Arise Rebel And Fight

Got to admire those peace-loving Muslims!!!

2006-09-18T22:22:00.000-07:00

So, after deliberately mis-interpreting a speech by His Holiness Pope Benedict, in which some over-sensitive (read: downright stupid) Islamic fundamentalists claim he criticized Islam and the prophet Mohammed for bringing "nothing but violence and bloodshed to the world. Jihad and fire." the Islamofascists of the world decided to prove him wrong and show how much they've changed in 600 years by, er, burning churches, burning effigies of the Pope (and German flags aswell-wtf!), threatening Catholics worldwide, claiming that they'll blow up the Vatican oh, and shooting a nun. Hmm, well done on the own goal guys!!!!!

And it's not just restricted to the Arab world, in London the same thugs who turned up at the Danish embassy a few months back were out in force at Westminster Cathedral threatening worshippers: http://catholiclondoner.blogspot.com/2006/09/very-rushed-post.html

Immigration-Distorted Truths and Outright Lies

2006-08-22T16:30:00.000-07:00

Today's Independent is focusing on the lies being put out by the tabloid press (Sun, Mirror, Star etc) about immigration to Britain-particularly about those from the ten accession states to the EU. Have a look at the main article (tabloid claims and the facts of the matter in 2nd column) and Sir Digby Jones opinion on the matter.

SSP Apoptosis

2006-05-31T14:55:00.000-07:00

As has been almost inevitable since they were formed in 1998 from a load of different left-wing factions and groupings the SSP has recently appeared to go into meltdown. Ever since Tommy's bizarre removal (ok so they called it a resignation but I don't think anyone really believes that) as leader back in November 04 and the installation of that neddy fool Colin Fox respect for the party has plummeted with them managing to lose all but one of their deposits at the 05 General Election.

The thing I still don't get (and hopefully if the minutes of the meeting when they fired Tommy are made public will clear up) is why after leading them to a damn fine showing at the Scottish Parliament elections in 2003 with the election of 6 MSPs they chucked him for the tosser Fox.

I really don't see the SSP lasting much longer in its current form. Either they'll get rid of Colin Fox and reinstate Tommy (SNP anyone??) or the party will break back down into the million different factions that it came from. Which, as much as I think they're a bunch of nutters, is a shame as Tommy is one of a select number of MSPs that I have much time for and the SSP give a voice to a lot of members of the working class (particularly in Glasgow) who feel betrayed by New Labour.

One thing is for sure: it will be extremely interesting to see how it pans out.

Vol Bobby Sands MP O/C (1954-1981) RIP

2006-05-04T15:04:00.000-07:00

Volunteer Bobby Sands MP

On this night 25 years ago Vol Robert Sands, a Member of the British Parliament, Commanding Officer of the POWs imprisoned in Long Kesh internment camp and a soldier of the Irish Republican Army (Belfast Brigade) entered the last few hours of his all too short life. Having ceased eating 65 days previously his health had deteriorated to the point where he was now in a coma. Several of his comrades and friends were already refusing food and nine of them would also go on to die.

His family were present at the time, but only two were allowed in his cell at the one time with him. Four prison warders were also in attendance.

When he died in the early hours some of the most intense rioting seen to date on Britain's streets was seen on the streets of "Northern Ireland."

THE RHYTHM OF TIME

Theres an inner thing in every man,
Do you know this thing my friend?
It has withstood the blows of a million years,
And will do so to the end.

It was born when time did not exist,
And it grew up out of life,
It cut down evils strangling vines,
Like a slashing searing knife.

It lit fires when fires were not,
And burnt the mind of man,
Tempering leadened hearts to steel,
From the time that time began.

It wept by the waters of Babylon,
And when all men were a loss,
It screeched in writhing agony,
And it hung bleeding from the Cross.

It died in Rome by lion and sword,
And in defiant cruel array,
When the deathly word was Spartacus,
Along the Appian Way.

It marched with Wat the Tylers poor,
And frightened lord and king,
And it was emblazoned in their deathly stare,
As eer a living thing.

It smiled in holy innocence,
Before conquistadors of old,
So meek and tame and unaware,
Of the deathly power of gold.

It burst forth through pitiful Paris streets,
And stormed the old Bastille,
And marched upon the serpents head,
And crushed it neath its heel.

It died in blood on Buffalo Plains,
And starved by moons of rain,
Its heart was buried in Wounded Knee,
But it will come to rise again.

It screamed aloud by Kerry lakes,
As it was knelt upon the ground,
And it died in great defiance,
As they coldly shot it down.

It is found in every light of hope,
It knows no bounds nor space,
It has risen in red and black and white,
It is there in every race.

It lies in the hearts of heroes dead,
It screams in tyrants eyes,
It has reached the peak of mountains high,
It comes seating cross the skies.

It lights the dark of this prison cell,
It thunders forth its might,
It is the undauntable thought, my friend,
That thought that says Im right!

RIP Comrade. Never Forgotten!

"Take the British silver? Take a Provo bullet!"

2006-04-04T23:06:00.000-07:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4877516.stm

Sinn Fein British agent shot dead

"Former senior Sinn Fein member Denis Donaldson has been found shot dead in the Irish Republic. Mr Donaldson was expelled from the party last December after admitting he was a paid British spy for 20 years. "

Haha, nae luck ya tout!

Few tears will be shed for this sorry piece of work.

30-1-1972 Never Forget!

2006-01-30T18:12:00.000-08:00

Never forget that on that day people were marching for basic civil rights and equality.

Never forget that the full weight of the Unionist establishment had resulted in the army being deployed to reroute the march and declare it 'illegal.'

