I have a guilty political secret. I do not detest Gordon Brown. That is such an unfashionable opinion that I don’t really expect any comments at all to agree with it. And yes, I do realise that he went along with the Iraq War and all the other horrors of the Blair era. Interestingly, I don’t remember the question of what Gordon Brown really thought about Iraq ever being discussed; he deserves condemnation for having not tried to stop it, and perhaps he was indeed an enthusiast. And I am well aware that the Private Finance Initiative is a terrible disaster, and that he oversaw creeping privatisation in the health services, and – worst of all – the introduction of tuition fees.
And yet I cannot dislike him. Probably because I just know too many people who have known him through decades, who are themselves good people, and who like him. Around Edinburgh and Fife you will find it hard to find people who actually know him who share the hatred and contempt he seems to arouse among the political and media classes of London.
As a general rule I do not like or dislike people according to their politics, but rather according to the sincerity of their political beliefs and the goodwill with which they hold them. I am sure Anders Breivik is sincere in his political beliefs, but those are lacking in goodwill. Sincerity is not enough – humanity and inclusiveness are also important.
There are one nation Tories who seem to me perfectly decent people, genuinely trying to do good. I don’t hate them because their political conclusions on the best way to do good are different to mine. Gordon Brown I put rather in the same category – I feel he was trying to do good for ordinary people, he just got it wrong.
Blair is in a whole different category again – insincere, absolutely focused on attaining personal power, and with a Messianic belief that what is good for him must be good for the World. The Guardian is publishing some emails around the Blair Brown rivalry this week. I don’t care and won’t read them. But while I see Blair as quite properly damned for eternity to the seventh pit of hell, I don’t think Brown deserves anything worse than North Queensferry.
I have been in Ghana the last 20 days living in a house with no internet connection and working (extremely hard) in an office with virtually no internet connection – not enough to load WordPress. I hope to get more chance to blog shortly.
Not in Africa [but as they can do it here, they can do it everywhere] An Al-Qaida group in Syria says one of its top commanders in Syria was killed in an ambush by rival, Western-backed rebels in a northern province.
Daniel Rich 23 Sep, 2013 – 12:29 pm
Daniel, the link’s broken – post again, please
Emmpey,
Sorry, I missed your reply.
“Proper pathetic, you even manage to get a mention in of ‘Hitler’”
I mentioned your Hitler avatar, you doughnut!
Now, those corroborating sources…..
@ A Node
2 links to articles [for cross reference]:
1)http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10740440
2) http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/israeli-who-died-in-christchurch-earthquake-may-have-been-mossad-agent-paper-claims/story-fn3dxity-1226098326648
search result: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=christchurch%20dead%20israeli
Sorry 4 broken link, my bad.
Not my day: 1) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10740440
Hi Daniel,
Some interesting potential theories you have there on the Israeli presence at the Christchurch earthquake.
Any ideas? Are we looking at a Mossad-orchestrated earthquake to distract attention from bulldozed olive groves? Perhaps some organ harvesting?
Dreoilin said;
Indeed it has. Fact that upon mendacity, animus, and unreason being elevated to be the only currency, the elegant consequence is a diminished and infertile blog or board.
The simple fact is, those here to “educate” or “disrupt” or “conduct any campaigns” ought to be given the elbow, in an effort to afford the space for the other contributors to regain the motivation of coming back and engaging with each other.
As it stands, curt and didactic conduct have become an inseparable and normative mode of transactions on this blog. Hence resulting in the migration of the contributors elsewhere.
The tolerance beyond a certain degree, is simply a supine deference, that ought not be mistaken for “liberalism”, or “inclusiveness”, as it seems to be on this blog.
Although there are those whom can identify the “den mother” self appointed or otherwise, cutting in to divert the tsunami of dissent and indignation. Needless to point out that the only expected response, will be an irrational and banshee fashion retort to any such observations.
Daniel the NZ earthquake was well-covered by MSM in 2011. I remember being concerned for the residents of that city, which I cycled to in 2000 with a Bavarian I met on the Picton ferry. He’s married now with two children and we still keep in touch. But earthquakes are likely to become more common worldwide with the construction of super-dams.
emMPey, I don’t mind the perversion of your avatar smiley, artists do this all the time, some even cut sharks in half and immerse them in tanks of chemicals.
