Police say Guy Fawkes plot still relevant - Yahoo! UK & Ireland News
Falluja-in-Charlbury Revisited
The old man
Waves
Twisted stumps of steel into the sky
Abuzz with whirring mosquito men
Agitated Americans
Flash by in their copters
Trigger unhappy
A big one is down
Down
Down
This bird will no longer fly
This eagle will not command
Their skies again
The Felugians have brought down a big helicopter
15 Americans are dead
Revenge is sweet for some
A strange poetic justice
In Charlbury
The Kingfisher dives into the stream
The swallows have fled
War seems to be over
The rebels have disbanded
The banner that stood before Parliament is gone
We wave nothing
Either in anger or in greeting
At the American planes flying in from the gulf
We place no masks of Bush or Blair
On our bonfire festival effigies
We are more successfully oppressed
Than our angry Arab brothers
Today
Guy Fawkes is an immigrant burned on the cricket ground
We will keep on burning
His impiety
Full of shallow good cheer
His fight for freedom
Burnt out
Like our indignation
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Time to make Blair accountable.
Is this the legal basis for a war crime trial?
The statement below is from the attorney general's summary of his advice on the legality or illegality of the Iraq adventure, given on March 7.
27. In these circumstances, I remain of the opinion that the safest legal
course would be to secure the adoption of a further resolution to authorise
the use of force. I have already advised that I do not believe that such a
resolution need be explicit in its terms. The key point is that it should
establish that the Council has concluded that Iraq has failed to take the
final opportunity offered by resolution 1441, as in the draft which has
already been tabled.
28. Nevertheless, having regard to the information on the negotiating
history which I have been given and to the arguments of the US
Administration which I heard in Washington, I accept that a reasonable
case can be made that resolution 1441 is capable in principle of reviving
the authorisation in 678 without a further resolution.
29. However, the argument that resolution 1441 alone has revived the
authorisation to use force in resolution 678 will only be sustainable if
there are strong factual grounds for concluding that Iraq has failed to take
the final opportunity. In other words, we would need to be able to
demonstrate hard evidence of non-compliance and non-cooperation.
Given the structure of the resolution as a whole, the views of UNMOVIC
and the IAEA will be highly significant in this respect. In the light of the
latest reporting by UNMOVIC, you will need to consider extremely
carefully whether the evidence of non-cooperation and non-compliance by
Iraq is sufficiently compelling to justify the conclusion that Iraq has failed
to take its final opportunity. My italics.
10 days later on March 17 the Government issued an unequivocal statement that the war was legal, backed by the attorney general.
Unfortunately for the attorney and the Government, this coincided with a report from the UNMOVIC that real progress was being made on weapons inspection. As Hans Blix said, there were real missiles being destroyed at the time in Iraq. The claims made by Powell about WMD sites had not been substantiated.
The hard evidence of material breech which Goldsmith required from Blair was not there.
It is almost certain that Blair told Goldsmith that there was hard evidence just as he told Parliament, the cabinet and the public.
The 45 minutes lie comes speedily to mind.
This man has to go. He misled his party, parliament, and the people of our country in the most serious manner possible short of starting a nuclear war.
The news has it that he is walking with a limp today.
It must surely be the Iraq ball and chain.
It should be a real ball and chain.
We may be going to sedgefield to take the campaign onto his home territory tomorrow.
If he survives the election, I think the opposition to impeachment may have melted away.
The statement below is from the attorney general's summary of his advice on the legality or illegality of the Iraq adventure, given on March 7.
27. In these circumstances, I remain of the opinion that the safest legal
course would be to secure the adoption of a further resolution to authorise
the use of force. I have already advised that I do not believe that such a
resolution need be explicit in its terms. The key point is that it should
establish that the Council has concluded that Iraq has failed to take the
final opportunity offered by resolution 1441, as in the draft which has
already been tabled.
28. Nevertheless, having regard to the information on the negotiating
history which I have been given and to the arguments of the US
Administration which I heard in Washington, I accept that a reasonable
case can be made that resolution 1441 is capable in principle of reviving
the authorisation in 678 without a further resolution.
29. However, the argument that resolution 1441 alone has revived the
authorisation to use force in resolution 678 will only be sustainable if
there are strong factual grounds for concluding that Iraq has failed to take
the final opportunity. In other words, we would need to be able to
demonstrate hard evidence of non-compliance and non-cooperation.
Given the structure of the resolution as a whole, the views of UNMOVIC
and the IAEA will be highly significant in this respect. In the light of the
latest reporting by UNMOVIC, you will need to consider extremely
carefully whether the evidence of non-cooperation and non-compliance by
Iraq is sufficiently compelling to justify the conclusion that Iraq has failed
to take its final opportunity. My italics.
10 days later on March 17 the Government issued an unequivocal statement that the war was legal, backed by the attorney general.
Unfortunately for the attorney and the Government, this coincided with a report from the UNMOVIC that real progress was being made on weapons inspection. As Hans Blix said, there were real missiles being destroyed at the time in Iraq. The claims made by Powell about WMD sites had not been substantiated.
The hard evidence of material breech which Goldsmith required from Blair was not there.
It is almost certain that Blair told Goldsmith that there was hard evidence just as he told Parliament, the cabinet and the public.
The 45 minutes lie comes speedily to mind.
This man has to go. He misled his party, parliament, and the people of our country in the most serious manner possible short of starting a nuclear war.
The news has it that he is walking with a limp today.
It must surely be the Iraq ball and chain.
It should be a real ball and chain.
We may be going to sedgefield to take the campaign onto his home territory tomorrow.
If he survives the election, I think the opposition to impeachment may have melted away.
Friday, April 29, 2005
Scientists Say Everyone Can Read Minds
Scientists Say Everyone Can Read Minds: "Many scientists believe that mirror neurons embody the predictions of simulation theory. 'We share with others not only the way they normally act or subjectively experience emotions and sensations, but also the neural circuits enabling those same actions, emotions and sensations: the mirror neuron systems,' Gallese told LiveScience."
It is extraordinary how a baby will immediately mimic the face of a parent a moment after birth.
these new cognitive theories of simulation or mirror cells offers a better explanation than a pure reflex which would not be complex and specific enough.
It is extraordinary how a baby will immediately mimic the face of a parent a moment after birth.
these new cognitive theories of simulation or mirror cells offers a better explanation than a pure reflex which would not be complex and specific enough.
t r u t h o u t - Tenet Admits WMD 'Slam-Dunk' Remark "Dumbest Ever"
t r u t h o u t - Tenet Admits WMD 'Slam-Dunk' Remark "Dumbest Ever": " Tenet Says He Regrets 'Slam Dunk' Comment
CNN.com
Thursday 28 April 2005
Kutztown, Pennsylvania - Former CIA Director George Tenet said he regretted assuring President Bush in 2002 that he had 'slam dunk' evidence that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.
'Those were the two dumbest words I ever said,' Tenet told about 1,300 people at a Kutztown University forum Wednesday.
The theory was a leading justification for the war in Iraq. "
From this article it looks like Iraq and 911 were a big excuse for rebuilding the near bankrupt CIA
If there is no money to fight a non existent enemy then create one.
CNN.com
Thursday 28 April 2005
Kutztown, Pennsylvania - Former CIA Director George Tenet said he regretted assuring President Bush in 2002 that he had 'slam dunk' evidence that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.
'Those were the two dumbest words I ever said,' Tenet told about 1,300 people at a Kutztown University forum Wednesday.
The theory was a leading justification for the war in Iraq. "
From this article it looks like Iraq and 911 were a big excuse for rebuilding the near bankrupt CIA
If there is no money to fight a non existent enemy then create one.
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Adolf Hitler: How Could a Monster Succeed in Blinding a Nation? - The Natural Child Project
Adolf Hitler: How Could a Monster Succeed in Blinding a Nation? - The Natural Child Project: "'What good fortune for those in power that people do not think'
- Adolf Hitler, as quoted by Joachim Fest."
It is not entirely true that our British people do not think.
They think of their increasingly fat bellies and who will keep them that way in the short term.
That is why the monster Blair will be re-elected.
- Adolf Hitler, as quoted by Joachim Fest."
It is not entirely true that our British people do not think.
They think of their increasingly fat bellies and who will keep them that way in the short term.
That is why the monster Blair will be re-elected.
Brigadier shocks and awes: there is no war on terrorism (mparent7777.blog-city.com)
Brigadier shocks and awes: there is no war on terrorism (mparent7777.blog-city.com): "VIDEO: THE POWER OF NIGHTMARES
--
Brigadier shocks and awes: there is no war on terrorism
By Cynthia Banham, Defence Reporter
April 27, 2005
War on terror 'a tactic' ... Brigadier Kelly.
The so-called global war on terrorism does not exist, a high-ranking army officer has declared in a speech that challenges the conventional political wisdom.
In a frank speech, Brigadier Justin Kelly dismissed several of the central tenets of the Iraq war and the war on terrorism, saying the 'war' part is all about politics and terrorism is merely a tactic.
Although such wars were fuelled by global issues, they were essentially counter-insurgent operations fought on a local level. This would result in Australian soldiers fighting in increasingly urban environments.
Speaking at a conference on future warfighting, Brigadier Kelly, the director-general of future land warfare, also suggested that the 'proposition you can bomb someone into thinking as we do has been found to be untrue'.
His speech appears to fly in the face of a comment by the Prime Minister, John Howard, last year that the 'contest in Iraq represents a critical confrontation in the war against terror ...'
The brigadier said populations were being cut off from their traditional roots, giving them 'aspirations that cannot be immediately met', and fuelling a search for identity.
Advertisement
AdvertisementTerrorists were exploiting local issues - such as ethnic wars - to pursue global ends. From a military point of view, the job was now one of counter-insurgency, he said.
As a result, Australia's future soldiers would fight increasingly close to populations, with the enemy 'continuing to retreat into complex terrain'.
While success in"
--
Brigadier shocks and awes: there is no war on terrorism
By Cynthia Banham, Defence Reporter
April 27, 2005
War on terror 'a tactic' ... Brigadier Kelly.
The so-called global war on terrorism does not exist, a high-ranking army officer has declared in a speech that challenges the conventional political wisdom.
In a frank speech, Brigadier Justin Kelly dismissed several of the central tenets of the Iraq war and the war on terrorism, saying the 'war' part is all about politics and terrorism is merely a tactic.
Although such wars were fuelled by global issues, they were essentially counter-insurgent operations fought on a local level. This would result in Australian soldiers fighting in increasingly urban environments.
Speaking at a conference on future warfighting, Brigadier Kelly, the director-general of future land warfare, also suggested that the 'proposition you can bomb someone into thinking as we do has been found to be untrue'.
His speech appears to fly in the face of a comment by the Prime Minister, John Howard, last year that the 'contest in Iraq represents a critical confrontation in the war against terror ...'
The brigadier said populations were being cut off from their traditional roots, giving them 'aspirations that cannot be immediately met', and fuelling a search for identity.
Advertisement
AdvertisementTerrorists were exploiting local issues - such as ethnic wars - to pursue global ends. From a military point of view, the job was now one of counter-insurgency, he said.
As a result, Australia's future soldiers would fight increasingly close to populations, with the enemy 'continuing to retreat into complex terrain'.
While success in"
Collapsing discipline in schools. Blair is to blame.
Much is being written about the collapse of discipline in schools and the invidious situation of teachers faced with unruly pupils supported by anti-authoritarian parents.
The sad truth is that the modern school teacher, and especially the head teacher, is the representative of an education authority: the English Government, which is criminally corrupt.
I recall the many pupils who surged out of schools and colleges in Oxford and London to support us as we formed a People's Parliament and marched against this horrendous war crime, this murderous adventure into Iraq.
Mr Blair wants us to forget his sins and think of the future of education. If we re-elect Blair and the Opus Dei-fied Ruth Kelly, we will have to put up with an even tighter stranglehold on education of a National Curriculum that has already failed our children. We will also have have to put up with an ever greater intrusion of the state into the lives of parents.
No wonder parents and children are in revolt.
Set us an example of respect for the truth, and direct honest clear communication, Mr Blair.
No more plagiarising student theses. No more lies and spin.
It is not the footballers' foul mouths we need to worry about affecting our children. It is political leaders who are war criminals, too powerful to be brought to justice.
The sad truth is that the modern school teacher, and especially the head teacher, is the representative of an education authority: the English Government, which is criminally corrupt.
I recall the many pupils who surged out of schools and colleges in Oxford and London to support us as we formed a People's Parliament and marched against this horrendous war crime, this murderous adventure into Iraq.
Mr Blair wants us to forget his sins and think of the future of education. If we re-elect Blair and the Opus Dei-fied Ruth Kelly, we will have to put up with an even tighter stranglehold on education of a National Curriculum that has already failed our children. We will also have have to put up with an ever greater intrusion of the state into the lives of parents.
No wonder parents and children are in revolt.
Set us an example of respect for the truth, and direct honest clear communication, Mr Blair.
No more plagiarising student theses. No more lies and spin.
It is not the footballers' foul mouths we need to worry about affecting our children. It is political leaders who are war criminals, too powerful to be brought to justice.
They work for you, and me too!
TheyWorkForYou.com has no marketing budget, no posters,
and no ad agencies working for us. We need *you* to be
our marketing department. Before you read on, (and only
if it's before May 6th 2005), please forward this email
to some other British electors you might know. Or blog
about us, if you're that way inclined.
...done it?
Ta, thanks.
(There're more ways in which you can help below)
Your MP's Report Card from TheyWorkForYou
=========================================
Still pondering whether to vote for or against your
incumbent MP? Well, to help you, we've sluiced together
all the facts we could about their behaviour and voting
patterns over the past few years, and squeezed them onto
one web page. Whether they were pro or against Iraq,
rebellious or absentee, aloof or taking money from the
dodgiest people, frugal with the public purse, or
blowing it all on train tickets, it's all here.
We think you'll like it, and even if you thought you
knew your MP, you may be in for a few surprises.
Just type in your postcode:
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/
== Not voting this year? Tell the world why at
http://www.notapathetic.com/ ==
Electoral Fraud Special
=======================
If you're as worried as we are about electoral fraud,
here's what you can do:
* Don't vote by post. Turn up: it's worth it.
* Ring your council, ask for the Electoral Register
Division, and check you're name is not on the
"marked register" - ie, someone has already voted in
your name. Find your council's number here:
http://www.upmystreet.com/lgc_roles/
* Finally, if you suspect fraud, email
electoral.fraud@guardian.co.uk,
who are collecting incidents to report on, and contact
the police.
Heeeelp us! (No, we don't need money)
======================================
Our biggest constraint is publicity.
We're rather allergic to spending time and money on
blowing our own trumpet
(Just writing this is making us feel a bit shifty).
But without publicity, people who might want to learn
more about their MP and the issues this election won't
know about us. And that means they won't
find out everything they need about this election.
The other constraint is this damned Internet thing.
Try as we might, we can't get away from it - even though
we know that many people don't have access to it. Or
when they do, they're so battered with pop-ups and
viruses, they'd never find us.
So we wondered if you might be able to help us a little
with publicity, and escaping our fancy techno-shackles.
Here's how:
Pledge, Print and Post
======================
All of us here have pledged to load up our own MP's
report card from http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp,
print it out ten times on our bubblejet printers, and
deliver a copy to ten other houses in our neighbourhood.
As we're mild cowards, we'll only do this if 100 other
people across Britain agree to pledge, print and post
with us.
If you think it's important for your fellow voters to
be impartially informed, rather than drowned in spin
and ad copy, we'd like you to join us.
It'll only take a few minutes, and, you know, it gets
you out of the house.
Click here:
http://www.pledgebank.com/theywork to sign up with us.
You'll only have to do it if 100 other people are as
brave as you.
Other Things To Do
==================
If that's a bit *too* scary, just forward this email
(or your MPs Report Card) around your friends;
or if you're one of those blogger people, write about
us.
Other Sites You Might Like
==========================
We're just one of a growing community of independent
British civic sites which aim to provide tools for all
kinds of civic and political action.
A list of some web sites that we know about is below.
Some of the sites we know the people involved, others
we have no connection with. But we all think they're
brilliant, and we really hope they'll help you make an
informed choice, and act on it, this election.
http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/election.php
- the one minute quiz to find out how you should vote
http://www.whoshouldyouvotefor.com/
- more detailed analysis of you and your politics
http://www.politicalsurvey2005.com/
- now find out how you compare to the rest of Britain
http://www.notapathetic.com/
- say why you're not voting (if that's what you've
decided to do), and make yourself heard.
http://www.writetothem.com/
- our sister site for contacting your representatives,
local, national and European.
Finally, Our Partly Political Broadcast
=======================================
You'll hear a lot from the politicians and pundits in
the next few weeks about how this is the
"Internet Election".
We think it may will be; but that won't be thanks to
them. We think it'll be due to people like you, and the
volunteers who build these sites, to make this an
election based on free information and no more spin.
For the last parliament, for good or bad, they worked
for us.
But sometimes - and especially at election time - you
have to do the work yourself.
Have a good election,
-- The TheyWorkForYou Volunteers.
and no ad agencies working for us. We need *you* to be
our marketing department. Before you read on, (and only
if it's before May 6th 2005), please forward this email
to some other British electors you might know. Or blog
about us, if you're that way inclined.
...done it?
Ta, thanks.
