I learn the interesting news that David Aaronovitch tweeted to Joan Smith and Jenny Jones that I am:
“an angry and dangerous man who could as easily be on the far right as the far left”.
I had no idea I was on the far left, though I suppose it is a matter of perspective, and from where Mr Aaronovitch stands I, and a great many others, look awfully far away to the left. I don’t believe you should bomb people for their own good, I don’t believe the people of Palestine should be crushed, I don’t believe the profit motive should dominate the NHS, I think utilities and railways were better in public ownership, I think education should be free. I guess that makes me Joseph Stalin.
But actually I am very flattered. Apparently I am not just angry – since the invasion of Iraq and the banker bailouts everybody should be angry – but “dangerous”. If I can be a danger to the interests represented by a Rupert Murdoch employee like Aaronovitch, I must have done something right in my life. I fear he sadly overrates me; but it does make me feel a little bit warmer, and hold my head that little bit higher.
New play ‘A comedy of errors’ coming to a town near you soon
http://eyreinternational.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/article-1331601-0c2a1eaa000005dc-573_634x5871.jpg?w=700
I have no idea if my sons ever played strip billiards, or strip poker, or strip anything-else. But if I was Harry, I’d be horrified at the prospect of the life ahead of me, given the strictures and scrunity that would be there for my entire lifetime. At least “celebrities” can imagine a time when they’ll be out of the news.
When the Queen was here, the most frequent feeling I had was that I felt very sorry for her.
Next step, a public apology on Newsnight from Gavin Essler, for his behaviour towards Craig, his amateur shrieking performance on mentioning Anna Ardins name.
Aaronovich pulled his tail in, Craig would have slaughtered him and Essler scored an own goal, synonymous with sitting on on one’s own member.
Thanks to twa/itter, call me a reforming Luddite, and that CIA excuse FB, Gavin should/could be reminded of it, periodically, lets say, once/day, until he apologises for making such a fuss and getting it wrong.
After the OAS decision, this is as good a time as any, strike the iron whilst the fire is hot and don’t forget the potatoes you’re cooking on the side.
Lets get these two factions talking again. William Hague can you hear me….they want old fashioned diplomacy to work again….
I wonder if those Spanish-language reports on the contents of the OAS resolution were incorrect. Matt Lee of the Associated Press has an entirely different take. OAS Urges Britain, Ecuador to Resolve Assange Row:
Well, according to the latest EFE report, the part of the draft resolution which characterized the UK’s note to Ecuador as a “threat” was deleted, but there is still language in the resolution adopted against threats to the inviolability of embassies. La OEA aprueba por consenso una resolución de respaldo a Ecuador en el caso Assange [OAS adopts by consensus resolution of support for Ecuador in the Assange case]:
Looking forward to the outcome of this Assange situation.
Can we hope to see Julian, Craig and David on Newsnight.
For what it is worth lets hope things calm down soon. All this not knowing is taken my mind of what we should be worrying about.
The look on Prince Harry`s .
Wankers.
Russia and China are the ultimate nuclear balance to an increasingly aggressive United States of America. Projecting itself as a force for good in it’s strategic thinking America’s command believes that force has diminished since the illegal Iraq war in 2003 ignited by lies. America is losing its superpower status, has a record $295 billion trade deficit in 2011 and according to the US Senate Budget Committee believes that the federal debt could hit $16.2 trillion by 2016.
China’s influence in the Asia-Pacific region is strengthening and a secret report indicates that after a successful strike on Iran the US will accelerate and strengthen efforts to contain and squash China which includes a missile defense base as part of a regional military outpost in the Philippines with nuclear capability.
An unclassified version of the report has set out a strategy for America to increase its military presence in Asia to prepare for a possible conflict with China, one warship at a time.
http://csis.org/files/publication/120814_FINAL_PACOM_optimized.pdf
I guess I fell in love with Craig Murray, about 5 or 6 years ago, when I was feeling quite well off, and I took his book Murder in Samarkand to an island in the Maldives with all my family, and for the first week it just pissed down with rain…
And I just had to turn and read the next page
When I got back – he was giving evidence at the House of Commons – and I was all ready to go – just to be a witness – and Craig asked can anyone record this – and I thought – well yes, I should be able to work out how to do that..but the truth is..I didn’t have the time to test it – as it took me more than the time I would have spent travelling into London to work out how to do it…
When I was recording it, I didn’t know if it would work…
But it did
I Think This is a Really Important Record Of Our History…
TORTURE – NO YOU CAN’T Do That
Thank You Craig Murray, and Everyone Who Has Kept Your Website Alive…
I Do Read It – Though I Self Banned Myself
You Guys are Better Than Me… You Shouldn’t Be Spending all Your Time, Deleting My Comments when I am Totally Out Of My Tree…You should be finding out what is really going on – and writing it.
