After such an extended break from blogging, you will be deeply disappointed that I restart with something as mundane and trivial as Jeremy Clarkson. I have defended the man in the past, because I much enjoy Top Gear and consider that much of what he has been criticised for in the past had been an amusing winding-up of the po-faced of the kind I employ myself. But nasty, indeed vicious bullying of a subordinate should always be a sacking offence.
That did not ought to be the question, though. He hit someone and they had to go to hospital. Where are the police? They are incredibly fond of sweeping up scores of teenagers for thought crime, but here we have an actual violent assault that spills blood, and it seems completely out of the question the perpetrator is brought to account. Why is that? I had a personal experience a couple of years ago when I was very mildly hurt – less than young Oisin – in an assault, and the police insisted on arresting the perpetrator despite my repeated requests to them not to do so. They told me rather firmly that the idea that it is the victim who has a say in pressing charges, is a myth. Why was Clarkson not arrested?
I cannot in my mind dissociate this from the non-arrest of Jimmy Savile for his crimes, despite their being well-known and reported at the time. That seems to link in to the wider paedophilia scandal, and the question of why no action was taken even in the most blatant of cases when there was compelling evidence, such as that of the extremely nasty Greville Janner MP.
But then I think still more widely as to why, for example, Jack Straw has not been charged with the crime of misfeasance in public office after boasting of using his position to obtain “under the radar” changes in regulations to benefit commercial clients, in exchange for cash. I wonder why a large number of people did not go to jail for the HSBC tax avoidance schemes or the LIBOR rigging scandal, which involved long term dishonest manipulation by hundreds of very highly paid bankers.
At the top of the tree is of course the question of why Blair has not been charged for the crime of waging illegal war. The Chilcot Inquiry heard evidence that every single one of the FCO’s elite team of Legal Advisers believed that the invasion of Iraq was an illegal war of aggression. Yet now the media disparage as nutters those who say Blair should be charged.
Then I think of all the poor and desperate people who get jailed for stealing comparatively miniscule amounts in benefit fraud, or the boy who was jailed for stealing a bottle of water in the London riots.
The conclusion is that we do not have a system of justice in this country at all. We have a system where the wealthy and governing classes and those associated with them enjoy almost absolute impunity, broken in only the rarest of cases. At the same time those at the bottom of the pile are kicked hard to keep them there. There is no more chance of justice against those in power in the UK than there is of the killers of Nemtsov being brought to book in Russia.
But what has really scared me is this thought. This situation has been like this my entire life: and I have reached the age of 56 before I realised it. A very great many people have still not realised it at all.
What does not scare me is this. I realise that if the system of justice is completely corrupted, then there is no obligation on me to follow the laws of the state. In fact it would be wrong of me to do so. I must seek my ethical compass elsewhere than in the corrupt power structure which weighs so hard upon the people.
A real life horror story.
March 27-29, 2015
Who You Gonna Believe?
Cancer and Infant Mortality at Three Mile Island
by JOHN LAFORGE
The partial meltdown at Three Mile Island, March 28, 1979, involved the loss-of-coolant, the melting of half its fuel, a hydrogen explosion in the “containment” building, [1] the uncontrolled, frightening buildup of explosive hydrogen in the reactor vessel, the venting of radioactive gases, and the dumping of contaminated water into a major source public drinking water. The accident caused such a scare that it ended the expansion of nuclear power in the US. Today, reactor builds can’t keep up with closures.
/..
http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/03/27/cancer-and-infant-mortality-at-three-mile-island/
MA’AN News
Palestine Marathon defies Israeli restrictions on movement
28 March 2015
BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Thousands of Palestinians and internationals took to the streets of Bethlehem on Friday, winding past historic churches, refugee camps, and Israeli military infrastructure to compete in the third annual marathon hosted by the ancient Palestinian city.
Conceived in 2013 under the theme of ‘Right to Movement’ by Danish aid workers Signe Fischer and Lærke Hein, the race is now a concrete fixture on the social calendar and provides a whirlwind tour of the impact of conflict and military occupation on the city.
Starting opposite the Church of the Nativity – the alleged birthplace of Jesus Christ – runners sped past a section of Israel’s 708 kilometer long separation wall, which entirely surrounds the city’s northern and western sides, before passing Duheisha refugee camp, and the town of al-Khader, near the Gilo military checkpoint.
Due to a matrix of restrictions affecting Palestinian movement and access across the West Bank — there are 99 fixed checkpoints and hundreds of physical obstructions — race organizers were unable to find a contiguous stretch of 42 kilometers for the race and instead runners do loops of an 11 kilometer track.
