Absence of Comment 151


I have spent the last couple of days as the guest of Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, which is annoying as there is much I wanted to write about.

Was meant to be tonight at premiere at Ecuadorean Embassy of new John Pilger doc which event hopefully will put minds at rest over Julian.

Apologies recent orders of signed copies of Sikunder Burnes delivery will be delayed a bit till I get out.


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151 thoughts on “Absence of Comment

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  • Martin Craig

    The RIE saved my life last year when I had a heart attack – wonderful people, amazing technology, best place to be when you’re unwell. Hope you are fighting fit very soon!

    • Alcyone

      Seconded. It really is quite amazing, the advance in medical technology! I was with a friend yesterday who was having an angioplasty. Couple of stents inserted through a tiny incision in the wrist. How did they ever even begin to test this technology when originally conceived? On monkeys? Surely mice are too small and living humans too risky for something totally new. The other dimension is the incredible teamwork that humans are capable of, for surely these kinds of advances require extraordinary cooperation, but then so does warfare. Great pity that our Type Zero Global Civilisation can’t stop fighting and, instead, investing in solely improving the lot of billions in poverty around the developing world, deprived of basic drinking water, food, shelter and clothing.

      While I think of the privilege that supports one’s health and well being, one is totally mindful of The Unknown Villager. Let it be their Century. The trillions that are spent on arms around the world is the Biggest Scam being played on the human race. Hardly a collective squeak to be heard though.

      • Alcyone

        Which ‘we’? The plebs? The Brit plebs? Are the Spaniards also so crass or do they take their wine in their way of culture. Do they have the same sense of bravado about alcohol as you?

        What about good food, no bravado there? Or are you too drunk to care less for what you eat?

        Wonderful Type Zero Man characteristics!

  • Alcyone

    Look after that ticker especially Craig. And if you haven’t seen a cardiologist of late, this may be the right time to do it. Take that very seriously, given your background, lifestyle as they say and responsibilities.

  • farrukh Husain

    Wow if a book launch at Yunus Emre does that to you, I will avoid the place. On a serious note hope you recover soon.

  • Trowbridge H. Ford

    Don;t be fooled by the DM’s propaganda about General James ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis.

    He is much more than another George Patton – a serious student of warfare, and knows a lot about how to make modern weapons and their use.

    He still serves as a director of General Dynamics, so expect his Pentagon using all kinds of lasers on all kinds of vehicles to achieve the objectives of the Mediterranean Dialogue and beyond.

    Putin has apparently been taken in by Trump’s bullshit about what will happen. Just look at the Pentagon’s proposed budget.

  • Frazer

    Are you OK old chap ?? Can come up if you need me to sneak in the odd flask of the good stuff ??

  • RobG

    At the time of writing this is the top news story on the Guardian web site…

    https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/dec/02/edward-heath-child-abuse-investigation-not-a-witch-hunt

    Ted Heath is old news with regard to the paedo scandal (although of course there’s never been any prosecutions).

    And now the presstitutes are pumping out stuff about footballers being sexually abused.

    It’s all a blind to take away attention from the recent ‘pizzagate’ stuff.

    Likewise with what the presstitutes term as ‘fake news’ (ha!). ‘Alt-Right’ is a term that no one had ever heard of until recently, before the USUK police state came up with it.

    It’s all so rotten and debauched and corrupt, but most people don’t want to face-up to it.

    For every coward there are children being raped and murdered.

    But carry on watching Britain’s Got Talent, or having your ingrowing toenail treated in a Scottish hospital.

    • bevin

      “…having your ingrowing toenail treated in a Scottish hospital.”
      It would be pleasant to learn that our friend’s ailment was as easily treated as that.

    • Shatnersrug

      Rob – the band featured in this daft pizza gate thing Heavy Breathing (who used to be the apes) aren’t satanist child abusers! they just a (quite cool) band who play on the satanist imagery just like Sabbath and a million Norwegian metal bands – they’ve just updated the sound using samples vocals and electronica. As for Comet pizza it’s just the same as a million other artsy Hipster food/little gig venue. I know the naive suburban Christian trump fans are scared of this type of thing but it’s because they don’t get out much.

      I’ve been following the whole thing on Reddit and it’s just a nonsense. Flimsy nonexistent evidence of no actual crime.

      • RobG

        The interesting thing about ‘pizzagate’ is that it shows who’s who in this hideous hall of mirrors that we have allowed ourselves to live in.

        The evidence is there, right in your face, and I suggest that people look at that evidence (I’ve given enough links on this board).

