Wednesday, August 31, 2011

UK 'Guardian’ publishes contributors who reject Israel’

Jerusalem Post claims that British newspaper UK 'Guardian’ consistently publishes commentary from Palestinians who reject Israel’s legitimacy.

IMO: The Guardian has this right, and it doesn't use megaphone diplomacy - it can hardly get an MP elected when it wishes to. Plenty of Jews outside as well as within Israel are sick and tired of Israel's alleged corruption. Of course I can see they have problems there.

The Palestinian leadership is expected to present their request to be admitted to UN membership when the general assembly meets in September. Membership of the UN requires security council approval, which the US has already said it will veto.

The Palestinians are then expected to request an enhanced "non-member state" status, which needs a two-thirds majority in the general assembly. They claim to have the backing so far of 124 of the UN's 193 members, and expect to get a majority by the time of a vote.

IMO: In fact as I pointed out earlier many believe that Israel was founded by Adolf Htler, and many Jews appear to be neo-Nazis. This can not help matters. Ben Hecht could see that and brought out some of the Nazi/Jew collaboratin details, and so can many other later Jews. The average Zionist woman you can easily meet through 'TimeOut' for example, even brings things to the point where you could think the Nazis were almost lenient on Anne Frank. Bad stuff.

IMO: I did say earlier "we can look forward to a unilateral declaration of statehood in September" FWIW. And I also said "it is a great pity that none of these people seem to be able to come to sensible terms, In the long run a measure of syncretism should have helped the opposing Middle Eastern groups, and quite possibly even the USA".

Porn star teacher in strip act

He can return to work in the classroom.

The disciplinary committee heard that Mr Garrett had been stripping in clubs and working as a naked butler while he was employed as head of personal, social and health education at Beal High School in Ilford, east London.

Mr Garrett has stated his belief that being an adult film performer or a stripper was not incompatible with being a teacher.

An allegation that Mr Garrett left inappropriate voicemail messages on the mobile phone of the school's associate head teacher was unproven.

IMO: The UK is lucky to get anyone to be a teacher. Again and again I've heard of people who cannot stomach it. There seem to be not enough legal methods of discipline, even though very little actual discipline is usually necessary for a really good teacher. Soon even the male strippers and the drug dealers will not take the job, I'd say, as they can easily push the drugs outside on the pavement or sell them over the counter at the tuck shop. I guess Garrett must have cheeked the head teacher and that is really why he had to be mildly rebuked. Constantine Fitzgibbon's "When the Kissing had to Stop" used to be considered an unlikely account of the very far distant future. Now we have even gone much further. And Cameron's 'cuts' will remove any hope left for the UK. Charities will likely find it more efficient to work overseas where some people try to help, not just mulct the funds. And Clegg's silly idea to effectively hand over more non local taxpayer's money to people who countenance 'baby P' type activity is almost incredible, even in today's London.

Lokpal : still plenty of worries

No resolution was adopted either in the Lok Sabha or in the Rajya Sabha

Except for forcing Parliament to hold a special Saturday sitting discussing issues it wanted Team Anna has, so far, gained nothing from the 12 day protest fast.

Against the chorus that Parliament had backed anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare’s demands, the records show that no resolution was adopted either in the Lok Sabha or in the Rajya Sabha. Replying to the day-long debate on Saturday, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, however, made just one change in his speech in Rajya Sabha incorporating the word “resolve”.

It might be said that Hazare's victory was more general than specific, significant less for what it managed to wrest in the realm of policy than for what it achieved in terms of mass mobilization against corruption and an upsurge of political consciousness, particularly among the Indian middle classes, which have long been derided for their political apathy.

IMO: It will be well if the Hazare supporters remember that "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance". 'Rome was not built in a day' but admittedly Hazare is still alive and if - despite the probable intent of many - his supporters still press on in a planned and directed way, there is still some chance of good results. After all, Didi seems to have succeeded to some extent over Singur recently. so protests sometimes work in India.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Vince Cable favours a Glass-Steagal type reform NOW

Chancellor George Osborne could be set for a Cabinet collision course with colleague Vince Cable over banking reforms which are designed to protect savers.

Mr Cable wants immediate regulations to force banks to ring-fence their high-street banking and keep riskier ­investments separate from ordinary customers. And even silly Clegg is obliged to agree with this !

Even the pink FT says "Mr Cridland protests too much. While it is true that a run of poor economic news has exposed the continuing frailty of the banking system, this is not an argument for leaving things as they are."

IMO: And a Tobin tax as well, please.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

LibDem plans for more taxes on an impoverished country already swindled by politicians

Households in more affluent parts of the UK should pay more tax so money can be “transferred” to poorer councils, a party policy paper says. Lib Dem officials have identified almost 70 areas where better-off residents should pay significantly more in tax than their council spends on services for them.

IMO: Hmmn, in my opinion certain aspects of Cameron's view are more sensible than silly Clegg's. For a start, just about all the local authorities pay too large salaries to council employees, and money intended for matters like bona fide charity work is never handed out. The 'cuts' should be made right now in local authorities salaries and their pensions should not be paid unless they are efficient, that means - not subject to any public complaints. This should go WELL beyond cases like the notorious 'baby P' case where senile and/or corrupt judges overturned public Labor and Tory decisions for reasons which seem non-existent or of no real merit. So let us get on with it, and SACK AND TAX THE OVERPAID JOBSWORTHS 'WORKING' FOR THE COUNCIL. The only problem is to make sure the right people are kept, and the wrong ones removed and their pensions returned to the serving of the public. Make these council criminals see what real poverty and hardship is like. I grit my teeth when I see council pamphlets of a self-serving self-congratulatory nature. And then see fat thugs who run the council simply pocketing the public money, directly or through theft and fraud, usually perpetrated against the very people they were supposed to help - usually the sick, the old, and the vulnerable. Never mind the worthless bastard Clegg and his corrupt views. Sack Clegg NOW, and confiscate his salary for breaking public promises and all the other reasons. In many countries, even USA, people like Clegg are tarred and feathered and ridden out of town on a rail.

