I was trying to come up with a witty and apposite acronym for BBC to describe what I have just seen on TV, but all I could manage was Beyond Belief Cunts.
Watching BBC World News here in Accra, I have just seen forty minutes of intense and non-stop Israeli propaganda. A live press conference by Netanyahu and Ehud Barak followed by a long, long interview with Mark Regev in which the most searching BBC question could fairly be paraphrased as “How can you be certain that those dastardly Palestinians will not break the ceasefire and start firing rockets again?”
No attempt whatsoever to give a Palestinian a chance to put over their viewpoint. Now fifty minutes of solid coverage around the ceasefire without a single Palestinian view or pro-Palestinian or pro-peace view. And in that entire fifty minutes not one mention of Palestinian dead.
Beyond Belief Cunts. Actually, it’s not a bad effort.
Of course, pockets of that Nahuatl speaking people survived, and many sorcerers arose from the flames, strengthened by their ordeal such as Don Juan Matus and his cohort.
We’re Fucked!!
“Canadian Mark Carney named as new Governor of the Bank of England to become first foreigner in charge”
“The former Goldman Sachs investment banker…….
It just gets worse and worse
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2238713/Canadian-Mark-Carney-named-new-Governor-Bank-England-foreigner-charge.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
Clearly, I should avoid comments when alcohol takes my keyboard and rattles it. Heh.
Then, again, it rattles some cages and shakes the critters loose to feed on the crumbs.
Knowledge is indeed, power.
Good video. (5 minutes)
Israel’s War on Truth
http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/israels-war-on-truth.html#entry31354902
You’ve beaten me to it Herbie. You are spot on. So much for the talk of Paul Tucker. I expect Gideon and Agent Cameron have had their instructions on this appointment. Prepare for some more shafting of the Great British public and for more tightening of the screws.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Carney
We also have a Canadian running our Post Office, preparing for its privatisation, a Moya Greene.
{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moya_Greene}
The obscenity of the EU.
Haneen was 10-months-old; Omar 11 months; Ibrahim one year. For the offence of being reared in Gaza, these infants were killed with the aid of Israel’s “precision-guided” missiles
A few days before their deaths, the European Commission sponsored the “second international homeland security conference” in Tel Aviv. More of a bazaar than a talking shop, the event featured exhibits by Israel’s top weapons companies. Shimon Peres, the state’s president, gave the closing address, using this august occasion to boast of how, as a youthful arms dealer, he was “part of founding Israel’s defence industries”. Peres said he was “delighted to see the innovative technological developments which are leading the world in homeland security” and expressed pride in heading “a nation with creativity and wisdom, courage and chutzpah”.
/..
http://www.neurope.eu/article/how-europe-courted-israels-arms-industry-eve-gaza-attack?nocache=1
Peston’s gloss on the Carney appointment.
Why Osborne went to Canada for his governor
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20503377
Nevermind : sorry you find my post childish – and congratulations on the striking and original image of the lollipop.
But merely calling something childish doesn’t actually make it childish. Could you perhaps explain how and why my post was childish?
Thank you.
I’m a little baffled by Habbabkuk’s comment on Mary’s post. Wasn’t the point of it that rising temperatures have rendered the Arctic Sea navigable for the first time in at least 12000 years, and that the oil industry has jumped at the chance to get in there, extract yet more oil, and ensure that temperatures keep on rising? Maybe Habbabkuk doesn’t consider global warming to be a problem?
And while I’m personally inclined to agree that Mary occasionally crosses the line into conspiracism (no offence intended, Mary), could I urge that we are a broad church here and sometimes fail to realise that others don’t see things with quite the clarity and logical solidity that I do…. 🙂 *. Allowances have to be made.
* Obligatory smiley. For the hard of humour.
For conspiracy theorists:
http://www.thejc.com/christianity/91882/ostrich-feathers-bishop%E2%80%99s-family
I guess he won’t be promoting the Palestinian cause, then.
Oh and Mark Carney did his Masters and PhD at….Oxford. Economics, though; not PPE.
