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.
Courtney, thanks so much for Bunker Ted. The humour the dedication the women. What a man! No wonder all in the audience were on their feet.
Crab, there was (or maybe, is) a project called Diaspora, to implement distributed social networking. I think the idea is to host one’s own profile on one’s own hardware, whilst also caching friends’ profiles, using public key encryption to ensure that personal details are only shareable under members’ own authorisation. All Free and Open Source. I think it might be gridlocked in some kind of development limbo; I signed up to e-mail updates, and got about two updates in four years.
I checked out Diaspora developement and they have almost no up to date writeups, an invisible user/tester community and are not even in Beta yet! Its nearly a year since i heard about them securing $100000 in donations. I think they are bullshitting.
Compare Diaspora against ‘ReactOS’ who have been writing a free open source Windows clone for over ten years and are nearly in beta, with a decent community forum, progress reports and constant work on the very demanding programming involved. They put a request out for donations for the first time a few months ago to help them reach beta, and they only got $10,000 so far.
Thought you might like to know what the premier psychopath/war criminal is up to, this time in South Sudan. The Miliband brothers are doomed to obscurity if they continue to associate with him and collude in his self aggrandisement.
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/9400155/Tony-Blair-expands-empire-to-oil-rich-South-Sudan.html
hmm I think my last post got lost, apologies if this ends up being repeated.
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Clark:
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If you write down an email address in your US visa application, immigration already checks your account/emails if you are using a service friendly to the govt (any of the big operators based in the US). I believe the Israelis also do this.
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Crab:
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GRRR don’t get me started on GM food. We already produce enough to feed the globe, its a distribution problem not a production problem.
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Reddit is as anonymous as any US service can be (not very). All data that enters the US managed internet is split and monitored by the NSA: http://www.wired.com/politics/onlinerights/news/2007/05/kleininterview
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Once the massive new data center in Utah is finished, all this data will be logged indefinitely: http://www.democracynow.org/2012/4/20/exclusive_national_security_agency_whistleblower_william
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I think this may well backfire on the US. The EU actually takes privacy seriously, and I imagine that many companies from countries other than the US will move all their servers to somewhere less draconian once they realise what is happening. EU governments have already complained of industrial espionage in relation to the old US based Echelon system, and the new system is far more reaching and sophisticated. If nothing else, it will likely make encryption of all data the default thing to do.
” The Miliband brothers are doomed to obscurity if they continue to associate with him and collude in his self aggrandisement.”
That is good news.
Nuid, do you read the Moon of Alabama blog? It is extremely good on the nuts and bolts of the current propaganda offensive. I recommend it to Craig’s readers.
Interestingly The Guardian is internationally notorious for its appallingly unbalanced coverage of Syria, as it was of Libya. T’m not sure how this fits in with the Scott Trust’s mandate.
http://www.moonofalabama.org/
Is this a link??
Crab: thank you.
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Chris2: yes, that link is working fine. I’ve spent some time at Moon of Alabama, on and off. I must go back and have another look now. They (he) did a great job in the past on analysing satellite pics provided by the U.S. (State Dept?) of *alleged* tank and heavy weaponry build up by the Syrian Army.
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Regarding Facebook, I never felt free from observation there and eventually came to distrust them completely. I deleted all content and then my profile. And I never touch a “Like” button on any website anywhere since I read how they operate. It never ceases to amaze me how so many people trust FB with so much personal info.
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Clark, I loved the story at http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2007-09-17-n72.html – and have sent it on its merry way to my contacts.
US sanctions preventing Iran from buying new aircraft parts “have left more than 1700 passengers and crew members dead”
http://is.gd/YcfrAd (New York Times)
You can have several faces, we dont need to carry the same load of concerns with us everywhere to be true. So facebook can be the silly sandpit it deserves to be. im bidding for the right time to get kicked off it, but it has been useful for some old re-connections.
CheebaCow, your comments got queued because they contained more than one link; I’ve deleted the first copy.
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Crab, thanks for looking into Diaspora. Yes, bullshitting seems likely.
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Nuid, I found that link on Richard Stallman’s “political notes” page:
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http://www.stallman.org/archives/polnotes.html
Thanks for the info and those links too CheebaCow. I think state surveillance is one problematic thing -always evolving “out there”, but that FB is so blatantly a joint corporate and state spying venture is more graspable.
Craig, folks, check this out at http://www.london2012.com/terms-of-use/
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Links to the Site. You may create your own link to the Site, provided that your link is in a text-only format. You may not use any link to the Site as a method of creating an unauthorised association between an organisation, business, goods or services and London 2012, and agree that no such link shall portray us or any other official London 2012 organisations (or our or their activities, products or services) in a false, misleading, derogatory or otherwise objectionable manner.
