I had been spending the last few days living here in Avatime district while visiting Ghanaian friends nearby. Away from internet, TV and any other distraction, it has given me a chance to ponder what next to do with my life.
This has been a real problem. Have submitted Sikunder Burnes to the publishers, and while there is still editing and proofs, a huge amount of time is now free. My determination to dedicate myself to working for Scottish independence led to my comprehensive rejection by the SNP. This left me confused as to what I might usefully do with my life. I suppose the question I have been pondering is, what good am I?
I have come up with a potential answer, and will out it later this week.
Climate change deniers should come to Ghana. Not only have changing rainfall patterns devastated the hydro-electric system, life has become extremely hard for farmers. The last decade has seen the highly predictable wet and dry seasons become wildly unpredictable. It has been unseasonally raining heavily on me all over Ghana. The situation is extremely difficult for farmers. Mango farmers are now praying for relief from the rain for the next six weeks or the mangoes won’t flower. The continuing rains may already have adversely affected next year’s harvest. Meeting cocoa farmers today. Am now in Kumasi.
Dennis Skinner, Labour MP, has been told to shut up in Parliament more times than anyone other politician in the past 200 years, according to new figures released.
The Labour MP has been put down 40 times, since he was elected to Westminster 45 years ago.
Historians searched the Hansard records from 1803 to 2005, they found Shakespeare quotes were replaced with, modern culture references, some relating to James Bond.
Ah, Miss Moneypenny.
Meanwhile the Director of the BBC branch office in Scotland Ken (I take my orders from London) McQuarrie, has come under fire, after a respected analyst from the University of the West of Scotland, analysed the BBC”behaviour during Scotland’s indy-ref.
The resulting report showed that the BBC produced more anti-independence articles, by quite a margin.
Scotland branch manager McQuarrie dismissed the report.
The Ministry of Truth found out again.
“Could it have been downed other than by a bomb and, as is normal, confusion is being spread?”
Christopher Bollyn has another theory:
Another absolute disgrace is the renewal of Trident, of the £167 billion pounds allocated for the WMD’s, Scotland’s share of wasted monies towards them would amount to a staggering £13,861,000,000 or 8.3%.
The rest of the people in the UK, in NI, Wales and England will be left to pay the remaining colossal amount.
Whilst foobanks grow almost exponentially, and the assault on the poor and disabled continues, this Tory government want to spend billions of pounds on weapons we can never use, to maintain a veener of power that was removed the minute Japan took Singapore.
Westminster has been trying to project its empirical authority (without success) by agreeing to host America’s nuclear deterrent in the hope of gaining back some kudos, which has long since ebbed away.
The explanation given for the concentrated attack on the poor disabled, and the working poor, is to reduce the deficit, a deficit largely accumulated by the last two Chancers of the Exchequers.
Blowing £167 billion pounds on WMD’s that can’t be used, whilst the UN investigates Westminster’s systematic financial assaults on the poor and disabled is nothing short of disgraceful.
Just to show how fragile the UK economy is, and how poorly the Tories have nurtured it, preferring to reward their rich business buddies, with the likes of cheap Royal Mail shares.
A major report has been released by the United Bank of Switzerland, which claims, the London housing market has formed the world’s biggest house price bubble, and its at risk of bursting in the next three years.
If you want a three-bedroom house with a garden in Zone 2 on London’s Underground map, it is hard to find anywhere for less than £1 million — that is, around 30 times average earnings.
http://www.politico.eu/article/the-immoral-housing-bubble-london-house-prices-housing-shortage/
Returning to the bombing of the hospital in Afghanistan, Médecins San Frontières has admitted that Taliban fighters were being treated at the hospital, in Kunduz, before the bombing, by US forces occured.
The charity however strongly denies that any of the Taliban casualties were armed, MSF director Chris Stokes said “We treat anyone who’s wounded, but we have a no weapons policy in place.”
France has upped its involvement in Syria, by sending the aircraft carrier the Charles de Gaulle, to help fight Daesh, or whatever made up moniker the West has created, for those who oppose Western tyranny in their country.
