Trashing The Constitution And Illegal Wiretaps Are Patriotic

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As much as I am against the death penalty I would gladly hang the next fucker I heard uttering the word "Patriotism."

FBI head: Give telcos immunity even if they acted in bad faith

At the heart of President Bush's plea to give telecommunications companies legal immunity is the contention that these companies were merely being patriotic corporate citizens when they facilitated the warrantless wiretapping of Americans.

FBI Director Robert Mueller undercut that argument Wednesday, telling Congress that the 'good faith' argument should have nothing to do with whether or not they are let off the hook in dozens of pending court cases.

"I would focus more on the downsides, substantial downsides, of not providing retroactive immunity as being the principal rational of the legislation, providing immunity," Mueller told the Senate Judiciary Committee.more

President Bush has previously said it was unfair the companies were being "sued for billions of dollars,"

Terribly unfair.

And here are a few more words from the Emperor man that swore to uphold the constitution.

Bush officials: Congress irrelevant on Iraq

The Bush administration says the 2002 congressional authorization to go to war in Iraq gives it the authority to conduct combat operations in Iraq and negotiate far-reaching agreements with the current Iraqi government without consulting Congress.

The assertion, jointly made Tuesday by U.S. Ambassador David Satterfield and Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Mary Beth Long, drew an incredulous reaction from Democrats on a Joint House committee during a hearing on future U.S. commitments to Iraq.

“It's the view of the administration that as long as there’s trouble in Iraq that you have authorization of this Congress to continue there in perpetuity and define trouble as you desire?” asked Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y.

“We have authorization to defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq,” Satterfield replied. “The situation in Iraq continues to present a threat to the United States.”

The Bush administration also feels it does not need to seek the authorization of Congress more

Patriotism has it's own label on this blog.

The Empire Meddles: Hamas

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It's not because it's unimportant, the reason I don't report on the Palestinian situation, a fellow can only cover so much.

That said, this rather caught my eye. I guess it must be the wrong kind of democracy.

Dontcha just love the subtle use of the twin towers in this graphic? I've had less conspicuous zits on the end of my nose.

The US plotted to overthrow the democratically elected Hamas government in the Palestinian territories, documents obtained by Al Jazeera reveal.

One of the documents appears to show that Washington tried to persuade Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president and leader of Fatah, to remove Hamas from power.

One document, dated March 2007, states "the plan will enable the Palestinian leadership to be more credible in the eyes of Israel and the others".


But, when that plan failed, the US set up an operation to fund Fatah fighters and drive Hamas out.In Cairo, Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, justified the arming of Fatah, saying the situation had called for it.

She said she had not read a report in Vanity Fair magazine which quoted a former US intelligence official said to be knowledgeable of the US plans to overthrow Hamas after it failed to convince Abbas to dissolve the cabin more

Clinton: Time To Pull The Stumps

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I think a person has to be on the ground to get a real feel for what's going down, but the view and the feeling I get as I sit in this far removed tower is that Hillary is far from a lot of folks idea of a good cup of tea.

Obviously this appears to be the case from the results so far, but is it that Clinton is so disliked or is it because after the disaster of the last seven years people are ready for a radical shift in leadership?

I can see the attraction with Obama, young, charismatic and articulate and folks could well be saying, in spite of Obama's lack of governmental experience, let's have a complete change, out with the old in with the new.

As I say I'm too far removed, am I close?

This then from Marc Cooper at the Huffpo.

It's 3am and Hillary's Dreaming

To be a winner you have to win. And Tuesday night Hillary Clinton unreservedly won three out of four states. Barack Obama, however, has won twice as many primary and caucus states overall, leads substantially in the popular vote and continues to hold a mathematically insurmountable lead in elected delegates.

For two or three days, the Clinton campaign will spin itself -and the media--silly, breathlessly celebrating her overwhelming victories in Rhode Island and Ohio and her squeaker in Texas.

After the confetti is swept and the champagne bottles are tossed a more sober reality will take hold. Not just that her net gain of delegates this week will be, at most, in the single digits. But worse. There is no plausible scenario in which Clinton can win the nomination. At least not democratically.more

A brief history Of Growing Up

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It was the photograph immediately below that attracted me to this little story, how well I remember, and I'm still fagging away a half century later.



