I am becoming quite fond of my little corner of Schiphol airport. I have put up my Christmas cards and a few bits of tinsel. I now have a boarding card for the 0800 to Manchester. This is the sixth boarding card I have had. It is very hard to understand why, time after time, they don’t know a flight is cancelled until some time after it was due to leave and all the passengers have queued at the gate for hours.
Of course, Manchester is a lot further from Ramsgate than Schiphol is, so even if the flight atually goes, this represents rather dubious progress.
Happy New Year everybody.
Remarkably, KLM delivered my lost luggage, including my laptop, at 9.30 pm on New Year’s Eve. At that time a pretty lively party was already in full swing,much improved by the presence of a great many beautiful young women, mostly from Latvia. I am not sure why; my life as ever consists of a bewildering succession of chance encounters with really nice people. I am in the fortunate position of being able to say that Nadira was the most lovely of all, without indulging in dutiful hyperbole.
It was an extremely happy Christmas. Having my mum, both my brothers and all my three chidren together was as great as it was rare.
We have been through the laptop in lost luggage discussion before. The problem is that my shoulders dislocate at the drop of a hat, and I travel without hand luggage to avoid an accident.
2011 is going to be a very important year for me. particularly the first quarter. A number of crucial events are going either to set me up financially for the rest of my life, or result in real distress and failure. At present I have reason to be very optimistic. I am also very absorbed in my life of Alexander Burnes, which I hope will help establish a serious academic reputation.
The Portuguese edition of Murder in Samarkand has sold unexpectedly well in Brazil. The translation of the Turkish edition has just been finished.
I hope to do a Wikileaks retrospective in the next couple of days. Just a quick thought on the case of the poor young gardener in Bristol. Of the Jill Dando case, long before Barry Bulsara’s succesful appeal I blogged that this appeared to be a miscarriage of justice in which the police had fitted up the local weirdo.
Despite not being enamoured of landlords in general, I fear the same dynamic is at work in Bristol, albeit Chris Jefferies is much more intellectually capable than Bulsara. My instinct is that the police have picked up on Jefferies for being camper than a boy scout jamboree and archer than Trajan.
Jefferies’ release on bail has me worried that there was nothing against him other than the “He’s a weird one, guv” instinct of some not very bright cop. The case needs to be closely watched as history shows that the powers of the police to make the evidence fit the suspect are considerable.
Here’s another feminist who seems to understand the issues:
http://www.redroom.com/blog/sunny-singh/do-swedens-rape-laws-infantilise-women-regardless-julian-assange
Matthews CEO at Heathrow has announced he will not take his annual bonus. Someone has tweeted – ‘No problem. He’s probably still living on the interest from last year’s’.
His salary and bonus last year was reputed to be £1m.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/baas-new-chief-executive-colin-matthews-told-to-focus-on-heathrow-788656.html
Only 53 yet has been with all these companies – ‘In the last 11 years, Mr Matthews, an engineer by training, has spent no more than two years in any one job.
Following a three-year stint at Bain, the management consultancy in the mid-80s, he has worked at General Electric, British Airways, Transco, Lattice, Hays and latterly water company Severn Trent’. Is that what is called job mobility?
“An Oslo-based newspaper reportedly has become the only medium in the world that’s secured unlimited access to more than 250,000 documents initially leaked to the non-profit organization WikiLeaks. The leak from WikiLeaks seems to have spoiled the organization’s strategy to retain control over the vast array of classified material mostly originating from US embassies around the globe.
“We’re free to do what we want with these documents,” Almlid told DN. “We’re free to publish the documents or not publish the documents, we can publish on the Internet or on paper. We are handling these documents just like all other journalistic material to which we have gained access.””
http://www.wikileaksforum.net/topic/norwegian-newspaper-aftenposten-claims-to-have-been-leaked-all-251287-cables
MJ – the Guardian has access to all of the cables. I had also previously thought they were reporting on them as WL released them; however the Guardian are dipping into them all, with an offer of “you ask, we search” to readers.
