Would you like to be shot with a red gun or blue gun, sir? That is the limit of the choice being offered the UK electorate as New Labour announces it will keep the Coalition public spending plans and the Coalition benefit cuts. Given it will also throw away £100 billion on Trident, and New Labour initiated the rampant privatisation of the Health Service, PFI, Tuition Fees etc., my point could not have been more eloquently proven that the UK electorate is no longer offered any meaningful choice by the neo-con parties.
It also of course demolishes completely the Gordon Brown argument that Scots need to stay in the Union to put New Labour in to power. Who carries out Tory policies is not the question; and why a nation should surrender its freedom just to make sure Ed Balls has a ministerial car and salary while he implements Tory policies, is not a question which to me has an obvious answer.
The only meaningful political choice any part of the UK population will have in the foreseeable future is the Scottish Independence Referendum. If Scots do not take their chance, all they have ahead is economic decline and the collapse of public services. The choice could not be more stark.
As per Dreoilin’s and Arbed’s comments –
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRISM_(surveillance_program)
Anyone else wondering if Prince Phillip intentionally missed the visit to Broadcasting House today? Seems to be no reason he couldn’t have entered hospital after touring the BBC today from the information we’ve been given.
I wonder who Craig will blame when Scotland votes “No”? The CIA and/ or the BBC?
Completely O/T, but hot news for those who are interested in the attempted extradition of Julian Assange for conspiracy to commit journalism.
From the Oh-Oh Dept:
Sofia Wilen’s new lawyer – yes, the one who’s been issuing statements demanding Sweden exert pressure on Ecuador to relinquish a political refugee for questioning in solitary confinement in Sweden – is Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfelt’s family lawyer:
http://www.thelocal.se/42954/20120901
Also off-topic, though topical, I love all these articles on the NSA/PRISM story stating that because these particular leaks came to traditional journalists, Wikileaks is now completely irrelevant. It’s almost as if they’d never heard of these:
http://wikileaks.org/the-spyfiles.html (published 1 December 2011)
Today, Friday 7th June, the Global March to Jerusalem is taking place.
http://gm2j.com/main/
~~
Searching for Dignity in Occupied East Jerusalem
Marching to Jerusalem
by SARAH MARUSEK
46 years ago this month, Israel seized East Jerusalem, the home of many significant holy sites for Muslims, Christians and Jews, as well as the proposed capital for any future Palestinian state. Since then, Israel has increasingly undertaken measures, particularly the placing of restrictions on Palestinian movement, the construction of a separation wall, the confiscation of Palestinian land, and the building of Jewish-only settlements, that are threatening to push out the Palestinian presence in Jerusalem entirely.
Indeed, according to a report issued last December by the International Crisis Group, Jerusalem “no longer is the city it was” even “in 2000, when Israelis and Palestinians first negotiated its fate.” And this was the case despite the fact that many countries and international institutions have frequently criticized the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem, and the UN has deemed some of the above measures against international law.
In the absence of any international effort to actually stop Israel’s attempt to “change facts on the ground” in the holy city, and during a time when Palestinians are once again increasingly mobilizing through nonviolent political actions, such as the recent mass prisoner hunger strikes, weekly demonstrations against the separation wall, and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign, many thousands of Palestinians are mobilizing today in a Global March to Jerusalem to draw attention to the continued violations against East Jerusalem and its people. Palestinians will assemble in Beit Hanoun, the nearest point possible to Jerusalem in Gaza, to hold a peaceful rally, and nonviolent demonstrations will also take place in Jerusalem and throughout the West Bank, as well as in Cairo, the Jordan Valley, and many major cities around the world.
/..
http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/06/07/marching-to-jerusalem/
Divide and rule – Oh look there is a squirrel – keep looking while we poison Syria.
Anti-EDL bomb plot ‘a reaction to calculated insults’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22814936
Something quite like this actually happened
To find Peter Hitchens is to the left of the current bunch of showers in charge, is this a sign of end times? Not bloody likely, just another indicator of how far down the fascist shitter we have descended to.
NSA is doing what SS-Reichssicherheitshauptamt dreamt of, and never managed! the rest of the toadies in the relevant satellite countries are too busy introducing laws to make snooping on all the citizens, at all times, a lawful measure.
Fred! Choob! ROTFLMAO!
“I don’t ask those supporting Palestine why they hate Jews so much now do I?”
Fred, I didn’t ask you when you stopped beating your wife, or if, or why, you hated anyone. I only asked,
“why you so much want Scotland to remain within the UK”?
Whether Scotland leaves the Union or not, let’s hope educatiom North of the borderleads the way for improved awareness for health care for the individual and society; both physical and mental health care.
On a personal note this awareness is key to realise dreams in a essentialy material based reality.
Chip away and the stone sharpens!
Pictishbeastie –
Please don’t be too hard on my Fred. He hasn’t been the same since he fell off his bicycle in the fast lane of the M6. And he flushes the pills he’s been given down the lavatory. Doctor MacKenzie suggested we section him, but he never listens to Scottish people and won’t let us either. Which is why he’s doing so well at the DSS in Maryhill, where he works.
Thanks for the link, Jemand.
@ Dreoilin and Fred
@Dreoilin :
“I don’t ask those supporting Palestine why they hate Jews so much now do I?”
Fred, I didn’t ask you when you stopped beating your wife, or if, or why, you hated anyone. I only asked,
“why you so much want Scotland to remain within the UK”?
_________
I think that Fred is entitled not to have to answer that question. This is not about Fred’s wishes or the reasons for them but about a political issue; what should be looked at (and if necessary disputed) are Fred’s arguments and points, not his personal motivation(s).