(There're more ways in which you can help below)
Your MP's Report Card from TheyWorkForYou
=========================================
Still pondering whether to vote for or against your
incumbent MP? Well, to help you, we've sluiced together
all the facts we could about their behaviour and voting
patterns over the past few years, and squeezed them onto
one web page. Whether they were pro or against Iraq,
rebellious or absentee, aloof or taking money from the
dodgiest people, frugal with the public purse, or
blowing it all on train tickets, it's all here.
We think you'll like it, and even if you thought you
knew your MP, you may be in for a few surprises.
Just type in your postcode:
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/
== Not voting this year? Tell the world why at
http://www.notapathetic.com/ ==
Electoral Fraud Special
=======================
If you're as worried as we are about electoral fraud,
here's what you can do:
* Don't vote by post. Turn up: it's worth it.
* Ring your council, ask for the Electoral Register
Division, and check you're name is not on the
"marked register" - ie, someone has already voted in
your name. Find your council's number here:
http://www.upmystreet.com/lgc_roles/
* Finally, if you suspect fraud, email
electoral.fraud@guardian.co.uk,
who are collecting incidents to report on, and contact
the police.
Heeeelp us! (No, we don't need money)
======================================
Our biggest constraint is publicity.
We're rather allergic to spending time and money on
blowing our own trumpet
(Just writing this is making us feel a bit shifty).
But without publicity, people who might want to learn
more about their MP and the issues this election won't
know about us. And that means they won't
find out everything they need about this election.
The other constraint is this damned Internet thing.
Try as we might, we can't get away from it - even though
we know that many people don't have access to it. Or
when they do, they're so battered with pop-ups and
viruses, they'd never find us.
So we wondered if you might be able to help us a little
with publicity, and escaping our fancy techno-shackles.
Here's how:
Pledge, Print and Post
======================
All of us here have pledged to load up our own MP's
report card from http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp,
print it out ten times on our bubblejet printers, and
deliver a copy to ten other houses in our neighbourhood.
As we're mild cowards, we'll only do this if 100 other
people across Britain agree to pledge, print and post
with us.
If you think it's important for your fellow voters to
be impartially informed, rather than drowned in spin
and ad copy, we'd like you to join us.
It'll only take a few minutes, and, you know, it gets
you out of the house.
Click here:
http://www.pledgebank.com/theywork to sign up with us.
You'll only have to do it if 100 other people are as
brave as you.
Other Things To Do
==================
If that's a bit *too* scary, just forward this email
(or your MPs Report Card) around your friends;
or if you're one of those blogger people, write about
us.
Other Sites You Might Like
==========================
We're just one of a growing community of independent
British civic sites which aim to provide tools for all
kinds of civic and political action.
A list of some web sites that we know about is below.
Some of the sites we know the people involved, others
we have no connection with. But we all think they're
brilliant, and we really hope they'll help you make an
informed choice, and act on it, this election.
http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/election.php
- the one minute quiz to find out how you should vote
http://www.whoshouldyouvotefor.com/
- more detailed analysis of you and your politics
http://www.politicalsurvey2005.com/
- now find out how you compare to the rest of Britain
http://www.notapathetic.com/
- say why you're not voting (if that's what you've
decided to do), and make yourself heard.
http://www.writetothem.com/
- our sister site for contacting your representatives,
local, national and European.
Finally, Our Partly Political Broadcast
=======================================
You'll hear a lot from the politicians and pundits in
the next few weeks about how this is the
"Internet Election".
We think it may will be; but that won't be thanks to
them. We think it'll be due to people like you, and the
volunteers who build these sites, to make this an
election based on free information and no more spin.
For the last parliament, for good or bad, they worked
for us.
But sometimes - and especially at election time - you
have to do the work yourself.
Have a good election,
-- The TheyWorkForYou Volunteers.
Sedgemore renounces Blair, the devil and all his old colleagues
Comment: "Brian Sedgemore: 'I urge everyone to give Blair a bloody nose at the election'
26 April 2005
I support every word of this speech. I agree with kennedy, that this is the defining moment of this elcetion. Sedgemore has been the first to properly articulate the way Blair and New Labour have betrayed this Liberal Democracy.
The appalling truth is that it will make no real difference. Blair will be re-elected.
It proves Livy was right when he wrote of ancient Rome that while people were still poor they acted decently. Wealth has only brought decay and degeneration of public morality.
Sedgemore says "The idea and practice of Britain as a liberal country has always been under threat but it has taken a Labour prime minister to secure its demise. For Tony Blair, principles and ideas have become impediments to the continuance of his lust for power.
His scorn for liberal Britain is surprising for one who had an expensive liberal education and who entered politics as an aspirant liberal lawyer, an ardent member of CND and a standard-bearer for the left.
People such as myself should have realised the writing was on the wall when a Labour government twice tried to abolish trial by jury. From there, it was a short step for Blair (but a huge step for the rest of us) to get suppliant backbench Labour MPs to vote for an unlawful war, the setting up of a gulag at Belmarsh for foreigners and deprivation of liberty through 'control orders' and 'pass laws' for British citizens.
I voted against the war on Iraq and it becomes clearer every day that Blair decided to go to war after meeting [President George] Bush on his Texas ranch in 2002. After that he lied to persuade the country to support him.
The stomach-turning lies on Iraq were followed by the attempt to use the politics of fear to drive through Parliament a deeply authoritarian set of law and order measures that reminded me of the Star Chamber. The Star Chamber used torture but at least they allowed a proper trial before throwing someone into prison.
That is when I decided enough was enough. I've been a Labour MP for more than a quarter of a century. In my last speech in Parliament, I described New Labour's descent into Hell and added that Hell was not a place where I wanted to be.
Some MPs thought it was just rhetoric. It wasn't. I meant it.
I am going to leave" There is more of this via the link above. I urge you to read it.
26 April 2005
I support every word of this speech. I agree with kennedy, that this is the defining moment of this elcetion. Sedgemore has been the first to properly articulate the way Blair and New Labour have betrayed this Liberal Democracy.
The appalling truth is that it will make no real difference. Blair will be re-elected.
It proves Livy was right when he wrote of ancient Rome that while people were still poor they acted decently. Wealth has only brought decay and degeneration of public morality.
Sedgemore says "The idea and practice of Britain as a liberal country has always been under threat but it has taken a Labour prime minister to secure its demise. For Tony Blair, principles and ideas have become impediments to the continuance of his lust for power.
His scorn for liberal Britain is surprising for one who had an expensive liberal education and who entered politics as an aspirant liberal lawyer, an ardent member of CND and a standard-bearer for the left.
People such as myself should have realised the writing was on the wall when a Labour government twice tried to abolish trial by jury. From there, it was a short step for Blair (but a huge step for the rest of us) to get suppliant backbench Labour MPs to vote for an unlawful war, the setting up of a gulag at Belmarsh for foreigners and deprivation of liberty through 'control orders' and 'pass laws' for British citizens.
I voted against the war on Iraq and it becomes clearer every day that Blair decided to go to war after meeting [President George] Bush on his Texas ranch in 2002. After that he lied to persuade the country to support him.
The stomach-turning lies on Iraq were followed by the attempt to use the politics of fear to drive through Parliament a deeply authoritarian set of law and order measures that reminded me of the Star Chamber. The Star Chamber used torture but at least they allowed a proper trial before throwing someone into prison.
That is when I decided enough was enough. I've been a Labour MP for more than a quarter of a century. In my last speech in Parliament, I described New Labour's descent into Hell and added that Hell was not a place where I wanted to be.
Some MPs thought it was just rhetoric. It wasn't. I meant it.
I am going to leave" There is more of this via the link above. I urge you to read it.
Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Ozone layer most fragile on record
Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Ozone layer most fragile on record: "Ozone layer most fragile on record
Fears over increase in skin cancer as scientists report that climate change continues to destroy the earth's protection
Paul Brown, environment correspondent
Wednesday April 27, 2005"
I still have not written my key essay on the environment. The vital thing was that someone on the Yoday programme finally admitted that we are going to have to voluntarily learn to live more frugally, or face catastrophe.
Every day the news reinforces it.
But do the Greens get any more coverage
NO
yet as I drove in to Oxford yesteday there was not a single Labour poster in sight and the Green posters outnumbered the Lib Dems four to one.
It is more important even thabn getting Blair to resign.
Fears over increase in skin cancer as scientists report that climate change continues to destroy the earth's protection
Paul Brown, environment correspondent
Wednesday April 27, 2005"
I still have not written my key essay on the environment. The vital thing was that someone on the Yoday programme finally admitted that we are going to have to voluntarily learn to live more frugally, or face catastrophe.
Every day the news reinforces it.
But do the Greens get any more coverage
NO
yet as I drove in to Oxford yesteday there was not a single Labour poster in sight and the Green posters outnumbered the Lib Dems four to one.
It is more important even thabn getting Blair to resign.
Monday, April 25, 2005
Bush elected POPE
Found in a spider force egroup communication.
"Bush Wins Papal VoteVATICAN CITY - In a turn of events that stunned Vatican officials, U.S. President George W. Bush has been named to succeed John Paul II as the next leader of the Catholic Church.For the first time in history, the College of Cardinals employed electronic voting machines to select the next Supreme Pontiff. Bush won by a margin of 2,528 votes, despite the fact that only 115 Cardinals took part in the process.The machines, which were last used in the 2004 Ohio presidential election, also registered -27 votes for Democratic candidate John Kerry."It's a miracle!" cried KENNETH BLACKWELL, spoke sperson for voting machine manufacturer Diebold Corporation. "God has spoken."Supporters of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, whom early exit polls had leading by a comfortable margin in the voting, demanded a recount.But Blackwell said the voting machines, which had been modified to emit a plume of white smoke when a plurality was reached, are unable to produce a paper audit trail, rendering a recount impossible.When informed of his victory, President Bush expressed surprise. "I was not aware I was running for the popecy," he said. "I wish people would tell me these things."However, he added that he would be "honored and privileged to serve as Supreme Pontoon for the rest of my natural life, or until I die, whichever comes first."
Check back earlier posts to see how the owners of the US voting machines were able to dliver the election result for Bush, even though it was clear from statistically very reliable exit polls that he had lost.
"Bush Wins Papal VoteVATICAN CITY - In a turn of events that stunned Vatican officials, U.S. President George W. Bush has been named to succeed John Paul II as the next leader of the Catholic Church.For the first time in history, the College of Cardinals employed electronic voting machines to select the next Supreme Pontiff. Bush won by a margin of 2,528 votes, despite the fact that only 115 Cardinals took part in the process.The machines, which were last used in the 2004 Ohio presidential election, also registered -27 votes for Democratic candidate John Kerry."It's a miracle!" cried KENNETH BLACKWELL, spoke sperson for voting machine manufacturer Diebold Corporation. "God has spoken."Supporters of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, whom early exit polls had leading by a comfortable margin in the voting, demanded a recount.But Blackwell said the voting machines, which had been modified to emit a plume of white smoke when a plurality was reached, are unable to produce a paper audit trail, rendering a recount impossible.When informed of his victory, President Bush expressed surprise. "I was not aware I was running for the popecy," he said. "I wish people would tell me these things."However, he added that he would be "honored and privileged to serve as Supreme Pontoon for the rest of my natural life, or until I die, whichever comes first."
Check back earlier posts to see how the owners of the US voting machines were able to dliver the election result for Bush, even though it was clear from statistically very reliable exit polls that he had lost.
Sunday, April 24, 2005
Beast of Burford sighted
G and I were out running 2 days ago near the quarry.
Suddenly a large black panther-like cat sprang out and dashed rapidly away.
It bore no resemblance to the pasty white David Cameron but there was some resemblance to the labour party candidate, who also appeared, but surrounded by his handlers, outside Londis the next day.
"Mr Blair is a good communicator and I really like Mr Brown," he said diplomatically.
We rang the wild life park who are offering a reward. There have been lots of sightings round west Oxfordshire.
We are quite certain it was not an attack dog, or any kind of dog, though both major parties have been accused of settings those free in the countryside.
Peter Hain has been the ugliest beast on the airwaves, since he accused the Tories of having mongrel attack dogs. Only true blue attack dogs for New Labour.
We wondered if we should inform the police about this, since babies might be at risk of being mauled.
Suddenly a large black panther-like cat sprang out and dashed rapidly away.
It bore no resemblance to the pasty white David Cameron but there was some resemblance to the labour party candidate, who also appeared, but surrounded by his handlers, outside Londis the next day.
"Mr Blair is a good communicator and I really like Mr Brown," he said diplomatically.
We rang the wild life park who are offering a reward. There have been lots of sightings round west Oxfordshire.
We are quite certain it was not an attack dog, or any kind of dog, though both major parties have been accused of settings those free in the countryside.
Peter Hain has been the ugliest beast on the airwaves, since he accused the Tories of having mongrel attack dogs. Only true blue attack dogs for New Labour.
We wondered if we should inform the police about this, since babies might be at risk of being mauled.
BBC NEWS | World | Americas | Demand for Rumsfeld abuse inquiry
BBC NEWS | World | Americas | Demand for Rumsfeld abuse inquiry: "'The soldiers at the bottom of the chain are taking the heat for Abu Ghraib and torture around the world while the guys at the top who made the policies are going scot free,' said Reed Brody, special counsel for HRW. "
Human Rights Watch is a big serious organisation. I think we should take this seriously. The latest military report which only blames one junior general who was not resposible for the interogation teams is a travesty as sick as the British army Deep Cut farce.
Kennedy is going to go for it on Iraq this week.
So come on Mr Kennedy.
Sue Blair for war crimes.
Human Rights Watch is a big serious organisation. I think we should take this seriously. The latest military report which only blames one junior general who was not resposible for the interogation teams is a travesty as sick as the British army Deep Cut farce.
Kennedy is going to go for it on Iraq this week.
So come on Mr Kennedy.
Sue Blair for war crimes.
Saturday, April 23, 2005
Blair challenged over Kelly naming again
the Mail online | Mail - news, sport, showbiz, health and more | Blair challenged over Kelly naming: "Mr Ancram seized on the comments, writing to Mr Blair: 'Following your admission to Jeremy Paxman that you did disclose Dr David Kelly's name to the media, you must now give a clear account of why you have failed to admit this before and why you disclosed the name of a distinguished civil servant to the press, although he had been told that it would not be necessary to reveal his name. "
Well well So even the Tories noticed Blair's admission.
Which way will he squirm now as Iraq becomes centre stage of the election next week?
Well well So even the Tories noticed Blair's admission.
Which way will he squirm now as Iraq becomes centre stage of the election next week?
Torture is a multinational industry � but its headquarters is in the USA: Video (mparent7777.blog-city.com)
Torture is a multinational industry � but its headquarters is in the USA: Video (mparent7777.blog-city.com): "Torture is a multinational industry � but its headquarters is in the USA: Video
� H � email link
Torture: The Dirty Business
by Andrew Gilligan for Channel 4 (UK) Thursday, Mar. 03, 2005 at 3:41 PM"
Gilligan is at it again. Send for Hutton.
Did you notice that the rest of the photos from Abu Grabbem never came to light?
Too nasty to face up to. They found some legal excuse to hide them.
meanwhile our core civil liberties are being eroded steadily.
How long will it be before we become a Police State?
Will the new central crime fighting agency turn us into one?
The Government accepts testimony based on tortured souls abroad even though it leads us into false arrests of innocent British people.
The Americans are planning laws to prevent this kind of news blogging outside of State Control.
Wake up and do something you Englsh people before you find you have elected Blair once too often.
� H � email link
Torture: The Dirty Business
by Andrew Gilligan for Channel 4 (UK) Thursday, Mar. 03, 2005 at 3:41 PM"
Gilligan is at it again. Send for Hutton.
Did you notice that the rest of the photos from Abu Grabbem never came to light?
Too nasty to face up to. They found some legal excuse to hide them.
meanwhile our core civil liberties are being eroded steadily.
How long will it be before we become a Police State?
Will the new central crime fighting agency turn us into one?
The Government accepts testimony based on tortured souls abroad even though it leads us into false arrests of innocent British people.
The Americans are planning laws to prevent this kind of news blogging outside of State Control.
Wake up and do something you Englsh people before you find you have elected Blair once too often.
Peter Popham pans the Pope
News: "Pope 'ignored sex abuse claim against John Paul's friend'
By Peter Popham in Rome"
It looks as if the new Pope kept the lid on ahomosexual abuse scandal by a friend of the Polish Pope hushed up for 7 years.
I wonder if my readers saw the research ionto Roman Catholic seminaries.
It appears that adolescent homosexuality is as far as psychosexual development usually gets for the Catholic Priest.
It may often be that way.
It does not have to be though. I learned a great deal from my friend and colleague as a therapist, who was a lifelong celibate.
Maybe she learned it working with Ronnie Laing.
I did not learn enough about sexuality from training as a pastoral counsellor.
The Westminster pastoral Foundation could not really cope with that in the nineteen seventies.
By Peter Popham in Rome"
It looks as if the new Pope kept the lid on ahomosexual abuse scandal by a friend of the Polish Pope hushed up for 7 years.
I wonder if my readers saw the research ionto Roman Catholic seminaries.
It appears that adolescent homosexuality is as far as psychosexual development usually gets for the Catholic Priest.
It may often be that way.
It does not have to be though. I learned a great deal from my friend and colleague as a therapist, who was a lifelong celibate.
Maybe she learned it working with Ronnie Laing.