Sorry for not coming back earlier with the lolly stick Habbabkuk, had problems solving the math, we are all so thick on here you know, nobody up to your standard, except, as already mentioned, our master of bad breath, Komodo, the one and only, drum roll.
I found your rankling childish because Mary is a valuable part of the team, and she does not demand a constant pat on the back, she knows that everyone who reads the blog honours her input and that of others.
The term team might be alien to you, anybody whose a close follower of Margaret Thatchers ‘special Christmas policy unit’ and frightfully aware of one’s standing, ranks and office demeanour, surely must by now realise that the ruler up one’s back was better used as firewood, than for giving rise, upholding and demure to an establishment of shyster’s the order of false self serving pirates.
This blog is a team effort and however much you plug away at Mary, the more the morass will envelope you.
But she can speak for herself, I just can’t some provo lurkers having a go at her, with small talk and denigrating childishness.
That said, I do value the occasional snippet of your input here, but there is no roost or linear acceleration to up town top rankin’ amongst us. We have stressful occasions, but in most cases these moments pass, are ironed out.
I hope this helps, don’t expect me to dwell on it or take part in lengthy Freudian exchanges.
good song that, I like the ‘aou’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iD_qZ3hTDo
should read ‘I just can’t stand’.
@ Komodo : thank you for your polite ( in welcome contrast to Nevermind’s )reply and comment.
You (and Mary) may have a point, but as I read it (1) this is the first navigation in winter BY A LPG VESSEL, not by absolutely any vessel, and (2) the oil and gas in question are transitting the Arctic but are not being EXTRACTED there.
But you may have noticed that my beef was Mary’s comments about BP and the Northstream pipeline; and I used those comments as illustrations for how a continual stream of negativity can end up repelling the very people she’s trying to influence.
You are right about this blog needing to cater for a broad church. And perhaps I’m insufficiently tolerant. But I do find it rather hard to put up with a veritable stream of posts (how many times does Mary post every day? does she have time for anything else? she is a one-man GCHQ) which are unremittingly negative and very often unsubstantiated and therefore merely expressions of personal likes or dislikes(eg Catalonian independence is ‘good’ – why?? – answer came there none).
I will assume that Mary is left-wing. I think Orwell once wrote that one could see what was wrong with socialism by looking at its women. In this case, I should say : ‘by listening to its women’.
PS – but I like your posts, Komodo (sans le nez brun…)
Just saw yours, Nevermind, after posting the above. It made me laugh, so I forgive you…. 🙂
Seriously though, what do you mean by “the team”? Bit of a give-away, surely? I had thought that you were all a bunch of free-thinkers, hoping to convert the silent (and apparently numerous) readers to your points of view, but now I realise that this is nothing but a TEAM?
Cf what I wrote some time ago about ‘ a comfortable coterie’…..are you sure that some of you aren’t active here for all the wrong reasons…?
unbelievable, especially given the timing:
Stevie Wonder To Perform In Support Of The Israeli Defense Forces
http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2012/11/26/stevie-wonder-walks-into-a-wall/
haven’t played any of my dylan records since this, from April this year:
Obama adds Dylan, Albright to Freedom Medal recipients
Madeleine Albright, Bob Dylan, Shimon Peres and Jan Karski will be among 13 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom…
http://www.jta.org/news/article/2012/04/26/3093986/obama-adds-dylan-albright-to-freedom-medal-recipients
How Merchants and money men are controlling peoples and religions and proceedings is clearly obvious to all and the lamented.
History is a reminder of the future of things.
Conspiracy, no, reasononable doubt maybe.
re Habbabkuk’s comments:
Mary – just like to say how much I appreciate your posts here.
If there are any posters here that I consistently find boring or troll-like, or prone to personal abuse, I find it quite easy to skip them without reading. I suggest we all refrain from engaging with commenters who become abusive.
Thanks Phil W, Nevermind, Komodo and Herbie. I am not responding. I am sure that nobody is interested in the opinion of one person on another, nor is that the purpose of Craig’s blog. If ignored, perhaps the nuisance will cease.
