This year’s Doune the Rabbit Hole Festival will be at the Cardross Estate near Port of Menteith again from 21-3 August. As our long-term readers know, while there is no formal link between this blog and Doune the Rabbit Hole, and the festival has no political view, the general tone, tenor and atmosphere of the event is one likely to appeal to people who enjoy this blog, and I shall as ever be running the bars.
I can’t quite describe what makes this little festival more appealing than others. It has an extraordinary sense of community and idealism, and I always find it seriously refreshing and uplifting, with confidence in my fellow human beings restored. The bands are very eclectic, and a reminder that great live music is made all over Scotland by people that largely you have never heard of. A particular selling point is that it is very family friendly, and it is not just that there are one or two examples that enable you to say the age range is 9 weeks to 90, it really is like that.
To say that it is a not for profit event is an understatement. We need people to buy tickets, and you can do so here. If you can afford it, you really will have fun. For those short of cash or free to enjoy hard graft (and it is quite tough), readers of and commenters on this blog make up a high proportion of the volunteers who are needed to make it happen at all.
I do hope many of you will come again this year, either as guests or volunteers. Lifelong friendships are forged, and it is great for me to meet you in real life rather than virtually, though I am more free to pull you a pint than engage in profound discussion. The bar – the Whistleblower’s Arms – will have an even wider range of superb local ales and ciders. I can taste it already.
I am happy to tell you that a month’s consultancy work has mended my personal finances, and I shall be back from Africa next week. We shall therefore avoid the need for a donate button to keep the blog going after all, rather to my relief. I should have been at Julian Assange’s birthday party in the Ecuador Embassy today, and am sorry to miss it. Happy Birthday, Julian. There is a good exposition of the state of his case here, for those interested in fact rather than derogatory mainstream media slogans. Julian, Chelsea and Edward have done so much to improve human understanding and resist the powers of the corporate state, and each has had a normal life denied them.
Well, let me be the first to wish the festival a fair wind and good weather and the hope that it’ll be a tremendous and enjoyable success!
Good luck with Doune the rabbit hole. Unfortunately I have other commitments over that period. One year perhaps. 🙂
As to Julian Assange I join you in wishing him belated birthday greetings and agree with the article linked. If it had not been for Wikileaks we would never have known for certain about US cables which show the current President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, to be a corrupt US puppet. Likewise Julia Tymoshenko before she was imprisoned for fraud. It is hinted that the US has a Grand Jury warrant for Assange’s extradition and Sweden would comply, as all Yankophile servants do, including the OSCE.
I long suspected that the OSCE was dominated by the US and US interests. Here, in the last five minutes of this interview, Willy Wimmer – a former deputy of the German Bundestag, former state secretary of German defense ministry and former vice president of OSCE spills the beans. US influence on OSCE reports has been going on for at least two decades.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb-oLcbtYWg
His historical assertions about the early 19th Century are ludicrous. I don’t think he is right about the OSCE either. All the major powers use all international organisations as a playground for their intelligence services. The OSCE – of which Russia is a full member – is not in any sense an American tool.
Happy Birthday Julian and bring on the DTRH. Craig is right when he questions Wimmer. He is the archetypal CDU/CSU politician who like’s to re write history a little.
That he does not agree with historian on Waterloo is understandable, without Bluecher’s new tactics, Waterloo might have gone different.
That the OSCE, Organisation for Security in Central Europe should have Russians within it is obvious, Russia is part of Europe. I reject that we should allow NATO countries outside Europe acces to it, because their morals are tainted by a military industrial complex that has them swinging on strings.
Its precisely due to these interlopers that the relations in countries like Ukraine have gone awry. Europe did not engage in Ukraine/the OSCE enough and let the US play out their fantasy of fighting Russia in their own backyard.
The US should not be part of the OSCE. imho NATO is long overdue to be abandoned.
I agree that all international organisations must be infiltrated by intelligence services but Wimmer has been in a position to know. Perhaps he has an agenda. Getting at the truth in this day and age is often nigh impossible.