Indeed, 85 percent of the Bethlehem district is classified as Area C, under full Israeli control, and organizers wanted to limit any risks and stay within Palestinian Authority controlled Area A.
Despite the restrictions, the marathon is growing in size, and this year an estimated 3,100 people from 51 countries took part in the event, compared to 687 in 2013.
Most of the runners are Palestinian, over 40 percent are women and organizers secured permits for 50 Palestinians from Gaza to run the race — around 30 were denied entry by Israel in 2014 — a showcase for inclusiveness and Palestinian unity.
“In a city where we are completely besieged and the right of movement is restricted, we assert again and again our right to the liberty of movement through this marathon,” the Mayor of Bethlehem Vera Baboun told Ma’an.
Hosting the marathon is not only a logistical success, Baboun says, but also a crucial way of explaining the Palestinian reality to the world.
“It’s an experience of living the city and our circumstances as Palestinians,” she says. “For me, sport is one of the best messages to convey the reality of any nation. Through this marathon there is a social aspect, it brings people together. There are moments of joy, of winning, of achievements. We master joy and we master resilience, this is our message to the world. We are a people who look for peace and liberty. The right to move within your own country.”
Although not overtly political, for many Palestinians the race has become a powerful platform for asserting long suppressed basic rights and provides a respite from overbearing Israeli control of the city and surrounding countryside.
Saleem, from Beit Sahour, took part in the race for the second year running with his wife and baby daughter and told Ma’an he was drawn to participate by the underlying concept.
“The fact that makes this marathon different from others is that it’s a clear message of our rights as Palestinians to be able to move like everyone else. That includes me and my family, and that is why as a family we joined,” he said. “Last year my daughter was around 5 months old, now a year after we hope that the marathon itself will be part of her life as she grows up.”
The attraction for international participants is also based around the simplicity of the underlying concept of the race: Palestinians must be able to move freely in their own country.
Among this year’s participants were several Danish MPs and although running in a personal capacity the message of the race was a vital draw.
“It is about the right to move within your own country, the right to work and move around, to go to school without having to go through unnecessary procedures and checkpoints,” Jens Joel, a Danish Member of the Social Democrats, told Ma’an. “I like the fact that it didn’t have a fixed political platform that you have to sign up to. That something that has nothing to do with politics can still send a political signal.”
The marathon is organized at every level — from local company sponsorship to route planning — by Palestinians, and is by all measures implemented to international standards.
George Zeidan, one of the marathon’s organizers, says the race also aims to tackle issues important for a younger generation of Palestinians, such as the empowerment of women.
“The most fascinating thing is that the participation of women is beyond 40 percent, that’s a record. It’s an important thing for us, the marathon, and the right to movement,” he told Ma’an.
Zeidan is part of a group of runners who regularly practice in the al-Makhrour area of Beit Jala, a beautiful green valley located just hundreds of meters from Israel’s Gilo checkpoint in Area C.
The group has been running for over three years and the weekly sessions are a way for women to train without feeling the stare of many locals, who often attach a stigma to women running in the streets.
Bethlehem has now become a hub for running in the West Bank and the marathon has created a platform for both the city and Palestinian participants to overcome both political and personal obstacles, Zeidan says, something everybody should be proud of.
“It is about emphasizing the importance of Palestinians having the right to move, and the way we emphasize this is through running.”
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=760098
Zionists Hope to Undermine Coop Policy on Settlement Goods
Mar 27 2015
CO-OP U-TURN ON ISRAEL BOYCOTT
MANCHESTER Zionist Central Council president Raymond Solomon believes future changes at the Co-op may mean a U-turn over its boycott policies on Israel. Since 2009, the Co-op has boycotted four companies — Agrexco, Arava Export Growers, Adafresh and Mehadrin — because of the companies’ ties to the West Bank. Agrexco, as well as exporting Israeli and settlement produce, also exports Palestinian produce from Gaza marketed under the company’s Coral brand. Co-op also extended its policy to cover engagement with any produce suppliers known to be sourcing from the Israeli “settlements”, where it states “there is broad international consensus that the settlements are illegal”. But a series of scandals involving the group means the Co-op is restarting its business — something Mr Solomon thinks may be positive. He said: “The Co-op is undergoing lots of changes, so it is a window of opportunity to go back to the bosses and speak to them about this issue. “Together with StandWithUs UK, we are looking for Israel advocates willing to fight the boycott. “What we are doing is recruiting people who are willing to volunteer and be Israel advocates. “We would like them to attend the forthcoming Co-op regional meetings. “There really has to be a better way than boycotts.”In the summer, representatives from the Board of Deputies and We Believe in Israel joined the ZCC to meet Co-op senior ethical policy adviser Chris Mills — but were told there were no plans to change the boycott. Mr Solomon would also like advocates to stand for local Co-op committees, protest outside Co-op headquarters and lobby co-op executives and committee members. Training will be provided. The Board, We Believe in Israel, the Manchester Jewish Representative Council and the West Midlands Friends of Israel are all supporting the ZCC campaign.