I did not learn enough about sexuality from training as a pastoral counsellor.
The Westminster pastoral Foundation could not really cope with that in the nineteen seventies.
Friday, April 22, 2005
Our last century!?
The Observer | Comment | Ace of space: "Most of our nuclear power plants are old and will soon need decommissioning, he points out. Will we replace them with new nuclear plants, or wind turbines, or turbines that burn Russian gas, or what? 'The government cannot fudge this one any longer,' Rees insists.
Should we get it wrong, then we could face a cold uncertain future with insufficient power to warm our homes. On the other hand, we could enhance global warming and trigger climatic mayhem, or we could even suffer a devastating nuclear meltdown. These are uneasy prospects. Rees, to his credit, has perfect credentials for dealing with them.
Sir Martin Rees"
Rees's book "Our Last Century" paints a grim picture of the state of our world, just as the other recent big scientific reports have done.
Apparently he endorsed Blair, though he is Old Labour. Now he is less keen.
Margaret Beckett was hammered by John on Today this morning. She evaded the question at least six times. She truly makes me squirm.
Should we get it wrong, then we could face a cold uncertain future with insufficient power to warm our homes. On the other hand, we could enhance global warming and trigger climatic mayhem, or we could even suffer a devastating nuclear meltdown. These are uneasy prospects. Rees, to his credit, has perfect credentials for dealing with them.
Sir Martin Rees"
Rees's book "Our Last Century" paints a grim picture of the state of our world, just as the other recent big scientific reports have done.
Apparently he endorsed Blair, though he is Old Labour. Now he is less keen.
Margaret Beckett was hammered by John on Today this morning. She evaded the question at least six times. She truly makes me squirm.
t r u t h o u t - Bush Urges Action 'Now' on Energy
t r u t h o u t - Bush Urges Action 'Now' on Energy:
I wonder if this was the day we all started to wake up. the Americans have stopped buying SUVs, big Fords and GM vehicles and started using small energy efficient toyotas. I will write more on England a bit later, since the environment finally hit the agenda on Today in a very big way.
the truth is we are all going to have to adapt to a less expensive lifestyle. If the politicians won't tell us the oil prices will. This was the day the media told it like it is.
"Bush, whose energy plan has been stalled in Congress for four years, is facing increased pressure from Democrats and a coalition of conservatives to do much more to promote alternative energy sources and more efficient vehicles this year. Some say the president should set aside, or scrap, his Social Security plan and dedicate his second term instead to dramatically restructuring the way Americans power their businesses, homes and cars. They cite the confluence of three events as reason to act immediately: the steep rise in oil and gas prices, increased U.S. dependency on the oil-rich Middle East and skyrocketing demand for oil in China and India"
I wonder if this was the day we all started to wake up. the Americans have stopped buying SUVs, big Fords and GM vehicles and started using small energy efficient toyotas. I will write more on England a bit later, since the environment finally hit the agenda on Today in a very big way.
the truth is we are all going to have to adapt to a less expensive lifestyle. If the politicians won't tell us the oil prices will. This was the day the media told it like it is.
"Bush, whose energy plan has been stalled in Congress for four years, is facing increased pressure from Democrats and a coalition of conservatives to do much more to promote alternative energy sources and more efficient vehicles this year. Some say the president should set aside, or scrap, his Social Security plan and dedicate his second term instead to dramatically restructuring the way Americans power their businesses, homes and cars. They cite the confluence of three events as reason to act immediately: the steep rise in oil and gas prices, increased U.S. dependency on the oil-rich Middle East and skyrocketing demand for oil in China and India"
Thursday, April 21, 2005
CIVIC Marla Ruzicka
CIVC Worldwide:�of-ed by Marla: "Recently, I obtained statistics on civilian casualties from a high-ranking U.S. military official. The numbers were for Baghdad only, for a short period, during a relatively quiet time. Other hot spots, such as the Ramadi and Mosul areas, could prove worse. The statistics showed that 29 civilians were killed by small-arms fire during firefights between U.S. troops and insurgents between Feb. 28 and April 5 � four times the number of Iraqi police killed in the same period. It is not clear whether the bullets that killed these civilians were fired by U.S. troops or insurgents."
When you visit the CIVIC web site you are very quickly struck by Marla as an Icon. There are so many photos of this beautiful young blond American with a small dark Iraqi survivor of violence between America and Iraq.
Will she be an iconic figure of martyrdom? Did she wish it that way? What gave her the strength, courage, and determination to do as much as she did for her Campaign for the Victims of Conflict?
I recall seeing so many pictures of H with her Romanian orphan children, already safely in a well run orphanage.
But the opulence of the CIVIC web site also shows a child in a more opulent setting than that of downtrodden Romania.
I want to remind my readers that Iraq was a prosperous country with a health service we would have been proud of.
Before Q8 was invaded, Saddam fought a war on behalf of western secular values against the Iranian theocracy with western arms and Rumpsfeldt's full support.
Marla's last report indicates that the army is tracking civilian deaths. They simply don't like to tell us about it.
Before the war I wrote poems about civilian life in Falluja, as if it were Oxfordshire. I include one here.
How would it be if the Blair Government covered up civilian deaths caused by a military intervention here?
No one picked it up this morning, but last night Blair admitted to Paxman that "We had to let the Kelly name come out." Those with functional memories will recall his earlier denial that he had been at all responsible for the name coming out. We all know now he chaired the meeting where it was agreed.
He is a liar and a war criminal.
I suspect that it would have been covered up if the Americans had shot an intruder at their Oxfordshire air base as they claimed the right to do.
Whether they would have been successful in doing so is another matter. They seem to have got away with Kelly's death, though.
In Iraq they seem to have got away with 100,000 civilian deaths.
That puts Blair and Bush quite close to Saddam as monsters, doesn't it?
Last night, withPaxman, Blair made the most pathetic defense of the war yet. Minges Campbell explained that his latest version of an excuse of Regime Change is legally indefensible.
But it is worse than that. He said the international community would have been humiliated had the troops not gone in.
So 100,000 civilians died so Blair and Bush, not the international community, who did not back the war at all, would not have to lose face.
FAllUJA-IN-C******Y
Dazzle-blue dragonflies
A dance of delight
Among yellow flag iris
Soft haze of summer by the waters edge
Arcadian Oxfordshire
Cool waters slipping silently through Cotswold stone
A moment away
In cyberspace
Cavalier copters clash and crash
An unholy mating
Death in the desert
Closer still
Not even a breath away
In a parallel universe
The copters have landed
Safely on our playing close
These young missionaries
Schooled in a games-of- war Arcadea
Chew gum
And slither through the streets
A base they make of our primary school
A place of safety
Big boys, fearsome toys
Uncertain of their liberator status
Settling in
They don't seem to understand
We want our school back for our children
As yet uneducated
Into politicians' death squads
Into weapons of your war
C******y folk
Famous in the County
A dash of colour splattered on the uniformity
Of Oxfordshire's dull Tory blue
March in protest to our school
Fifteen dead today
In this parallel universe
We wanted our school back
For our children's future.
When you visit the CIVIC web site you are very quickly struck by Marla as an Icon. There are so many photos of this beautiful young blond American with a small dark Iraqi survivor of violence between America and Iraq.
Will she be an iconic figure of martyrdom? Did she wish it that way? What gave her the strength, courage, and determination to do as much as she did for her Campaign for the Victims of Conflict?
I recall seeing so many pictures of H with her Romanian orphan children, already safely in a well run orphanage.
But the opulence of the CIVIC web site also shows a child in a more opulent setting than that of downtrodden Romania.
I want to remind my readers that Iraq was a prosperous country with a health service we would have been proud of.
Before Q8 was invaded, Saddam fought a war on behalf of western secular values against the Iranian theocracy with western arms and Rumpsfeldt's full support.
Marla's last report indicates that the army is tracking civilian deaths. They simply don't like to tell us about it.
Before the war I wrote poems about civilian life in Falluja, as if it were Oxfordshire. I include one here.
How would it be if the Blair Government covered up civilian deaths caused by a military intervention here?
No one picked it up this morning, but last night Blair admitted to Paxman that "We had to let the Kelly name come out." Those with functional memories will recall his earlier denial that he had been at all responsible for the name coming out. We all know now he chaired the meeting where it was agreed.
He is a liar and a war criminal.
I suspect that it would have been covered up if the Americans had shot an intruder at their Oxfordshire air base as they claimed the right to do.
Whether they would have been successful in doing so is another matter. They seem to have got away with Kelly's death, though.
In Iraq they seem to have got away with 100,000 civilian deaths.
That puts Blair and Bush quite close to Saddam as monsters, doesn't it?
Last night, withPaxman, Blair made the most pathetic defense of the war yet. Minges Campbell explained that his latest version of an excuse of Regime Change is legally indefensible.
But it is worse than that. He said the international community would have been humiliated had the troops not gone in.
So 100,000 civilians died so Blair and Bush, not the international community, who did not back the war at all, would not have to lose face.
FAllUJA-IN-C******Y
Dazzle-blue dragonflies
A dance of delight
Among yellow flag iris
Soft haze of summer by the waters edge
Arcadian Oxfordshire
Cool waters slipping silently through Cotswold stone
A moment away
In cyberspace
Cavalier copters clash and crash
An unholy mating
Death in the desert
Closer still
Not even a breath away
In a parallel universe
The copters have landed
Safely on our playing close
These young missionaries
Schooled in a games-of- war Arcadea
Chew gum
And slither through the streets
A base they make of our primary school
A place of safety
Big boys, fearsome toys
Uncertain of their liberator status
Settling in
They don't seem to understand
We want our school back for our children
As yet uneducated
Into politicians' death squads
Into weapons of your war
C******y folk
Famous in the County
A dash of colour splattered on the uniformity
Of Oxfordshire's dull Tory blue
March in protest to our school
Fifteen dead today
In this parallel universe
We wanted our school back
For our children's future.
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Vote Lib Dem, get Conservative?
Vote Lib Dem, get Conservative?
Some people think not. Check out this site to see how the statistics stack up.
Tell me what you think.
The most important thing is to end the reign of Blair.
Some people think not. Check out this site to see how the statistics stack up.
Tell me what you think.
The most important thing is to end the reign of Blair.
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Why won't they talk about the environment?
Comment: "Election campaigns seldom give much space to environmental matters; governments need strengthening in their commitments and need electoral incentives to be involved in the sort of internationally agreed aspirations But it is because the ecological agenda is always going to be vulnerable to the pressure of other more apparently 'immediate' issues that it cannot be left to electoral politics alone. We still need a steady background of awareness and small-scale committed action, nourished by some kind of coherent vision." Rowan Williams.
Rowan is in election news again, bemoaning the lack of emphasis on the environment in the election. The Independent has been giving this topic major coverage.
The truth is that the environment is the most important area of choice we have. I was part of a conversation with David Cameron, the Tory Policy Co-ordinator, and the local MP for Rowan and I, where he made it pretty clear that the vote of the (selfish) motorist was more important than success in lowering CO2 emissions, even if he did not actually say so. The Tory manifesto is very very weak on environmental issues. While the Church of England may no longer be the Tory Party at prayer, I do not share Rowan's hope that his religion will lead us to a sustainable world. To walk alaong the roads of west Oxfordshire is to witness an attitude to our world which is hopeless and utterly deplorable. Every step of the way there is rubbish dropped from cars. people are like unborn babies. They think they can pour their waste out of the car window like it was the umbilicus back into mother. Stipendia peccati mors est. The wages of sin is death. If we don't change our attitudes we are all dead on this planet. There will be no planet for our grand children.
The Anglicans might be giving thought to homosexuality as an antidote to population growth, instead of a crime against humanity.
Keeping them all in the same heap seems a less important priority for these religious people than that of moving from the tradiional Christian attitude of treating the earth and all that is in it as something given to humans to exploit.
The horrendous way we treat animals is largely founded on Christian morality.
On Today this morning we had Catholics talking about holding sacred truth inside a space under attack from the outside. Yes. If you are determined to stay unborn you will feel under attack. Mother Earth cannot get any bigger with this ever growing baby.
Never mind giving people second birth. Let's have a first birth!
Rowan is in election news again, bemoaning the lack of emphasis on the environment in the election. The Independent has been giving this topic major coverage.
The truth is that the environment is the most important area of choice we have. I was part of a conversation with David Cameron, the Tory Policy Co-ordinator, and the local MP for Rowan and I, where he made it pretty clear that the vote of the (selfish) motorist was more important than success in lowering CO2 emissions, even if he did not actually say so. The Tory manifesto is very very weak on environmental issues. While the Church of England may no longer be the Tory Party at prayer, I do not share Rowan's hope that his religion will lead us to a sustainable world. To walk alaong the roads of west Oxfordshire is to witness an attitude to our world which is hopeless and utterly deplorable. Every step of the way there is rubbish dropped from cars. people are like unborn babies. They think they can pour their waste out of the car window like it was the umbilicus back into mother. Stipendia peccati mors est. The wages of sin is death. If we don't change our attitudes we are all dead on this planet. There will be no planet for our grand children.
The Anglicans might be giving thought to homosexuality as an antidote to population growth, instead of a crime against humanity.
Keeping them all in the same heap seems a less important priority for these religious people than that of moving from the tradiional Christian attitude of treating the earth and all that is in it as something given to humans to exploit.
The horrendous way we treat animals is largely founded on Christian morality.
On Today this morning we had Catholics talking about holding sacred truth inside a space under attack from the outside. Yes. If you are determined to stay unborn you will feel under attack. Mother Earth cannot get any bigger with this ever growing baby.
Never mind giving people second birth. Let's have a first birth!
Monday, April 18, 2005
Grey matters?
The conservatives are reputedly hoping to bring out the grey vote. Almost all their supporters are elderly.
Their unfortunate posters may have caused more than the occasional person over the age of fifty to feel a little more than usually confused.
For all such people I have a little poem:
Grey matters; greys matter: gay natter: less grey matter.
Are you not thinking what we are not thinking?
Their unfortunate posters may have caused more than the occasional person over the age of fifty to feel a little more than usually confused.
For all such people I have a little poem:
Grey matters; greys matter: gay natter: less grey matter.
Are you not thinking what we are not thinking?
Saturday, April 16, 2005
The ricin ring; or American survivalists revisited
It gets worse for Blair and company. Their Al Qaida ricin conspiracy is just another con.
Below the Irish Times has tracked the story down.
You won't see this story in the Mail the Express the Telegraph or the Sun though. Most people will go on believing that we are under threat from WMD.
We are only threatened by mistakes in our own laboratories!
All the information roads led west - not to Kabul, but to California and the US midwest. The ricin recipes now seen on the internet were invented 20 years ago by survivalist Kurt Saxon, who advertises books and videos on the internet.Before the ricin ring trial began, I called him in Arizona. For $110, he sent me CDs and videos on bombs, missiles, booby-traps - and ricin. We gave a copy of the ricin video to the police. When, in October, I showed that the chemical lists found in London were an exact copy of pages on an internet site in Palo Alto, California, the prosecution gave up on the Kabul and al-Qaida claims. The most ironic twist was an attempt to introduce an "al-Qaida manual" into the case. The manual - called the Manual of the Afghan Jihad - had been found on a raid in Manchester in 2000. It was given to the FBI to produce in the 2001 New York trial relating to the first attack on the World Trade Centre. But it was not an al-Qaida manual. The name was invented by the US department of justice in 2001 and the contents were rushed on to the internet to aid a presentation to the Senate by the then attorney general, John Ashcroft, supporting the US Patriot Act. To show that the manual was written in the 1980s during the US-supported war against the Soviet occupation was easy. The ricin recipe it contained was a direct translation from a 1988 US book - The Poisoner's Handbook by Maxwell Hutchkinson. We have all been victims of this mass deception. I do not doubt that Bourgass would have contemplated causing harm if he was competent to do so. But he was an Islamist yobbo on his own, not an al-Qaida-trained super-terrorist. - (Guardian Service) Duncan Campbell is an investigative writer and a scientific expert witness on computers / telecommunications. He is author of "War Plan UK."
Below the Irish Times has tracked the story down.
You won't see this story in the Mail the Express the Telegraph or the Sun though. Most people will go on believing that we are under threat from WMD.
We are only threatened by mistakes in our own laboratories!
All the information roads led west - not to Kabul, but to California and the US midwest. The ricin recipes now seen on the internet were invented 20 years ago by survivalist Kurt Saxon, who advertises books and videos on the internet.Before the ricin ring trial began, I called him in Arizona. For $110, he sent me CDs and videos on bombs, missiles, booby-traps - and ricin. We gave a copy of the ricin video to the police. When, in October, I showed that the chemical lists found in London were an exact copy of pages on an internet site in Palo Alto, California, the prosecution gave up on the Kabul and al-Qaida claims. The most ironic twist was an attempt to introduce an "al-Qaida manual" into the case. The manual - called the Manual of the Afghan Jihad - had been found on a raid in Manchester in 2000. It was given to the FBI to produce in the 2001 New York trial relating to the first attack on the World Trade Centre. But it was not an al-Qaida manual. The name was invented by the US department of justice in 2001 and the contents were rushed on to the internet to aid a presentation to the Senate by the then attorney general, John Ashcroft, supporting the US Patriot Act. To show that the manual was written in the 1980s during the US-supported war against the Soviet occupation was easy. The ricin recipe it contained was a direct translation from a 1988 US book - The Poisoner's Handbook by Maxwell Hutchkinson. We have all been victims of this mass deception. I do not doubt that Bourgass would have contemplated causing harm if he was competent to do so. But he was an Islamist yobbo on his own, not an al-Qaida-trained super-terrorist. - (Guardian Service) Duncan Campbell is an investigative writer and a scientific expert witness on computers / telecommunications. He is author of "War Plan UK."
