A Great Day 1137

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My body and mind are still in Ankara, fully engaged with the Syrian peace talks. But my heart is in Catalonia.

A great day. The achievement is colossal – a pro-independence majority achieved despite the leadership being in jail or in exile, and on an 84% turnout. The lies being spewed out day by day by the neo-liberal media about a “silent majority” are well and truly exposed, as is the EU’s contempt for democracy.

I guess now they have to charge over million people with sedition.

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1,137 thoughts on “A Great Day”

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    • Macky

      Does this mean you’ll desist from inferring people are working for the Kremlin simply because they don’t buy into all the anti-Russian hype ?

      • Komodo

        Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous. The word you need is ‘imply’, not ‘infer’, btw.
        I mean, I wouldn’t expect you to desist from suggesting that anyone questioning the Russian narrative, or that of its demonstrably linked outlets, is a tool of the CIA/Masons/Illuminati/Deep State/ etc…here, we do free speech.

  • Tony_0pmoc

    If you are young and maybe, never done it before, and all your family and friends who are coming round for Christmas Dinner tomorrow at your home, there is one very important lesson, which propbably isn’t included in The BBC recipe.

    First, look inside (both ends)

    One end, is likely to have a plastic bag in it, which does not take kindly to being roasted. that contains various other body parts. The neck is in the other end. They don’t usually include the head, unless you specifically ask for it, from the local farmer.

    I have just been told, that introducing a bit of butter, with the sage and onion stuffing can result in a much better result, throughout the entire bird. Not tried that yet either.

    This turkey gravy is going to be awesome.

    Our cats are already licking their lips and smiling at me.

    Merry Christmas,

    Tony & Tribe xx

      • Habbabkuk

        Israel certainly does have a free press – as opposed to the position in most of its Arab neighbours ans Iran for that matter).

        A free press is, of course, one of the characteristics of a liberal democracy as opposed to an autocracy or a tinpot dictatorship.

        In liberal democracies journalists tend to die in their own beds rather than being tortured or killed.

  • Republicofscotland

    Merry Christmas to one and all, have peaceful one.

    Meanwhile Trump has praised Guatemala in deciding to move its embassy to Jerusalem, recognising it as the a capital of Israel. Guatemala has close security ties with Israel, and buys its weapons from Israel.

    Meanwhile Pope Francis has called for a two-state solution, between Israel and Palestine-the US however cannot be a negotiator as it has cleary chosen a side.

    As we enter the 19th day of unrest over Trump’s dangerous announcement on Jerusalem, protests have been widespread in Bethlehem.

  • Clark

    Just to let everyone know, Craig is back safe and sound from the Syrian peace talks in Ankara.

    Having seen City of Ghosts, I am very relieved about that; the violence driving and profiting from the conflict in Syria is extreme.

    Season’s greetings everyone.

    • tony_0pmoc

      Clark, You should get out more, like Craig’s Brother…Didn’t he go out there and disarm landmines? He occasionally makes a comment here – largely slagging off his brother (whilst loving him to bits). I forget his name – could be Frazer.???

      Merry Christmas Clark,

      Tony

      • Clark

        Hello Tony, Frazer is Craig’s cousin, I’m pretty sure. You’d get on with him. He comes to the festival.

        I get out quite a bit. I’m a long way from home right now.

  • Sharp Ears

    Russia, Turkey and Iran agree Syrian peace talks for January
    © Stanislav Filippov, AFP | Syrian regime representatives and opposition delegates along with other attendees take part in Syria peace talks in Astana on December 22.

    2017-12-23
    Russia, Turkey and Iran agreed Friday to hold a peace congress for Syria in Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi in late January after previous attempts to hold a conference collapsed.

    A Syrian “Congress of National Dialogue” will be held in the Russian city of Sochi on January 29-30, Russia said alongside its allies Turkey and Iran, while the United Nations urged them to support the struggling Geneva peace process.

    Moscow, Tehran and Ankara announced the date in a joint statement after talks in the Kazakh capital Astana that also involved representatives of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and some opposition groups.

    The congress will see “the participation of all segments of Syrian society”, said the statement.

    “To this end, three guarantors will hold a special preparation meeting in Sochi before the congress on 19-20 January,” it added.

    But the trio has yet to agree on a list of participants – Turkey had earlier objected to the presence of the main Syrian Kurdish group – or to confirm their participation.

    While Russian officials and Syrian President Assad have spoken enthusiastically of the plan, rebel representatives have been wary and the United Nations has yet to endorse it.

    >> Read more: Syrian government negotiator quits Geneva peace talks

    UN special Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, who also attended the Astana talks, said that Russia’s plan to convene the congress should be assessed by its ability to contribute to and support the UN-led Geneva talks on ending the war in Syria.

    The Astana talks have run in parallel to the negotiations taking place in Geneva with the backing of the United Nations, but neither set of talks have borne much fruit.

    Turkey’s Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said last month that the “Astana process” led by Russia, Turkey and Iran is working alongside the UN’s long-running Geneva peace talks rather than competing with them.

    ‘Alternative’ to Geneva talks

    “We told the Russians that Sochi will not be an alternative to Geneva, and we want to end the misery of the Syrian people and let humanitarian aid in,” Ahmed Tohmeh, the head of the rebel delegation, said in the statement released Friday.