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Does that seem normal practice or reasonable to you?
Strategist, no, it doesn’t seem reasonable at all. It’s like writing a book or an article, and saying that no one can quote from it, or even identify it, if they criticise it in any way. It seems tantamount to saying “We hereby legally place our website above any criticism on the entire Internet”
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It doesn’t look legally enforceable, I’d have thought that “fair use” applies. But I dare say that they have enough well paid lawyers to make a lot of trouble if they feel like it.
I don’t want to relight the Mary-bashing, but just wanted to register my liking for her interspersal of interesting links in the thread. I can understand it’d be irksome if more than one person was doing it, but as that’s not the case, it forms a very useful counterpoint to the general discussion.
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@Jives
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Regarding the notion that the G4S was supposed to fuck-up in order that the military could be brought in in the role of saviours, rather than announce them at the beginning to avoid charges of ‘overt militarism’. Do you have any evidence, or is that just a piece of speculation? I can’t square it, really, with waving around all the hardware.
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Nobody mention it? But re: Olympics restrictions, Che Guevara T-shirts banned
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2172430/Bottled-water-long-lens-cameras-Che-Guevara-t-shirts-banned-stadiums-London-Olympic-Games-crackdown.html
Here’s what I think of the “London 2012 Terms and Conditions” restrictions on linking:
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http://www.killick1.plus.com/home.html
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That will be my home page for the duration.
“I can understand it’d be irksome if more than one person was doing it, but as that’s not the case, it forms a very useful counterpoint to the general discussion.”
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kingfelix, I don’t know where you live, but you’ve already said you left Britain? Correct me if I’m wrong. It seems reasonable to assume you don’t have various BBC channels and Sky News (with news headlines every quarter hour) available at the flick of a TV switch?
Just FYI, Mary’s link about Blair and South Sudan had already gone far and wide on Twitter long before it appeared here.
And I don’t accept that passing comment on someone else’s input should be blithely described as ‘Mary-bashing’ or ‘Joe-bashing’ or anyone-else-bashing. Mary felt free to comment that she ‘preferred me’ under my old handle, as I was “less sharp, less animus” (or words to that effect) and neither I nor anyone else described her comments as “Nuid-bashing”.
I have simply been making the point that I don’t come here for MSM ‘news’, especially from the BBC, which gets a thorough ‘bashing’ here on a regular basis as a mouthpiece for the establishment.
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Clark, your home page made me smile. You’re making me think of resurrecting my blog where I could also link to Section 5.
Goes Bananas
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It’s important to remind people that 20, 30 and 40 years ago there was in Britain a very open support for the Palestinian plight, even on the BBC, and in media more generally.
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Younger people may not be aware of that.
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The reasons for the change in the past 20 years ought to be of interest because it marks the end of the post war consensus and indeed the end of representative democracy as many of us had known it.
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Most of our current problems and frustrations stem from that change. I don’t think it’s fashion so much as an end to democracy itself, but certainly the fashionistas will be aware of the positions they need to adopt should they wish to succeed in this new world.
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People like Jenny Tonge, for example, have chosen to remain honest to their beliefs and have suffered in terms of their political career. I don’t think she’s too bothered to be frank, but there you go that’s the way it is.
Got me thinking Danny Boyle could cancel all the corporate extravagant opening goylmpic games and just release one symbolic dove in hope for peace
Peri stoika style. We all smile as we enlighten and start eating brown bread.
Anyway
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This gives a good idea of where the corporates want us to go, and it ain’t heaven:
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http://www.democracynow.org/2012/6/14/breaking_08_pledge_leaked_trade_doc
Had it ‘gone far and wide’ that Save The Children are speaking of a great humanitarian crisis developing in South Sudan as thousands flee from the border fighting and hunger? This is the same Save the Children whose chief executive Justin Forsyth has recently tweeted his congratulations to Gordon Brown (war criminal) on getting a UN job as Ban Ki Moon’s education stooge. He was taken to task by the ever vigilant Gabriele Zamparini on Medialens. Gabriele points up the hypocrisy and lies he finds in the MSM and the in the output of their various servants, lately in the reporting on Syria.
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Justin Forsyth (@justinforsyth)
13/07/2012 17:55
Well done to Gordon Brown for being appointed UN SG special envoy for education. His leadership over many years is impressive
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Gabriele Zamparini (@gazampa)
13/07/2012 18:37
.@justinforsyth congratulating your former boss? Outrageous u doing so as Save the Children CEO. Why? Iraqi children! @IanOxfam @medialens
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Thanks King Felix for what you say.An appeal – I am finding it really embarrassing to a subject for discussion here. It is not the purpose of Craig’s blog after all.