Rowan on mature parenting
Archbishop of Canterbury | Sermons and Speeches: "When we lived in Central Newport, my wife used to go to the local primary school which our daughter attended to help with reading practice. She would come back regularly and say that the problem was not teaching children how to read; the problem was communicating with children who were simply not used to talking with adults at all or being talked to by adults. Children had, in effect, been turned loose.
Literacy is not only about words; literacy is about the reading of feelings and persons, about speaking and listening: emotional literacy, social literacy. "
It took a while but I found the speech that the journalists have been writing about.
As usual with Rowan it is multi-layered and able to be read by different people in different ways.
What I glean from it is a sense of pride in us as parents.
When H was six her teacher commented that you could have a converstion with her as if she were an adult. That is how we brought her up, with deep respect for her intelligence and humanity. It was hard for me to listen to her pain this afternoon about not having her chosen college at Cambridge. But I listened patiently as I always have.
G told me the other day that H shared with her "loving" and "listening" as qualities she values in me.
I am proud that she has formed such a confiding relationship in G.
I wrote about R's qualities in my lat post.
Here I want to boast about parenting the boys. I have already said that after 2 terms C is already the social centre of the class.
Here I want to talk about J a little. He is confident enough to contradict me in public as he did yesterday about R's age. He can join in with adults and children in making a speech at our wedding. Every evening meal he makes use of an opportunity to share his thoughts and feelings just as the rest of us do.
He is a star at story telling and loves his theatre-school group.
But according to the head he is being damaged by us as parents, and in danger of neglect.
Why does it bother me so much, when it is clear she sees snow when everyone else in the county sees barely a flake?
Because it is my family. And I am ever more furious about mistreatment by the school.
It takes a village to bring up a child, says Rowan.
We may have to take him out of the village to have him schooled now.
My English idyll, my good place to bring up children, is being destroyed by what used to be a reasonably good school.
Literacy is not only about words; literacy is about the reading of feelings and persons, about speaking and listening: emotional literacy, social literacy. "
It took a while but I found the speech that the journalists have been writing about.
As usual with Rowan it is multi-layered and able to be read by different people in different ways.
What I glean from it is a sense of pride in us as parents.
When H was six her teacher commented that you could have a converstion with her as if she were an adult. That is how we brought her up, with deep respect for her intelligence and humanity. It was hard for me to listen to her pain this afternoon about not having her chosen college at Cambridge. But I listened patiently as I always have.
G told me the other day that H shared with her "loving" and "listening" as qualities she values in me.
I am proud that she has formed such a confiding relationship in G.
I wrote about R's qualities in my lat post.
Here I want to boast about parenting the boys. I have already said that after 2 terms C is already the social centre of the class.
Here I want to talk about J a little. He is confident enough to contradict me in public as he did yesterday about R's age. He can join in with adults and children in making a speech at our wedding. Every evening meal he makes use of an opportunity to share his thoughts and feelings just as the rest of us do.
He is a star at story telling and loves his theatre-school group.
But according to the head he is being damaged by us as parents, and in danger of neglect.
Why does it bother me so much, when it is clear she sees snow when everyone else in the county sees barely a flake?
Because it is my family. And I am ever more furious about mistreatment by the school.
It takes a village to bring up a child, says Rowan.
We may have to take him out of the village to have him schooled now.
My English idyll, my good place to bring up children, is being destroyed by what used to be a reasonably good school.
Archbishop accuses Britain's parents of child 'abuse' - Britain - Times Online
Archbishop accuses Britain's parents of child 'abuse' - Britain - Times Online
Rowan and Jane were presenting something on children's reading at the Oxford Literary festival this week. I missed it, though. I am frustrated that I have not found the original text of his attack on parents. If I find it I will write about it.
For now I will return to my parenting theme. Back to school on Monday with us thinking of removing our children. School discipline is big news for the conservatives. I should approach David Cameron about his plans for alternatives.
If a head cannot keep discipline things are beyond repair. I never thought I would say such words, as a libertarian. But I am not prepared to have my child's front teeth pushed in during play time.
"A fish stinks from the head" was the observation of the business Consultancy I used to work with. They were thinking of Directors. I am thinking of school right now.
Things were good in the playground when this head arrived. R used to take care of a group of first years. Yesterday two of them came calling. They still miss R. They wanted to share with her that one has bought a pet rabbit and called it after R. Now I am really happy about that. R is turning into a really happy positive child just when you might expect teenage tantrums to be setting in. We have just had a couple of days away in Wales, climbing mountains while G took the boys to see their grand parents.
Today the first years are drawn into games that make British bull dogs seem tame. The head officially banned it after I complained. I doubt if it has stopped. I will let you know.
I have recorded interviews with J and C about their move to this town and school. I may have to use them in complaining against the school.
Meanwhile H has her Cambridge College place at Hughes Hall.
G will start as a Cambridge examiner again very soon.
Almost 2 weeks have passed since I addressed the Governors panel. No response yet.
The rubric for the panel meeting was to move towards a resolution. But the head chose to harden her stance admitting no error at all and even adding insult to injury, by gratuitously adding to her statement that they had to open the windows after meeting G because the smell was so bad.
This was particularly unpleasant as G was not present to contradict this fantastic impression.
The Governors will have assumed she is a wino.
I cannot recall all that was said at the meeting sadly. One thing sticks in the memory.
"Telling someone what is being done is consultation."
I ask how any head could defend that abuse of the English language.
But maybe this is the truth of Blairy England.
1984 has been and gone. New Labour New Speak.
Peace is War.
I will finish with the Archbishop. It has been a couple of years since he came round to tea with his wife and kids. It is time I went round and chatted with him about my book.
If reports are right then it is the work culture that he feels leaves children abused and neglected. With both of us at home spending a lot of time with our children it is not us he has a problem with.
Rowan and Jane were presenting something on children's reading at the Oxford Literary festival this week. I missed it, though. I am frustrated that I have not found the original text of his attack on parents. If I find it I will write about it.
For now I will return to my parenting theme. Back to school on Monday with us thinking of removing our children. School discipline is big news for the conservatives. I should approach David Cameron about his plans for alternatives.
If a head cannot keep discipline things are beyond repair. I never thought I would say such words, as a libertarian. But I am not prepared to have my child's front teeth pushed in during play time.
"A fish stinks from the head" was the observation of the business Consultancy I used to work with. They were thinking of Directors. I am thinking of school right now.
Things were good in the playground when this head arrived. R used to take care of a group of first years. Yesterday two of them came calling. They still miss R. They wanted to share with her that one has bought a pet rabbit and called it after R. Now I am really happy about that. R is turning into a really happy positive child just when you might expect teenage tantrums to be setting in. We have just had a couple of days away in Wales, climbing mountains while G took the boys to see their grand parents.
Today the first years are drawn into games that make British bull dogs seem tame. The head officially banned it after I complained. I doubt if it has stopped. I will let you know.
I have recorded interviews with J and C about their move to this town and school. I may have to use them in complaining against the school.
Meanwhile H has her Cambridge College place at Hughes Hall.
G will start as a Cambridge examiner again very soon.
Almost 2 weeks have passed since I addressed the Governors panel. No response yet.
The rubric for the panel meeting was to move towards a resolution. But the head chose to harden her stance admitting no error at all and even adding insult to injury, by gratuitously adding to her statement that they had to open the windows after meeting G because the smell was so bad.
This was particularly unpleasant as G was not present to contradict this fantastic impression.
The Governors will have assumed she is a wino.
I cannot recall all that was said at the meeting sadly. One thing sticks in the memory.
"Telling someone what is being done is consultation."
I ask how any head could defend that abuse of the English language.
But maybe this is the truth of Blairy England.
1984 has been and gone. New Labour New Speak.
Peace is War.
I will finish with the Archbishop. It has been a couple of years since he came round to tea with his wife and kids. It is time I went round and chatted with him about my book.
If reports are right then it is the work culture that he feels leaves children abused and neglected. With both of us at home spending a lot of time with our children it is not us he has a problem with.
Orwell Rolls In His Grave: VIDEO (mparent7777.blog-city.com)
Orwell Rolls In His Grave: VIDEO (mparent7777.blog-city.com): "Among the cast of characters in ORWELL ROLLS IN HIS GRAVE are Charles Lewis, director of the Center for Public Integrity, Vincent Bugliosi, former L.A. prosecutor and legal scholar, film director and author Michael Moore, Rep. Bernie Sanders, Danny Schecter, author and former producer for ABC and CNN, and Tony Benn, former member of the British Parliament."
Tony Benn represents us in this film about the American media. The question this morning, after a terribly bland Today programme, is whether the media are as useless as a counterweight to Government here. Hutton scuppered the BBC. Will it ever stand up to the Government again?
If it werte not for the Independent we would never have heard the truth about Iraq.
"ORWELL ROLLS IN HIS GRAVE provides a vital forum for ideas that will never be heard in mainstream media. From Globalvision�s Danny Schecter: �We falsely think of our country as a democracy when it has evolved into a mediacracy � where a media that is supposed to check political abuse is part of the political abuse.� New York University media professor Mark Crispin Miller says, �These commercial entities now vie with the government for control over our lives. They are not a healthy counterweight to government. Goebbels said that what you want in a media system � he meant the Nazi media system - is to present the ostensible diversity that conceals an actual uniformity"
Tony Benn represents us in this film about the American media. The question this morning, after a terribly bland Today programme, is whether the media are as useless as a counterweight to Government here. Hutton scuppered the BBC. Will it ever stand up to the Government again?
If it werte not for the Independent we would never have heard the truth about Iraq.
"ORWELL ROLLS IN HIS GRAVE provides a vital forum for ideas that will never be heard in mainstream media. From Globalvision�s Danny Schecter: �We falsely think of our country as a democracy when it has evolved into a mediacracy � where a media that is supposed to check political abuse is part of the political abuse.� New York University media professor Mark Crispin Miller says, �These commercial entities now vie with the government for control over our lives. They are not a healthy counterweight to government. Goebbels said that what you want in a media system � he meant the Nazi media system - is to present the ostensible diversity that conceals an actual uniformity"
Friday, April 15, 2005
Stealing the election; latest
I posted before I read the papers today. It seems people are noticing what Blairy England picked up first.
Blair is stealing the election.
And Labour are doing it as blatantly as Bush stole the American one.
The Guardian picks up this amazing piece of chicanery this morning.
Blair has written to voters an election message with a form attached to register for a postal ballot.
Where do you send this form?
NO, Not to the electoral commission.
This form gets sent to LABOUR'S ELECTION HEADQUARTERS.
With applications for postal voting going up 300%, in marginal seats we have every reason to believe that this election will be stolen, just as the labour candidates tried to steal the Birmingham local election, where their fraud was exposed.
After months of hard work by investigators and journalist the power centres of the USA are getting on board the campaign for fair elections there.
Yet Labour says everything is fine with our present system. Though the judge and the electoral commission say it is wide open to fraud.
Who do we trust?
Those pretty straight guys?!!!!!!!!
Blair is stealing the election.
And Labour are doing it as blatantly as Bush stole the American one.
The Guardian picks up this amazing piece of chicanery this morning.
Blair has written to voters an election message with a form attached to register for a postal ballot.
Where do you send this form?
NO, Not to the electoral commission.
This form gets sent to LABOUR'S ELECTION HEADQUARTERS.
With applications for postal voting going up 300%, in marginal seats we have every reason to believe that this election will be stolen, just as the labour candidates tried to steal the Birmingham local election, where their fraud was exposed.
After months of hard work by investigators and journalist the power centres of the USA are getting on board the campaign for fair elections there.
Yet Labour says everything is fine with our present system. Though the judge and the electoral commission say it is wide open to fraud.
Who do we trust?
Those pretty straight guys?!!!!!!!!
Conspiracy
Conspiracy
They dressed it up for you and me,
And called it a conspiracy,
Hundreds of men from Al Qaida,
Invaders with a foreign leader,
Arrested, looking too Islamic.
Stupid policemen, much too manic,
Tried to fill us all with panic.
Made them an excuse to go to war,
Added the forty five minutes lore.
And now it will not make me smile,
To see just nine men brought to trial,
That is not even one in ten,
Of what they said were dangerous men,
These guardians we should strongly berate,
They did not have a case on eight,
Which leaves convicted one sick man,
Who did not have a master plan,
Just recipes from the internet,
And colleagues he had never met.
Just one mad killer is convicted
But punishment has been inflicted
On every child in poor Iraq.
They like to keep us in the dark.
They take from us our Liberty.
But here today we all can see,
There never was a real threat,
Just lies I hope they'll soon regret.
They dressed it up for you and me,
And called it a conspiracy,
Hundreds of men from Al Qaida,
Invaders with a foreign leader,
Arrested, looking too Islamic.
Stupid policemen, much too manic,
Tried to fill us all with panic.
Made them an excuse to go to war,
Added the forty five minutes lore.
And now it will not make me smile,
To see just nine men brought to trial,
That is not even one in ten,
Of what they said were dangerous men,
These guardians we should strongly berate,
They did not have a case on eight,
Which leaves convicted one sick man,
Who did not have a master plan,
Just recipes from the internet,
And colleagues he had never met.
Just one mad killer is convicted
But punishment has been inflicted
On every child in poor Iraq.
They like to keep us in the dark.
They take from us our Liberty.
But here today we all can see,
There never was a real threat,
Just lies I hope they'll soon regret.
Stealing the election.
Liberty Belle Log
If the message below is true then things are beginning to shift against the Bush presidency.
No signs of a real angry response from the English against the threat of the Government stealing our election through Postal Voting Fraud.
We all just smile at the joke of a Judge describing us as worse than a banana republic. Of course it could not be true. Ha Ha
Bush has now stolen two.
From the Liberty belle blog
A SEA CHANGE IN THE MEDIA
On the eve of the California State Democratic Convention, I’m feeling optimistic from more than mere anticipation.
This week, I’ve noticed a sea change in mainstream media coverage. Following a national conference on election reform, the mainstream media has suddenly begun covering election fraud with the fervor of a bloodhound on the scent of fresh game. Check out the extra-long “Stolen Election” section for the juicy details. It’s as if journalists have suddenly awoken from a trance—and realized that those Internet conspiracy theorists who insisted that the presidential race was rigged were very likely right.
Besides mere consciousness raising at the media reform conference, journalists have some new data added to the growing mountain of evidence that George W. Bush wound up in the White House as a result of fraud. Clint Curtis (the computer programmer who testified that a Republican Congressman paid him to create vote-rigging software) has passed a lie detector test. In addition, a new panel of university professors has analyzed the exit polls vs. tallied results – and concluded that fraud is a strong possibility.
Why is the media reporting on election fraud now, after months of ignoring other compelling evidence?
Here’s my theory: The media moguls running the show are turning on Bush and the radical Republican extremists now in power.
It’s as if a dam has burst and floodgates thrown wide open. A rush of bad news for the Bush administration is spilling onto the airways and into the pages of newspapers across the country. Texas exterminator Tom DeLay’s second career as House Majority Leader seems destined for extinction, based on widely circulated news reports citing harsh criticisms from Democratic leaders—and even prominent Republicans scurrying to distance themselves from DeLay’s unethical antics. The media has begun terming this an “abuse of power” – a term that evokes the time shortly before Richard Nixon resigned to avoid impeachment. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid’s scathing criticism of Republicans’ efforts to eliminate the filibuster has also been widely published. Also hitting print: stories exposing the callousness of the GOP Congressman in refusing to fund key medical care for veterans—including soldiers injured in Iraq. We’re even seeing media coverage revealing the extent to which this Republican Congress has rewarded the rich—while abandoning the poor and middle class.
But wait, you’re thinking. Media moguls are rich. So why would they bite the hand that feeds them?
Several possibilities exist. Perhaps like other reasonably rational conservatives, top executives at the major media outlets are finally realizing just how radical the neoconservative agenda has become. When a Republican Congressman calls for the mass impeachment of judges and a religious leader (Dobson) compares robed judges to the Ku Klux Klan, many rational human beings must wonder if things have gone to far. Imprisonment of two teenage girls on terrorism suspicions raised new concerns over civil liberties abuses, particularly after the New York Times revealed that federal agents reportedly threatened to deport one girl’s immigrant parents, coercing her “confession.” Congressional meddling in Terri Schiavo’s case raised concerns over invasion of privacy and interference with states rights—two more traditionally Republican issues. Finally, Senate Republicans’ efforts to trample the Constitution by eliminating filibusters for judicial nominations setes off alarm bells for anyone who believes in separation of powers.
Another potential motive for the media’s change in attitude may be greed. The religious right’s push to dictate morality over the airways has resulted in the FCC levying record fines against the mainstream media for indecency violations. Couple that with Bush’s reckless wrecking of the economy—which by all accounts is teetering close to the brink of collapse—and corporate financial officers may be justifiably worried about protecting their bottom lines, along with stockholders’ investments.