Craig Murray, Mark, Vronsky, Technicolour
And The Israelis – Trying So Hard From Japan…
I thought There is No Way I am Going To Do The Moderator’s Job…
I get much too drunk and stoned…
But some of you guys post links to Really Interesting Informative Stuff – and I Post Your Information In The Devil’s Jungle…
Cos whilst you guys sometimes fall out with each other and you sometimes go all “superior” – you ain’t any different from the rest of us – you just gave your internet lives in support of our hero
Craig Murray, Cos he stood up against all The Evil Forces and Said You Can’t Do This…
We are British, We Do Not Do TORTURE
http://www.youtube.com/user/tonyopmoc
I will piss off for another 6 months now
You are so “Precious”
I am posting this from a Free Chinese/American proxy – cos I told you how to ban me.
How sweet is that.
Tony
I searched for “Iran” in that unclassified version of the CSIS document. The word seems not to occur in it.
The Guardian drops Joshua Trevino
http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/08/the-guardian-drops-joshua-trevino-133138.html
Hey, Tony, nice to see you! Stay well.
Dreoilin
@Lysias:
It is an implied slap in the face for Britain from Latin America.
@Nuid:
I think the Guardian was desperately looking for a way to drop him after the outcry over his sensitive comments regarding the Mavi Marmara. Good riddance.
Yes, VivaEcuador, I’ve just been reading this:
Treviño’s dismissal and the precedent you helped set
August 24, 2012 By Sami Kishawi
The Guardian today announced its dismissal of columnist Joshua Treviño just nine days after hiring him, citing Treviño’s failure to disclose an important conflict of interest pursuant to The Guardian‘s editorial code. But Treviño’s dismissal also shows that a new precedent has been set.
According to The Electronic Intifada, responsible for first challenging The Guardian‘s decision to hire Treviño, the “announcement came as outrage from Guardian readers continued to grow over his history of incitement and hate speech directed against Palestinian solidarity activists, Muslims and others.” Though The Guardian chose to disingenuously pin its decision on Treviño’s shady work for Malaysian government officials and their allies, it is also a fact that the criticism the liberal newspaper drew from thousands of readers around the world pushed The Guardian to drop Treviño for good.
(continues) http://smpalestine.com/2012/08/24/trevinos-dismissal-and-the-precedent-you-helped-set/
“liberal newspaper” my ass, though.
Ecuador declares itself encouraged by OAS resolution and demands that UK withdraw its threat. Ecuador “fortalecido” por decisión de OEA e insta a R.Unido a retirar amenaza:
“… Assange, who has taken refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London and to whom …”
That’s a relief. I haven’t seen ONE English language MSM report that didn’t say he was “holed up” in the embassy.
Like Jesse James or Billy the Kid.
The comments of Secretary General of the OAS José Miguel Insulza are also worth mentioning, as he too thinks the resolution was a rebuke to the UK over its threatening note:
[Mod/Jon: sorry Tony, off-topic. Anything on the Assange case, or extradition in general, or international law, or any current affairs – all welcome]
I’ve just read Mensch’s Telegraph rant from Andrea Dworkin’s bunker, and watched the Newsshite interview with Krusty Wank.
Speaking of far right and far left, did people know that Mensch was once in the Labour party? [according to her wiki page].
And Norman Tebbit writes:
“Mensch had put her newly acquired husband above the constituents that her website still says she was honoured to have been elected to represent two years ago and that her attitude to her obligations appeared casual.”
Yet she claims her resignation is on behalf of her children [apparently they must have arrived at the last minute]. I wonder if she joined the chorus of calling JA ‘a self publicist’?
So apart from her Parthian shot whereby she calls for feminist stormtroopers to castrate all men, we should have heard the last of her, whilst she spends some quality time with her husbands money and all the Colombian marching powder she can snort.
Freedland in The Guardian is now describing Galloway as ‘creepy’. Because he voiced his opinion on the Assange debate. I’d have thought that a journalist, of all people, would respect free-speech, and denounce Galloway’s sacking, no matter what he thought of Galloway’s words. I’d have thought that because my understanding is that free-speech is central to the craft of journalism. Apparently not.
This hatred of Assange really is the most peculiar thing, isn’t it? I’m really not sure from whence it stems, as it doesn’t appear to really be about Assange at all, nor the allegations. Very very odd.
The Guardian publishes an “interview” with Correa in which Ecuador’s President displays his naivete by suggesting that The Guardian has some “journalistic ethics.”
