At 8.30pm tonight I am going to have a streamed live chat with Independence Live, on various subjects including of course Scottish Independence. It is interesting because they are setting it up using Blab, a programme which enables you to appear and join in the conversation. This is experimental for me. I believe that you may need a twitter account to sign in to blab and join in, but that you should be able just to watch on the Independence Live website without signing in. I am investigating if it will be possible to stream it on this site as well.
If we like the technology, I might use it to host a series of chats on this site, where I sit down with a whisky in hand and ruminate, and you can pop up and join in.
Join the Blab!
This is a livestream, Blab interview. If you would like to jump on and join the panel then follow the link below. You will need your Twitter login details to join panel, or you can just observe. https://blab.im/independence-live-craig-murray-interview
Actually, It’s refreshing to hear someone trying to get elected saying we can’t do much…
@Uphill,
My views on the UK’s continued membership of the EU have been highly influenced by the EU’s/ECB’s virtual destruction of the Greek economy – which Prof. Yanis Varoufakis continually has railed against and found it impossible to get his opposing numbers as Finance Minister to accept reality – but the EU’s authoritarian and anti-democratic fangs have been unleashed against Ireland, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Cyprus.
For the above reasons I’d rather the UK exit this undemocratic institution, despite this having a material impact on my own family.
Indeed, if the EU were democratic TTIP, being a significant Treaty giving huge swathe of powers to international corporations, TTIP would be put to the vote for the electorate of each member state to cast a verdict upon. Obviously this will not happen, and as such, we should concentrate on repairing the damage inflicted upon our own nation state, before turning our attention outward, which means abandoning much of our foreign policy that undermines other nation states.
The fact remains, power structures become corrupted over time, which is why its important to change them on a regular basis, as a few of the founding fathers of the USA understood themselves.
“its important to change them on a regular basis”
Agree, atm just new blood is something.
But i’m with Yanis on the EU and our involvement, and think focusing in is the opposite of what’s needed political party wise, and often activist. Doing so seems like ignoring issues, critical ones that need to be faced at the level the problems are at.
Full pod-cast of above post. Good q&A. https://www.thersa.org/globalassets/audio/events/2015/april/20150430davidgraeber.mp3
And ps Chris, “we should concentrate on repairing the damage inflicted upon our own nation state”
Who’s we? I’m always dubious when highly divided and diverse communities are presented in this way. Like if it’s just ‘us’, the Scottish or English or whoever, it will be fine or better. It’s kind of fascist thinking.
Insights applicable to Scottish independence
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2016/03/britains-eu-referendum-lessons-in-successful-trench-warfare.html
This thread has obviously run its useful life and is degenerating into a collection of random, rambling and not very helpful “comments”.
So, to wind it up gracefully, here are two questions:
1/. Does Craig still intend to do something similar on this blog?
2/. Who can declare, hic et nuncn that he/she will be joining in?
We’ll be watching!
20 contractors exposed to radiation at Faslane, MoD refuse to disclose just how much radiation the contractors have been exposed to.
Lax safety procedures meant that contractual staff didn’t receive radiation badges. How long then before a major incident occurs.
Only Scottish independence can rid Scotland of Trident and nuclear subs.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14324343._Prolonged_and_repeated_failure__led_to_workers_being_irradiated_at_Trident_nuclear_submarine_base__MoD_report_finds/
Meanwhile Turkish dictator Erdogan (who’s fast approaching Assad levels) has had his troops storm Turkey’s largest newspaper. The Western compliant dictator then had all the staff evicted forcefully.
Zaman Turkey’s best selling daily newspaper is now a dictators propaganda machine as Erdogan, tightens his grip on Turkey.
http://mashable.com/2016/03/06/erdogans-latest-media-takeover-is-about-more-than-just-one-newspaper/#x6f3IaIxnZq3
Craig may find this one particularly interesting.
As the omnipotent psychopath of Kazahstan posing as a president calls a snap election.