Disneyland uses child labor suicide sweatshops claim

Disney's best-selling Cars toys are being made in a factory in China that uses child labour and forces staff to do three times the amount of overtime allowed by law, according to an investigation. One worker reportedly killed herself after being repeatedly shouted at by bosses. Others cited worries over poisonous chemicals. Disney has now launched its own investigation.

Thomas the Tank Engine range, Matchbox cars, Cars, Toy Story, Barbie and Fisher Price products, Scrabble and the Hot Wheels sets and many others.

IMO: A lot more of this must go on in China if they can keep such prices as they charge. A Taiping style revolution due ? Its a thought. But when you go to China you will see only the very glamerous bits of the country and perhaps get an entirely different thought. A bunch of crooks making cheap toys for little British louts.

Al Megrahi

I hear he is said to be 'terminally ill in his palatial mansion' but given no help by Gadaffi very recently.

Why do not the US offer to give him substantial medical care ? After all he was ill in a Scottish jail. Some say that just being in Scotland is almost enough to make you terminally ill. But even after a brief view of a Scottish campsite, I think that fear to be greatly exaggerated.  And after all, if the US were nice and kind to him he might give them sufficient information to take their own investigations further (e.g with regard to Syrian involvement), and he could obtain exemption from further trial, say under some witness protection act.

Libya - Al Megrahi

Will he be expected to be retried in Scotland, or in Libya - or at all?

IMO: Perhaps a more interesting matter than one may imagine. This is because he may have been simply the stooge or front for the main players - in Syria. Post script: On listening to LBC - extraordinary rendition ro GITMO ?

$106,911.93 medical bill for swallowed false teeth

IMO: So oldsters - do not swallow your teeth in California. Lets hope Obama gets his healthcare bill soon. Opponents literally seem mentally ill. But the first time I heard that this sort of thing happens, not in the Congo but in the USA "Gods own Arsehole" was as a child of 7 years in Australia, reading a story book about (white) children having to live in a trash heap because of medical overcharges. A Democrat story book, evidently. What price tolerance of Indian corruption now ? We do not pay that much here.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Lalu questions need for debate on Lokpal

RJD’s Lalu Prasad was the odd man out in the Lok Sabha today when he questioned the need for a debate on the Lokpal issue saying a bill in this regard was already before a Parliamentary Standing Committee.

IMO: With all due repects for Mr. Prasad, I bet he did.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Continuous cyber warfare by China against the USA shown accidentally on Chinese TV

"A standard, even boring, piece of Chinese military propaganda screened in mid-July included what must have been an unintended but nevertheless damaging revelation: shots from a computer screen showing a Chinese military university is engaged in cyberwarfare against entities in the United States.

The documentary itself was otherwise meant as praise to the wisdom and judgment of Chinese military strategists, and a typical condemnation of the United States as an implacable aggressor in the cyber-realm. But the fleeting shots of an apparent China-based cyber-attack somehow made their way into the final cut.

The screenshots appear as B-roll footage in the documentary for six seconds—between 11:04 and 11:10 minutes—showing custom-built Chinese software apparently launching a cyber-attack against the main website of the Falun Gong spiritual practice, by using a compromised IP address belonging to a United States university. As of Aug. 22 at 1:30pm EDT, in addition to Youtube, the whole documentary is available on the CCTV website.

The screenshots show the name of the software and the Chinese university that built it, the Electrical Engineering University of China's People's Liberation Army—direct evidence that the PLA is involved in coding cyber-attack software directed against a Chinese dissident group.

The software window says "Choose Attack Target." The computer operator selects an IP address from a list—it happens to be 138.26.72.17—and then selects a target. Encoded in the software are the words "Falun Gong website list," showing that attacking Falun Gong websites was built into the software."

IMO: You can certainly see why the Chinese are illegally forcing smaller countries to return to China, people who have legally left China. This is totally illegal and contrary to international law. More of the documentary and other information, seems to make it clear that China are already at cyberwar with the US, like it or not. The cold war with Russia went on for years, during which the US was continually blackmailed for its natural resources by the then USSR. Now there is a cold war with China, like it or not, and US citizens are quietly being made aware of that. No wonder people like Wendy Deng (Rupe's wife - who still has the cheek to go back sometimes) got out, they knew what was good for them, all right.  

China deploys advanced n-missile on Indian border: US

The PLA has replaced liquid-fuelled, nuclear-capable CSS-2 IRBMs with more advanced and survivable solid-fuelled CSS-5 MRBM systems to strengthen its deterrent posture relative to India, the Pentagon has said in its annual report on Chinese military build up to the Congress. The report also says that Beijing is pumping in huge investments on border infrastructure developments laying more roads and rail network along the Sino-Indian border.

Pentagon said that New Delhi remains concerned by China's close military ties with Pakistan and its growing footprints in the Indian Ocean, Central Asia and Africa. The report noted that Pakistan continued to be China's primary customer for conventional weapons and sales to Islamabad included newly rolled out JF-17 fighters with production facilities, F-22P frigates with helicopters, early warning and control aircraft, tanks, K-8 trainers, F-7 fighters, air-to-air missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles and missile technologies.

