I had excellent news from my cardiologist yesterday. Ready to think about other things now. I am horrified by the continuing stream of ” royal” baby hype on television. Truly pathetic – is this 1313 or 2013? Who buys into this nonsense?
I thought the Lib Dem take on Trident missiles was hilarious. This small group of islands does apparently need to retain the ability to wipe out one third of the urban population of humankind, as a defence against something undefined – possibly people we invade getting too annoyed about it – and in order to increase our “influence” in the World. As we plainly have less influence than the Germans, who don’t feel this need for the power of obliteration, I do not quite see how this works. Nor do I see Pakistan, which does have nuclear weapons, as very influential. Nor do I quite understand how our influence can be increased by possessing something under effective American control. But there you are.
Anyway, the Lib Dems have come to the intellectually scintillating conclusion that we do need this world shattering power, but we don’t need it on Wednesday or Thursday afternoons or on Saturday mornings, which will be cheaper. Brilliant, and plainly does not dodge any big ethical or practical questions at all.
Caig: Can I join with the others here who are delighted to see you feeling better.
I guess your cardiologist has given you all the warnings about lifestyle, diet etc… so I won’t…
But damn you are so right about this damned baby nonsense. Fortunately I don’t count among my friends one single person who is remotely interested in what Kate Middleton is doing or having, so I’ve missed most of it.
For me it’s simply another mouth to feed; another person to be protected 24/7 at our expense, and I can’t for the life of me understand why we are having all this nonsense about something thousands of people do every day. Unless Middleton has had blue blood transfused into her, it is a completely ordinary everyday baby….
I hope the baby and the mother are safe and well… like I would for every other mother and baby in the world. Beyond that YUK.
As for the nuclear weapons, I rather thought that the Labour proposal was even better. It goes like this:
We need the full £100 billion update, but we also need to work hard to disarm…
So, we are going to pay out £100 billion and then scrap the things?
Jeez. I knew Labour was bad with figures. I just didn’t know how bad.
They can do what the hell they want with them as long as they get them off Scottish soil.
@Roderick
In the part of Scotland I live they spoke Norse.
Komodo,
I also do not know how to measure these things (and not sure if anyone knows for sure). This has been central problem in relations between nations since national states and intensified after collapse of colonial order. Syrians might have avoided scale of victims we are currently witnessing but for how long? In contrast (and here I am again going back to Central Asia) absence of Western meddling (or to be more precise Russian and Chinese backing) in Uzbekistan is one of the major reasons of why Karimov is still in power. It is believed that there are around 8000 political prisoners in Uzbekistan. Every year several hundred of them are being killed by torture or die of malnutrition or diseases. Scale of victims is NOTHING comparing to 80000 killed in Syria and half a million of displaced and many more thousands injured what is potentially could happen in Uzbekistan if Karimov’s regime to be challenged (at least according to Karimov’s propaganda). Does this make Karimov’s regime better alternative?
The real problems in societies like Syria or Uzbekistan is not Western meddling (or its absence), it is corruption, economic underdevelopment, internal meddling between different centres of power (internally), absence of civil society, absence of freedom of any kind etc. All these problems cannot be silenced forever. They will eventually come out and will take its death toll, with or without western meddling involved.
Just back from the Royal Courts of Justice where a group of us stood outside with our placards in a vigil for Dr David Kelly who died 10 years ago. We are calling for the Attorney General to hold an inquest,
A few photographers took photos and Press TV sent a cameraman and reporters.
Good to see you back!
Why, in the first five years or so after the end of the Soviet Union, Britain couldn’t have announced a desire to get rid of these hideous weapons, I don’t know. I’m not even suggesting unilateral disarmament. They could have been put on the table as a kind of bargaining chip to try to catalyse global, multilateral disarmament or even just an international dialogue on the same. That, at least, would have been a start. Instead of that our useless “leaders” cling onto the bloody useless things for grim death. Not even the Lib-Dem chatter seems sincere. They are probably – with salaries, expense accounts and pensions looming large in their minds – just trying to curry favour with some of the poor saps who used to vote for them so they can save their seats.
