I confess I found it difficult to get worked up about the Cambridge Analytica affair. My reactions was “What awful people. But surely everybody realises that is what Facebook does?”. It seemed to me hardly news, on top of which the most likely outcome is that it will be used as yet another excuse to introduce government controls on the internet and clamp down on dissenting views like those on this website, where 85% of all traffic comes through Facebook or Twitter.
But two nights ago my interest was piqued when, at the height of Cambridge Analytica’s domination of the news cycle, the BBC gave it considerably less airtime than the alcohol abuse problems of someone named Ant. The evening before, the BBC had on Newsnight given the CEO of Cambridge Analytica the most softball interview imaginable. If the BBC is obviously downplaying something, it is usually defending a deep British Establishment interest.
It took me a minute to find out that Cambridge Analytica is owned by a British company, SCL Ltd, which in effect does exactly the same activities in the UK that Cambridge Analytica was undertaking in the US. I then looked up SCL on Bloomberg.
The name which jumped out at me of course was Lord Ivar Mountbatten, direct descendant of Queen Victoria and scion of the family closest friends with that of the UK’s unelected monarch. The only person listed by Companies House as having “significant control” – ie over 25% of the shares – is Roger Gabb, the wine merchant known for large donations to the Tory Party. I have now spoken to people who know him fairly well who, I must note in fairness, universally say he is a kind and very bright man, but with no technical input in the kind of work performed by SCL/Cambridge Analytica.
SCL is as Establishment as a company can get. The most worrying aspect of this is that SCL is paid by the British government to manipulate public opinion particularly in the fields of “Security” and “Defence”, and still more worryingly SCL – this group of ultra Tory money men seeking to refine government propaganda at the expense of you, the taxpayer – is cleared by the MOD to access classified government information.
I then did a news search on google for “Mountbatten” and “SCL” and it brought up zero results from corporate and state media. I then did a wider search not just of news sites, and found this excellent article from Liam O’Hare on Bella Caledonia. It said everything I had been planning to write, and probably says it better. Please do read it. Liam has actually done this to me before, getting there first. I suspect we may be the same person. Come to think of it, I have never seen a photo of us together.
PS Everyone of my generation will remember this joke. “What’s white and flies across the sea at 300mph?” We had a more robust attitude to free speech in the 70’s, and the maudlin deference to the “Royal family” had much less hold on the population.
As I said here before, the reason why a forensics team from Stroz Friedberg was sent in to Cambridge Analytica;s London officers – clearly with great urgency – may have been to protect the royal family. I doubt that Facebook was the real client. At first I thought the client was a state, probably the US or Israel, but then figured it could have been the royals.
Prince Michael is mixed up with “Russian” mafia figures and has been for years.
Different rules apply when the royal family are involved in something, and especially when they want something.
Did I post that shortly before this site got attacked?
[..]
The Duke of York reportedly pays the £20,000 a year rent for the apartment at the palace.
As Beatrice and Eugenie are not full time working royals, they must pay rent to live in the palaces and are not provided accommodation for free.
This is also the case for Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, although there was controversy a few years ago when it was revealed that The Queen paid for the majority of their £120,000 per year rent at Kensington Palace’
So we have troughers at the Houses of Parliament and troughers in ‘royal’ palaces.
http://royalcentral.co.uk/uk/yorks/princess-beatrice-is-set-to-move-out-of-st-jamess-palace-97458
and never forgetting P Harry who dressed up in SS uniform ar fancy dress. It might have been for a bit of fun but it was not in the least funny. My father’s generation gave a lot, including their lives, to fight the Nazis and to save this country from occupation.
Influencing the Nigerian election.
“And then there were the meetings: three sources have told the Guardian about one that took place between Cambridge Analytica employees and two people they were told were Israeli intelligence operatives.”
“There was a two-hour meeting that took place in the hotel lobby between two senior campaign members and Israeli intelligence. ”
https://archive.is/4r0WE
CA and Israeli security services have been busy.
