Friday, July 30, 2010
Wikileaks - much to concern us
U.S. officials are worried about what other secret documents the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks may possess and have tried to contact the group without success to avoid their release, the State Department said on Friday.
But Assange accused Defense Secretary Robert Gates of attacking Wikileaks to "distract attention from the daily deaths of civilians and others in Afghanistan."
"There is real blood in Afghanistan, and it has come about as a result of the policies of Mr Gates and the Obama administration and the general conflict in the region," Assange said.
IMO: By now Obama really should have been well briefed, though he has clearly been led into a difficult position over Afghanistan by supporters of the previous administration. But, more to the point, there is a lot of valuable information already released by Wikileaks and yet again, I point out that some relatively neutral third party should have collated this in detail and related it to potential future events. The fault is with us all - except for me and others like me, I am too busy to waste much time on Afghanistan and I have already done my military service as an unwilling but loyal conscript.
But Assange accused Defense Secretary Robert Gates of attacking Wikileaks to "distract attention from the daily deaths of civilians and others in Afghanistan."
"There is real blood in Afghanistan, and it has come about as a result of the policies of Mr Gates and the Obama administration and the general conflict in the region," Assange said.
IMO: By now Obama really should have been well briefed, though he has clearly been led into a difficult position over Afghanistan by supporters of the previous administration. But, more to the point, there is a lot of valuable information already released by Wikileaks and yet again, I point out that some relatively neutral third party should have collated this in detail and related it to potential future events. The fault is with us all - except for me and others like me, I am too busy to waste much time on Afghanistan and I have already done my military service as an unwilling but loyal conscript.
According to the Financial Times, Cameron needs more subtlety on subcontinent.
FT says Pakistan may now "withdraw its ambassador from London, cancel President Asif Ali Zardari’s forthcoming visit to the UK and end intelligence-sharing".
But Pakistan is only a corrupt failed state anyway and it seems despite Cameron's comments, Zardari will visit UK.
IMO: Obviously Zardari may wish to ensure that such properties as his 355 acre Rockwood Estate, Surrey and even 26 Palace Mansions, Hammersmith Road, London W14 (1999), and all his other properties apparently obtained by corrupt theft of US Government funds are still OK. Though he might not have bothered because of all his other criminal purchases with US money like allegedly a tower in Ajman, UAE, worth $87 million at least. A pity good old Douglas Cameron does not confiscate all Zardari's illegal property in the UK as we could do with the money. I doubt if Zardari even pays council tax. Maybe we need less subtlety, not more. And maybe some US Senators need investigating too.
But Pakistan is only a corrupt failed state anyway and it seems despite Cameron's comments, Zardari will visit UK.
IMO: Obviously Zardari may wish to ensure that such properties as his 355 acre Rockwood Estate, Surrey and even 26 Palace Mansions, Hammersmith Road, London W14 (1999), and all his other properties apparently obtained by corrupt theft of US Government funds are still OK. Though he might not have bothered because of all his other criminal purchases with US money like allegedly a tower in Ajman, UAE, worth $87 million at least. A pity good old Douglas Cameron does not confiscate all Zardari's illegal property in the UK as we could do with the money. I doubt if Zardari even pays council tax. Maybe we need less subtlety, not more. And maybe some US Senators need investigating too.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Recording the Future
The investment arms of the CIA and Google are together backing a firm that monitors the web in real time, and claims to use that information to predict the future.
IMO: Sounds dodgy, but I pointed out that UTAP such methods might be used on such results as the recent Wikileaks disclosure. But only UTAP, though it is certainly better to use these old results in a constructive way than playing the blame game on all and sundry from the leakers through the press and the military up to the US president. It is such a pity that all except perhaps some employed salaried professionals are so lacking in constructive determination to date, to thoroughly sort out and try to use the Wikileaks information.
Aside from the purblind inaction of the public to date, I lament on the inaccuracy and paucity of data supplied even about current matters such as the alleged Chinese censorship of Google in articles like "Google computer and Western media report China outage, actual humans in China beg to differ".
IMO: Probably all these people are running around chasing their own tails. Next I suppose they will tell us our thoughts are being read, but on that, it would not surprise me if they are using methods like Mindflex, see Haynes's article in Der Speigel on that one.
IMO: Sounds dodgy, but I pointed out that UTAP such methods might be used on such results as the recent Wikileaks disclosure. But only UTAP, though it is certainly better to use these old results in a constructive way than playing the blame game on all and sundry from the leakers through the press and the military up to the US president. It is such a pity that all except perhaps some employed salaried professionals are so lacking in constructive determination to date, to thoroughly sort out and try to use the Wikileaks information.
Aside from the purblind inaction of the public to date, I lament on the inaccuracy and paucity of data supplied even about current matters such as the alleged Chinese censorship of Google in articles like "Google computer and Western media report China outage, actual humans in China beg to differ".
IMO: Probably all these people are running around chasing their own tails. Next I suppose they will tell us our thoughts are being read, but on that, it would not surprise me if they are using methods like Mindflex, see Haynes's article in Der Speigel on that one.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
India mourns air crash victims
India on Thursday mourned the loss of lives in the plane crash near Islamabad. External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna in a message to his counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi conveyed deep condolences on behalf of the people and the government of India to the people and the government of Pakistan, especially to the bereaved families. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi also expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
IMO: Of course I agree.
IMO: Of course I agree.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Chelsea Clinton's £3.2 million marriage
Seems the wedding cake will cost £7000 . Other price details similar. But Jews are still complaining because Chelsea isn’t converting - the Jewish people is losing another member.
And on the Gaza front, it seems Hamas are deliberately leaving some Gazans in plastic tents, in order to fool gullible Western journalists and politicians who are brought to Gaza to witness a staged “humanitarian crisis.” A Gaza supermarket picture - rather better than London's Brent Cross by the look of it - fairly seems to suggest that Cameron has been gulled by the press again, and that his"prison camp" tales of Gaza are nonsense and either deliberate lies with political motive or equally likely that he is another mug fooled by Press tomfoolery. Staged photos or otherwise, the two little countries of Gaza and Israel seem of minimal importance compared to a massive great power like India, of enormous cultural significance, trying to put itself to rights after many years of Islamic and British terrorism.
IMO: There are genuinely poor people around, but it is unlikely that this will bother UK politicians. Certainly my experience of India, for example, was that there are a lot of very poor, decent, hardworking people there, due for respect. It is becoming hard to believe this about either Gaza or Israel. Though I am sure there some good people in both Gaza and Israel, quixotic aid or even ill-considered political assistance does not occur to me as the right response in the case of Gaza or Israel.
