Miliband have embraced the idea of the UK Flagship, but circus politics is no way to rule
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Tanya Gold
guardian.co.uk, Friday 20 July 2012 20.30 BST
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The royal yacht Britannia was de-commissioned in December, 1997. An £80m replacement has been greeted enthusiastically by politicians. Photograph: PA
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HMS Austerity is a four-masted sailing ship, a gift to the nation from grateful tax dodgers. Obviously, it is not called HMS Austerity; for now, it is has the ghastly corporate name UK Flagship, although it will probably be renamed by a competition, because that is a typical exercise in modern pseudo-democracy. If this is so, my suggestion is HMS Austerity, or else HMS (Lord) Michael Ashcroft, because that sinister Tory paymaster and non-dom is its chief individual backer with a gift of £5m; that, in its entirety, should be reason enough to scuttle HMS Austerity. Personally, I would rather have the missing tax. But philanthropy is the new taxation, and Ashcroft, I suppose, needs to preserve his money – how else could he fund the campaign posters that pictured Gordon Brown saying I Increased The Gap Between Rich And Poor that flew up in marginal constituencies during the last election and defined, perhaps for ever, the true nature of cynicism?
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/20/royal-yacht-patriotic-distraction
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Osborne Feb 2010
Feb 2010. George Osborne, ducking the question on Ashcroft five times on Sky News: “We live in a country where people are entitled to a private relationship with the Inland Revenue.”
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Lord Ashcroft’s fortune is estimated at £1,100 million
Angry
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‘In the real world I hold different opinions.’
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Ha, see! I knew it! ‘Fess up, Angry, you’re a Troofer!
Some restitution to the British taxpayers is to be made by a Tory donor.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2177062/Major-Tory-donor-forced-repay-2million-investing-tax-dodge-scheme-favoured-footballers-city-banks.html
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Well done Judge Malachy Cornwell-Kelly. There’s a name to conjure with.
Well I think we can all guess who ‘Undisclosed Recipient’ is 😉
Yes, I feel pretty silly to have gone to the trouble of protecting ‘Undisclosed Recipient’s’ privacy.
“The derivatives market is now worth 20 times the global economy”
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http://www.mindfulmoney.co.uk/12059/investing-strategy/the-derivatives-market-is-now-worth-20-times-the-global-economy.html
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“Derivatives, Fascism and the Almighty Dollar”
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{http://www.the-tribulation-network.com/denemcgriff/the_almighty_dollar.htm}
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“£13tn: hoard hidden from taxman by global elite”
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{http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/jul/21/global-elite-tax-offshore-economy}
Guest, yes, and this thirteen trillion just sits there, useless. They don’t dare use it for anything for fear of being taxed on it! It’s meaningless, basically, to its owners, though it could do much good for everyone else. They’re just like a bunch of video-game kids, rejoicing in their “High Score”, just a big number on a screen.
Guest, you might like to look at this:
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http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/07/21-1
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Sorry; I’ve never got my head around economics. I like the hard sciences, where everyone tries as hard as possible to make the numbers correspond to some actual, well defined thing in the real world, because the problems are hard enough without artificially complicating the maths. To me, economics looks like the opposite of that.
“Sub-Saharan Africa: capital flight, secret wealth and debt”
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/datablog/interactive/2012/jul/21/sub-saharan-africa-capital-flight-debt?intcmp=239
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A site to bookmark
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{http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/}