Children are growing up too fast, says a leading author. But hasn't society always worried that young people are experiencing adulthood too soon?

Fat, spoilt, feral and stupid. Who would be a child or teenager today? They even miss-time their coming-of-age, apparently.

"I think children act like adults at an alarmingly early age," said Dame Jacqueline Wilson, who has sold more than 30 million books. Her remarks came as a poll by her publisher suggested that more than half of parents believe childhood is now over by 11.

But a glance through recent history shows that adults have long raised concerns about children "growing up" too quickly. Did they always?more

On This Day March 5th

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Supreme court upholds ban on segregation. A ten minute film from 1956 accompanies this story, watch BBC reporter explore various attitudes in Richmond Virginia.

On a lighter note, listen to the accent on the man from the Beeb, if you didn't speak with such a ridiculous far back accent you just wouldn't get a reporting job for the BBC, not back then, not in the good old days!




Stalin breathing his last. Air crash Mount Fuji. Two Spanish planes collide mid air. Ben Johnson banned and other.

Extreme Child Abuse. Baby Bible Bashers. A Film

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It's a little late in the day for a long intro.

Baby Bible Bashers produced by Cutting Edge aired on main stream TV here in the UK some short while ago.
I'm glad to see that someone has uploaded the program to Youtube, if you want to see everything that is bad about religious parents then this is the program for you.

Not one of the parents of the three kids that are featured passes muster, I won't ask you to pay special attention to the white kid from Mississippi or the behaviour of his parents, it's unavoidable, but the climax to this kids story is probably in the the fifth and last segment.

I urge you to view the complete film, it really is a must watch.

Part one here.

The Demon Weed and The 21st Centuary Senator

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(Senator)Harkin, which noted many of pot's notorious doom scenarios: "the small child whose parents are so addicted to illegal drugs that they sell everything including perhaps their own children to obtain a fix." Harkin knows the routine: smoke up, eat gyro, play Legend of Zelda, sell children to pirates for more pot, repeat. The full, horrifying letter, after the jump. Wonkette has the rest.

And we all know what fate awaits the girl next door who has a toke.





But surely the perils of pot fades into insignificance if we are to embrace this next film, for nothing will destroy America more than allowing America's youth to be exposed to "Perversion For Profit"

Listen to yer man's spiel, it's priceless.

"Schmidt, 25, has been relieved of his police powers"

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Kind of makes one wonder how he became empowered with any in the first place.

Must have passed the entrance exam I guess.

Cop in bar brawl Tasered

It took a Taser to subdue a Chicago Police officer who attacked two Forest Park cops Saturday night, authorities said.

Richard Schmidt, on the force two years and assigned to the Englewood District, faces felony aggravated battery charges for allegedly striking two Forest Park officers as well as a paramedic. Judge Gregory Ginex set Schmidt's bond at $10,000 on Monday.

"He wouldn't stop fighting," said Deputy Chief Thomas Aftanas of the Forest Park Police.more

South America Roundup

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Ecuador Denounces Colombia’s Most Serious and Artful Aggression.

Chavez: Colombia has become the Israel of Latin America

Bolivia threatens tough measures if international oil groups cut investments

Republican McCain: Chavez should remove troops from Colombia border

The Most Expesive Hard-On In History: Bush's War

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Where now those heady days of swagger and hubris?

The Iraq war has contributed to the US economic slowdown and is impeding an economic recovery, Nobel-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz says.

Meanwhile, the US Government is severely underestimating the cost of the war, Stiglitz and co-author Linda Bilmes write in their book, The Three Trillion Dollar War, due to be published in the US this week.

The nearly five-year-old war, once billed as virtually paying for itself through increased Iraqi oil exports, has cost the US Treasury US$845 billion ($1064 billion) directly.

"It used to be thought that wars were good for the economy. No economist really believes that anymore," Stiglitz said.more

Arianna gives us her opinion on the same book, same war and same three trillion dollars.

Alvaro Uribe The Devil's Disciple?