And on the Gaza front, it seems Hamas are deliberately leaving some Gazans in plastic tents, in order to fool gullible Western journalists and politicians who are brought to Gaza to witness a staged “humanitarian crisis.” A Gaza supermarket picture - rather better than London's Brent Cross by the look of it - fairly seems to suggest that Cameron has been gulled by the press again, and that his"prison camp" tales of Gaza are nonsense and either deliberate lies with political motive or equally likely that he is another mug fooled by Press tomfoolery. Staged photos or otherwise, the two little countries of Gaza and Israel seem of minimal importance compared to a massive great power like India, of enormous cultural significance, trying to put itself to rights after many years of Islamic and British terrorism.
IMO: There are genuinely poor people around, but it is unlikely that this will bother UK politicians. Certainly my experience of India, for example, was that there are a lot of very poor, decent, hardworking people there, due for respect. It is becoming hard to believe this about either Gaza or Israel. Though I am sure there some good people in both Gaza and Israel, quixotic aid or even ill-considered political assistance does not occur to me as the right response in the case of Gaza or Israel.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Register comment on wikileaks result
"I heard on the radio this morning and interview with our security minister. Dame something or other and she was more bothered with how it was leaked, not that the leaked documents have information on civilian casualties that NATO have done but not told anyone about. she was on about the kind of files and the processes used to secure them should be our concern.
Seems wrong to me, surely we should be asking why we aren't being told, THEN asking how it was leaked.
It was like the old speaker of the house wanting to know HOW MP's expenses were leaked, not that so much Fraud was being done by the expenses process.
MP's still don't get it".
IMO: I think the MP's "get it" if it "it" is fraudulently large sums of taxpayer's money. Looks like there will be a further depression soon, also. Quite needless except to fill the pockets of the rich.
IMO: Well most people knew about Pakistani infamy and bombing of course - all in most foreign papers - and a lot of the other stuff too, but there is now probably enough in the public domain for useful actual antiwar computing results to be done. The co-called "Big Society" should be up to it, but probably will not be.
Seems wrong to me, surely we should be asking why we aren't being told, THEN asking how it was leaked.
It was like the old speaker of the house wanting to know HOW MP's expenses were leaked, not that so much Fraud was being done by the expenses process.
MP's still don't get it".
IMO: I think the MP's "get it" if it "it" is fraudulently large sums of taxpayer's money. Looks like there will be a further depression soon, also. Quite needless except to fill the pockets of the rich.
IMO: Well most people knew about Pakistani infamy and bombing of course - all in most foreign papers - and a lot of the other stuff too, but there is now probably enough in the public domain for useful actual antiwar computing results to be done. The co-called "Big Society" should be up to it, but probably will not be.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Wikileaks on Afghanistan
If you can get it, this Wikileaks result has more than 91,000 documents, and 200,000 pages.
IMO: For anyone interested in robotics and trying to end the war, it could be interesting
IMO: For anyone interested in robotics and trying to end the war, it could be interesting
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Al Megrahi
The Scottish Herald say, inter alia, in a longish and sensible article : "Despite the formal authority of the Scottish police, the Megrahi case is regarded in Washington as FBI-led. If Megrahi went free it wasn’t just MacAskill’s departmental problem, it would have been regarded in DC as an FBI screw-up and would have raised questions about the ability of the US to work with other sovereign authorities in such terrorist hunts. .... Taking Libya out of the frame would, of necessity, have put the case back to square one, meaning the original assumptions about who was responsible for the mass murder being revived. Given the current state of the Middle East, that would have been no easy matter because Syria and Iran would have been pointed at."
IMO: It seems as if this would have been right, and on the evidence available it appears that Al Megrahi was just, at most, some sort of spy or tool, but only 'one of the usual suspects' and the events indicate that other persons, and possibly even other countries, were much more deeply and directly involved to the point where the authorities would have wanted to hold Al Megrahi to get more information but that in fact he was probably innocent for the bombing. So naturally some of the US people are trying to get off the hook and implicate the UK in their own misbehaviour/failings.
IMO: It seems as if this would have been right, and on the evidence available it appears that Al Megrahi was just, at most, some sort of spy or tool, but only 'one of the usual suspects' and the events indicate that other persons, and possibly even other countries, were much more deeply and directly involved to the point where the authorities would have wanted to hold Al Megrahi to get more information but that in fact he was probably innocent for the bombing. So naturally some of the US people are trying to get off the hook and implicate the UK in their own misbehaviour/failings.
Cameron to seek 1 billion pound Hawk deal with India
UK will seek to sell 57 more Hawk Jet trainers to India in a deal worth a million pounds during David Cameron's first ever visit to New Delhi after taking over as Prime Minister next week.
Cameron's team will also seek to press British interests in India's USD 11 billion (7.1 bn pounds) 126-aircraft fighter procurement contest.
IMO: Hm, India still has 300m people still in poverty and more than 40% of children under five suffering from malnutrition. Anyone can see this, but can "Moat and Duckpond" Cameron see it ? Whilst India must - and will - have adequate defense capability, substantial economic aid is necessary from some source to help the Indian poor. Anything from abroad should not have strings attached, or in any way devitalise the importance of India's Hindu tradition - or indeed any tradition.
I am far from sure which way swadeshi should lead.
Cameron's team will also seek to press British interests in India's USD 11 billion (7.1 bn pounds) 126-aircraft fighter procurement contest.
IMO: Hm, India still has 300m people still in poverty and more than 40% of children under five suffering from malnutrition. Anyone can see this, but can "Moat and Duckpond" Cameron see it ? Whilst India must - and will - have adequate defense capability, substantial economic aid is necessary from some source to help the Indian poor. Anything from abroad should not have strings attached, or in any way devitalise the importance of India's Hindu tradition - or indeed any tradition.
I am far from sure which way swadeshi should lead.
Iran launches nuclear fusion bid
Iran's work on uranium enrichment has landed it in trouble at the UN. Iran has launched a programme aimed at developing a nuclear fusion reactor - an ambition long-cherished by Western nations.
IMO: Not a chance ! But, maybe it is simply either that these Iranians are too big-headed, or it could be political pressure, or possibly they have other aims, like preparing tritium-3. They sure would find a neutron bombing of Israel convenient also, instant holocaust.
IMO: Not a chance ! But, maybe it is simply either that these Iranians are too big-headed, or it could be political pressure, or possibly they have other aims, like preparing tritium-3. They sure would find a neutron bombing of Israel convenient also, instant holocaust.
Arrest warrant for Preity Zinta
Chief judicial magistrate JS Sidhu issued the bailable warrant. The court has fixed Oct 4 as the next date of hearing in this matter. Two alleged conspirators also involved.
IMO: The Lalit Modi matter again. I believe Zinta has done a degree in criminal psychology so maybe she should know better.
IMO: The Lalit Modi matter again. I believe Zinta has done a degree in criminal psychology so maybe she should know better.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Indian student racially assaulted in moving bus in Australia
An Indian student was racially assaulted in a jam-packed bus in Melbourne by a group of three youths, who repeatedly hit him, in yet another attack on the youths from the community in Australia. He then had to return home due to health issues.