Guano You wrote: “Last night I was working in a High Street department store and got accidentally rained on by blue asbestos”
GET THAT ON RECORD. Never mind any other considerations. If you’re sacked over it you can take them to an industrial tribunal. Get it in the accident book – you don’t want to find yourself in the position of dying of mesothelioma in a couple of decades and stuffed over again (but by yourself) because you kept quiet.
Parry, thrust, retreat……that’s the pattern. It’s easier to ask for forgiveness, than permission to attack. Otherwise, the attention is lacking.
Guano:
What Je. said. A single exposure to blue asbestos can induce mesothelioma years later. Get it on record. And WTF are they doing liberating asbestos dust without stringent safety precautions (exclusion of unprotected personnel, sealed area, separate decontamination facilites for removal workers)? This is a major H&S issue, and needs to be taken to the highest possible level.
While we are at it, why not spread some vomit over the Guardian and the Independent too. There is more virtue to be found in the Daily Mail, especially as it does not pretend to be much more than a vomit rag.
I can remember M&S being taken to court for allowing incompetent asbestos removal to take place in a store that was in operation. They were fined £1m.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-15081278
I also knew somebody who died of the horrible disease mesothelioma. He just wasted away. As a little boy, he had regularly sat on his dad’s lap when his dad came home from Devonport docks in his workclothes. I believe asbestos was used extensively in RN ships.
Nice work if you can get it. Will it turn out to be a poisoned chalice?
‘Mr Carney will become one of Britain’s best-paid public officials, with a package worth £624,000 a year. This is more than twice as much as Sir Mervyn’s and represents a 50 per cent pay rise for Mr Carney on his current deal.’
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/9704557/New-Bank-of-England-Governor-Mark-Carney-going-where-the-challenges-are-greatest.html
Prediction: Iron Dome will be tested against Hezbollah next year if Netanyahu wins the election. If it works in keeping out most of their rockets – and assuming Hezbollah is either neutralised or isolated as a result – then the chances of an attack on Iran are greatly increased.
Zero Hedge and their take on the Goldmanization of western economies:
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-11-26/goldman-releases-its-analysis-appointment-goldman-bank-england-head
See also, and indeed more particularly, the other links to this story in “Similar Articles You Might Enjoy” at the base of the article.
QE to infinitee…
Didn’t anyone see this?
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/26/spain-catalonia-idUSL5E8MQ1XU20121126
RE BBC BIAS – ‘THE BBC TRUST: HOLD A PUBLIC ENQUIRY INTO PRO-ISRAELI BIAS’
Haven’t read all comments on this thread, but just in case no-one has posted it, this is a petition with 6000 sigs wanting 10,000.
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/the-bbc-trust-hold-a-public-inquiry-into-pro-israeli-bias
Uzbekistan’s Gulnara Karimova linked to telecoms scandal
27 November 2012 Last updated at 01:10 GMT
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20311886
Investigators in Switzerland and Sweden are probing alleged links between a leading European telecommunications company and a high-level multi-million dollar fraud and corruption scandal in Uzbekistan.
The allegations stretch all the way to businesswoman, pop diva and one-time UN ambassador Gulnara Karimova, the eldest daughter of Uzbek President Islam Karimov.
She has so far not commented on the claims and the BBC’s efforts for her to do so have remained unanswered.
Swedish-based TeliaSonera, which is partly state-owned, has been at the centre of a huge political storm since Swedish TV broadcast a report accusing it of making a $300m payment to an intermediary company for the rights to operate a 3G mobile phone service in the Central Asian republic.
Those payments seem to have disappeared.
TeliaSonera strongly denies any wrongdoing, but the case, which is now the subject of a major Swedish prosecutor’s investigation, has been discussed in parliament and continues to make headlines in Sweden.
Explosive edge
The case against TeliaSonera centres on a small company called Takilant, which is registered in Gibraltar and owned by an Uzbek national called Gayane Avakyan.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
Ms Karimova’s mind appears to have been far away from corruption rows – she has been busy promoting her new pop single and video”
Little is known about Ms Avakyan – and how at the age of 29 she has ended up running a company negotiating mobile phone licences on behalf of the Uzbek government.