Never forget that many of those murdered were shot in the back running away.

Never forget that six of them were children.

Never forget that James Wray was shot again - in most parts of the world this is called an execution.

Never forget that it happened in what is supposedly one of the most free, civilised countries in the world.

The Slain:

Jackie Duddy, 17, shot in the chest from behind, in the car park of Rossville flats. Four witnesses stated Duddy was unarmed and running away from the paratroopers when he was killed. Three of them saw a soldier take deliberate aim at the youth as he ran.

Patrick Doherty, 31, shot from behind while crawling to safety in the forecourt of Rossville flats. Doherty was photographed by French journalist Gilles Peress seconds before he died. Despite the evidence of "Soldier F" at the Widgery Tribunal, the photographs show he was unarmed.

Bernard McGuigan, 41, shot in the back of the head when he went to help Patrick Doherty. He had been waving a white handkerchief at the soldiers to indicate his peaceful intentions.

Hugh Gilmour, 17, shot in the chest from behind while running away from the paratroopers on Rossville Street. A photograph taken seconds after Gilmour was hit corroborated witness reports that he was unarmed.

Kevin McElhinney, 17, shot from behind while crawling to safety at the front entrance of the Rossville Flats. Two witnesses stated McElhinney was unarmed.

Michael Kelly, 17, shot in the stomach while standing near the rubble barricade in front of Rossville Flats. Widgery accepted Kelly was unarmed.

John Young, 17, shot in the head while standing at the rubble barricade. Two witnesses stated Young was unarmed.

William Nash, 19, shot in the chest near the barricade. Witnesses stated Nash was unarmed and going to the aid of another when killed.

Michael McDaid, 20, shot in the face at the barricade while walking away from the paratroopers. The trajectory of the bullet indicated he was killed by soldiers positioned on the Derry Walls.

James Wray, 22, wounded and shot again at close range while lying on the ground. Witnesses who were not called to the Widgery Tribunal stated that Wray was calling that he was unable to move his legs before he was shot the second time.

Gerald Donaghy, 17, shot in the stomach while running to safety between Glenfada Park and Abbey Park. Donahghy was brought to a nearby house by bystanders where he was examined by a doctor. His pockets were turned out in an effort to identify him. A later police photograph of Donaghy's corpse showed nail bombs in his pockets. Neither those who searched his pockets in the house nor the British army medical officer (Soldier 138) who pronounced his death shortly afterwards saw any bombs. Donaghy had been a member of Fianna Éireann, a Junior IRA brigade.

Gerald McKinney, 35, shot just after Gerald Donaghy. Witnesses stated that McKinney had been running behind Donaghy, and he stopped and held up his arms, shouting "Don't shoot!", when he saw Donaghy fall. He was then shot in the chest.

William McKinney, 26, shot from behind as he attempted to aid Gerald McKinney (no relation). He had left cover to try and help the older man.

John Johnston, 59, shot on William Street 15 minutes before the rest of the shooting started. Johnson died of his wounds four months later, the only one not to die immediately or soon after being shot.

R.I.P.

So if no-one supports it then what is the point?

2005-12-29T14:22:00.000-08:00

Sinn Fein Rejects On-The-Run(OTR) Bill

I think that's all of the main NI parties who have rejected the OTR Bill leaving Labour as the only party to actually back it. Apparently it differs so significantly to what was a agreed at the Weston Park talks that they are unable to back it anymore. Rather amusing that they were the party to demand it and now don't support it. Equally hilarious will be watching Labour trying to explain why they are putting through contradictory Bills; updates to the PTA and ID cards etc while processing the OTR legislation to... well, that's half the problem, it won't actually have any puropse other than to let agents of the state (MI5/6 and the Det/SAS etc) get away with murder. IRA OTR-ers won't be participating in the programme thus defeating the whole reasoning behind it.

I wouldn't have expected too many of them to have participated anyway given that it involves "admitting guilt" for what the British State has decided are "offences," a most unpalatable thought for any true Republicans. It amounts to surrendering to the state's notion of right and wrong and deligitimises the armed struggle. WRONG WRONG WRONG!

Continuity activity

2005-12-09T04:52:00.000-08:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4512712.stm

Read something in one of the Northern tabloids that they've spent about half a million (sterling) on guns and explosives ready to start a new campaign sometime in the new year. Possibally in England altho (given their support base) equally likely to be the six counties.

Free Norman Kember!

2005-12-08T15:04:00.000-08:00

He's the English guy being held hostage by "The Swords of Truth Brigade." Unlike Ken Bigley he wasn't a war-profiteer so it's pure shady keeping him like that. One of the bizarre things about the whole thing is Abu Qatada's video message. He is supposedly some Al-Qaeda bigshot who is being held in Full Sutton prison awaiting deportation to Jordan. (Just as soon as they promise-without crossing their fingers-not to torture or execute him once they get him...) He recorded a message to the kidnappers from his prison cell in which he said: "I am your brother Abu Qatada, Omar bin Mahmud Abu Omar, who is imprisoned in Full Sutton jail in Britain. I urge my brothers in the Brigades of Swords of Truth in Iraq to release them in line with the principle of mercy of our religion, if there was no compelling religious duty against it."

There's something rather ominous about the " no compelling religious duty against it" bit; being infidels would probably be seen as justification for killing them.

In other news Maggie Thatcher went into hospital but sadly was realeased in full health this morning. :( Prob going to go see the Sindy Sheehan/Rose Gentle road show tonight. In all honesty I have zero sympathy for both of them. Their sons both knew what they were doing, probably weren't terribally nice to the Iraqi's and (in Gordon's case for definite) were wee neddy wasters who society will manage without.

