I am afraid that the result of Norwich North by-election has severely dented my appetite for blogging. When I put my views to the electorate and asked for their support, I could hardly have been more comprehensively rejected. I was convinced we could get a respectable vote of 7% in Norwich North and have something to build on.
I am not interested in the smug self-satisfaction of believing I have access to a knowledge or analysis denied to the “ordinary” people. Nor do I think that people in the UK have lost their capacity for sensible judgement, or that political discourse needs to be dumbed down to try to achieve a wide appeal. The fact is that Norwich North showed that no significant minority of the general populace has any interest in what I have to say.
So the urge to give comment and information on the sick farce of the Afghan elections, the extraordinary and cynical charade over the Lockerbie “bomber”, or even the hope destroyed in University admissions this year, has been nullified by an awareness that what I think is of no account.
It is not a case of feeling sorry for myself. It is a long overdue hit of realism. I have frequently complained, for example, that the damning evidence I gave on the British government’s complicity in torture was almost totally ignored by the mainstream media. The reason is that the media is not manipulative, it is merely making a shrewd and correct commercial decision that almost nobody cares.
There are moments that change lives. I was fairly stoic at the Norwich North count. I was then struck by a catharsis. After the declaration of results, the candidates made their speeches from the platform. When it came to my turn, Chloe Smith walked off the platform and stood in front of me and the media pack noisily formed around her. The officials started chatting among themselves about what they were doing at the weekend. I was left in the position of having to make the customary comments to a noisy room in which most backs were turned on me and only a very few were politely pretending to listen.
I cannot get out of my head the idea that my blogging is but the virtual equivalent.
Some memorable words about another lost battle in East Anglia. Take heart.
Brythwold spoke, grasped his buckler,
He was an old comrade, urged the men,
He full boldly cheered his soldiers,
“Thought must be the harder, heart the keener
Spirit shall be more – as our might lessens.
“I don’t think of Communism or Objectivism as political. They are pagan cults”
Some sociologists call them “political religions”.
All religions are political.
A political religion is a political ideology with features typically found in religion, but that is not an actual religion. It is not a religion with political features. See Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_religion
I repeat: ALL religions – including “actual” ones, whatever that means – are intrinsically political, because they aim at reordering society in their image. They practise politics dressed up in godly rhetoric.
Impelled to reiterate that this blog has contained some noticeably well-written journalism and opinion from an informed perspective, and it would be a rotten shame not to continue it.
But what are you trying to do with this, is a good question, I think. Is it turning into an online newspaper? If so, is it daily, weekly? Either way it must be hard to keep up the range of pieces and topics, and the moderation, without an editor or researcher, and almost impossible if running for election.
My gratitude for the time you’ve spent on this so far and, as someone asked before, what are your web stats? The Spectator used to sell 20,000 copies a month, I believe, and considered itself important.
>I am not interested in the smug self-
>satisfaction of believing I have
>access to a knowledge or analysis
>denied to the “ordinary” people.
This is not true. You said months back that you deserved a better salary than the one you had been given. From the £500,000 the government gave you for “wrongful dismissal”, it seems you were earning around – or at least! – £80,000 a year, excluding perks.
So, like the thieves in government, you want MORE, let’s say £120-160,000 a year. Why? Are you that special that you deserve a salary that only a very tiny percentage of the population can ever earn, or is it the case of taking whatever you can off the public? After all, the rest of us have to take what we’re given – fair or not! Many people deserve more, but they aren’t earning anywhere close to £80k a year.
Perhaps you can write up a section on what your job entailed, what you did for the people of this country, and why British ambassadors deserve to be paid such huge sums.
If you can justify it, I’d be happy to pay it. But I don’t think you, or the crooks in government, can justify it. It seems to be a case of corporate servants wanting the same lifestyle as their corporate masters, and the public must, yet again, fork out money to a bunch of criminals who do nothing but lord it over the rest of us.
As for losing your job. I don’t dispute that you were treated badly by those in government, but many people lose their jobs thanks to the whims, incompetence, and greed of others, i.e. CEOs. While ordinary workers are punished with unemployment, community service, and then with losing their benefits, the CEOs are protected and given obscene salaries and obscene bonuses for simply presiding over a large corporation that, by virtue of its size – as opposed to the genius of the CEO! – makes large profits.
