The last few days have been interesting with regards to Russia, Ukraine and the West, mostly because Russia is considered to be the bad guy who should have sanctions against it and be ostracised from everything from the G8 to the Olympics committee, but nobody is sure exactly why.
With some gentle probing the case against Russia quickly falls away and it is the West and the EU who end up looking like the bad guys so might be better to not look too hard if we can help it.
It does all very much remind me of the late 80s when the Cold War was in full swing when Russia was the enemy and we were expected to hate everything it said and did and accept unquestioningly that everything we did was great.
Seems that view is still being upheld today and it boo at Moscow, cheers for Brussels, Washington and London and let's hide behind the curtain the Wests role in the Ukraine's breakup, this is little Ukraine being bullied by the big bad Russia who has all but declared war on Ukraine.
The West say that Viktor Yanukovich who is the man deposed by crowds of protesters in Ukraine was a dictator imposed on Ukraine by Moscow. Rather, he was elected in 2010 by 49% of the electorate which is more than David Cameron (36%), Angela Merkel (33%) and only slightly less than Obama (53%). What we have in the Ukraine is a situation where the West is cheering the ousting of a democratically elected leader.
As we found out in Kosovo, Egypt, Syria and Libya, the protesters we are backing to become the next Government are not all nice, democratic, Western-leaning individuals. Among the new Government wannabe's in Kiev are more than a few far-right parties such as Svoboda, who controls three ministries in the new interim government a little more than a year after the European Parliament expressed concern regarding Svoboda's growing support, warning that: 'the racist, anti-Semitic and xenophobic views go against the EU's fundamental values and principles' and appealed to 'pro-democratic parties not to associate with, endorse or form coalitions with Svobod'. A year later we are endorsing the same party as democratic.
Far from storming into Ukraine to prop up Yanukovich, Moscow kept away while conflict brewed there over the past three months. It was Western politicians who were stirring up the tensions in Ukraine, Senator John McCain, EU Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Catherine Ashton and US Assistant Secretary of State, Victoria 'Fuck the EU' Nuland and John Kerry all pitched up in Kiev to support the protest camps and telling their inhabitants that theirs was a ‘just cause’ and meet with opposition leaders like Vitali Klitschko and advising them on how and when to form a new interim government to replace Yanukovich’s. It wasn't Russia meddling but the West.
Russia has sent 30,000 troops to the Crimea but apart from a few shots in the air on the 4th March, not a shot has been fired so while Russia should be rightly condemned for marching into another country, it is not only them being the bad guy here and the West has some rather awkward questions about its role in all this and it is doing its best to avoid them by upping the rhetoric against Russia.
Friday, 7 March 2014
Monday, 3 March 2014
Please God, Don't Let Them Draft Me
Ultra-orthodox Jews have turned out in there thousands in Jerusalem to protest against a parliamentary Bill that is set for the first time to draft some of them into the Israeli military.
Not that they are against joining the military on ethical or moral grounds but because they argue that spending all day praying defends Israel as much as the army.
The biggest shock is that they have been able to get away with this obvious blag since 1948.
Join the army or wear a silly hat and talk to an imaginary man in the sky and ask him to keep the country safe. Hmmm, let me think about that one.
Not that they are against joining the military on ethical or moral grounds but because they argue that spending all day praying defends Israel as much as the army.
The biggest shock is that they have been able to get away with this obvious blag since 1948.
Join the army or wear a silly hat and talk to an imaginary man in the sky and ask him to keep the country safe. Hmmm, let me think about that one.
Sunday, 2 March 2014
Gravity Is Best Of British
Some people are asking how can a film with a Mexican director, two American A-listers and the backing of a major U.S. studio and wasn't even set in Britain (or any country for that matter) possibly be British?
It is all down to the British Film Institute who can claim a film for Britain if there is 'significant British creative involvement'.
A film must score 16 points out of a possible 31 to pass. Gravity passes if you count its Mexican director, Alfonso Cuaron as British because he lives in London and it was produced by Brit David Heyman and was shot at Shepperton Studios hiring British artists and technicians and used a British company, Framestore, for its visual effects.
If that isn't enough British creative involvement' to claim it for Queen and country, Cuaron explained that: 'There's a series of rules that make a film eligible for a British film or not. And 'Gravity' definitely has all the requirements'.
Basically, it's a British film because we said so (and because we counted the Mexican as a Brit) so here's hoping that Gravity, which is actually an amazing film if a little slow paced in places, sweeps the boards and we can make comments about how we remember when America made films like this.
As a strange quirk of twisting the criteria to claim things as ours, George Clooney is now officially English and therefore qualifies to be Prime Minister and is officially allowed to start using the letter 'U' in words.
You snooze you lose America, now ya'll have a nice day and all that.