There’s a third option: self-preservation. TV news ratings are plummeting, particularly among younger viewers, who are increasingly tuning out and turning onto the Internet. In recent meetings, bewildered TV executives have sought to understand why they’re losing viewers in droves—and seemed genuinely surprised to learn that many disgruntled ex-viewers simply don’t trust the news they’re seeing on TV. Newspapers, similarly, continue to lose readers. These trends coincide with a rise in progressive activism. As liberal groups become organized, producing thousands or even millions of signatures through grassroots e-mail campaigns, the media would be hard-pressed not to pay attention, albeit grudgingly. No doubt the conservative media moguls must be chafing to witness the success of Air America, bloggers, and other liberal media start-ups.
Or maybe the network owners are having some family problems. Perhaps they’re getting an earful from Gramps and Granny, who don’t like losing the “Security” part of Social Security. Or perhaps the media moguls have heard Bush and Rumsfeld’s interventionist war drums pounding, and are growing worried that their teenage kids could wind up scrambling their brains in Iraq—or Iran, or Syria, or Venezuela. After all, those new draft plans drawn up don’t allow any convenient exemptions for college kids—and Canada’s turning away conscientious objectors. Supporting “Shock and Awe” undeniably boosted ratings, but sacrificing one’s own offspring to feed the neocon’s blood lust is quite a different story.
Whatever the reason—or combination of reasons—the media’s love affair with the Bush Administration appears to be heading toward divorce.
Please call or write the major media outlets and thank them when you see a story that reveals truth about the radical right wing agenda—and how Democrats are fighting to protect ordinary Americans against the right wing’s devastating onslaught. Momentum for change is building, so let’s all keep pushing and help accelerate positive change!
-- Liberty Belle
If the message below is true then things are beginning to shift against the Bush presidency.
No signs of a real angry response from the English against the threat of the Government stealing our election through Postal Voting Fraud.
We all just smile at the joke of a Judge describing us as worse than a banana republic. Of course it could not be true. Ha Ha
Bush has now stolen two.
From the Liberty belle blog
A SEA CHANGE IN THE MEDIA
On the eve of the California State Democratic Convention, I’m feeling optimistic from more than mere anticipation.
This week, I’ve noticed a sea change in mainstream media coverage. Following a national conference on election reform, the mainstream media has suddenly begun covering election fraud with the fervor of a bloodhound on the scent of fresh game. Check out the extra-long “Stolen Election” section for the juicy details. It’s as if journalists have suddenly awoken from a trance—and realized that those Internet conspiracy theorists who insisted that the presidential race was rigged were very likely right.
Besides mere consciousness raising at the media reform conference, journalists have some new data added to the growing mountain of evidence that George W. Bush wound up in the White House as a result of fraud. Clint Curtis (the computer programmer who testified that a Republican Congressman paid him to create vote-rigging software) has passed a lie detector test. In addition, a new panel of university professors has analyzed the exit polls vs. tallied results – and concluded that fraud is a strong possibility.
Why is the media reporting on election fraud now, after months of ignoring other compelling evidence?
Here’s my theory: The media moguls running the show are turning on Bush and the radical Republican extremists now in power.
It’s as if a dam has burst and floodgates thrown wide open. A rush of bad news for the Bush administration is spilling onto the airways and into the pages of newspapers across the country. Texas exterminator Tom DeLay’s second career as House Majority Leader seems destined for extinction, based on widely circulated news reports citing harsh criticisms from Democratic leaders—and even prominent Republicans scurrying to distance themselves from DeLay’s unethical antics. The media has begun terming this an “abuse of power” – a term that evokes the time shortly before Richard Nixon resigned to avoid impeachment. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid’s scathing criticism of Republicans’ efforts to eliminate the filibuster has also been widely published. Also hitting print: stories exposing the callousness of the GOP Congressman in refusing to fund key medical care for veterans—including soldiers injured in Iraq. We’re even seeing media coverage revealing the extent to which this Republican Congress has rewarded the rich—while abandoning the poor and middle class.
But wait, you’re thinking. Media moguls are rich. So why would they bite the hand that feeds them?
Several possibilities exist. Perhaps like other reasonably rational conservatives, top executives at the major media outlets are finally realizing just how radical the neoconservative agenda has become. When a Republican Congressman calls for the mass impeachment of judges and a religious leader (Dobson) compares robed judges to the Ku Klux Klan, many rational human beings must wonder if things have gone to far. Imprisonment of two teenage girls on terrorism suspicions raised new concerns over civil liberties abuses, particularly after the New York Times revealed that federal agents reportedly threatened to deport one girl’s immigrant parents, coercing her “confession.” Congressional meddling in Terri Schiavo’s case raised concerns over invasion of privacy and interference with states rights—two more traditionally Republican issues. Finally, Senate Republicans’ efforts to trample the Constitution by eliminating filibusters for judicial nominations setes off alarm bells for anyone who believes in separation of powers.
Another potential motive for the media’s change in attitude may be greed. The religious right’s push to dictate morality over the airways has resulted in the FCC levying record fines against the mainstream media for indecency violations. Couple that with Bush’s reckless wrecking of the economy—which by all accounts is teetering close to the brink of collapse—and corporate financial officers may be justifiably worried about protecting their bottom lines, along with stockholders’ investments.
There’s a third option: self-preservation. TV news ratings are plummeting, particularly among younger viewers, who are increasingly tuning out and turning onto the Internet. In recent meetings, bewildered TV executives have sought to understand why they’re losing viewers in droves—and seemed genuinely surprised to learn that many disgruntled ex-viewers simply don’t trust the news they’re seeing on TV. Newspapers, similarly, continue to lose readers. These trends coincide with a rise in progressive activism. As liberal groups become organized, producing thousands or even millions of signatures through grassroots e-mail campaigns, the media would be hard-pressed not to pay attention, albeit grudgingly. No doubt the conservative media moguls must be chafing to witness the success of Air America, bloggers, and other liberal media start-ups.
Or maybe the network owners are having some family problems. Perhaps they’re getting an earful from Gramps and Granny, who don’t like losing the “Security” part of Social Security. Or perhaps the media moguls have heard Bush and Rumsfeld’s interventionist war drums pounding, and are growing worried that their teenage kids could wind up scrambling their brains in Iraq—or Iran, or Syria, or Venezuela. After all, those new draft plans drawn up don’t allow any convenient exemptions for college kids—and Canada’s turning away conscientious objectors. Supporting “Shock and Awe” undeniably boosted ratings, but sacrificing one’s own offspring to feed the neocon’s blood lust is quite a different story.
Whatever the reason—or combination of reasons—the media’s love affair with the Bush Administration appears to be heading toward divorce.
Please call or write the major media outlets and thank them when you see a story that reveals truth about the radical right wing agenda—and how Democrats are fighting to protect ordinary Americans against the right wing’s devastating onslaught. Momentum for change is building, so let’s all keep pushing and help accelerate positive change!
-- Liberty Belle
Thursday, April 14, 2005
MRSA
MRSA
As we come closer to the merry month of May
The politicians have come out to play.
They treat us all like stupid sheep.
Into their fold they think we’ll creep.
Cadaverous grins
And demon eyes
Do not convince.
We soon despise
Their really very thin disguise,
While they tell lies, and lies and lies.
Just one week into their campaign
I’m going to have to make it plain;
Like hospital’s MRSA,
I wish they all would go away.
Copyrighted April 14 2005
I am fed up with the election already.
Seeing Clarke on the news last night and hearing the debate about MRSA on Today this morning makes me feel like giving up my election blog. Hence the poem above.
I had a head injury four years ago and spent a night in the John Radcliffe hospital.
I am very grateful to the surgeon who noticed my bones were broken, and for the surgery that was done within hours.
But the filth of the hospital could have cost me my life.
The curtain round the bed was horribly stained. The floor had a pile of dust on it. The sheet on which I tried to sleep was torn right down the middle.
I dragged myself out of the place that very afternoon. Even with my head still groggy I could tell I was not in a healthy safe place.
As we come closer to the merry month of May
The politicians have come out to play.
They treat us all like stupid sheep.
Into their fold they think we’ll creep.
Cadaverous grins
And demon eyes
Do not convince.
We soon despise
Their really very thin disguise,
While they tell lies, and lies and lies.
Just one week into their campaign
I’m going to have to make it plain;
Like hospital’s MRSA,
I wish they all would go away.
Copyrighted April 14 2005
I am fed up with the election already.
Seeing Clarke on the news last night and hearing the debate about MRSA on Today this morning makes me feel like giving up my election blog. Hence the poem above.
I had a head injury four years ago and spent a night in the John Radcliffe hospital.
I am very grateful to the surgeon who noticed my bones were broken, and for the surgery that was done within hours.
But the filth of the hospital could have cost me my life.
The curtain round the bed was horribly stained. The floor had a pile of dust on it. The sheet on which I tried to sleep was torn right down the middle.
I dragged myself out of the place that very afternoon. Even with my head still groggy I could tell I was not in a healthy safe place.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Baghdad protest demands an end to US occupation of Iraq
Baghdad protest demands an end to US occupation of Iraq: "The choice of Firdos Square was not accidental. Following the capture of Baghdad two years ago, the US military, together with small numbers of Iraqi supporters of then US favourite Ahmed Chalabi, staged the toppling of Saddam Hussein�s statue in the same square for the media cameras. At Saturday�s demonstration, protestors mocked this piece of contrived propaganda by pulling down effigies of US President George Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, as well as Hussein."
Ok So you have seen this before. But it makes good reading for those of us opposed to Blair. I wish there was a picture of his statue being toppled though.
Ok So you have seen this before. But it makes good reading for those of us opposed to Blair. I wish there was a picture of his statue being toppled though.
Sunday, April 10, 2005
What about a world parliament?
I quote from a guy from San Francisco
Hey; not all Americans are bad guys!
Maybe we should stop this little wrangle over a local election that almost noone seems to care about.
We have to wake up to being in one world now.
"World patriots know that the existing UN Charter mocks "we, the people"
democracy because of the Charter's inherent design flaws. For example, the
Security Council veto gives dominance to nationalism over the good of the whole,
over the world public interest.
If there is no democratic world federation in the proposed strategy, then we
can be quite sure it will be futile in terms of ending wars; it will fail to
adequately deal with global ecological crises; and it will not be able to
protect human rights for all. We will simply continue the present system
where Might is Right and the Bully nation lords it over the weaker ones. And
where the leaders of the Bully nations are above the law, unaccountable if their
actions are criminal.
Hence, I think it is important that we have a simultaneous strategy (I call
it a "two track strategy") of working on developing from the grassroots a
democratic World Parliament while we also work on UN Reform.
If the ruling powers will not allow the UN to become a democratic world
federation (probably the only real answer to our world's problems), then we will
already have in place an emerging alternative global system developing a
democratic World Parliament for "we, the people."
That's why I feel strongly that in addition to attempts at UN Reform (such
as the Parliamentary Assembly idea), we need to simultaneously and equally
support the emerging Earth Federation under the Constitution for the Federation
of Earth.
For peace & humanity,
Roger Kotila
Chair, Democratic World Federalists (San Francisco)
member, Provisional World Parliament, Earth Federation"
Hey; not all Americans are bad guys!
Maybe we should stop this little wrangle over a local election that almost noone seems to care about.
We have to wake up to being in one world now.
"World patriots know that the existing UN Charter mocks "we, the people"
democracy because of the Charter's inherent design flaws. For example, the
Security Council veto gives dominance to nationalism over the good of the whole,
over the world public interest.
If there is no democratic world federation in the proposed strategy, then we
can be quite sure it will be futile in terms of ending wars; it will fail to
adequately deal with global ecological crises; and it will not be able to
protect human rights for all. We will simply continue the present system
where Might is Right and the Bully nation lords it over the weaker ones. And
where the leaders of the Bully nations are above the law, unaccountable if their
actions are criminal.
Hence, I think it is important that we have a simultaneous strategy (I call
it a "two track strategy") of working on developing from the grassroots a
democratic World Parliament while we also work on UN Reform.
If the ruling powers will not allow the UN to become a democratic world
federation (probably the only real answer to our world's problems), then we will
already have in place an emerging alternative global system developing a
democratic World Parliament for "we, the people."
That's why I feel strongly that in addition to attempts at UN Reform (such
as the Parliamentary Assembly idea), we need to simultaneously and equally
support the emerging Earth Federation under the Constitution for the Federation
of Earth.
For peace & humanity,
Roger Kotila
Chair, Democratic World Federalists (San Francisco)
member, Provisional World Parliament, Earth Federation"
t r u t h o u t - Baghdad Protestors burn effigies of Bush with Saddam
t r u t h o u t - Baghdad Protestors Demand US Out: "effigies of Bush and Saddam were burned.
'Force the occupation to leave from our country,' one banner read in English. "
The Iraqis are out protesting again. They want their country back. Rightly they put Saddam and Bush on the same tumbril for burning.
Hey Folks. Once you have got a US military base on your territory it is never going home.
Just look at England.
Did you know that the Americans claimed the right to shoot our protestors outside their base in Oxfordshire?
It is true.
It was a great moment when we toppled a staue of Bush in Trafalgar square when he came her to visit.
Give us our country back too.
Send the US occupying forces home. We don't need their protection any more.
'Force the occupation to leave from our country,' one banner read in English. "
The Iraqis are out protesting again. They want their country back. Rightly they put Saddam and Bush on the same tumbril for burning.
Hey Folks. Once you have got a US military base on your territory it is never going home.
Just look at England.
Did you know that the Americans claimed the right to shoot our protestors outside their base in Oxfordshire?
It is true.
It was a great moment when we toppled a staue of Bush in Trafalgar square when he came her to visit.
Give us our country back too.
Send the US occupying forces home. We don't need their protection any more.
Republicans are turning against the war
Middle East Online: "US lawmakers regret voting for Iraq war"
How extraordinary!
Conservative republicans are wishing they had not voted for war.
Now that is the kind of news we need to hear in the English election campaign.
I had a long talk with a Labour party member who thinks Blair will be booted out quite swiftly after the election.
My fear is that if he gets elected he will hang on as long as he can.
Vote strategically. Lets make it very clear that this country does not want another Blair led Government.
Do not vote for any labout MP who puts Blair on their literature.
How extraordinary!
Conservative republicans are wishing they had not voted for war.
Now that is the kind of news we need to hear in the English election campaign.
I had a long talk with a Labour party member who thinks Blair will be booted out quite swiftly after the election.
My fear is that if he gets elected he will hang on as long as he can.
Vote strategically. Lets make it very clear that this country does not want another Blair led Government.
Do not vote for any labout MP who puts Blair on their literature.
Saturday, April 09, 2005
They'll now believe in anything!
I don't often quote from the Telegraph as I do below. But this was interesting. First we have a protestant Royal Marriage moved to accomodate a Roman Catholic Funeral. Now, as the marriage goes ahead in the state registry office, we have gossip about the politics of Holy Communion.
I never met the Pope. Maybe he was a deeply spiritual man the same way Rowan Williams is such a one.
Maybe not. In a time of ever increasing uncertainty and threat any kind of strong leader becomes very popular.
The heart of Catholicism is the communion. The Pope may or may not have administered the sacrament to Mr Blair as he did to Cherie.
It is exactly the kind of thing we would expect from Blair though, taking the Pope's sacrament just as if he were a good obedient catholic and still ignoring the Pope's judgement that the war was wrong.
Does Blair and the populace he leads believe in anything substantial beyond power?
I will let you decide. I like Chesterton's remark that when people stop having beliefs they believe in anything rather than nothing. Either way it is empty and deplorable.
Dumb and dumber?
"Next week, however, an authoritative account of it will appear in Garry O'Connor's new papal biography Universal Father, based on a 90-minute interview with Cherie Blair. Only one key detail is missing.
On the day before the Mass, while Vatican officials let two-year-old Leo sit on one of the Pope's thrones, Blair had made a fruitless attempt to persuade the Holy Father to soften his opposition to the Iraq war.
But their lack of agreement did not spoil what happened the next morning, which Cherie describes as the high point of her entire time as Prime Minister's wife.
At 8am, the Blairs arrived in the Pope's private chapel to find him already sitting facing the altar, immersed in prayer. "The image he gave," writes O'Connor, "was for Cherie a symbol of both suffering and the defeat of suffering. When he began to say Mass, he sprang to life: he said all of it, the first part in English but, when he came to the Eucharistic prayer, in Latin.
"Blair, in an off-the-peg suit and muted tie, read the first reading from Isaiah: 'I it is who must blot out everything.' Euan, his eldest son, read the responsorial prayer: 'Heal my soul, for I have sinned against you,' and Kathryn, their daughter, the second reading, from Corinthians: 'Jesus was never yes or no: with him it was always yes.' "
O'Connor then reports that "the Pope gave the family communion, while the other celebrants gave communion to the rest of the congregation". What he does not spell out is whether the Prime Minister took communion.
Most people have assumed that he did not, since - after years of receiving the sacrament when he accompanied his family to Mass in London - Mr Blair had been told by the late Cardinal Basil Hume that this was not appropriate for a non-Catholic. He duly stopped.
On March 21, 2003, however, the Catholic Herald claimed that the Pope had personally given Tony Blair Holy Communion - the first time in history that a British prime minister had received the sacrament from the hands of the pontiff.
The story was followed by such a flurry of denials that the newspaper was forced to withdraw the claim in its next issue.
Yet it was perfectly true, as the Pope's biographer Garry O'Connor discovered from several sources, including the papal chamberlain's office. He glossed over it in his book "out of respect for the family," he says, but The Telegraph this week also independently verified the story.