Since Nursultan Nazarbayev took power just before the country gained its independence during the break-up of the Soviet Union, a significant number of opposition leaders and even former allies have either been jailed or shot dead.
Unbelievably Nazarbayev has no opposition to face, but things aren’t all rosy in the garden of hell. The drop in oil price has been sorely felt in Kazakhstan.
http://www.thenational.scot/world/profile-snap-poll-called-in-ex-soviet-republic-of-kazahstan.14699
Second EDF head honcho resigns as the “White Elephant” the £18 billion pound Hinckley Point nuclear power stations future is in doubt.
The consumer would end up paying around double what they pay now for their electricity to compensate EDF.
Maybe sanity will prevail within the Tory party and Hinckley Point power station will be vetoed.
But looking back, sanity and the Tories are unacquainted, As Kipling would say:
“And never the twain shall meet.”
http://www.thenational.scot/comment/george-kerevan-even-martians-find-uk-energy-policy-a-totally-alien-concept.14696
“Turkish dictator Erdogan (who’s fast approaching Assad levels)”
What a pillock you are. And what a disgrace to both Scotland and Republicanism.
@Uphill,
“We”, given I’m a UK passport carrier, and thereby a subject of HM Government, as are all residents legally within the UK, refers to us’ the population. And given I’m both a proponent of ‘positive liberty’ and flat hierarchical style of governance one could hardly conflate my views with fascism, but one could coin the tern ‘green anarcho-syndicalism’ if they desired too.
I also note that the resident Troll is now the self proclaimed arbiter of this site/thread, which is exactly the type of persons I’m opposed too as they tend to speak for themselves and not the community as a whole.
And there was me thinking this site was about national self determination and human rights!!!!!!!!!!!
“random, rambling and not very helpful “comments”.”
Ha ha ha, cheers me up no end.
————–
Why don’t you do one Habba, and I don’t say that nicely…
“refers to us’ the population. And given I’m both a proponent of ‘positive liberty’ and flat hierarchical style of governance one could hardly conflate my views with fascism,”
Yea, but you see what i’m saying, the divisions are clear, stark, I’v got a lot more in common with most people in other countries than sectors of England or Scotland.
Habba, how about habitual venal vindictive bullying, Constant appealing to authority to get ones way, like a worming scheming toad.
You are some piece of work.
“Zaman Turkey’s best selling daily newspaper is now a dictators propaganda machine as Erdogan, tightens his grip on Turkey.”
That’s Gulen’s paper. Gulen was Langley’s guy.
So, on the surface at least, it looks like Erdogan’s fighting with the CIA.
What can it mean.
@Uphill,
Like you I have more in common myself with workers across most of Europe than the UK ruling elite, and the EU’s ruling elite – but surely if we believe in a democratic and more egalitarian Europe we, that is the UK, should opt out of the neoliberal cabal. Indeed, and despite the odds, its now acknowledged its easier to get meaningful change via Westminster than it is via Brussels – just go ask the Greeks!!!!!
“What a pillock you are. And what a disgrace to both Scotland and Republicanism”
____________
How so Bevin?
“How so Bevin?”
He probably read your posts.
Nice one Glenn, a good laugh.
But, to be fair to RoS he does try to be balanced.
Trust you’re well and keeping your healthy regime!
Squonk, 6 Mar, 2016 – 11:22 pm,
These lights in the sky are a recent phenomenon. I know we had the Northern Lights, or the Fir Chlis as they used to call them in the Gaelic, but not like we have them now.
I was brought up in North West Scotland and was seventeen when I left. There was no TV then so I was outside for hours most nights and I never ever saw anything like what is being pictured now. I can’t help thinking that it’s not natural.
Chris.
“its easier to get meaningful change via Westminster than it is via Brussels”
Well historically i’d say Westminster gave us little vs the EU. Not to mention what a divided Europe gave us. And the EU is imo more subject to change than the UK. And it’s far more critical, ie those changes really matter to us.