Now we’re skint and everybody knows it. In the highly unlikely event that they were offered up as a starting point for international negotiation, nobody would believe it was for the right reasons.
Shades of Danny Casolaro
http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/crime/item/15929-journalist-probing-nsa-and-cia-abuses-dies-in-mysterious-crash
“On San Diego 6 News, national security reporter Kimberly Dvorak, for example, recently took to the air and talked about her conversations with sources surrounding the crash after spending a day in Los Angeles investigating. Noting that the police report was not available, she said law enforcement and fire department officials refused to comment, with some saying they had been instructed not to say anything. “That kind of stands out; we look at the NSA, the government says if you have nothing to hide, don’t worry,” she said.
Military officials, meanwhile, told Dvorak that the fire was “extremely hot” and “not something we normally see,” the reporter continued. The fact that the engine was between 150 and 250 feet behind the car was also strange, according to university physics professors she spoke with — it should have been in front, if anything. Another interesting fact highlighted in the report: There were no skid marks at the accident scene. “
The LibDems… happily forcing the disabled out of their council homes.
They’ve now made supporting the existence of the Israeli state a condition of being one of their MPs. They are allowed to question the existence of the Union of the United Kingdom… but not of Israel. They have to support a Jewish supremacist state there…
Je You are referring to the weasel-like Clegg’s action on David Ward I assume. David Ward is being persecuted in the same way that Jenny Tonge was. Sir Bob Russell is also been given a hard time.
MP David Ward has Lib Dem whip withdrawn over Israel comment
David Ward apologised after comments he made in January
Related Stories
MP Ward denies ‘language classes’
MP faces action over ‘Jews’ comments
MP censured over Israel criticism
Lib Dem MP David Ward has had the party whip withdrawn over comments he made about Israel.
He posted a tweet at the weekend calling the country an “apartheid state” and saying that “Zionists” were “losing the battle”.
It comes after a long-running dispute with the party’s leadership over his use of language and comments he made about “the Jews”.
Mr Ward said he would not apologise for his tweet.
/..
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23361380
@Fred,Rodderick, Komodo
WoW!
I am a well corrected, humbled and hugely more knowledgeable woman now. Thanks.
And I guess I’ll have to be doing the decent thing and renouncing my earlier utterances.
Vive la diversité!
I thought the best bit was the suggestion that to save money we might send the boats off to sea with missiles but the missiles wouldnt have any warheads.
Good to see you back Craig
This dangerous woman, who will replace Susan Rice at the UN, is proposing that Israel be admitted to the UN Security Council. That would give the Israelis carte blanche to carry on committing whatever crimes they wish. They have not even ratified international treaties.
Obama’s UN pick vows push for Israeli seat on Security Council
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/07/18/314425/us-to-sit-israel-on-un-security-council/
of if you prefer it, the Guardian version
Obama’s UN nominee Samantha Power highlights Syria and Israel
Power tells confirmation hearing the failure of the UN to stem slaughter in Syria is ‘a disgrace that history will judge harshly’
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/18/samantha-power-un-syria-israel-confirmation
More about Ms Power
http://dissidentvoice.org/2013/07/a-diplomat-from-hell-samantha-power-and-the-quest-for-eternal-war/
Komodo, and Roderick, (and Sofia),
From Wikipedia
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig; [ˈkaːlikʲ] is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Old Irish.
(etc)
Scottish Gaelic developed as an independent language after the 12th century. With the growth of Dál Riata and its use by the church, Scottish Gaelic became the language of most of Scotland, replacing Cumbric in the south and Pictish in the east.[14] The language was maintained by the trade empire of the Lordship of the Isles, which continued to control parts of Ulster until the 16th century.
The Gaelic language eventually displaced Pictish north of the River Forth, and until the late 15th century was known in Scots (then known as Inglis) as Scottis, and in England as Scottish.