The Charles de Gaulle is usually accompanied by a attack sub, several frigates and a refuelling ship.
Thank you to those who have shown concern for me over the absence. I am fine. My computer is still down. Upgrading to Windows 10 is the biggest mistake anyone can make.
However, there is a positive side to my computer being brought down by a Windows 10 automatic update. Like Craig I have been making a reassessment and realise that I spend far too long on the Internet. I have more time now for other things. For example I cycled to Stratford-Upon-Avon and back this morning (about forty miles). It was wet coming back, but warm. I am also writing poems and a more protracted literary item.
I was very pleased yesterday to learn that a friend of mine, Stephen Jackson, has won the Verity Bargate award for new stage productions with Roller Diner. We saw a work-in-progress first act of this earlier this year and thoroughly enjoyed it. In my opinion it is the best play (mini-musical) of Steve’s I have seen. When it goes on I urge all you Londoners to get along and see it. You will not be disappointed. 🙂
https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2015/stephen-jackson-wins-2015-verity-bargate-award/
This latest is akin to an alcoholic using any excuse as a celebration with a drink;If ISIS were responsible for Russian plane attack then Britain MUST bomb them, says Fallon
Of course this is not the same bunch of warmongers whom have been looking for any excuse to shout; “bombs away”!
The fact that this farticle is followed by illuminating “comments” clearly shows the nostrum of total brainfuck, that has simply ignored the million mask march.
There once was a quiz show called Double Your Money. The jingle was ‘Double your money and take it away….’
The Bank of England agreed to do another £6.3 billion of quantitative easing today
November 5 2015
The Bank of England announced today:
“At its meeting ending on 4 November 2015, the MPC ….. voted unanimously to maintain the stock of purchased assets financed by the issuance of central bank reserves at £375 billion, and so to reinvest the £6.3 billion of cash flows associated with the redemption of the December 2015 gilt held in the Asset Purchase Facility.
Let’s be clear: that means the UK is still doing quantitative easing to support the finance sector.’
http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2015/11/05/the-bank-of-england-agreed-to-do-another-6-3-billion-of-quantitative-easing-today/
Simon says: November 5 2015
Richard-are these ‘cash flows’ the matured gilts which are redeemed by ‘payment’ from the treasury account at the BoE? So a continuation of the accounting trick which disguises the fact that it is sovereign money creation? presumably the bond dealers fill their wallets by selling at inflated prices with the new reserves being transferred back into bonds again?
Richard Murphy says: November 6 2015
This is indeed reinvestment of matured gilts.
I rather like the sound of Mr Fisher.
‘It is not the first time Mr Fisher has been criticised for his social media comments.
He described Ed Miliband’s frontbench as “the most abject collection of complete s***e” and said Tony Blair should be charged with war crimes for his role in the Iraq war.
He also celebrated Ed Balls’ election defeat, saying it was “fitting that the architect of Labour’s miserable austerity-lite economic policies should lose”.’
He says it like it is.
Corbyn Adviser Suspended Over Class War Tweet
The recently-appointed policy adviser faced calls for his expulsion after suggesting people should back a Class War candidate.
http://news.sky.com/story/1583071/corbyn-adviser-suspended-over-class-war-tweet
Emily Benn made the complaint:
Controversy
Emily Benn wrote a letter to the Labour party demanding the expulsion of Jeremy Corbyn’s head of policy, Andrew Fisher, for supporting the anarchist Class War party at the 2015 general election;[19] Fisher was suspended shortly thereafter.[20] It was later revealed that she published a retweet advocating that Labour members disappointed with Corbyn’s “male-dominated” leadership should consider joining the Women’s Equality Party.[21]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Benn
Yes, I too wondered whether the Russian ‘plane had been hacked. I understand that it is possible to hack ‘planes, though this danger has not been given much publicity.
“Yes, I too wondered whether the Russian ‘plane had been hacked.”
The flight recorder has confirmed it was a bomb.
http://www.lepoint.fr/monde/sinai-l-attentat-confirme-par-les-boites-noires-06-11-2015-1979795_24.php
Craig
Every cloud has a silver lining.