“The US should not be part of the OSCE. imho NATO is long overdue to be abandoned.”
Agreed on both points.
I hope Doune the Rabbit Hole will not be as blustery as St Andrews promises to be today. Yesterday poor Nick Faldo was returning scores like I return and some worse. He was such a natural gifted golfer before David Leadbetter ruined him completely. He never recovered his former talent. He is very unlikely to make the cut.
DTR wouldn’t be right up my street, but I owe you one for a Google trail starting there and ending (for the moment) here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWMwcSXxALY
Danes taking West Coast 70’s stoner rock and running with it – later stuff is even better, musically.
Please convey my best birthday wishes to Julian Assange.
If you are interested, here is the shameful story of how top people in the American Psychological Association were complicit in US torture programs after 9/11.
http://www.democracynow.org/2015/7/13/psychologists_collaborated_with_cia_pentagon_on
Wonder how British psychologists stack up against this? I will endeavour to find out.
Kind regards,
John
Craig, you’ve written “21-3 August”. I presume that should be “21-23 August”.
While you are at it, investigate the involvement of the anthropologists and sociologists in the Afghan and Iraq wars too (these were embedded in the fighting units), less said about the mind altering drugs that were made available to the pilots and combat units. The Total War that the little Austrian painter used to wax lyrical about is a picnic in the park compared with the US practices which have gone largely unreported in the oligarch owned media.
Ok, maybe I’ll go. Only if Deerhoof play this, though…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkpjZXgetDU
Humour with precision. Love it.
Liberty press release, DRIPA is unlawful High Court rules.
https://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/news/press-releases-and-statements/davis-and-watson-dripa-challenge-government-surveillance-law
TY Fred.
http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2013/dec/04/surveillance-adolf-hitler
According to Ferdinand Schlingensiepen’s biography of one of Hitler’s leading critics, Dietrich Bonhoeffer*, the decree meant that “the right to privacy of communication by mail or telephone no longer existed.
Will the government put its hands up to Nazi measures, take a little bit of notice, appeal against the decision, or just work round it and increase the secrecy? Place bets now, but don’t do it online….
I agree it’s frightening, once they have the powers supposedly to counter terrorism they could be abused by the police as a weapon against political dissent.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/exclusive-police-probe-their-own-policy-expert-985519
O/T: Cameron condemns fat slags scrounging hardworking taxpayers’ money*, as usual –
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/feb/14/david-cameron-obese-addicts-accept-help-risk-losing-benefits
Can this be what he has in mind?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3164343/Cherie-Blair-took-break-helping-Rwandan-spy-chief-stroll-central-London.html
* http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3120860/Globetrotter-Blair-s-16-000-weekly-bill-security-pay-Former-PM-said-travelling-five-countries-week-team-eight-police-officers.html
Sorry, couldn’t resist. Carry on.
Little point in linking to paywall sites unless you indicate what they actually said, Fred. However, I understand that Dr. Monaghan is pledged to get Police Scotland exempted from VAT – like every other force in our wonderful Union. Which will enable them even more to interfere in the democratic process by which members of the public are theoretically able to criticise the police. You may care to copy the Labour tabloid’s no doubt impartial account, as I can’t find anyone else offering it?
Thanking you in advance.
“Little point in linking to paywall sites unless you indicate what they actually said, Fred. ”
Yes, that’s why I posted the relevant part.
Ah, sorry, Fred. It’s not a paywall site, is it? But a answer-a-silly-question-for-your-sweetie site. Or a readership demographic assessment site. It’s a very sketchy story, dates from 2008, and suggests that Monaghan had got wind of some concerns regarding Latimer, who is this Latimer:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-472105/Police-chief-caught-speeding-cameras.html
…as a councillor he had some obligation to follow these up, and did. And was hauled down to the cells for questioning. Definitely tending towards the Nazi, that. And you disapprove. Good. I think Carruthers may be interested in this exchange. Carruthers?
