Hillary Clinton only “won” Iowa because she won all six coin tosses in tied precincts. What are the odds against six successive coin toss wins? I calculate 1 in 64, or you have a 1.5% chance of pulling it off. If I am right, do we really believe it did happen? That question is posed without taking into account the indisputable bias for Clinton of the Democrat machine which was organising the vote, and other startling irregularities, including the falure of the organising committee to staff over sixty caucus meetings. It all stinks, frankly.
I have been trying to think up a word to describe the kind of society we have now, in which a tiny number of extremely wealthy people control the politicians and manipulate the public through the mass media. Then I realised we already have a perfectly adequate word for it – plutocracy.
It is a plutocracy where 85 people own the same wealth as the other 50% of the population of the entire world, and the wealth gap still grows at astonishing pace. A reaction from the people who actually create that wealth is inevitable. The extraordinary concentration of capital has only been possible because of the existence of state mechanisms designed to promote it, and a popular movement to end that state bias was bound to happen. It was also predictable that it would be dominated by the young. To see youth mobilise for Scottish independence, for Corbyn or for Sanders has been life-affirming for me.
I might wish the movement for change to be sometimes better directed. But there is now a generational shift, a desire of young people for fundamental change, resisted by their elders. This phenomenon has not been seen so strongly since the 60’s. In the battle between the growing and the dying, there is only one ultimate winner. A good time to be alive (again). Almost makes up for struggling on through Thatcher and Blair…
‘The squatting military state of Israel has come under fire for its diabolical “third country policy” a policy which basically kicks people out of Israel.’
RoS- Israel is ‘under fire’ from whom exactly ? It’ll be interesting to see which way media personages who are simultaneously pro Israel and (in a European or British context) pro immigration (D Aaronovitch springs prominently to mind here) turn in response to this policy. Perhaps, for once, they’ll be lost for words.
The Ministry of Justice is refusing to investigate why the Department for Work and Pensions failed to fulfil its legal duty to respond to a coroner’s report that linked a disabled man’s suicide to its “fitness for work” test.
The coroner’s report was written in late March 2010 following an inquest into the death of 41-year-old Stephen Carre, from Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire, who had taken his own life in January 2010*.
Disability News Service (DNS) has seen a series of letters that show that the coroner gave the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) all the information it needed to carry out an urgent review of the safety of key aspects of the work capability assessment (WCA) in 2010.
But that review – ordered by coroner Tom Osborne through a process known as a Rule 43 letter – appears never to have been carried out.
http://www.disabledgo.com/blog/2016/02/justice-ministry-refuses-to-probe-dwps-wca-suicide-report-cover-up/
Congratulations to “RepublicofPalestine” (15h25) for being the first Eminence to go off-topic by bringing a favorite obsession (Israel) into Craig’s new thread. 🙂
“Re my last comment on Libya, it would appear that Colonel Gaddafi’s daughter Ayesha is the new Nato coalition opponent, she wants to unite the country to fight against Western intervention.”
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Heartening to note that the “keep it in the family” approach, so beloved of many Arab dictators, seems to be alive and well in Libya.
Seems like much ado about nothing, except most posters seem to think that no one could be worse, even serious psychopath Trump, than POTUS Hillary.
To be honest, I don’t know what Trump would become, in office. During his campaign, he has said only what some very different audiences wanted to hear. I wouldn’t accuse him of having principles, even the wrong ones. He could well start WW3, but I think he’d have trouble taking the country with him. OTOH, he’s Bush II without the subtlety and intellectual edge (lol) which means he’d just be a puppet, as Bush was.
And they all have to do what the NRA and AIPAC tell them. And they all have to pretend to be Christians. But Hillary has an extra layer of nastiness, even after discounting the constant smearing she’s been subjected to. She looks to me like an unspeakable straight cross between Thatcher and Blair. And she’s an apostle for globalisation.
“Heartening to note that the “keep it in the family” approach, so beloved of many Arab dictators, seems to be alive and well in Libya.”
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Yes…Hmmmm, I wonder which British prime minister will be filmed kissing her arse.
“Congratulations to “RepublicofPalestine” (15h25) for being the first Eminence to go off-topic by bringing a favorite obsession (Israel) into Craig’s new thread.”
_______________
Not obsession, old boy,just pointing out the frailties of the warmonering cuckoo state, I see you didn’t complain I was off topic when I berated berated Putin. ?
