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5:30 pm, September 12th, 2018 - 97 comments
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The current rise of populism challenges the way we think about people’s relationship to the economy.We seem to be entering an era of populism, in which leadership in a democracy is based on preferences of the population which do not seem entirely rational nor serving their longer interests. ...
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Good chat in the first part of this video (about 5 minutes) about they why and how of Hurricane Florence. Then it goes into more general stuff about climate change and some of the political problems. Total video time 20 min.
Good vid, Adam. I just saw Trump on the news and I swear he thinks that having the most brutal beating ever is something to look forward to. We have the best disasters! The bigliest!!! DEMS said it couldn’t be done. Sad!
And thanks for giving some time/content detail; too many folk just drop a link and expect the reader to wade through the waffle to get to the relevant bit.
Chocolate fish for whoever guesses the significance of this photo …
It’s Te Reo Maori week and McDonalds told a staff member to stop speaking in Te Reo to customers.
Never go.
Never will.
never have?
I was young….
wasn’t that long ago mate lol
I got caught out – ate some non meat ones 25 years ago then realised they put beef fucken fat in ice cream and everything – felt like puking for weeks.
Yes it would over 25 years ago since I had something from McDonalds.
I wasn’t a vegetarian then, obviously!
yes – could be worse – in the corporate world I worked in for years I got fed asparagus rolls as my vegetarian meal – grew quite fond of tinned asparagus I have to say.
hahahahahahahahahaha
Last time I looked most cream used in ice-cream comes from cows so it’s most definitely going to have cow fat in it.
And, no, they don’t put chicken fat in it either. What would be the point when it’s already got fat in it?
Sounds to me that you’ve been listening to too many lies.
lolz indeed – you really are as stupid as animal fat eh
“The whipped ice cream squirted out of a nozzle to make the cones which you buy from an ice cream van, used to contain pig fat or lard.”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-393432/The-chilling-truth-ice-cream.html
“When you became a vegetarian, you quickly learned it wasn’t just about skipping pepperoni on that pizza. You had to start scanning labels for ingredients like capric acid, tallow, rennet, glycerin, whey, suet, stereate, and emulsifiers—because eating animal fat by any other name would be just as carnivorous. What you may not know is that plenty of common foods widely considered to be vegetarian-friendly (or perhaps we should say veg-adjacent) actually contain animal fat, not just dairy fat. That means flesh. Read on to learn more.
1. Ice Cream
Ice cream is the one comfort food that temporarily heals all wounds. Unfortunately, you may be noshing on Bessie under all that chocolate sauce. Many brands of ice cream contain capric acid, a fatty acid that’s obtained from animal fats. Check the label.”
https://www.more.com/lifestyle/exercise-health/seven-common-foods-made-animal-fat
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/māori-language-week/366290/mcdonald-s-worker-told-to-stop-using-te-reo
Staff have to speak english at work
OK, now define english in a New Zealand context…
Aye. I can’t believe that someone would complain. At this time …
Good coverage from RNZ.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/māori-language-week/366290/mcdonald-s-worker-told-to-stop-using-te-reo
W for whitey.
Jimmy Dore is a breath of fresh air in a world where the msm (here, in the UK and in the US) spouts 24/7 corporate propaganda.
Learn today about Venezuela.
Something on the TV1 News tonight about Brownlee harassing a lawyer re steel mesh.
Anyone?
‘National’s Gerry Brownlee accused of ‘phone bullying’ after conversation with junior lawyer about steel mesh class action’
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/national-s-gerry-brownlee-accused-phone-bullying-after-conversation-junior-lawyer-steel-mesh-class-action
Brownlee’s behaviour is totally unacceptable.
BM, James, Chris73, Chris T, Pukish Rogue, Indiana, Grantoc, Alan and Alwyn must be outraged.
Daily Review will be busy tonight.
Now you list them, there are a lot of trolls.
There seems to be a pattern…..
