Tag Archives | UK

Murdered Soldiers and the Mythology of Terrorism

By on May 25, 2013 in News 0

From Mr VI on Modern Mythology:

Wednesday 22nd 2013, 1421  – Woolwich, South London.

That’s when the call was placed to police – that’s when the authorities became aware that two men were hacking another to death with machetes. But there were witnesses to this act – it happened in broad daylight. Bloodstained hands were caught on camera-phones, tweets going viral while the perpetrators explained why they had done it, to passers by.

They didn’t run, they waited for police. Fourteen minutes later, armed police showed up, and were charged by at least one of the perpetrators. They promptly shot him. Both perpetrators are now in hospital, under guard.

The dead man was a serving soldier. The perpetrators were young black men, who were Muslims. Media makes much of them shouting ‘God is Great’ in Arabic, and their statements that the reason for this is Western troops in Muslim countries.

… Read the rest

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Reports of a Vortex to Another Dimension Opening in UK

By on May 21, 2013 in News 0

stargate761828rh9 (1)Totally unbelievable news of a vortex to another dimension opening in the UK from The Argus Newspaper, Brighton:

Council bosses have been left mystified after reports that a portal to another dimension has opened in a residential street in Brighton.

A member of the public reported to Brighton and Hove City Council that the “wormhole or vortex” had opened up in Montreal Road, Hanover, on May 2.

They made the report via the website Fix My Street which is more typically used to report potholes, dumped rubbish and broken lampposts.

The anonymous poster said: “I was recently walking my affenpinscher (a toy breed of dog) around the Hanover area of Brighton when I noticed that a wormhole or vortex has opened up on Montreal Road.

“On closer inspection it seems to be some kind of portal to other times, places and dimensions.

“I would have investigated further but I was concerned my little dog would be sucked into it.

… Read the rest

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Margaret Thatcher Dead

By on April 8, 2013 in News 0

Margaret Thatcher cropped2Love her or loathe her – tell us your thoughts (in the comments section) on Margaret Thatcher, whose death was announced today. The BBC has the details:

Former Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher has died “peacefully” at the age of 87 after suffering a stroke, her family has announced.

David Cameron called her a “great Briton” and the Queen spoke of her sadness at the death.

Lady Thatcher was Conservative prime minister from 1979 to 1990. She was the first woman to hold the role.

She will not have a state funeral but will be accorded the same status as Princess Diana and the Queen Mother.

The ceremony, with full military honours, will take place at London’s St Paul’s Cathedral.

The union jack above Number 10 Downing Street has been lowered to half-mast.

‘Force of nature’
Mr Cameron, who is in Madrid for meetings, has cancelled planned talks in Paris with French President Francois Hollande and will return to the UK later on Monday.

… Read the rest

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The Manufacture of “Surveillance by Consent”

By on March 4, 2013 in News 0

“the CCTV proposals in the Protection of Freedoms Bill are really about manufacturing consent”
No CCTV article ‘The Freedom Committee, CCTV / ANPR and the Manufacture of Consent’ (2nd May 2011) [1]

One nation under CCTV
Image by T.J.Blackwell

It’s not often that you get to witness the birth of a new philosophy but that is what we are told is at the heart of the new Surveillance Camera Code of Practice published by the UK’s Home Office this month [2]. Drum roll please, here it is, the new philosophy – “Surveillance by Consent”.

Now as new philosophies go it’s not the best and it’s not really new, nor is it a philosophy. In fact it’s more of a slogan, or more precisely a propaganda slogan. And what it contains a ready-made judgement to save you the trouble of thinking about the issue at hand, in this case surveillance. Surveillance you are told is by consent.… Read the rest

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How Does the British Monarchy Get Away with It?

By on January 18, 2013 in News 41

“Power does what it wants. [...] Forget the politicians, they’re an irrelevancy. The politicians are put there to give you the idea that you have freedom of choice. You don’t. You have no choice. You have owners. They own you. They own everything.[...] they own this fucking place. It’s a big club, and you ain’t in it. You and I are not in ‘the big club.’”

