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DISINGENUITY AWARD FOR WEDNESDAY

Without doubt, the award goes to Harriet Harman (in spite of a strong challenge from Peter Mandelson) for her totally unbelievable 'explanation' of David Miliband's selfless journalistic outburst, calling for New, Better, More Effective, High Fibre (Gordon-free) CHANGE, to revive the Labour fortunes, so unfairly lost to slings and arrows of Imprudent Fortune.

Oh Harriet! Doh! and thrice doh! If you can be that rubbish at dissembling: in light of your recent denial, it is almost certain you are going to try for the top job.
But remember: the Beautiful Liar has passed on to holier plains - we shall not see such deception again - no, Britain's not Israel.

Poor David, putting his head above the parapet has guaranteed that whatever that arch-plotter Brown will do in any Cabinet re-shuffle, Miliband will get the poisoned chalice and will become the next Chancellor.
That should "Scotch" any popularity he may accrue if ever he had the courage to stand against Brown.

As I blogged before the saying "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer" comes to mind especially as he will be his next door neighbour.

Brown won't go until he is pushed or is that putsched?

DECLINE IN MILITARY RECRUITS

Might it be that modern reporting has show us all how much 'they' are like 'us'? And How modern medicine makes it so much harder to DIE for an ideal; a severely messed up life now being the ultimate, 'ultimate price'? Is it even possible that letting the ladies in has de-macho'd the whole show; perhaps at a subconscious level? When I was a kid, MEN fought, and hard men fought harder. Few who were severely wounded survived. Women supported men in their fighting. Shout all you like: in men's heads it made sense. Perhaps now it doesn't - like so much else in barmy Britain.
Personally, I look askance at war as a tool of Civilisation. But if you are going to use that tool: give it to a hairy bloke with testosterone in his voice, veins and viscera, and tell him: 'go do mayhem lad, it's what you are made for'.

EVICTION POLITICS (Diego Garcia)

There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home.
No - it's not working, I am still in Britain (living the nightmare) where we apologise for the slave trade but tell the evicted Chagossians they can lump it, as our American chums want their island.
It is certainly a bad dream, even without the rendition flights as dream-topping. I am at a loss to understand why our leaders are not laughed out of every do-gooder forum on the planet. We carry such taint from past and present dodgy doings and associations. How much better it would be if Brown and Miliband (et al) stayed at home and tried to scrub the indelible faecal stain from our British Doorstep!

HARD-MALFUNCTIONING FAMILIES (drugs and the cause of drugs)

Around ten years ago, I went to a talk in Reading (Berkshire) by the local guy with the thankless task of tackling the drug scene.
I had the opportunity to chat with him after
and he came over as far too sane and wise ever to go into politics.
He said: 'There is no drug problem, only the problem of people whose lives are so impoverished and desperate, that they fall easily into escape through drugs.' The same politicians that are devising 'initiatives' and passing laws, while spending a fortune on the whole futile prevention exercise, are the ones who have no idea how mad and miserable 'hard malfunctioning families' are. Successive governments have ripped the natural heart out of our culture and left us with a betting, booze and Big Brother. Small wonder many turn to drugs.
Should I bring this ten-year-old truth to the attention of government? Mr Brown is listening and feels their pain! Mr Miliband knows just what must be done! Hazel Blears will bring excessive cheerfulness to bear on the problem!
I must pop over to the bad-lands and get something for the pain.

Speculation over whether FARC rebels were paid a ransom in return for releasing Ingrid Betancourt. Just hours after news of the audacious rescue operation codenamed "Checkmate" became public, the Swiss public radio station Radio Suisse Romande began quoting a "reliable" source as saying that the Colombian government had paid a US$20 million bribe to secure release of the high-profile, long-term hostages. The hostages "were in reality ransomed for a high price, and the whole operation afterwards was a set-up," the radio's French-language channel said.

...


Hundreds detained at UAE airports for using fake passports. Of the 533 arrests and convictions for false passports made in 2007, many had stolen British passports.