‘ ‘What a pillock!’ Gerry Brownlee hammered for trying to play victim in front of frustrated Kaikoura locals.’
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/video-pillock-gerry-brownlee-hammered-trying-play-victim-in-front-frustrated-kaikoura-locals
This week.
Turn off the radio.
Turn off the TV.
Stop listening to and viewing the corporate media, designed to dumb you down, distract you and misinform you.
Instead raise your IQ and listen to this intelligent, informed, brave and decent person.
Morans like Hosking, Garner, Richardson, Soper – disconnect from them.
And hear the pearls of wisdom from Noam Chomsky.
50 minutes you will not regret spending unlike all those hours where your brain and ears were bombarded by the hate speech of New Zealand’s extreme right media.
Thanks Ed, I willll give this a squizz when I get home later.
Chomsky has always impressed me with his calm reasoned approach.
He always skewers his subjects.
Frankly I am surprised he hasn’t come to harm.
I really enjoyed listening to the talk.
what bits?
The history of close calls with nuclear weapons.
You’ve watched the Chomsky video Marty?
Not that one yet. I have watched others including the Netflix one – quite like a lot of what he says to be fair.
I am cautious in who i read and what I believe from them. Even people i love like russell brand I still am circumspect rather than just like all they say because i really like something they say.
I agree, be wary.
Yet to be shown were Chomsky goes wrong.
Bill Hicks for me is a voice I can rely on.
So often his cynical questioning approach seems relevant 20 years down the track.
What he would have made of the three towers, 17 years ago….
Richard Harman on Politik drew this conclusion in regard to the Curran saga: “lack of political management”. I did likewise in commenting on the shambles this week with regard to Mahuta’s announcement, and now TVNZ led tonight with a story about discord between Labour & NZF which the leaders of both seemed unworried by.
At best, a mixed message. At worst, perception may prevail over reality. It’s now a pattern. Nats are trying to get traction on it without noticeable success. Most journos seem not to have noticed yet.
The coalition needs to put someone in charge of their workload coordination, someone with sufficient authority to give direct advice to the leaders about how to organise solutions to process problems. Presenting as shambolic will start to lower their poll ratings so they need to get their act together fast.
Its wedge politics. The Nats have no other option but to try and fabricate the perception of a split in the coalition. The Nats think this strategy will win them back into govt in 2020. What will most likely sink that strategy is demographics and the resultant emerging age and gender voter patterns. Jacinda Ardern is an inclusive, compassionate and intelligent leader, relatively young and a woman.
As Winston implies just a bit of “tidying” up required for the coalition, perhaps.
Well said………the opposition is of course aided and abetted by a largy ‘ignorant’ media who continue to treat politics as a matter of so called ‘winners and losers’, rather than a contest of issues and ideas.
The ignorance displayed about the realities of coalition/confidence and supply government seems beyond so many supposed journalists these days.
Dennis
That’s not going to happen
I can’t see Peters taking direction from “someone with sufficient authority” on “how to organise solutions to process problems”.
If you have been following the events that have led to a “lack of political management” in the coalition you will have noticed that Peter’s deliberately waits until Labour believes it can go ahead with a particular policy and then at a time that causes maximum embarrassment pulls the rug out of from under Labour. Examples include refugee numbers, the Labour proposed Maori partnership body; employment law changes (opting out options for provincial businesses).
He does this to maximise NZ First’s political position – not the coalition’s.
He is not going to concede power to a third party to manage any process in the best interests of the coalition.
I imagine that Peters assumes that, so long as the government can make headway with some significant actual policy implementation, his high-profile differentiation of NZFirst from Labour will raise his party’s profile without meaningfully harming the government.
Parasites are often not great at judging how much to harm their host without killing it.
Comments relying on snappy metaphors are often not that great at making a point.
The sun rises in the East.
Hmmm…. Did i see you on the above list …. @ 4.1.1 ?
