Here in Ghana people are stunned by the announcement that a bond of £3,000 will have to be submitted by visa applicants to the UK, redeemable on return.
It is unpleasant for a nation to be singled out as comprised of particularly untrustworthy individuals against whom special measures are needed. Theresa May appears quite deliberately to be singling out countries whose citizens are normally black or brown – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ghana and Nigeria. They are all citizens with extremely close ties to the UK. For example, all of those countries supplied large numbers of men to British armed forces in two World Wars; with little resulting gratitude.
The true level of Britain’s regard for the Commonwealth is disclosed in all its arrogance; citizenship of the Commonwealth countries with the longest link to the UK will become a positive disadvantage in visa application. Israeli settlers living in Occupied Palestine on the West Bank, incidentally, will still be allowed to enter the UK without any visa at all, despite membership of neither Commonwealth nor EU. Paradoxical, isn’t it?
The measure shows the arrogant British disdain for these countries – of which India pre-eminently but also Ghana are fast growing and important trading partners. Undoubtedly Ghana will retaliate with measures which hurt British businesses; many of my good friends are senior Ghanaian politicians, and they are all furious. The rhetoric the British employ about transformation from colonial status to a modern partnership of equals is exposed for the tissue of lies it has always been. This is a straightforward racist measure, aimed at securing the racist vote to the Tories.
Not does it make any sense. If you are intending to enter the UK under false pretences, and have the intent illegally to settle and start a new life there, then £3,000 is scarcely a deterrent given the substantial economic gains you intend to make over the long period you intend to stay. It will rather seem a good investment; people will find the money. The people it will deter are those who never intended to overstay. The extra cash upfront, to the businessman for a business trip, for the student coming to study, for the tourist will drive them to go elsewhere, to the UK’s net loss.
More cruelly it will deter decent middle class people from coming to see grandchildren in the holidays, from going to the niece’s wedding, from going to graduation. Those things will become the prerogative of the wealthy, those with plenty of cash to spare.
This does nothing to deter illegal immigration. It merely demonstrates populist racism, demonstrates contempt for some of the UK’s best-disposed friends, and demonstrates that the government thinks the right to travel is only for the rich. It is contemptible.
@ Kempe (21h51)
Isn’t it wonderful what scientists can get robots to do? Why, they almost look human!
@ Jon
1/. Thank you for deleting the abusive posts directed against me. I still think, however, that it would be good if you were to leave the name of the poster and then wrote “deleted” (and the reason) next to it. In this example, it would serve to remind readers that there were THREE such posts and that they were ABUSIVE. Readers – especially new readers – should know who is being abusive and how often, don’t you think?
2/. You misunderstand the thrust of my post on the “Oxford 5”, which was not to hint that some other posters were in favour of child abuse/rape but to draw attention to what might seem to be a certain one-sidedness in their concern about children – loud when it’s Muslim Afghan children accidently killed by an American drone but silence when it’s British kids deliberately misused and tortured by Muslims. Perhaps I was too sibtle and should have said this directly.
3/. Re Flaming June : since several commenters have accused me of never wanting to discuss but only to disrupt, I’m anxious that they should respond to some discussion-friendly points I’ve made. I’m naturally very keen that Flaming June, who is one of my chief accusers (dozens of accusations that I’m a troll), should show that she is actually on this blog to discuss.
4/. Yes, I have seen your post on the other thread. I may come back to you on it (there, as you suggest).
Best!
Dreoilin 27 Jun, 2013 – 9:45 pm
“I read on the Landdestroyer blog that Pussy Riot were financed from the USA – National Endowment for Democracy. I also read that they have never either written or recorded any songs.”
Well I’m sure the financing accusation is made and cannot be proved either way. If true it was a sweet cheap deal for the cia. These people lived as outcasts. Personally I think the convincingly real radical background of members of the collective challenges this rumour. I have seen nothing that suggests these backgrounds are invented. But I would be interested in any links you have.
Perhaps this was recorded in Langley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ednNI_Q3nEA
Ben Franklin -Machine Gun Preacher (unleaded version) 27 Jun, 2013 – 9:49 pm
“And their music truly sucks.”
Dreoilin 27 Jun, 2013 – 9:52 pm
“I read about some of their exploits, Ben. And I was pretty disgusted.”