    Ayman al-Aasemi, a member of the rebel delegation in Astana, told AFP there was “an openness to the idea of Sochi”.

    “It’s not a rejection. We’ve asked for more details – how often it will meet, what’s the essential goal,” said Aasemi, who also credited Moscow with “opening up” during the latest round of talks.

    “According to the Russians, the constitution and the elections will be the main topics.”

    “We will go back to our popular base and the people we represent in Syria, and see what our interest is in attending this conference. But in my view, it’s better to attend than not attend,” Aasemi said.

    The rebel delegation said its focus was on making progress on detainees and forcibly disappeared people. The Astana trio has been discussing the issue since April but has so far failed to reach a final agreement. Instead, they set up a working group on detainees on Friday, which de Mistura said was “commendable as a first step towards reaching a comprehensive arrangement between the conflicting parties”.

    The warring sides – who continue to avoid direct talks in Astana – traded barbs once again, with the rebels accusing the Damascus government of cooperating with the Islamic State group, which has been defeated but not fully eliminated.

    Government negotiator Bashar al-Ja’afari, in turn, described the presence of Turkish and US forces in Syria as “blatant aggression”, even though Russia and Iran, which back Damascus, have agreed to Ankara’s role in safeguarding the so-called de-escalation zone in Idlib province.

    “We demand the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of foreign troops from our territory,” Ja’afari told reporters.

    Russia completed a partial withdrawal from Syria on Friday ordered by President Vladimir Putin, ending more than two years of active Russian engagement in the conflict.

    Putin made a surprise visit to Syria last week where he ordered the start of a pullout of Russian troops, saying their task there had been largely completed.

    A total of 36 planes and four helicopters have returned to their permanent bases, while 157 motor vehicles were delivered to Russia by sea, said Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu. Special forces troops, a medical unit, a battalion of military police, doctors and de-miners have been brought back to Russia, he added.

    Three battalions of military police and officers of the Russian Center for Reconciliation will remain in Syria as well as its two military bases.

    Shoigu also said that Russian military ships and submarines armed with “high-precision weapons” will remain permanently present in the Mediterranean.’
    http://www.france24.com/en/20171223-russia-turkey-iran-syria-agree-peace-talks-january-sochi

    No mention of the gangsters from the USUKIsNATO axis.

    • tony_0pmoc

      Sharp Ears, nowt wrong with you girl. Good to see you have still got all your marbles. Tony xx

  • Republicofscotland

    In the need to “liberate” Mosul from the “IS” a humanitarian tragedy has occured, it’s estimated that US bombing has killed 3000 civilians alone, most of the victims bodies still lie beneath the rubbled city, fetid and stinking as loved one are unable to gain access to them.

    Video images of Mosul, show a ancient city, that resembles Stalingrad or Leningrad, during the Nazi seiges of WWII. The sheer devastation of its infrastructure is breathtaking, how anyone survived is in itself, a minor miracle.

    https://www.rt.com/news/414134-mosul-city-of-dead-murad/

    https://www.denverpost.com/2017/12/23/mosul-morgue-saw-islamic-state-isis-deaths/

    • giyane

      RoS
      Thanks for this link from the Denver Post.

      Whenever I attend the mosque behind my house they recite verses by which they intend to shame me for not supporting their stupid jihad, like this:
      Pickthall translation :” Hast thou not seen those unto whom it was said: Withhold your hands, establish worship and pay the poordue, but when fighting was prescribed for them behold! a party of them fear mankind even as their fear of Allah or with greater fear, and say: Our Lord! Why hast Thou ordained fighting for us? If only Thou wouldst give us respite yet a while! Say (unto them, O Muhammad): The comfort of this world is scant; the Hereafter will be better for him who wardeth off (evil); and ye will not be wronged the down upon a date-stone.”

      Unbelievably, the Asian community don’t see their Syrian or Iraqi brothers and sisters as fellow Muslims. I am ashamed to say they see them as non-believers about whom these verses were written. Because I as an Englishman don’t happen to come from their particular God-forsaken little corner of this planet, they are always trying to squeeze the square peg of their racial prejudice into the round hole of my being English.

      Thanks for reminding them what the logical conclusion of their racism is.

      • Republicofscotland

        You’re welcome Giyane, I’m pleased that you haven’t fallen under the spell of those who believe jihad is the way.

        For in my opinion, reading what was done to people in the name of god in that article, has absolutely nothing to do with god, humanity goodness, or any other virtues. Many people died in Mosul, whole families slaughtered in vain.

        “O You who believe! Enter absolutely into peace (Islam). Do not follow in the footsteps of satan. He is an outright enemy to you.” (Holy Quran: 2, 208)

        If only peace was everyones goal.

        • giyane

          RoS

          This racist mindset which has made takfir of millions of ordinary Muslims worldwide is really the result of Divide and Rule by the Zionist neo-cons. Racism is tearing apart our own European civilisation in the form of Brexit, and independence movements. I find it difficult to distinguish between those two phenomena and I find it even more weird that white supremacy and Fascism can be fashionable in 2018.

          The arrogance of the Asian Muslims that live in the UK in condemning all who refuse to make takfir of other Muslims is really weird in the context of the UK fostering the Asian community with family benefits, schools, housing, NHS and university education. Obviously the blow-back from 300 years of colonialism is not going to be extinguished in the thirty years of these young people’s lives.