Did John Paul II break his own rules by administering communion to an Anglican? Not quite: there was, at the time, a provision that non-Catholics could ask to receive communion "on a unique occasion for joy or for sorrow in the life of a family".
Tony Blair presumably made such a request, and would also have been expected to assent to the Catholic doctrine that the body of Christ is really present in the consecrated bread and wine.
No previous British prime minister has ever held this belief (though Harold Macmillan, who was High Church, probably came close to it.)
Ironically, only two weeks after Tony Blair took communion from the Pope, the Roman Curia issued fierce guidelines imposing a virtual ban on distributing communion to non-Catholics.
John Paul must have known in advance that this was coming. Yet he still granted Blair's request.
"That was typical of the man," says O'Connor. "His instinct in these situations was always to say yes, and he often had to be restrained by officials who wanted him to say no."
So the Blair family knew from their own experience that John Paul was not the fundamentalist bigot of Islingtonian demonology.
The Blairs' starstruck admiration for the Pope may also help us to untangle one of the mysteries of these chaotic last few days. On whose instructions did the Prince of Wales postpone his register office wedding and subsequent church blessing until Saturday?
On Monday, Paddy Harverson, the Clarence House press officer, said that as soon as the Prince and Mrs Parker Bowles knew that the wedding and funeral would clash, they realised that it was "absolutely the right thing" to delay the wedding.
The decision was theirs alone, he added. "There was no communication with No 10 before or after."
That sounds straightforward enough. It would be more convincing, however, if Clarence House had not announced shortly after the Pope's death that the Windsor Guildhall Ceremony and marriage blessing would take place regardless of any clash on Friday.
Did the Prince's staff make this statement off their own bat, without consulting him? That seems incredible.
It certainly strikes one former senior courtier as preposterous. "Taken in conjunction, the two Clarence House statements imply that Charles was adamant that he wasn't going to postpone the wedding, but was then forced to - and has been desperately trying to spin his way out of that situation ever since," he says.
If so, who did the forcing? Mr Harverson may have been stretching the truth when he said that the decision was the couple's "alone", but there is no reason to think that he told a brazen lie about the lack of communication between the Prince and Downing Street.
But was there any communication with Buckingham Palace? According to reliable reports, it was the Queen who ordered Charles to spend Friday morning listening to Latin plainchant in Bernini's magnificent piazza rather than marrying his long-term mistress in the Guildhall at Windsor.
Why? The Queen (unlike her late sister) has no leanings towards Catholic mysticism: she shares the robust, no-frills churchmanship of her father and grandfather. (It is a brave clergyman who wears a Roman chasuble in the presence of his Monarch.) She respected Pope John Paul, but her tribute to him was the least effusive of any head of state.
On the other hand, she is no more keen than the late pontiff on register office weddings - and, as we know, will be boycotting this one. So she is unlikely to have turned a hair at instructing her son to postpone the event.
But the attendance of the Prince of Wales at the funeral of a pope - especially this pope - has ramifications that oblige the Sovereign to follow the advice of her Prime Minister and at least listen to that of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
And it is that advice, rather than the Queen's personal wishes, that brought about Charles and Camilla's embarrassing change of plan - that, and the fact that, as one Royal confidant puts its, "half their bloody guests are going to be in Rome".
According to some sources, the Archbishop was the first person to insist that the Prince of Wales represent the Queen in Rome on Friday.
Charles, far from "immediately" concurring, as Paddy Harverson put it, strongly resisted the suggestion.
That is when the Queen is reported to have ordered him to go. In doing so, she was also respecting the wishes of the Prime Minister, who appears to have accepted the invitation to the funeral at a time - Monday morning - when the wedding was still scheduled for Friday.
The fact that, as Peter Oborne notes in this week's Spectator, Tony Blair had "carefully RSVP'd" his wedding invitation several months ago seems to have counted for nothing.
By Monday evening, as the Prince was ushered into Westminster Cathedral, his staff had more or less succeeded in portraying the postponement as an act of statesmanship.
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, sensing the awkwardness of the situation, did his best to remedy it. As Vespers ended, he peeled himself off from the final procession and hurried to the West Door to greet the Prince and Mrs Parker Bowles and say how sorry he was that their wedding plans had been disrupted.
The heir to the throne replied with a wintry smile.
"The strange death of Protestant England" read a headline in the Guardian the next day. "Catholicism hasn't been this chic since Bloody Mary burned Rowan Williams's first Protestant predecessor at the stake."
And it is true that foreign tourists in England could have been forgiven for thinking that our tabloid newspapers were edited from, say, Galway.
"Safe in heaven," revealed the Mail On Sunday. "John Paul the Great," proclaimed a "memorial issue" of the Mirror. Just the week before, coincidentally, Michael Howard had told the Catholic Herald that he saw no reason why the monarch should not be a Catholic - or marry one.
Yet the strange death of Protestant England, and what the historian Mark Almond calls "the hollowing-out of the Protestant Succession", is emphatically not the same thing as the rebirth of Catholicism.
Cardinal Hume discovered this when he incautiously talked about "the conversion of England", and then spent the next decade watching his churches empty. Mass attendance will be higher than usual tomorrow, but will quickly revert to its disastrously low level.
A better clue to this week's Mediterranean-style outpourings is a saying attributed to G K Chesterton - that when people cease to believe in something, they do not believe in nothing: they believe in anything. The death of the Pope, like the death of Diana, has briefly satisfied a spiritual hunger that feeds off emotion and spectacle rather than doctrine.
And how interesting that both events have, to an extent, been appropriated by the Blairs.
This is not to imply that Tony and Cherie's Christianity is any sense bogus; but it is vastly more flexible than that of the old Polish gentleman who, at least for a few days, has been granted the status of spiritual leader of the whole world.
Cherie's Catholicism embraces the cause of women's ordination, something that John Paul II specifically forbade any Catholic to support. Tony has attended Masses for years without ever picking up the Catholic message that late-term abortion is infanticide. He is going into this general election as the only party leader who does not support a lowering of the abortion limit to 20 weeks.
If John Paul II had foreseen that, we can be sure of one thing: he would not have allowed the British Prime Minister to receive Holy Communion."
•Universal Father: A Life of Pope John Paul II, by Garry O'Connor, is published by Bloomsbury on April 18. To order for £16 + £2.25 p&p, please call Telegraph Books Direct on 0870 155 7222
I never met the Pope. Maybe he was a deeply spiritual man the same way Rowan Williams is such a one.
Maybe not. In a time of ever increasing uncertainty and threat any kind of strong leader becomes very popular.
The heart of Catholicism is the communion. The Pope may or may not have administered the sacrament to Mr Blair as he did to Cherie.
It is exactly the kind of thing we would expect from Blair though, taking the Pope's sacrament just as if he were a good obedient catholic and still ignoring the Pope's judgement that the war was wrong.
Does Blair and the populace he leads believe in anything substantial beyond power?
I will let you decide. I like Chesterton's remark that when people stop having beliefs they believe in anything rather than nothing. Either way it is empty and deplorable.
Dumb and dumber?
"Next week, however, an authoritative account of it will appear in Garry O'Connor's new papal biography Universal Father, based on a 90-minute interview with Cherie Blair. Only one key detail is missing.
On the day before the Mass, while Vatican officials let two-year-old Leo sit on one of the Pope's thrones, Blair had made a fruitless attempt to persuade the Holy Father to soften his opposition to the Iraq war.
But their lack of agreement did not spoil what happened the next morning, which Cherie describes as the high point of her entire time as Prime Minister's wife.
At 8am, the Blairs arrived in the Pope's private chapel to find him already sitting facing the altar, immersed in prayer. "The image he gave," writes O'Connor, "was for Cherie a symbol of both suffering and the defeat of suffering. When he began to say Mass, he sprang to life: he said all of it, the first part in English but, when he came to the Eucharistic prayer, in Latin.
"Blair, in an off-the-peg suit and muted tie, read the first reading from Isaiah: 'I it is who must blot out everything.' Euan, his eldest son, read the responsorial prayer: 'Heal my soul, for I have sinned against you,' and Kathryn, their daughter, the second reading, from Corinthians: 'Jesus was never yes or no: with him it was always yes.' "
O'Connor then reports that "the Pope gave the family communion, while the other celebrants gave communion to the rest of the congregation". What he does not spell out is whether the Prime Minister took communion.
Most people have assumed that he did not, since - after years of receiving the sacrament when he accompanied his family to Mass in London - Mr Blair had been told by the late Cardinal Basil Hume that this was not appropriate for a non-Catholic. He duly stopped.
On March 21, 2003, however, the Catholic Herald claimed that the Pope had personally given Tony Blair Holy Communion - the first time in history that a British prime minister had received the sacrament from the hands of the pontiff.
The story was followed by such a flurry of denials that the newspaper was forced to withdraw the claim in its next issue.
Yet it was perfectly true, as the Pope's biographer Garry O'Connor discovered from several sources, including the papal chamberlain's office. He glossed over it in his book "out of respect for the family," he says, but The Telegraph this week also independently verified the story.
Did John Paul II break his own rules by administering communion to an Anglican? Not quite: there was, at the time, a provision that non-Catholics could ask to receive communion "on a unique occasion for joy or for sorrow in the life of a family".
Tony Blair presumably made such a request, and would also have been expected to assent to the Catholic doctrine that the body of Christ is really present in the consecrated bread and wine.
No previous British prime minister has ever held this belief (though Harold Macmillan, who was High Church, probably came close to it.)
Ironically, only two weeks after Tony Blair took communion from the Pope, the Roman Curia issued fierce guidelines imposing a virtual ban on distributing communion to non-Catholics.
John Paul must have known in advance that this was coming. Yet he still granted Blair's request.
"That was typical of the man," says O'Connor. "His instinct in these situations was always to say yes, and he often had to be restrained by officials who wanted him to say no."
So the Blair family knew from their own experience that John Paul was not the fundamentalist bigot of Islingtonian demonology.
The Blairs' starstruck admiration for the Pope may also help us to untangle one of the mysteries of these chaotic last few days. On whose instructions did the Prince of Wales postpone his register office wedding and subsequent church blessing until Saturday?
On Monday, Paddy Harverson, the Clarence House press officer, said that as soon as the Prince and Mrs Parker Bowles knew that the wedding and funeral would clash, they realised that it was "absolutely the right thing" to delay the wedding.
The decision was theirs alone, he added. "There was no communication with No 10 before or after."
That sounds straightforward enough. It would be more convincing, however, if Clarence House had not announced shortly after the Pope's death that the Windsor Guildhall Ceremony and marriage blessing would take place regardless of any clash on Friday.
Did the Prince's staff make this statement off their own bat, without consulting him? That seems incredible.
It certainly strikes one former senior courtier as preposterous. "Taken in conjunction, the two Clarence House statements imply that Charles was adamant that he wasn't going to postpone the wedding, but was then forced to - and has been desperately trying to spin his way out of that situation ever since," he says.
If so, who did the forcing? Mr Harverson may have been stretching the truth when he said that the decision was the couple's "alone", but there is no reason to think that he told a brazen lie about the lack of communication between the Prince and Downing Street.
But was there any communication with Buckingham Palace? According to reliable reports, it was the Queen who ordered Charles to spend Friday morning listening to Latin plainchant in Bernini's magnificent piazza rather than marrying his long-term mistress in the Guildhall at Windsor.
Why? The Queen (unlike her late sister) has no leanings towards Catholic mysticism: she shares the robust, no-frills churchmanship of her father and grandfather. (It is a brave clergyman who wears a Roman chasuble in the presence of his Monarch.) She respected Pope John Paul, but her tribute to him was the least effusive of any head of state.
On the other hand, she is no more keen than the late pontiff on register office weddings - and, as we know, will be boycotting this one. So she is unlikely to have turned a hair at instructing her son to postpone the event.
But the attendance of the Prince of Wales at the funeral of a pope - especially this pope - has ramifications that oblige the Sovereign to follow the advice of her Prime Minister and at least listen to that of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
And it is that advice, rather than the Queen's personal wishes, that brought about Charles and Camilla's embarrassing change of plan - that, and the fact that, as one Royal confidant puts its, "half their bloody guests are going to be in Rome".
According to some sources, the Archbishop was the first person to insist that the Prince of Wales represent the Queen in Rome on Friday.
Charles, far from "immediately" concurring, as Paddy Harverson put it, strongly resisted the suggestion.
That is when the Queen is reported to have ordered him to go. In doing so, she was also respecting the wishes of the Prime Minister, who appears to have accepted the invitation to the funeral at a time - Monday morning - when the wedding was still scheduled for Friday.
The fact that, as Peter Oborne notes in this week's Spectator, Tony Blair had "carefully RSVP'd" his wedding invitation several months ago seems to have counted for nothing.
By Monday evening, as the Prince was ushered into Westminster Cathedral, his staff had more or less succeeded in portraying the postponement as an act of statesmanship.
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, sensing the awkwardness of the situation, did his best to remedy it. As Vespers ended, he peeled himself off from the final procession and hurried to the West Door to greet the Prince and Mrs Parker Bowles and say how sorry he was that their wedding plans had been disrupted.
The heir to the throne replied with a wintry smile.
"The strange death of Protestant England" read a headline in the Guardian the next day. "Catholicism hasn't been this chic since Bloody Mary burned Rowan Williams's first Protestant predecessor at the stake."
And it is true that foreign tourists in England could have been forgiven for thinking that our tabloid newspapers were edited from, say, Galway.
"Safe in heaven," revealed the Mail On Sunday. "John Paul the Great," proclaimed a "memorial issue" of the Mirror. Just the week before, coincidentally, Michael Howard had told the Catholic Herald that he saw no reason why the monarch should not be a Catholic - or marry one.
Yet the strange death of Protestant England, and what the historian Mark Almond calls "the hollowing-out of the Protestant Succession", is emphatically not the same thing as the rebirth of Catholicism.
Cardinal Hume discovered this when he incautiously talked about "the conversion of England", and then spent the next decade watching his churches empty. Mass attendance will be higher than usual tomorrow, but will quickly revert to its disastrously low level.
A better clue to this week's Mediterranean-style outpourings is a saying attributed to G K Chesterton - that when people cease to believe in something, they do not believe in nothing: they believe in anything. The death of the Pope, like the death of Diana, has briefly satisfied a spiritual hunger that feeds off emotion and spectacle rather than doctrine.
And how interesting that both events have, to an extent, been appropriated by the Blairs.
This is not to imply that Tony and Cherie's Christianity is any sense bogus; but it is vastly more flexible than that of the old Polish gentleman who, at least for a few days, has been granted the status of spiritual leader of the whole world.
Cherie's Catholicism embraces the cause of women's ordination, something that John Paul II specifically forbade any Catholic to support. Tony has attended Masses for years without ever picking up the Catholic message that late-term abortion is infanticide. He is going into this general election as the only party leader who does not support a lowering of the abortion limit to 20 weeks.
If John Paul II had foreseen that, we can be sure of one thing: he would not have allowed the British Prime Minister to receive Holy Communion."
•Universal Father: A Life of Pope John Paul II, by Garry O'Connor, is published by Bloomsbury on April 18. To order for £16 + £2.25 p&p, please call Telegraph Books Direct on 0870 155 7222
Friday, April 08, 2005
BBC NEWS | Programmes | wtwtgod | No Popery
BBC NEWS | Programmes | wtwtgod | UK among most secular nations
The pope is laid to rest today. The incense will be hanging thick in the air.
The protestant heir to the British throne postpones his wedding to attend the funeral. Will the funeral baked meats coldly furnish forth his marriage table?
Not unless they allow doggy bags on the plane home.
We in Blairy England do not care for religion much any more says the BBC survey.
We believe in God far less than most, and think there would be less war without religions.
We have only to look across to Northern Ireland, where Catholics and protestants have been murdering each other for centuries, to see the disadvantages of relion's tendency to bigotry.
But even the politician Ian Paisley, famous for saying No to everything and especially NO POPERY has expressed sympathy for this Pope.
Today I am going to resist naming all the things the Pope stopped happening that might have been helpful to us on this planet. Forgive me if I don't add to the eulogy though.
On a day of solemnity I will dare to add a touch of lightness.
"Why don't they allow perfume in protestant houses in Northern Ireland?" said the tourist.
"We must have no pot pouri." said her host.
Keep the faith!
The pope is laid to rest today. The incense will be hanging thick in the air.
The protestant heir to the British throne postpones his wedding to attend the funeral. Will the funeral baked meats coldly furnish forth his marriage table?
Not unless they allow doggy bags on the plane home.
We in Blairy England do not care for religion much any more says the BBC survey.
We believe in God far less than most, and think there would be less war without religions.
We have only to look across to Northern Ireland, where Catholics and protestants have been murdering each other for centuries, to see the disadvantages of relion's tendency to bigotry.
But even the politician Ian Paisley, famous for saying No to everything and especially NO POPERY has expressed sympathy for this Pope.
Today I am going to resist naming all the things the Pope stopped happening that might have been helpful to us on this planet. Forgive me if I don't add to the eulogy though.
On a day of solemnity I will dare to add a touch of lightness.
"Why don't they allow perfume in protestant houses in Northern Ireland?" said the tourist.
"We must have no pot pouri." said her host.
Keep the faith!
