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Showing posts from March, 2015

The 2015 General Election Campaign begins.

 Has David Cameron really created 1,000 jobs a day? We don’t endorse Miliband, say firms quoted in advert  Nick Clegg pledges improvements to mental health care     On the first full day of campaigning for the General election, the three main parties trotted out the usual headline grabbing “policy statements” to add to the headline grabbing policy statements which they have been trotting out for the past months. There are others of course The arrogance of Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat politicians who claim that they and only they have the solutions to all of the UK's problems, and promise "vote grabbing" fixes. How many times have we been told during the last few weeks that either Cameron or Miliband will be the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom ? As it happens, with our unique and unfair “First Past the Post” voting system, it is probably correct, but it leaves us with the awful prospect that we shall have one or

Nick Cohen pushing personal insult and abuse.

  http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/29/purple-revolution-nigel-farage-self-pity-nick-cohen The Purple Revolution: The Year That Changed Everything review – self-pitying Nigel Farage Nigel Farage   I do not and never would vote UKIP, but are there no depths to which the gutter press and its venomous "journalists" would sink to demonise and discredit Farage with personal insults and abuse ?   This always promised to be a nasty negative election campaign full of slur and personal attacks, and we still have around 6 weeks to go. Things will only get worse and politicians, press and pundits wonder why so many people in this country, hold them and the political process in such contempt.

Tawfiq Abu Riyala, a fisherman from Gaza, killed by Israeli Defence Forces.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/the-gaza-fisherman-who-built-his-own-reef--and-was-shot-dead-there-by-an-israeli-gunboat-10141357.html The Gaza fisherman who built his own reef - and was shot dead there by an Israeli gunboat The barbaric blockade by Israel of Gaza, should have been lifted or at least scaled down as part of the ceasefire agreement to end the Israeli "Protective Edge" operation of July last year. The agreement provided for the opening of the border crossings to allow building materials, medical supplies and other essential materials into Gaza, the shrinking of the "buffer zone", around the perimeter of Gaza to allow Palestinians access to their farm lands, and the extension of the fishing zones around Gaza to 12 miles. Due to the duplicitous relationship between the ruling clique of Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Egypt and the Israeli occupation forces in Palestine under the government of Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Avi

It is not just a conflict between Sunni and Shia.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/the-battle-for-the-middle-easts-future-begins-in-yemen-as-saudi-arabia-jumps-into-the-abyss-10140145.html   The battle for the Middle East's future begins in Yemen as Saudi Arabia jumps into the abyss An article by Robert Fisk, which proves and demonstrates how the "Imperial Powers" of Europe, namely the United Kingdom and France, completely botched the political structure and long term stability of the Middle East, in the years following the First World War. In recent years, United States foreign policy in the region has compounded and amplified an already volatile environment and made the situation even worse. When drawing artificial borders to give effect to the Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1915/1916, the map makers did not understand, or completely ignored, all those factors which since the beginning of time, have been taken as the demarcation lines between countries. Borders have historically foll

William Hague. Plotter, conspirator and not very succesful politician, has finally gone.

  http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/26/tory-backbench-rebellion-defeats-hagues-attempt-to-unseat-speaker-john-bercow#comment-49539278 Tory backbench rebellion defeats Hague's attempt to unseat Speaker Hague attempted to oust Speaker Bercow   He was a grubby little runt when he addressed the Tory Party Conference as a self opinionated and conceited 16 year old in 1977. Now, he is a follicly challenged self opinionated and conceited 55 year old, who has clearly, at various times during his political career, been promoted to positions far above his mental and intellectual capability. This latest cringe worthy intrigue instigated as an attempt to oust Speaker Bercow, was described as a "grubby, squalid and nauseous plot", which seems a very adequate description. A fitting end to a wretched 26 year period of ineptitude in the House of Commons for this baseball capped Yorkshire man. He has now gone and the House of Commons might be a better p

Even more "cringe worthy" than the safety video it replaces.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcKkFVDGpT0  Condor Ferries new "Safety Video"   Are we really going to have to endure this rap (apologies for missing off the "C"), blaring out of the PA system on every trip? On balance I think that I prefer the rather childish animation complete with cavalry trumpet sounds for the rescue ship racing to the "emergency event" and the rather sinister bearded gentleman moving around the ship leaving the suspicion of being "a terrorist" in his wake. Condor Liberation  I appreciate that Condor Liberation is a new addition to the fleet and probably needs to have the safety video refreshed, but why not try just giving the information instead of resorting to juvenile gimmicks and and cringe worthy video's?