Ulterior motives and skulduggery are common bedfellows of many things in this world but we tend to associate these things, not unnaturally, with politicos.

Be it the lowliest pol of a local council to the pols that perform on that most most glittering stage of all, the stage of international affairs, ulterior motives and skulduggery are to openness what the words of a politician are to truth.

So with that in mind I found what the writer of the article below had to say about the recent incursion of Colombian troops into Ecuador rather interesting.

The writer, Richard Gott, is of the opinion that the raid was nothing more than an instrument to derail the negotiations between the FARC leaders and Hugo Chavez.




Not too wild a theory when one considers the well known and undisputed fact that Colombian President Alvaro Uribe is in bed with the Devil. (start of the fifth paragraph.)

The article below is worth reading to the end if only to gain a small insight into the history of FARC and why they are less than inclined to trust any Colombian government.

I was particularly struck by these few words in regard to negotiating with FARC.

When Uribe became president in 2002, he abandoned all such efforts and embarked on seeking an entirely military solution.

That seems an awfully familiar doctrine, wonder who put that idea in his head?



Highlight mine.

By all accounts, the midnight attack on the camp of the Farc leaders, a mile inside Ecuadorean territory in the jungle region south of the Putumayo river, was a political decision taken by the Colombian president, Alvaro Uribe, to end the peace process orchestrated by Chávez. Four Colombian politicians, held as hostages by the Farc for the past six years, were released last week and given a royal welcome in Caracas. Reyes had been among those who organised their freedom. Killed at the age of 59, Reyes had long been more of a diplomat than a guerrilla commander, though he was often photographed in military fatigues and carrying a gun.

According to the Ecuadorean president, Rafael Correa, the bodies of the Farc commanders and 13 guerrillas were recovered in their pyjamas after being bombed while sleeping in a tent on the Ecuadorean side of the frontier. The Colombian air force, Correa claimed, had used advanced technology "with the collaboration of foreign powers" to locate the camp and "to massacre" its occupants. Uribe's government is a close ally of the United States and of Israel, whereas Correa belongs to the radical camp led by Chávez. Subsequent to the bombing, Colombian troops crossed the frontier into Ecuador to recover the bodies.more

How true a claim that might be I have no idea, but taking history into account it doesn't seem too incredible.

Daily Emails From News Sources: A Tip

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Use a dedicated email address only for this function.

I have effectively had no email service for days due to the BBC's email bot (if that's the correct terminology) going on a bender and jamming my inbox with hundreds of the same email.

I had used my main email address of the blog for this purpose and loathe as I was to delete it, it was the only way I could resume communication with the outside world.

This has happened before, I had the same problem with the Atlanta Journal, so it is not that uncommon, but on that occasion I managed to get the problem resolved.

Update: Seems I'm not the only one who gets bombarded with mail.

US government forces military secrets on Brit webmaster

A website promoting the town of Mildenhall has been shut down after it unintentionally became the recipient of hundreds of classified emails, including messages detailing the planned flight path of President Bush.

Over more than a decade, www.mildenhall.com received emails detailing all kinds of secret military information that were intended for official Air Force personnel. One detailed where Air Force One could be found in the air during a planned visit to the region by President Bush. Others included battlefield strategy and passwords.more

On This Day March 4th

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Maguire Seven stitched up. Kray Twins found guilty. Chaplin knighted. Mugabe to lead independent Zimbabwe, I wonder how that will turn out?more

Morgan "Green Car" to Debut At Geneva Motor Show

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A "zero-emission" sports car with a top speed of nearly 100mph is set to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show.

The hydrogen-powered Lifecar, based on the design of the Morgan Aero-8 roadster, produces little noise and only water vapour from its exhaust.

The lightweight model packs advanced fuel cells and an energy storage system that gives the car a range of 250 miles (400km) per tank of hydrogen.more

1960 Buick. Orgasm on wheels, what a piece of art!

I was rather impressed with the design of this Cadillac 16 prototype.

Bulkhead/firewall machined out of one solid lump.

Cartoon Capers Film Edition

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In the past, he has called for the Koran to be banned and likened it to Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf.

