(Repost) Let us briefly analyse this War on Terror and War in Iraq, as it appears apparent that this struggle, death and destruction could have been avoided? Following 9/11, the “War on Terror” has raged; reportedly to neutralize the activity of international terror groups and nations considered to support them. The War...

 (Repost) I read in the Telegraph about the "secret agenda" and about the governments relationship with the The Islamic Forum of Europe. In response, the Telegraph should note that a Muslim can show a strong political and religious standpoint without being a terrorist. 1. With all the propaganda and prejudice towards Islam...

There is a long list of days and festivals that are observed among the Muslims nowadays, but each of these is the innovation of the Jews, Christians and polytheists; they have no basis in Islam. There are no festivals in Islam apart from Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr. Mothers day has a history ranging from...

Fears over Muslims in prison, fears about Mosques, fears about… Jihad Jane, etc, etc. Ian McEwan, The Booker Prize winner, has said that criticising Islam is not racist, however, the credibility of such an argument would depend on the nature of the criticism particularly since he appears to ignore that the majority of terrorists...

If you like the idea of flashing an Apple iPad around Blighty before the rest of the fanboys and girls but would rather not have to fly stateside to make it so then here’s the answer my gadgety faithful. Slip in your order to www.bundlebox.com from right now because pre-ordering is now on over the pond. No need to wait for that pesky UK release date! BundleBox, if you’re not familiar with the name, was set up by former Google exec Andre Schmidt last year and lets UK consumers buy from any US website. It’s basically an online transatlantic shopping service that lets us in the UK register for a free USA postal address meaning that we can sign on to the pre-order service despite the current US residency restriction. Just simply sign up to Bundlebox, select...

A print magazine cover image on what the 2010 general Election is all about. Reading: Simon Jenkins in The Guardian on how in hock we are to the debts of the insolvent banks Reading: CityWire on Lehmann Bros and how to cook the books Reading: What Ernst and Young – the auditors of Lehmann Bros – and who signed off their books say Related Posts:Money does the bullyingCoincidences – infographicParty political donorsChristmas Baby – cartoonAspirational politicsPowered by Contextual Related...

§ Software freedom has a posse – in Washington DC, at least. You’ll recall I posted a long analysis of the sick position the IIPA took urging the US Trade Representative (USTR) to discriminate against countries around the world if they have a preference for software freedom. That analysis become an input for the excellent position statement, written collaboratively by the OSI Board and posted by OSI President Michael Tiemann, calling for action by national groups. I hear today that this has indeed resulted in positive action in Washington DC. Campaigning group Open Source for America issued a press statement yesterday, and wrote a two page position statement that they submitted to USTR. I gather they also met personally with a USTR representative to assert the position on...

On 12 June 2010 England will play their first game of WC2010 against the USA at Rustenburg. Between now and then the British High Commission and the US Embassy in Pretoria will engage in a series of Challenge Matches to build a friendly rivalry ahead of the big game. Last night the High Commission hosted the first of these - a quiz night (to raise funds to pay for the Challenge Trophy).  Fourteen teams battled it out over 7 rounds of tough questions set by our very professional and very neutral quiz masters, Luke Feeney from the Irish Embassy and Valery Viptong from the Canadian High Commission. The clear winners on the night were a team from the US Embassy.  But when points were awarded to the teams in the order that that they finished Team UK (we cannot play as England...

Everton skipper’s shame-o-meter packs in Sadly the TV cameras appear to have missed this cringeworthy celebration that David Brent would have been proud of (if he had made it as a footballer), but OTP has it on good authority from an Everton fan sat behind the goal during yesterday’s match against Hull that Phil Neville celebrated [...]...

If I said heres details of Jon Venables new identity everyone would take note, personally I think the public needs to read a bit further into this before fuelling the moral panic. If I said how do we tackle Islamophobia not enough people listen. Thankfully the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) are working on the...