I have followed your writings and your blog. I think you are destined for a larger stage than Scotland, if I am say so. I don’t know what but I wish you all the best.
Suhayl: “Yes, I too wondered whether the Russian ‘plane had been hacked. I understand that it is possible to hack ‘planes, though this danger has not been given much publicity.”
Thing is, it broke up in the air. No matter what a commands by remote takeover might have issued, there’s no way it would have caused that sort of immediate, catastrophic damage. Seems the greatest danger from an unwelcome remote takeover would be to force a crash.
Class War describes itself as an anarchist movement against austerity.
Can someone explain how this works?
Yes, Glenn, it’s looking more like a bomb, isn’t it?
Lockerbie, redux. Even the nose-cone lying there on the grounds resembles the Pan Am ‘plane which crashed onto Lockerbie in 1988.
“The flight recorder has confirmed it was a bomb”
Has it? The article to which you linked says:
“This is only a tape recorder that records conversations and sounds in the cockpit. It reveals that an explosion occurred”.
Bombs are not the only things that can cause explosions.
Vulcan bomber investigated over banned barrel roll
This is about a nimble bomber that was pretty much able to do a lot more than that, however;
The flight dynamics and loading factors on various parts of the airplane somehow are escaping the attention of the experts on this thread.
Which is more important to cover up?
Probability of air liners being susceptible to external influences, or some tosser in a far flung airport loading an explosive on board and aircraft?
Nonetheless I am glad that the xray machines are irradiating all the travelers, whilst these get groped by various perverts enjoying perks of their job and touching up people in the way of search and discovery of bombs and shit, all the while everyone is taking off their belts and shoes to put through more xray machines, to keep air travel safe!!!!
You cannot make this shit up, even in a b movie plot!
Mary / Mark
John got back to me –
Still having PC trouble Brian. But thanks for asking. It’s letting me concentrate on other things.
Please give Mark and Mary my best wishes. Thanks.
Ooops
Ah great to see ya back John 🙂
The last few days have seen a series of venomous or abusive attacks on Stop the War in The Guardian, the Daily Telegraph and the BBC. The worst of these, in the sense of being the most mendacious, was on Andrew Neil’s BBC Daily Politics show.
Neil used the organised disruption of Stop the War’s otherwise successful meeting in parliament on November 2, which brought together MPs from nearly all parties in opposition to bombing Syria, as a pretext to smear StWC. In particular, he retailed three lies:
Lie One:
Neil claimed StWC Chair Andrew Murray had called for support for the Assad government to fight ISIS. This is not, and never has been, either his or StWC’s position on the Syrian conflict. As he said at the meeting, ISIS can only be defeated by strong and credible governments in Syria and Iraq, and not by western bombing. Tory MP Crispin Blunt made much the same point at the meeting. Clearly that is an entirely different proposition to supporting the Assad regime.
Lie Two:
The premise of the whole package was that Syrians opposed to Assad and supporting military intervention were prevented from speaking at the meeting. They were not. Indeed, Mr Neil’s interviewee was given ample time at the meeting to make her case.
Lie Three:
Neil alleged that Police were called to the meeting to control protesters. They were not. Despite considerable provocation, meeting chair Diane Abbot MP brought the proceedings to an orderly close without the assistance of the constabulary.
This campaign of misinformation brings together diehard opponents of the left like Neil with those elements on the left who still itch after “humanitarian intervention”, like those who disrupted the meeting. Such interventions have brought nothing but disaster to the Middle East and now have limited and shrinking support among the British people. Jeremy Corbyn’s election as Labour leader means the warmakers have no prospect of enjoying the bipartisan parliamentary support which blessed the calamitous and lawless Iraq invasion of 2003.
The humanitarian disaster in Syria, fuelled by external intervention from a range of powers, can only be resolved by a political settlement opening the way to peace and the Syrian people determining their own future. This truth now has broad support across the political spectrum, and will continue to be upheld by Stop the War. The lies of our opponents testify only to their desperation.