Colonising the Pope's funeral
The Online Beat: "John Paul II was an early, consistent, passionate and always outspoken critic of the president's scheming to invade Iraq. The Pope went so far as to meet with world leaders who were close to Bush, including British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, in a high-profile attempt to prevent the war. Finally, the Pope sent a special envoy to Washington -- Cardinal Pio Laghi, who has long been close to the Bush family -- to try and derail the administration's rush to war. "
If Bush and Blair had any respect for the Pope they would have given him attention when he was alive and objecting strongly to what Christians everywhere have called an unjust war.
Hey ho.. Never mind human values
It is a great photo opportunity for leaders failing in their own poularity stakes.
If Bush and Blair had any respect for the Pope they would have given him attention when he was alive and objecting strongly to what Christians everywhere have called an unjust war.
Hey ho.. Never mind human values
It is a great photo opportunity for leaders failing in their own poularity stakes.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Poem of the Day
There was an old fellow called Freud
Thought religions should all be destroyed
All those who feel sick
Can go play with a prick
Though vaginas may still be annoyed.
Thought religions should all be destroyed
All those who feel sick
Can go play with a prick
Though vaginas may still be annoyed.
BBC NEWS | World | Middle East | Iraqi compromise fuels angry debate
BBC NEWS | World | Middle East | Iraqi compromise fuels angry debate:
I vote for a new system here in England, where we would need a two thirds majority vote to elect our leaders.
We would have to have Charles Kennedy as leader.
As it is we have Blair, in spite of the fact that less than half the people in this country voted for him.
"The TAL two-thirds clause enraged Professor Juan Cole, author of a widely read and respected web diary on events in Iraq.
He calls it a 'neo-colonial imposition' which the Iraqi public 'were never asked about'.
In countries from the UK, to France, to India, argued Professor Cole, a simple majority is enough to form a government.
'In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the two-thirds super-majority is characteristic of only one nation on Earth, i.e. American Iraq. I fear it is functioning in an anti-democratic manner to thwart the will of the majority of Iraqis, who braved great danger to come out and vote.' "
I vote for a new system here in England, where we would need a two thirds majority vote to elect our leaders.
We would have to have Charles Kennedy as leader.
As it is we have Blair, in spite of the fact that less than half the people in this country voted for him.
"The TAL two-thirds clause enraged Professor Juan Cole, author of a widely read and respected web diary on events in Iraq.
He calls it a 'neo-colonial imposition' which the Iraqi public 'were never asked about'.
In countries from the UK, to France, to India, argued Professor Cole, a simple majority is enough to form a government.
'In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the two-thirds super-majority is characteristic of only one nation on Earth, i.e. American Iraq. I fear it is functioning in an anti-democratic manner to thwart the will of the majority of Iraqis, who braved great danger to come out and vote.' "
Fighting for greener fuel
George Monbiot writes in the Guardian this week about his approval for the appointment of Wolfowitz at the world bank.
All the world bank has ever done is serve American interests at the expense of the poor, he says. Making it that bit more obvious will only help raise the opposition to it. Hmmm. Ok.
I wonder if the same argument could be used with Exxon Mobil? Environmental activists are agitating for change in policy with share holders.
Don't we need an oil company to remind us that we are not likely to meet our green house gas reduction targets?????
I have not heard Exxon argue that their strategy of making oil more economical will achieve better results, though.
I guess it is another case of shrugging and saying we are all going to die any way so lets take a profit while we still can.
Profits go up and up with the oil price, as the oil starts to run out.
Remember, the big paper Esso tiger is watching you, just like Big Brother!
How long will it be before the paper tigers start to be seen as flammable?
All the world bank has ever done is serve American interests at the expense of the poor, he says. Making it that bit more obvious will only help raise the opposition to it. Hmmm. Ok.
I wonder if the same argument could be used with Exxon Mobil? Environmental activists are agitating for change in policy with share holders.
Don't we need an oil company to remind us that we are not likely to meet our green house gas reduction targets?????
I have not heard Exxon argue that their strategy of making oil more economical will achieve better results, though.
I guess it is another case of shrugging and saying we are all going to die any way so lets take a profit while we still can.
Profits go up and up with the oil price, as the oil starts to run out.
Remember, the big paper Esso tiger is watching you, just like Big Brother!
How long will it be before the paper tigers start to be seen as flammable?
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Italian PM blamed for regional election results. 05/04/2005. ABC News Online
Really Good News
No, not Christianity, nor a New Pope.
The Italians have overthrown the Berlusconi neo fascists in local Italian elections.
They lost 6 of 8 provinces.
As Leonard Cohen put it
There is no space
But there is left and right
And there is no time
But there are creatures of the night (day and night, my apologies Leonard)
If he does not steal the election it is goodbye Berlusconi next year then
No, not Christianity, nor a New Pope.
The Italians have overthrown the Berlusconi neo fascists in local Italian elections.
They lost 6 of 8 provinces.
As Leonard Cohen put it
There is no space
But there is left and right
And there is no time
But there are creatures of the night (day and night, my apologies Leonard)
If he does not steal the election it is goodbye Berlusconi next year then
Scotsman.com News - Latest News - Labour Candidate Deserts 'Authoritarian' Blair
It is begun.
Blair left it till nearly mid day to announce the election date, May 5, and start the campaign.
Last time, he did it literally over the heads of a bunch of primary school children.
This time he appears to have announced it from Downing Street. But the cringe factor is still there. It will just be the NL people cringing today though.
Kennedy has begun with a master stroke, nothing less than a defector, proclaiming the dangerous new authoritarianism of those Nice Lads from New Labour. Pity he sounded so wet though.
There was a good article in the Guardian last week linking both main parties with a new form of fascism. We all know what the tories are thinking for us about immigration control: keep out the nig nogs and exterminate the gypsies.
Did you know that the third way was fascism speak between the last two world wars?
This morning I heard Blair talk of the election like it would be handing him the future, presumably permanently.
The labour lead in the polls is down to 3%
Here' to 100 more defections, then.
Blair left it till nearly mid day to announce the election date, May 5, and start the campaign.
Last time, he did it literally over the heads of a bunch of primary school children.
This time he appears to have announced it from Downing Street. But the cringe factor is still there. It will just be the NL people cringing today though.
Kennedy has begun with a master stroke, nothing less than a defector, proclaiming the dangerous new authoritarianism of those Nice Lads from New Labour. Pity he sounded so wet though.
There was a good article in the Guardian last week linking both main parties with a new form of fascism. We all know what the tories are thinking for us about immigration control: keep out the nig nogs and exterminate the gypsies.
Did you know that the third way was fascism speak between the last two world wars?
This morning I heard Blair talk of the election like it would be handing him the future, presumably permanently.
The labour lead in the polls is down to 3%
Here' to 100 more defections, then.
Monday, April 04, 2005
BBC NEWS | Politics | Postal votes 'wide-open to fraud'
BBC NEWS | Politics | Postal votes 'wide-open to fraud'
New laboutr was found guilty of rigging the vote in Birmingham today.
It seems that New Labour wants to import all sorts of things from the Americans. Sheriffs, massive casinos and now vote rigging.
But they don't need fancy computers to falsify the results.
Just get a postal voting system. It is so easy to fix a vote that way.
So perhaps this will be the last election here that is not rigged.
New laboutr was found guilty of rigging the vote in Birmingham today.
It seems that New Labour wants to import all sorts of things from the Americans. Sheriffs, massive casinos and now vote rigging.
But they don't need fancy computers to falsify the results.
Just get a postal voting system. It is so easy to fix a vote that way.
So perhaps this will be the last election here that is not rigged.
'Red State' Montana Says NO! to the Patriot Act
'Red State' Montana Says NO! to the Patriot Act:
Hurrah for Montana. I want to see Oxfordshire pass a mandate to stop the UK Government infringing our rights in the name of anti terrorism.
What we need is open honest truthful Goivernment, not state snooping into our private lives.
But that is what we face under the Governments plans to draw up detailed profiles of all our children in some monster database.
In the news last week it was shown to be impossible to correct or remove false information from our NHS data base.
We really need to fight to fend off a police state here, not just in America.
"The resolution, which does not carry the weight of a law but expresses the Legislature's opinion, encourages Montana law enforcement agencies not to participate in investigations authorized under the Patriot Act that violate Montanans' constitutional rights. It requests all libraries in the state to post a sign warning citizens that under the Patriot Act, federal agents may force librarians to turn over a record of books a person has checked out and never inform that citizen of the request.
The resolution asks Montana's attorney general to review any state intelligence information and destroy it if is not tied directly to suspected criminals. It also asks the attorney general to find out how many Montanans have been arrested under the Patriot Act and how many people have been subject to so-called 'sneak and peaks,' or government searches of a person's property without the person's knowledge. "
Hurrah for Montana. I want to see Oxfordshire pass a mandate to stop the UK Government infringing our rights in the name of anti terrorism.
What we need is open honest truthful Goivernment, not state snooping into our private lives.
But that is what we face under the Governments plans to draw up detailed profiles of all our children in some monster database.
In the news last week it was shown to be impossible to correct or remove false information from our NHS data base.
We really need to fight to fend off a police state here, not just in America.
"The resolution, which does not carry the weight of a law but expresses the Legislature's opinion, encourages Montana law enforcement agencies not to participate in investigations authorized under the Patriot Act that violate Montanans' constitutional rights. It requests all libraries in the state to post a sign warning citizens that under the Patriot Act, federal agents may force librarians to turn over a record of books a person has checked out and never inform that citizen of the request.
The resolution asks Montana's attorney general to review any state intelligence information and destroy it if is not tied directly to suspected criminals. It also asks the attorney general to find out how many Montanans have been arrested under the Patriot Act and how many people have been subject to so-called 'sneak and peaks,' or government searches of a person's property without the person's knowledge. "
Sunday, April 03, 2005
'Curveball' Debacle Reignites CIA Feud
Forgive me, for I am no expert on base ball. I thought a curve ball was the equivalent of a googly or a wrong'un in cricket, something utterly deceptive. I guess this spy was just America's little joke on us Brits about going to war.
"'Later, I remember the guffaws by myself and others when we said, 'How could they have put this much emphasis on this guy? � He wasn't worth [anything] in our minds,' Pavitt said.
Tyler Drumheller, former chief of the CIA European Division, said he and other senior officials in his office � the unit that oversees spying in Europe � had issued repeated warnings about Curveball's accounts.
'Everyone in the chain of command knew exactly what was happening,' said Drumheller, who retired in November after 25 years at the CIA. He said he never met personally with Tenet, but 'did talk to McLaughlin and everybody else.'
Drumheller scoffed at claims by Tenet and McLauglin that they were unaware of concerns about Curveball's credibility. He said he was disappointed that the two former CIA leaders would resort to a 'bureaucratic defense' that they never got a formal memo expressing doubts about the defector."
"'Later, I remember the guffaws by myself and others when we said, 'How could they have put this much emphasis on this guy? � He wasn't worth [anything] in our minds,' Pavitt said.
Tyler Drumheller, former chief of the CIA European Division, said he and other senior officials in his office � the unit that oversees spying in Europe � had issued repeated warnings about Curveball's accounts.
'Everyone in the chain of command knew exactly what was happening,' said Drumheller, who retired in November after 25 years at the CIA. He said he never met personally with Tenet, but 'did talk to McLaughlin and everybody else.'
Drumheller scoffed at claims by Tenet and McLauglin that they were unaware of concerns about Curveball's credibility. He said he was disappointed that the two former CIA leaders would resort to a 'bureaucratic defense' that they never got a formal memo expressing doubts about the defector."
Panel: U.S. Ignored Work of U.N. Arms Inspectors (washingtonpost.com)
Let's kick off the election campaign with some old facts about Iraq, alldressed up in a new US report and described by the Washington Post.
I told my MP about Scott Ritter's book on Iraq and WMD. He responded.
"We all now he lhas them"
No, Mr Cameron. But keep telling a big lie long enough and people accept it as true.
Mr Blair has told us a very big lie, and he still tells it. He did not act in good faith. Scott Ritter told the truth and was fired. Hans Blix told the truth and was harrassed and ignored.
What was the truth Kelly might have told that meant her had to die?
There is one monumental issue in this issue, the war.
Only one major party stands against it.
Panel: U.S. Ignored Work of U.N. Arms Inspectors (washingtonpost.com): "By the time President Bush ordered U.S. troops to disarm Saddam Hussein of the deadly weapons he was allegedly trying to build, every piece of fresh evidence had been tested -- and disproved -- by U.N. inspectors, according to a report commissioned by the president and released Thursday. "
BBC NEWS | Politics | Howard's flight way/path/demise
Today begins the official unacknwledged Election Blog.
Since poetry is the most cogent way with words we will begin with another limerick.
There once was a Howard called Flight
Thought tories should move to the right
But you'll have to agree
Now he's bending the knee
To the Howard who rules in the night
Since poetry is the most cogent way with words we will begin with another limerick.
There once was a Howard called Flight
Thought tories should move to the right
But you'll have to agree
Now he's bending the knee
To the Howard who rules in the night
BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Poem for the Pope
The Cath'lics all wanted a Pope
Who would offer them every hope
When they asked about sex
He made most of them vexed
When his answer to condoms was "Nope".
Who would offer them every hope
When they asked about sex
He made most of them vexed
When his answer to condoms was "Nope".
Bush and Blair and their nuclear wars: Depleted uranium
As the Pope lies in his coffin, we should also think today of all the others who are dead and dying from the depleted uranium nuclear disaster that will go on for millennia as the most fundamental legacy of a military imperialism of the Anglo Saxons that this Polish Pope and man of peace could do nothing to hold back. At least he tried.
Depleted uranium: "A dirty Tyson
'Depleted' uranium is in many ways a misnomer. For 'depleted' sounds weak.
The only weak thing about depleted uranium is its price. It is dirt cheap,
toxic, waste from nuclear power plants and bomb production. However, uranium is
one of earth's heaviest elements and DU packs a Tyson's punch, smashing
through tanks, buildings and bunkers with equal ease, spontaneously catching fire as
it does so, and burning people alive. 'Crispy critters' is what US
servicemen call those unfortunate enough to be close. And, when John Pilger encountered
children killed at a greater distance he wrote: 'The children's skin had
folded back, like parchment, revealing veins and burnt flesh that seeped blood,
while the eyes, intact, stared straight ahead. I vomited.' (Daily Mirror)"
Friday, April 01, 2005
Simpol-UK: The Simultaneous Policy, globalising peace, justice, sustainability and prosperity.
Simpol-UK: The Simultaneous Policy, globalising peace, justice, sustainability and prosperity.
DO YOU LIKE LIVING IN A WORLD where governments listen to big business and the financial markets more than their own citizens?
No
WHERE COUNTRIES COMPETE in cutting the rights of their people to be more attractive to investors?
No
Are you happy that global RULES ARE SET BEHIND CLOSED DOORS?
No
Do you WANT THE RIGHT to know what is going on and the right TO HAVE YOUR SAY?
You betcha
JOIN PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD in developing and approving the Simultaneous Policy.
PUT VOTERS BACK IN CONTROL.
ISPO is a growing association of citizens world-wide who are using their votes in a new, co-ordinated and effective way to drive all nations to co-operate in solving our many global problems; problems like global warming, ecological destruction and global poverty.
ISPO's members recognise that these problems cannot be solved while governments are forced to compete with one another for capital and employment; a competition that forces them to operate within an effective policy straitjacket dictated by global markets.
Only by ushering in a fundamentally co-operative world order by which citizens bring their democratically elected governments to reassert proper authority over global markets can the nations of the world work together to find and implement solutions.
What is the Simultaneous Policy (SP)?
SP is two things: it is both a range of policy measures and it is a process for bringing about their implementation by all, or virtually all, nations simultaneously.
As a policy, SP can include any desirable measure that no nation nor group of nations can implement unilaterally for fear of putting itself at a competitive disadvantage. SP could therefore include measures such as the re-regulation of global capital markets, the taxation of transnational corporations, the cancellation of Third World debt, the establishment of higher world environmental standards and measures to promote local economies. SP would thus consist of very many of the changes the Global Justice Movement is presently calling for - but with the key condition that they are each to be implemented by all, or virtually all, nations simultaneously.
This means that SP is not a policy 'cast in stone' but, rather, a 'policy-in-the-making': a policy, the measures of which all ISPO's members will gradually co-create with help of independent policy experts in an open, flexible and democratic fashion as the SP campaign progresses.3
But the stipulation of "implementation by all nations simultaneously" should not be understood as a rigid, inflexible pre-condition. By removing governments' and business's key objection of uncompetitiveness and their fear of 'first-mover disadvantage', SP represents a new and vital consensus-building strategy.
SP is also a process by which ISPO's members use their right to vote to bring politicians and political parties around the world to make the "SP Pledge"; a pledge to implement SP simultaneously, when all or sufficient other nations have also made the pledge.
To make this happen, you and all other citizens around the world are invited to "adopt" SP. Adopting SP means that we each make a personal commitment to vote in future elections, not for a specific politician or party, but for ANY political party or politician – within reason – that makes the SP pledge. Or if you still have a strong party-political preference, adopting SP signifies your desire for your party to adopt it.4
With more and more parliamentary/congressional seats – and even entire elections - around the world being won or lost on very small margins, this novel method of citizens voting for any politician (within reason) that makes the SP pledge is capable of presenting politicians in all countries and constituencies with an attractive, yet compelling, "carrot and stick" proposition:
Since SP is only to be implemented simultaneously, there's absolutely no political risk to politicians who make the SP pledge. Indeed, they can make the pledge while still continuing to pursue their existing competition-based policy programmes until such time as sufficient nations have made the SP pledge and implementation can proceed.