“The data analytics firm that worked on the Donald Trump election campaign was offered material from Israeli hackers who had accessed the private emails of two politicians who are now heads of state.”
https://archive.is/9NNNK
CA, even had access to MoD secret documents.
https://archive.is/9u4Jo
[ Mod: Caught in spam-filter, timestamp updated ]
—
Official Statement of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the “Skripal Case”
AIDE-MEMOIRE
to clarify the state of affairs
as regards the so-called ‘Skripal case’
1. On 12 March 2018, Prime Minister of Great Britain Theresa May, addressing the House of Commons, said it was “highly likely” that the Russian Federation was responsible for the poisoning of former GRU colonel, double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia Skripal on 4 March 2018 in Salisbury, with a nerve agent identified according to British classification as A-234.
The United Kingdom has publicly raised a question about Russia’s “concealing” and “using” part of its chemical arsenal, thus alleging that Russia has “violated” its obligations under the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction (CWC) – one of the most effective multilateral treaties in the disarmament and non-proliferation field, which was initiated, among others, by our country.
Thus, the United Kingdom has come out against Russia as well as against the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) itself and the tremendous work that has been done within this organization during the last two decades, including with participation of the United Kingdom.
Pursuant to the requirements of Article III of the CWC, the Russian Federation submitted a full and complete declaration of all its chemical weapons stockpiles. That data was thoroughly checked and verified by the inspection teams of the OPCW Technical Secretariat. The fact of the full elimination of Russia’s chemical arsenal has been officially confirmed by the authorized international institution – the OPCW.
2. On 12 March 2018, given the gravity of the accusations brought against our country, the Russian Embassy in London sent a note verbale to the Foreign Office of Great Britain requesting access to the investigation materials, including samples of the chemical agent that British investigators were referring to, so that it could be tested by our experts in the framework of joint investigation.
Thus, we proposed to act in accordance with paragraph 2 of Article IX of the CWC. It stipulates that States Parties to the Convention should first make every effort to clarify and resolve, through exchange of information and consultations among themselves, any matter which may cause doubt about compliance with the CWC. Under the provisions of that Article, Russia would be ready to respond to the United Kingdom’s request within 10 days.
Unfortunately, the British side rejected that option and, instead of following the existing norms of international law, chose to unscrupulously politicize the issue.
3. British Prime Minister Theresa May suggested that a special Security Council meeting to discuss the matter be held on 14 March 2018. Suspecting that London would play dirty, Russia insisted on making the Security Council’s meeting open.
It is incomprehensible what the British side was trying to achieve by bringing the issue to the UNSC. This matter by no means falls within the mandate of the UNSC. It is quite obvious that all discussions are pointless until the OPCW gives its assessment of the Salisbury incident (it is important to know whether a nerve agent was actually used; if it was, how the likely origin of the chemicals was determined; what, and on what basis, actions were taken with regard to the victims, etc.).
4. On 14 March 2018, British Prime Minister Theresa May, apparently having come to senses, finally sent a letter to Director-General of the Technical Secretariat of the OPCW Ahmet Üzümcü (circulated to all OPCW Executive Council Member States on 15 March 2018) inviting the OPCW Technical Secretariat “to independently verify the analysis” of the British investigation into the Salisbury incident.
As indicated in the press release by the British Foreign Office of 18 March 2018, following the letter by Ms Theresa May, the UK’s Permanent Representative to the OPCW invited experts of the OPCW Technical Secretariat to visit the United Kingdom to carry out an independent analysis of the findings of the British Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down in connection with the Salisbury incident. On 19 March 2018, OPCW experts arrived in the United Kingdom.
Russia expects the OPCW to make an official detailed account of developments around the ‘Skripal case’. We proceed from the understanding that the OPCW Technical Secretariat shall conduct a full-fledged independent investigation in accordance with all relevant provisions of the CWC.
5. Russia has more and more questions both in legal and practical terms. And we intend to seek answers through the OPCW.
Russia states that it has not used chemical weapons against Great Britain. We suppose that the attack on the Skripals with toxic chemicals shall be deemed a terrorist act. As Yulia Skripal, a Russian citizen, is among the victims to the incident, we propose cooperation with the British Side under Article IX of the CWC.
We would like to ascertain the following issues.
Where, how, and by whom were the samples collected from Sergei and Yulia Skripal? How was it all documented? Who can certify that the data is credible? Was the chain of custody up to all the OPCW requirements when evidence was collected?
Which methods (spectral analysis and others) were used by the British side to identify, within such a remarkably short period of time, the type of the substance used (“Novichok” according to the western classification)? As far as we know, to do that, they must have had a standard sample of such agent at their disposal.