IMO: You really would think that Australia could put a stop to this sort of thing, and that in that situation Australians would not be the bunch of cowardly Melbourne scum they now seem to present themselves as. I think that might not have happened in Sydney, my original home town. One reason there is a strong Italian Mafia element in Australia was persecution of honest Italian migrants and a lack of adequate social services. Not all the Italian migrants were honest and social services had their chance to sort this out. But there then had to be an element of taking your own side. By and large the Indians in Australia are almost certainly OK, I have talked to parents and relatives in India, and this sort of mindless brutality is going to have a very negative effect. India should protest strongly and Australia should take heed.
IMO: You really would think that Australia could put a stop to this sort of thing, and that in that situation Australians would not be the bunch of cowardly Melbourne scum they now seem to present themselves as. I think that might not have happened in Sydney, my original home town. One reason there is a strong Italian Mafia element in Australia was persecution of honest Italian migrants and a lack of adequate social services. Not all the Italian migrants were honest and social services had their chance to sort this out. But there then had to be an element of taking your own side. By and large the Indians in Australia are almost certainly OK, I have talked to parents and relatives in India, and this sort of mindless brutality is going to have a very negative effect. India should protest strongly and Australia should take heed.
Ian Tomlinson death
Seems the police will face no charges, even though the Guardian newspaper provided appropriate videos, apparently showing a deliberate police bashing of an innocent bystander which seemingly led to his death.
IMO: In such circumstances, leaving aside any correct or generally received view on the matter, you can understand things like the Facebook derision over Moat, and certainly a lot of people wish the Coalition government could be outed. And even if this sort of thing has led to contempt at best for the coalition, still a decent Alternative Voting referendum could help us get rid of the criminal scum and troublemakers of the "Moat and Duckpond" coalition. Overall it should also assist any decent politicians left, by and large. But we have to doubt whether we will even get an acceptable or properly presented referendum. And whats more, most people would probably want to get out of the EU, and would like a fair referendum on that at the same time. Not a chance!
IMO: In such circumstances, leaving aside any correct or generally received view on the matter, you can understand things like the Facebook derision over Moat, and certainly a lot of people wish the Coalition government could be outed. And even if this sort of thing has led to contempt at best for the coalition, still a decent Alternative Voting referendum could help us get rid of the criminal scum and troublemakers of the "Moat and Duckpond" coalition. Overall it should also assist any decent politicians left, by and large. But we have to doubt whether we will even get an acceptable or properly presented referendum. And whats more, most people would probably want to get out of the EU, and would like a fair referendum on that at the same time. Not a chance!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Marxist hand in collision: Mamata
Didi said that the Left Marxist party had engineered the crash at Sainthia station on Monday in which 61 people died as well as the May 28 accident in West Midnapore district in which at least 148 people were killed.
Addressing a huge gathering, so far the biggest since 1993, Banerjee said, “almost 60, 000 have been killed during the 34 year-long regime under Left Front. Will the Left Front resign for that? CPM knows that they are about to go from power so they are trying to tarnish our image,” she said.
IMO: I think she is right, on grounds of past knowledge. I hope a rail enquiry produces enough evidence to improve things in West Bengal.
Addressing a huge gathering, so far the biggest since 1993, Banerjee said, “almost 60, 000 have been killed during the 34 year-long regime under Left Front. Will the Left Front resign for that? CPM knows that they are about to go from power so they are trying to tarnish our image,” she said.
IMO: I think she is right, on grounds of past knowledge. I hope a rail enquiry produces enough evidence to improve things in West Bengal.
UK's Watchkeeper drone 'can see footprints through cloud'
UK military robot spyplanes due to be fielded in Afghanistan within two years are fitted with radar so sensitive, according to its makers, that it can detect not only individual people moving about on the ground - but even the footprints they leave in the dirt. The aerial spy drones can often finger gunmen and bomb-planters before they act - either warning nearby Coalition ground forces of danger, or calling in a strike from armed aircraft.
IMO: Such drones are the the path to the future in wars like the one in Afghanistan - as I have said for years now. Also, it can be cheaper in financial costs and lives.
IMO: Such drones are the the path to the future in wars like the one in Afghanistan - as I have said for years now. Also, it can be cheaper in financial costs and lives.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
A400M is expensive but lands on desert strips
The A400M can fly 37 tonnes 3450 miles to desert strips, for example. Boeing C17 needs a full modern jet runway so is no direct competition. The A400M is effectively more like a somewhat updated C130.
36 nations at least are considering purchase, from Latin America to South East Asia. In the Gulf the market is especially keen.
IMO: Could be used for many new purposes, not just new generation armored vehicle carrying. (e.g. inflight refuelling and many other newer uses). But it is grossly overbudget and one wonders whether UK can afford to carry the initial tab. More Europork for the 'cuts' ? Three C130J s, relatively troublefree but with some problems like fuel inefficiency, will possibly be available for the cost of one A400M.
36 nations at least are considering purchase, from Latin America to South East Asia. In the Gulf the market is especially keen.
IMO: Could be used for many new purposes, not just new generation armored vehicle carrying. (e.g. inflight refuelling and many other newer uses). But it is grossly overbudget and one wonders whether UK can afford to carry the initial tab. More Europork for the 'cuts' ? Three C130J s, relatively troublefree but with some problems like fuel inefficiency, will possibly be available for the cost of one A400M.
Seth Lloyd's new time idea
This is given here and already much discussed in the media.
Others suggest a problem: Briefly.... "One reason is that Seth Lloyed and others belive that the Universe is in effect a self calculating computer. Which effectivly means that our physical universe is a very very small subset of the information universe.
Now there are two problems if the physical univers is a computer then it is determanistic in some form. Which our normal definition of randomness indicates that randomness therefore cannot be a product of our physical universe.
So it must either be caused by something external to the universe. Or our assumptions that give us our definitions are wrong...."
IMO: Very roughly, this occurs because only the B series and not both the A and B series are considered. I try to consider both, e.g. in my other blog.
Others suggest a problem: Briefly.... "One reason is that Seth Lloyed and others belive that the Universe is in effect a self calculating computer. Which effectivly means that our physical universe is a very very small subset of the information universe.
Now there are two problems if the physical univers is a computer then it is determanistic in some form. Which our normal definition of randomness indicates that randomness therefore cannot be a product of our physical universe.
So it must either be caused by something external to the universe. Or our assumptions that give us our definitions are wrong...."
IMO: Very roughly, this occurs because only the B series and not both the A and B series are considered. I try to consider both, e.g. in my other blog.
The UK Times
Since this organisation started charging for news access, possibly between 2/3 and 90% of its readers have been lost.
IMO: It all could be good news for Rupert, I bear in mind emergence factors. We recall the Clinton/Flowers episode which the Media wanted to shut up, but was laid open by Ted Turner using new methods. For the Times, a sort of reverse process may be more appropriate for numerous reasons, more to do with ultimate financial success than politics.