          I would like to make a few observations round this topic. Firstly. that Trump chose religious ferment in the UK as a political weapon against Theresa May when she attacked his white supremacy deviation. he has his finger on the pulse of his liberal adversaries as any Republican obviously would.
          Secondly that this racist takfirism against fellow Muslims who refuse to make jihad against other Muslims affects not only other Asians like Iraqis and Syrians, but also Asians from their own community who are more integrated into English life, working in the anti-discriminatory work-place community.
          Thirdly, that this racism against everything Western is most prevalent amongst members of the Islamic scholars, then amongst the petty criminal and unskilled labour classes, and even present amongst professionals like doctors and businessmen who really live a Jekyll and Hyde life. These people were born in the UK but their experience on the receiving of racism has failed to prevent them from becoming racist themselves.
          Lastly, I am afraid to say that those dark political forces which stoke Brexit racism in the right wing of UK politics have given a green light to racism in the left wing as well, , by which I mean the social underclass of immigrants, where one would expect to find enlightenment. If no enlightenment is to come from Islam rhen we are in a very dark place. Or as Jesus pbuh put it, if salt were to lose its flavour, with what would you be able to salt it?

    • Kempe

      ” most of the victims bodies still lie beneath the rubbled city, fetid and stinking as loved one are unable to gain access to them. ”

      If only they had an independent civil defence organisation to go and dig them out…

      Of course Russian/Syrian “liberation” of places like Aleppo and Homs were conducted without anyone suffering so much as a scratch.

      https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CTDrTh5UwAA73_Z.jpg

      You won’t see that on RT or Sputnik News unless they can blame someone else.

      • Republicofscotland

        “Of course Russian/Syrian “liberation” of places like Aleppo and Homs were conducted without anyone suffering so much as a scratch.”

        On the contrary, the western press reported daily on Aleppo, claiming Assad was slaughtering everyone.

        Of course the reality of the situation was that the proxy fighters that terrorised Aleppo were backed and funded by the west and Saudi Arabia/Israel, so in essence the blood of any innocent vicitms caught up in the conflict is on their hands.

        • Kempe

          Then surely the same applies to the “proxy fighters” in Mosul?

          Either way the Kremlin has no grounds for claiming the moral high ground here.

          • Republicofscotland

            Correct me if I’m wrong here, but I don’t recall Russia razing Mosul or Iraq, for that matter, to the ground.

            I do recall however that the west decided to destroy Iraq, and kill thousands in the process, which has led to the present turmoil.

      • duplicitousdemocracy

        The recent video in the latest episode of White Helmet drama reveals the most sickening images of a ‘rescue worker’ running with a rag doll like baby that is clearly dead. One expert said in his opinion the child had been dead for at least three days. Even if we leave that behaviour aside, the video is bizarre even by White Helmet standards.

        https://www.liveleak.com/view?i=028_1514295057&comments=1

        For the life of me, I can’t understand why any rational person could be taken in by these third rate actors. Maybe someone could send them a box set of Holby City, to create a bit more realism. An unwanted Christmas present perhaps?

    • Courtenay Barnett

      Haley speaks the language of a financially dominant nation which sets out to dictate to and dominate all other nations.
      She tells us of US generosity – but – the ‘aid’ that the US gives is more often than not tied. It tells the recipient government what to buy with it; it announces say US$1m in ‘aid’ and when one discounts the consultants and other tag ons then the real sum may be closer to US$200,000 and even then the purchases of goods and services for the ‘aid project’ might even reduce that and then there are the repair and replacement costs that are all tied to the donor country for many years after the commencement of the ‘aid’ project. It is really an elaborate con game.
      Several years ago I was driving with my girlfriend to visit a remote spa in Jamaica. She, an American, saw a large building in an otherwise open cane piece. She was very curious, so we stopped and asked the next pedestrian we saw. He told us that it was a comprehensive school built by Cuba. I too developed an interest. I had a friend who was head of the Economics department at the University of the West Indies and subsequently picked his brain about the Cuban relationship with Jamaica. In economic terms he explained:-
      1. The Jamaican government provided the land and some building materials.
      2. The Cuban government provided the rest and with Cuban construction workers built the Comprehensive School.
      3. Additionally, if say specialist teaches, in maths or the sciences were needed, Cuban teachers were provided and they were understudied by Jamaican teachers who eventually replaced the Cuban teachers once they left and the locals so slotted in.
      When I weigh the two approaches; inclusive of the provision of free eye surgeries to the Jamaican people on a very large scale provided by Cuban doctors to the Jamaican people, my genuine response to Nicky Haley and all her aid is:-
      “Stuff it”.
      Let real doners and welfare contributors assist and provide alternative viable models for charity and welfare amongst the nations of the world.
      Postscript: Written from Havana, Cuba, on Christmas day 2017 – where I am spending a vacation with my family.

      • Paul Barbara

        @ Courtenay Barnett December 25, 2017 at 16:18
        Yes, and in the Haitian ‘earthquake’ the US sent troops; Cuba sent doctors.
        That is the difference between the systems – I know which one I would prefer.

        • Alex Westlake

          The number of Cubans who risk their lives crossing to Florida on homemade rafts tells me which system I’d prefer

          • glenn_uk

            Who do you think has it better – people from Cuba or Haiti?

            Yet the Yanks will accept anyone from Cuba, no question. From Haiti? Get back where you came from.