However, in a photograph taken of her recently at a Paris Fashion show, she is sitting next to Ms Karimova.
It is this connection which has given the TeliaSonera allegations an explosive extra edge.
Gulnara Karimova is believed to have major commercial interests in Uzbekistan – including in the telecoms sector.
But until now there has been little if any evidence linking her directly to any specific businesses or corroborating any of the allegations of fraud frequently levelled against her.
The TeliaSonera story might just change that.
The company first hit the headlines in April when it acknowledged that it had given security services in Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Belarus access to its computer systems – in effect enabling them to spy on mobile phone users. TeliaSonera runs telecom services in all three countries.
Subsequent investigations by Swedish public television revealed that the $300m which TeliaSonera said it had paid to intermediary company Takilant for a 3G licence in Uzbekistan never appeared in the company’s books.
‘Massive fraud’
Swedish journalists travelled to Gibraltar, where Takilant is registered to see if they could find out more. Although they were able to obtain copies of the company’s annual accounts, they discovered no offices or staff.
Lombard Odier Bank in Geneva Staff at the Lombard Odier Bank in Geneva became concerned when several new accounts were opened
Meanwhile, the BBC’s Uzbek service in London found the same story when they went to the registered address of a Takilant affiliate company in the UK.
As a result of the Swedish TV report, state prosecutors in Stockholm opened an investigation and ordered that Takilant’s Swedish account with Nordea Bank – containing $30m – should be frozen.
At the same time as the Swedish investigation, Takilant had also caught the attention of the Money Laundering Reporting Office in Switzerland.
The development came after bank officials at the exclusive Lombard Odier Bank in Geneva became concerned in June when their client, Uzbek telecoms tycoon Bekzod Ahmedov, appeared on the Interpol wanted list, accused of massive fraud in Uzbekistan.
Mr Ahmedov used to be general director of a mobile phone company called Uzdunrobita. According to documents obtained by the Financial Times newspaper in 2003, this company was owned by Gulnara Karimova.
‘Not independent’
In a further twist to this complex sequence of events, two Uzbek men were arrested in Geneva in July after allegedly trying to get access to the Takilant accounts using documents which, according to banking sources, had been forged abroad.
Mobile phone It is not clear how Ms Avakyan ended up negotiating mobile phone licences for the Uzbek government
Immediately afterwards Swiss prosecutors launched a major investigation into money-laundering and froze a series of Takilant accounts containing hundreds of millions of US dollars.
One of the men was Alisher Ergashev – a named holder of the Takilant account frozen in Sweden.
Interestingly, Mr Ergashev’s name and signature also appear on recently-revealed company documents in France as the director of two property firms.
The main shareholder of the companies is Gulnara Karimova, whose signature appears on the documents.
Alisher Ergashev and his co-detainee are currently on bail while the investigation into Takilant continues.
Swiss prosecutors office told the BBC that they are investigating two other Uzbeks in relation to the case.
They have not been named, but a Swiss investigative journalist with knowledge of the story told the BBC that, according to his sources, one of them was Takilant owner Gayane Avakyan. The other is believed to be Mr Ahmedov, the former telecoms tycoon.
A former Swiss public prosecutor, Bernard Bertossa, told the BBC he did not expect the Uzbek authorities would co-operate.
“It is difficult when such an investigation concerns… people close to members of the government… in countries like Uzbekistan,” he said. “The judiciary [there] is not independent.”
Meanwhile, in Sweden the investigation into Takilant and TeliaSonera continues.
The company’s chief executive, Lars Nyberg has offered to resign if there is any evidence of corruption. He has instigated an independent inquiry into TeliaSonera’s activities in Uzbekistan which will report its findings by the end of the year.
And in Uzbekistan itself Ms Karimova’s mind appears to have been far away from corruption rows. She has been busy promoting her new pop single and video as well as her fashion brand.