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.
Flaming June and Habbabkuk have a nice day. You might both be saddened by the death of a journalist who was never afraid to ask the right questions. It is somewhat alarming that the Israeli-owned media have the power to sack a journalist who when asked if she had a message for Israel it was “Yes. Get the Hell out of Palestine.” She lost her job for that. Where is democracy?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbjaCsjAB3s&feature=em-uploademail
I should have mentioned her name is Helen Thomas.
“People come to this blog to read opinions about what is happening in the world not to see people squabling among themselves or whinging about the blog itself.”
I’m not so sure. I could have sworn Craig said at one stage that very few visitors bother going to the comments.
“That is how we all see the universe, with ourselves at the centre, some haven’t realised it is just an illusion.”
Yes. I think people come here to read Craig. Not any of the rest of us wafflers in the comment section.
Anyway, gone for the day. Enjoy …
Hi Craig,
I hope you are now on the road to a full recovery.
God forbib you or any readers need blood in the future now the Blood Bank is to “Sell off” 80% to Mit Romneys Bain Capital.
As for as the Nukes go. We dont have full control over them anyway as the US hold the launch codes.
The secret Spaatz-Tedder Agreement signed in 1946 allows the USAF to remain on British RAF bases on which nuclear weapons are stored, and lets hope never deployed. The little known agreement was never debated in Parliament, let alone actually obtaining a copy to study. Kim
“The secret Spaatz-Tedder Agreement signed in 1946 allows the USAF to remain on British RAF bases on which nuclear weapons are stored, and lets hope never deployed. The little known agreement was never debated in Parliament, let alone actually obtaining a copy to study.”
As long as they are on air bases not Trident submarines I don’t think they can do much harm.
I just came across your ‘royal baby’ comment this morning, and even though it’s be up for a while, it was a much needed breath of fresh air! Applies even more today than when you originally posted.
On a separate note, it was enlightening having you in Edinburgh at the Islamophobia conference in March, looking forward to your next visit.
More illegal practices from the “Masters of the Universe”?
“Senate probes banks’ aluminium warehouse role”
“Big aluminium users in the US say banks are using their ownership of warehouses to keep prices artificially high.”
“Banks such as Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase and Morgan Stanley all have business interests that include storage of commodities such as metals and oil, as well as in trading.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23418834
Flaming June
23 Jul, 2013 – 8:43 pm
“The case becomes stranger and stranger.”
Very intriguing Mary.
The police these days do not decide whether to charge people; it is the (CPS) Crown Prosecution Service and the CPS stipulates that in all cases there must be sufficient evidence to have a reasonable prospect of conviction.
It appears that there was enough evidence against the accused in November but now, all of a sudden, the Crown Prosecution offers no evidence in any of the eight fraud charges.
I wonder if Abiodun David John has some connection to the security services?
If so this would indicate to me that the killing of Saad al-Hilli was, what they call in the security services, a wet operation.
Which country carried out the “hit” we don’t know but it would have to have been an ally of the UK for the CPS to drop all the charges against Abiodun David John.
@John Goss: Helen Thomas’ treatment by the O’Bomber administration was a disgrace. She’d worked as a White House press correspondent from Kennedy’s time, and all the awkward questions she put to the Dubbya administration was not considered reason to disinvite her. She really was a thorn in the side of the cosy, self-congratulatory establishment, reminding the crack White-House press corps that their role should be more than lazy stenographers.
O’Bomber’s got form on this – not content with persecuting whistleblowers, he’s quick to abandon anyone the far right starts screeching about (Van Jones was another), even if they fully retract the supposedly offensive statement.
The never ceasing skulduggery to divert the easy money to the rightful pockets, finds no easier money than taxpayers monies in its cross hairs. Crosby Textor Fullbrook, yeah Lynton Crosby’s lobbying firm, has been advising the private health care providers; how to exploit the perceived failings of the NHS. This secret is out, and is being talked about, and debated.