            Now what does that tell an honest person about the Yanks, who have made the Cuba very much poorer through 50 years of blockade.

          • Trowbridge H. Ford

            When I grew up in America’s only socialism, its armed forces, we were not poor like the rest of society during the ‘thirties.

            Why doesn’t Washington try it for the rest of its society?

          • glenn_uk

            “Socialism makes Cuba poor, not the Americans.”

            They could test that theory by lifting the blockade. Strange they lack the courage to do so!

            Socialism hasn’t made the Scandinavian countries poor, has it?

            But don’t let facts get in the way of your dogma.

          • Alex Westlake

            The Scandinavian model is a market economy with high taxation. In socialist countries everything is run by the state.

          • glenn_uk

            Utter tosh. You are probably thinking of communist states, and falling for the standard (and quite deliberately misleading) American conflation of socialism with communism.

          • Courtenay Barnett

            Alex,
            ” The number of Cubans who risk their lives crossing to Florida on homemade rafts tells me which system I’d prefer”

            Depends which demographics you are looking at. The wealthy and mainly the white Cubans fled in abundance.

            Across the Caribbean and Latin American region the brain drain and mass migrations to countries of higher GNP is a reality in comparable numbers with the Cuban phenomenon to which you are referring regarding Cuba.

            The issues are a lot more complex than you hint at at first brush – from 1959 – Bay of Pigs – Angola – Mozambique – South Africa and the boat life that Castro permitted to flood South Florida. Think again!

  • tony_0pmoc

    The Turkey was great, but we all missed the Queen’s Christmas Speech but saw most of Top of The Pops, which was even worse than the last one.

    Then I caught a glance of The Daily Telegraph, yet I still do not feel like Throwing Up (just) (yet)

    “Meghan Markle pulls off the perfect curtsy at first Christmas with the Royals”

    Jesus !!!!! ????? wtf?

    When’s Alice in Wonderland on?

    Tony

    • Sharp Ears

      There are four mentions of Meghan Markle by name on the BBC homepage, amongst other references to the none story about a crowd of parasites attending church on Christmas Day.

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/news

      The Heil will tell you who designed the Middleton and Markle coats, +£2k and £696 respectively.

      There will be five months more of this Markle promotion by the MSM leading up to the marriage itself when the establishment controlled publicity machine will go into overdrive.

        • Habbabkuk

          Very true. I have it on good authority that the date of the engagement was fixed by the PTB to take peopke’s mind off Brexit.

      • giyane

        By the time they get married the love affair will be over, and Queenie will have to console herself with the faded glories of our Brexit Imperial past. It’s no good darling, she’ll have to go. I’m not doing all that ridiculous business with tunnels and flowers.

  • Paul Barbara

    Perhaps a subject for a later blog by Craig when he is not tied up with weightier matters around the globe – lobotomies have returned to Scotland!
    ‘Lobotomy Returns Under a Kinder Gentler New Name’:
    http://gaia-health.com/conventional-medicine/psychiatry/lobotomy-returns-kinder-gentler-new-name/

    ‘…It has just come to my attention that cingulotomies are being pushed in Scotland. It’s a horrifying development—brain mutilation pressed as a benefit for certain “intractable” cases of severe depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or whatever magical diagnosis the psychiatrists have opted to select from the latest issue of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which is a selection of invented diagnoses presented as scientific and evidence-based, though none of it passes even the giggle test, let alone any sort of scientific research.

    Cingularities? Oh … Cingulotomies.
    Destruction of brain tissue is the goal of cingulotomy. It destroys part of the brain and part of who you are. Surgeons play at God and call it “Good”.

    The term, cingulotomy, sounds a bit like something from the front lines of quantum physics or astronomy. In psychiatry, though, it’s just an updated lobotomy in a modern friendlier disguise. Instead of using an ice pick and going in through the eye socket—the old-fashioned lobotomy—they’re now far more precise and use much more sophisticated tools. At least, that’s what they’d have us believe. The reality, though, is that the goal is precisely the same: the permanent and utterly irretrievable destruction of a part of the brain—the part that feels emotion……’

    • giyane

      Paul Barbara

      Speaking as a man who has had a mental breakdown, thank you for highlighting this. Top-down Tory management will always find a nice simple solution to tidy up their intractable irritations. As if chemical lobotomy wasn’t enough to cure socialism rising in the human breast, applying thousands of volts of electricity to the delicate circuitry of the brain, or even physical removal of brains parts…. what can one say? Fascists always reply to these criticisms that when patients were asked whether they liked the ‘treatment’ many replied ‘yes’, but with what zombie automatic bit of the brain they replies with… again what can one say?

      It was bearing this in mind that I recently turned down a contract to work as an electrician on a mental health ward for youngsters. A Muslim colleague who did take the job told me that the youngsters seemed to him just to be in need of a little bit of love in their life. The agency, when I did not turn up on the appointed day, exercised their full, feigned, Tory, superior outrage that someone of my very inferior calibre should challenge the professional judgement of the white-coated class. Another gold star in my collection of blacklistings by the scum who hire and fire.

      • giyane

        Paul
        I have mentioned before on this blog that the Birmingham Hospital on the Dudley Road which covers alcohol recovery covers a vast geographical area from Aberystwyth to Gloucester, but none of the homeless drinkers I used to work with would ever willingly enter its doors. I don’t know if it still empty now, but medical violence is very good for statistics about how many people require their help.