But failing to make the SP pledge could cost them dearly, especially if they're fighting closely contested elections, for they'll likely lose to rivals who have made the SP pledge to attract the SP voting bloc. So SP's growing number of citizen adopters – even if relatively few - could make the vital difference between politicians winning or losing their seats, or even an entire election. With SP, citizens around the world thus have a powerful tool for making it politicians' self-interest to co-operate transnationally to solve global problems.
By adopting SP, you'll be Using Your Vote to Take Back the World!
Go click the web site. Maybe we can do something positive. Tell your MP about SIMPOL.
DO YOU LIKE LIVING IN A WORLD where governments listen to big business and the financial markets more than their own citizens?
No
WHERE COUNTRIES COMPETE in cutting the rights of their people to be more attractive to investors?
No
Are you happy that global RULES ARE SET BEHIND CLOSED DOORS?
No
Do you WANT THE RIGHT to know what is going on and the right TO HAVE YOUR SAY?
You betcha
JOIN PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD in developing and approving the Simultaneous Policy.
PUT VOTERS BACK IN CONTROL.
ISPO is a growing association of citizens world-wide who are using their votes in a new, co-ordinated and effective way to drive all nations to co-operate in solving our many global problems; problems like global warming, ecological destruction and global poverty.
ISPO's members recognise that these problems cannot be solved while governments are forced to compete with one another for capital and employment; a competition that forces them to operate within an effective policy straitjacket dictated by global markets.
Only by ushering in a fundamentally co-operative world order by which citizens bring their democratically elected governments to reassert proper authority over global markets can the nations of the world work together to find and implement solutions.
What is the Simultaneous Policy (SP)?
SP is two things: it is both a range of policy measures and it is a process for bringing about their implementation by all, or virtually all, nations simultaneously.
As a policy, SP can include any desirable measure that no nation nor group of nations can implement unilaterally for fear of putting itself at a competitive disadvantage. SP could therefore include measures such as the re-regulation of global capital markets, the taxation of transnational corporations, the cancellation of Third World debt, the establishment of higher world environmental standards and measures to promote local economies. SP would thus consist of very many of the changes the Global Justice Movement is presently calling for - but with the key condition that they are each to be implemented by all, or virtually all, nations simultaneously.
This means that SP is not a policy 'cast in stone' but, rather, a 'policy-in-the-making': a policy, the measures of which all ISPO's members will gradually co-create with help of independent policy experts in an open, flexible and democratic fashion as the SP campaign progresses.3
But the stipulation of "implementation by all nations simultaneously" should not be understood as a rigid, inflexible pre-condition. By removing governments' and business's key objection of uncompetitiveness and their fear of 'first-mover disadvantage', SP represents a new and vital consensus-building strategy.
SP is also a process by which ISPO's members use their right to vote to bring politicians and political parties around the world to make the "SP Pledge"; a pledge to implement SP simultaneously, when all or sufficient other nations have also made the pledge.
To make this happen, you and all other citizens around the world are invited to "adopt" SP. Adopting SP means that we each make a personal commitment to vote in future elections, not for a specific politician or party, but for ANY political party or politician – within reason – that makes the SP pledge. Or if you still have a strong party-political preference, adopting SP signifies your desire for your party to adopt it.4
With more and more parliamentary/congressional seats – and even entire elections - around the world being won or lost on very small margins, this novel method of citizens voting for any politician (within reason) that makes the SP pledge is capable of presenting politicians in all countries and constituencies with an attractive, yet compelling, "carrot and stick" proposition:
Since SP is only to be implemented simultaneously, there's absolutely no political risk to politicians who make the SP pledge. Indeed, they can make the pledge while still continuing to pursue their existing competition-based policy programmes until such time as sufficient nations have made the SP pledge and implementation can proceed.
But failing to make the SP pledge could cost them dearly, especially if they're fighting closely contested elections, for they'll likely lose to rivals who have made the SP pledge to attract the SP voting bloc. So SP's growing number of citizen adopters – even if relatively few - could make the vital difference between politicians winning or losing their seats, or even an entire election. With SP, citizens around the world thus have a powerful tool for making it politicians' self-interest to co-operate transnationally to solve global problems.
By adopting SP, you'll be Using Your Vote to Take Back the World!
Go click the web site. Maybe we can do something positive. Tell your MP about SIMPOL.
HackTheVoteDemo Go see just how easy it is.
HackTheVoteDemo:
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE bUSH AND CO STOLE THE ELECTION TRY THIS OUT.
"How to Hack the Vote: the Short Version
HackTheVoteFAQ HERE
11/10/2004 rev. 12/04/2004
Chuck Herrin, CISSP, CISA, MCSE, CEH
http://www.chuckherrin.com
Enron was a conspiracy theory, too. Were their whistleblowers 'Crackpots'?
Were the people who lost their retirements to those corporate criminals just 'sore losers'?
I've never been part of the 'Tin Foil Hat' conspiracy theory crowd. I'm just a voter who happens to be a Professional IT Auditor.
Author�s Note � Did our votes count? More importantly, will they count next time? We in Information Security have been protesting the use of the poorly designed voting machines from Diebold and others, and as a result of their poor implementation and widespread use, our election remains in question and our country remains bitterly divided. Many people feel that their votes didn�t count, and for good reason. THESE SYSTEMS ARE NOT WORTHY OF OUR TRUST! In an effort to bring this to your attention, I have put together this shortened document that will show you exactly how easy it would be to break into Diebold�s GEMS software, which is the software used to tabulate regional voting results. This software runs on regular Windows machines and counts the votes from multiple precincts that may have used the new voting machines (with or without touch screens, these 'DREs' have their own problems) or optically scanned ballots, including absentee ballots. It is responsible for the accurate reporting of tens of millions of votes cast using these different types of ballots.
That�s right � even if you used the older systems like optically scanned ballots, your vote can still be Hacked when the numbers all come together. Wanna see how easy it is?
I am going to show you, step by step and with screenshots, how an attack"
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE bUSH AND CO STOLE THE ELECTION TRY THIS OUT.
"How to Hack the Vote: the Short Version
HackTheVoteFAQ HERE
11/10/2004 rev. 12/04/2004
Chuck Herrin, CISSP, CISA, MCSE, CEH
http://www.chuckherrin.com
Enron was a conspiracy theory, too. Were their whistleblowers 'Crackpots'?
Were the people who lost their retirements to those corporate criminals just 'sore losers'?
I've never been part of the 'Tin Foil Hat' conspiracy theory crowd. I'm just a voter who happens to be a Professional IT Auditor.
Author�s Note � Did our votes count? More importantly, will they count next time? We in Information Security have been protesting the use of the poorly designed voting machines from Diebold and others, and as a result of their poor implementation and widespread use, our election remains in question and our country remains bitterly divided. Many people feel that their votes didn�t count, and for good reason. THESE SYSTEMS ARE NOT WORTHY OF OUR TRUST! In an effort to bring this to your attention, I have put together this shortened document that will show you exactly how easy it would be to break into Diebold�s GEMS software, which is the software used to tabulate regional voting results. This software runs on regular Windows machines and counts the votes from multiple precincts that may have used the new voting machines (with or without touch screens, these 'DREs' have their own problems) or optically scanned ballots, including absentee ballots. It is responsible for the accurate reporting of tens of millions of votes cast using these different types of ballots.
That�s right � even if you used the older systems like optically scanned ballots, your vote can still be Hacked when the numbers all come together. Wanna see how easy it is?
I am going to show you, step by step and with screenshots, how an attack"
Energy In Sanity or energy insanity
Energy Insanity By Molly Ivins AlterNet
Tuesday 29 March 2005.
In the long history of monumentally bad ideas, the Cheney energy policy is a standout for reasons of both omission and commission. Dumb, dumber and dumbest.
As a general rule about Bush & Co., the more closely a policy is associated with Dick Cheney, the worse it is. Which brings us to energy policy - remember his secret task force? In the long history of monumentally bad ideas, the Cheney policy is a standout for reasons of both omission and commission. Dumb, dumber and dumbest.
Ponder this: Next year, the administration will phase out the $2,000 tax credit for buying a hybrid vehicle, which gets over 50 miles per gallon, but will leave in place the $25,000 tax write-off for a Hummer, which gets 10-12 mpg. That's truly crazy, and that's truly what the whole Cheney energy policy is.
According to the Energy Information Administration in the Department of Energy, last year's energy bill (same as this one) would cost taxpayers at least $31 billion, do nothing about the projected over-80 percent increase in America's imports of foreign oil by 2025, and increase gasoline prices. (Since every bureaucrat who tells the truth in this administration - about the cost of the drug bill or the safety of Vioxx - seems to get the ax, I'm probably getting those folks in trouble.)
The bill is loaded with corporate giveaways and tax breaks for big oil. Meanwhile, Bush's budget cuts funding for renewable energy research and programs, and anyone who tells you different is lying.
Maybe Cheney has it right. We avoid the Perkins? paradox, that the more economical we are with energy the more we spend on more businesses using more fuel.
So lets use up as much oil on American hummvies as we can, so there is no fuel left for the Chinese to develop as an economic rival.
Spend the money and die!
Thats right , isn't it?
Did I post something hopeful about America a bit earlier today?
Why?
Tuesday 29 March 2005.
In the long history of monumentally bad ideas, the Cheney energy policy is a standout for reasons of both omission and commission. Dumb, dumber and dumbest.
As a general rule about Bush & Co., the more closely a policy is associated with Dick Cheney, the worse it is. Which brings us to energy policy - remember his secret task force? In the long history of monumentally bad ideas, the Cheney policy is a standout for reasons of both omission and commission. Dumb, dumber and dumbest.
Ponder this: Next year, the administration will phase out the $2,000 tax credit for buying a hybrid vehicle, which gets over 50 miles per gallon, but will leave in place the $25,000 tax write-off for a Hummer, which gets 10-12 mpg. That's truly crazy, and that's truly what the whole Cheney energy policy is.
According to the Energy Information Administration in the Department of Energy, last year's energy bill (same as this one) would cost taxpayers at least $31 billion, do nothing about the projected over-80 percent increase in America's imports of foreign oil by 2025, and increase gasoline prices. (Since every bureaucrat who tells the truth in this administration - about the cost of the drug bill or the safety of Vioxx - seems to get the ax, I'm probably getting those folks in trouble.)
The bill is loaded with corporate giveaways and tax breaks for big oil. Meanwhile, Bush's budget cuts funding for renewable energy research and programs, and anyone who tells you different is lying.
Maybe Cheney has it right. We avoid the Perkins? paradox, that the more economical we are with energy the more we spend on more businesses using more fuel.
So lets use up as much oil on American hummvies as we can, so there is no fuel left for the Chinese to develop as an economic rival.
Spend the money and die!
Thats right , isn't it?
Did I post something hopeful about America a bit earlier today?
Why?
SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS SUGGESTS PRESIDENTIAL VOTE COUNTS MAY HAVE BEEN ALTERED
Open letter to David Cameron, MP,
You said at the UNA meeting last week that Bush did not steal the 2004 election.
He did.
You also praised developments in the Lebanon and the Ukraine where new signs of democracy are emerging. Did you know that the discrepancy between the exit polls and the official result in America was as big as that reported in Ukraine?
It was enough to bring down the Government in Ukraine. In America, the media are so well controlled they can't get a proper debate going.
But a scientific report has just come out.
SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS SUGGESTS PRESIDENTIAL VOTE COUNTS MAY HAVE BEEN ALTERED
Group of University Professors Urges Investigation of 2004 ElectionOfficially, President Bush won November's election by 2.5%, yet exit polls showed Kerry winning by 3%. According to a report to be released today by a group of university statisticians, the odds of a discrepancy this large between the national exit poll and election results happening by accident are close to 1 in a million.In other words, by random chance alone, it could not have happened. But it did.Two alternatives remain. Either something was wrong with the exit polling, or something was wrong with the vote count.Exit polls have been used to verify the integrity of elections in the Ukraine, in Latin America, in Germany, and elsewhere. Yet in November 2004, the U.S. exit poll discrepancy was much more than normal exit poll error (and similar to that of the invalid Ukraine election.)…
The report is available on-line:http://electionarchive.org/ucvAnalysis/US/Exit_Polls_2004_Edison-Mitofsky.pdf An executive summary of the report by is available at:http://electionarchive.org/ucvAnalysis/US/Exit_Polls_summary.pdf
You said at the UNA meeting last week that Bush did not steal the 2004 election.
He did.
You also praised developments in the Lebanon and the Ukraine where new signs of democracy are emerging. Did you know that the discrepancy between the exit polls and the official result in America was as big as that reported in Ukraine?
It was enough to bring down the Government in Ukraine. In America, the media are so well controlled they can't get a proper debate going.
But a scientific report has just come out.
SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS SUGGESTS PRESIDENTIAL VOTE COUNTS MAY HAVE BEEN ALTERED
Group of University Professors Urges Investigation of 2004 ElectionOfficially, President Bush won November's election by 2.5%, yet exit polls showed Kerry winning by 3%. According to a report to be released today by a group of university statisticians, the odds of a discrepancy this large between the national exit poll and election results happening by accident are close to 1 in a million.In other words, by random chance alone, it could not have happened. But it did.Two alternatives remain. Either something was wrong with the exit polling, or something was wrong with the vote count.Exit polls have been used to verify the integrity of elections in the Ukraine, in Latin America, in Germany, and elsewhere. Yet in November 2004, the U.S. exit poll discrepancy was much more than normal exit poll error (and similar to that of the invalid Ukraine election.)…
The report is available on-line:http://electionarchive.org/ucvAnalysis/US/Exit_Polls_2004_Edison-Mitofsky.pdf An executive summary of the report by is available at:http://electionarchive.org/ucvAnalysis/US/Exit_Polls_summary.pdf
UN Monitor: War on Iraq Has Doubled Malnutrition Among Iraqi Children
UN Monitor: War on Iraq Has Doubled Malnutrition Among Iraqi Children: "Acute malnutrition rates among Iraqi children under five rose late last year to 7.7 per cent from four per cent after the ouster of President Saddam Hussein in April 2003, said Jean Ziegler, the UN Human Rights Commission's special expert on the right to food.
Malnutrition, which is exacerbated by a lack of clean water and inadequate sanitation, is a major child-killer in poor countries. Children who manage to survive are usually physically and mentally impaired for the rest of their lives and more vulnerable to disease.
Acute malnutrition signifies a child is actually wasting away.
The situation facing Iraqi youngsters is 'a result of the war led by coalition forces,' said Ziegler, a Swiss sociology professor and former legislator whose previous targets have included Swiss banks, China, Brazil and Israeli treatment of Palestinians.
Overall, more than one-quarter of Iraqi children don't have enough to eat, Ziegler told a meeting of the 53-country commission, the top UN rights watchdog, which is halfway through its annual six-week session.
The U.S. delegation and other coalition countries did not respond to the report.
Ziegler's criticism Wednesday was in line with previous studies of the food crisis in Iraq since the U.S.-led war two years ago. "
Blair tried the Human Rights excuse for his war briefly. No Human Rights organisation would back him. This is one reason he does not mention it any more. Even with the effects of depleted uranium on children after the first gulf war, Saddam's children were doing better than they are today. Now the chief architect of this destruction of a people is made head of the worl bank.
Will he support the poor people of the world if their needs clash with US interests, he was asked on the BBC this morning.
He replied that he was responsible to his share holders. I wonder who owns the shares in the world bank?
This morning I have a sense of dispair.
But there is a little good news. Someone in the American Congress is making speeches about the urgent need for change, peak oil, and the need to go green. Americans have a lot of creative energy. They could use it to do something positive.
But the neo cons in power just seem to want to speed up Armaggedon.
Malnutrition, which is exacerbated by a lack of clean water and inadequate sanitation, is a major child-killer in poor countries. Children who manage to survive are usually physically and mentally impaired for the rest of their lives and more vulnerable to disease.
Acute malnutrition signifies a child is actually wasting away.
The situation facing Iraqi youngsters is 'a result of the war led by coalition forces,' said Ziegler, a Swiss sociology professor and former legislator whose previous targets have included Swiss banks, China, Brazil and Israeli treatment of Palestinians.
Overall, more than one-quarter of Iraqi children don't have enough to eat, Ziegler told a meeting of the 53-country commission, the top UN rights watchdog, which is halfway through its annual six-week session.
The U.S. delegation and other coalition countries did not respond to the report.
Ziegler's criticism Wednesday was in line with previous studies of the food crisis in Iraq since the U.S.-led war two years ago. "
Blair tried the Human Rights excuse for his war briefly. No Human Rights organisation would back him. This is one reason he does not mention it any more. Even with the effects of depleted uranium on children after the first gulf war, Saddam's children were doing better than they are today. Now the chief architect of this destruction of a people is made head of the worl bank.
Will he support the poor people of the world if their needs clash with US interests, he was asked on the BBC this morning.
He replied that he was responsible to his share holders. I wonder who owns the shares in the world bank?
This morning I have a sense of dispair.
But there is a little good news. Someone in the American Congress is making speeches about the urgent need for change, peak oil, and the need to go green. Americans have a lot of creative energy. They could use it to do something positive.
But the neo cons in power just seem to want to speed up Armaggedon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)