I had excellent news from my cardiologist yesterday. Ready to think about other things now. I am horrified by the continuing stream of ” royal” baby hype on television. Truly pathetic – is this 1313 or 2013? Who buys into this nonsense?
I thought the Lib Dem take on Trident missiles was hilarious. This small group of islands does apparently need to retain the ability to wipe out one third of the urban population of humankind, as a defence against something undefined – possibly people we invade getting too annoyed about it – and in order to increase our “influence” in the World. As we plainly have less influence than the Germans, who don’t feel this need for the power of obliteration, I do not quite see how this works. Nor do I see Pakistan, which does have nuclear weapons, as very influential. Nor do I quite understand how our influence can be increased by possessing something under effective American control. But there you are.
Anyway, the Lib Dems have come to the intellectually scintillating conclusion that we do need this world shattering power, but we don’t need it on Wednesday or Thursday afternoons or on Saturday mornings, which will be cheaper. Brilliant, and plainly does not dodge any big ethical or practical questions at all.
No, Komodo,
This thing:
http://www.thegatheringireland.com/About.aspx
Tea now
Komodo said,
This made laugh, thanks for the smile, I needed it amidst all the brouhaha about the new Royal Male.
Their man in London (Matthew Gould) is taking the cards and the baby clothes, made out of the remnants of the flags left over from the last EDL march.
Unbelievable that their man is getting paid by our FCO, but there again we the tax payers are covering all manner of other expenses, so this one on top of those, is a drop in the ocean.
Dreoilin – thanks for that. Your avatar makes me think that that will be a mug of tay you can stand the spoon in, taken in your cabin by the fitful light of the sod fire that’s in it. Tell me I’m wrong. Enjoy.
On the subject of the Egyptian colour revolution II, three days before the generals coup detat. The Generals’ men/people were in the shitty strip of land and were plotting away. The result of these plots; blowing up the Gaza tunnels as a first step in avoidance of the probable moves of Hamas in solidarity with Morsi supporters.
NO! NO!
Not thatDiaspora, that has just burned out my speakers.
It was more of a “Roots/Diaspora” event.
@ Dreoilin. 12 48pm
Thanks for putting poor Komodo right. How has he survived such a musical past at all?
Habbabkuk (La vita è bella!)
22 Jul, 2013 – 10:20 pm
“You have deliberately suppressed objective data which exposed the falsehood of some posts from the anti-Israel brigade and attempted to establish a sense of proportion.”
Please specify the falsehoods you say have been posted and name the posters who used them.
“Either reinstate those posts of mine or I shall get in touch with Craig.”
How childish.
Dreoilin, o/t but tea reminds me if you should find a link to an Irish stew you approve of, that would be lovely. Thanks!
@Komodo
Diaspora wandering where it should’nt go.
“That Gathering” works better.
Passerby:
The result of these plots; blowing up the Gaza tunnels as a first step in avoidance of the probable moves of Hamas in solidarity with Morsi supporters.
True, but perhaps equally to do with ensuring that US megabucks continue to flow towards the
Egyptian Armyalternatively elected democratic governmentDoug: Please specify the falsehoods you say have been posted and name the posters who used them.
What Doug said, H. Also the nature of the evidence allegedly suppressed. With links. I think you’re lying. My opinion.
Kiboh Noh. – I also like JS Bach. Go figure.
Habbabkuk (La vita è bella!)
22 Jul, 2013 – 11:57 pm
Habbabkuk, why do you hardly ever give referenced figures with sources so that the rest of us here can look them up?
If you’re not willing to give your sources why should anyone accept your data?
The policy of deleting seems to have the same effect on the trolls as poking a stick into a hornets’ nest. They are cross!
One says ‘STFU Whiny little drip’
Another says he would like me banned. Yes I get it. That would mean no Israel/Palestine posts.
Another who switches from posting the Krishnamurti sweetness and light stuff and then seamlessly drips vicious venom in ad hominems. Very weird.
Prior to November 2012 when Habbakuk/Habbabkuk arrived, things here were relatively peaceful. I hope that is noted.
Anyway I will keep going.
Read these in the Independent when out this morning.
Robert Fisk
Monday 22 July 2013
Israel will maintain contact with Hezbollah, so why should we stop?
The Israelis will continue to maintain contact with the Hezballah ‘militant staff’ whenever they want a body swap
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/israel-will-maintain-contact-with-hezbollah-so-why-should-we-stop-8726948.html
‘Of course, the Israelis will themselves continue to maintain contact with the Hezbollah “militant wing” whenever they want a body swap, usually on the exchange rate of two Israeli bodies equalling three or four hundred Hezbollah corpses. I have witnessed these macabre events and the “interlocuteur valable” is always the same: the head of the German intelligence service. He maintains excellent relations with the Israelis and with Hezbollah and often visits Lebanon. Are we supposed to believe that Germany will no longer offer its good services to the Israelis if it means chatting to Hezbollah’s “militant wing” – since Germany is a member of the EU? Forget it. The head of the German spooks – like the Brits and the Americans and anyone else – will go on talking to the bad guys if “national interests” are involved – and especially if Israel’s interests are involved.’