~~
Zionist Central Council President Raymond Solomon attacks Manchester Lord Mayor
August 21, 2014
Zionist Central Council President Raymond Solomon fumes over Manchester Lord Mayor Sue Cooley support for DEC appeal in the Jewish Telegraph http://www.jewishtelegraph.com/man_1.html
She will no doubt be receiving hundreds if not thousands of emails from Zionists. Please send e-mails to the Lord Mayor individual e-mails NOW thanking her.
http://www.psc-manchester.org.uk/zionist-central-council-president-raymond-solomon-attacks-manchester-lord-mayor/
~~~
Let us hope for Mr Solomon’s early retirement!
‘Raymond Solomon
A Tory in the St Mary’s ward, he belongs to the executive committee of the Zionist Central Committee in Manchester, where his wife Karen is administrator. Mr Solomon, 51, has six children, the oldest of whom is making aliyah in two weeks; the youngest two attend King David School in Manchester.
“I’ve been involved in politics my whole life, but when I retire we’re going to settle in Israel. With a bit of luck, I’ll run for office in Israel,” he said.’
ex JC
Hi Anon, glad you’ve popped in to generate more publicity for boycotting Israel.
Just one thing. When you spend so much time and effort telling me nobody cares, do you include yourself in that statement?
Now the MoS is saying that killer Lubitz brought the plane down in the southern French Alps where his family vacationed while he was a cild, and gliding while he was an adult.
Of course, there is NO mention of a hijacked transponder being in control at the time.
Soon this wave of lies will claim he is the killer of the al-Hillis?
Apollo, the god of healing, fell in love with a human, Coronis.
In his absence, Apollo sent a white crow to look after her. When the crow informed Apollo that Coronis loved another man, Apollo’s rage turned the crow black.
To avenge her brother, Apollo’s sister shot Coronis with an arrow and, as she lay dying, Coronis told Apollo that she was bearing his child. Although Apollo could not save Coronis, he rescued the unborn child, Asclepius.
Hygieia, the goddess of health, and Panacea, the goddess of cures, are the daughters of Asclepius. According to legend, Hippocrates was a descendant of one of Asclepius’ sons.
The fascination of mythology is in fact bound to the power of intention. Some ‘old-timers’ here know signing an oath is welcome in my world. IMO politicians should be obliged to sign a sworn statement affirming their allegiance to the British common people and not subverted by an executive branch of peers in a feudal system that favors and protects the privileged.
The NHA considers political reform among a range of policies on healthcare, the economy, immigration, housing, education and environmental sustainability.
http://nhap.org/our-policies-1/
The party is fielding candidates in targeted seats for the 2015 UK General Election. The candidates are:
Dave Ash – Sutton and Cheam
Roseanne Edwards – Banbury
Rik Evans – Truro and Falmouth
Rebecca Fox – Camberwell and Peckham
Dr Bob Gill – Old Bexley and Sidcup
Dr Paul Hobday – Maidstone and The Weald
Karen Howell – Stafford
Dr Louise Irvine – South West Surrey
Dr John Lamport – Nottingham East
Dr Clive Peedell – Witney
Dr Helen Salisbury – Oxford West and Abingdon
Dr Richard Taylor – Wyre Forest
Dr Carl Walker – East Worthing and Shoreham
Here Queen guitarist Brian May talks to BBC Surrey about his support for Dr Louise Irvine as part of his “Common Decency” campaign:
https://audioboom.com/boos/3028343-brian-may-voices-his-support-for-nha-candidate-dr-louise-irvine
I have faith that some of us will consider a wish for the “utmost respect for human life from its beginning.”
What hijacked transponder? Tell us how you know all about that.
Yes. But if you are happy to bring home detritus from Asda as long as it is Judenfrei then don’t be surprised if I laugh at you.
PS, there is no publicity to be generated for boycotting Israel around here you fucking idiot.