And how do these hasty actions correlate with Scotland Yard’s official statements that “the investigation is highly likely to take weeks or even months” to arrive at conclusions?
What information and medical effects led to a hasty decision to administer antidotes to the aggrieved Skripals and the British policeman? Could that hastiness lead to grave complications and further deterioration of their health status?
Which antidotes exactly were administered? What tests had been conducted to make the decision to use these drugs?
How can the delayed action of the nerve agent be explained, given that it is a fast-acting substance by nature? The victims were allegedly poisoned in a pizzeria (in a car, at the airport, at home, according to other accounts). So what really happened? How come they were found in some unidentified time on a bench in the street?
We need an explanation why it is Russia who was accused on the ‘Skripal case’ without any grounds whatsoever, while works to develop the agent codenamed “Novichok” in the West had been carried out by the United Kingdom, the USA, Sweden and the Czech Republic. There are more than 200 open sources publications in the NATO countries, highlighting the results that those countries achieved in the development of new toxic agents of this type.
6. Even from purely humanitarian perspective London’s action appears simply barbaric. On 4 March 2018 (as British authorities themselves claim) a nerve agent attack against Russian citizen Yulia Skripal was committed in the territory of the United Kingdom.
Russian Federation has demanded exhaustive information on the course of investigation into the Salisbury incident involving a Russian citizen (the Russian Embassy in London sent the relevant note verbale on 12 March 2018).
The United Kingdom is breaching elementary rules of inter-State relations and is still denying, without any explanation, Russian officials’ consular access to Yulia Skripal envisaged by the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. For more than two weeks now, we have not been able to credibly ascertain what happened to our citizen and what condition she is actually in.
On 16 March, the Main Directorate for High-Priority Cases of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation initiated a criminal investigation into the attempted willful murder of Russian citizen Yulia Skripal committed by dangerous means in the territory of the United Kingdom.
The investigation will be conducted in accordance with the Russian legislation and the norms of international law. Highly qualified experts will contribute to the investigation.
The investigators stand ready to work together with the competent authorities of the United Kingdom. We expect a cooperative approach of the British side.
7. In the UN Security Council as well as in the OPCW and at other international fora, the Russian Federation has been a consistent and insistent proponent of thorough, comprehensive and professional investigation of all crimes involving toxic chemicals, and of bringing perpetrators to justice.
We are ready to engage in full-scale and open cooperation with the United Kingdom in order to address any concerns whether in bilateral format or within the OPCW and other international instruments, working within the purview of international law.
As a responsible member of the international community and a bona fide State Party to the CWC Russia will never speak the language of ultimatums or answer informal and word-of-mouth questions.
The Western countries’ action on the fabricated ‘Skripal case’ contravenes the norms of international law and the general practice of inter-State relations, as well as the common sense itself. Naturally, we run a detailed record of all that, and when time comes, those guilty will inevitably be brought to justice.
“Novichok” featured in the TV series “Strike Back”. As the Russian Foreign Ministry guy implied yesterday, “novichok” (newbie) is almost a joke name, similar to “starichok” (oldtimer) or “durachok” (fool).
Another part of the propaganda is the “McMafia” series. Not that I’ve watched it. But if it’s about the Russian mafia in London then it’s definitely part of the game, influencing perceptions.
Tell these guys to apply for a writ of habeas corpus right now. As they rightly say, protecting the interests of their citizens is a consular function as defined in the 1963 Vienna Convention. Get the application in. They have a right to know Yulia Skripal’s condition and if she is being confined then why.
Responses to habeas corpus applications are not the kind of legal matter that can be deferred for weeks or months. Magna Carta and stuff.
These bits are important:
“Where, how, and by whom were the samples collected from Sergei and Yulia Skripal? How was it all documented? Who can certify that the data is credible? Was the chain of custody up to all the OPCW requirements when evidence was collected?”
And if not, why not?
“Which methods (…) were used by the British side to identify, within such a remarkably short period of time, the type of the substance used (“Novichok” (…))? As far as we know, to do that, they must have had a standard sample of such agent at their disposal.”
Did they? One day they will be asked that in court.
“Which antidotes exactly were administered? What tests had been conducted to make the decision to use these drugs?”
Seems unlikely that the OPCW will support the British position.
