At the High Court today the following joint statement was agreed.
On 29 April 2016, Jake Wallis Simons and Craig Murray appeared together on Sky News to debate anti-Semitism in the United Kingdom. Following that debate, Dr Wallis Simons issued libel proceedings against Mr Murray. Dr Wallis Simons and Mr Murray have now settled these proceedings.
By this statement, Mr Murray accepts that Dr Wallis Simons is not a liar, and Dr Wallis Simons accepts that Mr Murray is not an anti-Semite. They are both pleased to have resolved this dispute amicably.
I am genuinely happy with this outcome, which would never have been remotely possible without the incredible 5,000 plus people who donated to my defence fund and enabled me to be represented by a top legal team. It continues to be my view that the libel laws are appalling – had I lost the case I was very definitely looking at a cost of £350,000 plus.
I am also very grateful to the band of readers of this blog who arrived to support me, and in the end saw very little. When invited to open the case the other side immediately asked for an adjournment to discuss a settlement. The hour of delay which followed was occupied on our side almost entirely by my agonising over whether it was morally acceptable for me to agree this statement and use the defence fund to pay my lawyers, or whether those who donated did so in the expectation I would fight the case whatever.
There were a number of supporters at hand who had donated, many of whom were personally previously unknown to me, and the opinions I could canvass were unanimously that this was a good result and a good use of their money.
Having agreed to settle in this way, I have arrived at this following decision. If anybody who donated feels they have been unduly sold out, please let me know through the contact button above and your donation will be refunded to you.
When we started the defence fund, our “realistic” projection was a total of £12,000. That we eventually raised over £100,000 is astonishing. Equally astonishing, but in a bad way, is that my own legal team’s cost almost amounts to that – I will publish full accounts in due course. After all is settled and refunds issued to those who wish, if anything is left over I propose to split it between Andy Wightman’s defence fund and Neil Clark’s case against Oliver Kamm. Again please do let me know if you object. It’s actually your money not mine.
I did not realise how this has been weighing me down, until the threat has been lifted today. I have never claimed to be entirely without fault, and I would ask you to refrain from any comment here which detracts from the amicable spirit of the joint statement. It is a time for celebration not recrimination, and please confine any rudeness to remarks about me.
Amazing interview by Nick Robinson of Tony Blair. Tony maintains that Iran is the origin of sectarian hate in the ME, ignoring the fact that SA is the fount of sectarian violence. He says we should support King Salman because he is a reformer and that he trying to moderate and modernise Saudi Arabia. The fact that Iran supports two secular states in Lebanon and Syria doesn’t seem to come into this equation. The fact that Suliman is strengthening his grip on power and farming his rather aggressive son to become next King.
Currently on any answers on Radio 4 , a rather strong anti Iran line with the opening commentator starting with a strong rant about the victimisation of poor Priti Patel whilst being soft on the most horrible regime in the world (Iran), not of course mentioning our reforming strong ally in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia, in my opinion has been promoting and funding Wahhabist extremism around the globe through its madrassas for a long time now. SA is intent on causing chaos in the region, the enemy of my enemy mentality means, for now Saudi Arabia and Israel are allies determined to bring about the destruction of Iran.
Iran itself is no shrinking violet supporting conflicts in Syria and Yemen, admittedly fighting Saudi/Israeli proxy fighters, who are most probably brainwashed, and straight out of the madrassas.
Recently Trump has partially undermined Obama’s treaty with Iran, and he will probably find some way to break it altogether. A strong stable and prosperous Iran isn’t what the Saudi’s, and Israeli’s want to see.
Heartening news. Just when we thought Tony’s distinguished career in fomenting catastrophic wars based on a pack of lies was winding down ..
Nick Robinson and Tony Blair… now there’s a pair of ….
How does Iran’s record of killing innocent foreign civilians against the US’s record of killing innocent foreign civilians? Whoever has killed the most deserves the accolade of being the “most horrible regime in the world”.
Thanks for the update, SA – I’m watching the Scotland-Samoa rugby.
Interestingly Anita Anand in any answer had to shut down an Iranian expatriate woman who was defending Iran.
I thought the best part of the interview was when Nick Robinson asked Tony Blair if he [TB] thought that Isr**l should invade the Lebanon.
I’d have thought the IDF would have thought twice about fighting battle hardened Hezbollah fighters, since the IDF was kicked out in 2006.
The US fund not only Israel aggression but US ambition
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/09/united-states-israel-memorandum-of-understanding-military-aid/500192/
This offensive nature of defence
http://www.inss.org.il/publication/defense-budget-2017-2018/
Israel is having to defend itself more and more
https://tradingeconomics.com/israel/military-expenditure
Poor old Israel look how far down the list thy are but then again look at where Saudi Arabia is. Idea Bubble ( Lets get Saudi Arabia to do our fighting for us)
I think if Iran is going to be suckered into a war followed closely by Russia I think the facts need to be promulgated widely and loudly, let’s not all die in ignorance. Why its happening, the purpose, who benefits? Not sure death will feel any better though.
Peter.
I’d say Israel has a far bit of military funding from the US, the current deal stands at $38 billion dollars. The decade long investment works out about $3.8 billion dollars a years.
It’s the largest bilateral military aid package ever and includes $5 billion for missile defence, additional F-35 joint strike fighters and increased mobility for its ground forces.
Lets not forget Israel’s nuclear subs, the USA is committed to the long term defence of Israel, poweful US politicians, global corporations and very influencial political lobby groups, will make sure it continues that way for the foreseeable future.