With this in mind, I would imagine all media partners (El Pais, Le Monde etc) have access to the whole cache also.
“the Guardian has access to all of the cables. I had also previously thought they were reporting on them as WL released them; however the Guardian are dipping into them all, with an offer of “you ask, we search” to readers.”
As a strategy of “keeping it in the headlines”, it’s not going to work for ever. The speed they’re being “released” at, it’s going to take several years.
He’s not the Messiah. He’s just a naughty boy.
Anon, I agree. I was wondering about that – is the speed just due to the work required for redactions, or could they push them out faster? I think it is a good idea to stagger them, but whether this degree is necessary or not, I don’t know. Still, I am not sure the strategy is “keeping it in the headlines” as such – more that the material can be discussed in the detail it deserves if it is released patiently.
They may of course bring on other newspapers around the world, so as to get extra help on redacting.
I’m happy to wait, anyway.
“‘Wikileaks: Stop the Crackdown’ petition here:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/wikileaks_petition/?slideshow”
You realize Avaaz is a Soros operation, don’t you.
What you really need right now is the Lib Dems to promise that the airport will remain closed forever, as a matter of inviolable principle. Then you could look forward to being on a flight home in the next half-hour.
Oh, and Alfred (‘LOL’), you haven’t answered my very simple question yet.
Here it is again, in case you ahve forgotten:
Alfred, if you lived in Britain, would you vote for the BNP?
A ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer will suffice.
Thank you.
The grim statistics of the drone attacks on Pakistan are mapped here.
http://www.channel4.com/news/pakistan-drone-strikes-the-cias-secret-war
Seriously: can anyone say whether this is normal procedure?
U.S. diplomatic cables leaked to WikiLeaks and published by London’s Guardian newspaper reveal that London in February was “exploring ways” to limit the operations of Iran’s state-funding broadcaster Press TV.
I can reveal that the British security services are preparing a statement where they will claim that Press TV may be a threat to British national security.
Press TV are fully compliant with broadcasting law and I believe this is the only legal way the TV can be denied a license to broadcast in the UK.
I shall be writing to Simon Gass, the ambassador to Iran with certain information to expose the lie that granting a licence would be contrary to Britain’s obligations under international law with regard to human abuses in Iran – HUMAN ABUSES?! – when the human rights of our own students were violated – when we supported America in rendition and TORTURE – when we murdered, maimed and traumatised so many children in Iraq – when children are still contained in asylum camps – and when families unable to work may be denied housing and may well end up on the streets????
Already Gass has opened his big mouth on the human rights situation in Iran to which the Iranian parliament may break relations with Britain – Let me explain to him we are trying to negotiate with Iran, albeit via the back door, to resolve our concerns on her nuclear ambitions. These human rights issues and concerns can only be resolved by eh – talking round the table. After our war abuse record, Britain must now use the pen, not the sword to regain trust, respect, compassion, kindness and good-will.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/156611.html
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2010/12/22/Iran-to-weigh-British-ties-next-week/UPI-14641293032315/
ukiniran.fco.gov.uk/en/news/?view=News&id=357050682
edition.presstv.ir/detail/156616.html
“U.S. diplomatic cables leaked to WikiLeaks and published by London’s Guardian newspaper reveal that London in February was “exploring ways” to limit the operations of Iran’s state-funding broadcaster Press TV.”
As usual we don’t hear the full story from Mark Golding.
Iran was jamming the signal of BBC Persia – the British state broadcaster – to censor the information available to its citizens. It was debated whether there should be retaliatory measures taken against Press TV.
From the cable itself it looks like nothing was ever actually done.
“I shall be writing to Simon Gass, the ambassador to Iran with certain information to expose the lie that granting a licence would be contrary to Britain’s obligations under international law with regard to human abuses in Iran – HUMAN ABUSES?!”
In your Manichean world, the Iranian theocracy can do no wrong, but the government of Iran has been carrying out human rights abuses since the founding of the Islamic Republic. Just ask the members of the Tudeh Party.