IMO: It all could be good news for Rupert, I bear in mind emergence factors. We recall the Clinton/Flowers episode which the Media wanted to shut up, but was laid open by Ted Turner using new methods. For the Times, a sort of reverse process may be more appropriate for numerous reasons, more to do with ultimate financial success than politics.
Monkeys trained by Taliban as battlefield killers in Afghanistan
IMO: So now the Taliban are trying to use improvised robots, but in a way that implicitly denies the value of the animal's lives. TheTaliban really do sound worth defeating, or simply abandoning rather than joining. US should increase use of robots and drones to avoid at least their own deaths. It also probably increases winning chances. I speak as a former military conscript, though not for USA.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Pak Navy trained 26/11 terrorists: Headley
Jul 20: During interrogation David Coleman Headley had told National Investigation Agency interrogators in Chicago, that the terrorists who carried out the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai were trained by the Pakistani Navy.
Sources have told that Indian investigators questioned Lashkar-e-Toiba operative David Coleman Headley over this specific point about Kasav’s special training, and Headley according to our sources has confirmed this, saying that a specialised unit of the Pakistan Navy FROG had indeed train Kasav. Pakistani-American Headley, currently in American custody, was interrogated by a team of NIA.
2008 Mumbai attacks, which drew widespread condemnation across the world, began on Nov 26, 2008 and lasted until Nov 29, killing at least 173 people and wounding at least 308.
IMO: Of course FAIK this may actually not prove direct involvement of the current Pakistan government with 26/11 but there clearly can be no trust. The US clearly has its work cut out in Afghanistan.
Sources have told that Indian investigators questioned Lashkar-e-Toiba operative David Coleman Headley over this specific point about Kasav’s special training, and Headley according to our sources has confirmed this, saying that a specialised unit of the Pakistan Navy FROG had indeed train Kasav. Pakistani-American Headley, currently in American custody, was interrogated by a team of NIA.
2008 Mumbai attacks, which drew widespread condemnation across the world, began on Nov 26, 2008 and lasted until Nov 29, killing at least 173 people and wounding at least 308.
IMO: Of course FAIK this may actually not prove direct involvement of the current Pakistan government with 26/11 but there clearly can be no trust. The US clearly has its work cut out in Afghanistan.
49 killed, 150 injured as express trains collide
Kolkata: At least 49 people were killed and over 150 injured when a speeding Sealdah-bound Uttarbanga Express rammed into the Vanachal Express pulling out of the Sainthia station in Birbhum district early today.
The Uttarbanga Express, which rammed into the rear of Vananchal Express, seemed to be running at a much higher speed than it was supposed to while entering the Sainthia station.
IMO: Sabotage cannot therefore be ruled out.
Eastern Rly GM say "Nothing can be ruled out. Ho sakta hai hamara equipment se chherchhar hui ho. Ye sab janch ke bad pata chalega (It may be possible that our equipment might have been tampered with. It will be known only after inquiry)."
The Uttarbanga Express, which rammed into the rear of Vananchal Express, seemed to be running at a much higher speed than it was supposed to while entering the Sainthia station.
IMO: Sabotage cannot therefore be ruled out.
Eastern Rly GM say "Nothing can be ruled out. Ho sakta hai hamara equipment se chherchhar hui ho. Ye sab janch ke bad pata chalega (It may be possible that our equipment might have been tampered with. It will be known only after inquiry)."
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Afghanistan
UK spending on Afghanistan aid projects is set to rise by 40%.
IMO: Hm, maybe like in Doonesbury July 16th ?
It was also said India was "roaring out of poverty" and would be looked at very closely. India is actually incredibly poor, suicides all the time of decent, deeply suffering people.
IMO: A lot of very poor people in India, poorer than in Africa, but many people think that aid needs careful direction. e.g. Marathi farmers are often very poor, and deeply in debt. Carefully directed aid could help a lot. India is a civilised country and directing aid is possible and UTAP not so essential as in places run by greedy warlords, like Afghanistan or England (Blair or Cameron ?) Somebody just mentioned that in India as much as 50% or even 100% (e.g. through Vivek Pandit) of the aid could reach public but in Afghanistan or England NOT A PENNY IS LIKELY TO REACH THE PUBLIC.
IMO: Hm, maybe like in Doonesbury July 16th ?
It was also said India was "roaring out of poverty" and would be looked at very closely. India is actually incredibly poor, suicides all the time of decent, deeply suffering people.
IMO: A lot of very poor people in India, poorer than in Africa, but many people think that aid needs careful direction. e.g. Marathi farmers are often very poor, and deeply in debt. Carefully directed aid could help a lot. India is a civilised country and directing aid is possible and UTAP not so essential as in places run by greedy warlords, like Afghanistan or England (Blair or Cameron ?) Somebody just mentioned that in India as much as 50% or even 100% (e.g. through Vivek Pandit) of the aid could reach public but in Afghanistan or England NOT A PENNY IS LIKELY TO REACH THE PUBLIC.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Mr Megrahi
According to the Spectator, the US BP/Megrahi request is predicated upon nonsense and, for that matter, riddled with errors, as explained in detail in the Spectator article. Their article sounds measured and reasonable.
Nationalist MSP Christine Grahame said she expects the Americans to support the establishment of an international inquiry if they have "nothing to hide". The South of Scotland MSP wants to see a "thorough and comprehensive" examination of the convicted bomber`s release and the US`s handling of key evidence during the investigation.
IMO: I would have thought that if this old matter is to be brought up again, it would be best to find out who actually was the bomber.
Nationalist MSP Christine Grahame said she expects the Americans to support the establishment of an international inquiry if they have "nothing to hide". The South of Scotland MSP wants to see a "thorough and comprehensive" examination of the convicted bomber`s release and the US`s handling of key evidence during the investigation.
IMO: I would have thought that if this old matter is to be brought up again, it would be best to find out who actually was the bomber.
Meat eating and psychosis
Conflicted Meat-Eaters May Deny That Meat-Animals Have the Capacity to Suffer. A new study from the University of Kent has found that people who wish to escape the 'meat paradox' -- i.e., simultaneously disliking hurting animals and enjoying eating meat -- may do so by denying that the animal they ate had the capacity to suffer.
IMO: Briefly: This 'denial effect' agrees very well with what we are hearing from Cameron and the "Moat and Duckpond" coalition's opinions about Facebook. All those people should adopt a more moral policy, it would make their views, and the public expressions of their views, clearer. Obviously, a good cleric or a good psychiatrist, could help such people.
IMO: Briefly: This 'denial effect' agrees very well with what we are hearing from Cameron and the "Moat and Duckpond" coalition's opinions about Facebook. All those people should adopt a more moral policy, it would make their views, and the public expressions of their views, clearer. Obviously, a good cleric or a good psychiatrist, could help such people.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
David Cameron
Prime Minister David Cameron said yesterday that he would make an official complaint to Facebook because it is hosting discussions and support groups for Raoul Moat.
