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89 thoughts on “Crimea Was Lost on the Playing Fields of Eton

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  • keep calm and carrion

    The, ah, financially independent, Habbakuk giving us market tips, that’s the funniest thing I’ve seen on this thread in months.

    Damned if I didn’t just take a flutter today, to cash in on all the speichelflussig money with their ideological shaggy-dog stories. Ka-ching! What would we do without dopes?

    Keep it up, fellas! Strive and grow rich!

  • Fukuyama

    The Americans are still high on Fukuyama’s 1989 theses, whilst the Russians and Chinese have moved on. Somebody needs to tell the American fools that an indebted beggar ($17 trillion and counting) has to be respectful of its Treasury Bill purchasers.

  • nevermind

    How mcan the Crimean referendum be described as a ‘landgrab’ by Hague? whenever did he use this word in conjunction with East jerusalem landgrabs?
    hypocrisy = diplomacy

  • Jay

    Kempe

    That corruption in the government is not unique but as a single issue would it be enough to be so decisive in splitting a country.
    As is hoped international law could intervene on corruptive issues in state governance and judiciary with responsibility.

    As usual the people will not get there share of morality and will continue to be undermined by the system that they choose to incorporate into. East or West their position will be divided.

  • Mary

    ‘@ Kempe
    18 Mar, 2014 – 11:45 pm
    Whilst pointing the finger at our Eton educated elite let’s not forget that leadership from the EU was once again noticeable by it’s abscence.’

    EU’s Van Rompuy not meeting Putin on Wednesday: spokesman
    Mar 18, 2014 3:41pm EDT

    European Council President Herman Van Rompuy speaks at a news conference at the end of a European leaders emergency summit on Ukraine, in Brussels March 6, 2014. REUTERS/Yves Herman photo

    European Council President Herman Van Rompuy speaks at a news conference at the end of a European leaders emergency summit on Ukraine, in Brussels March 6, 2014.

    (Reuters) – A spokesman for European Council President Herman Van Rompuy denied a report by a Russian news agency that Van Rompuy would meet President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, saying he was not travelling to Moscow.

    News agency Interfax cited diplomatic sources in its report, issued amid high tension over Putin’s move to make Ukraine’s Crimea region part of Russia.

    /..

    http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/18/us-ukraine-crisis-putin-rompuy-idUSBREA2H1ZE20140318

  • Mary

    I have always spelt the Russian unit of currency as ROUBLE? Habbabkuk spells it RUBLE, the North American way.

    English spelling

    Both the spellings “ruble” and “rouble” are used in English. The form “rouble” is preferred by the Oxford English Dictionary, but the earliest use recorded in English is the now completely obsolete “robble”. The form “rouble” probably derives from the transliteration into French used among the Tsarist aristocracy. There are two main usage tendencies: one is for North American authors to use “ruble” and other English speakers to use “rouble”, the other is for older sources to use “rouble” and more recent ones to use “ruble”. Neither tendency is absolutely consistent.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruble

    ~~~

    Will the new £1 coin be called a Gideon? It is supposed to resemble the old threepenny bit which, if you were given one as a child, you were rich. It had the image of a wren on one side. How much will it cost to change all the machinery that accepts £1 coins? Parking meters, shopping trollies, self service tills in supermarkets, etc

  • Mary

    A Torcuil Crighton Westminster Editor of the Daily Record and Isabel Hardman of the Spectator discuss today’s papers on BBC with Clive Myrie, the presenter.

    Re: The latest broadcast of BBC “The Papers” and the inevitable discussion of Crimea – Ed Today, 1:38 am
    Selective amnesia: they’ve forgotten how effective sanctions were against Iraq: 500,000 + babies… – Gutenberg Today, 2:00 am
    Thanks for reminding me of Madeleine Albright…yuk! (nm) – Ed Today, 2:07 am
    Again with the “russian tanks” – these hacks are becoming so transparent! – CJ Today, 2:12 am
    Re: Again with the “russian tanks” – these hacks are becoming so transparent! http://members5.boardhost.com/medialens/thread/1395188077.html

  • Habbabkuk (La vita è bella!

    Mr Scorgie

    “Habbabkuk, you have been cautioned previously about denigrating Jews, please show some respect towards the Jewish people by refraining from the spelling: “Jooos.””
    _________________

    I think you’d be better employed directing your comment about showing some respect for the Jews (of which I have a lot, actually) towards some of your fellow Eminences. Including to those who have asserted that Israel has no right to exist.

    Think about it and have a nice day!

  • Mary

    Fugitive former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden appears via video link on a remote-controlled robot at a TED conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Tuesday. | AFP-JIJI

    NSA can retrieve, replay phone calls: report

    Mar 19, 2014

    WASHINGTON – America’s National Security Agency has technology that is capable of recording the phone calls of an entire country and replaying them later, a report based on leaked documents said Tuesday.

    The Washington Post, citing papers released by the former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, said the eavesdropping agency’s equipment functions like a time machine by being able to reach into the past.

    The report said the NSA can collect 100 percent of the calls of a target country, reaching as far back as one month with tools called MYSTIC and RETRO.

    The leaked documents say the technology can “retrieve audio of interest that was not tasked at the time of the original call.”