          • Shatnersrug

            Yes Biden’s clearly horribly creepy in that video. But it’s not proof of anything and neither is to fat Italian American blokes talking about pizza a lot. Just because some bunch of clown on 4chan reckon it’s code does not mean a god damn thing.

            Reading that pizza gate stuff on Reddit before it got the boot I was struck at just how a)naive b)conservative c)informed by cliched Christian morality and d) overtly fantastical the authors of that feed were. That they referred to Podesta’s owning of Jeff Koons porn photo shoot work as “pedophilic” was classic stupidity – if you actually know anything about fine art you’d know exactly who were in that photo and what it meant. I can’t be bothered to do a deconstructive art crit here but suffice to say the two people in that photo graph were the artist, Koons aged 43 at the time and his then wife Italian porn star Cicciolina.

            The other piece that this naive movie plot fantasy people picked on to “prove” the dastardliness of the podestas was Louis Bourgeois’s arch of hysteria a brozened version of which podesta owns – the other is in the national gallery of Canada – it’s a life cast of her assistant and carer’s body twisted round. It’s been on display at the tate a number of times and is in no way connected to the Jeffery Darmer case as was insinuated on their Reddit feed.

            This and accusations against indie bands is enough to make someone who has more than a passing knowledge of the fine art world and the alt.music scene to destroy any credibility towards their so-called “citizen investigations”. I reminds of the small town American priests who became obsessed with the notion of a fantastical recording technique known as backward masking that wa places behind various rock tracks with messages about worshiping Satan. Completely ridiculous.

            There is no smoking gun here. No dead bodies no traficked children nothing but a couple of fat self satisfied wealthy urban liberals discussing their obsession with making themselves even fatter by eating lots of pizza.

            However. It is all a brilliantly crafted movie plot and should these people decide to change the names of the main protagonists they may have a Halloween hit on their hands.

            Now if you do want to read about cover ups, the elm guest house and other disturbing stories that have been bouncing around I suggest Richard Ramsays Lobster magazine – a magazine that prides itself of FACTS referenced footnotes and proper research.

            http://www.lobster-magazine.co.uk

            It even published a great little piece on whether or not the current Rothschild family acutially deserved to be placed at the top of all conspiracy bad guys – it’s funny and again – full of facts and does a great job of exposing a banking family – who have an awful lot less influence than in their hay day during the Napolionic war.

    • Maxter

      Yes Rob I have been watching several interviews and presentations from years ago regarding elitist child abuse and I agree entirely with your sentiments!

      Here comes Xmas and the pumping up of the sick society and all that distracts that comes with it.

  • Sharp Ears

    Parliament ‘wastes opportunity’ to stop misery of sanctions as Tories block Black’s private Bill
    MHAIRI Black’s attempt to make it harder for poor families to face benefit sanctions was “talked out” in Parliament yesterday, as heartless Tory MPs rejected any softening of the brutal and ineffective regime.

    The Paisley MP and National columnist was trying to bring a Private Member’s Bill in Westminster that would have introduced a code of conduct for jobcentre staff to follow before they sanctioned a jobseeker.

    Black told MPs this would mean “an individual’s personal circumstances must be taken into account before any sanction can be applied.”
    http://www.thenational.scot/news/14944217.Parliament____wastes_opportunity____to_stop_misery_of_sanctions_as_Tories_block_Black_s_private_Bill/

    The debate broke off and was resumed. No explanation???? A short DfID debate intervened.

    https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-12-02/debates/AFB4F711-3286-4F97-A40A-C44BA4029EBB/BenefitClaimantsSanctions(RequiredAssessment)Bill
    ‘Conor Burns
    As was acknowledged in earlier interventions, there are procedures for emergency payments, so the idea that the hon. Gentleman is perpetrating—that somehow it is these cruel, callous Tories— ‘
    Proceedings interrupted (Standing Order No. 11(4)).

    https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-12-02/debates/5948EE67-C803-44A7-9162-A7EC89FD6F82/BenefitClaimantsSanctions(RequiredAssessment)Bill
    Proceedings resumed.
     11.27 am

    • Hieroglyph

      Mharie is too young to be an MP, and frankly a grandstander. She probably doesn’t realise she’s a parliamentary useful idiot, but I don’t blame her, she simply isn’t wise enough to clock the degenerates that surround her.

      Frankly, most of parliament should be in prison.