Cameron said: "As far as I can see, it is absolutely clear that Raoul Moat was a callous murderer-full stop, end of story-and I cannot understand any wave, however small, of public sympathy for this man. There should be sympathy for his victims, and for the havoc he wreaked in that community; there should be no sympathy for him."
IMO: Fair enough, but it does seem that - unlike some politicians -Raoul Moat did seek psychiatric counselling urgently but it was refused to him by the UK authorities who later Tasered him, probably leading to a reaction which made him fire a gun, and then he died. So as is usual in the UK, it has all been a sorry business. Cameron's comments, in their true context, make him sound like a nazi, and whilst I did not normally read Facebook as it is often rubbish, one expects on Facebook the usual UK psychos.
But Cameron might start a little nearer to home. The two sites supposedly set up to support Treasury spending cuts and to crowd-source laws which need repealing were both displaying messages of support for Moat this morning. Doubtless the Condemn Party will eventually put a stop to such messages of support. And whilst I certainly understand what Cameron says, he must realise that freedom of speech still has some value in the UK, even under the "Moat and Duckpond" coalition.
Cameron said: "As far as I can see, it is absolutely clear that Raoul Moat was a callous murderer-full stop, end of story-and I cannot understand any wave, however small, of public sympathy for this man. There should be sympathy for his victims, and for the havoc he wreaked in that community; there should be no sympathy for him."
IMO: Fair enough, but it does seem that - unlike some politicians -Raoul Moat did seek psychiatric counselling urgently but it was refused to him by the UK authorities who later Tasered him, probably leading to a reaction which made him fire a gun, and then he died. So as is usual in the UK, it has all been a sorry business. Cameron's comments, in their true context, make him sound like a nazi, and whilst I did not normally read Facebook as it is often rubbish, one expects on Facebook the usual UK psychos.
But Cameron might start a little nearer to home. The two sites supposedly set up to support Treasury spending cuts and to crowd-source laws which need repealing were both displaying messages of support for Moat this morning. Doubtless the Condemn Party will eventually put a stop to such messages of support. And whilst I certainly understand what Cameron says, he must realise that freedom of speech still has some value in the UK, even under the "Moat and Duckpond" coalition.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Taranis
The UK Taranis is an unmanned stealth aircraft designed to have the capability to fend off attack, fly deep into enemy territory, deploy weapons or bring back intelligence. It's cost over £140m and flight trials are due in 2011. The wedge-shaped craft is about the size of a BAE Systems Hawk - around 12m long with a wingspan of 10m. Taranis has the ability to take off and fly a pre-programmed mission to as far away as another continent, as well as to identify targets and request permission to attack them, all without human intervention. Specific technological issues that the Taranis designers faced included positioning the craft’s power source within the middle of the body to help make it invisible to enemy sensors across the electromagnetic spectrum. Only British technology and skills were used in its creation, and the result is a craft that the team claims is unique outside of the US.
IMO: It sounds very cheap. And the increased cost is an overspend of about 15% which is pretty good. What more is needed?
IMO: It sounds very cheap. And the increased cost is an overspend of about 15% which is pretty good. What more is needed?
Monday, July 12, 2010
World Cup Predictions - Octupus and Scientific
An Argentine TV presenter furious with Paul the 'psychic' World Cup octopus has horrified viewers by liquidising one of his relatives live on air. Paul became famous for correctly predicting the result of eight consecutive World Cup clashes — finally picking winners Spain for the final.
Threats only, so far, on octupi, have been made frequently on UK radio channels.
IMO: I follow the Hindu tradition of vegetarianism and find such foolish atrocities as typical of certain psychopaths. Further it seems that the octopus Paul has been referred to as an identity cheat. Far from being born in the UK two and a half years ago, aquarium staff have revealed he is only four months old and was caught in the Mediterranean off the Italian coast. This means he is a completely different octopus to the one who successfully predicted some of the results at Euro 2008.
Now science predicted the result of the World Cup correctly. The method seems to have used graph theory, an advanced mathematical technique. I have found that such methods often work till the system is heavily rigged, as it was so often on the traded options market. (Obvious general question. Q: If you are so smart, why aren't you rich ? A: Because of the sundry criminals, dishonest M.P.s and others who really deserve little quarter). But at least we can reckon that the Lalit Modi types of scandal are therefore fortunately not as common as they may soon be in world football, though Private Eye comments on football suggest that football may soon be as badly rigged as derivative prices and boxing matches.
IMO:As we know from earlier entries in this blog, psychos from the same stable as the octopus murderers have frequently threatened scientists whose predictions they have not liked. It probably will not help, as scientists' serious attempts may be the only way to prevent a world disaster. Recent media comments on oil leaks, for example, suggest that the Gulf of Mexico spill could even lead to the end of the world. And if that is so, what about the largely ignored and very frequent drilling disasters around the Nigerian coastline ??
Threats only, so far, on octupi, have been made frequently on UK radio channels.
IMO: I follow the Hindu tradition of vegetarianism and find such foolish atrocities as typical of certain psychopaths. Further it seems that the octopus Paul has been referred to as an identity cheat. Far from being born in the UK two and a half years ago, aquarium staff have revealed he is only four months old and was caught in the Mediterranean off the Italian coast. This means he is a completely different octopus to the one who successfully predicted some of the results at Euro 2008.
Now science predicted the result of the World Cup correctly. The method seems to have used graph theory, an advanced mathematical technique. I have found that such methods often work till the system is heavily rigged, as it was so often on the traded options market. (Obvious general question. Q: If you are so smart, why aren't you rich ? A: Because of the sundry criminals, dishonest M.P.s and others who really deserve little quarter). But at least we can reckon that the Lalit Modi types of scandal are therefore fortunately not as common as they may soon be in world football, though Private Eye comments on football suggest that football may soon be as badly rigged as derivative prices and boxing matches.
IMO:As we know from earlier entries in this blog, psychos from the same stable as the octopus murderers have frequently threatened scientists whose predictions they have not liked. It probably will not help, as scientists' serious attempts may be the only way to prevent a world disaster. Recent media comments on oil leaks, for example, suggest that the Gulf of Mexico spill could even lead to the end of the world. And if that is so, what about the largely ignored and very frequent drilling disasters around the Nigerian coastline ??
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Fox Plans Arabic News Channel
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and Rupert Murdoch are arranging this channel.
IMO: I trust Fox News will not be as inaccurate in their new channel as they have been in the US example here, which shows a very typical Fox News error. In this case Fox News apparently show a map of the area between Iran and Israel, but Iraq seems to be left out and replaced, mostly by a "greater Iran". The bizarre quality of Fox News may be what they want in the USA, but poor Rupert has his work cut out if he wants such a channel to appeal to sensitive people in his proposed Arabic area.