"God told me to do it"

2005-10-24T21:42:00.000-07:00

Israel and the Arabs: The Elusive Search for Peace is on BBC 2 just now. It's quite funny how George Bush said that God told him to invade Iraq with a straight face, while blatantly ignoring what God's representative on earth (The Pope) had said. Namely, that it was wrong and unjustifiable. Consider this: most people who hear voices and go on to kill a whole load of people tend to be sectioned in a psychiatric institution not be left in charge of the most powerful army ever assembled in the history of the world.

"It's an argument that's easy to understand; the President understood it." - Colin Powell on the Aparteid Wall. The word "even" obviously goes unspoken before "the president"!!! Anyway, going to watch the rest of it.

The end is nigh!!

2005-10-22T00:39:00.000-07:00

Haha! Two points about this: firstly, despite the wishes of the various loyalist parties the majority of the island of Ireland is a separate soverign nation. Admittedly it does allow the US to fuel bombers at Shannon airport and there is speculation that planes on their way to Guantanamo Bay Concentration Camp stopover there. Aswell as being bound, gagged and drugged the prisoners don't even get their Duty Free! Shocking, although it's not like they're going to be buying bottles of Jack D for their families. But still, no reason to threaten us. Secondly, the Daily Mirror pics were fakes, although they were indicative of what goes on in coalition detention facilities.

H5N1

2005-10-14T15:37:00.000-07:00

Further to my last post, it was confirmed last night that the strain of Avian Flu found in the Turkish birds was H5N1 (the South Asian strain). It's also likely that the one in Romania will be the same, although so far it's only been narrowed down as far as H5. There seems to be some agenda by the media to whip this up as a precursor for an inevitable human pandemic. Irresponsible is too soft a word for this. Some facts:

The H5N1 virus is not communicable between humans
It requires prolonged contact with an infected bird(s) to infect humans
Although the mortality rate is 50% this is probably due to the fact it has been poor badly nourished people that tend to have been infected who's lifestyle means that they come into contact with potential carriers for long periods of time every day.
It will require at least one stable mutation for it to become communicable to humans and another (at least) one to become human-human communicable.
The UK currently has 14m courses of Tamiflu stockpiled, this would enable us to treat the 25% of the population that the WHO estimates will require medical treatment. (As opposed to the Immune System defeating it on it's own.)

I'm confident that in the event of it actually becoming a human infection the number of deaths in the UK will not be greater than the numbers killed by influenza each year. (Don't have the figures but I believe it's around 10,000 mainly elderly and immunosuppressed individuals.)

In other news...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4340794.stm
Railtrack shareholders have lost court action to get compensation for the government re-publifying (if that's the word...) the railways!! Haha! A good day for Lefties!

"No reason to worry"

2005-10-10T21:42:00.000-07:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4326504.stm

Well, excuse me while I do just that. Only the small matter of Avian Flu having spread halfway around the world!

German Election Result

2005-10-10T19:52:00.000-07:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4325600.stm

Hmm, Merkel has been appointed Chancellor. Don't think this is too good. She models herself on Maggie Thatcher apparently. For the misguided amongst you that is a BAD thing. She also backed the Iraq adventure, favours deregulation and wants to lower taxes. Not really notching up reasons for me to like her. At least the SPD have managed to get 6/10 cabinet seats. Mwah hahaha!

'Mon the Iranians!

2005-10-06T15:13:00.000-07:00

Someone "high ranking official in the UK government" has said that the roadside bombs being used by the Iraqi resistance against Brit troops are being supplied by Iran via Hezbollah in Lebanon. The bombs are apparently specially designed in such a manner that makes them ideal for raodside ambushes. The blast is focused in such a way that it is more likely that the shockwave (and shrapnel) will pierce the side of armoured jeeps/tanks.

According to the analyst on ITN last night the Iranians are probably doing it as a not so subtle "fuck off, we'll have nukes if we want to!" to Britain. If Britain were to support and implement sanctions against Iran then Iran could make life a lot worse for the Brits in the south of Iraq. Guid on them!!!

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/06102005/344/blair-issues-warning-iran.html

Lol: "There is no justification for Iran or any other country interfering in Iraq." said Tony Bliar. What does he propose us and the Americans are doing???

How the mighty have fallen!!

2005-09-22T06:38:00.000-07:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4269808.stm

Hee! Hee! This is good! :-)

Useless

2005-09-21T14:21:00.000-07:00

Just watched some coverage of the Lib Dems conference and just have to say that they're bloody useless. No wonder noone votes for them.

On a happier note, I'm getting broadband! Yuss!

I return

2005-09-03T01:21:00.000-07:00

I'm back! I doubt anyone missed me but no matter. I've been on holiday, came back worked loads of hours and done a lot of thinking. So now I'm reinvigorated and ready to face down the evil of New Labour, the Neo-Cons and the Neo-Retards of the Whitehouse. Ha! Anyway, here follows a rant that I've also posted on another site so it may not fit with the merry mood of this preamble.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4207648.stm

"...there is no excuse for terrorism"
-Jack Straw

Why do the British/American etc establishment refuse to believe or even consider the notion that people who commit acts of 'terrorism' do so because they have a genuine grievance against the state that they are attacking? Jack Straw was on the news tonight (actually yesterday, the 2nd) after the Mohammed Khan video surfaced saying that people who commit 'terrorist' acts would do them anyway even if they had no motive: they plan them and then once they're good to go they pick a cause to justify what they do.