Are you smarter than a top theoretical physicist, or mathematician? Do you risk your life in your job? Tell me why ambassadors and two-bit politicians – sorry, I mean corporate servants who destroy lives – deserve so much money?
As for standing as an independent. You know perfectly well that will NOT change anything. The corporate control of Britain is almost complete, but you’d rather fool the people of this country that tinkering at the edges will have some sort of effect. Even if your intentions are 100% good, what can you, as a single individual, change?
Tartarus – first you’re completely misinterpreting what Craig said. He means he wants to try to inform and persuade everyone and has no interest in being part of a minority exhibiting pride in knowing things the majority don’t. That has nothing to do with rates of pay.
Second can you provide a link to Craig saying he deserved a higher salary than he got when he was an ambassador – i don’t remember him saying that at all and suspect you’re just making it up.
Your £80,000 a year figure seems to be pulled out of thin air too.
You ask “Do you risk your life in your job?”. If you’d read Craig’s books the answer would seem to be yes, many times – and going far beyond what his job required of him. Unfortunately the British government often wasn’t that concerned with promoting democracy or protecting ordinary people in the countries Craig was in.
Craig – I agree with you in having respect for the majority of people and not dismissing their views.
However the media does unfortunately have far too much impact on what issues people consider to be important or unimportant.
Remember the Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand rude phone call? That got more intense and long-lasting media coverage than Blair lying to take us into a war we shouldnt have been in. As a result more people actively complained to the media about it than about coverage of the Iraq war.
Was a rude phone call more important than hundreds of thousands dead, or hundreds of British troops dead? Hardly. The majority are often badly misled by much of the media and it takes more than two weeks to change it.
In fact getting almost a thousand votes in a two week campaign was pretty good going.
Tartarus,
That was an interesting rant and I partially agree with you – and would probably have completely agreed with you if it hadn’t mainly been a personal and inaccurate attack on one individual – Craig Murray.
Now that you’ve got it out of your system like a Billy Bragg song – have YOU got anything constructive to say.
You stated “Even if your intentions are 100% good, what can you, as a single individual, change?”
I actually think Craig Murray has already worked wonders to achieve the beginnings of positive change. He has made individuals within both the US & UK Governments and Intelligence Services to start seriously worrying about themselves being prosecuted over TORTURE. As a result of this he has almost certainly been personally responsible for a significant reduction in people being TORTURED.
Its relatively easy to define problems and complain, but producing ideas to effect positive change is far more difficult. To actually risk your own life and stand up to Government Power and Tell Them Bluntly What You Think Of Them – takes tremendous courage.
I’m not suggesting that you wouldn’t have done the same thing, but it really is not about money – as I’m sure you realise.
So what are your ideas about solutions? Have you got any or have you given up?
Tony
Dear Craig
So, as you can see by the posts that you have achieved much.
But in order to keep it, you have to keep fighting every day.
I like reading your blog because it is good, I go to others but some people don’t have knack and therefore their blogs are weak.
You get supporters here but also critics so you must be doing something right.
Outspoken people always attract attention because they aren’t sheep.
Now, pick off and get the keyboard rattling again.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
typo
Now, nip off and get the keyboard rattling again.
Craig,
Clearly you’re on a downer.That’s understandable.I suggest you’re tired too.Again,understandable.
But don’t you fucking dare stop blogging.Take some time out.Recharge your batteries,
The road is long……
You are a Soldier of Truth and Humanity.
Fuck Norwich North.Yours is a global mission.
All the work you have done,and continue to do,is vital in shining a light on barbaric practices and evil people.
This is more vital then ever now.
Without your work there’d be damn less revelations about torture coming,as they are increasingly now,to the MSM fore.
Get a fuckin’ grip dude.
Stop being maudlin.
I repeat…the road is a long one and YOU are a Soldier of Truth and Humanity.
By the left,then…
If he’s any sense, he will have gone off on holiday with wife and child, and decided he’s not going to go anywhere near a soddin computer ever again… well at least until it gets cold, and he gets bored and remotivated to again take on the arseholes.
Everyone needs to take a break.
Even in Oldham – they used to tell the millworkers to sod off to Blackpool for a couple of weeks. They even organised the steam train – and believe it or not I remember it well.
