I spoke to a really uplifting Perth for Independence meeting yesterday – over 300 people, more than attended Cameron’s “Rally to Save the Union” in the same city during the campaign. There is no sense of defeat at all in the Yes campaign and it retains its spine-tingling energy intact.
Many interesting contributions including – a continuing feature of this campaign – several first time speakers, and more female than male. In my own talk I said that anyone who voted No because they believed “The Vow” was stupid beyond belief. Scotland will never be given by Westminster its revenues from oil and whisky, and any devolution settlement based on Scotland keeping and spending its own taxation but excluding taxation from oil and whisky, would undoubtedly be arranged by Westminster to result in a net cut in public spending in Scotland.
I have in any case not the slightest interest in any arrangement which does not give Scotland control of its own foreign and defence policies, and leaves us still as participants in continual aggressive war, torture and extraordinary rendition.
It remains my view that Scotland’s innate dislike of the astonishing wealth gap of British society, the rise of UKIP and the shift to the right of the Westminster parties, the danger of leaving the EU and European Convention on Human Rights (and thus expulsion from the Council of Europe), all contribute to a political, cultural and social divergence which make independence inevitable. It is coming in a much shorter timescale than people realise.
i have to Agree with this….
But there is also a place for writing and for making speeches (and videos)
Talks about recent uk vote @ about 15:00.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYIRbIh_8cw
Kathy Kelly speaks out.
‘The war on the Islamic State will distract us from what the U.S. has done and is doing to create further despair, in Iraq, and to enlist new recruits for the Islamic State. The Islamic State is the echo of the last war the U.S. waged in Iraq, the so-called “Shock and Awe” bombing and invasion. The emergency is not the Islamic State but war.
We in the U.S. must give up our notions of exceptionalism; recognize the economic and societal misery our country caused in Iraq; recognize that we are a perpetually war-crazed nation; seek to make reparations; and find dramatic, clear ways to insist that Romero’s words be heard: Stop the killing.’
This article first appeared on Telesur English
Kathy Kelly co-coordinates Voices for Creative Nonviolence. In Kabul, she is a guest of the Afghan Peace Volunteers. Read other articles by Kathy.
Stop the Killing
http://dissidentvoice.org/2014/10/stop-the-killing/
This to the backdrop of yesterday’s news.
‘US military aircraft have dropped weapons, ammunition and medical supplies to Kurdish fighters battling Islamic State (IS) militants in the key Syrian town of Kobane.
US Central Command said C-130 transport aircraft had made “multiple” drops of supplies provided by Kurdish authorities in Iraq.
US air strikes have helped push back IS in the town near the Turkish border.
Correspondents say the airdrops are likely to anger key US ally Turkey.
The drops of supplies provided by Kurdish authorities in Iraq were “intended to enable continued resistance against Isil’s attempts to overtake Kobane,” CentCom said in a statement. IS is also referred to as Isil and Isis.
All the aircraft involved had returned safely, it added.’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-29684761
@Craig “There is no sense of defeat at all in the Yes campaign and it retains its spine-tingling energy intact.”
So said the grapes at the end of the vine, on the truck for the winepress. 🙂
Under the auspices of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 –
‘It transfers the control of police forces from police authorities to elected Police and Crime Commissioners. The first police commissioner elections were held in November 2012. The next elections will take place in May 2016 and subsequently every four years.
The Act repeals the provisions in the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 which prohibits protests near Parliament Square, and instead restricts certain “prohibited activities” in Parliament Square garden and the adjoining footways.
The Act removed the statutory requirement for the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to include scientists. The move follows the sacking of David Nutt from the council in 2009.]
Section 153 of the Act amends section 1 of Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 so that an arrest warrant for an offence of universal jurisdiction cannot be issued without the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions, unless applied for by a Crown Prosecutor.’
these events have taken place in Parliament Square over the weekend.