Native speakers 58,552 in Scotland
Lots more info here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Gaelic
Distressed family members were also outside the Royal Courts of Justice.
Munir Farooqi, Israr Malik & Matthew Newton (Hamza) APPEAL against conviction is this week 17th-19th July 2013.
A peaceful demonstration will be held outside the courts in London on the duration of appeal. If you cannot make it every day, please make every effort to attend the last day of hearing when verdict will be given Friday 19th July 10am-4pm inshaAllah.
Following their conviction the family face the threat of being left homeless. Remember the fate of the family home also depends on THIS appeal.
The family may lose their home if the judges do not see how much support there exists out there for the innocence of these three brothers.
http://www.savethefamilyhome.com/
Some of the facts. http://www.savethefamilyhome.com/10facts.html
You were close enough, Sofia. You must remember though that such matters are rather delicate round these parts, especially this time of year.
‘Grand Hack Auto
The $25 gadget proves hackers can remotely crash your car’
I get an email telling me what’s in the latest edition of New Scientist. But I can’t read it unless I subscribe.
Dithering over it now …
EDITOR’S SELECTION
Honey, I shrunk the proton
The nucleus will never be the same again
Inside the brain of a Neanderthal
Gene breakthrough shows us Neanderthals’ mental life
Why do we hate exercise?
If it’s so good for us, why is it so hard?
“You must remember though that such matters are rather delicate round these parts, especially this time of year.”
Yes, Herbie. And I don’t think it can be allowed to “muddle on through” every year, with the constant potential for violence.
I saw tourists interviewed on tv, who were “looking forward to the bonfires”. Clearly they had no idea the Pope was on top. (Not that I care one way or another about him or his religion.)
@ Fred re your comment “In the part of Scotland I live they spoke Norse”. Yes, we are a bit Viking too. Ironically, I gather that the original language of Scotland was not Scots Gaelic, or Scots/English or even Norse – but a forerunner of Welsh (as it was in England too).
@ Sophia – There is diversity amongst the English regions too, but most people don’t understand just quite how diverse a country Scotland is and always has been.
@ Dreoilin – Here is what Wikipedia says about Scots – “Northumbrian Old English had been established in what is now southeastern Scotland as far as the River Forth [i.e. where Edinburgh the capital is] by the seventh century, as the region was part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria.” I should just add that I had read somewhere that Pictish is thought to have been a dialect similar to a forerunner of Welsh but that nobody is really certain.
@Sopia
When I’m reading old books I often see people who spoke Gaelic referred to as “Irish speakers”, it was the common name for them in Scotland certainly well into the 19th century.
“This dangerous woman, who will replace Susan Rice at the UN, is proposing that Israel be admitted to the UN Security Council. That would give the Israelis carte blanche to carry on committing whatever crimes they wish. They have not even ratified international treaties.
Obama’s UN pick vows push for Israeli seat on Security Council”
_______________
Another post from Flaming June which, by careful drafting and the selective omission of facts, must be termed tendentious and potentially misleading.
1/. The UN Security Council has 5 permanent members and 10 non-permanent members, which serve for 2 years. The US might be pushing for Israel to get a 2 year term as a non-permanent member (it is fully entitled to do so) but it is the General Assembly which appoints those non-permanent members;
2/. The present 10 non-permanent members include such paragons of humzn rights and democracy as Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Morocco, Rwanda and Pakistan (about whom I have heard no complaints on this blog from F.J.). So Israel, if elected by the General Asssembly, would be in good company;
3/. The election of Israel as a non-permanent member would not give that state any more “carte blanche” to carry on committing crimes than is given to to the UK, USA, Russian Federation and China by virtue of their permanent membership or to the 5 states mentioned in point 2/. by virtue of their ,o,-permanent membership;
4/. Israel has not ratified SOME international treaties. Perhaps in some ways that is more honest than certain other states which have ratified certain treaties but do not observe their provisions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Recalling that Flaming June recently claimed that Israel was “not a state”, I fear that this post of hers once again shows her in her usual anti-Israel mode. Reminds one of what the Arabs used to say about “sweeping Israel into the sea”, doesn’t it?