Dreoilin, 12:00 pm:
No. Frantic activity by all volunteers has enabled the festival to exceed light-speed, causing it to run backwards through time and seem longer than it really is. This makes tickets unbeatable value for money.
“Ah, sorry, Fred. It’s not a paywall site, is it? But a answer-a-silly-question-for-your-sweetie site.”
Or a con them into thinking you’re accessing them from a mobile phone site.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office Lord Bridges laid a written statement in Parliament about the new Commission on Freedom of Information.
The Commission will be chaired by Lord Burns, and will comprise the Rt Hon Jack Straw, Lord Howard of Lympne, Lord Carlile of Berriew and Dame Patricia Hodgson.
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/freedom-of-information-new-commission
“No. Frantic activity by all volunteers has enabled the festival to exceed light-speed, causing it to run backwards through time and seem longer than it really is. This makes tickets unbeatable value for money.”
Very funny Clark. I thought for a moment it was starting on 21 July and running until 3 August. In which case tickets would still be unbeatable value for money. 😉
Would love to be there, but I’m only recently back from Edinburgh, so it’s unlikely!
More detail on that:
We fully support the Freedom of Information Act but after more than a decade in operation it is time that the process is reviewed, to make sure it’s working effectively. The government has therefore today established an independent, cross-party Commission on Freedom of Information. The Commission’s terms of reference are as follows:
The Commission will review the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (‘the Act’) to consider whether there is an appropriate public interest balance between transparency, accountability and the need for sensitive information to have robust protection, and whether the operation of the Act adequately recognises the need for a ‘safe space’ for policy development and implementation and frank advice. The Commission may also consider the balance between the need to maintain public access to information, and the burden of the Act on public authorities, and whether change is needed to moderate that while maintaining public access to information.
OK, it’s cross-party. Burns- “crossbencher” economist, with very strong banking and business connections. Straw – Labour ex- Home Sec. Michael Howard – Tory ditto. Carlile – ex LibDem. Hodgson – title under Blair, overtly non-political, chair of Ofcom.
Er, cross-party? Aren’t they forgetting 56 MP’s?
This is as far as I’m going http://theemeraldcup.com
May even be a contestant for the Cup. Tangerine Dream, baby.
“Er, cross-party? Aren’t they forgetting 56 MP’s?”
I don’t think they would interfere in a law which only affected England and Wales would they?
Scotland has our own Freedom of Information Act.
They’d only interfere in order to please you, Fred. But what is under review is the the FOI Act (2000), which applies to UK-wide authorities, some of which, like the MoD (and the UKAEA!), exist in Scotland:
http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/Law/Legislation.aspx
So no biscuit for you.
‘Sorry to wake you Major. You really need to see this.’
‘Another one Carruthers?’
‘Yes and no Major.’
‘Carruthers, who is that?’
‘This is Wainwright Major, or should that be minor? The new intern sent by management. I did send a twitter memo in triplicate as per The Process Major. It was Wainwright who made the discovery Major.’
‘He’s a bit young isn’t he? He only looks about twelve years old.’
‘That’s because he is twelve years old Major.’
‘Carruthers, why would management send us a twelve year old intern to start at the bottom of the hierarchy?’
‘I’m not sure Major. I just hope it’s not because one of them has discovered irony.’
‘Is that possible Carruthers?’
‘Only on the wilder edges of quantum behaviouralism theory Major. At least until now anyway.’
‘So. Carruthers. Is he any good? You say the lad’s discovered something has he?
‘Well Major, he’s shit hot with the computers but his language skills are a little raw. I set him to work on the archives and he found this.’
“Fuck off and die retard.”
‘I myself didn’t spot it at first until the lad cross referenced it with this more recent one Major……’
“The only thing I have is reason. ”
…..and the exchange you can see above on this thread, if you’ll pardon the pun Major.’