I'll say two things to you Mister Wilders, you've got cojones and I like your style.

Nato fears over Dutch Islam film

Nato's secretary general says he fears the airing of a Dutch film criticising Islam will have repercussions for troops in Afghanistan.

Jaap de Hoop Scheffer's comments came after Afghans protested on Sunday against the film being made by far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders.

The Dutch government has warned Mr Wilders that the film will damage Dutch political and economic interests.

Mr Wilders says the film is about the Koran but has given few details.

In the past, he has called for the Koran to be banned and likened it to Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf.more

Previous

Popcorn: Break The Science Barrier

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Approximately fifty minutes in length but presented in six bite sized chunks, I thoroughly enjoyed Richard Dawkins present and narrate "Break the Science Barrier."

Each segment improving on the one previous, the first below, and the rest can be followed as YouTube allows or all links from Richard Dawkins .net



Again courtesy of Dawkins, Hitchens on the Bill Maher show, about ten minutes.

The Plane About To Crash On Runway Three.......

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Quote of the week. (From the BBC, not in the report below)

"The Passengers were taken in to psychological care."

I should think so, stroll on!

As travellers you will be well aware how movement of a plane is accentuated when your sat in it, watching this yoke go through it's aerobatics I should hate the think what it must have been like to have been aboard this rascal.

Passengers had a terrifying ride when an aircraft almost crashed in ferocious crosswinds as it approached a runway.

The Lufthansa jet was caught by gusts of up to 250 kph (155 mph) as it tried to land during a weekend storm, causing the tip of the aircraft's wing to graze the runway.

The attempted landing was filmed by plane spotters as the aircraft lurched from side-to-side on its approach.more and one minute video

Consevative MP To Marry Gay Lover

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For all my liberalism and metrosexuality I have to admit the term "marry" just doesn't sit right with me, I've absolutely no problem with gays being able to commit to a civil union and be afforded all the protections that are bestowed on hetro couples, but the word "marry" when applied to same sex unions just sticks.

Senior Conservative Alan Duncan is to become the first Tory MP to enter into a civil partnership.

The party's business spokesman will make political history when he exchanges vows with his partner James Dunseath in the summer.

The pair, who announced their intended partnership today, met at a dinner party given by a mutual friend 14 months ago.more

Stop Your Bitching And Stop Your Whale Slaughter

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Fuck the Japanese and their protest, you carry on lads.

The Japanese Government says anti-whaling protesters have hurled butyric acid onto a Japanese whaling ship off Antarctica, hurting four crew members.

The whalers responded by spraying the activists with water from four hoses.

The whaling ship Nisshin Maru and the Sea Shepherd vessel, Steve Irwin, came within 10 metres of each other during the exchange, which lasted over an hour until the activists had run out of missiles.

Japan's top Government spokesman Nobutaka Machimura says it is an unforgivable act and Japan strongly protests.

"This is an act that tries to unfairly harm the safety of a ship and crew that is acting within the law at sea," he said.more

Talking of whales I should think this big bugger putting in an appearance would get the old paddles moving a bit. story

HIV: Promising News From Canadian Researchers

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A team of researchers at the University of Alberta has discovered a gene that is able to block HIV, and in turn prevent the onset of AIDS.

Stephen Barr, a molecular virologist in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, says his team has identified a gene called TRIM22 that can block HIV infection in a cell culture by preventing the assembly of the virus.

"When we put this gene in cells, it prevents the assembly of the HIV virus," said Barr, a postdoctoral fellow. "This means the virus cannot get out of the cells to infect other cells, thereby blocking the spread of the virus."more

"Dracula's fangs are covered in blood."Chavez/US

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Ah Hugo, I have to admire your fine repertoire of one liners.

Warning that Colombia could spark a war, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez sent tanks and thousands of troops to the countries' border Sunday and ordered his government's embassy in Bogota closed.

The leftist leader warned Colombia's U.S.-allied government that Venezuela will not permit acts like Saturday's killing of top rebel leader Raul Reyes and 16 other Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia guerrillas at a camp across the border in Ecuador.