Dreoilin;
Check again. I was able to access the article without paying. Maybe the TV license in bunging you up.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21929266.500-25-gadget-lets-hackers-seize-control-of-a-car.html#.Ueg1W-DTKFI
I believe she said ‘knotty state’ or ‘naughty state’. Either would apply.
Black hat USA is going to give a demo of the $25 device @ Caesars Palace LV July 27 to August 1.
I think I’ll register. Need to find the day.
https://www.blackhat.com/us-13/arsenal.html#Illera
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/07/18-1
“The military judge presiding over the case of Pfc. Bradley Manning ruled Thursday to maintain Manning’s most severe charge of “aiding the enemy”—a charge critics are calling a major blow to the freedom of the press.
Firedoglake’s Kevin Gosztola reports:
The judge has denied the defense motions for a finding of “not guilty” on the “aiding the enemy” charge and the charges alleging Manning exceeded authorized access on his computer. What is important to note about this ruling is that she was to consider all evidence presented to her in a “light most favorable to the prosecution.”
“Only in the absence of some evidence” that by reasonable inference could “reasonably tend to establish an offense charged” was she to rule that Manning was not guilty.”
It’s essential to this case. The USCMJ needs to implement the 12 juror rule. Judges can be gotten to.
A state has borders. Israel doesn’t have borders.
Palestinians have never said anything about sweeping Israel into the sea. Ahmadinejad did not say it either.
This guy has been pretty good.
http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2013/07/18/bradley-mannings-trial-motion-for-finding-of-not-guilty-on-aiding-enemy-charge-denied-updates/
Is this bleating from Murdoch designed to influence the outcome of the upcoming trials of his protégée Ms Brooks and her cohort?
Rupert Murdoch criticises police inquiry
Mr Murdoch appeared before the Commons culture committee in 2011
Murdoch prepared to face MPs again
News Corp defends Murdoch over tapes
News Corp officially splits in two
Rupert Murdoch has rowed back from claims that the inquiry into corruption is “totally incompetent” but says the police response is “disproportionate”.
In letters to two MPs, the News Corp boss backed away from “overly-emotional comments” made in a secretly-recorded meeting broadcast on Channel 4 News.
But while he now says he does not “doubt the police’s professionalism”, he says the inquiry has taken too long.
He wrote after MPs demanded he explain comments made at a Sun staff meeting.
/..
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23368569
@Soccer Doc. 5 54pm
“…to save money we might send the boats off to sea with missiles but the missiles wouldn’t have any warheads.”
It just keeps getting more and more like a Tom Sharpe story. I was sad to hear of his death last month. Now he’s gone I regret never writing to thank him for all those wonderful tales and characters.
Can anyone suggest a writer who might step into his shoes.
Credit to Flaming June to attempt a reply, but sorry, not good enough. I’d recommend her to try harder except she hasn’t a basis. I almost fell for her implication that Power would be pushing Israel for a permanent seat! A fundamental breach of objectivity or just mere propaganda?
S Korean World Bank Presidents competence being questioned based on S Korean pilots in a mishap; God being petitioned to Damn America, and now this.
How do we solve a problem like Maria?
Sofia Kibo Noh,
Tom Sharpe has had a good last twenty years in his home in Spain –
http://www.spanishpropertyinsight.com/2013/06/25/farewell-to-tom-sharpe-a-big-fan-of-spain/
Sofia “I regret never writing to thank him”
Well don’t lose the chance to write to Habbabkuk and thank him. I presume you’ve read his rather well-argued comment above and appreciate not only the robustness of the riposte but also an indication of his own thoughts which you have previously complained are not declared.
Btw what do you make of Pakistan, its nukes and the ISI/Jihadist complex?