What does it matter, real news comes in various shades and who knows how much else TEPCO can cock up, but this one is rather urgent and could mean massive damage to us all.
has this yet sunk in with our PWR crazed BBC? and/or the industry purveying such dangerous and ineffective systems?
http://fukushimaupdate.com/ground-under-fukushima-unit-4-sinking-structure-on-verge-of-complete-collapse/
@DR
Would it be fair to say that Africa has been, and to a great extend still is, the west’s chessboard?
If you look closer you will now find that that Chinese checkers is now the main game. Funny how the avowed anti-imperialist have such a blind spot when it comes to Russian and Chinese imperialism.
Anon – do you really think you’re kidding anyone by making obviously dishonest arguments such as “There is a world of difference between insulting ‘the’ prophet and calling for those who do so to be beheaded“?
Of course there is. The topic was whether most Muslims in the West are Christophobic or not. They aren’t. You clicked the button to refer to your little hasbara piece about someone calling for those who insult the Prophet to be beheaded. Then I wondered aloud how many Christians do actually insult the Prophet, or might be considered by many Muslims to do so. You’ve trolled me into responding to you this time, but this is the last time.
Many Jews, however, are very Christophobic. Those who don’t know already, may be interested to hear about the ‘special plus sign that doesn’t look like a cross’ that’s used in some Zionists schools. If that’s not Christophobia, what is?
If you try to troll me again, you will just be wasting your valuable hasbara time.
Nice observation, Anon!
The reason, of course, is that “anti-Imperialist” is just cover for anti-Western.
The last report the BBC has got or reported from Fukushima is from the 3rd. Sept.
I can also find no report of the latest earthquake on their site, not under environment/science or on their international site, now why would that be? Why would the BBC withhold something from us when it has quiet possibly very dangerous public health implications for us all?
http://www.myfoxny.com/story/23477582/53-magnitude-earthquake-hits-japans-fukushima
Are we being sheltered from the truth in Japan, BBC? for reasons of our very own speed daters policies for more of these dangerous plutonium breeders?
Expert have warned about this building No 4 since the Tsunami crippled the plant, every time the necessary work was postponed, with outside help shunned.
First of all it was not Daniel who engineered any “theories”. It was a sensible journalist who was asking questions. The kids may well be innocent. And they may have ‘phoned their embassy. However MOSSAD does not have a clean reputation, including the stealing of dead NZ children’s identities, when you think about Mordechai Vanunu.
I met a couple of Israeli cyclists in Prague, not so much backpackers as pannier-bag-packers. They did a lot of whinging about how lucky I was to be going in the opposite direction since they had been cycling into the wind all the way. Otherwise they were all right. I was envious of their bikes which rather put my Dawes Discovery 501 to shame!
Good afternoon, N_,
I’m delighted that having said you will not reply to me again, you have now changed your mind.
I am also delighted to see that you have changed the absurd generalization “most followers of the Jewish religion [are Christophobic]” to “Many Jews, however, are very Christophobic”.
Well done to Jemand for educating you on that, and let’s hope you don’t change your mind again!
Now, many Muslims, Christians, Jews are very Christo-, Judeo-, Islamo- phobic. I think we can all agree on that. Accordingly, some Jewish schools appear to have banned cross signs, some Islamic schools teach that Jews are apes and pigs. So, what is your point?
N_ observed;
A very astute observation. In fact you have highlighted the straw man argument used to vilify the Muslims, in an attempt to project the Christophobic conduct of a competitive religions followers.
Thanks for the “Plus” sign, the deployment of such a construct to avoid the denotation of the cross is patently a telling fact.
====
So far as “anti West” goes, is this outlawed too these days? Or are we at the genesis of a new “wrong” that in years will become enshrined in laws, that punishes the perpetrators with prison sentences?
Evidently freedom of expression only allows the “pro West” and not the “Anti West”. By this token when will “Anti Freeze” be the subject of prevarication, after all it is dead set against any refrigerator/freezer, and the corporate interests of the manufacturers thereof?
So when its the Russians and Chinese offering much better infrastructure improvements, schools water purification plants, a good deal, then its its imperialism, but when its the usual serial imperialist’s in Africa who had their fingers in tribal resources for hundreds of years, from slaves to gold diamonds to food, gas, uranium, oil and and and, then these are called ‘colonialists.
Feckless freebooters and scroungers who always want their cut of everything and trade it for expensive tat the African countries don’t need, compared to the all-round offers the Chinese come up with, they look at it holistically and actually provide more for the people of those countries they deal with, whilst we offer Swiss security and bakshish to whoever is in power. Tough, learn from them and improve, don’t whine about it.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/1722213.stm
Nevermind said;
Of course it is silly! The going rate for the resources of these countries is 500 kg of TNT per capita (preferably delivered by expensive missile technology), and all is well and no imperialism.