  • tony_0pmoc

    She nearly died earlier this year. Her neighbours hadn’t seen her for a few days – no response at the door…so they called the police

    My sister told me, that “all I knew about it was when 2 policemen turned up in my bedroom, and the paramedics rushed me to hospital” in (Stockport, Stepping Hill) “and saved my life” (she was in intensive care for 3 months, then a rehabilitation home for 2 months)

    My sister lives in Derbyshire – and I phoned her up today at home.

    It was so wonderful to talk to her.

    She has made a full recovery, and had just been watching Top of The Pops.

    She would be dead, without her neighbours, the police, the ambulance crew (paramedics), doctors, nurses… (Our National Health Service)

    So all I can say is Thank You – for saving My Sister’s Life.

    She will be off to America soon to see her Daughter and Family in New England.

    Try doing that in The USA, on nowt.

    Never underestimate, The UK, and Our NHS.

    Tony

    • SA

      Tony

      I am so glad that your sister is now well and travelling
      It is also very nice to see a positive post about the NHS. There are recurring posts in this blog site constantly trying to tell us how doctors are conspiring obviously with the wicked governments, to kill us all with vaccines and that they personally avoid vaccines and want others to do so. These kind of posts unfortunately can be dangerous and undermine the efforts of many who selflessly work hard to improve our health. That kind of writing unfortunately plays into the hands of the enemies of the NHS and help the Tories in their agenda to privatise the NHS by stealth.So once again thank you and happy new year.

    • nevermind

      Thanks for your earlier and this link Sharp ears, you are on top form.

      This is a cold war tactic designed to find out about the new Admiral Gorshkov’s abilities, ie. electronic warfare, ECM and ECCm’s, response times etc.
      I’m sure that the Gorshkov would have kept minimum watch on the UK vessel.

      It was also another dig at the Russians who could cut our internet cables. What a great boring yawn that story is when one considers that any countries submarine could cut these communication cables littering the sea floor.

      What submarine capabilities are being developed in the just acquired Argentinian/Chilenian submarine port and by whom?

    • fedup

      This subject has been explored by Craig before on this blog. These ships are exercising their rights under international maritime laws; freedom of navigation. However the big song and dance about it all is to reiterate the bad Rosskies, and the need for a bigger navy. As in the case of the Blue Passport* which evidently the cost of retooling and reprinting won’t be clear as in many other cases of costings.

      BTW you may have missed this one; Palestinian families from the Gaza Strip on their journey to visit their imprisoned relatives in an Israeli prison, getting harassed by aKM who was calling their sons “dogs” and “terrorists”.

      This democratic leader in the only democracy in the universe and beyond also has gone on record that: he would demolish the home of Palestinian assailant Omar al-Abed and “execute” his family. Anyone making any comparison with Lidice style of “law and order” clearly is antisemi… engaged in calumny.

      *There were no laws in EU about the colour of the cover of passports, as Mr Verhofstadt tweeted: “There is no EU legislation dictating passport colour. The UK could have had any passport colour it wanted and stay in the EU.”

      • Habbabkuk

        Fedup

        “These ships are exercising their rights under international maritime laws; freedom of navigation. ”
        __________________

        They are indeed and under international maritime law the coastal state is fully entitled to “shadow” warships of another country in its coastal eaters and the waters adjacent thereto.

  • giyane

    Clegg, having achieved his purpose in life, to shoe-horn the unelectable Tories into power, will be shoe-horned himself, by the Tories, into outer space. There he will take time off from greasing the wheels of Dave’s dipsy caravan and grinding soot to make his ink, to join the great gravy train of the Lords and snuggle his fake ermine to sleep.

  • Sharp Ears

    Pervert, defended by the son of a pervert, is found guilty and will be sentenced on 2nd February.
    Charles Howeson trial: Navy ‘kept quiet on groping officer’

    15.11.17

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-42002437

    Ex navy officer guilty of sex assaults
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-42399440
    ‘•1991 Leaves Royal Navy as a Commander. Final posting was Chief of the Allied Staff in Gibraltar.
    •1991 Becomes Executive Director of Plymouth Area Groundwork Trust charity. Leaves on health grounds in early 1993 after a number of people make allegations of indecent assault against him.
    •1997-2012 Holds a number of high-profile roles including regional Chair of the Consumer Council for Water, Chairman of First Great Western Trains Advisory Board.’

    Nice photo of him with P Philip on this link.
    https://goodnessandharmony.wordpress.com/2017/03/04/commander-charles-arthur-howeson-colleague-of-prince-philip-and-prince-charles-charge-with-buggery/

    I assume he will not be stripped of his (muiltiple?) pensions, including the one derived from his RN career.
    Pay scales. http://www.armedforces.co.uk/royalnavypayscales.php#
    •

    .

    • Courtenay Barnett

      Sharp Ears,

      My years in England left me with a distinct feel for “class” and related prejudices – based on my school, university and post-grad experiences.

      My view of the upper classes in relation to attitudes to their “British Heritage” is one of a sense of not merely socio-economic superiority but one of moral superiority standing aloft above the lesser beings in humanity. When you are right – oh so right – and – when you are wrong – you are right. Thus:-

      ” Daniel Janner, QC for Howeson, replied: “The defendant’s position remains the same. He didn’t commit these offences and he has been wrongly convicted.”