"Mr. Defense Minister, move 10 battalions to the border with Colombia for me, immediately — tank battalions, deploy the air force," Chavez said during his weekly TV and radio program. "We don't want war, but we aren't going to permit the U.S. empire, which is the master (of Colombia) ... to come to divide us."more

And a little from Hillary on Chavez, I wasn't aware he was a dictator, but I do like your style Mrs Clinton, preconditions before talks, have the last seven years taught you nothing?

Time you sat down me thinks.

In a major speech yesterday at George Washington University, Sen. Clinton drove the wedge [with Sen. Obama] deeper: "If I am entrusted with the presidency, America will have the courage, once again, to meet with our adversaries. But I will not be penciling in the leaders of Iran or North Korea or Venezuela or Cuba on the presidential calendar without preconditions; until we have assessed, through lower-level diplomacy, the motivations and intentions of these dictators."more

Further Fascist Fun In Florida

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Isn't it amazing how the law and order brigade have a road to Damascus moment when they find themselves in the hands of "law and order."

There's nothing like a basin full of reality to sweep away the illusions is there? I love stories like this, they're better than midget porn convert's corner at Richard Dawkins dot net.

And he prayed over him and made the sign of the cross over him and over his eyes, and breathed into his face; and the scales fell from his eyes and he saw immediately. His mother said to the saint, "Master, let him hear with his ears and let him walk." The righteous man said to her, "O woman, this is sufficient now; when I call him, he shall hear my voice, and shall walk and perform my words;" and she was unable to answer him a word, for she saw that his face was like that of an angel of God.

Caught on tape: More deputies accused of brutally beating inmate


Tampa, Florida- Former teacher Paul King says he used to be one of those people who said lock 'em up throw away the key.

However King has changed his mind since being arrested on public intoxication last July. A video shows deputies pushed him against a glass wall as he was being frisked, threw him to the ground for no apparent reason, held his neck back more than 2 minutes as he was being put into a restraint chair, put a hood over his face and then appeared to try to hide the action from cameras by moving paperwork to cover his head.

King says it's something like out of Guantanamo.More and video.

Isn't it just mister King, welcome to the real world.

Update: Video down, remainder of story below.

King says when he was out of camera view, two deputies took him out of the restraining chair and says they both started kneeing him up against a bench or a wall, as he was pleading please, please, please.

But it didn't stop there. King says they made him say you're a fucking pussy. And he says they were hurting him so he said “ I'm a fucking pussy and the deputies all laughed.

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum has ordered an inquiry into all the allegations, however a spokesman for the McCollum says it is too early to determine whether these are isolated incidents or there is a pattern of abuse occurring.

But despite the fact the attorney general and the sheriff's office each launched separate investigations, some have said they fear this is an attempt to sweep things under the rug rather than to find the truth.

Attorney John Trevena, who represents some of the people claiming abuse, met with McCollum's office on Thursday and says he believes there is a need for federal oversite in this. Trevena says he hopes he is wrong but he is losing confidence in the state's ability to handle this.

And those who claim they have been abused in the jail are losing confidence in the system. King says when he was going through this he thought it was something like the Orwell novel, "1984." King says they can do whatever they want.

And critics say right now no one is stopping them.

On This Day March 3rd

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Hundreds dead in Turkish airline crash. Year long miners strike ends. Colour proposed for BBC TV. Fossett sets solo flight record and other.

He Got In, Will He Get Out? Ahmadinejad Visits Iraq

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Don't mind the title, put it down to my sense of humour but it was the first thing that sprang to mind when I read this part of the report.

Mr Ahmadinejad's visit has come without the assistance of the United States.

US forces are not involved in security for the visit and did not provide helicopters to transport Mr Ahmadinejad into central Baghdad.

Instead he had to travel by car along the usually dangerous road from the airport to Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's residence near the US-controlled Green Zone.

Having to run the Sunni gauntlet down airport road would be bad enough, but if I were Ahmadinejad I would be more concerned about the dark forces of the great Satan, I bet the lads at Lockheed Martin or Northrop Grumman or the likes really know how to knock up a double dawg super mean IED, and as we know the Empire has a proven track record for getting rid leaders that it finds less than desirable.