Oh, and Iran actually joined in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting alongside US forces, by the way.
“Already Gass has opened his big mouth on the human rights situation in Iran to which the Iranian parliament may break relations with Britain”
It sounds like you are now channeling the North Korean propaganda organ.
Comrades!
I’m just off for the holidays, might get online in a day or so after travelling, but just in case – I have to give you a seasonal joke.
—-
A Russian couple were walking down the street in Moscow one night, when the man felt a drop hit his nose. “I think it’s raining”, he said to his wife.
“No, that felt more like snow to me”, she replied.
“No, I’m sure it was just rain” he said.
Well, as these things go, they were about to have a major argument about whether it was raining or snowing.
Just then they saw a Communist Party official walking toward them.
“Let’s not fight about it”, the man said, “Let’s ask Comrade Rudolph whether it’s officially raining or snowing”.
As the official approached, the man said, “Tell us, Comrade Rudolph, is it officially raining or snowing?”
“It’s raining”, he replied, and walked on.
But the woman insisted: “I know that felt like snow!” to which the man quietly replied:
“Rudolph the Red, knows rain, dear”.
—-
Happy Festivus!
“can anyone say whether this is normal procedure?”
Tech, I certainly don’t know.
But I would guess that if the Swedes are issuing warrants and following people around the globe in relation to ‘ripped condoms’ and ‘inadequate contractual discussions’ (even in cases where the women have withdrawn their cooperation from the authorities) they must be running short of time and resources for the ‘war on terror’ and other such very important matters. Just my two cents. (I can say that ‘cos we’re in the euro zone.)
Happy Holidays Glenn!
Interesting article today on a new Harvard report about the problems sites like this face in trying to maintain free speech on the web in the face of determined DDOS attacks from governments wishing to suppress them –
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9202138/DDoS_attacks_threaten_free_speech_says_report?taxonomyId=83&pageNumber=2
For a pdf of the original report itself –
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/sites/cyber.law.harvard.edu/files/2010_DDoS_Attacks_Human_Rights_and_Media.pdf
To summarise, only large ISPs, (which operate on an “old boy” basis amongst themselves), have the ability to reach far enough upstream to strangle, or even mitigate, large scale government sponsored professional DDOS attacks. Due to their ownership, they are very unlikely to have the political sympathies necessary to host such sites in the first place, or defend them if they do. The smaller “independents”, may be willing to host politically “controversial” sites, but they lack the technological clout to do anything about it.
‘WikiLeaks to publish Israel files on Second Lebanon War, Dubai assassination’
Julian Assange, founder of whistle-blowing website, says thousands of documents related to Israel are due to be released over next six months …
Assange said in the interview that WikiLeaks plans on releasing cables that were classified as top secret regarding Israel’s month-long war with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon in the summer of 2006.
Moreover, he also claimed he holds documents indicating Mossad involvement in the assassination of Hamas operative Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai in January.
Assange said that WikiLeaks had not had any direct or indirect relations with Israel, but said he was sure Israeli intelligence is monitoring WikiLeaks’ activities closely.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/wikileaks-to-publish-israel-files-on-second-lebanon-war-dubai-assassination-1.332416
Interesting, @dreoilin. I wonder if that will make some of the doubters reconsider? One of the charges against WL, of course, was that “no” information on Israel was forthcoming. This was shown not to be true with a number of cables coming from the US embassy in Tel Aviv, but the suggestion persisted. Maybe this will change the game?
Incidentally, whilst the idea that WL is a disinfo campaign is, technically, another conspiracy theory, I don’t think it should be discounted out of hand. It’s an interesting idea, and would certainly have merit for elite interests. But on the available evidence, I think WL is the real deal, and I’ve not seen anything of note to change that.
Disappointed, incidentally, that the number of mirrors has not continued to rise.
‘Maybe this will change the game?’
I’m very curious to see what’s produced, Jon.