This is a copy of my comment from 12.12pm, yesterday, 21 March 2018. The cyberattack started less than two hours later. It was in response to the comment by Shatnersrug linking to the excellent article here. Emphasis added.
***************************************************
Nice work.
The number of known “royal” links to SCL appears to be growing
That could explain why “independent forensic auditors from Stroz Friedberg” were in the CA offices last night removing info in a hurry. I thought the real client, rather than Facebook, might be a state, such as the US or Israel. But always always in Britain, different rules apply when the “royal” family is concerned. Smoking gun evidence showing a “royal” connection to SCL/CA activities could be what was being removed.
Nigel Oakes used to be the boyfriend of Helen Windsor, niece of the “Prince” Michael of Kent who has been pals with several “Russian” “oligarchs” (including Berezovsky and Khodorkovsky), runs a mysterious global “consultancy” (Cantium), and is Patron of the Russo-British Chamber of Commerce. Mikey married the daughter of an SS officer.
Very interesting that “Lord” Ivar Mountbatten was on the SCL advisory board.
Also interesting that John Tolhurst, former “senior military officer at the Defence Export Services Organisation” who then went on the prive (all right for some, eh?), a one-time “naval aide-de-camp” to the “queen”, was or is a director of SCL.
SCL/CA clearly isn’t just one or two Old Etonians who became conmen and acted totally outside the purview of the oh-so-clean Foreign Office, MI6, Tory party, and “royal” family. On the contrary, SCL/CA appears to be basically an MI6 front, working closely with Israeli intelligence as was clear from the Channel Four tape, and enriching and implicating many with royal family connections.
So keep up the good work.
The royals were never going to be brought down by anything that doesn’t focus on their filthy business activities.
***************************************************
Permit me to state what for some will be obvious. Over the past week or so we have watched Tories break cover and appear in public as their spitting, hate-filled, rabid selves.
We had defence secretary Gavin Williamson telling Russia to “shut up and go away”. We had BBC editors and the tabloid press calling the Labour party leader a traitor (using words and pictures). We had Russia and France called “defiant” for not doing what the British posh boys ordered them to. We had the lickspittle Paul Staines (“Guido Fawkes”) viciously attacking Craig for raising questions about the Salisbury attack that Tories don’t like.
No lounge lizard Hush Puppy-wearing “one-nation” “hug a hoodie” “urbanity” now. The ambience was one of pitchforks, Pinochet, extreme hatred and cruelty.
Well kids, you ain’t seen nothing yet.
Attack the royal family and the queen and Tories will get so rabid as to make their former fury look sedate.
LET’S DO IT.
If http://bellacaledonia.org.uk hasn’t been attacked, could your comment have been the trigger?
This site is probably more closely watched than Bella Caledonia, so possibly. I think it was either my comment about the royals or else the fact that the Russian Foreign Ministry referred at the press conference, which was being reported live here, to pressure put on Porton Down scientists.
It’s interesting that no member of the royal family has visited the hospital in Salisbury, or even the city, when this is supposed to have been an attack by a foreign power using a military weapon which has left two British citizens, including a policeman, fighting for their lives.
Craig, to understand why the media is attacking (or ignoring) you, have a look at this eye-opening article & illustrations: https://swprs.org/the-american-empire-and-its-media/
Many thanks for your outstanding work!!
perhaps one reason thsi is not getting the attention it deserves by the media is that every journalist in the country is looking for Dr Stephen Davies from Salisbury Hospital.
The reason they are looking for him is if his allegations can be confirmed Mrs May will have to resign.
The Russian Ambassador is doing well and coping brilliantly with an onslaught of ‘questions’ ie accusations from the MSM scribblers following his statement. He is exceptionally good humoured. He accept none of their nonsense.
LIVE: Russia’s UK ambassador speaks out after Salisbury poisoning
Alexander Yakovenko addresses journalists, with the Salisbury poisoning and recent comments by Boris Johnson top of the agenda.
https://news.sky.com/story/live-russias-uk-ambassador-speaks-out-after-salisbury-poisoning-11299883
I thought he was extremely impressive – particularly in the face of one participants apparent determination to use the event to recite every possible insult about Putin he could dream up – “If Putin was a serial killer, would the Ambassador resign?”
Our people are intellectual pygmies in comparison
I noticed the same softness on FB in almost all MSM. None I read reported on this, and the introductory paragraphs seem to be made to soften the stance
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-43385677
“UN: Facebook has turned into a beast in Myanmar”
Sorry to mention the Heil but they are doing a good job in serializing Tom Bower’s job on the royals and P Charles in particular.