Fran O’Sullivan’s rerun of the coalition agreement in relation to the failure to achieve consensus on the refugee quota gives us helpful context:
” What the refugee affair does illustrate is that Labour cannot take for granted that what it believes are prime policies will be supported by NZ First outside of Coalition commitments. The preamble to their Coalition agreement states that the parties will work collaboratively and in good faith to reach agreement on particular policy and legislative initiatives.
“As provided for in the Cabinet Manual, the parties will ‘agree to disagree’ where negotiated between party leaders, and in such circumstances the parties will be free to express alternative views publicly and within Parliament …
“The Labour and New Zealand First parties agree to identify policies and roles in a way that maintains and promotes the distinct identity of each party.”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=12121255
Its gonna be tremendous folks. I’m gonna stay up all night to watch it. The biggest and the most tremendous ever.
Jesus wept!
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/11/florence-trump-latest-government-prepared-storm
“President Donald Trump has told Puerto Rico officials they should be “proud” they did not lose thousands of lives as in “a real catastrophe like Katrina”.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/340809/trump-compares-hurricane-death-tolls
YET ….
“Hurricane Maria killed more than 4600 people in Puerto Rico, 70 times the official toll, according to estimates in a Harvard University study.”
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/358521/hurricane-killed-4600-in-puerto-rico-70x-offical-toll-study
Somewhere today… heard the Orange meme wanking on about “how it was … “an ncredible success” …
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/11/trump-hurricane-maria-puerto-rico-success
Looks like things are brewing in Idlib.
The fake chemical attack is being foreshadowed.
Just after the rehash of the novochok story.
Problem, Reaction, Solution: US Bait Arrived in Idlib, ISIS Now in Position
https://21stcenturywire.com/2018/09/12/problem-reaction-solution-us-bait-arrived-in-idlib-isis-now-in-position/
Good on Emily Thornberry.
“In the Commons today, I said that – if there are reports of a chemical weapons attack in Idlib over the coming weeks – the government must ensure the reports are independently verified and that Parliament has given its approval, before escalating British involvement in the war.”
Meanwhile CNN keep pumping out the propaganda…….
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/09/10/middleeast/syria-idlib-white-helmets-intl/index.html
Speaking of pouring out the propaganda, why are you linking to 21st century wire, Ed? They’re a right wing fake news site with a sideline in climate change denial. They’re part of the problem, not the solution.
Vanessa Beasley is a brilliant and fearless reporter.
It is her account I linked to.
Er, no. Beeley is a right wing troll, with some pretty obvious links to the Putin regime. A bit of research might help you get a handle on how this stuff works. Or even better, read some Marx.
Er, no.
Many left wing commentators rate Beeley.
Name them.
By the way, even if you can, that doesn’t mean she’s not a right wing troll. I rate Boris Johnson for the LOL’s. Doesn’t mean he’s not a Tory toff (something he has in common with Beeley).
I guess my point would be that you appear to have some good left wing instincts, but your critical faculty is lacking. You need to look at the class interests of the people you pluck quotes from. Beeley, the daughter of a diplomat, comes from the right, was in business for years and later in life got sponsored by the Russians to write bollocks. She’s your enemy, Ed, not your friend.
For example, here’s her own list of where her ‘work’ can be found. Ron Paul, FFS.
“My work is re-published at the Ron Paul Institute, Global Research, Dissident Voice, Sott., Greanville Post, The London Journal among others.
I have appeared on RT Cross Talk, RT News, Press TV, Ron Paul Liberty Report, Sunday Wire, Sputnik Radio”
You’re a long time advocate of the establishments version of events TRP…
Numerous articles and countless comments…same same…
Don’t be scared…it stunts personal development…
Projecting onto Ed…nuff said eh…
Thanks one two.
I definitely feel in debates on this site my opinions are way to the left than trp.
Generally, your opinions are left wing, Ed. It’s just weird that you keep defaulting to right wing troll sites for cites, when there are so many good left wing ones to use. As I wrote earlier, read some Marx. That’ll clear that problem up quick smart.