~~~
Goldman Sachs, again. No surprise.
Goldman Sachs in spotlight over ‘aluminium price-hike’ scandal
Financial giant is accused of exploiting rules over metal warehousing in order to manipulate commodity prices
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/goldman-sachsin-spotlight-over-aluminium-pricehike-scandal-8727125.html
Abe Rene, indeed. I’m still waiting to turn something down!
The moderation debate has been done to death, so I won’t add to it substantially. Other than to note that, for the record, it is still the case that people are not being deleted for disagreeing with something (and it does not become more true the more times it is suggested). People are being deleted for unpleasantness, bullying, and running commentary that stokes conflict. We have many disagreements here on “Leftist holy cows” that are completed unmoderated (recently, Suhayl against support for anti-US fundamentalism, Abe Rene against Cuba, Jemand on atheism, etc).
It occurs to me that there is a much better quality of debate over at the Guardian, than here – even though they get the scissors out much more often than we do. My fee for installing software, doing security maintenance, making stuff go faster on a shoestring, liaising with ISPs, emailing Craig with reminders for things, and various technical tasks is just having some interesting discussions that we might all take part in.
Sadly, that payment – excellent value I think! – is permanently in arrears. The choice appears to be that we are unmoderated (in which case we are flooded with bickering and bullying) or we are moderated (in which case we waste time on trivia like this – and for my efforts to keep peace, I get unpleasantness even from regulars). Either way, we get no decent, intelligent, civil discussion.
@Habbabkuk, you’re clearly not interested in thoughtful dialogue here, so I suggest you appeal to Craig. The public record shows that you have nothing but snark and conflict. There’s a contact link at the top of every page.
Dreoilin with an Irish vision: US bankrolled anti-Morsi activists.
Quite so, ‘Heskem HaShalom Bein Yisrael LeMitzrayim’ must be chaperoned, America rides shot-gun for intention, for ulterior motives.
Morsi was the will of the Arab nations and Morsi was Putin’s right; Putin said, “We have agreed to gradually proceed toward diversifying our trade and economic ties. New joint projects in the areas of industrial cooperation, energy or, say, agriculture could increase the mutual investment flows..”
Mr Morsi also said that he will unveil plans to address the crisis in Syria by proposing a new Middle East contact group that will include both Iran, the Assad regime’s closest ally, and Saudi Arabia, one of its chief detractors.
Morsi made a simple mistake – he unfolded his plans without impunity, without exemption, without protection from the new world order and ultimately from the final show-down.
Morsi will now be rubbed out and another door shut to blackball the Russia/China/Iran axis regardless of human suffering.
Is that then the nitty-gritty, the nuts and bolts of our post 911 world, the Sandy Hook syndrome?
Hey if you want an English speaking world… if you want peace… sunshine or rain. Then shut-up and sit-down!
I hear there’s a royal baby – is it true? There hasn’t been anything about it on the tele…
Well, not since I threw a feckin’ brick at the screen there hasn’t.
Habba. 10:20 pm
Re the “anti-Israel brigade “…you have deliberately suppressed objective data which exposed the falsehood of some posts from the anti-Israel brigade and attempted to establish a sense of proportion.”
Where are the lies? Come on Dad. Give us some links to show your good faith in these discussions.
And while we’re on the subject. What do you think of the Israeli state’s mass buldozing of ancient Olive and Almond groves? Millions of trees. Is this how any people who want to be regarded as neighbours could behave? Is that photo faked?
http://www.dontpaniconline.com/magazine/radar/palestinian-olive-trees
Lookalikes. Private Eye please copy.
http://cdn.maifm.co.nz/mediaworks/AM/2013/7/23/7166/kate-middleton-gives-birth.jpg
http://specials-images.forbes.com/imageserve/04mfdCpbyrfBj/0x600.jpg?fit=scale&background=000000
@Komodo. 1 40pm
Gone figured!
Apologies for attempting to slur your musical good name. I couldn’t resist for a few moments giving the spirit of my real old dad the keyboard. He had some strong opinions regarding what he called “that racket!”
Jon, if you were seriously interested in creating understanding here, rather than fanning division, you would deal with the specifics of Glenn’s, Habbabkuk’s, mine and any other comments addressed to you. Its not that difficult but you’re making it sound too simple. The devil is in the detail.
As for last night, in order to be convinced about your misconceived summary on Habby, re-post his comment including statistics that he presented in support of Kempe’s assertion on water comparison, UK and Gaza and then explain how he wasn’t arguing and actively participating in the discussion in good faith, even widening the dialogue to throw light on darkness elsewhere in the world. That would be in the spirit of Craig’s comment reposted above.