IMO: I trust Fox News will not be as inaccurate in their new channel as they have been in the US example here, which shows a very typical Fox News error. In this case Fox News apparently show a map of the area between Iran and Israel, but Iraq seems to be left out and replaced, mostly by a "greater Iran". The bizarre quality of Fox News may be what they want in the USA, but poor Rupert has his work cut out if he wants such a channel to appeal to sensitive people in his proposed Arabic area.
Friday, July 09, 2010
Martyrdom on demand
The highly reputable Times of India obtained transcripts of a conversation between hardline Muslim separatists and mobs, exposing how they are trying to instigate violence in Kashmir.
"Hurriyat (G) leader Ghulam Mohd Dar: You enjoy your salaries without doing anything for it.
Local Hurriyat activist, Shabir Ahmed: You have to understand the reason for it
Hurriyat (G) leader Ghulam Mohd Dar: Tell me
Local Hurriyat activist, Shabir Ahmed: The crowds get too big to handle at times. Lots of people join in and it's difficult to manage them
Hurriyat (G) leader Ghulam Mohd Dar: We want 10-15 more martyred."
IMO: Martydom on demand, eh ? These people certainly sound like Westminster politicians, who also enjoy their salaries, often without doing anything for it. Perhaps we should expect martyrdom from Westminster politicians.
"Hurriyat (G) leader Ghulam Mohd Dar: You enjoy your salaries without doing anything for it.
Local Hurriyat activist, Shabir Ahmed: You have to understand the reason for it
Hurriyat (G) leader Ghulam Mohd Dar: Tell me
Local Hurriyat activist, Shabir Ahmed: The crowds get too big to handle at times. Lots of people join in and it's difficult to manage them
Hurriyat (G) leader Ghulam Mohd Dar: We want 10-15 more martyred."
IMO: Martydom on demand, eh ? These people certainly sound like Westminster politicians, who also enjoy their salaries, often without doing anything for it. Perhaps we should expect martyrdom from Westminster politicians.
Thursday, July 08, 2010
FOSIS and martydom
The Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) in the UK and Ireland has issued a statement condemning the decision by the Home Office to ban Dr Zakir Naik from visiting the UK. According to the FOSIS announcement: Faisal Hanjra, President of FOSIS, said today, “This is an individual who is a widely-respected household-name for many Muslims in the UK. He has carried out a significant amount of work in India to reach out to both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities and he has a truly global following. Crucially here, his stance vis a vis terrorism is clear – he condemns it and has done so categorically. His banning by the Home Office is shocking.”
He also said in that leading voice of spelling and factual errors, and unfortunately apparently of terrorism and deceit, the UK "Guardian" : "“The same Muslims that run Isocs and those that they invite to campuses are the most vehement opponents of terrorism, publicly stating – with street credibility – that terrorism has no foundations in Islamic thought.”
IMO: You have to laugh, here is part of Dr. Zakir Naik's martydom video. If I ever turned Muslim - unlikely I suppose - I certainly would NOT join FOSIS as presently I understand it. Too many of their leaders have done martydom videos and similar antisocial practices. Some brief details here, there is much more if anyone cares.
IMO: These FOSIS people are sillier than Boris Johnson, if that is possible. Almost unbelievably, UK politics is going from bad to worse - with these criminal MPs and their dodgy expenses, through to the apparently even dodgier IPSA supposed to rectify matters, see "Called to Ordure", p8, Private Eye 9 July. Now just stealing our money is not enough, they want to kill us all.
IMO: These FOSIS people are sillier than Boris Johnson, if that is possible. Almost unbelievably, UK politics is going from bad to worse - with these criminal MPs and their dodgy expenses, through to the apparently even dodgier IPSA supposed to rectify matters, see "Called to Ordure", p8, Private Eye 9 July. Now just stealing our money is not enough, they want to kill us all.
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Smaller Proton a "Significant Shake-up"
The proton finding won't impact most people's daily lives. But if it proves correct, it means something fundamental is wrong in particle physics.
IMO: Could mean a rethinking of Quantum Electrodynamics, at the very least, if correct and not just another "wonder" almost like "cold fusion".... but it sounds carefully done at the very least.
IMO: Could mean a rethinking of Quantum Electrodynamics, at the very least, if correct and not just another "wonder" almost like "cold fusion".... but it sounds carefully done at the very least.
Afghanistan War Pictures
Recently released pictures are here, earlier ones here. Many photos do not show war carnage.
IMO: Of interest to those who have not travelled much. Many of these pictures have not been readily available.
IMO: Of interest to those who have not travelled much. Many of these pictures have not been readily available.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Atrocity in Kerala
In ScienceBlogs I read "In a horrific instance of Talibanism, Muslim fanatics in Kerala on Sunday chopped off the right hand of a college lecturer, accusing him of setting a question paper with a derogatory reference to the Prophet"....etc
IMO: Relatively uncommon in India and widely publicised there, unlike USA most people are civilised.
Reacting to the incident, Muslim writer Hameed Chennamangaloor said, “the circumstances are ideal for fanatics to convince their community members here that the problems their community faces in Iraq or Afghanistan are their own. The fact is that the problems of even Muslims in Kerala are quite different from their community members in northern states.”
Mr Chennamangaloor told ET that it was quite possible that the assailants in the Muvattupuzha incident were hired and not committed members of a religious group. “Some of these groups have more funds than even mainline political parties like Congress or CPM, and can hire any number of goons,” he said.
Adds Mr Chennamangaloor: “What we should have is more cultural integration between different religious groups. Unfortunately fanatics are highlighting non-existent issues, puffing up differences and causing cultural disintegration.”
IMO: The "Times of India" seem to think it may have been the Taliban.
IMO: Relatively uncommon in India and widely publicised there, unlike USA most people are civilised.
Reacting to the incident, Muslim writer Hameed Chennamangaloor said, “the circumstances are ideal for fanatics to convince their community members here that the problems their community faces in Iraq or Afghanistan are their own. The fact is that the problems of even Muslims in Kerala are quite different from their community members in northern states.”
Mr Chennamangaloor told ET that it was quite possible that the assailants in the Muvattupuzha incident were hired and not committed members of a religious group. “Some of these groups have more funds than even mainline political parties like Congress or CPM, and can hire any number of goons,” he said.
Adds Mr Chennamangaloor: “What we should have is more cultural integration between different religious groups. Unfortunately fanatics are highlighting non-existent issues, puffing up differences and causing cultural disintegration.”
IMO: The "Times of India" seem to think it may have been the Taliban.
Porno shot in London hospital
A 'big budget' porn movie was shot in a London hospital that hired out one of its wards to a film company, it has emerged.
An MP disclosed "I understand, these things are no longer claimable on parliamentary expenses - it was a big-budget affair and generated substantial income for the hospital.... it cannot be said to be contributing to the objectives of the primary care trust (PCT)."