‘Forgive me Carruthers. I’m still not seeing it. The first one looks to me like the dominant core personality we tagged the other day and the others seem straightforward third personality narrative. What am I missing?
‘Well Major, it wasn’t until Wainwright pointed out the Touretts in the first example that the penny dropped for me.’
‘Go on Carruthers.’
‘Right Major. You agree that the first example, that the lad pulled from the archives, is straightforward aggressive as per the core dominant personality we tagged.’
‘Agreed Carruthers.’
‘But the presence of the Tourettes suggests another, distinct fourth personality, within the gestalt. Are you with me so far Major?’
‘Yes Carruthers. But surely that’s a contradiction?
‘Only if we make the standard model assumption that what we are looking for, and in this case at, is another distinct personality WITHIN the gestalt.’
‘Don’t you see Major? What the lad’s discovered is not a distinct personality within the gestalt itself, which is what we are looking for arising from the standard model, but a sub personality within one of the seperate personalities. It’s the same for the other example too.’
‘You mean two of the split personalities have split personalities themselves Carruthers?’
‘Exactly Major. This is why we were having so much difficulty in the first place. Because we are actually dealing with derivative personalities.’
‘Derivatives Carruthers? Isn’t that something to do with CDO’S, Hedge Fund management and the like?’
‘SIR,I MEAN MAJOR. PLEASE KEEP YOUR FUCKING VOICE DOWN!’
‘Carruthers?
‘Sorry Major.’
‘Look sir, I mean Major. You remember the metaphor that that chap Max Keiser came up with about derivatives?’
‘Ah! I know this one Carruthers. You mean the one about the chap going into a hall of mirrors with a dollar bill and all the images of the dollar bill being the derivatives!’
‘Exactly Major. The pertinent bit of your description of the metaphor is that it relates entirely to the dollar bill. The whole smoke and mirrors of multiple values being created from the value of the original. What we are talking about here is the concept of derivatives at a higher level than the dollar bill.’
‘Go on Carruthers.’
‘Talking theoretically Major, and in general rather than specific terms, we have moved beyond the standard model of distinct personalities within a gestalt and speculated the existence of distinct personalities within those distinct personalities. Derivative personalities.’
‘With you so far Carruthers.’
‘Now Major, transfer that concept to the dollar bill metaphor. Instead of confining the financial derivatives markets to just money alone try imagining a scenario in which whole economies and economic systems, banks, sovereign debt and whatever have derivatives of themselves built inside them. If the hedge fund managers ever got wind of such and concept armageddon would be like the teddy bears picnic in comparison to the sheer havoc and Kaos which would ensue.’
‘Whatever we do Major we must not let the Germans get wind of this. ‘
‘Don’t you mean the Americans or the Chinese Carruthers?
‘With respect Major, the Americans, whilst crazy and gung ho enough don’t have the imagination or nuance to make such a thing work. The Chinese could do it but their advantage over the Americans is that they would be too astute. They’re not stupid.’
‘And the Germans, Carruthers?’
‘They’re proper engineers Major. They have the experience and the arrog.. .. er, the self confidence to make it so.’
‘You were nearly politically incorrect there Carruthers.’
‘Sorry Major. But if the Germans got hold of this there would be multiple Greek debt crisis ‘ s and they would end up owning derivatives of multiple economies across derivatives of Europe and more living space than you could stick at.’
‘That’s quite impressive Carruthers. Should we shoot the lad or give him a medal.’
‘Well Major. I do have a medal going spare. It says “CNUT” on it.’
‘Dunt wan’ no medal mester. Listening to you two I’d rather ‘Ave a tin helmet an’ some brown keks.’
Nice one Dave Hansell.
all touretts sufferers should get medals.
Funny you should mention your cnut medal for polished performaces, I happen to have one as well.
had [planned to send it skimming, a new form of fish whispering apparently, but if you have a spare sufferer I’m only too happy to hang that Lavender basted, stinking medal round someone’s neck.
just send Carruthers round for it after tea Major.