Still see nothing about the Mediterranean Dialogue which has been going on for years, and benefitting Israel immensely.
The Daily Record has a screeching editorial piece about the Salmond show.
Referring to his “out of control ego” and calling his hooking up with RT “a shameful and sordid episode in the history of Scottish nationalism”.
Oh and apparently Nicola Sturgeon “slapped him down”. Must have missed that.
Wonder if Mohandas Ghandi needed out of control ego in order to achieve what he did. Maybe.
Fortunately, reel guid, sales of the Daily Record are going down the pan. Nothing but jealousy, given the yoons have no one coming even close to the talents of Salmond – that’s why they hate him.
They still count their readers in the millions.
They don’t know them all by their first names like the National does.
Of course, Fred, each copy sold is shared amongst many readers. You an avid reader of the Daily Record yourself? It certainly seems so! ?
What’s it to you sunshine?
What I read is non of your business.
The Record’s circulation is almost exactly half of what it was just 7 years ago.
“They don’t know them all by their first names”
You mean like the BBC would love to, over licence fees.
You know Fred you are quite correct in advocating that the BBC is different from RT.
On spies on its citizens, forces them to pay a unjust tax, under threat of imprisonment or a large fine, the other is a free tv news and documentary channel.
If you don’t want to pay a license fee don’t have a television.
Watch RT on your computer instead.
That’s right Fred, because according to you, the BBC, is here to look out for the interests of the British people, and by jailing them for not having a licence to watch their propaganda they’re looking out for them.
What logic Einstein eat your heart out.
I don’t think your attitude of trying to justify tax evasion is in the public interest. People who drink, smoke, drive all have to pay extra tax for the privilege, people dodging paying the tax on watching television are anti-social.
Tax avoidance, (Paradise papers) tv licence fees, who could do such things…hmmm?
“A judge has ruled that the BBC should not release information about whether the Queen buys a TV licence because giving out this type of personal data is ‘entirely unwarranted.”
“The decision was made after an almost two-year battle between Gordon McIntosh, a journalist, and the BBC because the corporation refused to release information to him about whether any of the Royal Palaces – including Balmoral, Clarence House and Windsor Castle – had a television licence.”
https://www.tvlicenceresistance.info/forum/index.php?topic=10541.0
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2814500/BBC-told-details-Queen-TV-licence.html
Yes, but Fred, assuming you don’t watch the BBC and you only watch Sky, why do you have to pay the tax for the BBC? That’s like saying, okay, I know you only drink cider but you must pay a whisky tax even though you don’t drink the stuff.
I’m not quite sure why some people keep going on about having to pay a licence fee to watch television.
After all, it is no different to what the citizens of other European countries have to do.
And in those countries there is none of this nonsense about being able to avoid paying the for the licence by claiming that one is only using the TV as a moniter; one buys a TV and one has to pay the annual licence fee even if one keeps the TV in its original wrapping in the garage.
Nor, for that matter, is it any different from people who want to drive a motor vehicle having to pay the road licence fee.
Certainly isn’t, Fred. Just trying to lighten the mood. I’m more a Raggie man, myself.
I think Salmond would win a slapping contest with Sturgeon, he must weigh four times what she weighs.
You’re getting over excited, Freddy, you’ve replied to the wrong thread! Try watching the rugby, to take your mind off the FM and her old boss. ?
I would pay good money to see Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond
slapping the shit out of each other.
Now, Freddy, I hope they have their clothes on, in these murky thoughts you’re having…
Why can’t these lunatics, stop trying to start even more wars. Whilst we have flown above them in the past, and our preferred route was South East, rather than South West (and the dangers of a forced landing at any airport in The USA), it may now actually be safer to go South West. Yes, I know what the US Border Guards are like – they are really into X-Rays and groping balls,bums and vaginas..whereas we have never had any problems in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar etc
It appears someone – come on own up – is trying to kick yet another war off…
“On The Brink Of War”
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/48176.htm
We’d go to Russia and China, but its going to be a bit cold for the next 6 months, and we are useless at skiing.
All you guys, must already have more money than you know what to do with. Why exactly do you want even more, by starting yet another war? What are you going to do with all your money, when you have destroyed the entire planet?
Just arrest the Criminals, and put them on Trial in an Honest Court of Law.
Do it in your own Countries. The UK is Rather Expensive, and we don’t do Capital Punishment.
Tony
Tony
Obviously there are belligerent rumblings from Saudi Arabia but it is highly unlikely that SA will attack Lebanon directly for a number of reasons. Nasrallah made a speech saying that SA has paid Israel millions of dollars to attack Hezbollah in Lebanon in another proxy war but and that this is not a postulate but based on information he has, He also says the same happened in 2006 and Lebanon was attacked by Israel after being paid by the Kingdom. Other analysts say that it would be unlikely for Israel to go on the attack because of serious consequences that may happen.
Certainly the situation is very volatile and the Russian reaction to a war in which Israel as a main protagonist is somewhat unpredictable. The only comforting fact at present is that both the US and the UK and Macron seem not to want a proxy war in Lebanon, so we wait and see and hope.
Saudis prepare to invade Lebanon:
https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/929060157618835456
Ha Ha – I really did laugh out loud. In fact I still am.
Sorry to hear this
A leading engineering company in Scotland’s energy industry is understood to be on the verge of calling in administrators.