China's 9/11
It is depressing watching the news most days and although the agenda is dominated by events in the Ukraine, news of horrific events unfolding in China where 10 Xinjiang separatists hacked to death at least 33 people and injured 130 in a train station.
'I saw two attackers, both men, one with a watermelon knife and the other with a fruit knife. They were running and chopping whoever they could' described one eye witness.
Shocking to hear and can only assume how horrific it must have been to witness.
The Xinjiang separatists are the same group who killed two tourists when they ploughed a car into a crowd in Tiananmen Square in October and left six people dead in 2008 when they exploded two buses.
The extremists are from the north-western region of Xinjiang and are trying to seek independence from China.
As with most act of terror, it is always the innocent men, women and children targeted by these kinds of maniacs and not the Government who they have the grievance with.
As with all terror attacks, there is no justification for the killing of innocent civilians no matter how much of a cause you may feel you have and we can only hope that those responsible are caught and dealt with by the Chinese Government to deter any further terrorist acts.
As for those people who are saying that China bought it upon itself, as many people said about America when the Twin Towers were hit or when Israel attack Lebanon or Palestine for firing rockets into Israel, if someone has a grievance with a Government, take it to the Government and not to the innocent people going about there everyday lives because that just makes you an evil bastard.
'I saw two attackers, both men, one with a watermelon knife and the other with a fruit knife. They were running and chopping whoever they could' described one eye witness.
Shocking to hear and can only assume how horrific it must have been to witness.
The Xinjiang separatists are the same group who killed two tourists when they ploughed a car into a crowd in Tiananmen Square in October and left six people dead in 2008 when they exploded two buses.
The extremists are from the north-western region of Xinjiang and are trying to seek independence from China.
As with most act of terror, it is always the innocent men, women and children targeted by these kinds of maniacs and not the Government who they have the grievance with.
As with all terror attacks, there is no justification for the killing of innocent civilians no matter how much of a cause you may feel you have and we can only hope that those responsible are caught and dealt with by the Chinese Government to deter any further terrorist acts.
As for those people who are saying that China bought it upon itself, as many people said about America when the Twin Towers were hit or when Israel attack Lebanon or Palestine for firing rockets into Israel, if someone has a grievance with a Government, take it to the Government and not to the innocent people going about there everyday lives because that just makes you an evil bastard.
John Kerry Uses Humour To Ease Tensions
Since his foul up which accidentally saved tens of thousands of Syrian lives, John Kerry has become the man to listen to on international dealings. Not because he is particularly good but because of his humorous ability to put both feet in his mouth in a way that any contortionist would be proud of.
His latest guffaw inducing comment came in an interview on CBS’s 'Face the Nation' where he accused the Russian leader of: 'acting in 19th-century fashion by invading another country on completely trumped-up pretext'.
I didn't see it myself but i assume he kept a straight face when he said it although with all that botox in his face he probably had no choice.
A light hearted moment to make us chuckle in an otherwise terrible situation and William '14 pints' Hague who is the UK version of John 'It's the way i tell 'em' Kerry is on the television looking suitably sombre as he talks about his 'concern over the escalation of tensions in Ukraine' and how he is due to fly to Kiev with Ukraine's new leaders.
Never fear, the Chuckle Brothers Kerry and Hague are on the case and with two such dangerously stupid people involved it can only be a roaring success.
His latest guffaw inducing comment came in an interview on CBS’s 'Face the Nation' where he accused the Russian leader of: 'acting in 19th-century fashion by invading another country on completely trumped-up pretext'.
I didn't see it myself but i assume he kept a straight face when he said it although with all that botox in his face he probably had no choice.
A light hearted moment to make us chuckle in an otherwise terrible situation and William '14 pints' Hague who is the UK version of John 'It's the way i tell 'em' Kerry is on the television looking suitably sombre as he talks about his 'concern over the escalation of tensions in Ukraine' and how he is due to fly to Kiev with Ukraine's new leaders.
Never fear, the Chuckle Brothers Kerry and Hague are on the case and with two such dangerously stupid people involved it can only be a roaring success.
Friday, 28 February 2014
Cool Heads Required In Ukraine
Ominous signs coming from Crimea in Ukraine as Russians are handing out Russian passports to Crimean's and it's ominous because that is exactly what happened in 2008 in the Georgian province of South Ossetia.
In the summer of 2008, Georgian villages in the territory of South Ossetia declared their independence from Georgia and Georgian troops were sent to the territory to restore order and bring the province back under its control.
Moscow, keen to bring Osettia under its own control, handed out thousands of passports to the people of South Ossetia and the day after Georgian troops arrived in the region, the Russian Armed Forces invaded Georgia, destroying its military, transportation, and economic infrastructure within and outside of the South Ossetian territory citing the necessity of defending Russian citizens living in South Ossetia from the Georgian military.
