大象传媒

Welcome King Abdullah !
I'd rather be governed by a good King, raised for the job. Than by a shambolic democracy, lead by the Greedy on the say so of the Ignorant.

This has got to stop. The machinations of this government are well known to everybody (spoilt votes in Scotland, the lies over Iraq, the spin...just to name a few)so why all the fuss about a nation where the crime rate is nearly to the zero mark, where the morality has not been eroded, and where the people are not ignorant? please explain, i'm just a confused student!

Any state not throughly committed to free-market 'liberal' (aka anarcho-capitalist) democracy is challenged on 'human rights' grounds as a threat to a) developed world hegemony, and specifically in the Middle East, b) Israel's 'security'.

/dna/mbreligion/F2213240?thread=4669386&skip=40&show=20

Islam is also a threat to UK/USA/EU hegemony domestically. Looked at critically, at root, Islam threatens the developed world's *lack of* reproductive *fitness*.

We have a lesson to learn. Look up EU and European USA citizens' TFRs.

Who amidst us (if anyone) might not want this lesson learned? And why?

"Any state not throughly committed to free-market 'liberal' (aka anarcho-capitalist) democracy is challenged on 'human rights' grounds as a threat to a) developed world hegemony, and specifically in the Middle East, b) Israel's 'security'."

I love the Newsnight comments page, if only because it manages to draw comments from various loonys who are possibly the best advert against democracy, in that these people have the right to vote!
Saudi Arabia is, by most measures, a country without human rights, that has long attempted to maintain the status quo by entering a covenant with Islamists, to draw attention from their own failings as a state. At best it turns a blind eye to the propagation of hatred and racism throughout the world in the hope of deflecting attention from its own role in the subjugation of its own population. At worst, it is the main funder of Islamic terrorism.

Adrienne, your preoccupation with procreation is faintly troubling.

Speaking as a Trotskyite.

Webcast no worky.

WILL YOU NEVER LEARN?

Same thing happened the last time the clocks changed.

I would like to object to some of the comments made by Ed Hussein on tonight's programme. Mr Hussein has a specific although not especially rigorous or indeed intellectually persuasive agenda: to present scripturalist, so-called Wahabbi Muslims as prone to terrorism and other Muslims, notably those who adhere to Sufi modes of thought, practive and identity as being some how more tolerant, liberal and open, in short, acceptable to Western standards. On this evening's programme, indeed, he went as far to say that if not all Wahabbis are terrorists then all terrorists are Wahabbis.

This is complete and utter
nonsense. All of the words terrorists are not Wahabbi: one only needs to look to northern Ireland, Iran and elsewhere to prove this point. More importantly, in the complex reality of the Middle East as well as Muslim societies of South Asia there is no simple distinction between Wahabbi and Sufi Muslims: schools of thought that Ed Hussein would like to depict as being derived from Wahabbi Islam do in fact have important histprical and contemporary connections to Sufi thought and practice: the Deoband school of Pakistan and India is a case in point.

The problem with inviting someone like Ed Hussein on to national television to discuss matters of such a senstive and political nature as these is that he makes grossly oversimplistic generalisations fed by his own particular positions. This can be summed up as trying to depict some Muslims as good and worthy of Western patronage and others as in some sense inherently violent. Instead, what is required is an attempt to address the complexity of the current political dynamics of the Muslim world and the varied and interacting Islamic traditions found therein.

It is hightime that the 大象传媒 should give the wider public access to more sociologically and political real understandings of the political and reigiuos dynamics of Muslim-majority societies than those voiced by influence-seeking ambitions such as Ed Hussein. A best seller does nto, unfortunately and especially in Hussein's case, reflect a serious engagement with the issues in their full complexity. The 大象传媒 needs to find more imaginative ways of representing Muslim voices. All to often those for and against so-called scriptual or Sufi Islam were pitted alongside one another as though these different categories stand for truth in an all encompassing and global sense. The sooner the 大象传媒 questions the very relevance of such simplifying ways of talking about and classifying Muslims and the countries from which they come the better.

#5 I suggest you look a little self-critically into how a) foreign campaigns for 'Human Rights' (do Russians vote? Does China have a 'democracy'?) and b) domestic (EU/FCHR) legislation for 'Human Rights' is used strategically to wage subversive demographic warfare.

That there is little point voting given that the parties available are now clones of each other appealing through FOCUS groups and polls to market themselves to ill-informed popular opinion in lieu of any ability to produce credible leadership in the anarcho-capitalist world they themselves are constrained to operate within throgh EU legislation (see commments on the FCHR and EU Reform Treaty) should be clear to all given the electorate's apathy/low turnouts/obvious cynicism. Sadly, it isn't, see response to #6.

#6 The concern is not just about the low TFRs but dysgenic as well as differential fertility and the all too evident consequences.

For the cognosecenti - Something on the modus operandi of Trotskyites and their disdain for 'racism' and 'authoritarian' states:-

/blogs/newsnight/2007/10/thursday_25_october_2007_1.html

See comments in the above, last link, in response to the Edwards interview, and contrast the facts with politically shaped/constrained public opinion.

/dna/mbreligion/F2213240?thread=4707975&skip=0&show=20

拢50 million invested in research for alternative fuel cars to help mitigate climate change and thus save the planet is absolutely ludicrous when compared to the 拢20 billion required for a Trident replacement which has the potential to destroy the world.

I want to buy an electric powered
car but I can't at a reasonable cost because I don't live in London, (Wigan actually).

Get your finger out Government. 拢20 billion should be spent on saving the planet not helping destroy it.