Hi Ed…
As I’ve previously said…don’t take my comment as endorsement for your ‘debating style’…that’s your choice…
Pointing out the rank hypocrisy of TRP…was the comments purpose…
Hi one two
I still appreciate your entry into the discussion.
It stops the bullies.
Your view on Eva Bartlett?
Russian asset.
https://www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/factcheck-eva-bartletts-claims-about-syrian-children
Channel 4 is not reliable.
But Russian sponsored bloggers are? There’s your problem right there. Lack of critical thinking.
Ask yourself why the right are saying things that sound believable to you. Things that resonate.
The answer is that the right invented and perfected political propaganda. And the best propaganda starts with a kernel of truth and then grinds that kernel to dust.
Or to put it another way, you appear to know the world is not geared for the interests of the majority, however you are taking the oppressor’s word for why that is. As ol’ Bob Zimmerman once sang, you know something is going on, you just don’t know what it is 😉
Start to think for yourself, Ed. Don’t rely on the other side’s spruikers. They’re lying to you and laughing at you while they do it.
Works both ways trp.
You trust the corporate media way too much.
I rely on independent sources.
George Galloway is superb.
Great. I hope you start quoting independent sources in your comments too. Never too late to start.
btw, is that Rupert Murdoch owned George Galloway you reckon is superb? Never buy the Sun, son. They’re Maccas for the mind.
Galloway is independent.
Nah, he’s not. He used to make serious money working for RT and later Press TV, but now works exclusively for Murdoch.
Doesn’t make much sense if you think Beeley is a right wing troll. Right wingers wants Assad gone at any cost to Syria. Beeley is arguing from an opposite viewpoint.
Assad is right wing. Some other right wingers want him gone, but that doesn’t change Assad’s politics. Of course, some other rather prominent right wingers want him to stay in charge and that doesn’t change him either. He’s still right wing.
As is Beeley.
Is Assad an arsehole? Yes. Are people who are paid to promote him also arseholes? Yes. Are naive people on blogs who can’t work out what’s going on arseholes? No.
Assad’s politics and economic agenda were/are a mix of pan-Arab nationalism and statism. Not right wing – ie, liberal or neo-liberal or free market.
Beeley, who’s broader political perspective/analysis I disagree with, has nevertheless produced some very good reports from Syria.
Eva Bartlett (you mention Ch4’s discredited take-down of her above) has also provided very good reports from Syria. It kind of amuses how she was a hero to some when she reported from Palestine, but became a devil incarnate to many of those same people when she reported on Syria. Go figure.
21st Century Wire (and other sites) may be less than “sterling”, but when a person is reporting on stuff and no-one will pick them up because what they’re highlighting goes smack against accepted and unexamined “truths”, what are they meant to do? Take whatever outlet is on offer? Or shut themselves down?
We can agree that right wing propagandists use innuendo and just enough (twisted) truth to make their message appealing. (They also steal a fair amount of what would pass for left wing sensibility and mash it fit their agenda – ACT in NZ did the same “back when”) Some of them are very good at it. And when mainstream media are largely a busted flush who “no-one” believes any more, the audience is there for the taking, yes?
George Galloway nails it on Twitter.
“As the families affected grieve the anniversary of the terrorist atrocity of #9/11 ponder this: #Britain and the #US are now at #war in #Syria in defence of #AlQaeda
Just think about that….”
And another fine entry, this time from Angelis Dania
“Assad: I’m close to victory. The US, UK, France, and now Germany have threatened to attack me if I use chemical weapons. A chemical attack won’t gain me any real strategic advantage, and I’ll lose support from my people. I’ll do it.
Yes. They really do think you’re that stupid.”
A clear and present danger.
Peter Hitchens is very concerned.
Not my political flavour, but he is certainly a thinker.
“Please write to your MP now without delay – War, terrible war, may be on the way again. WMD All Over Again: Our Government moves stealthily towards a new war of choice.