I saw the number of mirrors given as 2,000+ on Twitter yesterday, perhaps by Wikileaks themselves. Is that the number you had in mind? I’ll see if I can verify it.
LeakyLinks (http://status.leakylinks.com/) has it at 1916, but the official WL site (at the .ch domain) has it only on 1426. The former seems to be backed up with some evidence, so I think it might just be a cock-up on the WL system.
‘Happy Festivus’ to you Glenn – have a good’ne B-)
Read the military intelligence reports ‘Angry’ or is it Dr Strangelove? – on Iran’s role, released by WikiLeaks and posted by the New York Times and the Guardian. They provide details of the dangerous contest for influence in Iraq between Washington and Tehran.
The Beebs ‘counter-propaganda’ Persian service (modern Iranians speak English?) cost the British tax-payer about £20 million and tells lies, so, only worth a mention as an ideal ‘cost-cutting’ exercise to save further tax-payer hardships (wait till 20% VAT drives the cost of living up).
http://www.infowars.com/bbc-caught-in-mass-public-deception-with-iran-propaganda/
Tudeh party?! The party that originally banned women? Read about Operation Ajax and read about the brutality of Mohammad-Reza Shah Pahlavi regime supported by Britain and America. You need to learn about the British/American/Russian greed for Iranian oil and the nefarious and heinous contrivances carried out by British/American agents in Iran in attempts to secure a western facing government and ‘alliance.’
Nah! – forget it – stick with North Korea.
Assange:Bond Villain,of course.
http://www.frumforum.com/assange-bond-villain
http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/?id=405959&t=watch_assange_interview%3A_%22europeans_are_starting_to_wonder_…_does_america_obey_the_rule_of_law%22
@Mark, whilst I sense I am probably closer to your position than @angrysoba’s, I am in favour of applying sensible criticism to the Iranian regime, just we apply criticism to the British and American regimes.
This dilemma is somewhat like the issue with Cuba, discussed on another thread; imperial powers put so much political pressure on an ‘unfavoured’ regime, so that: (a) the country is subject to electoral manipulation by elite powers, or (b) in the case of autocratic regimes, freedoms are reduced in order to minimise impact from external malign forces, which in turn keeps the populace disgruntled.
What is the best approach to achieve genuine liberal freedoms in Iran? I don’t support US interventionism, and any overt electoral interference from them will just be in service to capital, as history shows. But then the US is not alone in that respect: any outside “help” is likely not to be altruistic. I can only think that decent NGOs and pressure-groups, like AI and HOPI, are the best route forward, unless someone can show how political tinkering in foreign countries can be done for the benefit of people, not capital.
Mark, you and your infowars!
You’re a tosser!
Sorry, the person calling Mark a tosser was me.
Mark is a tosser and a highly gullible and loathsome one as well.
Merry Fucking Christmas you Gullible Stupid Cunt!
Fuck You!
“Tudeh party?! The party that originally banned women? ”
Where is your source for this?
Alright, calm down @angry. Differentiate yourself from the troublemakers, and hold off on the name-calling if you can. Your argumentation is perfectly able to stand on its own.
On another note, just picked this quote up from El Pais interviewing Assange. I think it touches on the Propaganda Model that we’ve been talking about recently, and the nature of (some) people’s motivations for opposing Wikileaks:
Assange (on who is behind the smear campaign): “I don’t mean to say that there is a chain of command from Hillary Clinton right down to a journalist who works for The Guardian. That would be ridiculous; things don’t work like that in the real world, which is much more interesting and subtle. Power creates an atmosphere in which individuals practically feed off what they think power wants. In each group or organization there might be direct instructions, but each individual or group acts in a way that it feels maximizes its own interests. Careerism, fame, creating and maintaining alliances, doing favors, favors to friends, relatives, between members of the same party… doing things out of fear, without even being asked to do them… all these things create an atmosphere.”
Seasons greetings to all good people here, by the way, and to our host also. Trust you have escaped the airport!