Kempe 27 Jun, 2013 – 9:51 pm
“Dear God…”
You fuddy duddies! I think you are missing the point. They do not exist to make good records. They exist to upset and challeng our mores/religion/conventions. They are born of a radical tradition from Guy Debord to Malcolm MacClaren to Tuppy Owens.
https://www.google.co.uk/#q=situationists+pussy+riot
@ Macky
Good to see you’re around and posting. Did you see my question about the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (my post to you at 19h17 – any chance of you finding a moment or two to answer, do you think? After all, it would be a serious matter if the UK were to be in breach of that Convention as you claim. Thanks!
I am not a fuddy-duddy, Phil, just because I have numerous aches and pains and consume Ensure.
I have transcended old age (ouch)
Baitonhook
While you got distracted, the entire contents of your can of smelly, wriggly fly-worms has escaped across the floor.
@Ben
I had to google Ensure. Now I need to buy some.
The West Has Jailed Many For Similar or Lesser Offenses (Pussy Riot):
Pair jailed for web race crimes
Do as I fucking say! Don’t do as I fucking do!
Hypocrisy abound Billy fourteen pints has gone Australia, turning all arse about tits, he drones on about; “We don’t spy on our people we protect them”, it is the “repressive regimes that spy on their people in secret”!!!!!! Toxic sludge is good for your health for certain!
I was joking about the Ensure, Phil. Who knows what’s in it? It used to be primarily for those in Hospice who have difficulty eating solid food, now it’s marketed to everyone.
As for the aches and pains; that’s real.
This is gonna hurt. http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/06/wikileaks-mole/
“hordarson was long time volunteer for WikiLeaks with direct access to Assange and a key position as an organizer in the group. With his cold war-style embassy walk-in, he became something else: the first known FBI informant inside WikiLeaks. For the next three months, Thordarson served two masters, working for the secret-spilling website and simultaneously spilling its secrets to the U.S. government in exchange, he says, for a total of about $5,000. The FBI flew him internationally four times for debriefings, including one trip to Washington D.C., and on the last meeting obtained from Thordarson eight hard drives packed with chat logs, video and other data from WikiLeaks.”
A supermarket whistle-blower working in the cultured cream of Sainsbury has explained to me the next generation of ‘Big Brother’ supermarket innovations in ‘
spying onlearning your habits’ tools.Missing data for instance from disloyal customers that pay by cash and those accomplished enough to steer offers their way by using multiple loyalty cards will be snapshot retained and stored by digital face recognition on entry and tracked automatically round the store. Watch you are looking at? That information is of course in addition to the data the store has from your(Nectar)card already:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2013/jun/08/supermarkets-get-your-data
Testing and trials are ongoing/completed. Proposed implementation – 2015 in selected towns and cities.
“any chance of you finding a moment or two to answer”
Everything in their right order dear Clown; remember this outstanding matter that you have rudely being avoiding ever since KOWM addressed it to you several days ago, despite my recent reminders, as even earlier on this very thread:
“Since you are so keen for a discussion, I maybe should remind you again that it’s at least three times you said that you would respond to KOWN’s post about the accusation frequently made by yourself & one or two others, that there is a predominately ‘anti-West narrative’ here on this Board. I really think that as you often cite this as justification for the way you conduct yourself here, you should “man up” & engage, otherwise people will draw certain conclusions as to why you only want to debate with FJ/Mary.
Here to help get you started is what KOWN posted;
““No, I genuinely don’t believe in the existence of the ‘anti-West narrative’ that you frequently inveigh against. I do think most posters on this thread are united by disgust and anger for much of what the West does, but that is not the same thing. As for the examples you cite – mistreatment of women in India, for example – I think the reason people don’t post on such issues is simply that these things are universally condemned and hardly worth the effort of pointing out on a forum where it can be tacitly assumed most people are on the same page. What gets people’s goat here, I submit without a trace of faux-naivety, is those instances where there is a chasm between the cruel things the west does and the way they are laundered and perfumed by such organs as the BBC.”
By the way did you have a look at the link provided by Aidworker1 ? Here’s a couple of highlights;
“Hypocriticising, especially for a fault that the critic then displays him/herself. A simple tactic, often this is pedantic criticism of grammar, spelling or punctuation in a post which itself contains proof-reading errors to provoke exasperated responses from others.