This week, the Middle East is in a state of grave and dangerous tension. The huge Sunni Muslim oil power, Saud Arabia, armed and/or backed diplomatically by Britain, France and the USA, is ever more hostile to Shia Muslim Iran, another oil power not as great but still as important, which is close and growing closer to Russia and China.
Bear in Mind as you consider this that Russia is also a European power, and engaged in a conflict with the EU and NATO in formerly non-aligned Ukraine, after the EU’s aggressive attempt to bring Ukraine into the Western orbit and NATO’s incessant eastward expansion into formerly neutral territory. There are several points at which Western troops are now remarkably close to Russian borders, for instance they are about 80 miles from St Petersburg (the distance from London to Coventry) , and the US Navy is building a new Black Sea base at Ochakov, 308 miles from the Russian naval station at Sevastopol. Just as the First World War (at root a conflict between Russia and Germany) spread like a great red stain over much of Europe and the Middle East , an Iran-Saudi war could easily spread into Europe itself.
The two powers, Saudi Arabia and Iran, are not yet in direct combat with each other, but fight through proxies in Yemen and Syria.
…….Our ally, Saudi Arabia, has used appalling methods in its attacks on Yemen and these have had appalling results. The moralistic bloviation of Western leaders about Syria, Russia and Iran’s parallel war against much the same sort of enemy as Assad and Russia face in Idlib is colossal hypocrisy and I am amazed that they can bring themselves to emit it, though I suspect that they are genuinely ignorant of the facts, not so much by wilfully avoiding them as by lacking the will to discover them. Even more infuriating is their ridiculous insistence, (simply not backed by reliably researched facts, obtained through secure custody chains, a standard set by the OPCW for itself) that the Assad state is guilty of previous chemical weapon use in Khan Sheikhoun and Douma.
…….There are many straws in the wind which suggest that we are being prepared for war. War is hell. At the very least, a decision which could have such far-reaching consequences, which could reach into every life and home, and embroil us for years, should be considered properly. The very fact that our government appears not to want us to consider it properly make sit all the more urgent that we insist on it.”
https://t.co/weyCP0XmAT?amp=1
Galloway spot on, as ever.
‘An excellent piece of writing by the honourable @georgegalloway on #Skripal, #Russia and the illegal war in #Syria. A must read for anybody who wants to know the truth.’
“According to the Wall St Journal, the US has concluded that the Syrian regime of Bashar Assad is about to unleash a “chemical weapons attack” on the very last stronghold of Al-Qaeda and Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) fighters in Syria. We are asked to believe that having won the war Assad seeks to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by bringing the axis powers back full-scale into the Syrian war.
Whilst no-one but the least savvy of sheep is likely to believe that casus belli it is nonetheless all that the war-party has got to justify an expected new blizzard of cruise missiles and maybe more. Behind the Syrian Army stands of course the Russian Armed Forces, the very same Russia that has already ‘started chemical weapons warfare’ on the streets of Salisbury. ”
https://t.co/m7CyVoIMb6?amp=1
Good stuff
“Christchurch Progressive Network
12 September 2018
Media Release:
Protest tomorrow at Council Meeting – a travesty of democracy is in the making
Members of the Christchurch Progressive Network will attend tomorrow’s Christchurch City Council Meeting from 8.30am to protest the proposal to spend an extra $220 million on a rugby stadium ahead of rebuilding council rental housing destroyed in the earthquakes.
The extra $220 million would come from the $300 million allocated by the government for Christchurch priorities. This despite the housing crisis for low-income tenants and families exacerbated by the council’s failure to rebuild over 400 council rental units destroyed in the earthquakes.
It is a travesty of democracy when the Christchurch City Council refuses to allow public consultation on the spending of this $300 million after the Prime Minister told Christchurch voters during the election campaign “You and your city know exactly what your priorities are and that is why you will decide how that $300m is spent. It’s over to you.”