      • Trowbridge H. Ford

        It extends to those who seriously challenge it academically.

        Never forgot meeting Professor Geoffrey Elton, the famous Tudor historian, in the Institute of Historical Research, and he asked me what I was doing. I replied writing a two-volume biography of Henry brougham, He declared one volume would be quite enough, and a thin one at that.

        And then when I was scheduled at a seminar Professor Ian Christie chaired with John Dinwitty, Christie declined to attend the session where I gave my paper which refuted Chester New’s version.

        It was even worse when I dismantled A. V. Dicey’s exalted reputation. They just dismissed it as “monumentally wrong” without citing a single example.

        They think they know it all, especially when it comes to foreigners, particularly Yanks.

        • Courtenay Barnett

          Trowbridge,

          ” Particularly Yanks” – Never?

          Think about being Indian, African or Caribbean, for really pressing, pervasive and pertinent examples.

          It was Chinua Achebe who demolished ” Heart of Darkness” for its conspicuously obvious racism. He counted the words in this “African novel” which gave the Africans some 6 words to utter in the entire novel and one, I believe, came out something like “umgh” ( a grunt – I guess). It was what Edward Said set out to expose in his ” Culture and Imperialism”, Worth reading if you haven’t already.

          We are in a period of reconstruction of imperialist narratives – and – understandably – imperialists don’t like their misdeeds being exposed as much as racists can’t stand being despised for being racists ( always rationalising this way and that).

          The world we live in.

          ALUTA CONTINUA!

          • Trowbridge H. Ford

            Thanks, Courtney, but hardly consider Conrad and Said as Yanks. Know nothing of their critics nor want to. though I consider them great as most belatedly recognized writers of great non-fiction.

        • Shatnersrug

          Trow, a happy new year to you sir and may it be a healthy one

          I have been watching season 2 of the Crown. And I must say I’m pleasantly surprised. Whilst it works as propaganda for the family, it doesn’t show them to be kind or understanding, it shows them to be stuck between duty, and a fundamental sense of entitlement that they themselves do not understand nor even acknowledge. I certainly haven’t walked away from it feeling more sympathetic towards the institution. I’ve always been unenvious of their gilded cage lifestyle.

          The thing that’s striking about the 1950s is how absolutely incompetent the Conservative party were and are. And you can just see why the lower orders trampled over them in the 60s and 70s. However they have decided to take it back. And this is the time we must fight stronger than ever

          • Trowbridge H. Ford

            Thanks Shatnersrug, a Happy New Year to you too.

            Have grown a bit fonder of the Royal Family as it has diminished those recessive genes by necessity. Even Queen (Mother) Elizabeth!

      • Macky

        I’m not one of those people who minds if a link of mine is re-posted, as it least it confirms that somebody thought it worthy of attention also 🙂 Yes, I have no strong enough words to describe Israel; an Abomination that keep spawning daily crimes of inhumanity & brutality, that’s an affront & a source of shame for the rest of the World.

        • Macky

          More abominations from “the only Democracy in the Middle East”;

          “his interrogators made him believe they would harm his family and coerced him into admitting he was part of the bomb plot. It is not uncommon for a suspect, put under pressure or tricked into thinking they will get off lightly, to confess to something they haven’t done.”

          https://www.rt.com/news/414304-israel-shin-bet-interrogation/

  • Republicofscotland

    So Putin’s most likely challenger for the presidency, Alexei Navalny, is banned from running by Russia’s Central Election Commission.

    Navalny has been barred, on grounds of dubious corruption charges. Navalny, said he would appeal the decision in Russia’s Constitutional Court.

    Putin is widely expected to win the 18th of March election, and seal a fourth term in office, making him the longest serving Russian leader since Stalin.

  • Republicofscotland

    Meanwhile the Israeli Chess team, has been refused a visa to play in a major chess tournament in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi’s claim they do not recognise the state of Israel, unless of course they’re working in tandem to bring about the downfall of Iran.

  • Republicofscotland

    I thought I might add in this on Boxing Day, it may sober you up a bit. That Nick Clegg is to be given a knighthood, probably for services rendered during his time as deputy PM to David Cameron.

    Where he did absolutely f*ck all to mitigate the Tories slash and burn policies, and persistent attacks on the poor, elderly, and disabled. Clegg who lost his MP’s seat, must surely go down in the annuals of history as a dud.

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/26/nick-clegg-to-be-knighted-in-new-year-honours

    • Carl

      And still they’re baffled why people no longer flood out to endorse establishment projects and candidates.

      • Republicofscotland

        Yes, Clegg will become another unelected peer, in a undemocratic house, thats big on privileges.

        In a time when wages are stagnating, foodbanks are rife, the NHS is at bursting point, and the economy is in a right state due to Brexit, (As India also leapfogs Britain on the GDP table) and incompetent leadership.

    • Kempe

      Ex-Prime Ministers get Knighthoods, it goes with the job. Apart from Thatcher of course who gat made a Baroness instead. Major got his a few years ago and one day believe it or not Blair, Brown and Cameron will get theirs. THEN the shit will hit the fan.

      You could look at it as a snub to those three that Clegg has been honoured ahead of them.

      • Republicofscotland

        Oh, that’s comforting to know that fools, puppets and belligerents are rewarded no matter what.