There was a documentary/drama thingy on Channel 4 on Thursday night about an IRA ASU that brought London to its knees in 1974/75 and altho there was plenty about the carnage and death that the unit carried out there was nothing about why they were doing it; ie British illegal occupation and oppression of the Catholic population in Northern Ireland.

DOUBLE STANDARDS!

Kindly fuck off

2005-07-27T21:08:00.000-07:00

Charles Kennedy, leader of the LIBERAL Democrats has so far done zip to protect our civil rights from those neo-fascists of Blair and Clarke.

Detention without trial extended from 2 weeks to 3 months.
A ban on using the internet for accessing materials which "promote, justify or educate as to the means as to how to carry out terrorism."
New offences of "incitement to terorism" and "acts preparatory to terroism," which will see people banged up for buying fertiliser for allotments, dabbling with fireworks etc

In another development an innocent Brazilian electrician was shot 8 times on the Tube as he ran from armed police who thought that having a "bulky coat" makes you a prime target for being a victim of shoot-to-kill. Add that to the list of resons to get out of this authoritarian hell-hole.

Details

2005-07-10T22:40:00.000-07:00

3 bombs on the Subway and 1 on a bus. Possibally suicide bombers. At least 20 dead, 700 injured with 150 missing. So far two groups have claimed responsibility; the grandly named "The secret organisation of the brotherhood of Al-Qaeda in Europe" and the other was the one that did the Madrid bombs and the Casablanca attacks. Though, as the bombs were underground none of the spectacle of 11/9. (Sadly :P)

Oo-err

2005-07-07T13:21:00.000-07:00

I've just heard that apparently several bombs have gone off in London on the subway and on at least one bus. Either the IRA are ending their ceasefire in dramatic style or Al-Qaeda have finally taken revenge for the Iraq war.

Vive La Republic

2005-06-30T12:07:00.000-07:00

Ha! How dated is this pic?! They all look sooo nineties-esque. (Perhaps cos it was the 90's...)

Inflate my ego some more please.

2005-06-17T14:26:00.000-07:00

Results (and rankings) for some classes have been posted. T'would appear I have enough credits to go into second year (like there was any doubt :P) and have done rather well. Either that or I'm in a year full of retards. Consider: with 90% in the final exam I was 5th out of 118 for Stats for Bioscience and for Chemistry labs I scored 95% and was 5th out of 191! Admittedly for everything else I ranged from 12th to 87th so it is pretty meaningless...

Onto more meaningfull things, it seems that the EU constitution is pretty much dead. Cann't say that I'm particularily fussed as I didn't care either way but a bigger split seems to have occured in Europe with France demanding an end to Britatin's £3 billion rebate mainly because we are way richer than (a)we were when it was first given to us and (b) there are the 10 'new' member states which are a lot poorer than us, with some of them in recession. (Although, Greece, which is in the common currency, is in recession in all but name.)

Wacko Jacko not guily of whacking off little boys

2005-06-14T13:18:00.000-07:00

In the OJ Simpson trial of our generation Michael "Underage kiddies are my friends" Jackson was cleared of all the charges against him.

Other jurors told reporters they were unmoved by Jackson's star power. "One of the first things we decided is we had to look at him like an individual, not as a celebrity," said the jury foreman, a 63-year-old man.

Hmm, I think not. Another thing, "jury of peers." In Jacko's case that would have to consist of celeb's like Gary Glitter, Johnathan King and Pete Townsend. Although as it consisted of devoted fans, hillbillys, and serial peadophiles I suppose that was good enough.

Police harassing anti-G8 activists

2005-06-12T22:11:00.000-07:00

http://www.sundayherald.com/50309

Police ‘harass’ anti-G8 activists

By Liam McDougall, Home Affairs Editor

POLICE have been accused of waging a campaign of intimidation against anti-G8 pro testers ahead of the Gleneagles summit.
As tensions rise over the decision by police and Perth and Kinross Council to ban activists from marching near to the five-star hotel in Auchterarder when the world leaders meet next month, campaigners claim they now have a catalogue of instances where they have become the victim of police harassment.
Penny Howard, an activist with the G8 Alternatives group, said the latest incident took place in Aberdeen last week, when she was fundraising and handing out leaflets to locals in the city which detailed the anti-G8 demonstrations planned across Scotland.
She said two uniformed officers approached her and demanded to know her name and address. They became threatening, Howard claimed, when she asked why they wanted the information.
“They said that now they had talked to me they had come to the conclusion that I was not a problem and that they had to note down the fact that I was okay,” she said. “I n the end I gave them my details because they were making it clear that if I didn’t, things would be taken to the next level.”
She said that three weeks ago another female campaigner had her details taken by police. Howard was also one of the activists who were filmed by Grampian Police on Tuesday as they attended a planning meeting at Aberdeen University. When approached, one of the three uniformed officers who was filming the demonstrators said they were “compiling evidence”.
Howard said: “This is a systematic campaign. It is not a set of random instances.”
Campaigners also said that police officers in Glasgow had visited the home of a member of G8 Alternatives who was responsible for setting up the group’s website.
The 27-year-old, who did not want to be named, claimed officers had checked through his emails and questioned him about what he knew about the potential for violence during the G8 summit.
“They wanted me to tell them about possible violence and asked me if I knew any anarchists or of any illegal actions. It was a bit of a good cop, bad cop routine.”
Joshua Brown, another G8 Alternatives activist, said he had been stopped by police earlier this month near the Gleneagles Hotel and again when he was travelling in a car back to Edinburgh.
Human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar, who is acting for the group, claimed the police were “harassing” group members.
He said the decision not to allow G8 Alternatives to march near Gleneagles Hotel next month had now set the scene for “chaos”, with thousands making their way to the summit without any organisation.
A Grampian Police spokes man confirmed its officers had “attended an incident” in Aberdeen where a person was warned regarding collecting money without permission.
The police said they were committed to “safe and lawful” protests.
12 June 2005

If you cann't take a bit of police harassment then why the hell are these people even involved in politics in a police-state?!?