IMO: A few years ago I was obliged to spend a brief time in a London hospital and the revelation above does not surprise me. At the time, public-private-partnership methods were being used to reimburse elderly persons in cash when they had to go to hospital and I heard a number of youngish attractivish nurses offering to help the OAPs to spend their insurance money. So now we know how public-private-partnership methods work - often, not to the health benefit of patients.
An MP disclosed "I understand, these things are no longer claimable on parliamentary expenses - it was a big-budget affair and generated substantial income for the hospital.... it cannot be said to be contributing to the objectives of the primary care trust (PCT)."
IMO: A few years ago I was obliged to spend a brief time in a London hospital and the revelation above does not surprise me. At the time, public-private-partnership methods were being used to reimburse elderly persons in cash when they had to go to hospital and I heard a number of youngish attractivish nurses offering to help the OAPs to spend their insurance money. So now we know how public-private-partnership methods work - often, not to the health benefit of patients.
Monday, July 05, 2010
US and UK psychos
US climate scientists receive hate mail barrage, according to the UK "Guardian". The scientists revealed they have been told to "go gargle razor blades" and have been described as "Nazi climate murderers".
UK Professor Phil Jones revealed in February he had been receiving two death threats a week and had contemplated suicide.
Professor Stephen Schneider said the FBI had taken an interest earlier this year when his name appeared on a "death list" on a neo-Nazi website alongside other climate scientists . Schneider said : "These people are mentally imbalanced. They are invariably gun-toting rightwingers".
Professor Michael Mann, director of the Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University was told: "Six feet under with the roots is where you should be. I was hoping I would see the news that you'd committed suicide. Do it, freak."
IMO: It is what you expect in backward ignorant countries like US and UK. And nobody at all seems to bother that global warming situation could be cut down considerably at a very small cost - I suspect "nobody cares". Brief details from "Wired" : " 15 billion dollars is a rough price tag for providing clean stoves to the 500 million households that use open fires, fed by wood and animal dung and coal, to heat their homes and cook. Those fires produce one-quarter of all so-called “black carbon,” a sooty pollutant that’s adding to the planetary heat burden". I ran a scientific journal for many years and it is not just the general public but the US and UK scientists as well, often enough.
UK Professor Phil Jones revealed in February he had been receiving two death threats a week and had contemplated suicide.
Professor Stephen Schneider said the FBI had taken an interest earlier this year when his name appeared on a "death list" on a neo-Nazi website alongside other climate scientists . Schneider said : "These people are mentally imbalanced. They are invariably gun-toting rightwingers".
Professor Michael Mann, director of the Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University was told: "Six feet under with the roots is where you should be. I was hoping I would see the news that you'd committed suicide. Do it, freak."
IMO: It is what you expect in backward ignorant countries like US and UK. And nobody at all seems to bother that global warming situation could be cut down considerably at a very small cost - I suspect "nobody cares". Brief details from "Wired" : " 15 billion dollars is a rough price tag for providing clean stoves to the 500 million households that use open fires, fed by wood and animal dung and coal, to heat their homes and cook. Those fires produce one-quarter of all so-called “black carbon,” a sooty pollutant that’s adding to the planetary heat burden". I ran a scientific journal for many years and it is not just the general public but the US and UK scientists as well, often enough.
US and UK are WEIRD nations
According to a new University of British Columbia study, an overreliance on research subjects from the U.S. and other Western nations can produce false claims about human psychology and behavior because their psychological tendencies are highly unusual compared to the global population. The words "WEIRD nation" are now being used in the scientific literature about them ! Just as the failed EU economies are now the PIG or PIGSHIT nations. For example I think the UK Chris Patten, Baron of Barnes, and many others refer often to the PIG nations.
IMO: This has been obvious to me for many years. It is one reason why I prefer India where I have lived, off and on, for many years. You possibly just have to listen to phone-ins on London radio stations like LBC and Talksport to realise these guys are mainly psychos, a point that detailed psychological surveys seem to confirm. I do not watch US Fox News but I imagine that leaves the same impression. Dreadful that a lot of otherwise decent people are being so misled.
IMO: This has been obvious to me for many years. It is one reason why I prefer India where I have lived, off and on, for many years. You possibly just have to listen to phone-ins on London radio stations like LBC and Talksport to realise these guys are mainly psychos, a point that detailed psychological surveys seem to confirm. I do not watch US Fox News but I imagine that leaves the same impression. Dreadful that a lot of otherwise decent people are being so misled.
Saturday, July 03, 2010
Afghanistan - "Divine Taliban victory" ?
Iran is assisting al Qaeda by facilitating links between senior terrorist leaders and affiliate groups, the commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East told Congress on Tuesday. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the U.S. Central Command, also said Iran's nuclear program is facing problems, and as a result, Tehran is not expected to emerge with a nuclear weapon this year.
There are some reports of a Pakistani-brokered meeting between insurgent leader Sirajuddin Haqqani and Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president. There is no clear indication, however, of any desire on the part of the Haqqanis, or of the Taliban, for that matter, to make any concessions whatsoever. An attempt to broker such a "deal" would certainly be consistent for the Pakistanis, as their past negotiations with their own militants have taken the form of thinly-disguised capitulations. This was the case in North Waziristan in 2006, and even more egregiously so in Swat in 2009. A capitulation on the part of Kabul, however, would offer benefits to the Pakistanis without any of the corresponding down-sides which led to more fighting at home. The tendency towards delusional behaviour on the part of Karzai, however, is unlikely to be either mirrored or accepted by the non-Pashtun elements in his own government.
McChrystal's firing by Obama, by the way, was "divine victory," the Taliban mouthpiece, Qari Muhammad Ahmed Yusu, said. The Taliban's verdict ? The new boss is the same as the old boss. And Petraeus is a wimp, they claimed.
Gen Petraeus has pledged to look at the application of the current rules of engagement. These are designed to reduce civilian casualties but some US troops believe they put them at too great a risk.
IMO: In fairness, the troops on one's own side should be looked after as far as possible in a Western democracy. Petraeus can, and should, presumably bring in whatever materiel he needs, and to hell with the Pakis and any reluctant Afghans, in all fairness.
There are some reports of a Pakistani-brokered meeting between insurgent leader Sirajuddin Haqqani and Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president. There is no clear indication, however, of any desire on the part of the Haqqanis, or of the Taliban, for that matter, to make any concessions whatsoever. An attempt to broker such a "deal" would certainly be consistent for the Pakistanis, as their past negotiations with their own militants have taken the form of thinly-disguised capitulations. This was the case in North Waziristan in 2006, and even more egregiously so in Swat in 2009. A capitulation on the part of Kabul, however, would offer benefits to the Pakistanis without any of the corresponding down-sides which led to more fighting at home. The tendency towards delusional behaviour on the part of Karzai, however, is unlikely to be either mirrored or accepted by the non-Pashtun elements in his own government.