Antipathising, by taking up an alienating position by asking pseudo-naive questions, for example. This tactic is heavily reliant on deceiving the group it is aimed at and covertly manipulates egos, sensitivities, morals and feelings of guilt, usually to trigger emotional responses. It can also create moral dilemmas.”
Strangely but strongly familiar to you ?
@Aidworker1. 8 47pm
Thanks.
“Digressing…Hypocratising…Antipathising.”
Has anyone found any published guidance for “Grooming”?
That is, cultivating allies by posting several sympathetic posts (usually devoid of new info) to attract allies before seeking to discredit selected individuals with ad hominem attacks. Divide and rule.
It took me a while to notice this tactic and it still unsettles me.
Any defectors out there to post a professional’s handbook?
@ JON (Moderator)
In general, I’m in favour of letting posters write whatever they want, with the exception (perhaps) of simple obscenities or mindless personal attacks devoid of real (preferably on-topic) content. And I realise that the task of judgement often involves threading a very fine line.
In this connection, I wonder what your reaction would have been to the following three posts, made in the last 12 hours or so, if they had been penned by me :
– Guano at 22h57 on 27/06
– Macky at 00h25 today
(possibly) Kibo Noh at 02h19 today?
I
Dreoilin The link to the nasty Tara McKelvey piece ref Edward Snowden just worked for me. Perhaps they were updating it or something.
27 June 2013 Last updated at 00:06
Snowden case: 10 things to pack when you are a fugitive
By Tara McKelvey
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23035469
The list of Professor’s subjects for study did not include B.Liar and others war criminals of this century.
Henry VIII Would Be A Modern Day Psychopath
Having two of your wives beheaded could be enough evidence to prove Henry VIII was a psychopath – but it’s now official.
http://news.sky.com/story/1108966/henry-viii-would-be-a-modern-day-psychopath
I did not watch it but it would appear that there was a loaded question about Edward Snowden on last night’s QT. Did anyone else see it.
This is a repost from Medialens.
Posted by Mark D. on June 28, 2013, 12:18 am
Twitter: BBC Question Time @bbcquestiontime
From the QT office: BBC Question Time @bbcquestiontime 7m
Luckily timed, the next question – Edward Snowden: hero or villain? #bbcqt
Retweeted by BBC News (UK)
—
My reply:
Your question is a disgraceful act of pro-US servility — equivalent to ‘Woodward+Bernstein: heroes or villains?’
M.
__________
The panel in Newcastle was – David Willetts, Liz Kendall, Simon Hughes, Mark Steel and Jill Kirby.
Another one of these rainy summer days ahead I can’t say how much I value the randomness on here, the staccato news delivery and sleuthing by many posters here.
I think it would be terrible to act up on the incessant clarion calls calling for regimental change here, when the blog has achieved what it has without it and on its own inertia, exactly due to the mix of issues it carries.
Surely I’m not the only one who detests point scoring, and to watch posters contributions being changed to ‘deleted’ or such hierarchical pedantry, making it clear that their post was not accepted, for whatever reason, just leaves a bad taste and could discourage a first time poster who went over the top with his/her first post, just to shock.
The incessant undermining of blog posters, followed by same sole effort trying to change structure and resolve categorising posters into A, B and poor little C who got deleted, has disrupted this blog.
It has changed the dynamic of past posters, playing them off against each other, forming cliques and contributing very little.
If it likes it here so much, why change us, what is the impetus and how come there is no better leader of the pack here?
Secondly, reforming what one can’t abide by is normal, but to do it when one is explicitly opposed to much what is written here must hurt at times.
Craig will make the decision, or none, to change/reform/abolish the blog, whether it carries ads or not, its is not up to us here to change this and I can’t see somehow that it is one of Craig’s family members, so what the flying Farraday is going on in its head, I don’t know.
In general, I’m in favour of letting posters write whatever they want, with the exception (perhaps) of simple obscenities or mindless personal attacks devoid of real (preferably on-topic) content. And I realise that the task of judgement often involves threading a very fine line.
In this connection, I wonder what your reaction would have been to the following three posts, made in the last 12 hours or so, if they had been penned by me :
– Guano at 22h57 on 27/06
– Macky at 00h25 today
(possibly) Kibo Noh at 02h19 today?