  • DeeDee

    Hope you have a speedy recovery Craig. We need people like you, people of courage, of honesty and integrity , in the better country that we will build post indy x

  • Sharp Ears

    NEXT TUESDAY DECEMBER 6 2016 ITV 1

    22:40 – 00.40
    The Coming War on China
    Brand new revealing documentary from John Pilger.
    Combining rare archive footage and interviews, the film reveals a build-up to war by the US on the doorstep of China.

    Repeated Ch 33 Freeview ITV+1 23.40 – 01.40

    • Craig

      Thanks. That’s indeed the documentary I was meant to be at the preview of. It’s very good, reports reach me.

      Thank you everyone for the much appreciated good wishes. Still sitting here in a gown with no arse. When did hospitals stop giving you pyjamas?

      • John A

        Get well soon. As for the Pilger doc, I saw it at the BFI in London on 1 December, introduced by the great man himself.
        The doc has a slow burn start but really got into its stride and exposed US contempt for the ‘savages’ of the Marshall Islands, and how this contempt is mirrored in the way the US continues building aggressive bases aimed at encircling China, and ride roughshod over local opposition, having ‘bought’ the national politicians.
        I was also unaware of LBJ and other previous presidents’ use of these ‘savages’ as guinea pigs in researching the effects of radiation and other nuclear fallout.
        The US really is the most devilish, uncaring nation, exceptional only in its treatment of other nations round the world.

  • Sharp Ears

    UN Demands Freedom For WikiLeak’s Assange, Rules ‘Arbitrary Detention’ Must End
    The United Nations has rejected UK attempts to overturn their ruling that Julian Assange’s ‘arbitrary detention’ is unlawful and deprives him of fundamental human rights.

    December 2, 2016

    The final paragraph of three –

    ‘Thankfully, the United Nations has stood by its previous decision and has rejected the UK appeal as “inadmissible.” This decision requires both the UK and Sweden to take immediate steps to end Assange’s “arbitrary detention.” This is the second time the UN has rejected a UK appeal since its initial decision was reached. The UN firmly stated that today’s decision marks the official end of the UK government’s attempts to overturn the ruling. Assange said in a statement that “now that all appeals are exhausted, I expect that the UK and Sweden will comply with their international obligations and set me free.” Assange went on to call his detention “an obvious and grotesque injustice.” Even though the UN has ordered the UK to set Assange free, it is possible that the UK will refuse to abide by the UN’s decision despite the fact that it would set a dangerous precedent and put the UK in difficult territory internationally. However, the US’ influence on the UK is incredibly strong and if the US political elite want Assange badly enough, which they likely do after WikiLeak’s election season leaks, they may strong-arm the UK into working against its own best interest. It wouldn’t be the first time.’
    https://www.mintpressnews.com/un-demands-freedom-for-wikileaks-assange/222795/

    • lysias

      It’s possible that the U.S. policy will change once Trump becomes president. Wikileaks did help his presidential campaign.

      Although Trump’s appointments so far do not seem very auspicious.

      • Trowbridge H. Ford

        What a crock!

        A cabinet full of billionaires, and a likely Secretary of Defense who thinks that the three leading problems facing the USA are: “Iran, Iran, and Iran.”

        • bevin

          Iran may not be the leading problem that the US faces but it, together with China and Russia, is one of them.
          And nothing could be more likely to hasten the US Empire’s descent into, a well deserved and long overdue, impotence than the strategy of driving these three Eurasian powers into each others laps.
          Finished Brougham, by the way-very interesting. But where is the rest of it?

        • Shatnersrug

          A man who states that being scared of Muslims is a normal and correct reaction. Mind you(and please don’t take this personally Trowbridge) isn’t he getting on a bit?

          Home from hospital today, by the way – fantastic team of doctors and nurses and St Mary’s my leg is pinned I’m a physio out patient and learning to motor on my crutches – walking by Christmas ?

  • Republicofscotland

    So one of the coldest and most heartless politicians is set to retire. Lord Freud, (Tory) who lives in a umpteen bedroom mansion dreamt up the idea of the bedroom tax, and forced it upon the sick, poor and the disabled.

    Freud who became a peer in 2009, was then made Welfare Reform minister in 2010, since then he’s be a key figure in clamping down on the most vunerable in society, Freud is the architect of the much maligned Universal Credit as well.

    Lord Freud, is the great grandson of Sigmund Freud, he came under fire when he reportedly said that, disabled people, are not worth the minimum wage.

    I can confidently say, that at least one section of society won’t shed a tear for the departure of Freud.

    Freud retires at the end of the month.