- George Carlin

Picture: Carfax2 (CC)

The absurd suggestion that the UK’s un-democratically selected Royal Family are nothing more than decoration has come crashing down as a court order forced the establishment to reveal how things really work behind the scenes. Despite Royalists constantly pushing the myth their monarch performs a ‘ceremonial role’, the truth is very different. In fact the approval of, Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness Prince Charles, has been required for at least 39 different bills suggested by elected members of Britain’s Houses of Parliament.… Read the rest

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English Atheists Go To Church

By on January 6, 2013 in News 11

Photo: Fin Fahey (CC)

Hey London atheists, did you go to church today? The UK’s first atheist church is now holding services in Islington reports the Islington Gazette:

Stand-up comedians Sanderson Jones and Pippa Evans will bring together a godless congregation in the Nave in St Paul’s Road, Canonbury for services – with wedding ceremonies and funerals for non-believers even on the cards.

News of the church, which will meet on the first Sunday of every month starting with a service on the Feast of Epiphany on January 6, comes after the census results revealed last week that nearly one in three residents are atheists.

Mr Jones and Ms Evans, a musical improv comedian who had a BBC Radio 4 show called Showstopper, came up with the idea for The Sunday Assembly after agreeing they liked many aspects of religion but didn’t believe in a god.

“We thought it would be a shame not to enjoy the good stuff about religion, like the sense of community, just because of a theological disagreement,” said Mr Jones, who recently became the first person to sell out the Sydney Opera House by personally selling all tickets by hand.

… Read the rest

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Possible next step for the UK Police Service?

By on December 25, 2012 in News 4

Combat knife and grenade as standard

Police do not carry guns as standard in the United Kingdom. However some young British would-be coppers will be getting an interesting alternative option in their stockings this year. Why bother with a gun when you can pack a grenade, combat knife (complete with knuckle guard) and military style hard hat?

Might come in useful in the event of a re-run of the spontanious rioting that blighted 2011. Certainly puts a different twist on the idea of the UK being ‘policed by consent’.

Merry Christmas!

Nick Margerrison… Read the rest

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There’s Something Great About America

By on December 20, 2012 in News 67

Picture: USDOD (PD)

“Europe was created by history. America was created by philosophy”.

- Margaret Thatcher

I’ve rewritten this article, in light of recent tragedy. It’s based on an original version first published on my personal blog.

In 2011 two big events were celebrated on either side of the Atlantic. In the USA spontaneous parties began as news spread that Osama Bin Laden was dead. In the UK the nation was told to celebrate a Royal wedding. The scenes of joy in America filled me with a sense of almost unreserved admiration for a great nation whereas the state sponsored merriment in my own country provided me with a deep sense of detachment from a people who appeared as mindless zombies driven by raw unquestioning patriotism to celebrate something which did not benefit them at all.

As the street parties began I became painfully aware of how unfashionable my views are and it’s important to emphasise how out of step with the broad consensus of my nation I am.… Read the rest

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Could the UK Also be About to Decriminalise Cannabis?

By on December 9, 2012 in News 2

Curious synchronistic rumblings from the British press seem to suggest a change in the UK’s laws on recreational drugs might be in the offing, after the US cannabis lobby’s recent successes. The bad news first, it won’t be until at least 2015 and the current official stance on the matter, reported by The Daily Mail, is predictably inane:

Last night, a government spokesperson said: ‘Drugs are illegal because they are harmful – they destroy lives and blight communities.

‘Our current laws draw on the best available evidence[1] and as such we have no intention of downgrading or declassifying cannabis.

‘A Royal Commission on drugs is simply not necessary. Our cross-government approach is working.

‘Drug usage is at its lowest level since records began and people going into treatment today are far more likely to free themselves from dependency than ever before.

‘We will respond to the report more fully in due course.’

Full story in The Daily Mail

However the above is taken from an article with the heading: “Treat addicts, don’t lock them up: MPs pave way to legalise drugs as they admit prison sentences are failing to deter offenders“.… Read the rest

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Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Was Staffed By Unpaid Workers Who Slept Under London Bridge

By on June 15, 2012 in News 12

Talk about a symbolic event. The Guardian on the public pageant held earlier this month along the Thames River celebrating Britain’s Royal Family:

Long-term unemployed jobseekers were bussed into London to work as unpaid stewards during the diamond jubilee celebrations and told to sleep under London Bridge before working on the river pageant.

Jobseekers were taken to London by coach from Bristol, Bath and Plymouth as part of the government’s Work Programme. They had to camp under London Bridge the night before the pageant, had to change in public, had no access to toilets for 24 hours, and were taken to a swampy campsite outside London after working a 14-hour shift in the pouring rain on the banks of the Thames on Sunday.

Close Protection UK confirmed that it was using up to 30 unpaid staff and 50 apprentices, who were paid £2.80 an hour, for the three-day event in London.

… Read the rest

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