BiFab, or Burntisland Fabricators, has two yards in Fife and one at Arnish on the Isle of Lewis.
The firm builds large-scale equipment for the offshore oil and gas industry, as well as platforms for offshore wind turbines and tidal generators.
There are currently more than 600 people working at the yards.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-41953779
It is a little bit perplexing as Crude, is currently at a two year high
In 2014 US liberal journalist Abby Martin openly criticised the Russian military intervention in the Ukraine live on air on her Breaking the Set show on RT America. She was not rebuked in any way by RT and carried on presenting the show for another year before leaving of her own volition to pursue other projects.
So much for the claims of RT strict editorial control.
reel guid, but they’re Russian, that says it all, bad, evil, terrible they are the Russian version of Chucky, a evil Babushka doll from Moscow.
Of course it’s never mentioned that RT are registered in the UK, and licensed to broadcast by Ofcom who regulate their output.
Ros
Yeah. So I reckon they’ll let Alexei Salmondovitch have editorial control of his own show.
Don’t go russian to any quick conclusions until you know the facts… Here’s some Ukrainians, giving their comment on the UK!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz5cLIWSB2I
JOML, That video made in 2010, is about as political as me turning up at The Manchester Upper Free Trade Hall, dressed as a Heavy Rocker on my Motorbike with long hair to see The Sex Pistols in 1976. It’s even longer now. Sure the punks used to take the piss out of me. I said – I’m just here for the music mate (usually classical concerts at that venue).
I can see from the audience, that I wasn’t actually there. In fact in 1976, no one had ever heard of them. Only 42 people turned up. They did it again, same location in 1979. I remember it exceedingly well – the posters outside, and this time I really wanted to go, but again I didn’t cos my girlfriend at the time (posh doing a Ph.D at Manchester University) refused to go and see those “ignorant foul mouth bastards”. I said well – if you are not going – we are finished.
“Sex Pistols – 1976 06 04 Lesser Free Trade Hall”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIdl9mN6yJM
Tony
I went on tour with The Ukranians years ago. Great band. They’re actually from Leeds though.
Tony, I only posted the Ukrainians’ link because I like their music. They’re all English born lads and they were the ‘Wedding Present’ when they weyre invited onto John Peel’s programme. He asked them to play their traditional music from their grandparents’ homeland, and the Ukrainians were born. Saw them live once about 2007 and they were great!
Phil the ex-frog, are you still playing? I’m sure I’ll like your stuff if you toured with the Ukrainians.
I’d like to see David Davies slap the shit out of Salmond
I’d like to see David Davis slap the shit out of Salmond
I’d like to see
Arlene Foster
slap the shit out of Salmond
Sorry, freddy, I think Alex and David are mates. However, perhaps the following may help you with your other wish…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NeKD6TGHi8Y
JOML
how much fun
great vid
cracking stuff for twots
Looking forward to Salmond attacking his new masters for arming Saudi Arabia
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-king-salman-visit-saudi-arabia-moscow-vladimir-putin-a7985161.html
It isn’t as though he has held back in attacking the UK Government for doing the same
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/alex-salmond-uk-government-abandon-military-obsession-snp-leader-scottish-mp-international-affairs-a7502171.html
@Resident Dissident, as one of your primary concerns appears to be the minuscule problem of fascism in Russia, I wonder why you exclusively focus on Russia, when both Ukraine & Poland have a much more serious problem:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/poland-independence-day-march-warsaw-far-right-fascists-a8050181.html
The problem of fascism in Russia is not miniscule. Please compare the votes for the fascist parties in Poland and Ukraine with that for Zhirinovsky, look at what members of the Putin regime say about “chorny” from the Caucauses. My wife and children are have dual nationality with Russia – not Poland or Ukraine. I also worked in Russia for 5 years ( and paid taxes on all my income, unlike Putin) and go there reasonably regularly so I have some idea what I am talking about unlike yourself. I actually love Russia and have many Russian friends, and care deeply about what the oligarchs and Putin are doing to the country.
Now I’ve answered my question perhaps I can put one to yourself. You have in the past quite rightly attacked the UK and US for providing the Saudis with arms, why don’t you now apply the same condemnation to their new suppliers?
@RD, trying to compare a Russian Nationalist with Neo-Nazi fascists, is as oxymoronic as it is disingenuous.
No, I don’t approve of anybody selling arms to Saudi Arabia, but I would point out that selling a missile defence system is more morally defensible than selling them cluster munitions, bombs & fighter jets, and other offensive weaponry, especially when they currently committing genocide in Yemen, as Britain has done.
Salmond might also want to take up how the Russian justice system has dealt with the murderers of 16 year old Stepan Chupenko who would have been 20 today
https://www.unian.info/war/2056431-russia-frees-donbas-militant-who-killed-teenager-in-occupied-kramatorsk-in-2014.html
But for some reason I suspect he will only be interested in miscarriages of justice in the UK.
I somehow doubt that he will be exploring the relationships between prominent businessmen and senior politicians in either Scotland or Russia. I’m sure our Scottish friends can provide more details should they wish.
“She was not rebuked in any way by RT and carried on presenting the show for another year before leaving of her own volition to pursue other projects.”
___________________________________
Well, that’s one version of the story.
Another one is that she left precisely because RT’s Kremlin paymasters told her they did not appreciate what she had done and would make sure she would not do anything similar in the future.
So she stormed out in protest a year later?
No, she was eased out and that took time (for appearance’s sake).