At last, something you’re in favour of!
Still, supposing Jon has smothered a yawn and actually read your request for special treatment (don’t think he’d have done anything about those posts if you’d written them except perhaps wondered what brand of coffee was responsible for your apparent leap in IQ, btw, but I wouldn’t presume to anticipate him) he’ll maybe note that you ask a lot of leading questions but answer no substantial ones, that there is strong evidence of your grooming, stalking and gratuitously flaming posters, and that you are generally as disruptive as anyone you complain about.
If you can’t take it, don’t hand it out, sport.
And another point, it, indeed all of us, have been clearly told/asked by the moderator not to invoke his name in discussions, which, off course, was like a red red to a very small bull, for it to evoke Jon’s name every time a deletion has occurred, going against the moderators wishes and further destabilising this blog.
Nan nan nahnahnaaa, how childish is that?
Whoops, sorry, missed that request! Apologies.
Off topic (the topic being our pet troll) –
http://www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2012/10/09/theresa-may-speech-in-full
Can’t say we weren’t warned, anyway. (you may need to locate the sick bag before reading the speech. Contains hypocrisy, double standards, inconsistency, manufactured on premises which certainly contain nuts))
Life Get’s Tedious, Don’t It? Well it does here sometimes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HlEdMg7d_o
🙂
~~~
Ben Franklin -Machine Gun Preacher (unleaded version) 27 Jun, 2013 – 11:22 pm
“I was joking about the Ensure”
I did think you were joking mate and my response was also written with a smile. The nuance of humour is easily lost on the interweb.
Imagine how they feel. Shame on you Welby! Note the Yad Vashem visit. He had time in his schedule for that.
Palestinian Christians missed out on archbishop of Canterbury’s tour
Christian communities disappointed Justin Welby did not visit them during first trip to Holy Land since taking office
Harriet Sherwood in Jerusalem
The Guardian, Thursday 27 June 2013 18.09 BST
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/27/palestinian-christians-acrchbishop-canterbury
[Mod: fixed typo]
UK adds another drone to its arsenal
By Chris Cole on 21/06/2013
The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that it has signed a £30 million deal with Boeing subsidiary Insitu for the ScanEagle drone.
ScanEagle is an unarmed surveillance drone that is to be used in a maritime role by the Royal Navy. This latest contract makes the sixth type of unmanned drone that UK forces have in their arsenal with all three services – army, air force and navy – now operating unmanned drones.
MoD minister Philip Dunne said that the “continued investment in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems is essential to keeping our Armed Forces up-to-date with the latest capabilities.” However the ScanEagle is not being bought, rather it is being rented in a similar way that the UK is leasing the Israeli Hermes 450 drone for use in Afghanistan.
The contact, which lasts up until 2015, is for a “contractor-owned contractor-operated service” with civilian contractors operating the ScanEagle from onboard ship.
The ScanEagle is launched from catapult, has a range of around 100km and can stay aloft for up to 24 hours. Below is a video of ScanEagle in operation with the Dutch Navy
/..
http://dronewars.net/2013/06/21/uk-adds-another-drone-to-its-arsenal/
Fedup 27 Jun, 2013 – 11:09 pm
Thanks for the landdestroyer pussy riot link. I (am allegedly working so) read it quickly and the article seems to merely imply the loosest of possible connections between the collective and other, US funded, opposition elements. Hardly damning.
I think they rock.
Yes I do think it is wrong to lock up racists for not hiding their racism. If indeed that was your point. Not entirely sure.
From Ms. May’s speech, thanks Komodo, its O/T
“Taxes cut for people who do the right thing, go out to work, and earn a modest wage.”
Modest wage seems to be the catch word here, not the going out to work.
But this is the reality, companies that make millions in profits for the UK are stifled by George Osborne’s banker mates. This is a tragic story of success.
http://www.edp24.co.uk/business/lowestoft_support_firm_s_sale_seals_growth_1_2253950
Flaming June 28 Jun, 2013 – 9:34 am
“…with civilian contractors operating the ScanEagle from onboard ship.”
The return of privateering!
Appreciate the ScanEagle link Mary – Keep it up!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=OM4ub4H2El4#at=15