I wish you’d stop defeating Habbabreak, RoS. Still…(in passing)
http://2.media.collegehumor.cvcdn.com/39/63/fd26cba8520c72d29a3f35bb6b112b53.gif
And, as the auld fart usually enjoys provoking discussion of his liberal and humanitarian homeland –
http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.701059
International law? Schminternational law.
And today:
JERUSALEM, February 3, 2016 (WAFA) – Israeli authorities Wednesday demolished a car repair workshop in the town of Issawiya, in the northern outskirts of Jerusalem, citing unpermitted building as a pretext, local sources told WAFA.
WAFA correspondent said an Israeli police contingent broke into Issawiya and proceeded to demolish the workshop with the cars still inside. The workshop belonged to local Palestinian Haitham Mustafa.
Mustafa told WAFA that he has incurred unreasonable financial losses by the demolition, which saw the police’s heavy machinery bring down the workshop, where clients’ cars were kept, awaiting repair.
During the demolition procedure, Israeli police cordoned off the area denied local Palestinians’ access to the site.
To be noted, issuance of construction permits by Israeli authorities for Palestinians in Jerusalem, unlike for Jewish settlers, requires unreasonable fees that most families cannot afford to pay.
The Israeli Committee against House Demolitions (ICAHD) explains in a special report “in almost all cases Palestinians have no choice but to build ‘illegally’, as permits are almost impossible to obtain.”
“Many Palestinians have suffered multiple displacements, having lost their homes and livelihoods more than once. Forced displacement has a series of immediate and longer-term physical, socio-economic and psycho-social impacts on Palestinian families.”
It added, “It deprives them of their home and land – often their main asset – and frequently results in disruption to livelihoods, a reduced standard of living and access to basic services. The impact on children can be particularly devastating,” said the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
On Tuesday, Israeli bulldozers demolished two Palestinian houses in the Jerusalem area, under the same above-mentioned pretext.
http://english.wafa.ps/page.aspx?id=1h1wEsa30077298306a1h1wEs
Habbakuyk has been unable to outgrow emotional manipulation as a means of getting attention. Today’s puerile oneup-upmanship is fixated on the mechanics of coin-tossing. If only it were somewhat clever. His provincial outlook keeps him from considering that US party apparatchiks routinely use multiple complementary means of ballot-rigging. More importantly, for all his obsessive rumination, the yappy little schnauzer cannot summon the intellect to wonder how coin tosses comply with ICCPR Article 25(b) in guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors. He can’t begin to think in such terms. Oxbridge pretensions, mediocre red-brick mind.
http://whowhatwhy.org/2016/02/02/disinformation-part-2-detailed-tips-for-trolls/
Yes, Habakuyuk would be less tiresome if his habits of mind were up to snuff, but be kind to him. He camps out here so much because you are his only friends.
As to Boris Nemtsov murder, apparently the investigation is drawing to a close. In fact it has finished. The lawyer for one of the accused believes that by the end of February he should be acquainted with the findings.
What appears to have happened is that the killers did it for money. It was a hired killing. Anzor Gubashev has named the hired killers: Zaur Dadaev, Sadid and Temirlan Eskirkhanova and Khamzat Bachevo. He was walking with one of them but says he did not know they intended to commit murder.
It is quite right that Nemtsov’s popularity had declined to such an extent he posed no oppositional threat and left the Russians without any more motive to have him killed than they had to have the crook Litvinenko killed in 2006. On the other hand the false flag west thought they had a lot to gain from his death. First they could use people like Resident Dissident to holler “Putin did it” in an attempt to rekindle the dying flames of the George Soros and NATO-funded ‘Open Russia’. I do hope they catch whoever hired them.
Mrs Clinton has form for ‘beating the odds’ when it comes to random events such as dice throws, or playing the market
at least according to the slanderous Seattle Times in 1994
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19940330&slug=1902853
It does not matter who becomes the next president of America just as in Britain they will do as they are told by big buisiness and we all know who that is don’t we ?
RoS
Yup, you’ve got the obsessives going alright – even Baal’s on the case (twice for emphasis) despite his Habbabreak.
It surely won’t be long before Node starts buzzing around. 🙂
habbakyke lordy dordy said.
“It would be gracious of you to apologise to me as well since I was the first to contest the allegations of rigging.
I wonder of you will be able to bring yourself to do so….”
bastard retard!
Miss Lonelyhearts
Welcome to the thread, dear!
Have we met before (perhaps under another moniker)? 🙂
Right, Blair Paterson, they will all be” bombing the shit out of Isis”, and the world’s Muslims won’t notice or care!