IMO: Such a pity that some Chinese are so paranoid. Surely it would be a lot easier just to steal the Spratleys from the Phillipines if they seek immediate criminal advantage. There are so many completely happy senior Chinese in India, probably making genuine benefits to India, and many most certainly do not want to go back to China, which is after all still a police state, with worries - perhaps rightly - about the Uighar Muslim minority which they are still illlegally forcing less serious nations - like Thailand - to force back to China when they have legitimately left. All this could be stopped by sensible controls within China. How long, then, before they try to illegally 'repatriate' unwilling Chinese even from poor little New Zealand. And the now corrupt Australian Governments with their 'bagmen' and needless taxes on the rural community, are even unsuccessfully trying to end India's peaceful nuclear program, and have already murdered for no good reason, harmless and decent Indian citizens. It all seems a shame, and China, which has a great many internal problems, looks from outside almost to be encouraging another - or indeed several - Taiping rebellions, and this certainly is not in anyone's interest. Unlike free, democratic India, unfortunately China is a country with many real internal problems which could - and should - improve a lot. Many Chinese are peaceful people, but like Gadaffi's Libya, are hindered by an over strict 'welfare state' which many Chinese run from when they learn the truth - though China is very ready for open ness and improvement. China might well have been the next Libya were it not for the "great firewall of China" and many other internal inequities. After the recent big rail crash there is some evidence that the Chinese authorities are beginning to "smell the coffee" and realise that they continue to be a bunch of Gadaffis, but it is possibly all too little, too late.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

'Disturbing rise' in UK arrest deaths

Investigations have been launched into the death of a man who was shot with a Taser.
Campaigners have warned of a "disturbing trend" over fatalities from police confrontations as investigations were launched into a man's death following a Taser shooting. The 53-year-old, named locally as Philip Hulmes, was hit with electric probes from the police weapon after barricading himself in his house on Tuesday.

IMO: That was the second Taser police killing in a week, and there are a lot of recent police killings. This is clearly partly due to Cameron's cuts. The plods are probably scared of the cuts. It is only too obvious that they will probably be made unjustly. And of course the lower orders are afraid of being killed by the police by now, as we know from the recent riots. It looks like it can only get worse. Hope overseas visitors enjoy their Olympics.

Corruption in India has become worse: Ratan Tata

Top industrialists have expressed concern over the impact that worsening corruption has on their businesses and said there is no short-cut to becoming a billion-dollar company other than doing things the right way. “I think corruption has become worse and if you choose not to participate in this, you leave behind a fair amount of business,” Tata Sons Chairman Mr Ratan Tata said.

IMO: Unforunately Tata is right about the high level of corruption and his own firm rightly has a reputation for honesty and generosity. But a large international firm does have to work with locals. And he had real problems at Singur and Nandigram with the CPI and did leave quite a large area of bad land which should have been cleared up. He should have to pay for the clean up. Let us hope that Tata Steel Minerals Canada Limited does not have its reputation needlessly destroyed by the lack of understanding vis-a-vis CPI.  People in Canada for the most part seem prepared to overlook Singur and Nandigram - so far - but it would be wise if both Canada and Tata kept their dealings cleaner. And in the UK, Tata's pal Mandelson is apparently now considering purchasing an 8 Million pound house - having risen rapidly from being broke, and that occurs 'in one way' ,as statstics show - and styles himself as some kind of royalty. Mandelson is not a good Labor supporter. It all causes worry about apparent US and business support for Hazare. If we are not careful, Lokpal really could take us in the wrong direction, but hopefully the organisers will ensure that it does not. The UK once had a good balance between state and private enterprises and it used to be a far better model than China. Years of Tory and Labor greed and corruption have removed that chance - but it can be put back. Proper banking laws, duly implemented, could help. Now (honest) appropriate Chinese advisors could help the UK, I suspect. But frankly the UK now reminds one of Gadaffi's Libya in some ways, right down to the dodgy Muslims in Bradford and the slightly relatively cleaner situation in London, all thanks to Ken. What the UK needs is its own version of Mamata Banerjee, but this vile cesspit of corruption is not likely to get it. The UK citizens may raise a level of protests like Gadaffi's Libya - but with much more violence - if the Tories do not pull up their socks and at least try to clean up the Augean stables of the City of London.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Good riddance to bad rubbish

Michael Spencer, the wealthy founder and chief executive of Icap, the world's biggest interdealer broker, said of the Tobin tax that such a levy on bank transactions would severely undermine the City if it was not adopted globally. Spencer said at the weekend a European Tobin tax could drive business that is currently dominated by the City overseas to financial centres like New York and Singapore.

IMO: Hm, he calls it a "silly" tax. Does this mean Merkel and Sarkozy are "silly" ? Sounds like hasty speech or bad judgement. Sure, he and his ilk may not remain as operators in the EU. But are they really wanted anyway? Certainly not in the EU, and they do seem to have ruined the UK economy and caused nothing but chaos. "Good riddance to bad rubbish" sounds a fair verdict. A saving in tar and feathers if they leave voluntarily, some may say. I will not comment about Bernie Cornfeld and his alleged walking on water on Lake Geneva, as you would have had to see the state of Lake Geneva then to appreciate the point.

Tony Blair makes reasonable comments

According to the UK "Daily Mail" Tony Blair writes:

#1 if people started to believe Britain had lost its moral compass society at large would be depressed and the country's image abroad would be ruined.

IMO: Indeed. They do believe Britain has lost its moral compass and certainly held that view since the enormous virtually non violent protests at the policies of Blair over Iraq. So now we just have violent protests, after a supposedly populist Government seemed to lose its way. I am not taking a view on the Iraq matter here, just observing what happened. And the image of the UK has definitely gone down in the world, perhaps a pity just before the Olympics.