This suggests that Syria was the first Arab country to be free of its Colonial masters, then the CIA helped set up the first
“change of government”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_1949_Syrian_coup_d%27état
An overarching US policy objective in Syria at the time was allowing the construction of the Trans-Arabian Pipeline, which had been held up in the Syrian parliament. Za’im approved the “Tapline” project on May 16.
Pipelines
do seem to play a very important role in regime change in
The Middle East.
Some have said
The Syrian “Civil” War was partially started because Syria
did not want a new Saudi pipeline through Syria, they did not want to be played, again?
@ freddy November 11, 2017 at 18:20
So was the Afghan invasion and occupation. America wanted to pipelines through Afghanistan, but couldn’t come to an amicable agreement.
9/11 was just a ‘False Flag’ to give a ‘casus belli’ for the attack, and also to operate as an umbrella for all the subsequent ‘Regime Change’ ‘Crimes Against Peace’.
Lebanon – Hariri crisis: President Aoun demands answers from Saudi Arabia
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-41955798
The US has warned other countries not to use Lebanon for proxy conflicts.
That’s a “bit” rich
“A prominent BBC journalist has deleted a tweet in which a senior Conservative MP can be seen complaining about the British media turning a blind eye to the corrupt relationship that has allowed Israel to “buy access” in Westminster.”
“In her deleted tweet, which MEMO has been able to grab as a screenshot, Kuenssberg reported a comment made by a “senior” Tory MP who, enraged by the debacle, called for Lord Polak, honorary president of CFI and the person thought to be behind Patel’s Israel trip, to be sacked.”
With Ruth Davidson and her motely crew, visiting the Golan Heights and now Priti Patel, and a lord meeting with god knows who on the Golan Heights, Israel appears to have quite a influence among the corridors of Westminster.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20171110-bbc-journalist-deletes-tweet-about-uks-corrupt-relationship-with-israel/
RoS, you’d think Ruthie would be too busy with her ‘day job’ to have time to be gallivanting. Oh, I forgot, she doesn’t really have a job. Joking aside, why was she there?
JOML.
Here you go.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14884171.Ruth_Davidson_slammed_over_high_level_Tory_visit_to_illegal_Israeli_settlement/
Ros & JOML
It’s surprising the Tory whips let so many of the party’s MPs visit the Golan Heights at the same time. They’ve got lots of land mines there. And what with their slender Tory/DUP majority.
Ah it was last year and was mostly MSPs. Even so.
A safe way to visit Golan and it looks quite nice is by Google Maps and then Street View to have a wander around the illegal settlements, they’re really nice.
Many of then are covered by Google Street View others not (maybe they’re shy or Google hasn’t got around to going there yet).
So an idea I had to avoid any more Ministers getting trapped on their holibobs by an clingy Israeli Minister is to go on Street View. Ask the Foreign Office for info packs put together by;
Normal Israelis
Warmongering Israelis
Palestinians (normal & other)
Syrians (normal & other)
Jordanians (normal & other)
Lebanese (normal and other)
With their version of history and their vision for their children’s future
And then our Mp’s & Lords might become more aware and learn to Butt The Fuck Out and Stop Fueling Death And Destruction in a place that Has Fuck All to Do With Them.
Look after your constituents not your little black book contacts. Sad Wicked Bastards!
Good point raised in the Herald piece
In the Davidson case
“They say the delegation did not contact Al-Marsad or other representatives of the Syrian community in the “occupied Syrian Golan” to get a “balanced view”.”
And I am guessing the same is true for all the other UK “Educational Visits”. No equal time spent with Syrians to learn their perspective, no equal time spent with Palestinians to learn their perspective. No equal time spent with Israelis who don’t their children to live through the sickness their governments has dished out in their names for generations.
In which case the language used to explain the visits is plain wrong.
Replace Educational with Indoctrination
And Visits with Piss Taking Jollies
My sister (very religious) visited “The Holy Land” about 10 years ago. She wanted to go to Bethlehem – to see The Birth Place of Jesus.
She was met by a Thug, who literally pointed a machine gun right in her face.
She has never had this treatment anywhere else in the World – not even in The USA where she travels often, where her daughter and family live.
These thugs have infested our Government.
How do we get rid of them?
Tony
Peter, as an MSP, I really don’t know why Ruth Davidson visited the Golan Heights. If Scotland had business there, then our FM should have visited. However, I suspect there are other reasons, outside legitimate economic reasons, why Ruth and her like make such visits. Makes me uneasy.
PS. I’m not an MSP – really need to check what I post before sending. ?
You should be JOML MSP. I’d vote for you.
the reasons are grooming of potential future leaders, ensuring that they are already inside the tent when they are elevated to a cabinet position here.
These visits are one sided and curried with the occasional visit to a pre arranged west bank town or village.
Well, the Golan Heights and South Lebanon could be trying for ‘Gaeltacht’ funding. Thanks to the Irish UN contingent, ‘pog ma thoin’ has become a popular children’s for the Israelis thereabouts.
RoS do you think that Lord Polak
will be thrown under a bus?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Polak,_Baron_Polak
He took “educational trips” to Israel from the age of fifteen.
RoS
maybe Mrs. May should herald Lord Polak
and ask him
“Polak, how many times have you visited The Golan?
Why did you visit The Golan?”
Very happy that you do what you will with my small donation. Your thinking of others in similar situations to the one you have just experienced is inspirational. It is probably the reason I follow your blog from over here in Oz.