Recalls what Chomsky said about the assassination of JFK.
Nevermind
“habbakyke lordy dordy said.
“It would be gracious of you to apologise to me as well since I was the first to contest the allegations of rigging.
I wonder of you will be able to bring yourself to do so….”
bastard retard!”
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Thank you for that thoughtful, substantive and on-topic comment, Nevermind.
Nevermind
“Habbakyke” = H…kike?
That word’s(thankfully)fallen out of use in the UK, Nevermind, but as you’re German I’ll forgive you.
Runner-up drama: Trump says Cruz ‘stole’ Iowa election; Sanders mulls challenge.
Rand Paul, the only sensible candidate, has dropped out of the race as most Americans are looking for the biggest rambo.
“I wish you’d stop defeating Habbabreak, RoS. Still…(in passing)”
________________
You know Baal, the old give them enough rope saying.
Thanks for the links the first link won’t let me access it (connection not secure).
The second link Haaretz, wants my money before it will let me read the link.
Ever get the feeling you’re not wanted ?
Rand is libertarian but it’s a conservative variety that feels the Pentagon is the sole arbiter of federal reach. Roads, Dams and various publics works can go fish.
There were seven Democratic delegates decided by coin flips, and Sanders won six of them!
So much for wild conspiracy theories!
*Breaking*
High court in London declares Lord Lucan dead, so his son can officially inhert his wealth…does anyone really care?
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Habb old boy I posted one comment about your beloved Israel, and you get your Star of David print boxer shorts in a twist….jeez.
Here’s another try not to tear your Netanyahu face printed pyjamas after reading it.
Knesset Finance Committee chairman MK Moshe Gafni is up in arms after learning of a recent decision by the Dutch government to cease paying benefits to Holocaust survivors who have immigrated to Israel.
Stating his shock, the MK demanded that, “the senior ranks government of Israel… intervene with the government of the Netherlands.
Why are the Dutch forking out 70 oodd years later?
http://m.jpost.com/Diaspora/Finance-Ministry-up-in-arms-over-Netherlands-cutting-off-some-Holocaust-benefits-443612#article=6023NzNGQjZBRTQxNDA3M0ZGMkUyMUEzMjhDQUU5QzQ2RjM=
Habbabkuk, I have no objection to you contesting the allegations of rigging the coin tosses; the comments you questioned were sloppy. But there was no need to harp on so; you’d made your point.
My reply to Fred was irony; his shouty comment clarified nothing.
I do understand, that it is almost impossible, living in Western Society to Fake what it is like to be a Refugee..because We are Protected…well by Our Civilisation basically..We actually like each other…
And of course, no one can replay history
I had lost my job, been unemployed for over 6 months…and she said..I am going To Stonehenge With My Friends…
I burst into tears..Aren’t I invited ??
So she borrowed her younger sister’s play tent and one gas burner and says yes – you are coming with me…if you want to….
Stonehenge 1982
Tonight my wife and I are going to see Young Fathers and Massive Attack
I am taking my walking stick
Tony
The Iowa Caucuses certainly seems to have confirmed that there is a huge desire for democratic change in America and a growing distaste for their increasingly undemocratic political establishments. Though their policies are very different indeed, it seemed to me that candidates like Sanders on the left or Cruz and Trump on the right all had one thing in common – they campaigned against their own political establishments.
I find this move towards democracy very heathy and hope that it continues. Whether we like it or not: what happens in America today, happens in Britain tomorrow. Is it possible to dream of a democratic UK where the press is free, our oligarchs obey the law without special favours, and out security organizations fight real terrorists and not innocent citizens
“High court in London declares Lord Lucan dead, so his son can officially inhert his wealth…does anyone really care?”
Shit. First David Bowie then Terry Wogan and now Lord Lucan.
Republicofscotland
“Why are the Dutch forking out 70 oodd years later?”
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For the same reason as the Germans, dear boy: guilt.
The Dutch pre-war administrative system was very helpful to the Germans after the occupation. This was because Dutch local records identified people, inter alia, by religion, thus making it easy for the Germans to round up and deport Jews.
Over 80% of the Netherlands’ pre-war Jewish population died in the camps. This figure is well over twice as high as the figures for other west European occupied countries such as Belgium and France.
A contributory factor was that the German wartime administration of Belgium and the occupied zone of France was in the hands of the German military whereas the administration of the Netherlands was in rather more zealous German ‘civilian’ hands (for which read Gestapo).
Hope that answers your question.