Swing low, sweet chariot

  http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/international/six-nations-2015-not-acceptable-rfu-chiefs-stinging-verdict-on-nearmiss-from-lancaster-10131429.html?icn=puff-9  Six Nations 2015: Not acceptable: RFU chief's stinging verdict on near-miss from Lancaster Stuart Lancaster England managed a win at Twickenham beating Scotland and taking the Calcutta Cup. Mistakes, squandered try opportunities (not to mention 2 tries disallowed due to forward passes) and elementary errors meant that a scoreline which at 80 minutes showed 25-13, should have shown 55-13. England came within 7 points, just 1 converted try, of winning the 6 Nations Championship. However, too many mistakes during the match and certainly too many during the other matches in this season s tournament, resulted in England being runners up to Ireland on points difference. A good final game and win against France but disappointment with how the Championship ended. With this sort of perfor

Sour grapes and hypocrisy

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/mar/16/bernie-ecclestone-f1-red-bull-mercedes-australian-gp Ecclestone backs Red Bull’s call to rein in Mercedes F1 dominance   Bernie Eccleston with Christian Horner Mercedes leads Red Bull When Ferrari dominated every race for season after season nobody said a word about "action to rein in" Ferrari's car and engine advantage and "make races more competitive". Ferrari 1 and 2. The rest not even in sight   Now the "poison dwarf", Eccleston joins "sour grapes" Christian Horner seeking to "make races more competitive after a one-sided start to the season", by imposing restrictions on Mercedes! The arrogance and hypocrisy of these two F1 connivers is breathtaking. With the history of Eccleston and his "colourfu l" actions and ideas we should not be surprised but I would have expected better from Horner. He has always given me the impressio

"National Security" used as justification for conspiracy to prevent investigation.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/royal-family-member-was-investigated-as-part-of-paedophile-ring-before-coverup-excop-says-10126864.html Royal family member was investigated as part of paedophile ring before cover-up Former officer claims the investigation was shut down for 'national security' reasons The "establishment" have resorted to the "not in the public’s interest because it could destabilise national security" on numerous occasions to cover up scandal and corruption as well as allegations of criminal and sexual activity, so in this sense this story comes as no surprise. These rumours and allegations were well known at the time and have been festering in the background ever since. It is only now, as the layers of the wider conspiracy are being slowly peeled back, is the extent of historic child sexual abuse in this country ( and even murder), and still prevalent today, is slowly emerging from the buried fi

The parents were right.

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/ashyas-life-saved-by-proton-beam-therapy/ar-BBiAYbb?ocid=U142DHP Ashya's Life 'Saved By Proton Beam Therapy'   Ashya King with his mother     The parents were right after all. The "hissy fit" doctor(s) concerned (the treatment would be of no use anyway), the Portsmouth council officials who went to the courts attempting to stop the parents taking Ashya to Prague, the judge who granted extradition application, the CPS and police who with almost maniacal vigor pursued and persecuted the parents across half of Europe, some elements of the media who embarked on a campaign of condemnation and demonisation of the parents with little or no justification other than their own warped agenda's, should all read this story and feel shame at their attitudes and actions at the time. Ashya King is in remission now and may that continue. His parents have been vindicated for their actions in doing what ever may be ne

Israeli "settlers" attack Palestinian child.

  http://english.pnn.ps/index.php/national/9396-female-6-year-old-stoned-by-israeli-settlers  Israeli "settlers" stone 6 year old girl. "Settlers" stoning child in Hebron   Why should we have any sympathy or express any support for Israeli "settlers" who occupy Palestinian land and attack Palestinian children? The Israeli armed forces killed 2140 of which 513 were children, during operation "Protective Edge" in Gaza last July, adding to the thousands of children killed in Palestine during "Cast Lead" and other Israeli aggressions over recent years. It seems that the Israeli "settlers"  in Hebron, are following the example set by the IDF. 