By reading about transponders after all kinds of conspiracy theorists like CIA agent Oswald LeWinter sent me a copy of his explanation of the 9/11 attacks, claiming all the planes’ transponders had been hijacked, and there were no suicide bombers on the planes.
Actually, the military of advanced countries have AWAC planes which can hack into transponders, and experts imply that the plane’s transporter had to have been hijacked as it made no squawk when it went into its fatal descent, allegedly with Lubitz at the controls.
and this proves that the transponder was hijacked, does it?
“By reading about transponders after all kinds of conspiracy theorists like CIA agent Oswald LeWinter sent me a copy of his explanation of the 9/11 attacks, claiming all the planes’ transponders had been hijacked, and there were no suicide bombers on the planes.”
Lol. Is that the same Oswald LeWinter (who was never a CIA agent by the way) who tried to flog fabricated documents to Mohammed Fayed that alleged the royal family was behind his son’s death?
How is it conspiracy nuts can see through everything but not, apparently, an obvious fraud?
Can you give us a link to where these experts are implying anything of the sort?
Trowbridge, I think it’s simpler to assume that Lubitz turned the transponder off or set it to accept the descent as being routine. Presumably transponders don’t send an alarm when aircraft descend routinely.
I am so enjoying your contributions Anon. Now let me see if I’ve got this straight . . . .
You have written several hundred words on a subject you don’t care about to enlighten someone you despise, and you think saying “PS, there is no publicity to be generated for boycotting Israel around here …” isn’t generating publicity for boycotting Israel, and you conclude it’s me that’s the fucking idiot.
Wonderful stuff. More please.
I’m not aiming to enlighten you, Node. I’m laughing at you.
You fucking idiot.
I am not going to waste a lot of time filling in a person who claims I am a joke.
Just google this; transponder squawks when pilot at controls makes dangerous move. didn’t happen in germanwings case.
Squeeks or squawks?
Here’s another article providing food for thought
-The minute we posted the operating plans of for the A320 cockpit door on Scribd, the site was hacked and crashed. This is a screenshot showing the hack: We changed IP addresses to from the UK to US, Canada, Switzerland, Germany and France, the hack is worldwide. Until Scribd is able to be restored, this is a screen print of the offending page from the flight manual:
11q_157
a320 Operating Manual Cockpit Door
http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2015/03/breaking-gordon-duff-exposes-germanwings-crash-as-false-flag-video-3128840.html?currentSplittedPage=2
There are additional questions as to the possibility of a time delay that could disable the keypad, one that can be programmed by the airline itself but it not required and totally optional.
This would mean that it is likely, based on the level of informality at Germanwings, no delay was programmed into the keypad. This would mean that the cabin crew, by this we mean flight attendants, would have the entry code for the cockpit and would most likely be able to enter at will even if the door were in the lock position.
There is a reason we are publishing this, information that previously was not allowed to be in public hands:
The moment, over 24 hours ago, it was mentioned that the “pilot” was “pounding and screaming,” in an attempt to enter the cockpit, this information became of vital public interest. Additionally, as soon as the false information was released that air controllers were unable to contact the crew of the plane, it should have been mentioned that crew members have satellite phones available.
Rather than pounding on a door, the pilot might well have been on the phone asking NORAD to land the plane for him.
These phones are usually in each of the crew areas, fore and aft galleys and often sitting out in the open. A reference is made in this aero-medical flight manual:
Diagnosis
For anything other than a very minor medical complaint, the Purser or In-Charge Flight Attendant will normally make a PA announcement asking if there is a doctor or other qualified medical professional (nurse, paramedic etc) on board. If there is a positive response, the medical professional will be asked to assess the patient and to advise the crew of the best course of action.
In the absence of a medical professional (or as a concurrent protocol), many air carriers have a standing arrangement with emergency medical service providers such as Med Link, Stat MD orMed Aire. These service providers can be used both pre-flight and in-flight and can be contacted via satellite phone, high frequency (HF) or very high frequency (VHR) radio phone patch through an ARINC station or by means of Aircraft Communications, Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) equipment. By one of these methods, direct communication with an emergency room/trauma centre physician is possible.
Anti-Hijack System
Again, we mention the same thing we brought up during the disappearance of MH370: Modern “fly by wire” planes have, for years, had auto-land systems onboard that are in place to keep planes from being hijacked and crashed into nuclear power plants. We are told the planes can land using this system in winds up to 30 knots.
We also know that a controlled crash in an area that would cause minimal collateral damage is the second course of events this system is programmed for.