Thanks for that Peter, would you agree that an end to the FoI patronage within our parties needs debating? when one considers the free development of democratic discourse and policy conception, i.e local representation…..
I might
Liberals have gone ga ga
Jess Insall, 15, told the party conference that allowing girls to wear trousers and boys to wear skirts could result in happier students, better exam results and even better jobs.
She said: “It’s a small step forward but it will make a huge difference.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-41947722
I’m not bothered about the Liberals allowing boys to wear skirts in Scotland. It’s the prospect of the SNP making it compulsory worries me.
Oh, Fred, I’ve told you a million times, don’t exaggerate! Here’s a wee kilt tune from your/our part of the world that I’m sure we can enjoy together. Slainté
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PBj83RoDAps
More hypocrisy! It was the Westminster parliament that made it compulsory NOT to wear Highland dress, NOT to speak the language, NOT to play the pipes.
To make amends, anti-Scots should be made to undertake a 2-year penance of living and dressing as ancient Highlanders did before being granted citizenship of the new Scotland ;o)
The act was repealed in 1782 yet Scots still make use of it to poison their children’s minds against the English.
freddy, So far as I can gather the liberal girls shag everyone (except me) and then compare notes on performance. I find it a great pity, cos most of them are really pretty.
Get with the times, freddy, it’s the 1970s!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UMhFyWEMlD4
JOML,
Hilarious, I think I now understand why the two girls, I met in Leeds took me to an obviously gay club, because they quite obviously weren’t. I would have noticed the difference. I took them both to work the next morning. Definitely Female.
When a cloud of nuclear material, Ruthenium-106, hovering over Europe for the last month goes almost unremarked (can’t help recall how the sun was transformed into a strange red globe by that dust storm a few weeks ago) I shouldn’t be too surprised about this story:
“When the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria began to dominate headlines in 2014, it was made out to be the most horrifying, ruthless terrorist group in existence—now any coverage the group receives tells a story of defeat, and the discovery of American weapons and equipment has gone virtually unnoticed…”
http://thefreethoughtproject.com/syrian-forces-defeat-isis-weapons-found/
Any thoughts on the veracity? On the face of it, that should be front page news right? But if it is mentioned anywhere in MSM, it isn’t searchable. Not easily at any rate.
Also, quite a lot of stories are sharing weirdly similar phrases across print media at the moment. Does news arrive unquestioned from a central source these days? The Guardian and The Irish Times had almost exactly the same text on the Kelly Exhumation story, reassembled differently, while almost all of the rest of the print media use the same exact quotes. I know they’re all strapped for cash and recycling the same bulletin but is anyone doing journalism in MSM?
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/oct/29/body-of-wmd-dossier-scientist-david-kelly-exhumed
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/uk/body-of-iraq-dossier-scientist-david-kelly-exhumed-1.3273086
J,
Most of it (not all) is a load of bollocks (including contrails). If you are feeling paranoid, buy yourself a geiger counter, and travel to the exclusion zone surrounding Chernobyl
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/04/060418-chernobyl-wildlife-thirty-year-anniversary-science/
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-Instruments-Mini-Monitor-Type-5-10-EL-Geiger-Counter-Radiation-Meter/172965022453?hash=item284584caf5:g:Hv4AAOSwEZdZ9MSU
Tony
J, “(can’t help recall how the sun was transformed into a strange red globe by that dust storm a few weeks ago) ”
I noticed that as well as my wife. It did seem really weird. It was almost as if there was an eclipse of the sun.
I don’t know how widespread it was, but such things are not that rare. It happenned a few years ago, and there was a perfectly natural explanation to it.
For several days – we had Red Rain over London. All the cars were covered in dust in the morning.
The sun is sometimes completely ferocious (I know about these things – I used to go gliding)
The Red Rain had come from The Sahara Desert. It was sucked up into the atmosphere in a powerful vortex, and got moved in the upper atmosphere by incredibly strong winds…and got dumped on us.
It’s the sun wot did it – not us puny humans on the ground.
All these Climate Change religious morons who have brainwashed you, thinking us humans can compete with the sun are idiots. They have never done any real science in their lives. They are just priests (mostly very rich priests).
The climate changes, always has done and always will do. There is bugger all we can do about it…except prepare for the Great Freeze this winter.
Tony
Tony, you’re replying at length to comments I didn’t make and not just on climate, but thanks.
It’s not that the climate is changing, it’s that it’s changing fast. Do we live or think on the time scales necessary to appreciate how fragile a condition the here and now actually is? Or how degraded ecosystems are becoming? The good news is we can live differently. Much of what we think we enjoy as civilisation is just programming while the really important things are slipping away from us. Beginning with perpetual war and working back from there.
How inevitable are the choices we make? As Ursula Leguin said: “We live in capitalism, its power seems inescapable – but then, so did the divine right of kings.”
Is it also worth considering the human contribution to warming in addition to potential natural events, rather than juxtaposed beside as you tend to.
Forgot to close the italics…
You’re wasting your time. Deniers are impervious to facts, they’ve got their story from the very well funded merchants of doubt and could not be convinced that water is wet. Pouring giga-tons of CO2 into the atmosphere, destroying the rain forests, what possible effect could this have? And so on.