...

The British ambassador to Moscow and two of his diplomats were refused entry to a UK-funded nuclear fuel storage facility in Russia. Brenton said through the embassy spokesman that Atomflot's refusal to let Brenton's delegation in was not helpful to improving relations.

"This must raise serious questions over the UK's continuing involvement in this sphere," he said.

meanwhile

Russian strategic bombers may soon be deployed at airbases in Cuba, Venezuela and Algeria as a response to the U.S. missile shield in Europe and NATO's expansion, Russian daily Izvestia said

On Diego Garcia I am glad that you are trying to put some pressure on the government regarding cooperating in and with extraordinary renditions. Its a disgrace. They have to, or should know about these things.

On Miliband is he credible? Telegenic and very intelligent but he is a lot like the New Labour project - all froth and no substance. There is not a cats chance in hell of him turning things around in the short to medium term.

As for his comment about the Tories, and I am no Tory, but is this a Freudian transferral of issues. New Labour and Old Labour, 10p and child poverty targets, law and order versus extraordinary renditions etc etc.

As for Cameron is he talking to the SNP?

In general he seems OK and the Shadow bench is starting to look credible.

I still think the smart move for him is to pledge a move to fairer voting. That should reduce the risk of governments who are SO out of touch with the voters. Many of whom find their votes don't count in first past the post and it works alright in London and Scotland etc.

What about this young man sitting at his home computer and hacking into the USA military computer network?
It sounds like one of those fantasy films they put out from Hollywood.
The only thing is he is about to be extradited to America as a terrorist and may be locked up for the rest of his life.
If that is the case, they should also be chasing the officials responsible for ensuring the security of the computer network because if an amateur interested in flying saucers can break the system, surely proffesionals can also break into it.

#6 bookhimando - re stationing Russian bombers abroad: Have a look at the below, if you're interested. Venezuela and Algeria are Russia's 3rd and 4th largest export destinations (with China, 1st, and India, 2nd, taking up more than 2/3 of total exports).

Today's chart in the Economist

Original report and charts from SIPRI


*

* to get absolute figures click on Generate Importer/Exporter TIV Tables, select under 1. Export from and Russia, and under 2. select From 2003

more gas rises. the gas chart shows the price the same as in march so all the gas companies are doing is 'locking in the june price spike' at the summer low prices.

its criminal.

if Miliband is going to move he'd better do it quickly ...... they might just get away with a
leadership change by September if there is to be a General Election before their next electoral trouncing which is due with the
European Elections next Spring ..............

If new management were installed before Obama's team wins the White House DM
might just manage to get a hung result
next Spring and do a deal with Clegg on
Europe and the SNP on independence??

Otherwise he should hunker down and prepare for a generation in Opposition.
After the Euros Labour money dries up
unless they push thru campaign finance
reform which will then look very cynical.

The Labour leadership contest in Scotland is now underway - during the summer recess.

So Newsnight Editor Peter Barron is off to Google? Hopefully he will be able to sort
out their asterisk facility as a top priority:

e.g. try Googling the following using *:

London * Capital of Europe

Liverpool * Capital of Europe

Glasgow * Capital of Europe

>
at 5.45pm today these Google results
were as follows:

"London Moslem Capital of Europe";
"Liverpool Culture Capital of Europe";
"Glasgow Murder Capital of Europe"!

Go on Kirsty - kill him .... there is a new defence for women nagged by men ....

MORE RAILING

Crick behind railings - Crick in front of railings! No pun, no relevance, no new ideas from Ray Ling, Ace Video Repetitionist.
You could have said that Gordon's gang were railing against Miliband's effrontery. Or that Gordon might be contemplating barring (geddit?) Miliband from the cabinet. But no. Just railings . . . Let's have a zebra crossing (policies of another stripe) or some shrubbery (Bush presidency) an ice cream van (frozen out) or the back of a bus - (this post has been referred . . .)