Despite the fact; people know that Lynton Crosby’s lobbying outfit intends to help the brigands and privateers are plotting to defraud we the people. This little inconvenience however has made little difference to the plots which are afoot (remember the lobby firms have a direct line to every editor and politician in the land, it is their job).The headlines read:
* A&E units ‘could reach crisis point this winter’
Channel 4 News
* A&E units would struggle to cope with winter flu outbreak, MPs warn
The Independent
* A&E plans ‘lack sufficient urgency’
Belfast Telegraph
* A&E crisis: shortage of consultants a ‘considerable concern’
The Guardian
* A&E crisis plans ‘not good enough’
BBC News
* NHS ‘flying blind’ over how to solve A&E crisis, say MPs
The Times
Well even the dunce among you ought to know by now; there is a crisis in the NHS and if we only sign on the dotted line, and hire some middlemen outfit who will be hiring the same consultants who are already working for the NHS. Set these to be the mangers and thereafter bring their own cadre of doctors who are also working for the NHS and in a push if needs arise import some more; Polish, Hungarian, Ukrainian, Romanian doctors, the A&E will be OK and the crisis will be averted.
Lynton gets his cut for advising the Clients who have nowhere else to find easy money (the stock market is rigged, the commodities are tanking, there is no joy in the derivatives, and all those short selling has ruined every carpetbaggers chance of making a killing) and here is all this tax money in search of a new pocket to be poured in to! also, yeah we the people will wait about half an hour to an hour more in the A & E; as and when we refer to an A&E. With all the creaming off of the funds (profits laddy, profits), something has to give you understand.
So you all think you can get away with knowing this plot of the day. But hang on, you are not going to get away with just a single shenanigan a day now are you? There is more:
* Immigration is constant drain on public services, says David Cameron
Daily Mail
* David Cameron: ‘Immigration is constant drain on public services’
Telegraph
(note the head lines! The first onE has Cameron at the end and the second Cameron at the beginning, telling isn’t it? Singing from the same hymn sheet and all that)
* Lax immigration has drained public services, says Cameron
The Times
But hey, hang on, all this talk about “Immigration” is going to spike the plans for the; Polish, Hungarian, Romanian, Ukrainian doctors, so to balance it all out, here is a sort of different look:
* Memo to Cameron: immigrants aren’t a “constant drain” on the UK – they’re the …
New Statesman
So there you have it now we know our A&E is at a crises point this winter,, and and we can safely be assured that we also have the source of the troubles; Bloody immigrants wot done it!
Now we know the cause, there should be an action, a move, some form of a policy to stop the “flood of immigrant swamping” our services, “taking our jobs”, and “making unseemly advances to our women folk”. Fear not the government is at hand, and is going to make UK less immigrant friendly, ie we will kick their heads in the subways, on the pavements, in the fast food shops, and so forth. To this end government has sponsored vans;
* U.K. ad campaign urges illegal immigrants to leave voluntarily
UPI
* Illegal immigrant removal
ITV
So not happy with the current anti immigrant, anti Muslim climate, there is a need for stoking more hatred, and fomenting more murders and bombings, seeing as the Ukrainian Post Graduate Student of unknown religious beliefs or political affiliation making his first appearance for stabbing to deaths of the eighty two year old Muslim who is a Muslim immigrant with a Muslim appearance, as well as blowing up bombs around some mosques:
* Ukrainian in court over terror murder and mosque blasts
Channel 4
* Muslim grandad ‘killer’ in court on blast rap
The Sun
* Ukranian student charged with murder of Muslim grandfather
Express
Note no mention of terror attacks on the mosques or the motive for the murder in the last two headlines
Not enough unfriendliness, for the day, so here comes the “selective memri” to the aid of the hate campaign; did I tell you that an eleven year old Yemeni girl has ran away from her home and a forced marriage? Well here is umpteen articles just telling that about those Muslims “poopy pants to a man of them”:
* ‘I’ll kill myself if forced to marry,’ says Yemeni girl, 11, in video
The Times
*
*
*
*
*
Now that you know what to think and who to blame, don’t sit there, get up and do something! Britain needs to be lees friendly to the “immigrants, and Muslim Scum”, where is the EDL, what happened to combat 18, hows about setting up a concentration camp, like Gaza? There should be a law against these immigrants!
These are the ugly realities of sectarianism and racism in UK in the twenty first century, you cannot make this crap up!
“selective memri”
Sorry about the link
Habbabkuk (La vita è bella!)
23 Jul, 2013 – 9:19 pm
“Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait had, and have, no interest in supporting a govt of the Muslim Brotherhood (anywhere). So there is nothing strange at all about them not offering aid to the Morsi govt. “
Doug Scorgie:
My point was rhetorical Habbabkuk and a cynical dismissal of those states claiming the “aid” is for the economic benefit of the people of Egypt.