Yesterday’s:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5529189/Queen-cringed-Charles-Rasputin-mentioned.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5529153/The-Prince-sale-super-rich-offered-favours-Charles.html
REBEL Prince: The Power, Passion And Defiance Of Prince Charles
Rebel prince! LOL
But why would the British Establishment (of which SCL is part) be, via Cambridge Analytica, helping Brexit and voting for Trump? I thought Cameron wanted us in the EU and would thoroughly disapprove of someone like Trump.
Different members of the “establishment” want different things. Another factor could simply be money, if they are paid to do the job by someone, then they do it.
IMHO: They are trying to discredit democracy in order to abolish it.
Also, thank you Craig, for your courage, integrity, hard work and insight.
PM May is panicking over what to do about the poisoning chaos,engaging in a hurried anniversary by five days for those killed by the Westminster Bridge attack by Khalid Masood,the Islamist terrorist the the spooks lost track of, plotting an earlier attack on the al-Hillis instead.
My dad, who has advancing dementia, was reading his favourite ‘news’paper of old, the daily mirror, this morning: ‘this ant and dec, if one of em farted it’d be headline news. Ant farts.’ Fair comment, I think.
What’s the joke punchline. Maybe I’m too young?
I don’t get it either and I fall into the fairly ancient category (as my nym suggests).
Boris Johnson has sensationally claimed visa applications from English fans for Russia 2018 is much lower than those made for Brazil 2014, the last World Cup, despite English citizens not needing a visa for travel to Brazil.
UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson says the 24,000 visa applications from Three Lions fans for this summer’s tournament is down three quarters on the 94,000 made for Brazil. However, there is no known visa needed for English tourists to Brazil, and neither was there for the 2014 World Cup.
We have become a Laughing Stock
Sorry for the delay. Crates being removed.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/mar/22/cambridge-analytica-warrant-high-court-adjourns-hearing-information-commissioner
Here is some more half-truth fun from the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-43500234
Note that in its title the article refers to the Ahrar al-Sham faction as “rebels” and that they “had controlled Harasta”
Now take a sneaky peek at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahrar_al-Sham where you will discover that
In a speech at the 28 June 2016 Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, United States Secretary of State John Kerry, perhaps accidentally referred to Ahrar al-Sham as one of several “subgroups” of terrorist groups, saying
” Al-Nusrah is the other group there – Jabhat al-Nusrah. They are a designated terrorist group by the United Nations. And there are a couple of subgroups underneath the two designated – Daesh and Jabhat al-Nusrah – Jaysh al-Islam, Ahrar al-Sham particularly – who brush off and fight with that – alongside these other two sometimes to fight the Assad regime.<>From Orlando to San Bernardino to the Philippines and Bali, we’ve seen pictures and we’ve heard testimony of shocking crimes committed by al-Qaida, by Boko Haram, by Jaysh al-Islam, by Ahrar al-Sham, by al-Shabaab, Daesh, other groups against innocent civilians, against journalists, and against teachers particularly.<<
Sadly Footnote 162 which substantiates these statements refers to a web page at the US State Dept which appears to have been taken down: https://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2016/06/259165.htm
Which is a pity, really. (I'm sure it was an oversight). Anyhow, it's nice to know that even perpetrators of "shocking crimes …. against innocent civilians, against journalists, and against teachers particularly" can be rehabilitated by the BBC, to the point where all you need to know is that they are "rebels". You know, the pink & fluffy kind…
The majority of the defenders of Eastern Ghouta are jihadis, and the rest are Islamists. This is known, if you read it up, but never mentioned by the MSM, who only talk about civilians suffering, rarely about the armed defenders. This is not new – it’s been going on the length of the Syrian war. After all, how could the British government admit to supporting and equipping Jihadis, while at the same time claiming to condemn Islamic extremism?
“The majority of the defenders of Eastern Ghouta are jihadis, and the rest are Islamists.”
Laguerre, why so mealy mouthed? They are all terrorists. The use of these names Jihadis and Islamists only gives grist to the Islamophobia mill. None of these terrorist factions are really interested in Islam as they are supported and armed by the enemies of Muslim Countries.