Tony
Don’t let the bastards grind you down.
I really get value from your blog so get off your arse, “pick yourself up dust yourself down and start” bloging again.
You are great – don’t give up.
My best best wishes to you
Mike
On Monday, I read my wife’s Daily Mail on the way on The Tube to Camden Town…
We had a really nice day out – and I showed her the Electric Ballroom….
And we had a lovely meal right next to the canal – and we walked to Little Venice – and then to Warwick Avenue…
But on the way there – The Daily Mail was all about doing a home porno movie….
And I thought fuck – We haven’t done that for years…
So we had a bit of fun yesterday
With all the lighting – and stuff…
And I even got a HD display working Live…
I had tested my two most recent little HD cameras – but only my Big Sony – well it ain’t that big – but it was the first decent HD reasonably small camera that will make my dick look really big LIVE
So the design and the idea was good – and she was up for it – and loved seeing the most intimate parts of her body – blown up massively on the 37″ HD Screen that she normally watches Property porn on…
But I was also using my little tiny HD camera…
And the batteries kept running out
So the result wasn’t that great – except for the fanny farting in stereo….
So we decided to do it again this morning
Without any of the cameras
It was so much better
Tony
Conversations with a Right Wing American Republican….
You Americans are so completely f**king Stupid with Regards To Your Attitudes about Actually Caring For ALL Americans that it beggars belief…
My Mum at the age of 77, after surviving a week on a boat with us and our kids on the Norfolk Broads completely unscathed – which was an incredibly dangerous thing to do because she was incredibly fragile….
Gets back home, and misses sitting her chair
And breaks her hip…
And is rushed to hospital….
And goes through enormous pain – but gets a new artificial hip….
And is incredibly religious – and she makes a complete recovery and walks again – because she was so determined to see in the Year 2000….
And when her ticker got dodgy at the age of 83, for the first time in her life – they performed heart surgery and fitted a pacemaker….
ALL ON THE UK NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE (she didn’t have to pay a penny)
The UK NHS costs less than half the costs of American Health Care
And The Results Are Far Superior
Because
We Care
You Don’t
You Are SELFISH AND STUPID
Tony
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Big Jake
Joined: 09 Jan 2009
Posts: 91
Location: Kentucky
PostPosted: Wed 26 Aug 2009 7 17 pm Reply with quoteBack to top
opmoc wrote:
And The Results Are Far Superior
Because
We Care
You Don’t
You Are SELFISH AND STUPID
Tony
Your point being, your ladyship?
_________________
“What Jefferson was saying was, “Hey! You know we left this England place cause it was so bogus. So if we don’t get some cool rules for ourselves…pronto, we’ll just be bogus too. Get it?”
– Jeff Spicoli on the Declaration of Independence
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opmoc
Joined: 18 Oct 2006
Posts: 563
PostPosted: Wed 26 Aug 2009 7 31 pm Reply with quoteBack to top
Big Jake,
I used to have enormous respect for Americans.
I have worked with some of the Very Best Project Managers in The World
And in the 70’s and Even 90’s
You were the best in the f**king World
But 9/11 did your brains in
Now you are pathetic wimps and have lost your way…
Get your heads together – and get that old sparkle back and arrest all the f**king fascists who are f**king you up
I just want you back – beautiful, strong and nice
Tony
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opmoc
Joined: 18 Oct 2006
Posts: 563
PostPosted: Wed 26 Aug 2009 7 55 pm Reply with quoteBack to top
You see, the development of the computer was really, really important for the future of the human race…
And when I was 19, we really were at the top of the game in Manchester
We were years ahead of the Americans – yet we were going bust…
So we worked at our leisurely pace like we do to make stuff perfect..
And Geoff Cross recruited a load of Top of The Range American Project Managers…
You guys were completely f**king brilliant and used to be their at 7:00 am to find out what all the real problems were by talking to us
We thought you were brilliant because you heard what we were saying and got the dozy British managers who never turned up till 9:00 am to allocate the resources – so we could get the f**king thing out working on time
Well of course you stole all our secrets – and reported back to your own US computer companies… such that when I was in my prime at the age of 28 – I and half of The North of England were made redundant…
But I never forgot the lessons you taught me
Tony
7% of Norwich North? Maybe not – but I bet you have as much as 1% (who knows? maybe more) of the population popping into your blog from time to time. That has to count for something…
If elections were responsible for reflecting what the majority want, we wouldn’t have had blair (and by proxy Brown) for so long.