There are reports today of Russian envoys distributing Russian passports in the Crimean peninsula and fears are that Russia will once again use the 'protecting our citizens' as a pretext for an invasion and there are already reports that armed men have seized control of Simferopol airport in the Crimean capital.
As we saw in Georgia, this is the Russian play-book and it seems to be following the preliminaries to the Russian assault on Georgia.
Cool heads are required as the obvious splits in the east and west of the Ukraine means a civil war could easily become the outcome with an angry Russia in the mix.
In the summer of 2008, Georgian villages in the territory of South Ossetia declared their independence from Georgia and Georgian troops were sent to the territory to restore order and bring the province back under its control.
Moscow, keen to bring Osettia under its own control, handed out thousands of passports to the people of South Ossetia and the day after Georgian troops arrived in the region, the Russian Armed Forces invaded Georgia, destroying its military, transportation, and economic infrastructure within and outside of the South Ossetian territory citing the necessity of defending Russian citizens living in South Ossetia from the Georgian military.
There are reports today of Russian envoys distributing Russian passports in the Crimean peninsula and fears are that Russia will once again use the 'protecting our citizens' as a pretext for an invasion and there are already reports that armed men have seized control of Simferopol airport in the Crimean capital.
As we saw in Georgia, this is the Russian play-book and it seems to be following the preliminaries to the Russian assault on Georgia.
Cool heads are required as the obvious splits in the east and west of the Ukraine means a civil war could easily become the outcome with an angry Russia in the mix.
First To Squeeze Into Peru As Sea Rises
As we now know, when the sea levels rises due to climate change, we will all end up balancing on a hillside in Peru which will make for a very boring Olympics and World Cup as Peru will win everything.
Over the next century, countries will be swallowed up by the raging tides so we will all have to budge up a bit to fit us all in but whose inhabitants should be packing a suitcase sooner rather than later and heading for Lima to bag the best spots?
According to the World Bank, the people of Bangladesh should be the first to get to the airport before it disappears beneath the waves and then the Vietmanese should follow them as their country is the next in line to become the ocean floor.
Egypt, Tunisia, Indonesia amd Mauritania are to follow and then Peru really begins to get busy as the Chinese arrive, all 1344 million of them.
Mexico, Myanmar and Senegal make up the rest of the ten countries to become the first victims of the rising sea and who should be eyeing the best places to pitch a tent in Peru.
Over the next century, countries will be swallowed up by the raging tides so we will all have to budge up a bit to fit us all in but whose inhabitants should be packing a suitcase sooner rather than later and heading for Lima to bag the best spots?
According to the World Bank, the people of Bangladesh should be the first to get to the airport before it disappears beneath the waves and then the Vietmanese should follow them as their country is the next in line to become the ocean floor.
Egypt, Tunisia, Indonesia amd Mauritania are to follow and then Peru really begins to get busy as the Chinese arrive, all 1344 million of them.
Mexico, Myanmar and Senegal make up the rest of the ten countries to become the first victims of the rising sea and who should be eyeing the best places to pitch a tent in Peru.
What The Privatised Royal Mail Did Next
The Royal Mail made a profit of £403 million last year, money that went into the public coffers but then in their wisdom, the Conservatives decided to sell off the Royal Mail and privatised it so instead of the public getting the money to pay for services, the money to go directly into someones bank account instead.
As we have found out time and time again, privatisation is only good for the new owners and shareholders as a small number of people make more money from the privatisation and the customers get a more expensive service.
Five months after the privatisation, the Royal Mail has announced price rises in the cost of stamps because a profit of £403 million isn't enough.
And there you go, that's privatisation for you. Crap 'innit.
As we have found out time and time again, privatisation is only good for the new owners and shareholders as a small number of people make more money from the privatisation and the customers get a more expensive service.
Five months after the privatisation, the Royal Mail has announced price rises in the cost of stamps because a profit of £403 million isn't enough.
And there you go, that's privatisation for you. Crap 'innit.
Tuesday, 25 February 2014
Back To Aled In The Morning
For the past few weeks i have woken up to find someone careering down a snowy hill on my television but the party is over, the snowboards have been packed away and the Winter Olympics are over for another four years.So it's back to Aled Jones, Lorraine Kelly and Laura the weather girl first thing in the morning but what a treat the last couple of weeks have been in Sochi.
Because of the time difference, i did miss most of the live action and watched most of it on catch-up but i did see Great Britain bring home our equal best medal haul, 4.
Russia topped the league followed by Norway and then Canada, all places that have plenty of snow to practise on.
The Australians once again spent another Olympics looking below the GBR name in the medals table as it limped in 24th while the Great British Team came home 19th, one place behind Finland and three ahead of Italy who have an Alps to practise on so they have no excuse.
Key highlights were Shaun White giving an interview and arrogantly muttering about not losing and winning anything other than gold not being an option before duly coming in 4th. