As long term readers know, I love the Eurovision Song Contest. It is just so much fun and so resoundingly daft. Graham Norton’s comment last night, “it’s like the gay wedding I’ll never have”, summed it up rather well. We also learnt that Danish humour is impenetrable. Having once spent a week there living with Danish friends, I guess a country that seems to live on raw fish and raw eggs will forever shimmer beyond my comprehension. Like Hamlet’s mind – impossible to understand completely, but marvelous.
I was however saddened by the audience booing of the two young Russian girls. That was really nasty and unfair. They were scarcely more than children, for goodness sake. Putin is not their fault. That booing was an exhibition of racism; nothing else you can call it. If people wanted to make a point, they could have screamed for the Ukrainian girl – they didn’t have to boo the young Russians.
People always complain about political voting, but I think that’s half the fun. I always enjoy the voting far more than most of the singing. Last night, I think, was political voting in a wonderful way. It was a joyful expression of approval for the idea that human beings can and should be what they want to be. It wasn’t the first time either – I remember a similarly gender challenging singer from Israel winning some years ago. What was even better this year, was that another stereotype was also challenged, in that Conchita swept up much support from Eastern as well as Western Europe. Let it be said that she had a damn good song too.
We voted for the Polish girls. I thought the honesty of their approach was brilliant, and reminded me of so many happy days in Warsaw in my youth. Good to see women doing the washing too.*
All in all, great fun and a life-affirming evening. Now to clear away all the mess – why did I stick all those empty Prosecco bottles on the front garden railings?
*Private joke for my friends at Russia Today media (formerly trading as Indymedia).
It’s OUR money that is being spent putting out this Tory propaganda.
Government ad spend to increase by 22% to almost £300m
Key campaigns for year to March 2015 include explaining deficit reduction, Scottish referendum and UK’s role in Afghanistan
John Reynolds
Wednesday 14 May 2014
Tonight’s NATO military exercises appear to include B2 bombers, E-6 (Looking Glass) aircraft and probably nuclear ballistic submarines.
I think they are trying to send a message to someone…
You can listen to it all on HF.
Skykings,
Skymasters
EAMs
All on show tonight.
Hurby
“Most people are in a similar position of course, but habby has claimed to have been involved in drafting speeches, talking points and whatnot for the likes of Baroness Golly Gosh.”
________________-
I challenge you to provide the quotation to back up your assertion.
From memory, I was describing the process by which ministers’ and top officials’ speeches get written.
Mary
“PS He knows nothing about what I ‘get up to’.”
__________________
Except what you yourself tell us, Mary : your walks, the height of the grass, your dog(s), the concerts you went to, the feeding of your cocks and hens, where you live, your friends, and so on…..
Herbie
““Lagarde Cancels Smith College Address After Anti-IMF Petition”
There was a time, not so long ago, when a women’s college of Ivy league status, like Smith, would have welcomed with open arms a woman at the top of her career.”
_____________________
Your point is…?
Mary 14 May, 2014 – 9.24pm
Mary, Mary Not Quite So Contrary this evening. Apologies for the backhanded insult, but as you appear to give it out, thought you might be more than capable of handling it, when it gets thrown back at you from time to time by “trolls,” as you refer to them. Probably marked as been in same category. Oh well, such is life.
Just to let you know, I will not be attending demonstration you highlight, as I support the other side. Can’t help who I am, and even though half my life, been running away from who I, have finally embraced it. I love Israel, always have and always will.
What I look forward to doing, is going to Bevis Marks Synagogue, on a Sunday morning for example and having breakfast with the minyan. Some regularly go backwards and forwards to Israel and talk about the friendships with different people, helping each other out. Not going to identify, as I want it to continue.
Detest the sanitised version the BBC portrays.
For years, a former employee of George Galloway, Daphne Mitchell (former friend & now sadly deceased), at his then Streatham residence, and who lived round the corner from me, in Brixton, London would make derogative remarks about Israel, hoping that it would change my point of view. It didn’t work and she reluctantly gave up after more than 10 years of trying.
As you prolifically use the word Israel in your interesting posts, was trying to go through, and count how many times you use that word. Gave up, in the end, as we have elections on 22 May and need to concentrate on something else. Let’s just say it is a lot. And every time you mention Israel – certainly brings a smile, for which I am grateful. Thank you. Look forwarding to continuing to read all your future posts.
USAF “NORMANDY standing by for traffic on 11175”
Well there’s no hint of war in that exercise call sign is there….