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/oct/19/occupy-protesters-parliament-square-london
http://dpac.uk.net/2014/10/police-torment-occupydemocracy-protestors-on-parliament-square/
http://www.theecologist.org/blogs_and_comments/commentators/2600887/less_freedom_in_westminsters_parliament_square_than_in_hong_kong.html
~~~
The same act gave free rein to the Israeli war criminals and others to travel to this country without fear of arrest under the concept of Universal Jurisdiction.
@Iain Orr
Back in 2009 when Craig said “the Irish are being forced to vote repeatedly until they get the answer right.” I was listening.
Great to hear that the mood has not been conflated by the mongers who already are watering down the promises they made, to non existent. (Nevermind)
Hmmm. Heard, in passing, and with the desire to cover my ears, Cameron giving it ‘hardworking families’ again on R4. He alleged that ‘we’ need to ‘work hard and save hard’…who’s this ‘we’, then**? But I digress. Entering his formulaic PRspeak substitute for having a clue what he’s doing, with increasing frequency, is ‘the British People’ (for ‘you peasants’) and he’s definitely lightly beating the Unionist drum there. Expect much more of this.
Incidentally, Cameron’s incessant ‘hardworking families’ meme assumes that the purpose of the population is to serve the economy, and not the other way around. The words ‘adequately paid families’ are strangely absent from his output. Discuss.
**https://tompride.wordpress.com/2014/10/13/lobbying-camerons-deleted-speech-and-his-jaw-dropping-hypocrisy/
From that tompride link (above), something even more 1984 –
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20131113/10383925231/uk-political-party-tries-to-dump-10-years-speeches-down-memory-hole.shtml
I see I fouled up the tompride link – a space between the asterisks and the URL is needed – but the story it’s based on is also worth linking seperately:
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/oct/12/conservatives-tycoons-fundraising-black-and-white-ball
Fred !! Your problem is you don’t listen.You spout what you’re paid to spout,just like Mr Habbakuk.
The Irish were being subjected to external pressure as was Denmark,to keep having referenda until they came up with the correct result.
You can hardly compare that to the Scottish people voting in a party dedicated to Independence who at the earliest opportunities give the same voters the democratic possibility to guide their country into a more fair democracy to a centralised unelected bunch of apparatchiks.The only external pressure came from London/BBC/BoE/big Business/the Pope/david Bowie/Kate Moss/etc etc to vote NO
There were so many irregularities at the referendum that I would like to see one another straight away.The SNP will wait.The invisible majority maybe got their way,but the debate is far from over.Not even in your neck of the woods.
separately
“Fred !! Your problem is you don’t listen.You spout what you’re paid to spout,just like Mr Habbakuk.”
The people of Scotland have spoken, I listen to what they said, why don’t you?
One of the things which put me and I think a lot of people off Nationalists is their football hooligan mentality and “we was robbed” does nothing to alter my opinion.
BTW any more personal attacks against me will be flamed.
As in this ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d01CgxjAzfw
these were the Nationalist hooligans Fred.
You show me the examples of the hooligan mentality your employers want you to push!
Fred you can do what you want with personal attacks.You began the personal attacks on Craigs blog at anyone who was Independence minded,and you continued your ridiculous rants all through the build up to the 18th of September,never providing proof.The link above are the people you support,and their nationalism is plain for all to see.
Now put up or shut up.Nobody buys into this Nazi fairy story you’ve made up on your croft.
Lets see your links and proof of hooliganism !! Aye, didnae think so.
Like ah said, “didnae think so” Fred.
Nae proof, nae examples , nae links,nae nuthin !
Your best offering is hot air and insult.
So it’s back to Troll SkooL for you.
Bye Bye **** ***** !
RIP Lynda Bellingham. Lovely and brave at her end.
I wonder how Fred feels about pulling out of the EU? With the noises Cameron’s making at the moment, looks like there’ll be no more subsidies for not growing bananas in Caithness…could have shot himself in the foot by voting no, couldn’t he?