When he has waded through this hatchet job he will know better.
Far to left, far to the right. Oh how they love to put us in little boxes. And when they can’t – you have won.
The month of August 2012 must be one bad time for the US State Department (and its lackey Brit equivalent).
The Organization of American States vote to support Ecuador and hence Assange. Perhaps they might add to their agenda that the Malvinas belong to Argentina. This in total defiance of America’s wishes.
In Tehran, Egyptian President Mursi decides to go to the NAM meeting. As does Ban the UN Secretary General. As do over 100 PMs and FMs from more than half the UN GA. Again in total defiance of America’s (and Israel’s) wishes.
American sanctions against Iran appear in taters.
The US looks like it is backing away from toppling the Syrian regime given that the Free Syrian Army is more and more looking like another Al Qaida front. Poor Hillary is looking like a total fool on this adventure.
These are the consequences of America’s strategic defeat in Iraq — the rest of the world is losing respect for the world’s last remaining super power. It happened to the Soviet Union. Show the smallest signs of weakness and the powerless will spontaneously show signs of rebellion.
Hell if this continues, maybe even Great Britain might get some balls and demonstrate their independence.
Bang! Crash! So who does the motorway maintenance now?
Public contractor Mouchel enters administration Mouchel was heavily dependent on government contracts, which dried up during the downturn
The UK public-infrastructure contractor Mouchel has entered administration after its shareholders rejected a proposed restructuring.
Shareholders turned down a plan to swap its £87m of debt for stock, but it intends to implement the plan anyway
…
Most of that debt now resides with the banks. Nice.
‘Under the plan, Mouchel will eventually be owned by its major creditors – RBS, Lloyds Banking Group and Barclays – and the management.’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19377058
I once mentioned that Surrey’s roads are in a bad condition and potholed yet you did not see that on the cycle races in the Limp Ics. The 42 miles of Surrey roads used were all tarted up for the occasion and some completely resurfaced.
This is the outcome – a payout to the road users who have made claims to the county council.
Potholes which damaged cars prompt council payouts
Potholes like this one in Horley, Surrey, have caused damage to car tyres and suspensions
Local authorities in England have paid out hundreds of thousands of pounds to drivers whose cars were damaged by potholes. According to Britannia Rescue, Surrey County Council awarded £638,239 in compensation between 2010 and 2012, the highest amount.
{http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-19367206}
Surrey CC have changed contractors for road maintenance now. They have joined a consortium with adjoining counties. Massive fraud was discovered in the previous contract yet it was once renewed.
What we always knew. Ref the Prom concert by the West Eastern Divan Orchestra. Ken Loach’s comments about the oppression of the Palestinians were removed by the BBC….. due to over running of the music… Of course. Also how Regev’s remarks (Israeli propaganda) go unchallenged.
http://electronicintifada.net/content/israeli-lies-unchecked-palestinian-perspectives-censored-bbc/11610
Yet the same man who decided to remove Ken Loach’s words, Oliver Macfarlane, sits sanctimonously in a local church playing the organ for the hymns.
http://stmarysstokedabernon.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19&Itemid=53
Is ‘We’re marching to Zion’ one of the favourites in his hymnal?
There is a good summary of Trevino’s activities on this Wikipedia page. Very interesting that it was the Malaysian thing wot dunnit for Rusbridger’s spin machine. Nothing to do with his revolting remarks on the Palestinians and those who would seek to assist them under their oppression.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_Trevi%C3%B1o
Well, the Guardian are now unambiguously removing posts from their comments sections that either pro-Assange in more than a trivial way or, more particularly, try and move any debate onto the role of Wiki Leaks in exposing the illegal actions of the US.
I, for one, am being pre-moderated. However, this is basically amounting to a total ban on my posts since none of them have got through for a couple of days on any articles. I am pretty confident I have not breached generally agreed etiquette (judging by the tone of some of the posts they are allowing though) or the specific Community Guidelines. However, to be sure, I have contacted the mod team for an explanation. Nothing, no reply.
I’m no-one special, So this is bound to be widespread.
The latest article is interesting. I suspect they have decided that an all out frontal attack on Assange by using the sex allegation has been to crass and so counter productive. Instead, they are now taking a more subtle approach to assassinating his character
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/aug/24/who-is-julian-assange
In these times, angry and dangerous is wiser than dumb and passive. This is from Dmitry Orlov:
‘why don’t you go out and take part in the Reverse French Revolution that’s underway in the US? That’s where revolting peasants do all they can to elect an aristocrat who will swindle them out of their savings even faster and lock up even more of them in the Bastille.’
http://cluborlov.blogspot.co.uk/2009/08/hunger-insurance.html