How the quest for greater independence is being usurped by power-hungry control freaks I make no bets on the outcome of the snap General Election scheduled for 12th December. Last time a healthy Tory majority seemed almost certain until a couple of weeks before polling and after a disastrous Conservative election campaign. For the first
⋯Filtered by War Crimes
The Abolition of Britain and the rise of Global Governance
All in the mind, capitalism, communism, Linguistics, population, Power dynamics
The trouble with Zionism and Islamism
I wish we could wish away any historical or geopolitical controversies related to Jews or Muslims and all live together in peace and harmony. As it happens, for many years Jews, Christians and Muslims managed somehow to reconcile their differences in countries like Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Iraq where today Islamic fundamentalism threatens religious
⋯hegemony, Power dynamics
Another Day, Another Attack
How the British Foreign Policy Elite favoured its short-term commercial interests over the long-term security and wellbeing of its citizens. Just in case you haven’t read the news. Seven people were killed and 48 others injured in a van and knife attack on London Bridge and Borough Market, in which three suspects were shot dead
⋯corporatism, human rights, immigration, migration, population, Power dynamics
Do the Elites understand protest votes?
I wish I could rally behind one of the major or minor parties in Theresa May’s Snap General Election. To be honest, I have only ever voted as a protest, to show that the citizenry is somehow politically aware, but unhappy with our rulers’ mischievous actions and plans. The alternative is to spoil your ballot
⋯capitalism, communism, corporatism, monopoly, population, Power dynamics
Mainstream Fake News Kills
On the Brink of World War Three Over Misappropriated Chemical Attacks. Call me old-fashioned, but facts do actually matter even if they’re inconvenient and do not fit with your preferred narrative. Your enemy may be bad, but your enemy’s enemy may be even worse. That said, disinformation and emotive propaganda should concern us most when
⋯All in the mind, Computing, Power dynamics
The Trump Delusion
Let’s agree that the left-branded neoliberal dream best associated with the Clinton Dynasty in the US and with Tony Blair and David Cameron in the UK has failed their core working class electoral bases. Ordinary working people are fed up with know-it-all talking heads on TV lecturing them on what they should think and belittling
⋯All in the mind, capitalism, corporatism, Power dynamics
Whom should we believe?
The War on Dissident News The establishment media have now coined a term for news sites that regularly challenge their orthodox narrative, fake news. This is rich for news organisations that have cheerled wars in the Middle East, turned a blind eye to atrocities committed by our allies and consistently supported the suppression of viable
⋯All in the mind, Power dynamics
Rewriting History: The Myth of the Good War
As we mourn the deaths of millions of young Europeans in a futile dispute between rival empires, British, French, Russian and American leaders perpetuate the myth of a simple battle between good and evil, freedom and tyranny, democracy and dictatorship. Yet without the deep scars left by the blood-stained aftermath of the Great War, much
⋯capitalism
A culture of automotive entitlement: the anti-cycling brigade
Cycling been very much in the headlines in the UK. In the last fortnight 6 cyclists have been killed on the streets of London and today a young female motorist was fined for boasting on Twitter about how she accidentally knocked over a cyclist and did not bother to stop. To many the rivalry between
⋯corporatism, limits to growth, population
Left, Right and Plain Wrong
When political analysts first chose to classify opinions on a left-right spectrum during the French Revolution over 210 years ago, the left stood up for the underprivileged working classes, while the right defended the interests of the aristocracy and the emerging class of entrepreneurs. That was long before the emergence of the welfare state, mass
⋯capitalism, communism, migration, Power dynamics
Demagogue sweeps to victory
Many on the left in the UK and elsewhere are celebrating George Galloway’s resounding victory in the last Thursday’s Bradford West by-election. With a turnout of just over 50%, the former labour stronghold saw a massive swing away from New Labour and the other mainstream parties to the left-leaning Respect coalition. Just ten years ago I would have been
⋯corporatism, immigration, Power dynamics
Branding Cuba
If you want to get away from the adverse effects of mass consumerism, extreme concentration of wealth, social unease and poverty, Cuba is an intriguing destination. Like in many countries your experiences can be filtered both by your cultural prejudices and expectations and by your tour operator. Many tourists just head for the beach resorts
⋯capitalism, communism, corporatism, Power dynamics
Let's Disown Tony
Has anyone actually read Tony Blair’s much publicised memoirs. Well within 3 months of the book’s release and despite all the media, half-price copies were on display on Waterstones. Don’t get too angry with this guy, for he has only ever been a politician in the sense of a polite public relations guy. He liberated
⋯monopoly, Power dynamics
On The Nature of Violence
Consuming re-enactments of violence in various forms has long brought considerable pleasure to large number of people, especially but by no means exclusively, males. Quite clearly many residents of middle class suburbs in towns and cities across the prosperous world are relatively shielded from the real-world physical violence that millions experience on a daily basis
⋯All in the mind, corporatism
Free Speech and Hate Speech
False and ridiculous charges are no real problem. It is the unconscionable critics who reveal unwanted truths from whom society must be protected” Noam Chomsky in Deterring Democracy A False Sense of Self-Righteousness Intellectuals in the public eye remind us how we should thank our lucky stars for our democratic system with freedom of speech
⋯human rights, Power dynamics