Just been chatting with a buddy of mine at the New York Post regarding Brazil and Ms. Clinton's stellar performance in the region. Fresh from their winning diplomatic moves in the Falklands, she decided she’d work the shaft and fondle the balls of another “Yanqui go home” country in the region. And yet again her fluffing efforts have resulted in a mess on her face. She wanted the Brazilian government to support our efforts to stop raving whack-job Ahmadinerjacket getting some Nukes. The Brazilians (or more specifically left wing “Blue eyes” Da Silva) told her to tell her story walking, and continues to support Ahmadimjihad in his efforts to make Tel Aviv uninhabitable for 703,800,000 years. The reason Brazil is doing this is because the Brazilian government, like all (shaved)...

The Telegraph is reporting that some of the victims of Hurricane Katrina are suing companies including Shell, Exxon Mobile, BP, American Electric Power and Chevron because of their role in promoting climate change. The class action suit states;"The plaintiffs allege that defendants' operation of energy, fossil fuels, and chemical industries in the United States caused the emission of greenhouse gasses that contributed to global warming [when they had a duty to] avoid unreasonably endangering the environment, public health, public and private property."It has taken four years for judges to rule that this case can be heard.Although I wont be holding my breath that this goes anywhere it does raise an interesting point. This may be a slightly controversial point but I don't blame the oil...

If you snapped up flights to the US during the Christmas sales, here’s some news that’s grimmer than a wet day in Doncaster – the pound is taking one hell of a beating from the dollar right now. The reasons are many and varied, but the net effect is that if you try and exchange your money anytime soon, you’re going to get screwed over: From a high of nearly $1.65 to the pound in January, sterling dropped below $1.60 at the beginning of February, and on Monday slipped below $1.49 – suddenly you’re getting $15 less per £100 compared to six weeks ago. According to business papers, key causes include the upcoming UK elections, continued economic strife and investors scrutinising the European market closer than ever since Greece blew its financial load....

Blame Obama. At least Brown isnt following him at the...

I read in the Telegraph about the "secret agenda" and the The Islamic Forum of Europe. In response, the Telegraph should note that a Muslim can show a strong political and religious standpoint without being a terrorist. 1. With all the propaganda and prejudice towards Islam because of the actions of one man (Bin Laden),...

I read in the Telegraph about the "secret agenda" and the The Islamic Forum of Europe. In response, the Telegraph should note that a Muslim can show a strong political and religious standpoint without being a terrorist. 1. With all the propaganda and prejudice towards Islam because of the actions of one man (Bin Laden),...

§ A recent blog posting at The Guardian about the US “Special 301″ rules has generated deep concern around the global open source community. It points (via a blog posting by Edinburgh University law lecturer Andres Guadamuz) to this year’s recommendations from the controversially-named International Intellectual Property Alliance, which describes itself as “a private sector coalition… of trade associations representing U.S. copyright-based industries” – namely “the Association of American Publishers (AAP), the Business Software Alliance (BSA), the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA), the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), the National Music Publishers’ Association...

...comes from an old Batman comic:(h/t:...

There were two things that struck me about Daniel Radcliffe's interview in Attitude magazine last year. The first was obviously that he'd said he would be voting Liberal Democrat in his first general election vote, the second was how tuned in and comfortable he was for such a young, straight star with LGBT issues.Therefore it isn't really a surprise that Daniel is willing to record an ad for...

According to the "News", we should all be approaching revolution by now, as the worst snow storm ever recorded plunges us all into dark misery. It has been snowing all day, but none has settled (even on the massive piles of snow which remain from the last storm). We even had to work at home today to avoid the return of snowmageddon and all day got to watch the perpetual snow, and its perpetual inability to do any more damage than very light summer rain. So I've been working at home, which is the same as working in the office except that I get to have a bird on my shoulder, watch The Sweeney, and end up working later than normal. We also got a short lie-in, and a moment of panic when we discovered our cable and Internet were cut off. This only took an hour to resolve tho and, despite...

One of the most shameful aspects of Labour's 13 years in power is a self-loathing abasement of this country in the Great councils of the world. The Labour lefty world-view is that the UK is a bastion of class privilege, imperialism and oppression. But whilst they hate the USA they have a paradoxical fixation with American power.America regards the UK as the 51st state, in foreign policy because we don't stand up for ourselves. Tony Blair demanded a lot and got... nothing in Iraq because he showed his aces early. A lot of commentators are giving Obama a hard time for his attitude to the Falklands. First, because there is not going to be a shooting war, he doesn't give a shit. And he's quite right not to. Why should he jeapordise his relationship with Latin America when they're just acting...