        Cleggs coming knighthood only reinforces the idea that Westminster is a antiquated bubble, that has no real concept of public perception.

      • Ba'al Zevul

        Blair doesn’t dare accept it: he’d have to declare his financial interests. Which are many, various, and mostly foreign.

    • Stu

      Clegg’s political achievements are impressive.

      He took over the Lib Dems with 62 seats, Cleggmania in 2010 led to the loss of 5 seats to 57 and his tenure as deputy PM reduced them to 8 seats.

      Clegg stood up for students then introduced student fees. He was fiercely pro EU but set us on the path to Brexit. Under Kennedy his party gained by opposing Iraq, Clegg is culpable for the Libyan disaster and tried to take us to war in Syria. Clegg enforced austerity in return for a sham of a vote on Electoral Reform which was rigged against him by his partners.

      His entire career is a contradiction so it is perfectly suitable that he sits unelected in a legislature he formerly opposed.

  • Sharp Ears

    Not forgetting Clegg’s shameful part, and that of his minion, Paul Burstow, in putting through the Health and Social Care Act in 2012.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_and_Social_Care_Act_2012.
    See the mention of McKinsey within that.

    Where is Lansley, the multi millionaire ex Health Secretary? Why? At Bain & Co. and with multiple other financial interests. See his register.
    https://www.parliament.uk/biographies/lords/lord-lansley/123
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Lansley

    Burstow?
    ‘He was appointed Chair of the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust from November 2015 and became a part-time honorary visiting professor at City University London specialising in the impact of public policy and government on health and social care.!!!!!! He is a Trustee of Action on Smoking and Health.’ Wikipedia.

    Gross hypocrisy there.

    Shame on them.

  • Sharp Ears

    From Tony Greenstein’s blog

    On Christmas Day Ahed Tamimi’s period of incarceration was extended.
    ,26 December 2017
    Torture couldn’t happen to a J e w i s h child – 16 year old Ahed Tamimi’s Detention is Extended by Israel’s Military Court

    Labour’s Zionist Apologists Ellman, Newmark and Ryan keep silent as the ‘only democracy in the Middle East’ incarcerates children

    A posse of heavily built soldiers – all for one slightly built 16 year old girl. Photo

    Ahed Tamimi appeared in an Israeli military court on Xmas day, after 4 days inside without seeing a parent or a lawyer. She appeared in handcuffs. This slightly built child is in the warped fantasy of the settler regime perceived as a danger to Israel’s military might.

    Israel’s military courts have a 99.7% conviction rate, higher one suspects than the Labour Party’s National Kangaroo Court!

    Ahed Tamimi’s ‘crime’ was to slap and mildly chastise armed Israeli soldiers who invaded the grounds of her house, after a cousin of hers Mohammed Tamimi 15 was shot in the head with a plastic bullet at close range.

    Israel’s racist media ignored the fact that her cousin had nearly been killed and focused on the insult to national pride occasioned by Ahed’s slaps and the soldiers failure to strike back.
    /.
    https://tinyurl.com/y7gsyfw4

    • Loony

      Who said?

      “Having ensured my own security, my number one priority was to inflict damage on enemy patients – to the soldiers on the enemy’s side – by means of medication”

      Why step forward Dr. Alexandr Chernov a Ukrainian Nazi so slavishly supported by the full range of liberal democracies including the UK.

      How fortunate it is that the UK is able to continue to fund and cheer lead for actual Nazi’s untroubled by any public outrage. And so it is shown that Ukrainians can be added to a long list of “the wrong kind of people.”

  • Trowbridge H. Ford

    Just don’t understand the media seeing no correlation between others backing the US move to Jerusalem, the nine supporters being involved in doing it themselves, and suffering from Washington-made typhoons, hurricanes, and earthquakes.

    They are not just a group of knee-jerking toadies but are suffering constantly from USA-made climate change. Perhaps Catalonia should join them to avoid a devastating quake.

          • Trowbridge H. Ford

            It’s either Wright or Hollis. Not both.

            Wright not only got how to make atomic weapons, and how to degauss ships for Moscow.. He also got CIA to get rid of loyal Angki-Americans, especially JFK. Wight was the Soviets leading spy.

        • Paul Barbara

          @ Trowbridge H. Ford December 26, 2017 at 20:11
          Pity the Russkis aren’t controlling Mi5/6 now; it was a much more peaceful world with them in charge.

        • Habbabkuk

          “Assistant Director Peter Wright, take it over for foreign governments.”
          ___________________

          Peter Wright retired in 1976.

          If he had taken over the UK security services for the Soviet government – which he didn’t – then said services would have had plenty of time since to get un-taken-over.

      • Paul Barbara

        @ fred December 26, 2017 at 19:56
        WTF do you think the US has been doing with ‘Chemtrails’ (I am fully aware I should not use that term) and HAARP?
        Have they not shared that knowledge with the UK, or ii they haven’t, are the UK ‘Security Services’ so inept, they haven’t figured it out?
        By the way, anyone wishing to fund me should go to my numbered account at the Swiss Bank: PB2854733205584, and register it as a ‘donation’. My Russian account , unfortunately. does not allow for non-Russian donations, already! I’ve complained to Vladimir, but to no avail.