#2 The left argued the rioters were the victims of social deprivation and the right said they needed to take responsibility for their actions, both sides 'just miss the point'.

IMO: Indeed. And the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Neither side have done much about these problems as they have been too busy helping themselves to the public funds or taking a blind eye to the financiers doing so. Where is Glass-Steagal ? Where is Tobin ? Indeed, where even is Dodd-Frank ? Perhaps more important, where are the funds to pay more police to socially help these fellows/give the thugs a thrashing (choose one or both). I'll tell you where, in pockets of the politicians (including Tony Blair) and their cronies.

#3 The 'big cause' lay with alienated youths from dysfunctional families living outside 'any canons of proper behaviour .

IMO: Exactly. The 'alienated youths..' are members of the Bullingham Club and those who try to emulate them. The 'lower orders' used to try to emulate the Queen. Indeed, years ago, at the cinema if you did not stand up when "God Save the Queen" was played, you were quite likely to be beaten up. Unfortunately members of the Bullingham Club, including Mr. Blair, are said by some to reach the depths of depravity and so they are emulated - obviously easier to emulate. It is no joke.


Saturday, August 20, 2011

Tobin tax- another sensible view

Emanuel Derman, Head of Risk at Prisma Capital Partners and a professor at Columbia University, where he directs their program in financial engineering says: " A Merkel-Sarkozy Tobin-style transactions tax on trading is worth trying, but not because it raises money for the government. It’s good because it puts a small amount of sand in the gears of frivolity whose demand for increased lubrication only seems to be useful ."

IMO: Wise words from Columbia University. There are other things which may also be done, but a carefully executed Tobin tax should work wonders. The Dodd-Frank Act, recently signed into law by Pres. Obama, is also a step in the right direction. Obviously induced time delays could help as well, but IMO not so much as a well done Tobin tax. And there is a lot more, but will Obama have time enough as President to do all the US requires. I still say : "bring back Glass-Steagal", and that would be just for a start.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Tobin tax - U.S.E. may survive

I never thought the day would come when the EU would favour a sensible idea like the Tobin tax. Merkel and Sarkozy are in favour of it, as am I.

Further, the Austrian Prime Minister Werner Faymann - along with many others - is in favour of the Tobin Tax as an important means for guaranteeing fairness. "Taxing financial transactions," said Werner Faymann, "is an important means for guaranteeing fairness also at a European level. Since the beginning of this crisis I have continuous devoted my self to this and I am sure the objective will be achieved."

IMO: I very much stress, as do the UK FT apparently,  "When the details emerge, then the number-crunching can begin". The United States of Europe may yet survive.

Another one bites the dust

James Desborough, a former reporter at the News of the World, has become the 13th person to be arrested by police looking into illegal practices at the now-defunct tabloid newspaper.

Mr Desborough, who has been living in Los Angeles as the tabloid’s US editor since 2009, joined the paper in 2005 as a showbusiness and news reporter. He is still technically employed by the paper and is on a 90-day consultation period.

This adds to the legal and regulatory threats facing Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, the US parent company and owner of the Fox television network, Fox News, and Dow Jones.

IMO: Not only that, Mr. Murdoch, but it seems Fox News are no good at physics and would not even reach the standard of an A level student. See "Fox Fails Physics" URL. And after all the shenanigans involving Standard & Poors, is the Dow Jones fit for purpose. Bearing in mind what the polis say about Murdoch and the crippling insults similar organisations like S & P are getting, I very much doubt it. What a mess we seem to find in News Corp.


Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Hazare

According to the Bombay Times, Congress party spokesperson Rashid Alvi's comments questioned US "support" for Hazare and a foreign power trying to destabilise India.

They said Rashid Alvi "said the sophisticated nature of the orchestrated campaign called for urgent attention to the hidden hand while recalling in the same breath the surprise statement from the US State Department urging the Indian government to respect democratic protests".

Washington now claims it said that it supported the right of non-violent protest universally.

IMO: A lot of people thought the US seriously tried to destabilise the UK when at one point (about the Wilson era) it thought that the UK was getting "too commie". Many thought the US were planning a 'coup' of the UK. The point is that Alvi was not being unreasonable if he did make a provocative statement like that. Australia had the problem of the UK with their Winston Churchill at Gallipoli, and after WW2 we were firmly warned as children not to let the worthless UK pommie bastards try it on for a third time. And then the US brought us into Vietnam. India also had a problem with the Brits. But hopefully Hazare will have a strong enough protest and benefit will ensue. India is an older and basically more stable country than the US, so it is hoped that it will sort out these problems and cut down the corruption. In the longer term, that should be the best for most people. Support for Hazare is swelling, anti graft cries grow louder and as India is probably the greatest democracy on the planet, we should be able to handle it all.

UK police corruption

The Register readers say

"Woman gets 5 months for taking a pair of nicked trainers worth a few quid, plod gets let off for taking bribes in the form of spa breaks worth £19,000 wasnt it?

Guy gets arrested for wanting to organise a water gun fight, plod gets off even after being filmed smacking a peaceful protestor 1/2 his size twice with a baton.

Guy loses TWO jobs for tweeting a joke about wanting to firebomb Nottingham Airport, plod gets let off for killing a Brazilian electrician and then photoshopping his picture to make him look like the guy they SHOULD have been following...

says a lot about this country really...."

"the investigation has been ended because these people have pre-emptively resigned and therefore the IPCC can take a position that it has no authority to investigate further.