The hunt for Weapons of Mass Destruction, which only USA came close to using. The War on Terror which was a ‘War OF Terror’ on Iraq. Regime Change whereby tyranny was forced on Iraq. Operation Iraqi Freedom where Iraqi’s were slaughtered. and now Operation New Dawn. These are merely names and labels to disguise death and destruction. The Iraq...

..a nice bunble of links via Kashmiri Nomad.. .. I’ll add a few of my own later.. Finding common ground between the U.S. and Saudi. Exposing anti-semitism, the film. To block or not to block that is the question. Illogical Muslim logic. Learning from the Soviets in Afghanistan. You may not be pro-Israel if… Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran. Israel in...

Congrats to Obama for taking on board Rashid Hussain as reported by ABC and Power Line. However, the best way to get Muslims on side would be to stop killing us. Once again, capturing Taliban leaders in Pakistan does not justify...

Yvonne Ridley argues Operation Moshtarak is a Code for ethnic cleansing in Afghanistan.. I agree. With the only evidence of Taliban capture being achieved outside of Afghanistan, the only "terrorists" that appear to have been killed on Afghan soil are the likes of Kingsman Sean Dawson. For Afghan civilians this so-called ‘War on Terror’ is nothing...

Were you thinking that the televisual future was in the hands of OLED screens? Sony thinks not and is halting its OLED TV production in Japan and will be ending sales once its existing stock runs out. Sales will continue, however, in America and Europe. Apparently the Sony XEL-1 11in OLED TV just wasn’t popular enough in Japan even with a monthly production capacity of just 2000 units. Sony spokesperson, Shinji Obana, said: “We see the demand for the model has run its course in Japan but we will continue sales overseas and research and development activities in OLED.” So, is it that Europeans and Americans are more easily pleased or more susceptible to the pull of new tech? Have Sony got something bigger, better and brighter hidden up their sleeves? Could the goggleboxes future be...

In the last few weeks I’ve read a few articles such as here, here, here, here, here and here discussing whether Bin Laden is dead or alive. To be blunt, Mike Rubin tells us what we already know; "Osama Bin Laden died eight years ago during the battle for Tora Bora in Afghanistan, either from a...

Marvel Comics have earned the wrath of Fox News and the Tea Party Movement for featuring protestors holding placards with Tea Party slogans on in the latest issue of Captain America. Hilariously for an all ages comic which was at one point vetted by the Comics Code Authority, it even includes the slogan “Tea Bag the Libs before they Tea Bag You!” So far all very hilarious but it is a shame that Marvel have capitulated so quickly, with Editor in Chief Joe Quesada blaming the letterer and insisting that the protestors were not meant to be Tea Party protestors but rather “a generic protest group” who just happen to be “anti-tax”. To this poor bear of little brain on the other side of the Atlantic, Quesada’s distinction – and the American...

Unlike some people in the UK, I refuse to mourn those who signed up to kill my fellow Muslims in an illegal and unjust war. Blair was Bush’s poodle and Brown is Obama’s puppy, so no wonder British troops are dying, which is nothing for ‘Britain’ to be pleased...

We still have high hopes for the first black President although he’s bordering becoming the new Bush. However, the Americans are rightly unhappy about his spending, deals, warring, taxes, while his own party even turns on him. What’s next, total let down and embarassment by another ‘role...

Where theres a public house or off-licence theres bound to be violence, aggression and anti-social behaviour close by. Where theres a Mosque theres bound to be prayer in abundance by followers of strict moral codes. Of the near 2.5 million Muslims and 1500 Mosques in Britain, records will shows that only a very minute proportion have been...

I read alot about the "threat" of "Radical Islam", so I’ll remind of the threat of "Radical Democracy" that unlawfully invaded other Iraq, oppresses women because of what they wear, condones torture of prisoners, detains innocent people, supports Israeli inflicted suffering, racism and war criminals and genocide, etc,...