The mayor refused to answer earlier questions about the need for public consultation and then out of the blue has sprung this proposal on the city with just a few days’ notice. It’s a cynical attempt to override public opinion.
Christchurch residents have repeatedly said the stadium is a low priority compared to roads, footpaths and rebuilding council rental units but the Mayor and vested interests tell us the priority is a covered rugby stadium at a cost of $473 million.
This proposal is undemocratic, unprincipled and uncompassionate.
CPN supporters will be gathering at the council meeting from 8.30am, City Council Building, 53 Hereford Street.
John Minto
Convenor
Christchurch Progressive Network”
Great work by John and the team.
Why don’t you do something like that ed?
Emily Thornberry is a courageous woman.
“In the Commons today, I said that – if there are reports of a chemical weapons attack in Idlib over the coming weeks – the government must ensure the reports are independently verified and that Parliament has given its approval, before escalating British involvement in the war.”
https://mobile.twitter.com/EmilyThornberry
where is the link?
Craig Murray points out a dangerous development and a salient fact.
“China participating in giant Russian military exercise. Tells you all you need to know about the ham-fisted ineptitude of recent Western diplomacy. Far from isolating Russia, it has drawn much closer to the next dominant superpower.”
https://mobile.twitter.com/CraigMurrayOrg
forgot the link
Are you stalking me?
just wanted to read the link you forgot to post – are you stalking me?
No
Hey, Bill, here’s one for you!
https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/holyrood-honour-for-scots-workers-who-grounded-general-pinochet-s-fighter-jets-1-4798391
Did a post on that a while back. 😉
https://thestandard.org.nz/solidarity/
duncanpoundcake OnTwitter.
“The simplistic worldview of all Blairites:
Challenge nothing
Change nothing
Tinker round the edges
Enable the status quo
Keep their position at the top of the political pile.
Stand for nothing.
Mean nothing.
Devoid of ideas
Devoid of solutions.”
Sounds like significant parts of the Labour Party in NZ as well.
ha ha – old vlad eh – just admitted that THERE WAS a poisoning. All of the people on here saying it was bullshit – Vlads just proven you all idiots!
“The two men accused by the UK of carrying out a nerve agent attack in Salisbury have been identified and are civilians, not criminals, Vladimir Putin has said.
“We know who they are, we have found them,” Putin said at an economic forum in the eastern Russian city of Vladivostok, adding that the two men – named by the UK as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov – may soon make appearances in the media to protest their innocence.
“These are civilians,” Putin said in remarks reported by Russian news agencies. “There is nothing criminal here.”
… The Russian’s president’s words marked a departure from his country’s earlier position, which was to disregard the evidence released by Scotland Yard as a fabrication.”
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/sep/12/skripal-poisoning-suspects-are-civilians-not-criminals-says-putin-novichok
big mistake Vlad – it won’t end well for you.
The Guardian is a rag. It runs daily propaganda.
At the moment they’re pimping for war in Idlib.
I’d really be wary of trusting it on much nowadays.
Vlad said it not me. You cannot be trusted.
Just innocent travelling perfume spruikers, guv.
Two Russian guys went to an iconic tourist attraction. Stonehenge is 15km from Salisbury.
Where does Putin say or imply they carried out any poisoning? And where are the ongoing and official Russian statements claiming that no poisoning had ever occurred?
And why, when the UK government has stated the investigation surrounding the affair is done and finished – that it was drawing a line under things with the naming of those two men – would the Russian government seek to open it up again, unless the two guys actually are innocent?
“The Russian’s president’s words marked a departure from his country’s earlier position, which was to disregard the evidence released by Scotland Yard as a fabrication.”
Not fabricated. Seems some got it all wrong.
So…how does “a country” adopt a position?
If Putin, or an official spokesperson has stated that Russia (ie – the Russian government) was “disregarding the evidence released by Scotland Yard as a fabrication“, (ie- all of the evidence) then there would be something to The Guardian’s claims.