It is manifestly deciding not to pursue certain lines of inquiry which may lead to real evidence against them on this basis.. And is saying the any further investigation must be done by the government inquiry"

IMO: In other words the authorities are covering for their own people, just as the councils are defrauding charities. The sounds are like some which Congress have made about the Anna Hazare matter. One reason the Brits got thrown out of India is because they were  behaving in the way they still are. And anyway, if  these  MPs were a real government and not just a bunch of hypocrites, they could take still the matter further. The most we can probably hope for is the throwing out of the Murdochs, and the morals and issues there are totally different if perhaps equally repugnant.

More RTI activists attacked and murdered

Bhopal-based activist Shehla Masood became the latest victim of a rising trend in attacks on such people who have tried to expose wrongdoings through the information disclosure law. In 2010 alone, at least 10 RTI activists were killed, apparently in revenge attacks.

IMO: Commonly believed to be just another murder by the 'tiger mafia' in her case, since she had been working on alleged malpractice in the state’s wildlife conservation, tourism and other departments, Plenty of people now will not venture an opinion on anything at al in case some government official is offended. I suppose the first time I fully appreciated the corruption problem in India was many years ago, when I had the opportunity to ride in an 'ordinary' government offical's motor car. Austerity was the name of the game, and this was a Hindustan Ambassador. But inside I had never had such comfort, and it drove better than a Rolls Royce. Now they are saying in the media that these babus have their own expensive business jet planes.  Something should be done or it will end up as bad as in the UK, where habitually members of pariament buy a television or some such - paid for by illegal confiscation of public funds - and then make a speech saying that people who steal televisions should be jailed.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

World's oldest working steam loco is Indian

1855 built steam loco ran from Egmore to Guindy in Chennai yesterday.

IMO: Must have been an interesting and colourful sight, see URLs

Monday, August 15, 2011

Rockhopper raises Falklands discovery estimates

Says at mid-case estimate, oil discovery could produce 325 mln barrels.

IMO: Not bad, seems to put it at least in the same range as Germany and Turkey. And Tony Bliar wanted to hand it to the Argies. Shows how the MPs are selling out the UK, after so many Britains died to protect its rightful heritage. Treason can mean the death sentence, almost anywhere and the current bunch of crooked MPs are about due for it.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Crooked UK MPs

The Roman Catholic based UK Telegraph says:

"David Cameron, Ed Miliband and the entire British political class came together yesterday to denounce the rioters. There was something very phony and hypocritical about all the shock and outrage expressed in parliament. MPs spoke about the week’s dreadful events as if they were nothing to do with them.

The criminality in our streets cannot be dissociated from the moral disintegration in the highest ranks of modern British society. The last two decades have seen a terrifying decline in standards among the British governing elite. It has become acceptable for our politicians to lie and to cheat. An almost universal culture of selfishness and greed has grown up."

IMO: I'm sure the Telegraph would know about corruption, after all it is run by RCs and we know how their priests operate with small boys. All we need now in the UK is Michelle Bachman. Current Danziger URL explains how Bachman could help..

Anna Hazare’s second indefinite fast

With less than 48 hours left for Anna Hazare’s second indefinite fast on the Lokpal issue, the UPA government and the ruling Congress today upped the ante, launching a scathing attack on him. While the Congress cited the findings of the Justice P B Sawant Commission to allege that Hazare was “corrupt from head to toe”, the government said his protest was “undemocratic” and “unacceptable”.

But Hazare maintained that the allegations against him were “baseless”. “I want the government to lodge an FIR against me and conduct an inquiry... Even if the Jan Lokpal Bill is cleared in Parliament, I will not call off my indefinite fast till the charges levelled against me are proved or my name is cleared,” he said.

Hazare claimed the Sawant Committee had noted that he did not indulge in corruption, while it had named some Maharashtra ministers against whom there were complaints. He said he had asked for a probe, but there had been no response.

IMO: Anyway, this sounds like the way Govt Officials tend to work. First they try to ignore a complaint, then they bluster that it is worthless in some way. Maybe now we should get some real action, but of course I do not know what.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari said Hazare’s movement was backed by “armchair fascists, over-ground Marxists and apolitical anarchists”.

IMO: And that really sounds like bluster if ever I heard it, assuming - as is probable - that it is a direct quote.    

Cameron and the cuts

Paul McKeever, president of the Police Federation, said Cameron's stance on police cuts was indefensible. "He is like a scientist who has a pet theory which has been completely debunked by exposure to reality. But he refuses to face that. The 16000 officers who have been on the streets in London are the number he wants to cut - that is the reality."

IMO: Seems correct. Cameron should have listened to Cable, and taken slower action. Things could still be put right, but they will almost certainly not be. Basically the fault was with the bankers, to start with we need at least a much stronger Glass-Steagal type act, and a Tobin tax NOW. Cameron is being bribed by the bankers, by Rupert, by the private doctors and just about every other wealthy thief he can find, so he will not even try to put things right. The hoodlums can be handled if he gets his accounts straight, which he will not do.

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Hero died protecting others

His brother said : “The Army should have been brought in. The police could not control the situation. If the Army was on the streets my brothers would still be alive. The police protected the city centre, but they weren’t in the multi-cultural areas until it was too late. There was no one here protecting us. Why were the police just in the city centre when there was a chance the races were going to clash around here?"

IMO: Part of the problem is that use of the the Army by Cameron would lead to too much collateral damage if the Army followed orders and did their job. But my feeling is that the police and other extremely well paid members of the public want to gain privileges formerly given only to the upper classes and this does not make co-ordination easy.

Police impose terms on Hazare

The stage was set once again on Saturday for a confrontation between Team Anna and the government. While the anti-corruption activists rejected the Delhi Police's demand that they restrict the turnout as well as the duration of the fast the Gandhian is set to start from August 16 to press for a Jan Lokpal, the Prime Minister brushed aside an appeal to intervene in the matter.