Original Home Page All Contents of Site – Index All Links to ‘The Trial of Tony Blair’ posts Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here.  “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” See this recent signature comment Comment at end Ban Blair-Baiting 10th February, 2010 HIS HOME? NO, IT’S OUR HOME & WE DON’T SHARE IT WITH TERRORISM SUSPECTS That was my first thoughts on quickly reading the self-congratulatory Reprieve website this morning. He may have been living here, but he was a “temporary...

Obama promised peace but increased War. The US is gearing up for a major assault on Afghanistan, the Iraq death toll stands at over 1 million civilians, and Obama has become the new Bush. Obama has also refused to assist the Palestinian people, so lets stop the...

I was in New York City a couple of months ago and stumbled across a wine shop on the Upper West Side.  I posed the shop guy a challenge.  I wanted to take just one bottle back to the UK.  What would he recommend?  Something American, good value, underrated, and not available in the UK. He suggested that I see through the marketing gimmicks of Cycles Gladiator and try the Cabernet Sauvignon at about 11 bucks.  I’ve not tasted it yet. At a California Wines event in London last month, I stumbled across the same brand.  A number of thoughts raged.  It’s available in the UK!  And they do a Pinot Noir!  And it’s the same cheesy label!  And it tastes annoyingly good… In fact the cheesy label is considered so naughty by the State of Alabama that it is banned...

Of all the elections I'd expect Lech Wałęsa to get involved in I have to say that of Illinois Governor was possibly the least expected. Lech is a historic figure who led a mass independent trade union movement, Solidarnosc, against Polish Communism.He's even got a Nobel Peace Prize, although everyone has won of those these days.He was an inspiring figure once although the less said about his later behaviour as President the better. Anyway, this working class hero has popped up in the US to back his guy Adam Andrzejewski who was running in the Republican Primary.So what sort of guy is this Andrzejewski chappy? Shipyard worker? Solid trade unionist? Well, not quite - in fact he's a confirmed tea bagger, one of those ultra-conservatives who find the Republican Party just a touch too...

I found this article on the BBC website to be in equal measures interesting and depressing.  It is called Why do people vote against their best interests? and is about the US healthcare issue, but really has lessons for the left over here too.From this side of the pond it looks like a no-brainer.   Here in West Sussex we have huge uproar over hospital issues.  To put it in perspective, we have GP surgeries right across Horsham and Crawley that are free to everybody, we have hospitals in Horsham and Crawley that are free to everybody and can treat most conditions, at Crawley there is an urgent treatment centre that can treat most walk-in cases and quite a few ambulance cases too – all free to use – and to back it all up there are two major acute hospital within 20 miles of...

Before I begin: If you didn't donate to Haiti and regret it it's not too late. You can still check out my earlier post for suggestions on who to send your cash to.Ever since it was revealed that religious groups were sending people to take 'orphans' out of Haiti to give them a 'better life' I've had a heavy feeling in my stomach on top of the heavy feeling created by seeing the suffering the people of Haiti have had to endure over the last period.I'm more than happy for religious groups to mobilise people to help out and do good deeds. There's a question about how useful that can be, but without being on the ground it's difficult to know how (in)effective that help is and I'm not willing to criticise the aid effort.However, when it comes to people trafficking it's another matter...

Now this is truly astounding. The UK blog, tory-politico.com has received cease and desist legal threats from a Washington DC law firm acting as counsel for Capital News Company who run the US site politco.com claiming they have the trademark right on the word "politico", here what they say,Oh dear, using Alexa as a judgment is a bit silly. Especially as Jason, who runs the site notes, While I can understand why they are saying only 57% of visitors are from the UK this is a wholly false claim. According to Google Analytics, which has been tracking traffic since the site launched, 85% of readers are from the UK with only 5% coming from within the United States.Hopefully he is going to stand firm against the claim that he is barred from using the word "politico" in his...

I'm proud to be referred to a Politico, it is a word that predates the Internet, one quick Internet search shows it appears in Webster's dictionary in 1913. In the UK there are Labour politicos, Lib Dem Politicos, Green Politicos and Tory Politicos.One of the latter is of course Tory Politico but heaven forbid that the might of corporate legislative America should claim that a word in...