The stench of scandal and corruption within the establishment.

http://exaronews.com/articles/5529/ministers-block-move-to-lift-official-secrets-act-for-csa-scandal#.VQ5qXuVzqoE.twitter Government rejects immunity for public officials who "blow whistle" on child sex abuse. Home Secretary Theresa May This is outrageous. Clearly there are still MP's, civil servants and police who are implicated in this abuse and the conspiracy to prevent full investigation and prosecution of those involved. The malignant scandal of this abuse and the stench of corruption in the echelons of the establishment including the aristocracy, has been an affront and insult to both the victims and the ordinary people for far too long and must now be completely exposed. Those Ministers and civil servants now preventing further investigations and revelations by threat implied or otherwise, blackmail and the use of the Official Secrets Act to silence those who would otherwise provide further evidence, is a sign of desperation and panic in government ci

Netanyahu wins and the peace process finally expires

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/20/inyamin-netanyahu-israel-election Netanyahu sank into the moral gutter – and there will be consequences Last week, the Prime Minister of Israel said that "there will be no Palestinian state if he wins the election". The voice and face of evil, at last confirming what everyone has known for years. His racist fascist ideology, has murdered thousands of Palestinian men, women and children in the occupied territories of the West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza.   The face of evil He won the election on Tuesday this week, and yesterday (Thursday), he says that he "wants a sustainable, peaceful two-state solution". Netanyahu the cynic, liar and threat to the whole region. The occupation of the West Bank, Jerusalem and the blockade of Gaza continues almost 12 months since the ceasefire, which ended (for now) "Operation Protective Edge", when it was agreed that the siege would end and

A "Knob", too big to be sacked?

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/mar/20/jeremy-clarkson-bbc-top-gear If you or I acted like Jeremy Clarkson, we’d be sacked. So should he        A tank on the streets of London in support of a "Knob". An infantile publicity seeking stunt. A petition to the BBC for the reinstatement of the same "Knob". The signatures of almost 1 million people demonstrating how mass hysteria can blur and distort reality into believing that the aggressive obnoxious buffoon is in fact the "Good Guy". Jeremy Clarkson. How is it that some people can get away (repeatedly) with behaviour that, in any other person in any other occupation, would result in instant dismissal for gross misconduct? A few years ago, when the banking collapse spread around the country, we were told that the £billions of our (taxpayers) money being pumped into the banks was because the banks "were too big to fail". Could it be that this overpaid, sel

Coming out of the woodwork.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/john-prescott-links-tony-bl-airs-invasion-of-iraq-with-radicalisation-of-young-muslims-10108322.html   John Prescott links Tony Blair's Iraq invasion with radicalisation of young Muslims Former deputy PM  believes the 2003 invasion of Iraq was 'wrong'   How strange and sad that the politicians (and others) now crawling out of the wood work to criticise Blair and the other warmongers for their illegal wars in Iraq and Libya and the folly of the Afghanistan invasion, have taken so long to speak out publicly. Had they had the backbone to take a stand against Blair and Bush and stay out of American interventions at the time, then perhaps this country would have been spared the consequences of these wars and many families in the United Kingdom would have been spared the trauma of losing loved ones in the pointless and futile conflicts.    Even at the time, there was substantial public opposition to

Today's Labour Party is not the solution.

  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/britains-divided-decade-the-rich-are-64-richer-than-before-the-recessionwhile-the-poor-are-57-poorer-10097038.html Britain's divided decade: the rich are 64% richer than before the recession, while the poor are 57% poorer    "When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint.  When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist" This country desperately needs a Labour Party that actually represents ordinary people rather than the bunch of "champagne socialists" currently on offer under Ed Miliband who are in fact little different than the ConDem coalition. Today's Labour party offer more austerity, more cuts and more of the same but with minor variations in application. We had a party once, but that party was betrayed and finally destroyed by Blair, Brown, Mandellson and Campbell following Kinnock an d Smith. They called us Trotskyites, Militants, Commies, extremists, infil

The old master humbled by the pupils, all of them.

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/cricket/england-need-change-paul-downton-peter-moores-and-james-whitaker-must-go/ar-AA9yze9?ocid=U142DHP     England need change The country that taught the world how to play cricket has (hopefully) learned the lesson. Being obsessed with how much money can be made from match fees, wages, product endorsements, sponsorships, television deals and all the other financial benefits accruing from the game is not the objective. Far and away the most important factor is winning matches. (The misguided person who came up with the nonsense that "it is not winning that is important, but taking part and playing th e game" was clearly not a Scorpio and did not understand that there are no prizes for being a good looser). With any luck, the people involved in the organisation, management and playing of football and rugby will have seen this humiliation and will apply the lessons to their own sports. The rugby world cup is later this