    • Sharp Ears

      An operative for Blair and Brown and then switched to the Tories. Says it all.
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Freud,_Baron_Freud

      His family charidee –
      Lord Freud’s Jecda Foundation
      November 22, 2014
      Recent accounts show that the Jecda Foundation – run by Welfare Minister Lord Freud and his family – gave out just £37,000 last year. This was just a fraction of what it spends on the US stock market.

      The Jecda Foundation plans to spend even less in the next 12 months – earmarking only £12,000 for a single project, according to its latest accounts. In contrast the charity has spent £250,000 in a “dollar tracker fund” in the US stock market and saw the value of another investment soar by almost £350,000.

      Records (filed with the Charity Commission) reveal Jecda, which claims its objective is “poverty relief”, received £5,000 more in dividends from its investments and shares than it spent on worthy schemes it backed. This is the same Lord Freud who refused to quit after suggesting people with mental disabilities were “not worth” the minimum wage and could be paid £2 an hour.’
      https://charitywatchuk.wordpress.com/2014/11/22/lord-freuds-jecda-foundation/

      Wife and children are presumably the other trustees
      http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/ContactAndTrustees.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1117914&SubsidiaryNumber=0&TID=3419245

      To them that hath……

      Also a long term trustee of the Portland Trust according to Wikipedia.
      ‘Along with the late Sir Martin Gilbert, Freud has acted as a long-term trustee of the Portland Trust, a not-for-profit London-based foundation. Between 2005 and 2008, he was its chief executive.’
      http://www.portlandtrust.org/about-us

      Gilbert was on Chilcot. That is how it works. They are ALL in IT together.

      • Shatnersrug

        The Freud family are deeply strange, and I dare say twisted family

        Clement – posthumous pedo
        Lucien – violent and non functioning alcoholic with various abanded offspring around the continent

        And this plumb who I cant even be bothered to name but from your description sounds like an embezzler in all but name

  • Republicofscotland

    Meanwhile the clown prince of Westminster, Boris Johnson, has vehemently denied that he backed free movement, of people between the dis-United Kingdom and the EU. Johnson claims EU ministers twisted his words at a breakfast, where immigration was discussed, so far the clown prince, still has the confidence of Theresa May, but one wonders for how much longer.

    Meanwhile, Brexiteer David Davis, has intimated that the dus-United Kingdom could pay into Brussels to secure access to the single market. That stance, also appears to agree with Theresa May.

    However Tim (insignificant) Farron, leader of the Libdems, said the Tories plans for Brexit, were chaotic, on that I cannot disagree. Farron appeared bouyed yesterday on the Politics show, after the Libdems, won a shock victory in the Richmond by-election.

    No doubt their branch manager in Scotland Willie Rennie, will claim, the Libdems are on the way back, yes Willie, anything you say Willie.

  • Republicofscotland

    Disgustingly the Tories, talked out, Mhairi Black’s private members bill on Friday. The bill aimed at introducing a code of conduct for Job Centre staff, that if implimented, would’ve seen claimants circumstances taken into account before they were cruely sanctioned.

    However, very few Labour MP’s turned up to back the bill, whilst the Tories orchestrated a plan to make sure the bill was talked out.

    It would appear that when it comes to the most vulnerable in society, change for the better, is not at the forefront of the Westminster agenda.

    Now I’m pretty sure the renewal of Trident, which is set to cost the taxpayer of the dis-United Kingdom billions, would never be talked out.

      • Republicofscotland

        Apologies Sharp Ears, I missed that – you’re correct, the Tories are the nasty party.

      • Shatnersrug

        Seeing as she knew he would filibuster it surely it would have been better to raise a private members to ban filibustering. I am stunned the speaker doesn’t call out of order on sux s cheap stunt. Maybe a arbitrary 15 minute vote time at the end of each session would have been the more pragmatic (but less grandstandy) approach.

        Filibustering is anti-democratic

  • Republicofscotland

    46 Green parties from across Europe, are holding a three-day conference in Scotland this weekend, in solidarity with Scotland, and its wish to remain in the EU.

    Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon addressed them on Friday, and she received a standing ovation, after her speech, earlier this week the FM, also received a standing ovation after a speech at the Seanad. The FM also received a warm welcome from the Irish president Michael Higgins.

    Whilst Westminster seems hellbent on losing friends and influence across Europe, the Scottish FM and her government are moving in the other direction.

    The Co-Chair of the European Green party, has suggested an independent Scotland could take over the UK’s membership of the EU. Monica Frassoni, added, that when East and West Germany unified in 1990, Germany became a expanded state, without having to negotiate special new terms, for the Eastern part.