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PS Where there is war and conflict for the control of resources, Bliar is certain to be around.
Great scepticism was being expressed this morning by rail passengers on the latest announcement from the ConDems of a £9bn investment in the railways. They felt that as it was so easy for £9bn+ to be spent on a few weeks of sport, why the big fuss about spending the same amount to reduce travel times by a small amount when it is inevitable that the passenger and taxpayer will be coughing up for the bill.
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Craig spoke of the line he uses being taken over for the duration. The same has happened on South Eastern and others too probably,
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London 2012: Southeastern publishes new timetable
Thousands more people will be travelling on Southeastern trains during the London Olympics
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Businesses ‘will cope with Games’
‘Expect Olympic transport delays’
Olympic Route Network interactive map
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Commuters using Southeastern trains to and from London have been warned to expect changes during the Olympics.
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The firm has brought in a new timetable which the government has instructed must give priority to spectators and people going to the Games.
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It will run from 28 July to 12 August, and from 29 August to 9 September.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-18576953
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PS And don’t dare get into the Olynmpic Zil lanes. £130 fine per transgression.
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It’s hilarious watching the confusion as three lanes of traffic on the M4 merge into 2 just before Hammersmith to provide the Olympic lane but not so funny for the drivers. It’s being called the Zil lane and a £130 fine for transgression. The traffic is now snarled up. The ‘Olympic lane’ is virtually empty. There will be endless shunts as cars suddenly halt to get into the inner lane.
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The ConDems have put the English Bulldog Boris on to add his bluster to the propaganda. He lies and evades the penetrating questions from the presenter Eamonn Holmes on this latest debacle and the failed olympic security preparations generally. ‘It’s going to be great’ was the message as he stared out at the camera with the tousled hair freshly tousled. He should have been a Shakespearean actor.
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Zil lanes http://www.standard.co.uk/olympics/olympic-news/london-2012-olympics-first-express-zil-lane-for-games-vips-appears-in-london-7903749.html
Speaking of Iraqi children:
I thought this was just another wacky story from the USA:
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“American, Iraqi ‘lawn chair’ balloonists lift off”
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/14/usa-balloonist-idUSL2E8IE2HM20120714
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but it turns out they are doing it to raise funds for Iraqi children orphaned by the war on Iraq. It’s always good to read about people who seem to care … If we could just get them all together, and organise them to say an even bigger and stronger “NOT IN MY NAME” the next time.
In regards to the pathetic terms of conditions of london2012.com
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http://www.london2012.com/terms-of-use/
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Those terms and conditions only apply to the use of their site.
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You don’t have to be using their site to link to it. Anyone could give you the URL. Clause 5 is worthless dog turd. And pathetic that they can try and dictate how people link to their website
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I’ve never used their website. I got the terms and conditions from here. I am not bound by their nonsense. ( in legal terms ) I do not understand it. So there’s no legal reason why you cannot be as damning about the Olympics as you like and also link to their website. T&C’s written by incompetent Lawyers IMO
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“Had it ‘gone far and wide’ that Save The Children are speaking of a great humanitarian crisis developing in South Sudan as thousands flee from the border fighting and hunger?”
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Yes
“For an aircraft to be shot down over a highly populated Metropolitan area, after the air force failed to attend and divert an aircraft that’s just departed from one of the local nearby airports and was taken over, is a capitulation.”
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The whole clusterfuck is a capitulation, Nevermind. The terrorists have won. They wanted to damage our economy, our society and our democratic governance. Which is what they have persuaded our government to do, with barely a shot fired in the UK. I am awestruck in admiration at the effectiveness of their methods.
Gates Group and Hewlett-Packard have pulled out of ALEC:
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/7/11/corporate_exodus_continues_from_alec_as#transcript
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And, Bill, if you’re reading this, sincere thanks for supporting the John Innes Centre. Sounds like a genuinely worthwhile project, though I must declare a distant interest… sorry, Mary.
lmfao @ Clark’s site…
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Getcha ‘lympic souvenirs ‘ere…
http://www.go-dove.com/en/event-16618
Much as I dislike linking to the MSM, this one’s illuminating:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2174034/London-2012-Olympics-10-room-1-shower-75-people-Inside-slum-camp-Olympic-cleaners.html?ICO=most_read_module
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No sacrifice is too great for the Dear Leader Boris. Even £550 a month for a tenth share of a portacabin and a one-twenty-fifth interest in a toilet. Not stated; the top wage Spotless International Services (lol) are paying the immigrant labour (as the locals would doubtless be envious of the munificence of the salary.)