Voltaire.net
All of these groups and countless others have well-designed flags and logos as well as quality videos. All of this communication material is manufactured by the United Kingdom. In 2007, it had a war propaganda unit, the Research Information and Communications Unit (RICU) headed by MI6 (Secret Service) officer Jonathan Allen. Starting from the chemical weapons case in the summer of 2013, the RICU financed an external company to assist the communication of combatants in Syria (and subsequently those of Yemen). It was initially Regester Larkin, then Innovative Communications & Strategies (InCoStrat). Both companies are headed by an MI6 officer, Colonel Paul Tilley.
Jonathan Allen, whose rank we do not know, has become number two in the UK permanent representation at the United Nations. He is currently leading the Security Council against Russia and Syria.
Is this it? https://web.archive.org/web/20160630194544/https://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2016/06/259165.htm
Suppose I’m replying to myself, but yes — I think that must be the link you re referring to, and which indeed has been rendered a dead url in the Wikipedia article.
Power to the ‘Wayback Machine’! (https://www.web.archive.org) — it one again came through 🙂
My bad, need to correct the latter address, it’s https://web.archive.org. Sorry for the little inconvenience.
Any comment so far from the VP of Facebook for MENA and Europe, oh, and Africa! ?
She is Lady Nicola Mendelsohn, wife of the wealthy Labour donor and peer. He was ennobled in 2013 during the tenure of Opposition leader by Miliband E.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicola_Mendelsohn
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Mendelsohn
There is another Facebook connection to British politics in the form of Rachel Whetstone who was Cameron’s colleague at Carlton Communications and his PR ‘guru’ when he was PM 2010-16.
She is married to Steve Hilton who was director of strategy for David Cameron. He now presents a programme on Fox News so that fits.
Rachel Marjorie Joan Whetstone (born 22 February 1968[1]) is a public relations executive. Whetstone joined Facebook as VP of communications of its WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger products in September 2017.[2] She was senior vice-president of communications and public policy for Uber until April 2017. She was in a similar position at Google until June 2015.
Rachel Whetstone: from Tory power broker to Silicon Valley PR guru
Before joining – and quitting – scandal-hit Uber, Whetstone advised senior Conservatives and led communications at Google
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/apr/13/uber-rachel-whetstone-from-tory-power-broker-to-silicon-valley-pr-guru
A spider’s web of connections there.
Alexander Lakovenko, Russian Ambassor addresses the media Thursday lunchtime re: Salisbury:-
https://news.sky.com/story/live-russias-uk-ambassador-speaks-out-after-salisbury-poisoning-11299883
Why has this extraordinary news conference not been given prominence, or greater prominence on MSM media?
I happened to watch this live on tv this lunchtime – and WOW! What a remarkable man, what a remarkable way to address and confront all the accusations levelled against Russia.
Mr Lakovenko was so composed, so honest, he tried to answer as many questions as possible – all totally unscripted.
This most embarrassing debacle SHOULD topple Mrs May and Boris Johnson’s government – if it does not, then aliens do indeed inhabit the earth and we are doomed. And yes, I write/speak as a conservative – in the old-fashioned meaning of the word so am doubly embarrassed and ashamed of what has been perpetuated on the Russian people in the name of ‘diplomacy’ that is not diplomacy at all but is in fact nothing short of psychological despotism.
i was deeply impressed by him too
“Psychological despotism”. Agreed, bullying would be another word for it. And we hear so much about “Russian bullying”, but what is this, if not bullying?:
https://www.rt.com/business/421900-us-sanctions-nord-stream-companies/
It’s the Guardian lead immediately below the Analytica slot. And on their live politics blog.
Also the Indy leads with it. The BBC is studiously ignoring.
Lord Ivar Mountbatten.
His father ‘from the demi-monde’ ooh er missus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Mountbatten,_3rd_Marquess_of_Milford_Haven
and about him https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Ivar_Mountbatten Running a wedding venue in the family pile with his partner.
3rd Marquess of Milford Haven. Milford Haven? Reputedly, Lord Nelson’s favourite port. I can confidently say that I have never been in a more desperate and tumbleweed-ridden backwater in my life. Wide streets, devoid of people. What little contact I had with the populace convinced me of their desperate humanity; I wept for them.