While co-activists Shanti Bhushan and Arvind Kejriwal termed the police's demand "unconstitutional", Anna Hazare made a direct appeal to the PM. "You are 79 years old and occupy the highest position in the country. What else do you want from life? Show some gumption and take concrete steps. We are willing to sacrifice our lives for the country and look to the leader of the country to give us an appropriate place," Anna said reading out from a letter to the PM.

Manmohan Singh responded to the Gandhian leader's appeal by suggesting that his grievances could be addressed by appropriate authorities.

IMO: Hmm, Manmohan Singh is almost sounding like a 19th Century Englishman occupying India and patience is even wearing thin on 20th Century English politicians in England. Maybe there should be a better understanding all round

Friday, August 12, 2011

Nancy Wake

Nancy Wake, who died on August 7 aged 98, was among the most decorated secret agents of the Second World War. She had become famed as a resourceful, dauntless Resistance leader, who topped the Gestapo’s most-wanted list and had saved hundreds of Allied lives.

IMO: She tried to get a job as an MP where I lived in Sydney but did not succeed. I recall her well, from when she was canvassing. When you think of the total rubbish that do get made MPs in the UK like Cameron and Clegg, it seems a pity now but she did compete against Evatt, probably a mistake.

Revised London Olympics logo, now with rioter!

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England riots: Cameron's fight-back starts to fracture

Yesterday, an individual with no previous criminal convictions was handed a six month sentence for stealing £3 of water from a shop during the looting.

IMO: That's another typical act by the irresponsible judiciary of the UK.

But both the PM and London Mayor were members of the notorious "elite" Bullingdon Club whose members had fun trashing places while extremely drunk etc. but who exculpated themselves from conviction or sanction by using their vast inherited wealth.

The President of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) broke ranks to condemn Mr Cameron and Theresa May's response to the riots as "irrelevant".

IMO: The details suggest that the criminal louts Cameron and May were in fact talking nonsense. But poor Orde will possibly suffer at the hands of these hooligans for speaking the truth.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

UK Parliament demands violent repression of British youth riots

ICFI say "Yesterday’s emergency debate in the British parliament, recalled in emergency session following the eruption of youth riots earlier this week, was a contemptible spectacle.

The disturbances that have swept large parts of London and other cities and towns across England are the direct product of the vast growth in poverty, deprivation and police brutality faced daily by many working class youth.

Everyone knows that these conditions are of the outcome of deliberate policies pursued by Labour and Conservative governments alike over the last three decades, as they have competed to satisfy the financial oligarchy and super-rich at the expense of working people. And everyone is well aware that the current Conservative-Liberal Democrat government’s austerity measures—driven by the self-same class interests—will lead to even greater social devastation and inequality.

But any reference to this reality was strictly off limits".

IMO: Well it is the true reality, and at least in this blog it is not off-limits. I believe Cameron even would like to censor or cancel the popular Twitter. Presumably he'd also like to censor anything else that does not happen to kowtow to his desired slave society. Another thing, I would bet that the enormous SocGen would like to censor the Daily Mail, who appears to have written its usual rubbish about French banks which sounds like obvious lies. These lies knocked 25% off SocGen shares. I bet somebody made a profit, but it will not have been a boy who nicked a pair of trainers. My solution ? Maybe a Tobin tax.


Looting

To me, after Cameron's unsane behaviour involving the cuts and so many other things, even after he was occasionally advised by a few at least half way sharp minds such as Vince Cable, the looting situation was, whilst admittedly abominable, exactly what might have been expected.

I certainly expected it.

But out of some amusement and annoyance at the very bad situation, I read a few articles as to what people say.

Alex Hiller, a marketing and consumer expert at Nottingham Business School, points out that there is no conflict between anomie and consumption: "If you look at Baudrillard and other people writing in sociology about consumption, it's a falsification of social life. Adverts promote a fantasy land. Consumerism relies upon people feeling disconnected from the world."

IMO: Yes, it is the ongoing Thatcherite attempts to promote greed, particularly for trivia, that are pushing forward the UK fascism that we are barely able to tolerate now. It is essentially the same 'National Socialism' that fuelled the Third Reich. But the UK does not have enough slave labor to push forward its agenda, such as has frequently been available to Germany, and is even now with a pauperised EU. A proper socialist agenda might work even now - or for that matter a proper right wing agenda, but NOT Blairite or Thatcherite lies and fantasy - and look at it this way - most of these people even claim to be religious, and that is a fantasy of its own. They are simply devil-worshipers, like the Vatican is, a fact that non Catholics have seen clearly for years. Now even the Irish are beginning to realise the horrible truth. Not that I could complain about the Vatican, but I was even briefed by Catholic priests perhaps as long ago as 30 or 40 years as to what a mess the Catholic Church is. Not that I would suggest guys like Warren Jeffs (the poor man's pope) or Jimmy Swaggart instead, not nice choices. Certainly the way Blair became Prime Minister was that the electorate supported his fascism, and what a mess that was. Wilson had tried to give genuine socialism, but his supporting electorate were just the same types as today's drunken thugs. And it sure does not say the Tories are OK, the old saying was that a Tory House of Lords at least cuts down the amount of street mugging - the worst muggers then being in the House of Lords.

Well there are plenty of ways it can be put right, and they will not be tried, as far as I can see.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

A story about a modern debtors' prison in Michigan.

Fish-Fine Kyle Dewitt spent three days in jail because he was too poor to pay a fishing fine. (Dewitt disputes the charge).

“Long thought to be a relic of the 19th century, debtors’ prisons are still alive and well in Michigan,” Kary Moss, executive director of the Michigan ACLU, said in a press release. “Jailing our clients because they are poor is not only unconstitutional, it’s unconscionable and a shameful waste of resources.”