Nice to see that the single political party worldwide that is insane and craven enough to deny climate change – The US Republicans – have some fans here. After all, Trump said it’s just a plot by China. Other Republican Senators have revealed it’s all a plot by “Hollywood liberals” – so there you have it.
glenn_nl,
When exactly do you think you, your children or your grandchildren are going to be eviscerated by climate change? It could be this winter if the crazies in Washington don’t tone it down. the Russians are not impressed with the American morons.
Have you worked out 9/11 yet – or do you still believe the Official story?
And how fast were you going on your motorbike – Ducati init? when you got pulled and had to go to court.
I did ask you, and you didn’t reply.
What’s your job in Holland?
I don’t deny anything, except religion which is a load of bollocks.
This Fear Porn is not healthy….the planet is dying etc…Do you want to see my underwater videos of abundant live coral, from only a few weeks ago?
I’m off to the pub – see you later.
Tony
Hello Tony,
I don’t know exactly – but considering what a couple of degrees centigrade rise will do, and the fact that we’re on target for maybe twice that by the end of the century, it doesn’t look good long term.
(_That_ subject shouldn’t be discussed on this thread… there is one dedicated to the subject, I’ve made my views clear there – for whatever interest that might be to anyone)
Sorry I didn’t reply earlier. First time I was up in front of the beak, it was for 120 in a 60mph zone. They apparently take a dim view of that sort of thing, even when you have a reasonable excuse.
Thanks for asking about Holland – it’s going OK over here. Thought I was ready to retire, but got persuaded to do one last job first.
Seeing your video of coral would be great!
You rarely see Ursula le guin mentioned anywhere. It was a nice surprise and just the sort of thing I would expect her to say. I hope she is right.
She’s smarter and wiser than most. I hope so too.
The morons are the deniers who have demonstrably no scientific understanding whatsoever. But you’re right, it’s a waste of time appealing to reason or evidence with them. They are like evolution deniers – strangely there are a lot of those in the US too.
I guess you come closer to the truth than many.
Global warming is a simple tool with which to heap opprobrium on all those who dare to hold a contrary view. No need to mention exactly what scientific understanding is lacking as that would just get in the way of ad hominen attacks. It is definitely best to keep away from the subject of volcanoes as that would require an acknowledgement as to just how little “science” understands with regard to volcanoes.
But yes – it is almost certainly the case that human activity is harmful to the planet. In order to cause less harm then people would need to do certain things – like use substantially less energy, and ensure that aggregate population does not exceed sustainable levels. Try plotting a graph of population growth against the consumption of oil. You will notice a very high correlation – science relies quite a lot on correlations.
How do you cut population? Nature tends to go for pandemics and starvation. You think that will be a vote winner? How do you use less energy? Well you start doing a lot more walking and growing a lot less food. Growing less food puts you at one with nature since it will lead to starvation. Who is going to propose such a strategy? The answer is no-one. Once you understand this then you will see that global warming is a simple hoax. It does not matter whether it is true or not – since either way there is no intention of doing anything about it. Just be happy and rely on nature. Nature has no conflicting interests. It has no interest in insulting people. It does not cry over death, tragedy and injustice. It just does what it does.
Because nobody is actually doing anything, then global warming is therefore a hoax. Brilliant stuff – have you tried writing up a paper on this? Get it peer reviewed (shouldn’t be hard!) and the exceedingly well funded climate change denial industry will reward you well.
THE DUP are at the centre of a cover-up
after a £425,000 mysterious donation was made to the Brexit campaign in the run-up to the referendum.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/878526/dup-arlene-foster-brexit-funding-brexit-theresa-may-conservative-pm-pro-brexit-eu
The CRC and DUP both refused to reveal where the money came from,
following the CRC’s fine of £6,000 by the Electoral Commission for stonewalling inquiries on Saturday.
Sources at the CRC have denied acting illegally, however.
I was under the idea that all large donations, had to be open, recordable and unambiguous
The Scotsman with an admirable example of investigative journalism. The First Minister has actually been using her ministerial limousine to get around Scotland. Scandalous!
Doesn’t she know that ministerial cars are only supposed to be used to pop down the shops for a loaf of bread? That’s what government ministers in every other country use their limos for. If political leaders have to travel around their country the convention is that they hitch hike. The SNP have made Scotland an international laughing stock again.
Well done once more to the Scotsman for upholding the highest standards of North British journalism.
The Cringe is still alive and well at the Scotsman.
Ferrying people to and from the party conference is no considered official government business. There are rules about parties in government using tax payer’s money to enrich the party.
Those tax payers who think the SNP are a bunch of crooks, cheats and liars resent having to make a donation to their party funds of the amount it would have cost them to hire limos.
When Nicola has stopped swanning around in the SNP Limo, perhaps she will take a leaf out of Carles book
and declare
UDI
America’s Rules of Engagement, always shoot first.
https://collateralmurder.wikileaks.org
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy
is visiting Catalonia for the first time since he imposed direct rule on the north-eastern region a fortnight ago./
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-41958204
Note the BBC are just calling Catalonia a region – not a country.
UN says Saudi-led raids on schools, medical facilities, mosques and markets have violated international humanitarian laws.
“Saudi Arabia bombing civilian targets in Yemen is helping grow BAE Systems sales, says Amnesty International
UN says Saudi-led raids on schools, medical facilities, mosques and markets have violated international humanitarian laws.”
“Amnesty International says that that financial figures from the British-based multi-national defence contractor, reveal that a net gain of close to £1 billion over the last year in the company’s UK division is down to continuing sales and engineering support of its Eurofighter Typhoon jet to the Royal Saudi Air Force.”