I see Nix is on the board membership at SCL also…my he gets around
Tom Secker on CA, Nix, Trump and Brexit here:
https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-135-conspiracy-theories-cambridge-analytica/
Recommendation
That disgraceful Lord Mountbatten joke in full:
Q: What’s white and flies across the ocean?
A: Lord Mountbatten’s tennis shoes.
See British Sense of Humour – Wikipedia.
Then you’ll understand.
I’m thick as a brick. Why disgraceful? What does it mean?
It’s only disgraceful if you revere the royals.
Hi Craig,
always reading your blog with interest. I don’t know if you’ve come across it yet but there’s an article querying the effectiveness of ‘psychographic marketing’ – ie what Cambridge Analytica say they do – a posh name for the updated old advertising/marketing concept of splitting consumer groups into A,B, C and the lesser crowd – in Wired mag : https://www.wired.com/story/the-noisy-fallacies-of-psychographic-targeting. The real question is, does it work? CA will claim it does but it’s like the argument for sprinkling elephant deterrent powder – there’s no elephants here so it must be working.
haha….yes, the ‘elephant’……I do believe it does work with some, you just have to look at how many folk still believe the official narrative of Russia did it…..just because, you, me and many others here question the narrative (well, let’s be honest, we ALL don’t believe a word of it) doesn’t mean the hairdresser, housewife, snapchatter, pensioner et al do…..in fact, no offence to ladies here 9 this is not a misogynistic comment, merely an observation in my surrounding circles) virtually all those that DO believe Russia did it are females, pensioners (both male and female), millennials (both male and female), overpaid work colleagues (who think salary equates to IQ), my brother in law and some “why would the govt lie?” types…..I have yet to find one male (normal working/low middle class) believe a word of it…..in fact, a taxi driver, whilst talking about this to me, even said “wait and see at the World Cup, they’ll hire Ukrainian thugs to attack English fans, as they sound like Russians, to justify Boris Johnsons demands for Russia to ensure English fans safety at the World Cup”…..and you know what, I agree with him…..
Indeed, back in NZ I used to grow garlic in one corner of the garden and in all the time we were there and while I was doing it we never had a problem with vampires in that part of the garden.
I am surprised that garlic, of the type developed in France, is so effective against vampires, as developed in Transylvania.
Some facts and considerations to the Skripal case by me in german. I’ve testet the deepl – translation, seemed quite ok to me
https://tomgard.blog/2018/03/22/fall-skripal-update-zu-den-fakten/
ward abott instructed treadstone to be shut down are agent boris bloated friend of nat has failed again.
Cambridge Analytica’s London HQ Evacuated Due To Suspicious looking johnstone flapping in the wind
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-03-22/cambridge-analyticas-london-hq-evacuated-due-suspicious-package
Good article, until it referred to a joke about a terrorist murder of a grandfather and his young grandson.
Crap though the joke was, it was referred to in order to make a point, which seems to have passed you by.
Mountbatten….well, he liked children, let’s not forget
Didn’t the BBC have him on before the piece had aired in the News?
What questions did they know what to ask him?
What is very intriguing is this from BBC radio 4 news at 1:00 PM:
“The information commissioner office said that his application for a warrant to search Cambridge Analytica’s office had been adjourned until Friday”
I wonder why this is the case? Will there still be the incriminating evidence left to be discovered?
I thought the Inf. Comm was female. Canadian – E|lizabeth Denham.
There is a second Bella Caledonia article out on Cambridge Analytica and its contracts with the Tory Government, casting doubts on the PM’s statements to the Commons yesterday:
https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2018/03/22/scl-and-the-phantom-contract/
friday yes yes for the ofaecal warrant
todays activity at cambridge anals london dungeon is simple it is a glorious new jerusalem sunny day
so why not a bit of spring cleaning already.
4 truckloads and counting those poor souls certainly generated a lot of dandruff waste paper poly styrene coffee cuppings
this is not a state within a state issue
just because an old book exists called the empire of the city of london does not mean hidden handy gloved hands
eyes wide shut on the queer squarings
what rot
This story continues to amaze me. From the outset it seemed to me that the evidence was beginning to implicate defense and intelligence communities rather than Russian meddling. How will the Mueller investigation follow the money once this becomes increasingly clear? Will the story now fade away and be buried?
The question now remains, Why? Was the effort simply to stop Hillary? Why bother, she had already compromised herself heart and soul with the military establishment?