But (as I suspect the case to be) the Guardian is attempting to build a mountainous picture from someone raising reasonable and understandable doubts because date stamps on video stills appeared to be from the same place and time, then nah.
Ha I doubt you’d believe anything which doesn’t fit your preconceived ideas bill.
What are these preconceived ideas you speak of marty?
Not sure Stonehenge is especially likely – It doesn’t rate highly among Russian visitors, most of whom go no further than London.
https://www.visitbritain.org/markets/russia
And of course the geeks have Arkaim: https://mysteriousearth.net/2016/05/23/arkaim-the-most-enigmatic-archaeological-site-within-the-territory-of-russia/
Why would the Russian govt… ? Nationalism is popular in Russia. By defending ‘innocents’ victimized by a foreign state Putin’s popularity will only grow.
Innocence may not rate high among Putin’s motivations – didn’t stop him killing Nemtsov.
Well Stuart, obviously a visitor from Russia or elsewhere, who visited Britain but didn’t leave London (maybe most of anyone from anywhere?) wouldn’t be visiting Stonehenge or any other place outside of London – or getting up to deadly mischief outside of London.
Arkaim looks pretty cool. So is Skara Brae. But I doubt Orcadians would be all “seen it, done that” about Stonehenge “because Skara Brae”, or that any other person living near standing stones (lot’s of them in Britain) would either.
State murders and nationalism. Russia doesn’t have exclusive rights, you know?
Stonehenge should not be created out of whole cloth. It should be possible to determine whether the men concerned were in fact megalithic grave enthusiasts, or not. If so you have a sort of argument – if not you just made a Кра́сный herring.
No one is suggesting Russia has exclusivity on state sanctioned murder – but they certainly have plenty of form. In this instance however, the kind of political convenience that attended the demise of David Kelly is not in evidence.
And then there’s this: https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/107049033/pussy-riot-activist-treated-for-possible-poisoning
Must be something in the water.
If I was to put money on two men traveling to Salisbury from London by train to take in Stonehenge, against two men traveling to Salisbury from London by train to slap some goop on a door handle, I’d be putting my money on Stonehenge.
I mean. They might not have gone to Stonehenge. There are a multitude of imaginable reasons why two Russian nationals would fly to London and then travel on to a place like Salisbury. And yes, poisoning a father and daughter is part of the list. But the odds?
If it was me (on the poisoning scenario), I’d be hitting London by an indirect route. I’d be traveling on a dodgy and non-Russian passport (assuming I had the connections to get one), and I wouldn’t be traveling up the country using public transport.
Personally and politically there’s no reason to use an indirect route to get in, and getting out needs to be as direct as possible because you’re only vulnerable when you’re arrestable or extraditable. Gotta be wary of a Neighbourhood Watch volunteer making notes…
There’s no need to use a fake or stolen or fraudulently obtained passport because you have access to a legitimate one in a name that is not your own. Indeed, getting picked up with a dodgy passport coming in would be a major liability for your operation, and the poison could even be discovered simply because you were arrested for the passport.
Public transport is convenient, uses cash, and doesn’t require ID of any sort. Heck, the French Rainbow Warrior operation support pair were caught while returning their rental car (bloody stupid move) – and their dodgy Swiss passports were no protection, either.
.
Note to self. Never engage in any dodgy illegal shit with McFlock unless the objective is to secure some years worth of three guaranteed meals a day. 🙂
Those two will only see a jail cell if Putin wishes it.
That’s the difference between committing a crime but you want to stay in the country, and committing a crime where if you leave immediately you will never be caught.
Seriously, what does private or rented transport give you that public transport doesn’t? Sure, maybe a bit more speed, but also another scene for the cops to examine, another identity check in the process to confirm it was you, and an increase in the statistical likelihood you’ll hit another car or something and jeapordize the operation.
Brazen insouciance is how you get away with dodgy illegal shit, Bill.