    /..
    http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/03/19/world/nsa-can-retrieve-replay-phone-calls-report/

    ~~

    It has almost been forgotten in the current demonization of Putin that it was he who gave Edward Snowden sanctuary.

  • Habbabkuk (La vita è bella!

    Peacewisher

    “I think the EU worked well with 12, then 16 countries, and further expansion should have occurred over a longer time period.”
    ___________________

    I’m assuming you’re not just saying that because Uncle Vladimir was/is pissed off about Russia’s former Eastern European satellite states opted to join the EU?

    If that assumption is correct, would you care to share with us your reasons for opining that those independent countries should only have joined over a longer time period?

  • Habbabkuk (La vita è bella!

    Mary

    “There are two main usage tendencies: one is for North American authors to use “ruble” and other English speakers to use “rouble”, the other is for older sources to use “rouble” and more recent ones to use “ruble”. Neither tendency is absolutely consistent.”
    _________________

    Your point, then?

    My advice would be to make an effort to focus on the real issues.

    Have a good day!

  • Mary

    I did say ‘almost’ Ba’al. 🙂 I expect the Mail piece is derogatory of both Snowden and Putin.

    ~~

    Meanwhile as the media’s attention is elsewhere,

    19 March 2014 07:30
    Israel attacks Syrian army sites in Golan Heights clash
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-26641815

    ~~~

    Wishes for a good day from a stranger are neither solicited or needed. If I wanted to receive such wishes I could go to a McDonalds.

  • John Goss

    Ba’al Zevul (Хождение в народ!)19 Mar, 2014 – 8:46 am

    Yes, I had a good laugh at the Lucas article in the Daily Mail.

    “For any intelligence whistle-blower to justify betraying his service, he has to expose grave wrongdoing of a kind which could not be put right in any other way.”

    What a load of tosh! Does Lucas think that if Snowden had gone to his superiors they would have stopped tapping Angela Merkel’s phone? Of course not. It took Snowden’s revelation to do that. What it did too was open the eyes to what the Yanks are up to worldwide. This, coupled with Germany’s reliance on Russian energy, has at least made one European country realise what a liability support of the US really is.

  • Ba'al Zevul (Хождение в народ!)

    Good point; wise Fool. Perhaps a little reminder that the US is as dependent on Russia as vice versa, in pursuing the hegemonistic little schemes of either. And it might be added that EU pussyfooting is conditioned by the need to maintain energy supplies to its eastern members. I guess if push comes to shove, Israel’s mighty army could be induced to give its first-ever tangible assistance(1) to the West, in Syria, in return for all that aid? Now it has unilaterally annexed “Judea and Samaria”, that is….

    (1) Suez was no help at all, you will recall

  • doug scorgie

    Mary
    19 Mar, 2014 – 8:03 am

    Threepenny bit:

    “…It had the image of a wren on one side.”

    Sorry Mary, that was the old farthing. The old threepenny bit had a portcullis on one side and the Queen on the other.

    Showing my age.

  • Habbabkuk (La vita è bella!

    Mr Scorgie

    You shouldn’t have told her that, Doug. The portcullis is also the logo of House of Commons stationary. Hence the symbol, for her, of unbearable oppresssion and evil-doing. Hence she will interpret the introduction of a many-sided pound coin as confirmation of the dastardly designs of the British Fascist State.

    Did that make sense? No, I don’t think so either. O must have been reading too much Trowbridge!

    BTW – haven’t seen you admonishing your fellow Eminences for failing to show respect towards Jewish people. How come?

    Have a great day!

  • doug scorgie

    Habbabkuk (La vita è bella!
    19 Mar, 2014 – 8:14 am

    “Including to those who have asserted that Israel has no right to exist.”

    Who on this blog has asserted that Israel has no right to exist?

    Some here have said that they believe that Israel has no right to exist AS A JEWISH STATE which is a completely different point and a position I hold.

    Zionists and their supporters always miss out those four words (“as a Jewish state”) when they talk about Israel’s legitimacy.

    שיהיה לך יום טוב

  • Mary

    A seamless move here from being MD at Goldman Sachs (well named – Sacks of Gold) to Deputy Governor at the Bank of England.

    Note that HM has agreed. It is after all her bank. Remember her checking the gold ingots stock recently when Mr Carney arrived?

    News Release – Three senior appointments to the Bank of England http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/Pages/news/2014/057.aspx

    Gideon is happy too.
    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-appoints-external-member-of-monetary-policy-committee

    Yet another YCNMIU

    I heard on Radio 4 this morning that there is a growing worldwide trend for ex Goldman Sachs types to get the top banking jobs.

  • James Chater

    Everyone always talks of Eton as a symbol of privilege. Meanwhile my old alma mater Harrow never gets any publicity. Should I be happy or not?

  • Mary

    One minute Cameron’s in The Hague sitting next to Obomber at a nuclear disarmanent conference and the next he’s up in Hull admiring the Siemens wind turbine venture.

    Does it remind you of Bliar who was obviously on some melanotropic drug?

    PS I bet Siemens had a large financial inducement!

    Siemens confirm Green Port Hull wind turbine factory to be built
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-26725473

    Obama takes in some art before Europe meetings
    http://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2014/03/24/obama-netherlands-nuclear-summit-rijksmuseum-rembrandt-night-watch/6816159/

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