“Ultimately the sad circumstances of Spanish, Greek etc workers can be laid squarely at the door of the likes of habby”
_____________
Weren’t you blaming all that on the Rothschilds a couple of months ago, Herbie?
FTSE reaches 14 year high. Sterling strengthening, day on day.
BoE talking about interest rate rises, but like in years away, just thought we’d mention it again to pretend we’ve heard of responsible practice.
He’s much too shiny, that new Canadian BoE grosvenor.
London having the biggest housing bubble ever.
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-living-through-biggest-house-price-bubble-ever-9221297.html
Pump and dump. is what they always do. So, be expecting them to take a big dump soon, that you may better avoid it.
Russia has been in the news recently, in a negative light. China too. Yet it’s Russian and Asian billions pumping up the London housing market.
Big potential dump possibilities there, definitely.
Interesting to note all the usual trolls cant refute Pilger’s arguments so they stick to the weak and shallow ad-hominems.
Very telling.
Remember how much fun it was kicking the Soviets in the nuts by lionizing Sharansky?
As we know, the Scots do,
http://www.independent.co.uk/student/news/edward-snowden-delivers-his-first-speech-as-glasgow-universitys-new-rector-9278337.html
But so do the Ossis!
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/05/14/362683/german-university-to-give-snowden-degree/
Say hello to the USA’s most eminent refusenik, Ed Snowden.
Cross Posting… And Testing
For Alcanon…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeB6i4SnOpU
As we know, the Scots do,
Your point asshole
Does the commenter (or anyone else) know how far Saddam got with that idea before the war started? Which currency(ies)did he have in mind?
Maybe this will help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFdYEY3mgm0&feature=related
Kelly Ben Maimon
I too love Israel. I stayed in Tel Aviv in 1973, visiting Nablus, Quneitra, Jerichom Bethlehem, the Dead Sea and of course Jerusalem. It is a Holy Land to Muslims, with so many graves of the prophets of Islam.
I don’t think Mary is talking about Israel, the Holy Land, is she?
Israel could have been , as South Africa now is, a pluralist, multi-racial, multi-faceted society, hosting centres of excellence in many faiths. And Israel will one day be the same. It will hurt you intensely when the apartheid of the political entity of Israel is rolled back, as it inevitably will be, one day.
Please un-indocrinate yourself from the apartheid propaganda of political Israel, as it will hurt less when sorrow smothers you, as the prophets used to say, with gnashing of teeth, at the shame of its present wrongdoing.
Herbie
Pump and dump. That phrase is a little too Neanderthal, even for me.
Kelly Thanks for that. At least you are open about your affiliations. It was pretty obvious where you were coming from anyway.
Do you represent this government in the FCO by any chance or the one with an embassy in Kensington Green?
kelly ben-Maimon – United Kingdom | LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/kelly-ben/49/341/94a
London, Greater London, United Kingdom – Researcher at Government
I liked this link. 😉
Local Elections in Lambeth | Page 3 | urban75 forums
http://www.urban75.net › Forums › Places › Brixton
14 Jan 2006 – 21 posts – 9 authors
Political trivia – Smarajit Roy and his seconder Kelly Ben Maimon have both been members of all three political parties in Lambeth in the last …
http://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/local-elections-in-lambeth.75995/page-3
Hope you have made up your mind by now.
PS Try counting the number of times I mention PALESTINE.
Pathetic Hasbara stuff.
@habba
“Weren’t you blaming all that on the Rothschilds a couple of months ago, Herbie?”
It’s not the players it’s the nature of their play.
Banks and corporations run the crown who in turn merchandise the plane and we know the impact that has.
We are still outing emphasis on materialsm when reality other forms of existence should be favoured.
What the Rothchilds have achieved is materialistic and through their will have greatly influenced our thinking.
The fact they bought Reuters and push market capital speaks volumes.
But hey the game won’t change will it?
H seems to keep a file on me. It is like having a stalker, so late in my career too.
Yet we know absolutely nothing about him. I say ‘him’. Could even be a her for all we know. Back on topic!
Decide for yourself by reading his weasel words in this exchange with Miliband whether Agent Cameron will stop Pfizer in its tracks. Of course he won’t.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140514/debtext/140514-0001.htm#14051448000005
An interesting first question from Sir Roger Gale btw about Stagecoach’s Anne Gloag buying Manston Airport for £1 and then proposing to shut it down. Is it a nice site for the housing developers perhaps or for industrial development? Is that what Cameron means in his answers when he recites his mantra ‘British jobs for British people’?