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-bombing-civilian-targets-in-yemen-is-helping-grow-bae-systems-sales-says-amnesty-a6882221.html
We don’t here, or see the BBC report much on this could it be because the chairman of BAE is also the vice-chairman of the BBC Trust, or is it just a coincidence?
https://www.opendemocracy.net/ourbeeb/harry-blain/bbc-and-arms-trade-silent-scandal
Ros
Sir Roger Carr of BAE gets £70k a year from the BBC Trust.
When some people questioned BAE’s sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia at the company AGM last year, Sir Roger’s answer was that selling weapons encourages peace.
No doubt he also thinks the BBC educates people.
“Sir Roger’s answer was that selling weapons encourages peace.”
reel guid.
Indeed Saudi Arabia is now a very peaceful nation, if you discount its action in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, and a whole host of other ME nations.
Of course BAE and the British government helped considerably to make Saudi Arabia a peaceful nation with the al-Yamamah deal.
Here’s a quick rundown on the deal.
https://www.theguardian.com/baefiles/page/0,,2095831,00.html
Alternative link.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Yamamah_arms_deal#Corruption_allegations
Ros
Interesting that Labour Attorney General Lord Goldsmith argued with PM Tony Blair against the Serious Fraud Office dropping their investigation into the al-Yamamah deal but Blair won out and the SFO complied.
Similar to the Iraq War when Goldsmith’s original memo to Blair on the legality of a war was cagey and presented qualifications. Goldsmith final memo a few weeks later to the Labour government was by contrast a green light for the UK to go to war.
Tony Blair really knew how to get his own way back then.
Yes reel guid that is a interesting point, and so is this.
“A relatively minor, although colourful, aspect of this torrent of cash was a £60m “slush fund” maintained by BAE to keep Prince Turki bin Nasser sweet on his visits to the west.”
“The arms firm provided him with extravagant holidays, fleets of classic cars, planeloads of shopping and blond girlfriends.”
“BAE claims these treats were “paid for under the contractual arrangements”. But in fact bills went to the al-Yamamah contract at the MoD under the misleading phrase “support services” [document].”
“The cash for all these payoffs came, simply enough, from overcharging.”
“Accidentally released UK documents [article] reveal that the basic price of the planes was inflated by 32%, to allow for an initial £600m in commissions.”
From the first al Yamamah link.
A £60 million slush fund, that’s impressive even with today’s standards.
One wonders how big the slush fund will be when Armaco floats its $2 trillion worth of shares.
“Saudi officials have said that their measures against Lebanon are in response to the militant Hezbollah’s group support of anti-Saudi rebels in Yemen known as Houthis.”
http://www.france24.com/en/20171111-lebanon-president-aoun-saudi-arabia-explain-ex-pm-hariri-resignation-returned
Hariri has been “missing” for a week now.
This smacks of Ukraine, the president of Ukraine did a runner to stop himself being murdered, not been seen since.
Rebellion in the Tory ranks, it’s claimed 40 Tory MP’s are preparing to sign a letter of no confidence, in Theresa May.
The total is eight short of the number needed to trigger a leadership contest under Conservative party rules.
http://archive.is/IiO84
The British government is in complete dissary, a change of leader, be it to Mogg or Johnson, likely contenders, will not inspire confidence in the government.
Scotland needs to exit this failing union ASAP.
Oh no. Colonel Ruth’s going to miss the bus.
Not worry reel guid, Colonel Davidson has other modes of transport, such as her white tank, or Water Buffalo. ?
You’re right Ros.
Scotland is being sneeringly dictated to from Westminster by the biggest collection of troughers, sex offenders, fascist sympathisers, womanisers, bullies, power trippers, sybarites, fraudsters and liars.
Tory and Labour. Tory Remainers and Tory Brexiteers. Labour Corbynites and Labour Blairites. They’re all untrustworthy trash.
Scoundrel time has gone on long enough and we must proceed against the enemies of Scotland – and they are enemies – by ensuring the cessation of their malign influence on our beloved country.
I shall at that, add, you missed them out, (you were probably overwhelmed by the sheer number of sleazy characters, completely forgivable).
The 900 or so, unelected and undemocratic Lords, who do very well from the taxpayer in the HoL.
Funnily enough Ros, as soon as I posted I realised I’d omitted Their Lordships and their cosy unaccountable racket. As you say there’s too much to remember at the one go.
From the depths of despair, when it seems everything is lost, if you just keep carrying on, when it seems almost impossible, you can still rise above the gloom, surface – see the sunshine – and fly again.
We are going to see Robert Plant soon. His new album is really good.
“Robert Plant & The Sensational Space Shifters – New World – Later… with Jools Holland – BBC Two”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYd3dOY8FWY
Tony
St. Theresa’s cabinet goes swimming to celebrate Brexit.
http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/cartoon-der-woche-fotostrecke-154867-2.html
Labour Lordy and former Heart of Midlothian FC chairman George Foulkes tweets about the current club chairwoman Ann Budge laying a wreath on “behalf of the Hearts family” at a remembrance service in Edinburgh’s Haymarket.
That would be the same “Hearts family” that includes Alex Salmond who Foulkes is saying is “close to treason”.
Who’s the more commendable representative of the Hearts family?
Foulkes, who signed a public letter opposing Pope Benedict’s visit to Scotland?
Or Salmond, who welcomed Pope Benedict to Scotland?
reel guid.