I haven’t so far had anyone convince me were not heading to a 30s style dystopia, or that local reforms, ‘fine’ election promises that all go the way of the dodo, are anything but part of regressive disintegration of European solidarity and worthy aspirations that have given us much.
I haven’t had anyone solidly take on yanis’s take on things. I think it’s a fairly good assessment of problems and possible improvements.
+I think like in the 30s the banks want war. Happy to fund that, even if it’s the other side, they don’t see borders.
“other side” ha
“These lights in the sky are a recent phenomenon. I know we had the Northern Lights, or the Fir Chlis as they used to call them in the Gaelic, but not like we have them now.
I was brought up in North West Scotland and was seventeen when I left. There was no TV then so I was outside for hours most nights and I never ever saw anything like what is being pictured now. I can’t help thinking that it’s not natural.”
You are right, it isn’t natural. I was in the north of Scotland last night watching the lights and they looked nothing like the photographs. The people who take the photographs have fancy cameras with sensitive sensors and long exposure times, they enhance the pictures a lot. It doesn’t look like that to the human eye.
This thread has obviously run its useful life and is degenerating into a collection of random, rambling and not very helpful “comments”.
Oh, I didn’t realise. I’m so lucky to be able to read YOUR comments, you make things so much easier for a fool like me to understand.
So, to wind it up gracefully, here are two questions:
‘Graceful’ is surely your middle name Habbabkuk (insert smiley face here).
1/. Does Craig still intend to do something similar on this blog?
I would imagine he will answer your question soon, you being so important and highly regarded around here (insert another smil….).
2/. Who can declare, hic et nuncn that he/she will be joining in?
Excuse me?
We’ll be watching!
I feel so honoured.
@Uphill,
If you desire to see anyone take on Varoufakis, its actually his close friend Stuart Holland, and Stuart, like myself, believes that the interests of workers across Europe would be better served if the EK causes an existential crisis for the EU, Stuart has numerous books out and is still widely respected, but like me, believes the EU in its current neoliberal guise is incapable of meaningful reform. Or do you imagine for an instant that Juncker is some kind of reformist given his neoliberal background and tax evasion work undertaken on behalf of the elite. Lets get realistic, the Euro and EU in its present guise are a disaster and its talk of successes, particularly with regards the Baltic states is a bloody joke. Sorry, but I’m opposed to dictatorship and feel we are better off dealing with the UK’s issues first before dealing with the EU. Diem25 means well, but Yanis in his past two books was vehemently anti-EU, and no disrespect, but his wealth allows him to wait for change – for the bulk of us such a wait is not possible. Again I hold up Spain and Greece as examples of this.
@Chris.
“Sorry, but I’m opposed to dictatorship”
Well if the EU keeps going the way it is, we can have lots. I’m not right wing, intensifying a crisis serves dictatorship and the disintegration of what’s left of democracy’s. For “national interests” of course.
“believes the EU in its current neoliberal guise is incapable of meaningful reform”
And this totally screws up your other positions really doesn’t it. Myself I think there are some positions that are crazy, and dangerous.
“but his wealth allows him to wait for change”
But you “can’t change it”, So it’s crawl inside the nation state like a infesting little worm pretending we can change, When we definitely can’t outside any influence of our collapsing environment, politically financially and environmentally. Just blame others.
Patriotism the last refuge.
And I think Yanis has addressed this question, likely ignored by people who wan’t to ignore things that don’t fit there ideology.
Nobody said it would be easy, it’s not, but clearly possible. To say not is ridiculous.
I’m leaning toward we start demanding accountability for things done in our name, as Europeans, We should know what’s being done and be able to fire people.
Is that so bloody radical.
No let’s have a deeper crisis instead? Sigh. Let things disintegrate around us. “We’ll” be fine.
“but his wealth allows him to wait for change”
Actually this is clearly YOUR position, And I don’t see Yanis doing nothing, never heard of you.