With stories about depression and girl friends being pushed onto the public and very little salient information being given out, information which as usual inexorably leads to unpleasant answers, we have decided to broaden the debate.
All reporting, which for awhile seemed almost rational to a point, has been replaced by agenda driven lies and cover stories. It has begun again.-
Anon : ” I’m not aiming to enlighten you, Node. I’m laughing at you.”
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Anon. You are the gift that keeps on giving. Now, let’s see if I’ve got this straight . . . .
You have written to enlighten me that I am wrong when I claim you are trying to enlighten me. And you still think it’s me that’s the fucking idiot.
Keep ’em coming.
So I’m watching and I’m waiting
Hopin’ for the best
Even think I go to praying
Every time I hear them sayin’
That there’s no way to delay
That trouble comin’ everyday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dtk2gozGtbg
This is interesting and on topic.
Kind regards,
John
https://sturdyblog.wordpress.com/
Anon
28/03/2015 6:57 pm
“Yes. But if you are happy to bring home detritus from Asda as long as it is Judenfrei then don’t be surprised if I laugh at you.”
“Judenfrei”.
This is a shocking and shameful attempt to conflate opposition to Israeli policies in the Occupied Territories with Nazi ethnic cleansing and anti-Semitism. And I have no doubt that you knew precisely what you were doing when you used the word.
You really are a seriously nasty piece of work.
J
“No group areas within Israel proper (as opposed to the Occupied Territories)?
High above Nazareth, an Israeli mayor wants to keep his city Jewish ‘now and forever’.”
___________________________
The transatlantic poster is picking up the bad habits of some of the Excellences on here.
He omits to quote the following from the link he supplies:
“Everyone can live here, that is the law, as long as they understand this is a Jewish city,” Gafsou said. “And in that way we are a microcosm of the state of Israel.”
Not quite the South African Group Areas Act, is it.
Can this unintelligent poster really have read Greats at one of the world’s finest universities?
Stupidity redux, compounded by obstinacy:
“Even if the copilot did what it is suggested he did, we don’t know why he did it, and we don’t know that no government was involved in inducing him to do what he did. He might, for example, have been offered money for his family. He might have been blackmailed, with threats to his family, if he didn’t commit suicide in the murderous way that he did.”
______________________________
It sound to me as if the author of the above post’s psychological problems are at least as great as those of the late German Wings co-pilot.
Thank God he’s no longer a member of the world’s most powerful Navy (or was it Army?)!
Macky
“@Habbabkuk, no good finding differences between South African apartheid, and the Israeli version, as Aparthied is Aparthied, ie the system that makes explicit distinction between categories of citizens, so in Israel, it privileges Jewish citizens and discriminates against non-Jewish, and particularly its Arab citizens.”
_______________________
Firstly, Macky, you might learn to spell apartheid correctly before writing about it…
More importantly, Macky : South African apartheid was not a question of mere preferential discrimination. You should know that it was a system built on a comprehensive series of objectional laws, such as the Group Areas Act, operational in a wide variety of fields ( political rights, sexual behaviour, residence, and so on).
Such a system does not exist in the State of Israel and therefore to call the State of Israel an apartheid state similar to the former South Africa is both malicious and ill-informed.
Mary, the Hilde Benjamin of Craig’s blog.
“I was wondering what Craig’s reaction is to the news that Amanda Knox is now completely exonerated.”
____________________
Good old Mary, always waiting for someone to tell her what to think! LOL
Mr Goss
“That’s bollocks Jemand, and if it is an attempt at sarcasm it is in very bad taste in the face of grieving passengers.”
______________________
You disgusting hypocrite, Mr Goss.
Think of the grieving relatives of the people of eastern Ukraine done to death by the separatist Russian-backed fascists.
“Talk about a storm in a tea cup – quite frankly in this day and age Macky’s gender is irrelevant.”
_____________________
As irrelevant as Macky’s posts, in fact.
John Spencer-Davis
”
“Judenfrei”.
This is a shocking and shameful attempt to conflate opposition to Israeli policies in the Occupied Territories with Nazi ethnic cleansing and anti-Semitism. And I have no doubt that you knew precisely what you were doing when you used the word.
You really are a seriously nasty piece of work.
J”
_________________________
And you, John, are – behind your polite facade of “many thanks” and “best regards” – a seriously hypocritical old cunt.
Who, on this blog, continually conflates Israeli policies with Nazi policies??
Not Anon but the rag-bag of Jew-haters and Holocaust-deniers.