  • RobG

    On the French front, Sarkozy, just like Hillary, threw his hat in the ring and thought it would be a breeze. Alas…

    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38047046

    Hollande is the most unpopular president in French history, and not unsurprisingly has decided not to run for the presidency again (making him the first sitting president in modern French history not to seek a second term re-election)…

    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38173350

    (I’m on a BBC kick tonight, which hopefully will make a change from the Guardian)

    So what’s going to happen during next Spring’s presidential election in France? Manuel Valls, the prime minister under Hollande, gets heavily booed wherever he goes in France. Marine Le Penn has a lot of popular support, but I don’t think enough to win the presidency (the French have long memories about the German Occupation during World War Two, in which the Le Penns & Co played a large part).

    At this moment in time my money would be on Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who by today’s standards is way on the left, and who stood against the pension reforms that the government brought in during 2010 (raising the pension age). A re-run of this has been happening this year, with reforms to employment laws, which has resulted in the biggest protests in modern French history, barely any of which is reported by the MSM.

    In otherwords, all the ingredients are there in France for another shock presidential election (following the American one); and this time a lurch to the left, not the right.

    I’ll add the usual caveat, in that I live in a very rural part of France (a country twice the size of Britain), which by nature is conservative, and thus it’s not always easy to judge the mood of the country.

    • bevin

      Thanks for this Rob. I had been wondering about Melenchon who ran quite strongly last time. I gather that he has a ‘left NATO’ Foreign Policy though and regards Al Nusra and its alies as the Good Guys in Syria. Hope I’m wrong.

      • RobG

        Bevin, can you give me some links to Melenchon’s support of the lunatics in Syria? (don’t give me any links that show Washington’s support, because they are endless).

        Jo Cox, murdered MP, was a strong supporter of the White Helmets. This just shows that many representatives are completely naive.

        This doesn’t necessarily mean they’re bad people, but it does make you wonder why they get voted in….

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMiV6ywtGGk

        • bevin

          No I can’t give links. I hope that it is untrue. Sorry. One thing that can be said for Melencthon is that the Anglo media seems to be giving him the silent treatment.

          As to Jo Cox her affinity for White Helmets was all of a piece with her politics, which were Blairite and Bad. And, as you say, naive.

    • Habbabkuk

      “At this moment in time my money would be on Jean-Luc Mélenchon..”
      _________________________

      It is amazing how foreigners can live in a country for years and still not have a clue.

  • RobG

    The blatant spelling mistake in the first word of this post, which has been pointed out by many, would normally be corrected immediately; but of course Craig’s in ‘hospital’.

    Julian Assange hasn’t been seen or heard for more than a month. There’s all sorts of rumours flying around, which I won’t go into here, and Mr Murray suddenly has fallen ill.

    It’s all straight out of the Stasi playbook of the 1970s.

    Craig, I’ll paraphrase something from someone whose name I can’t remember at the moment: “it’s better to die as a free man than to live as a slave”.

    Omnia vincit amor

    • Habbabkuk

      “The blatant spelling mistake in the first word of this post, which has been pointed out by many, would normally be corrected immediately; but of course Craig’s in ‘hospital’.”
      ______________________________________

      Are you in hospital as well?

      Your “..Marine Le Penn has a lot of popular support..” of yesterday evening refers.

      Le Penn (twice).

  • glenn_uk

    Sorry to hear this Craig – nothing trivial, I hope?

    Please reserve one of those first editions for me, I’ll furnish you with all the necessary in a month or so. Take good care.

  • Bhante

    Sorry to hear you are in hospital, and I wish you a speedy recovery, Craig. I hope it is nothing grave.

  • Sharp Ears

    BBC1 tomorrow – Lawful Killing: Mark Duggan
    8.30pm – 10.00pm

    ‘Drama documentary about the police shooting of Mark Duggan in Tottenham in August 2011.

    The incident triggered the worst riots in modern British history. But while the impact of the event extends far beyond the Duggan family and the community of Tottenham, key details about what actually happened that day remain unclear – shrouded in secret intelligence and obscured by misreporting which remained uncorrected for days, leaving the public with only a partial understanding of the event.

    To try to understand what happened, this film hears from those close to the story, combining documentary interviews with dramatised reconstruction of the 24 hours leading up to the shooting. Interviews with Mark Duggan’s family and friends, journalists and experts are combined with verbatim testimony re-enacted from the transcripts of evidence given at the coroner’s inquest by witnesses and police officers.’

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0850fff

    Trailer
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04j7kk4

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