Habbabkuk:
“I assume, however, that you are glad that someone is offering aid to Egypt, because the counrty [sic] certainly needs it.”
Doug Scorgie:
Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait have no interest in supporting democracy (anywhere). The “aid” is for the Egyptian military, as you well know, and it will be used to supress freedoms and human rights in Egypt and prevent any real democratic change. (As you also well know).
But perhaps your favourite country can rest more easily with a military dictatorship next door rather than a democracy (which by nature is less predictable).
Habbabkuk (La vita è bella!)
23 Jul, 2013 – 9:19 pm
@ Flaming June (18h21):
“I also get angry about injustice and lies and seek justice and truth. I think you would agree that the majority of my posts are about Palestine for that reason.”
Habbabkuk:
“The second of the two sentences is a non sequitur…”
Doug Scorgie:
No it is not you clearly do not understand how to use the term as you have demonstrated here on many occasions.
Patriot versus S-300 may deliver a proxy war into the world war theatre at the push of a firing button…
http://www.businessinsider.com/israeli-attack-on-syria-kill-russians-2013-5
http://www.businessinsider.com/us-proxy-war-russia-syria-2013-1
Best continue another thread melee as a distraction.
‘A fool thinks himself to be a wise man but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.’
“A4e given over 45 million of taxpayers money – to give classes on using toilet paper”
http://tompride.wordpress.com/2013/02/12/a4e-given-over-45-million-of-taxpayers-money-to-give-classes-on-using-toilet-paper/
Habbabkuk (La vita è bella!)
23 Jul, 2013 – 9:19 pm
@ Fred (15h38)
“Apart from showing that Israel infant mortality is at Western European levels – for which it is surely to be congratulated, is it not?”
Habbabkuk:
“What a pity you didn’t see fit to quote the rest of my sentence. Had you done so, readers would have been reminded of the point I was making… which was that the infant mortality rate in the West Bank and Gaza is far lower than in the favelas of Brazil and in the urban slums of many if not most of the countries of the Indian sub-continent and Africa.”
Doug Scorgie:
Neither Kempe nor yourself (again) have given links and references for your figures so you cannot seriously expect others here to take them at face value.
Suspect the Syrian S-300 acquisition may have more to do with the possibility of B-52 attacks by the US than low-altitude hit-and-run by the IAF, Mark. For the latter, their 50 or so Pantsirs would be more capable. The warhead is small -143Kg – and I wouldn’t think they’d be much use as ground-to ground: they’re not designed for that, and Patriot would not then be the defence of choice. According to Wiki (lol), Syrian AF personnel have trained in Russia on the S-300, and the weapon can be deployed without losing training time.
Whether the command and control of the Syrian army is now up to that deployment is another matter.
Yes Komodo and whose fingers are pushing the firing buttons is of course ‘the other matter’ – I remember the mistakes made with our own ‘Rapier’ system (no proximity fuze) and Rapier was/is susceptable to radar interference and electronic warfare jamming, a point also made by Israel regarding S-300 ‘neutralized’ by EW seriously embarrassing Russia’s own defense.
However I have learned from two high level sources that Russia’s valued ‘self preservation’ is key to pulling Russian support for Assad. That might mean a serious chemical weapons attack that could be pinned on Syria’s army. Yes the window is closing on that deception and Russia is known to be imaging the two known WMD storage sites by satellite and Syria has used ‘smart’ tracers in its chemical inventory. Ingenuity is key here and the alliance is desperate…
Habbabkuk (La vita è bella!)
23 Jul, 2013 – 10:19 pm
Doug Scorgie: “Please specify the falsehoods you say have been posted and name the posters who used them.”
Habbabkuk:
“For starters, the falsehood that the Palestinians are being starved of water.”
Doug Scorgie:
Is that a falsehood Habbabkuk? Have you proved it to be so?
Habbabkuk: “Kempe kindly nailed that one, by showing that annual per caput water use in the West Bank and Gaza compared favorably [sic] with that in the UK.”
Doug Scorgie:
Comparing per capita water use between an area with a hot Mediterranean climate, the West Bank and Gaza with that of the UK, with a cooler temperate climate, is somewhat misleading. In any case, as I stated earlier Kempe and yourself have not furnished us with the sources of the figures you have used.
Habbabkuk:
“For your main course, the claim that Gaza is a “concentration camp”.