Invasion!!!!

2005-05-31T16:43:00.000-07:00

Apparently 2000 US Marines have invaded Scotland in preparation for the G8.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=15574132%26method=full%26siteid=89488%26headline=invasion-name_page.html

Panic!!!

The mediocrity continues

2005-05-27T22:04:00.000-07:00

The mental stimulation that is "Big Brother 6" starts tonight on Channel 4. I cann't believe that people will actually watch this complete and utter trash-television at it's worst. Perhaps you could justify watching the first series or two out of a human behaviour interest but really, you cann't excuse watching this one. There are only two things worth watching on Channel 4: 1)The Simpsons & 2)The Channel 4 News at 7pm, true brain candy.

I smell softening-up

2005-05-26T23:32:00.000-07:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4581943.stm

"The UK terrorism threat level is expected to be lowered from "severe general" to "substantial", say security sources."

Now, this may be due to what MI5/MI6 have recommended based on real intelligence or (more likely) it is yet another bit of spin from the Bliar regime. Background: yesterday the government re-published the ID Cards Bill (It had to be dropped before the election due to a lack of time). While it may seem bizzare to drop the terror-threat-level just after you've anounced that you want to steal people's civil rights, I believe that this is part of a longer term strategy to get the public to accept the Bill. The Bill will not be voted on for several months and in that time I predict one, or all, of the following will happen:

Mass arrests of Muslims and/or some grouping yet to emerge.
A 'terrorist' attack in London or some other major city. Whether this will be due to willful neglect by Special Branch/MI5, a state orchestrated attack or a genuine "did all we could to prevent it" one is debateable. This would have the effect of severely softening up the public to the idea of ID cards and the Bill would go through on a wave of patriotic fervour (Read: anti-Arab histeria)
Another war (Iran, Syria?)
The G8 summit will be this July in Gleneagles, ID cards to 'protect it'?
Undoubtedly the threat level will be raised just before the deabte and vote and it is possible that we could see the military being deployed on the streets as they were around Heathrow before the Iraq war (supposedly to prevent SAMs being launched at planes) which resulted in a swing of public opinion from opposing the war to supporting it.

I am very concerned that this act will go through due to ignorance and fear. Just cos Charles Clark claims that there will be no obligation to carry it just now, who's to say that some future government wouldn't? Plus the cost! Currently about £6 billion. Yes, BILLION. Given this government's record with large scale projects we can expect to spend at least double this and then there's no guarantees the thing will work! Blegh!

QT

2005-05-20T12:21:00.000-07:00

Another great performance from Galloway last night on Question Time. The thing I find fascinating about him is the way he never stumbles over his words. OK, not remarkable in itself, but the man is a walking Thesaurus! Last night the Tories (Annabel Goldie) and Labour (*inconsequential*) stumbled over simple words, which made him even more impresssive.

The audience loved him, which wasn't too surprising given that it was in Edinburgh. They have one or two Lib Dem MPs, Greens kept their deposits in two seats there and it has always been quite a radical city.

Galloway kicks ass!

2005-05-17T18:11:00.000-07:00

Hahahaha! George Galloway (MP for Bethnal Green & Bow) was over at the US Senate to respond to their allegations that he was involved in the OFF (Oil-For-Food) bribes/kickbacks scandal. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4556113.stm The funniest bit was when he pointed out that the forged docs referred to 1992/93. The only thing was the OFF didn't start till 1995! The other brilliant part was when he spotted a Scotsman newspaper (Right Wing upper market) journalist and called him a "drink-soaked, former Trotskyist popinjay." LOL.

Results

2005-05-10T14:46:00.000-07:00

Well, that's it all over. Everywhere has now declared and Labour has their predicted majority of 68. We lost our deposits in almost everywhere we stood, except Glasgow North and two Edinburgh seats, so much yay-ness.

And, more to the point, we whipped the SSP's ass everywhere. They only kept one or two deposits nationwide and (even better) their vote completely collapsed in their 'heartlands' of Glasgow South and Central! Now, who was saying that losing Tommy wouldn't affect them adversly?!? He might not have been such a bad loss had they not picked Colin Fox as their new Fuhrer. He is an absolutely inarticulate ned who they should drop now if they even hope to keep their deposists, never mind MSPs, at the 2007 Holyrood elections.

Election

2005-05-05T22:32:00.000-07:00

Just back from the polling station where I was standing outside all day giving out pledge cards. :- First results should be in within 10 mins. (Oooh, the tension!) BBC exit polls are putting Labour on a reduced majority of 66 with the Lib Dems up 10 and the Tories up *calculates*um, way too many, although not enough to mount any real challenge :-D

Vote 2005!

2005-05-04T08:53:00.000-07:00

Just 22 hours to go until polls open! Was in the office all day yesterday printing off leaflets and cutting them with the guillotine. Will be doing pretty much the same thing all day today again. :-( Tomorrow will be outside a polloing station trying to give leaflets to voters and drawing dirty looks off Labour and the Lib Dems, no doubt. We did a stall on Saturday on Viccy Road and got looks of shock from the 4 other main parties (Tories not included) as to "how organised we are." Hahaha, if they only knew...

Benedict

2005-04-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

BENEDICT XVI

19 April 2005

Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum;
habemus Papam:

Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum,
Dominum Josephum
Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Ratzinger
qui sibi nomen imposuit Benedictum XVI

Haebus Papus!!