~~
Anyway they are all off until June 4th. ‘La reyne le veult’ as they say in the HoL when the session’s legislation is read out. The poor old dear then has to go through all that opening of ‘parliament’ stuff again. I actually feel sorry for her.
I did wonder what the real purpose of Livni’s visit was apart from a bit of Bond Street shopping and rallying the JNF troops.
15 May 2014 Last updated at 05:11
‘Friends of Syria’ group set for London talks
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-27419552
I do not suppose we will see any photos.
PS H no cocks in this garden. Just the two hens. Were you trying some double entendre there?
Does it give you a little thrill to type out four letter words beginning with ‘c’ as you were doing here recently. Puerile.
A ‘bombshell’
article from NewEurope (a Belgian/Dutch printed newspaper and
online specalised press) focussed not on swiss EuroVision but squarely on the secretive, possibly illegal, international activities of the European Commission.
It’s a pre-celebration of President Bahroso’s legacy, alleging
conspiracy for multiple regime change (it’s not the first time we’ve
heard this, rumours have spread around Italy for the last couple of
years that a certain PM was planning a euro-currency exit)
If Kassandra’s allegations are true then at least in these regime changes of Greece & Italy, not so many lives were lost, not so many bombs were used, as far as we know.
Mary
“PS H no cocks in this garden. Just the two hens. Were you trying some double entendre there?”
_________________
No, not at all, Mary – you seem a little paranoid of late.*
I could have sworn you once wrote something about cocks. But if not, then I unreservedly withdraw the word and apologize for any distress I may have inadvertently caused you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
* eg “H seems to keep a file on me. It is like having a stalker,..”
An olive branch to the trolls – get with the program:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWu3rSEddZI#t=242
🙂
Mary
I love the way you immediately started researching our new contributor Kelly ben Maimom after she posted something favorable to Israel.
You’d have been at home in the Stasi, which is why I have occasionally referred to you as the Hilde Benjamin of this blog.
And you complain about my own (non-existent) “file” on you !!
Jay
“@habba
“Weren’t you blaming all that on the Rothschilds a couple of months ago, Herbie?””
__________________
Jay, I’d rather hear the answer from Herbie himself, thanks all the same!
Have a grand day.
Livni was addressing the Jewish National Fund. This is the organisation set up to buy land from the Arabs for Jewish (only) use, subsequently becoming a quango with the “buy” element quietly elided. In 2007 it owned 13% of the land in Israel. She also met Hague, presumably to discuss ways of stalling the “peace process” or delaying action while more settlements are built as some antisemitic cynics might describe it.
http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Livni-gets-immunity-for-UK-JNF-talk-352324
So the law was changed, removing yet another right of the British citizen, in order to give Livni a free pass to be the star of a £50-a-pop event, buy some shoes, and bugger off back to her horrible homeland?
Precisely why she has to meet the JNF-KKL in London is opaque. But it probably has to do with fundraising.
I started a job at Jaguar Land Rover this week.
200 – 300 contractors on site and just one, closed, bacon/ tea caravan.
The Health and Safety company had plush temporary offices; the ordinary workers nothing, except kettles and seating.
I just wonder whether the management class of this war criminal country like confrontation. They get luxury cars provided gratis in their salaries. We don’t even get a cup of tea.
Still, as John says, it could be worse:
Stop the War Coalition:
“Not long after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Mercer, then the British military’s most senior lawyer in the country, paid a visit to an interrogation centre that the army’s intelligence corps had established near Basra.
He was appalled by what he saw.
Around 40 handcuffed Iraqis were being forced to squat on the ground with their hands cuffed high behind their backs. Dark blue hoods covered their heads and nearby a generator was running. Later, in a statement to the inquiry into the death of Baha Mousa, Mercer described what he saw as “repulsive” and added: “It’s a bit like seeing a picture of Guantánamo Bay for the first time. It is quite a shock.”
Mercer warned the interrogators that the use of hooding had been banned three decades earlier, and that it would impair the detainees’ breathing. He was told, however, that the use of hoods and stress positions “was in accordance with British army doctrine on tactical questioning”.
Mercer suspects the generators were intended to muffle the sound of whatever was happening inside the tents where interrogations took place.”
@ habba
A market capital that demands mechanisation and banking that stimulated land ownership.
Although harsh conditions have been some causes of hardship to people’s mechanisation was and still is a geopolital demograph that is disrupting a long tradition of civilisation, culminating in many of our societal issues. Out of work people!
So regarding the Rothschilds, there industrial actions have a vast effect on the majority of people and the game that they are forced to play.