    • Paul Barbara

      @ Trowbridge H. Ford December 26, 2017 at 19:04
      Agreed US is ‘at it’, but why on earth are you surprised the MSM are not chasing it up?
      Why on earth Cuba does not put planes in the air and get the contents of ‘Chemtrails’ and expose it to the world, that does stump me.
      But yep, glad to know at least on US ability and use of the technology, we agree, for once.

      • Trowbridge H. Ford

        How do you know that the Cubans haven’t collected it, though the West doesn’t believe anything they may claim – like the looney. scared American diplomats in Havana are suffering from some form of meningitis, not sonic booms.

        I am not surprised by what Uncle Sam does, only that only a few like you and me notice.

        Thanks for the general agreement, though. Happy New Year.

        • Paul Barbara

          @ Trowbridge H. Ford December 27, 2017 at 13:36
          Sure, if Cuba announced it, we would not expect it to be on our MSM, but the Cubans have many friends around the world, as shown by the vast majority voting in the UN for an end to US sanctions, and those countries would plaster it all over their media, especially those who know or suspect they have been victims of ‘Weather Warfare’ and ‘Quake Warfare’.
          Happy New Year to you, but don’t expect it to be better than 2017.
          Bit of advice – rather than investing in Bitcoin, invest in a nuclear bunker!

        • Courtenay Barnett

          Got you point there.

          Here is mine here:-

          Trowbridge,
          “They think they know it all, especially when it comes to foreigners, particularly Yanks.”
          My post at 01:00 is drawing a distinction between the arrogant attitude of the British academic elite towards Yanks and the other ‘lesser breeds’ ( which was the point of my post). Hence references and examples of Said and Achebe.
          Trying to communicate clearly ( a fundamental necessity in my profession).
          Cheers.
          Courtenay

  • Ba'al Zevul

    Just for interest’s sake, what was going on in Ankara? The actual talks appear to have been in Astana ( in Kazakhstan).

  • Anon1

    Mark my words, Trump will go down as the greatest president in US history. I’m always right. It’s like a fucking curse.

    • Anon1

      Remember that I was the only commenter here that correctly called the Trump win. He’ll win in 2020 too!

    • joel

      He’ll need to go some then, because so far the sum of his positive achievements is zero. In fact, the only obstacle to him already being hands down the worst president ever is his sluggishness in starting a totally unnecessary major war.

    • fred

      In 1961 John F Kennedy became president promising that by 1969 America would put a man on the moon. At that time there hadn’t even been a man in space, to put a man on the moon would be a miracle but despite being dead for six years Kennedy kept his promise.

      Trump came to power promising to build a wall and hasn’t managed to find a bricklayer yet.

      • Paul Barbara

        @ fred December 27, 2017 at 11:26
        No, JFK didn’t put men on the moon – you’re confusing him with Stanley Kubrick.

      • Republicofscotland

        “At that time there hadn’t even been a man in space”

        Twelve weeks later there was, Yuri Gagarin, a month after him, Alan Shepard did the same.

    • Loony

      @Anon1 – Absolutely spot on. Trump is draining the swamp by means of Twitter.

      Much more to come. More bright lights to be shone on the wholly corrupt media, the wholly corrupt Clinton and Obama families, the wholly corrupt FBI and the wholly corrupt intelligence agencies.

      See how the “enlightened liberals” squeal in horror as the full extent of their delusional beliefs are gradually revealed. See how they respond with ever more desperate smear tactics that become ever more unbelievable and thus succeed only in assisting the man they claim to despise.

      Yeah suck it up losers. Your days are drawing to a close and you are going to be forced to acknowledge that your gods are all false. Your erstwhile masters will be much too busy trying to save themselves to offer up more lies for you to wallow in.

    • Republicofscotland

      If you’re a rich American (the minority) then yes, however the less well to do majority will probably disagree with you.

      • Anon1

        How did the Clintons make half
        -a-billion dollars?

        Seriously, it’s one of the great mysteries of life. How do you go from nothing to half-a- billion dollars without having done an honest day’s work in your life?

    • Anon1

      Another campaign promise delivered. Choose a legal method to enter the United States.

      Oh and check the economy out. That’s what will win Trump 2020 !!!

    • giyane

      In one of the first few verses of the Qur’an Allah mentions that he is not shy to use metaphorical speech.
      Metaphor. [ˈmɛtəfə, ˈmɛtəfɔː] NOUN
      a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable

      For example he uses the word habl/rope in reference to the way that the Qur’an rescues its followers. There is no literal rope dangling fro sky hooks. Our prophet SAW warned us of a great treasure under the Euphrates which would attract many to their death. But when simple people suggested that this might refer to the oil-wealth of Iraq , including Mosul which Winston Churchill grabbed for its oil, along with Palestine, and the oil Islamic State stole and sold to Erdogan and Israel, the Islamist preachers intoned that there is no metaphorical speech in the religion of Islam.

      If they had not, no Muslim would have dared to consume this treasure for fear of the prophetic warning SAW.
      Instead, the Islamists fell for the promise given to them by Obama of a Salafist state which has led to the hundreds of thousands of dead in the Iraq and Syrian conflict, the Islamists still dreaming of power from their charming benefactors. Now, where did I put my dangly rope? The world needs to move on from the lies of Islamic State and Al Qaida who are run by the CIA and MI6, whose 100 year old lies are wearing a little bit thin.

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