2005-04-22T13:17:00.000-07:00

Yes, t'was a few days a go but so what! And it was Cardinal Ratzinger (Now Pope Benedict XVI), which I personally am quite happy about.

With John Paul II and outside observers 'ecumenicism' meant going to different Churches/places of worship and saying how nice it was and what a shame we didn't get on in the past. With Ratzinger you get the feeling that he will tell the Orthodox and Anglican Churches to either rejoin or to end all relations.

http://www.ratzingerfanclub.com

It begins

2005-04-18T11:51:00.000-07:00

Blegh, uni restarted today. Only in for an hour but had to make the effort and get back into routine. The conclave to elect the next Pope also starts this afternoon. www.paddypower.com is giving the Nigerian Cardinal Francis Arinze 3/1 odds on becoming Pope. Ratzinger on 4/1 and, rather shockingly, our own Keith O'Brien on 20/1. Given that he is a bit of a liberal t'is rather strange as Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor is on 100/1. Updates soon...

Update

2005-04-15T20:33:00.000-07:00

Hmm, there has been a bit of a gap since I last posted. No reason in particular, just general laziness. So what has been happening on Terra Firma? Well, the Pope died (aww) after about a week of will he; won't he deliberation by the media. Also, a general election has been called so shall be doing much placarding and leafleting for the party. Apart from that I've been on holiday from Uni and just haven't been studying, so go me.

A lot of things about the Pope's death have been seriously irritating me. They've managed to drag up every minority group (e.g. 'Catholics for a Free Choice' pro-abortion nuts) with a grievance against the Church and keep taling about 'liberal' and 'conservative' Cardinals. The stupid thing about this is: do they really think that the new Pope will just change all the Church's teachings (which are based on 2000 years of teaching, wisdom and Divine Revelation) on Contraception, Abortion, Same-sex 'marriage' etc etc?!? Really...

Jubilation

2005-03-23T11:03:00.000-08:00

Yuss! Just came from a presentation in Biology that went amazingly well. :-D I hadn't rehearsed it at all; just made notes and overheads with a general sort of idea of what I would say. After it the lecturer guy said that it was the best in our group :D Even though we were only meant to be on for 5 mins max, apparently I went on for 10 mins and looked "really professional with the way [I] changed from a text o/h to a graph one, pointed something out and went back to the text one.

-Patrick

Me: the hobo

2005-03-15T16:36:00.000-08:00

I just bought something to eat out of Gregg's and cos there is no where to sit in George's Square -as they're resurfacing or something equally vital- I had to sit in Queen Street station and eat my mid-afternoon snack. (Had lunch and will have dinner later.) I felt like a pure homeless jake sitting there as commuters rushed past. *sigh*

Anyway, further to my last post the Lords eventually capitulated and passed the bill after Charles Clark said that decent, unrushed legislation will be brought in, in about a year and a halfs time; a sunset clause in all but name. So everyone feels that they got their way, but, as usual, the innocent people caught up will be screwed by the system.

Lords continue defiance

2005-03-11T13:12:00.000-08:00

T'is five past one on Friday 11th March and the two houses of Parliament have been sitting for over 12 hours straight now with the Terrorism Bill 'ping-ponging' (as the BBC seem to keep saying) between the two houses. T'is rather strange that it is those who are not elected in any way and who's very existence is extremely undemocratic should be the ones defending our freedom. (Along with a few non-sellout 'Old' Labour ones. I.e. Clare Short etc)

Lords say "F*** You Tony" over Terror Laws

2005-03-08T16:44:00.000-08:00

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/050308/344/fdwlx.html

Ok, so maybe they didn't quite say that but it was implied when they ripped the new anti-Terror nonsense to pieces and sent it back to the Commons. One droll looking Lord someone-or-the-other way surprisingly accurate and amusing when he said that the new law was a bit like the Lottery: "It could be you!!"

Language Fascism

2005-03-04T13:52:00.000-08:00

You are the grammar Fuhrer. All bow to your
authority. You will crush all the inferior
people under the soles of your jackboots, and
any who question your motives will be
eliminated. Your punishment is being the bane
of every other person's existence, because
you're constantly contradicting stupidity.
Everyone will be gunning for you. Your dreams
of a master race of spellers and grammarians
frighten the masses. You must always watch your
back. If only your power could be used for good
instead of evil.

What is your grammar aptitude?
brought to you by Quizilla

Question Time & Fuhrer Clark

2005-03-04T09:57:00.000-08:00

Haha! Chales Clark (see below) was on Question Time last night along with the head of the Civil Liberties group rather originally named 'Liberty.' From the very outset you could tell that it was the equivelant of Political Suicide, given his whole lets do away with every hard won safeguard of our freedom to defend ourselves against some hypothetical 'terrorist' threat. These include ID Cards and house arrest. Even David Dimbleby (The legend that presents question time) got stuck into Clark about the house arrest thing: "Is it not normally countries like, say, Burma or Iran or North Korea that tend to nuse house arrest?" The audience were thrilled with that!! :-D

Out of the darkness

2005-02-23T13:49:00.000-08:00

Ha, how kool does the pic look from the last post?