Stop the War responds to the Guardian’s Rahael Behr
On 4 November 2015, Rahael Behr, Guardian political columnist, wrote disparagingly about Stop the War, to which Andrew Murray, chair of Stop the War replied with this letter to the Guardian editor:…….
http://stopwar.org.uk/index.php/news/the-bbc-s-andrew-neil-smears-stop-the-war-coalition-while-the-guardian-pours-abuse
Fedup
“Nonetheless I am glad that the xray machines are irradiating all the travelers, whilst these get groped by various perverts enjoying perks of their job and touching up people in the way of search and discovery of bombs and shit, all the while everyone is taking off their belts and shoes to put through more xray machines, to keep air travel safe!!!!”
__________________
I share your concern about travelers being irradiated by x-ray machines and groped by airport security staff aka “perverts” but must admit that I feel less strongly about people having to take their belts and shoes off – surely nothing to worry about if your trousers are the right size around the waist and if you’ve washed your feet and donned a clean pair of socks in the morning?
RobG
“(sorry, but over the last few days I’ve been heavily censored on other sites, in what we laughingly call ‘democratic countries’, and I’m venting my spleen)”
__________________
I’m not surprised, Rob – those other sites probably do not share Craig’s tolerance of people who post for laughs and out of sheer boredom and/or an excess of pinard.
Suhayl :“Yes, Glenn, it’s looking more like a bomb, isn’t it?”
An explosion, that looks very likely. Whether a bomb, a missile from the ground – or the air – still is a mystery, I suppose. Would a surface-to-air missile have been picked up by monitoring? That whole area is surely under intense watch. Would a fighter-plane in the area not have been registered by one of the countries near it?
In Locherbie they discovered fine detail about the bomb, and worked out the origins. There seemed (from what I saw on the TV) a better crash site from the perspective of gathering evidence.
Republicofscotland
Agree with you about Taiwan.
Re your
“The MoD handed the £452 million pound contract to build Royal Navy ships to Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering.
………….
These four ships will carry Royal Navy helicopters, and support other ships, it’s an absolute disgrace and an affront to British shilbuilders, and steel fabricators that their government won’t support them in their time of need.”,
I was just wondering whether you knew if any British shipyards had bid for the contract. If so – and leaving aside the question of price – whether you happen to know if they had the capacity to deliver the four ships within the time required.
Thanks.
Every once in a while some refreshing T.v Turns up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn0SFbYmX3M
Glenn_UK,
“In Locherbie they discovered fine detail about the bomb, and worked out the origins.”
They blanked out what they didn’t want to hear as well,
http://twa800.com/news/parkes-10-17-00.htm
Last week Tory lobby fodder including Philip Davies filibustered a bill that would have exempted carers from paying hospital parking charges.
Now Alistair Burt, ex FCO minister, currently health minister for social care (there’s a misnomer) filibustered the Off-Patents Drug bill that would have reduced the cost of drugs in the NHS.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-health-minister-blocks-law-to-give-the-nhs-cheap-drugs-whose-patents-have-expired-a6724526.html
Alistair Burt denied accusations that the parliamentary manoeuvre was ‘disgraceful’
5 hrs ago.
Burt, a ‘Christian’, is a Conservative Friend of Israel and once advocated that the treatment given to Gaddafi be given to President Assad.
Alistair Burt reveals anger over Syria vote at Westminster
Former minister says the decision to defy David Cameron on military action created a ‘constitutional mess’ http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/dec/30/alistair-burt-anger-syria-westminster
The quote – ‘Burt insisted the British government “knew exactly what would happen if there was not a strike against Assad over chemical weapons. He goes on. And the only thing that would deflect this man and this regime is if they fear they are going to end up in a storm drain with a bayonet up their backside. If they don’t fear that, they will go on killing as many people as they need to stay in power.”‘
‘During such turbulent times in the Middle East, Mr Burt was an inspired choice for the job. He has a passion for the region, established during his long years as a prominent figure in Conservative Friends of Israel. And during his three and a half years as a minister, the MP for North-East Bedfordshire has also forged a reputation for even-handedness across the sectarian divides of the Middle East (and the various UK campaign groups).’
http://www.thejc.com/comment-and-debate/columnists/112449/why-did-alastair-burt-lose-his-job