“Stop being a twat and pull yourself together. This is one of the most important blogs there is.”
++
The Nobel prize winning Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz, who lived through the brutal occupation of his country by the Nazis, wrote, “that which is articulated strengthens itself; that which is not articulated tends toward non-being.”
Let us pray that Mr. Murray, despite recent attacks and setbacks, is not daunted but returns from his rest period with his commitment to articulation of the truth confirmed and strengthened, strong in bone and sinew, heart and soul.
We are plagued by liars, dissemblers, nihilists and fools. We need truth speakers.
Come back soon Craig.
Keep going.
aND SO i WAS GETTING INCREASINGLY ANNOYED BY THE BEAUROCRATS who had all the control of the fucking money
So I built the frame…
It took about 10 days of sheer hard brainwork
And then I tested the basic frame by writing the basic programs to prove the machine would work fine – because it was working fine – with my own incredibly unpretty software – I document nothing and write close to machine code and use everything available ( I do not re-invent the wheel) if it is free to use software – which most quality is in the UNIX world – people work on it – and just give it away and support it – because it is far better than the commercial stuff
I said – The Fucking Thing Works – I Have Been Working 2 weeks on this…
They said Fuck Off Tony
I said – no you don’t understand – if you want it done pretty it will cost about £250K – but they said – we don’t want that – Fuck Off Tony
And I Really Wanted to Fuck Off
So I screwed them for a few thou to send me on all the training courses – under the previous year’s education budget that I hadn’t used
And wrote the entire thing myself
Not only that – during the design, implementation and testing phases I completely involved all the main users – mainly by telephone – but also meeting them several times
And so after the testing phase
I just made it live…
And then 3 months later the Senior Management noticed a Dramatic Improvement
They said what have you done?
I said – well you wouldn’t agree – so I just fucking did it
What are you going to do – take it off your satisfied customers?
So they said
Fuck Off Tony
So I did
Wankers
Tony
Hi Craig,
it’s late and I’m off to bed soon. Just thought I’d send a little comment to say hello, and wish you, Nadira and Cameron well.
All the Best,
Clark
You stood alone on maverick ticket and are expert on events remote from North Norfolk.
Your motto ‘an honest man’ was, some held, perhaps belied by your domestic circumstances, that is, slightly messy divorce and remarriage.
In the circumstances your results were not so bad.
And at least you beat that unctious fraud, the obnoxious BNP’s fake vicar, Robert West.
Your writing remains relevant, sharp and interesting. Unlike many bloggers, you have something to say that you have learned the hard way.
Give up politics and keep blogging, please.
Tony
I think you should start your own Blog mate, when you have had a few jars, your ramblings are magnificent, look foreward to the next one ..
Craig,
Don’t feel that you don’t make a difference. Look at the 206 (no, 207 – you have a new fan)comments that you have provoked.
Keep it all alive
Quote: “In May we had 79,321 Unique Visitors as measured by Statcounter. Pageloads is a much higher figure. This despite some teething problems in switching over to a new server. Yet again, it is a new record.”
Personally I hope you are having a happy and deserved holiday.
Craig.
There’s no nice way of putting this.
Dry your f*cking eyes.
OK so Norwich wasn’t a success. WOW! Independent candidate gets a sh!t vote – well hold the f*cking front page!
Stop moaning. Dust yourself down. And then get back to doing what you do best.
As for your detractors – f*ck ’em all.
Hugs,
Walter
Um … a little comment moderation wouldn’t go amiss …
You must have been very naieve to believe you had any chance of winning as an unknown independent! The odds were always going to be stacked against you. People told you of this in the blogg earlier. There is of course no harm in trying and by doing so maybe another crack in the armory of this useless democracy has been created.
So get back to blogging. Draw a line under this at the end of August and move on. The words of Jeffrey Archer are well to be commended on these kind of things. Dust yourself off deep breath and get on with it. Liberals are so much into navel gazing and Guardian reading. All a waste of time for sure!