Imprison All Bloggers

2005-02-23T13:28:00.000-08:00

Apparently the Iranian governement has arrested two bloggers for posting stuff about how crap life is in Iran so the 'blogging community' has declared today 'Imprison All Bloggers' Day or some other such nonsense. Anyway, in our own Orwellian nightmare that Britain is fast becoming the government/New Labour dictatorship is bringing in new anti-terror laws which will allow Charles Clark (A garden gnome with ridiculous ears) to detain anyone (foreign or 'native' without charge or trial; just his say-so that they are 'dangerous international terrorists.' Here is a pic of his fascistic face:

Dodgy, isn't he? Peter Hain (leader of the house or something) said that taking away people's Civil Liberties was not the biggest attack on civil liberties for 300 years (as suggested by another labour MP) but that a hypothetical 'terrorist suicide attack in the heart of our communitites would be the biggest attack on civil liberties.' Quite how 'terrorists' can attack civil liberties is beyond me... Have people accross the country just suffered collective amnesia about the IRA or something?!?! Hello!! They were bombing the crap out of English town from the 70's til the 90's and there was no need to take away civil rights of everyone in Britain. Even in 1974 when an IRA asu made people afraid to go out at night or even during the day into the city centre (Apparently this unit killed half of all the Brits killed on the mainland during the war :D) the government rejected ID cards as they wouldn't make any difference.

Oh, back to the Iran thingy. In the Maze concentraion camp in the 1980's when the Iran-Iraq war was going on the prisoners didn't have any access to media (papers or TV) so they didn't know who to support. Even the way they'd used before-seeing which side had IRA in the country name didn't work. (IRAq IRAn) So they had to choose Iran cos it had had a revolution and they were big fans of revolutions. :)

St Bono of U2

2005-02-17T17:13:00.000-08:00

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/050217/325/fcpca.html

I cann't believe people actually get taken in by him and Sister Geldof and the rest of the self-righteous brigade. And Band Aid!? Pfft! Don't get me started! Maddox sums it up rather nicely in his analysis of the crap-fest that is "How to Dismantle and Atomic Bomb":

"8. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb - U2 - Crumbs From Your Table
This song is about how America and its wealthiest people don't do enough to help solve world hunger. The title suggests that crumbs from our table could help starving people in Africa. Bono indicts America for being hypocritical with these lines:

Would you deny for others

What you demand for yourself?

Bono could not be reached for comment as he was stepping off his private jet and into his limousine."

Does anything more need to be said?

Animal Experimentation

2005-02-17T15:54:00.000-08:00

I've just left a Bio lab where we were supposed to be doing a dissection of a sheep's heart and lungs. I didn't even attempt going in last week as we were supposed to be slitting rats up their stomach's and having a wee poke around inside. I don't actually disagree with animal experimentation for medical purposes; just don't approve when it's for cosmetics.

But, today when we went in there was this big lump of bloody meat lying on the lab benches, the lungs were pretty indistinguishable but you could make out the heart and it was rank. So I just did the test from last week (pure guess work) and left. Then came to the library where I am doing the very intellectual tasks of updating this and descending into fits of mirth at this: http://maddox.xmission.com/ t'is sooo funny. I'm laughing out loud at it and other people in the library (who are doing things like, eh, final year thesis) are giving me dirty looks. Ah well, dinner time soon!

Freedom will not be terrorised!

2005-02-14T00:09:00.000-08:00

"On Belfast's streets I've heard it said,
They're shooting little children dead,
Taking life hardly begun,
With Plastic Bullets and their guns."

Got an [copy of] album by Terence O'Neill. Some kick-ass songs on it.

Plastic Bullets: coming to a city near you in July 2005! Join G8 alternatives.

"Freedom will not be terrorised, Freedom's struggle will survive!"
-(See Above)

Guildford 4

2005-02-09T21:12:00.000-08:00

TB apologised to the Gerry Conlon from the Guildford 4 in person today. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4249175.stm I mean, only 30 years after they were jailed on the basis of confessions extracted under torture... The McGuire 7 also got letters off him (but not Guiseppie after they killed him in jail). The most shocking thing about it all is that the CPS, Police and Government all knew that they were innocent from about a year after they were all convicted when the Balcombe Street 4 drew to the court's attention that they had actually carried out the Guildford and Woolwich bombings but innocent people were in jail for them. A shocking indictment of the anti-Irish racist bias that prevailed in Brit sociecty at the time. Although it's not that long ago, t'is only 14 years since they were released from jail. And on the radio I heard a few comments from 'people in the street' in Guildford who were saying things like "No smoke without fire." Feckers.

IRA tells the Brits where to shove it

2005-02-02T22:24:00.000-08:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4231237.stm

Hehe! Altho a little birdy told me that the actual ammount 'removed' from the Northern Bank was more than £40 million. :-D and that only £2 mill is traceable.

Anyway, back onto the decomissioning shennanigans the IRA are the only republican organisation to have decomissioned and hardly commit any violence other than vigilante stuff (kneecapping drug-dealers, joy-riders i.e. the dross of society). Whereas, the LVF (the only loyalist group to have 'decommissioned' some of it's guns) have gone onto kill a load of Catholic civillians. Waste of time and money in me humble opinion.

Democracy?

2005-01-30T20:16:00.000-08:00

Ah, the poor Iraqi's. They're having to go and vote for what will inevitably be a puppet government for the occupation forces. And not only that they're having to do it in the middle of a concerted bombing campaign; so far there have been something like 7 suicide bombings. Altho turnout is over 70%!!! In Scotland at the last general election it ranged from about 50-65% turnout. Shocking, as there is absolutley no danger in voting here.

US forces damage Babylon

2005-01-15T21:21:00.000-08:00

Look! I said look!

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=6&u=/ap/20050115/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_babylon_2

I suppose they're taking their lead off Israel which has spent the past three years destroying the Biblical sites in Palestine. Is nothing sacrosanct? It takes me back to the time of the invasion and as looters carried off artifacts from the Iraqi museums' relating to the dawn of civilisation American GIs were guarding the oil ministry. Who says the war wasn't for oil?