McChrystal's firing by Obama, by the way, was "divine victory," the Taliban mouthpiece, Qari Muhammad Ahmed Yusu, said. The Taliban's verdict ? The new boss is the same as the old boss. And Petraeus is a wimp, they claimed.
Gen Petraeus has pledged to look at the application of the current rules of engagement. These are designed to reduce civilian casualties but some US troops believe they put them at too great a risk.
IMO: In fairness, the troops on one's own side should be looked after as far as possible in a Western democracy. Petraeus can, and should, presumably bring in whatever materiel he needs, and to hell with the Pakis and any reluctant Afghans, in all fairness.
The Shadow Of The Wind
"The Shadow Of The Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is a well known book about - amongst other things - a ' Library of Forgotten Books' in Barcelona, set in about the Franco days. I vaguely assumed the Library was some kind of allegorical reference to some kind of fascist censorship of memory. I suppose in a sense it was. Today I heard a lecture by Zafon, who related that the library was actually based on the wonderful "Acres of Books" bookshop in Long Island, Los Angeles, which I, along with others who like books, used to go to and love before it closed down in 2009.
IMO: The bookshop 'Acres of Books', and its closure, are both so typical of California and Los Angeles, which both have facets which one likes and others which one regrets.
IMO: The bookshop 'Acres of Books', and its closure, are both so typical of California and Los Angeles, which both have facets which one likes and others which one regrets.
Alternative Voting (in UK)
I have written about this before in this blog, so I will briefly recapitulate:
" In practice AV is not as vigorous as PR. All it would do is to give smaller parties like the Greens more of a say. A referendum could be a game-changer, a way of breaking through to turned-off and tuned-out voters, and a full argument of how it could benefit UK politics could be given. Australia has used a somewhat similar and better system for years (almost complete PR, not just AV) than the UK to no ill effect per se. Also, the measure is simple and easy to apply.
It really seems that Westminster has never had a soul, always being run by the same bunch of seedy insufferable snobs of one persuasion or another.
Now AV (alternative voting) at least allows the chance to dispense with that problem. I do not offer much hope as all parties to Westminster seem to suffer from too much greed to let AV happen."
IMO: I wish I could be more optimistic now. Anyway, AV - the stronger the better - may help, and so unless the voting paper is mangled the way it so frequently is, it could quite soon lead to enormous improvements for the general public, which is why the Labor and Tories do not favor it, and I suspect even the Liberals are somewhat dubious.
" In practice AV is not as vigorous as PR. All it would do is to give smaller parties like the Greens more of a say. A referendum could be a game-changer, a way of breaking through to turned-off and tuned-out voters, and a full argument of how it could benefit UK politics could be given. Australia has used a somewhat similar and better system for years (almost complete PR, not just AV) than the UK to no ill effect per se. Also, the measure is simple and easy to apply.
It really seems that Westminster has never had a soul, always being run by the same bunch of seedy insufferable snobs of one persuasion or another.
Now AV (alternative voting) at least allows the chance to dispense with that problem. I do not offer much hope as all parties to Westminster seem to suffer from too much greed to let AV happen."
IMO: I wish I could be more optimistic now. Anyway, AV - the stronger the better - may help, and so unless the voting paper is mangled the way it so frequently is, it could quite soon lead to enormous improvements for the general public, which is why the Labor and Tories do not favor it, and I suspect even the Liberals are somewhat dubious.
Military Dimensions of the Indian Presence in Space
This article by Dr. D.V. Siddhartha is quite old now (2000), so circumstances have changed somewhat, but it may still be well worth reading. I have just obtained a copy, and there is one presently here.
IMO: This article obviously shows the deep fear and bias of some of those in the West, but one can hope for all round improvements, I suppose.
IMO: This article obviously shows the deep fear and bias of some of those in the West, but one can hope for all round improvements, I suppose.
Friday, July 02, 2010
US $250m superbomber 'almost as good' as $8m robot
A Sky Warrior UAV costs just $7.5m as opposed to something on the order of $250m for a B-1B. The Warrior, in addition to being better at the main mission - surveillance - also carries smart Hellfire missiles, a much more surgical weapon than anything the B-1 can offer.
IMO: There may be early retirement of all 66 B-1B Lancer bombers, last delivered in the late 1980s. Obviously these old planes don't last forever.
IMO: There may be early retirement of all 66 B-1B Lancer bombers, last delivered in the late 1980s. Obviously these old planes don't last forever.
Fox News
Their charts seemingly show US unemployment increased under Obama. Apparently unemployment actually increased by about 2 million under Bush in 9 months and then decreased a little under Obama. The strong thesis is that you cannot believe Fox news - indeed that it is not worth watching, let alone paying for. News International used to have a nice little paper that showed Microsoft were employing dogs rather than people - or anyway people that were half person, half dog. However I think that was supposed to be funny, and in those days such an idea probably was.
IMO: Rupert Murdoch used to be a great newsman but apparently he is getting a bit old now and more of the work is being passed on to incompetents. I'm not at all sure that charging for news on the internet or television is a good idea either.
IMO: Rupert Murdoch used to be a great newsman but apparently he is getting a bit old now and more of the work is being passed on to incompetents. I'm not at all sure that charging for news on the internet or television is a good idea either.
UK Trade Unions
Thirty-eight trade union general secretaries and chief executives who spend their days lecturing about inequality and exploitation, received remuneration of more than £100,000 last year. No union official, despite many being asked, has managed to make it onto the TV this morning to defend their £100,000 + pay packets. But doubtless their wages will ease the pain of the long days of the “general strike” being planned.
IMO: When wages like that are being paid to such people, and yet such a lot of people are extremely hard up, often due to strikes or to politicians and other highly paid "civil servants", anything like socialism does seem to have gone down the drain for these people. So why can't the Government treat these trade unionists as no more than private "civil servants" and insist they take very low salaries. I can't see many of them staying in their jobs if paid at what a lot of OAPs get. Yet when such a deal was tried with one of the London magazines, something like "City Limits" or "Time Out" I think, it worked for awhile.
IDEA: Someone should suggest this to Mr. Clegg
Thursday, July 01, 2010
London UK mayor
Labour last week confirmed that Livingstone and former MP Oona King had been shortlisted for the nomination. The party will announce the winner in September.
IMO: Either would be better than Boris Johnson, anyway. Cycling in London, which he supports, is plain silly, for example. Anyone who has even been in the cab of an HGV must know this, especially as so many cyclists are inexperienced kids. And Johnson has spent a lot of public money and done nothing useful.
IMO: Either would be better than Boris Johnson, anyway. Cycling in London, which he supports, is plain silly, for example. Anyone who has even been in the cab of an HGV must know this, especially as so many cyclists are inexperienced kids. And Johnson has spent a lot of public money and done nothing useful.
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