Donny (and others), please keep a tally of the FOAD posts you have attracted from Fred. It will be entertaining to award a small prize to the highest score at the end of the year.
Why don’t you all just make love and live.
You too Fred.
It’s great craic!
Meanwhile, 3483 miles from Perth* here’s what the President of a small country had to say yesterday,
“The time has come to admit that Israel is a sick society, with an illness that demands treatment.”
How could anyone utter such anti-semitic sentiments?
Dad. Please explain.
Check it out in The Jerusalem Post,
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/President-Rivlin-Time-to-admit-that-Israel-is-a-sick-society-that-needs-treatment-379223
* That’s if you go via Nova Gradiška of course avoiding the windy alternative route thruogh Požega.
We signed up for a common agricultural policy not a United States of Europe.
If you think that, you were grievously deceived. The CAP was only part of it.
It’s Iceland that grows all the bananas in Europe BTW, not Caithness.
Again, a victim of deception…
according to FAO statistics, the largest European producer of bananas is (and has been for decades) Spain,[9] with around 90 per cent of the total (although the production is mostly confined to the Canary Islands, which lie off the coast of Africa). Other banana-producing countries in Europe include Portugal, Greece and Italy.
Consequently, although a small number of banana plants still exist in greenhouses and produce fruit every year, Iceland imports nearly all of the bananas consumed in the country, with imports now amounting to over 18 kg per capita per annum.[10] The Agricultural University of Iceland maintains the last such farm with 600-700 banana plants in its tropical greenhouse, which were received as donations from producers when they shut down (then the Horticultural College). Bananas grown there are consumed by the students and staff and are not sold. (Wiki)
“Scotland will never be given by Westminster its revenues from oil and whisky”
Most of the revenue on oil and whisky- tax and excise duty- are raised outside Scotland. Are you suggesting that- for example- revenue from Irish whiskey and Saudi oil should be despatched to those countries?
Mr Goss
“Nevermind and Mark Golding, Ebola can be cured, I understand, by very high doses of vitamin C so high as to where the patient would be on the verge of diarrhoea.”
______________________
That’s interesting.
Almost as interesting as the belief of some in Africa, it seems, that you can cure aids by having sex with a very young (virgin) girl.
You chump, Mr Goss!
‘at least don’t behave like cunts’
Praise from Caesar.
Dad! 9 53pm
You noticed me again.
Parernal recognition is good for a girl’s esteem they say> 🙂
And what compliments! You really are too kind.
I do love it when you do comedy hour.
Your style has moved a long way now from Benny Hill and Frankie Howard. It’s good to see you comming up with such new stuff. I think you should give your scriptwriter a treat.
Can you take a look at the man quoted today in the Jerusalem Post then give us the old “Self-hating” routine.
You’ll find his words here… http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/President-Rivlin-Time-to-admit-that-Israel-is-a-sick-society-that-needs-treatment-379223
Thanks.
Sofia: Beware – some thrive on disappointing others. Rather than disappointing another being seen as a personal failing, they see it as having cleverly set up another for a fall.
Same old. Same old.
MONDAY 20 OCTOBER 2014
1. Baroness Tonge: What estimate have HMG made of the number of Palestinian civilians killed as a result of Israeli military action during the period of the most recent peace negotiations?
[Baroness Anelay: “Since the agreement of 26 August by all parties to a ceasefire in Gaza, four Palestinians have been killed by the IDF. On 23 September, the IDF killed two Palestinians in Hebron suspected of involvement in the kidnap and murder of three Israeli teenagers in June. On 10 September, a 22 year old Palestinian man was killed by the IDF in al-Amari refugee camp. The IDF claimed he was about to throw an explosive device. The incident occurred as clashes broke out during an IDF arrest operation in the al-Amari camp. A 16 year old youth died on 7 September from wounds he received, allegedly from a rubber bullet fired by the Israeli police, during clashes with the police in Jerusalem on 31 August.”]