IMO: In the UK, Cameron's criminal and worthless regime will ensure -  through the 'cuts' - that paupers will not be allowed adequate legal defence. It is both difficult and in many cases often well-nigh useless even now ! The courts are only too often total crap already. Cameron will at best try to extract Army work where they will be cannon-fodder or maybe use them as free local slave labor. Cameron's idea of the Big Society seems to be a 'Slave Society' which givs plenty of free labor to his moat and duckpond pals. World War II was fought to deprive the world of such idiots as Cameron.

Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Invisibility cloak

Invisibility cloaks may be improved by a device slowing down the light before it reaches the cloak. UK developed.

IMO: No basic physics involved AFAIK and it is simple optics. I gather that the 2D version should work for a start, but the heavy practical problems involved with invisibility cloaks can't be easy with yet another light barrier. Could be OK for some lab and VR experiments.

The US Navy Bought Fake Chinese Microchips That Could Have Disarmed U.S. Missiles

Last year, the U.S. Navy bought 59,000 microchips for use in everything from missiles to transponders and all of them turned out to be counterfeits from China.

Wired reports the chips weren't only low-quality fakes, they had been made with a "back-door" and could have been remotely shut down at any time.

If left undiscovered the result could have rendered useless U.S. missiles and killed the signal from aircraft that tells everyone whether it's friend or foe.

Apparently foreign chip makers are often better at making cheap microchips and U.S. defense contractors are loathe to pass up the better deal

IMO: You really would think that buying such microchips from people who might soon be in a war with you, is not very sensible. US made chips could be turn out to be safer in the US at least, one hopes, and such purchases could benefit the failing US economy. The Chinese are probably equal buffoons to the US for buying those old Russian subs they are getting.

Monday, August 08, 2011

Cameron's 'Big Society'

I seriously think that all these London riots are what they might have expected. The blame is not just Cameron and his 'cuts' but Tony Blair's regime and all the rest of it.

In the position some of those people are in, you cannot expect anything else. I've said why several times in this blog.  And Cameron and all the other banana politicians clearly could not care less. A 'banana politician' starts off green, is yellow if there are constituent complaints, and of course is bent.

I do not like it but my choice of Prime Minister would probaby have been Diane Abbot, and that is still my view. Anyway, she could hardly have done worse than the present bunch of clowns. And, as usual, the decent honorable honest people like myself suffer.



Basic needs for the elderly and ill are clearly becoming less and less predictable because of the cuts, just because the MPs want to put the money in their own pocket or are simply too cowardly and incompetent to do their jobs. When I go back to the UK I am wondering whether I will even get my medicines, and may even have to pay for a wheelchair if I need one, after I have paid lifelong for the NHS from my earnings.


Saturday, August 06, 2011

After U.S. downgrade, liberals attack messenger

New York Times columnist Paul Krugman called the downgrade "an outrage" and accused S&P of "just making stuff up." "Apparently we're supposed to care about what some idiots at some corrupt organization think about anything."

S&P's performance was considred "amateur hour" and investors cited a $2 trillion math mistake made in an earlier S&P assessment.  Another anonymous administration official added: "A judgment flawed by a $2 trillion error speaks for itself."

IMO: On the face of it, it looks exactly like that. Of course, there are some figures given by the BBC which are none too persuasive but I tend to agree with these commentators. 

Friday, August 05, 2011

Strauss Kahn's wife falls to the ground and howls like an animal

The Indian Express says Dominique Strauss Kahn's wife, Anne Sinclair, 'fell to the ground and howled like an animal' when she first heard of the rape allegations against her husband.

The Hindustan Times adds that Air France staff and customers have alleged only male attendants served Strauss Kahn, while he was travelling by air, as he habitually abused female cabin crew.

China Radio International on 'China Drive' think that Strauss Kahn must have been set up.

IMO: French women falling to the floor and howling like animals is par for the course, maybe women don't do that in mysterious China. As I said about the EU on July 26th "Strauss-Kahn is the new Europe, and you are ALL f**cked". The fact that Air France now only uses male attendants when Strauss Kahn flies shows at least that they are trying to be socially objective, and maybe trying to encourage Strauss Kahn's bisexual tendencies.

Obama's Satan Sandwich

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver described the federal debt deal as a Satan sandwich this week. “There is nothing inside this sandwich that the major religions of the world will say deals with protection for the poor, the widows, the children,”

Well, Democrats generally say: "We have given much and received nothing in return. The lesson today is that Republicans can hold their breath long enough to get what they want."

IMO: I described on Sunday, January 24, 2010, "USA's Pact With Satan" which appears to be part of Republican spin. Seems that it was claimed by Republicans that Obama thanked Satan for his success and indeed a video to that end was provided. How long must we say "Fox News is to blame for all this poverty and corruption ?" Until the Republcans have filled their boots, seemingly, and for that we have to wait for the Rapture. I would have hoped for better legislation to prevent these situations which cannot really merit anyone.

Thursday, August 04, 2011

Have scientists found a crashed flying saucer on the seabed?

According to the UK "Daily Mail" :  "A mysterious circle on a grainy scan, this is what scientists are claiming is finally evidence that Earth has been visited by aliens. Researchers have claimed the fuzzy outline is a flying saucer that ended up 300ft down on the ocean floor between Sweden and Finland".

IMO: I can quite understand that the media have some sort of duty to report the news, but surely responsible assessments would be welcome. Practically all the so-called 'science news' in many national papers might as well not be read at all.