Get him on the way back maybe, and what odds on that happening? about evens at a guess.more

Everything you wanted to know about IED's.

I am not overly keen on reporting the nuts and bolts of war but this is a graph of incidents from the site above, scary shit.

On This Day March 2nd

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Ian (come back all is forgiven) Smith declares Rhodesia a republic. Britain fails to hand over Pinochet, shabby. Maiden flight for Concord. Sri Lanka. Jordan. more

Terrorised by "War on Terror" A Climate of Fear

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When I see or read or hear

Folks all trembling like frightened deer

Government spin

Has sucked you in

Right where they want you a climate of fear

Himself 2006


I would be the first to admit I quite seldom read articles from the Washington post.
It has however always been my perception that the WAPO is to Bushco what Pravda was to the soviets.

If my perception is correct then why is stuff like this appearing in, from what I have been led to believe, a far from august publication when it comes to printing the truth.

Anybody?

Off topic: Before you move on. If anybody has emailed or is expecting a reply, my email account is NFG, either the BBC's email bot has gone berserk or my provider is jambing my inbox with dozen upon dozen of yesterday's daily email from the Beeb.
Whichever, I can't send or receive.

Terrorized by 'War on Terror'
By Zbigniew Brzezinski

The "war on terror" has created a culture of fear in America. The Bush administration's elevation of these three words into a national mantra since the horrific events of 9/11 has had a pernicious impact on American democracy, on America's psyche and on U.S. standing in the world. Using this phrase has actually undermined our ability to effectively confront the real challenges we face from fanatics who may use terrorism against us.

The damage these three words have done -- a classic self-inflicted wound -- is infinitely greater than any wild dreams entertained by the fanatical perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks when they were plotting against us in distant Afghan caves. The phrase itself is meaningless. It defines neither a geographic context nor our presumed enemies. Terrorism is not an enemy but a technique of warfare -- political intimidation through the killing of unarmed non-combatants.......

The culture of fear is like a genie that has been let out of its bottle. It acquires a life of its own -- and can become demoralizing. America today is not the self-confident and determined nation that responded to Pearl Harbor; nor is it the America that heard from its leader, at another moment of crisis, the powerful words "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself"; nor is it the calm America that waged the Cold War with quiet persistence despite the knowledge that a real war could be initiated abruptly within minutes and prompt the death of 100 million Americans within just a few hours. We are now divided, uncertain and potentially very susceptible to panic in the event of another terrorist act in the United States itself.more

Doing What's Best For You. Your Government

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Britain an Orwellian state? shurley not! shureley shome mishtake!

You Think You Are Free?
By Linda S. Heard

.........The US and Britain are leading the pack in this encroaching Orwellian nightmare. "War is peace; Freedom is slavery; Ignorance is strength," wrote George Orwell in his book 1984. In recent years, they have waged wars in the name of peace, put entire populations under their thumb in the name of freedom while government spin and a compliant media serve to keep people ignorant about their leaders' true motives...........

Britain has become a master of this technique. It currently holds a database containing the DNA of 4.5 million people, arrested for both serious crimes and minor infractions. The police have found this tool so useful they are pushing to expand it to cover everyone in the country although the Home Office has rejected the idea for the moment.

By 2012 Britons over 16 will be required to hold biometric ID cards checkable by police, immigration and customs officials, as well as public and private bodies such as travel agencies, airlines, banks and even retailers.

By 2010, Britain is also expected to incorporate Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips in passports designed to carry a wealth of personal data on travellers.

It was when I read this paragraph posted below that I had a "yer fuckin' wot?" moment, sure enough the first search hit was the times who explain thus.

Further, there is a plan to embed RFID chips in vehicle number plates allowing authorities the capability of identifying any vehicle anywhere in all weather. RFID chips have been embedded on every packet of cigarettes manufactured in the UK since October last year.more

An excellent site here. Police State Britain

On This Day March 1st

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Klaus Fuchs is fooked, 14 years for Commy spy. 1954 Bikini Atoll test largest man made explosion to date. More bodies, Fred West charged. Secrets act gags whistleblowers. Britain's money to go metric and other