But i know you won’t because you fear that by responding as moderator you would lose your new-found authority which you have used so liberally, as never before on this blog. That is what is happening by Governments around the world.
Lots of people claim that they are on the side of justice. In reality they are nothing more than propagandists feeding into the conflict and division.
Sofia: “Where are the lies? Come on Dad. Give us some links to show your good faith in these discussions.”
They have been deleted by Jon — ask him to show the statistics.
PS re the ‘Dad’ bit don’t you think there’s a time and place for everything?
Jon PS to mine above. Okay i would be happy even just to see an articulated response to the substance of Glenn’s of last night. I suspect many of us hold him in very high regard.
Villager.2:33 pm
“Sofia: “Where are the lies? Come on Dad. Give us some links to show your good faith in these discussions.”
They have been deleted by Jon — ask him to show the statistics.”
So let me get this straight. Dad provided the only evidence that could ever show “…the falsehood of some posts from the anti-Israel brigade” and Jon deleted it?
Now nobody will ever know. The shame of it!
Most of the above whingerie would resonate better with me if Jon were actually paid for what he does, like keeping the site functional. As far as I am concerned, if he thinks it necessary for the maintenance of good order, or even for fun, he can delete the entirety of my opus, and dance on its grave. And thanks for the opportunity to express myself up to then.
No further comments on the moderation, except thanks, Jon. You can’t please all the people all the time, and to please some of them you’d have to stand on your head. You’ve been very patient (with thinskinned whiners of every political colour)
I wish the referee’s decision were final, though.
I think we’ll just have to disagree, Villager. Just for the record, who was it that said these, just in the last week?
* You are losing the plot
* But [Jon] you CHOSE to overreact
* Thanks Sofia, now that you’re playing secretary… Enjoy your narrative dissembling
* Don’t be a dim-wit
* I’m tempted to rake up all that stuff and re-post it here as an embarrassment
* Credit to Flaming June to attempt a reply, but sorry, not good enough. I’d recommend her to try harder except she hasn’t a basis
* How do we solve a problem like [Mary]?
* Pure personal attack and not the slightest response to my valid questions, but never mind its what i expected.
* Don’t know why you would need a holiday — your mind is already on one.
* Nevermind in great mindless form
* Herbie i shan’t gratify you with your pathetic point scoring tactics.
* That doesn’t sound like a very sincere apology when in the same breath you accuse Habbabkuk of sock-puppeting
* Ironic though how you and Herbie are the first one’s to go with your-thinly-veiled-sucking-up appearance to Jon
Ah yes, it was you – and there’s much more, all in the public record. Even your appeals to mod regularly accuse me of being power hungry, even though I’d rather we didn’t need moderation at all. I’m genuinely confused between your gentle religious and philosophical meanderings and your ceaseless application of petrol on smouldering fires.
Why not read the debate that Suhayl and I had with Arsalan? Despite severe abuse, racism and provocation, neither myself nor Suhayl lost our tempers. This is how to debate properly. Most people here are able to do it, but a few people seem unable to help themselves. Read your unfortunate points above please, and reflect on them.
For ref, my thoughts on moderation again.
I’ll pop in again tomorrow. In the meantime, relax everyone. It is just a blog!
@Jon.
It seems you have the key that will reveal all the falsehoods of the “anti-Israel brigade.” I think they relate to water.
Do you really have the only manuscript of this rare work?
It’s called something like “Dad’s Statistics and the Refutation of All Lies.” Please?
Israel relates to water too, notably water under Palestinians.
Has anyone ever analysed the incidents of complaint to mod and of mod, tied to the characters commenting on this board? A cursory look points to a repetition of an almost comical aggregation. Short of it these same characters add nothing of any value or substance, either negative or positive, to any debate under way. Effectively pulling the debate into a predictable; whine, moan, protest, ….. whine, moan, protest, ……whine, moan, protest, ….. whine, moan, protest, … …. holding pattern.
It’s quite telling that I cannot see any comment so far here about the Ukrainian student Pavlo Lapshyn being charged with the murder of the 82 year old man Mohammed Saleem who was on his way home from prayers at his mosque.
This student and another were being questioned about the explosives attacks on three mosques in the Midlands. Lapshyn has now been charged as follows.
‘In a statement on Monday morning, police confirmed Mr Lapshyn had also been charged in relation to incidents at mosques in Walsall, Tipton and Wolverhampton.
The court heard that Mr Lapshyn was accused of causing explosions on 21 June and 12 July, contrary to Section 2 of the Explosive Substances Act 1883.
Mr Lapshyn is further charged under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006 with intending to commit acts of terrorism between 24 April and 18 July.’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-23419077#
Shades of Breivik?
Sofia – that actually made me cry. What a hero!