The Smurfs are fascist, Stalinist and racist says sociologist

He has even written a book about it. Smurf Village or Hitler's Berlin? Same thing, posits Antoine Buéno's new book, "The Little Blue Book".

This serious book alleges the Smurfs are based on the Ku Klux Klan and that they are deviant perverts. Smurfin is the only female living in the village and her image –with blond hair and refined facial characteristics – strongly resembles the Arian beauty-ideal of the German Nazis.

IMO: In a way I have always thought the Smurfs were a sort of version of the obscene UK children's series "Captain Pugwash". The BBC and others keep saying there are no filthy double entendres in "Captain Pugwash" but normal human beings seem to spot hundreds of them, fewer perhaps than in some of the Horne & Mudoch BBC series, but a lot for children nonetheless. I understand that years ago there used to be an obscene video around starring Father Abraham (the Dutch comic actor) with the Smurfs, and whilst this could confirm the point, in the way of such matters it may not have used the original cast. There have to be some social issues somewhere in all this, but I have not noted them so far.

Wednesday, August 03, 2011

Researchers poke gaping holes in Google Chrome OS

Matt Johansen said, "Chrome hacking through XSS may be only the beginning, since the flaws are among the easiest to find and exploit".

“Who knows what we're going to be looking for months or years from now when Google can figure out a way to thwart the cross-site scripting threat,” he said. “Why would we be trying to write buffer overflows when we can just write a simple JavaScript command.”

IMO: I do not use Chrome very much, but for my purposes (a PC not a netbook) I have so far not found significant speed advantages, unlike some claim. I'd be guessing you must certainly expect it to be somewhat vulnerable, like all browsers. For years the MAC enthusiasts said that the MAC was fairly hack and virus free, but IMO that has simply always been because people didn't bother to hack or virus the MAC much. Chrome at best, is probably only as strong as its weakest extensions.

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Amarnath lingam melts 10 days before yatra-end

The unprecedented rush of pilgrims to Amarnath this year has contributed to the ice Shivling in the holy mountain cave completely melting away more than 10 days before the end of the yatra.

Officials said around 6.15 lakh people have so far completed the annual pilgrimage, the highest in the yatra's history. Unofficial sources put the number at more than 7 lakh. At the height of the yatra in the first half of July, about 25,000 yatris were visiting the shrine each day.

The yatra ends on Shravan Purnima on August 13

Norway to 'change'

"Regardless of how much we talk about democracy, openness and the fact that we should carry on as before, Norway will be forced to protect itself better against tormented 'losers' with evil intentions," the Verdens Gang daily wrote in an editorial yesterday.

IMO: For many reasons, this is totally unrealistic. Think of the analogous case in the UK, of elderly dying people being denied life saving surgery by a crooked greedy Government and totally corrupt Press Lords, who are simply the UK equivalent of the War Lords in Afghanistan. This certainly makes even suicide bombing of crap MPs or doctors by their innocent and worthy victims sound a reasonable and even a satisfactory option. So, unfortunately, there is similarly  more empathy with the anti-Muslim protest movement in Norway than one might wish. Obviously a lot of these poor bastards have simply been conned by a religion which seemed OK thousands of years ago, but which present Muslim wouldbe warlords have turned into total crap by any standards. So their imams are often enough idolators and blasphemers and should suffer the penalties of their misrepresentation of the faith of holy Islam. And the followers will get the same. Saying "we have to be tolerant" is practically a blasphemy by any standards. For many years, for example, Australia had a white Australia policy. It was done intelligently, it worked, and now one of Australia's major souces of income is Indian students. The Norwegians may live in a wealthy vaccuum, but they have to grow up and come into the real world or they will not survive - the UK and Europe don't have much chance at the moment either.


UK government is sleeping while people are weeping

Tory cuts are affecting the common person. Despite that, Cameron is still cutting essential services, even including refuse disposal. The government needs to take a committed stand on cuts and make it sure that they occur to overpaid people like MPs, senior administrators and media tycoons like the Murdochs. The latter especially is very easy, as Cameron must realise by now. Cuts to the poor, the elderly and the starving should be avoided. Cuts to the average person must be done only after a discussion and voting.

IMO: Cameron must know by now that hasty action has just about sent his "big society" down the tubes. Real - not faux - adjustments could still save his job and win him acclaim. The records of recent politicians suggest that that is unlikely.

Monday, August 01, 2011

So much for the "Big Society"

Thousands of UK charities face deep cuts, with many losing their funding altogether.

"These are not just 'nice to have' groups but organisations providing vital services for older people trying to maintain independent lives, vulnerable children and abused women," said False Economy campaign director Clifford Singer.

The list of charities facing funding Cameron cuts includes 112 adult care charities, 142 elderly-related charities, 382 children's and young people-related charities and 151 disability-related charities.

IMO: The "Big Society" was always obviously a Tory "Big Con". It could have been made a lot worse. The cuts are largely because local authorities, under Labor, had to pay a lot of the charity money. Obviously, many local authority staff are greedy as hell and basically concerned to trouser as much money as they can. Before, they had to 'pander to arseholes' (not my words) but now they do not. I do run a small nonprofit in the UK and never sought any money, just fair treatment and there was never any chance of that. But Cable was right, a lot of careful work was necessary if any cuts were to be made. It is hardly in Cameron's interest that these local council people are now showing their true colours. Even now, he could improve matters. After paying lifelong, there is becoming little chance of any treatment we paid for. For example on the NHS, it is difficult to get any sensible advice, let alone decent trestment or an operation. I spent a lot on phone calls to the NHS and did not get one penny worth of advice. People will be put on an indefinite waiting list and Cameron can only hope we snuff it before we get a vote. We are really just being told to 'go away and die' and we were told this over the phone by the NHS.

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