@ Fred
So far the ‘opposition’ has hardly laid a glove on you. But keep off the swearing and cussing, your arguments and points are good enough not to need them
And could April Showers please stop posting comments and news feeds which have really nothing to do with the subject of this thread?
The discussion is a good one and I for one don’t like to see the Old Biddy going around disrupting and diverting!
(Today’s obsession : “Agent” Cameron).
Craig is indisposed but this would get his attention……PRISM
The only question I have is how did it get leaked to Greenwald, in this atmosphere of NO LEAKS, or else !?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/us-intelligence-mining-data-from-nine-us-internet-companies-in-broad-secret-program/2013/06/06/3a0c0da8-cebf-11e2-8845-d970ccb04497_story.html
Could be an OP against POTUS by the anti-Obama spooks.
“Frederika” = “Sophie” = “Kibo” ?
Moderator, please check.
Watching you, listening to you, and reading you
“why you so much want Scotland to remain within the UK”?
I haven’t said I did.
I’m opposed to Nationalism, whether it’s Scottish Nationalism, British Nationalism or Zionism. I’m opposed to the propagation of Nationalist myths designed to incite hatred.
I said what I wanted to say regarding Scottish bank notes, I didn’t say anything about desperately wanting Scotland to remain in the UK.
I do believe that Charles and Camilla, self-styled ‘royalty’ will be just north of the border one last time, in the coming days, descending upon us by helicopter, to gladhand and to rally the ancient orders of common land thieves, delivering weapons for the coming propaganda battle, before heading off to one of their sunnier ‘possessions’ in the Caribbean.
Is Lord Fffffouks, i mean Fred, opposed to Palestinian and Irish Nationalism?
This might make the silly old fool who visits this blog from time to time laugh.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cartoon/2013/jun/04/queen
BBC News 9 minutes ago
Vaz: GCHQ US spy claims ‘chilling’
.
7 June 2013 Claims Britain’s electronic listening post GCHQ has been gathering data through a secret US spy programme are “chilling,” says a senior Labour MP. Keith Vaz, chairman of the home affairs committee, said he would be… Full Article at BBC News
Assume that this has been going on with Agent Cameron’s full knowledge and consent for the last three years.
UK gathering secret intelligence via covert NSA operation
Exclusive: UK security agency GCHQ gaining information from world’s biggest internet firms through US-run Prism programme
Nick Hopkins
guardian.co.uk, Friday 7 June 2013 14.27 BST
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/jun/07/uk-gathering-secret-intelligence-nsa-prism
@ April Showers
The Old Biddy obviously hasn’t taken to heart my post about going off-topic all the time and thereby disrupting and diverting the thread! But, despite the evidence, I live in hope….
(Today’s Obsession : ‘Agent’ Cameron)
PS – I remember the old thing being very disparaging about Keith Vaz in the past and here she is quoting him with seeming approval. Nothing like consistency!
@ Cryptonym :
“…Charles and Camilla, self-styled ‘royalty’…)
———–
A somewhat curious expression – what is ‘self-styled’ about them?
About as curious as saying “..Cryptonym, self-styled ‘commenter’..”
Wasn’t Keith Vaz mixed up the Fiji sting corruption scandal, he should be hanging his head in shame and resigning from whatever committees he is on as well as departing the HoC, if so.
I think he is at the damage limitation game on this NSA issue, in return for being kept on the periphery of the Fiji affair, as some other money-grasping crook is sacrificed for mere show.
@ self-styled ‘Cryptonym :
Aren’t you going a little off-message?
Surely if Mr Vaz were no longer in Parliament, the Old Biddy would not have been able to quote with such approval the “chilling” thoughts of that senior Labour MP?
Yes Cryptonym. I think he was one of the 20 tame MPs that Mercer enticed into the Fiji group. I watched Panorama last night. I thought him appalling. To think he is collecting two more years’ salary when he packs it in. He will leave with a pension too and I think there is an additional payment to a retiring MP.
This is what I wrote about Vaz in an e-mail I sent to friends at 17.41 One had asked if it (the situation) can get any worse. She had reported extra overflying fighter jets where she lives. (‘yesterday four F16 and the more up to date ones were all over the skies here just like a rash and at low level, I bet I know what they are up to.’)
~~~
I said:
Yes it can …..
UK gathering secret intelligence via covert NSA operation
Exclusive: UK security agency GCHQ gaining information from world’s biggest internet firms through US-run Prism programme
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/jun/07/uk-gathering-secret-intelligence-nsa-prism
Mr Vaz finds this disclosure ‘chilling’. That’s just what we think of him and his cohort.
~~
Thank you Fred.
For information.
Human Rights Council
Twenty-third session
Agenda item 7
Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Richard Falk*
Summary
In the present report, while noting the continuing non-cooperation of Israel, the Special Rapporteur addresses Israel‟s Operation “Pillar of Defense” and the general human rights situation in the Gaza Strip, as well as the expansion of Israeli settlements – and businesses that profit from Israeli settlements and the situation of Palestinians detained by Israel.
Contents
I. Introduction
II. The Gaza Strip
A. Operation “Pillar of Defense”
B. Economic and social conditions
C. Health in Gaza
D. Ceasefire implementation
III. Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons and detention centres
IV. Settlements
V. Businesses that profit from Israeli settlements
VI. Recommendations
http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/RegularSession/Session23/A-HRC-23%20-21_en.pdf
Nothing has changed. In fact, the Palestinians’ plight is worse than ever.