Doug Scorgie:
Some people might be using a definition of a concentration camp that is different to yours; that does not make it a lie. Perhaps “the largest open-air prison in the world” might better describe Gaza. (Of course you might call that a lie as well).
Habbabkuk:
“Look up the originators of those lies yourself”
Doug Scorgie:
Firstly you have not proved them to be lies and secondly only you know who you are talking about. How can I look them up for myself?
Habbabkuk:
“…(you may even have written “concentration camp” or similar yourself”
Doug Scorgie:
I don’t think I have used that term. Had I done so I’m sure you would have mentioned it.
Mark – my own very low level sources agree! If the Syrian opposition uses chems, that’s easily overlooked, but if Assad uses the wrong kind of flyspray, the pyrethrin sensors in a geostationary satellite will institute instant annihilation just as soon as Putin’s pulled his boys out. Glad this is recognised.
Re. missiles, it’s the S-26 medium-range ground-to-ground missiles that are provoking the outbreak of Patriot-ism. A couple of dozen of these are rumoured (very unspecifically) to have been landed at Tartus early this year or late last. Half are further rumoured to be pointing at Turkey, the other half at Jordan (where the US is reportedly working up its intervention) The fact that Debkafile is one of the few traceable sources of the story, gives me serious reason to doubt it, but there it is.
Re ECM and S-300 – NATO rates the S-300 as pretty good in an EW/ECM environment. Though nothing’s perfect, and there have been several upgrades.
“Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency quoted an unidentified security official as saying that Snowden was given the document Wednesday, allowing him to formally enter Russia.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/russian-state-news-agency-says-us-leaker-edward-snowden-has-documents-to-enter-russia/2013/07/24/46c66eb0-f45a-11e2-81fa-8e83b3864c36_story.html
And thank you, Someone. Your link links onward to this:
http://watchinga4e.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/those-tweets.html?spref=tw
A site dealing exclusively with the wonderful world of being unemployed and enjoying all the benefits thereof, like being arbitrarily pissed on by a PFI company with boxes to tick.
Good, Ben. Beeb’s got it too:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23437059
I don’t suppose Obama’s latest noises re Syria hindered the process unduly, either…
This is likely to be the riskiest episode so far, though.
KingOfWelshNoir, greetings yourself. And of course, the black humour was more the genre of Evelyn Waugh, rather than his son Auberon. I think your name might have subconsciously thrown me into thinking of King of the Fairies. Though privilege is the domain of the rich, humour is the domain of everybody, and I recommend “A handful of dust” as being as black as the filthy rich are filthy, despite the filthy richness and privilege of its author. To get back to your own black comedies. What’s your favourite? I’ll start with that.
Franklin Lamb explores some of the backroom deals being done by EU US/IS on the EU’s Occupied Territories sanctions and Hezbollah sanctions:
http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/07/23/livni-squeals-kerry-deals-and-the-eu-picks-up-the-tab/
Komo;
The support for Snowden amongst the general public is slipping in the US. Now 53% think he should be charged with a crime. I fear this will only embolden Obama.
Snowden’s actions have already begun to have an effect on the job market in the US.
Congress is voting today on de-funding NSA. It won’t happen (the vote to defund) but the sleeping dogs are aware they may lose their jobs over their failed watch.
I have a fear of flying, do you?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jul/23/snowden-asylum-america-international-law
“So far Snowden has had three offers of asylum from Latin America, but to travel there means dangerous hours in the air. International law (and the Chicago Convention regulating air traffic) emphatically asserts freedom to traverse international airspace, but America tends to treat international law as binding on everyone except America (and Israel). Thus when Egypt did a deal with the Achille Lauro hijackers and sent them on a commercial flight to Tunis, US F-14 jets intercepted the plane in international airspace and forced it to land in Italy, where the hijackers were tried and jailed. President Mubarak condemned the action as “air piracy contrary to international law” and demanded an apology, to which Reagan replied: “Never.” The UK supported the action as designed to bring terrorists to trial.”
Someone
24 Jul, 2013 – 1:18 pm
“A4e given over 45 million of taxpayers money – to give classes on using toilet paper”
I wonder what else these Tory twats will come up with next.
When I was a youngster I often visited my grandparents in Scotland. They were poor; had no running hot water (in fact there was only one cold tap in the house, over the kitchen sink). The bath was “tin” and filled with water heated in pans on a stove. The bath water was shared. The single toilet was outside and had a nail that held squares of newspaper for the use of.
Toilet roll? Luxury!