It has sprung to mind that the outcry over Salmond, a ex-FM and Privy Council member, producing his own show for RT, is a bit of double standard yoonery in my opinion.
When George Osborne, ex-chancellor of the British government is editor of the London Evening Standard, which is owned by Russian businessman and former KGB agent Alexander Lebedev.
Add in that its well documented that Osborne wants to bring Theresa May, the British PM down.
I should add Lebedev, also own the Independent newspaper, which his son runs.
I remember the outrage when Osborne took the job with the Evening Standard, he was heavily criticised both in the media and on this blog.
Outrage at Salmond working for RT isn’t double standards, not being outraged is double standards.
Actually Fred, the biggest outcry over Osborne’s appointment was centred around him refusing to resign as MP for Tatton.
Now imagine the Britnat outcry if Salmond was still a MP, double standards for sure.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/mar/17/george-osborne-named-new-evening-standard-editor-newspaper
Salmond had a talk show on LBC when he was still an MP.
There was outcry about both Osborne and Salmond in the media. The only people with double standards are the ones who condemned Osborne but not Salmond.
You miss the point Fred LBC, isn’t owned by a ex-Russian KGB agent.
But RT is owned by the Kremlin and Salmond is Putin’s poodle.
It isn’t those who were outraged by both of them who have double standards it was those only outraged by one. You do understand what the term “double standards” means don’t you?
Foulkes, a fervent LFoI member, received his peerage from Blair.
‘He is a strong supporter of the Iraq war and has described Tony Blair’s conduct of the war as clearly intentioned, carried through brilliantly and resulting in much improvement for the people of the country. Commenting on Sir Christopher Meyer’s testimony to the Iraq Inquiry in 2009, he described the inquiry as “a procession of primadonnas and the usual suspects grandstanding for the TV”.’. YCNMIU. Perhaps he has never heard a child with burnt flesh screaming.’
Hits policemen when drunk too.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Foulkes,_Baron_Foulkes_of_Cumnock
Pope Benedict is an accomplice to mass child abuse and should have been told he is not welcome in Scotland.
Laughing in our faces, cont’d.
He’s laughing in the faces of those on zero hours contracts, those homeless and those using foodbanks when he ran off after the Brexit vote.
He was at the Cenotaph today, standing next to the other war criminals Brown and Blair.
‘David Cameron buys £2m Cornish holiday home ‘with a huge mortgage he hopes to pay off when his memoirs come out’
•Former Prime Minister has splashed out on a £2million holiday home in Cornwall’
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5073311/David-Cameron-buys-2m-Cornish-holiday-home.html
He already owns a house in Notting Hill and another in Witney.
I note he is employing his ex PPS to run his office. The servant was given a CBE when Cameron ran off from No 10.
‘David Cameron’s political private secretary, Laurence Mann leaves No10 Downing Street after Cabinet Meeting in the ++Syria Crisis++, London, United Kingdom. Thursday, 29th August 2013’
https://i-images.photoshelter.com/image/I0000sZ45MX276Hg
++Oh yes Cameron wanted to bomb Syria having bombed and wrecked Libya but he lost the vote. There must have been great disappointment in Kensington Green over that.
Let’s not ask what the security bill for our four surviving ex-PM’s is. They’ve all got ‘jobs’, they’re all coining it. Pay them all what they’re due under Universal Credit* and tell them to take their begging bowls to another shop.
*SFA
http://xymphora.blogspot.co.uk/
The few paras after “the AIPAC of the 820’s” are well observed and on point . Please hang on to my dough Craig and use it as you see fit. Please keep up your good work, buoyed I hope by the solidarity and friendship of the great majority on this blog and beyond
Please note that the original article summarised by Xymphora comes from, and is linked to, a white-supremacist website.
‘Excellent news! ‘Glad you can now put this behind you.
While we’re considering donating to Neil Clark’s fund against Kamm, here’s his excellent piece on poppies and Remembrance Sunday:
https://www.rt.com/op-edge/321223-remembrance-day-uk-ww1/
(and no, I am not Neil Clark)
Very good, thanks for posting. The people who’ve turned this into a prop for profitable wars are the lowest of the low.
An excellent article from Neil Clark that really says it all.
Excellent. Thank You.
Along the same lines;
https://markdoran.wordpress.com/2017/11/11/lest-we-remember/
“The former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has told RIA Novosti not even the threat of a right-wing Ukip/Conservative Government being elected at the next British General Election in 2015 would persuade him to support Scottish
independence.”
There you have it Brown, a Judas b*stard, from a long line of Judas b*stard Scottish politicians.
https://sputniknews.com/amp/politics/20140914192928906-Former-UK-Prime-Minister-Brown-Prefers-UKIPTory-Government-to/
Mark Hirst calls them all out, they all deny giving interviews to Sputnik, Mark’s on the edge of outing Green MSP, as a porky pie-er who vehemently denies interview.
https://mobile.twitter.com/Documark?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwingsoverscotland.com%2Fthe-habit-of-lying%2Fcomment-page-1%2F%23comments
For those of you who follow the Saudi/Lebanon intrigue her in insider view of what is happening in Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. The interview is in Arabic with subtitles. It appears that he has confiscated the rics of the billionaire princes to pay the US in collusion with Kushner to the benefit of the US.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=18&v=NNg5nLMG6FM
Just also to remind those who have been up to date of how the US anti Syrian propaganda works, an Interview with Bashar Al Assad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HLjC53emUM