When will the third world learn, that no pain is no gain? The birth pangs of new murkan century, means lots of “coloured” dead, and lots more maimed, and even better still lots and lots more dead later through birth defects, and all manner of exotic cancers and congenital illnesses.
I hope we are now clear, you anti Freeze loving and West hating and stuff and so forth, there you have it, I hope you have now learnt the errors of you ways.
Passerby wonders…
“So far as “anti West” goes, is this outlawed too these days? Or are we at the genesis of a new “wrong” that in years will become enshrined in laws, that punishes the perpetrators with prison sentences?”
No, not at all. You crack on!
“Evidently freedom of expression only allows the “pro West” and not the “Anti West”.”
Evidently? Who said that? You are absolutely free to express your anti-Western views.
“By this token when will “Anti Freeze” be the subject of prevarication, after all it is dead set against any refrigerator/freezer, and the corporate interests of the manufacturers thereof?”
What?!
A non interjected;
Yeah difficult concept, isn’t it?
You mistake me for someone who gives damn about any views of a non and co. True my fault, I should have clarified; I don’t!
“I think that was a sock-puppet masquerading as Habbabkuk. Ignore it, is my advice.”
Thanks Jemand. I was actually in the process of ignoring him when I fell asleep. Just awoken, much refreshed.
I see he’s gone – again.
RIP Kofi Awoonor who was killed in the shopping mall on Saturday.
One of his poems whose title seems sadly apt.
Songs of Sorrow
.
Dzogbese Lisa has treated me thus
It has led me among the sharps of the forest
Returning is not possible
And going forward is a great difficulty
The affairs of this world are like the chameleon faeces
Into which I have stepped
When I clean it cannot go.
.
I am on the world’s extreme corner,
I am not sitting in the row with the eminent
But those who are lucky
Sit in the middle and forget
I am on the world’s extreme corner
I can only go beyond and forget.
.
My people, I have been somewhere
If I turn here, the rain beats me
If I turn there the sun burns me
The firewood of this world
Is for only those who can take heart
That is why not all can gather it.
The world is not good for anybody
But you are so happy with your fate;
Alas! the travelers are back
All covered with debt.
Something has happened to me
The things so great that I cannot weep
http://www.scribd.com/doc/24563558/Songs-of-Sorrow
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kofi_Awoonor
Passerby, perhaps you can answer my points. Who is saying you are not free to express your anti-Western views? How is it “evident” that only pro-West views are allowed?
For nevermind,
http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/02/20/zambia-safety-gaps-threaten-copper-miners
Well stated Anon! And you Anon! Villager your insights pleasure me! Such exemplary elucidations from your magnificent minds. The Murrayista’s are butt simpletons to our razor sharp corrections which floor their flawed idioticities.
Fear my brilliant mind and answer my questions immediately all of you. Thank you very kindly.
Freedom is ours! Long live Hab! Jon is a fascist!
[Mod/Jon: renamed to ‘Another Anon’ to avoid appearing as ‘Anon’. Would the real Anon please stand up?]
My favourite type of wooden spoon
http://wpic.typepad.com/.a/6a011570aa8d5b970b014e88a463b0970d-800wi
Live updates from Kenya
http://rt.com/on-air/kenya-mall-attack-police/
Whoever you are, you’re overdoing it. You did make me grin, though.
I think it would be good if Craig were to post again.
Just saying …
I would have liked to hear his thoughts on Syria.
Anon 23 Sep, 2013 – 2:54 pm
Is that you sofia?
Anon, shift change soon mate.
Enter the villager from stage left like a demented chatbot.
Lets see if we can play villager bingo with the following
“Habbabuk”
“One trick pony”
“Jon”
“murrayistas”
“mary”
Bingommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
Irish “White Widow” could be behind the seige of the “Jewish Mall” in Nairobi.
http://rehmat1.com/2013/09/23/israeli-terror-at-nairobis-jewish-mall/
“Well stated Anon! And you Anon! Villager your insights pleasure me!”
Sounds like you need to get out more. Perhaps those razor-sharp intellects could apply themselves to this little conundrum: what do you get if you add the number of China’s foreign military bases to the number of aircraft-carriers in its navy?
If they can manage that they could then repeat the exercise for the US. Then they could compare and contrast.