Resist ID

2005-01-15T15:16:00.000-08:00

Grr. There's some meeting tomorrow in town about resisting the ID cards thingy and I really wanted to go to it but the evil boss went and gave me a 5-10. Not happy. Just need to join the mailing list or something.

*moves on*

Anyways, was at Green Party stall today from 11 til 1 and t'was grand. Well, grand in that it didn't rain and the wind wasn't too strong. Although it was fairly cold and there weren't many people [read: potential voters] there. The campaign for the General Election is ultra-disorganised and the election is only four or five months away. We're standing a candidate in all five constituencies in the city and only one of them has even made a strategy list of things to do. The rest have vague ideas of what they should be doing. They don't seem to realise that the party really cann't pour £500 each in deposits down the drain if they're going to do fuck all. Perhaps we may scrape by the 5% mark without too much effort in most wards. Anyways, shall be a fun election when it happens and I get to vote for the first time. :-D

Harry and Auschwitz

2005-01-14T23:16:00.000-08:00

Hahahaha! Headline of the pure mental stimulation that is the Daily Record was:

"Leading Jews call for Harry to be Sent To Auschwitz"

I can only asume that they meant as a visitor/tourist and not as an inmate....

Comment

2005-01-14T05:16:00.000-08:00

Whoo! At least one person has read some of my stuff! :-) http://mahrooq.blogspot.com Go read, very funny.

Royal wears Nazi Uniform

2005-01-14T05:01:00.000-08:00

For some reason the tabloid (I.e. Self-righteous, right wing, retard-fodder trash) is going mad over Prince Harry (3rd in line to the UK throne) wearing a Nazi uniform to a fancy dress party. These would be the same tabloids that had headlines such as "Well Done Mr Hitler" in the 30's. Blegh.

Hypocrites

2005-01-06T23:42:00.000-08:00

"And the courts gave them justice as justice is given by well mannered thugs;Sometimes they fought for the will to survive, more times they just wished they were dead"
-Sound of the Siren, Moving Hearts

Fun fact: Lord Hutton, writer of that example in whitewashing known as "The Hutton Report," defended the UK government in the court case brought by the internment guinea pigs (Not actual guinea pigs, innocent Catholics who were subjected to psychological torture and experimentation by the security forces in the 70's) in the European Court of Human Rights.A few months ago I was at a party in the West-end in someone's house. (Altho it had parentals at it so party may not be the best description...) Anyway, about 11 the door went and the guy who's house it is answered the door and came back a few mins later saying that a NI judge was there [with bodyguards] and didn't seem too keen on coming in after hearing Irish music being played. Ha, can you imagine if it had been Hutton.........

Back to reality

2005-01-05T14:11:00.000-08:00

*sigh*

The holidays had to end sometime. Although I'd have preferred it to be sometime other than today. To be more accurate they really ended last night when I discovered that I had to come in to Uni today for some revision session... THAT WASN'T ON!! So now I'm sitting in the library writing this. I have exams at some point in the next three weeks. For all I'm aware they could be on Monday and Tuesday. *sighs again*

Anyway, looking out of my own life I assume that everyone has heard about/seen/been killed by the Asian tsunami. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4136289.stm) Today at 1200 there was a three minutes silence. What happened to the old one minutes silence, eh?!? Then it became two minutes for Armistice Day and everything else. Natural disaster, act of 'terrorism' or death of a celebrity. (Read: Princess Diana.)

On the subject of Armistice Day, I refuse to participate as it is to do with the 'glorious' British war dead, who if they weren't in France or Belgium were in Dublin and the rest of Ireland oppressing my countrymen and women who then got it right up the British establishment by having a wee revolution in Dublin in 1916. :-)

Oh, and I seriously dislike Holocaust day. Not because I'm a Nazi or anti-semitic (which is a daft word but more on that later) but what about Famine day?

The Famine in Ireland in the 1880's was, well, let's start with the name. It is incorrect to descxribe it as a famine as that would suggest that all crops failed due to drought or something. Plenty of crops were produced during the period of 'the Famine' only they were exported to England for the benefit of the absentee landlords. It was the potato crop that failed due to potatoe blight (a nasty fecker of a disease that rots the crop in the soil. As this was the staple diet of anyone and everyone they couldn't survive and so either died or went to Scotland, England, Wales or America/Canada, thus halving the population.

I also don't get why we 'celebrate' holocaust day in Britain as any Jews that survived the holocaust illegally went to Palestine and spent the next three years killing the native Arab population and British soldiers. (Nothing wrong with killing Brits, just the bit about ethnic cleansing of the region that I dislike...)

Should really do some real work instead of giving everyone a history lesson.

New Year: Same Old Regime

2005-01-01T16:53:00.000-08:00

Well Happy New Year to anyone that may be reading this! Was out at a party last night and got fairly droonk :-D so t'was all good.

Anyway, back to what this is all about. If you live in the UK you will know that in the Queen's speech before Christmas she announced the introduction of the Identity Cards Bill. This is supposedly going to stop 'terrorism', illegal immigration and stop identity fraud. Of course they won't be compulsory until 2011 and then, no doubt, it will become compulsory to carry them everywhere. [Can you say: Police State?!] On the BBC site there are further details of all the fun and games including:

"The speech did not set out specific proposals to combat terrorism, but the draft Counter Terrorism Bill is likely to include controversial measures such as no-jury trials for terrorist cases and the use of phone-tap evidence in court." (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4034543.stm)

Anyway, working at 5:30 so better go and get ready.