2. Baroness Tonge: What assessment have HMG made of the impact on any future two-state negotiations of Israel’s recent designation as state land of land at Gvaot outside Bethlehem?
[Baroness Anelay: “The British Government’s assessment of Israel’s decision on 31 August to expropriate almost 990 acres of privately owned Palestinian land near Bethlehem, is that this presents an obstacle to peace and takes us further away from a two state solution at a time when negotiations to achieve this objective urgently need to be resumed. We have strongly urged the Government of Israel to reverse this decision.”]
Nos 1-2 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141020w0001.htm#14102010000155
3. Baroness Tonge: What assistance is the EU providing to the PA to help to remove rubble in Gaza?
[Baroness Northover:”The EU and its Member States pledged to provide 450 million Euros in response to the PA’s National Reconstruction and Recovery Plan for Gaza, which includes clearance of rubble and Explosive Remnants of War.”]
4. Baroness Tonge: What steps are HMG taking to ensure that where buildings are reconstructed in Gaza following Israeli military action they are better protected in the event of any future military action?
[Baroness Northover: At last week’s Reconstruction Conference, UK committed £20 million for disposal of unexploded ordnance, rubble clearance and longer-term assistance through the PA and UN agencies for recovery and reconstruction. This announcement is in addition to an existing funding of more than £17m emergency assistance for those displaced by the conflict.”
5. Lord Hylton: What progress has been made since the ceasefire of 26 August towards securing full access to Gaza for medical, relief and reconstruction supplies; and whether all urgent medical cases now have access to treatment in Israel and Egypt?
[Baroness Northover: According to WHO, access for medical and relief supplies remains similar to pre-conflict levels.]
Nos 3-5 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141020w0001.htm#14102010000157
Nos 1-5 Lords Written Answers
‘A Moral Fabulist
Truth and Fiction in Elie Wiesel’s “Night”
by ALEXANDER COCKBURN
A couple of weeks ago Elie Wiesel, Nobel laureate and self-appointed moral conscience for Holocaust survivors, praised the expulsion of Palestinians from their homes to make way for yet more illegal settlements in Jerusalem. His chilling statement ran in an ad placed in Ha’aretz. Here are Wiesel’s appalling words:
“As Sukkot begins, we are thrilled to bless the tens of new families joining us at this time in the Jewish settlement in the City of David. We salute the Zionist action in Jerusalem of those involved. Strengthening the Jewish presence in Jerusalem is a challenge that we all face and with this act of settlement you are raising our stature. Together with you we will receive the pilgrims, the holiday visitors. We value and cherish you.”
Though Wiesel offers himself as a paragon of moral virtue, the truth is somewhat seamier. As detailed in this myth-shattering piece by Alexander Cockburn from the February 2006 print edition of CounterPunch, Wiesel assiduously campaigned for the Nobel Prize and has for decades tried to pass off his short book “Night” as a true account–a “testimony” in his words– of his experiences at Auschwitz, even though key scenes in the book have been exposed as fiction.
–Jeffrey St. Clair’
October 21, 2014
A Moral Fabulist
Truth and Fiction in Elie Wiesel’s “Night”
by ALEXANDER COCKBURN
http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/10/21/truth-and-fiction-in-elie-wiesels-night/
Fred and fred2 have been blocked while they calm down. They both probably know how to get around the block.
@@Craig “There is no sense of defeat at all in the Yes campaign and it retains its spine-tingling energy intact.”
@So said the grapes at the end of the vine, on the truck for the winepress. 🙂
To be fair, I could be wrong about this. If the vitality of the Yes campaign does not spring from delusion concerning what people in Scotland really want in the long term, the SNP could return another majority to Holyrood and succeed in getting a future PM to organise another referendum which might win. So we could see an independent Scotland before I qualify for the Old Age Pension (if I live long enough).
I doubt it, though.