Adrienne, oh dear, and I thought that a person well informed might venture a rational opinion....but clearly not. Your rhetoric is more than troubling, the idea that Islam is a threat to anyone. Firstly, have a look at interpretations of a any of the important Islamic texts (I can point you in the right direction if you like) and all profess peace with thy neigbour - unless subjugated, and now I'm in no way advocating terrorism, but such as has been the abuse levelled towards this peacful religion which taught us how to write. remember, terrorism is all about what it provokes (In that sense are we not acting as terrorists when we provoke nations such as Iran). I'm shocked and dissapointed at what i've read so far on that link Adrienne

#11 Please read what I said again a little more carefully.

One can criticise something which someone else (or some other group) is doing to themselves which demonstrably harms them. If you re-read my post and links you may see something novel.

I apologise if it was not clear that I was supporting what was said in comments #1, #2 and #3.

I was intentionally making a subtle, and perhaps easily missed, point.

Well the interview regarding hydrogen fuel cell research clearly showed that Climate Change has nothing whatsoever to do with saving the planet and everything to do with being 'the leaders', raising tax revenue, gaining funding and making money from selling the results. It matters not one jot to climate change if CO2 is reduced by using Japanese developed and made fuel cells or ones developed and made in the UK or Europe. What was made very clear indeed is that it does matter to pride and profits.

Climate Change is the new Cold War. Instead of tilting at the Soviet windmill, politicians and scientists are tilting at the climate change wind turbine.

#12 No I'm sorry Baz but that's nonsense. The reason the Japanese, Americans, Germany and even the Norwegians are investing in hydrogen and other advanced energy technologies is that they want to grow their industrial capability in this sector and take part in what's going to be a huge new global market.

Pity they cut Dave McGrath off before he had time to answer Wicks.. It doesn't matter how Wicks tries to spin it this country is well behind in the development of hydrogen technologies.

As usual this lousy Govt and it's chums in the City are investing as little as they can get away with whilst keeping their fingers crossed someone else will develop all the technology so we can buy what we want when we need it.

Since when did Paul Mason become a walking, talking advert for Skype? Anybody in the mobile phone industry will tell you that it鈥檚 not free to make calls. There are always hidden costs. What I wanted to know was how does it work? Is it free if you make calls to land lines? Or are calls only free from Skype to Skype users? And how well does it actually work once you鈥檙e connected? There wasn鈥檛 any analysis in this piece. The only point that came across was how cool this latest technology was. If you want to know how much it costs and how well 3G and Skype are actually performing take a look at the Guardian site. At least you will get the analysis.

I am a bit surprised that nothing is on here about the goverments recent amended working immigrant figures. Does that story not shock any body?.. am i the only one who finds its unbelievable, the ineptitude shown by our governing elite yet again. Does Carolyn Flint need someone who knows how to use a calculator.. is it just me or what? And dare i suggest that the moderator may have been given intructions not to allow critical comments of the above mentioned on here or even that the mod is a nulabour supporter. Now that would be really terrible.. would'nt it.

There *was* something here earlier. It has now gone. May I ask why?

Perhaps the re-submission can be posted, or at least, an explanation for the removal of the original, and the failure of the re-submission to appear?

When last year the taxes on green fuel went up to make them more expensive than diesel the govt direction was announced. Nothing has changed. Meanwhile the usa is creating hydrogen highways.

The uk has ignored every warning about jihadists. From the french sis warnings to local muslims telling police about 'jihadi preachers' only to be turned away the uk attitude is one long road of ignorance. As the famous quote in 'Carry on up the Khyber' showed when asked what the Governor was going to do about a local uprising Sid James said 'Do? Do? We're British. We'll DO nothing'. He then arranges a dinner party.

Kirsty the website slayer calls the website users insomniacs. Does she want to do a Ratner?

#15 Scamp wrote

"No I'm sorry Baz but that's nonsense... and take part in what's going to be a huge new global market."

Sorry Scamp, but I said "pride and profits" - or are you saying that this huge new global market is going to be not-for-profit? Now that would be nonsense.

As I said, Climate Change is the new Cold War and that was hugely profitable for those who took part.

#18 cookie ducker -

I'm afraid my response was one of no surprise. The Government has consistently got the official figures wrong. Is this just incompetence or a way of incrementally increasing the figures to lessen the shock? Certainly the minister on the programme came out with that 'not the whole story' remark that immigrants contribute 拢6bn to the economy that always makes me think of that Mr Micawber remark -

鈥淎nnual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen shillings and six pence, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds and six pence, result misery.鈥�

It's not the contribution that matters, it's the contribution minus the expenditure.

When Newsnight showed footage of demonstrators outside the Saudi Embassy last night, why did Newsnight choose to ignore the fact that the demonstrators were extremists associated with al-Muhajiroun? I suspect because it did not fit with Ed Hussain and neocon Richard Watson's narrative.

Dear Newsnight

an increasingly connected world where no one hide,is seen as a positive thing, but what about the negative side of this?

best wishes
Bob

Dear Newsnight

Just noticed csharps comments 'Kirsty the website slayer',(21) has a ring about it?
a new trilogy?
best wishes
Bob

Jim -

I think Kirsty Wark mentioned that Ed Husain is author of an important new book: The Islamist.

I''ve read the book - fascinating stuff. He has a chapter in there about Saudi Arabia and he is a PhD student at SOAS. A fresh voice, I'd say. Made some pungent points.

Interesting to note nobody here congratulated Vince Cable for his noble stance nor condemned Khalid Mahmood for supporting the Saudis.

More of Ed and Vincent, I say!

#27 Robert Green -

I'll certainly join with you on congratulating Vince Cable for taking a just stance and condemn Khalid Mahmood not only for supporting the Saudi regime, but trying to shut out others in the debate. I'm afraid that politicians know that time is limited and some filibuster. This certainly does not improve my opinion of them.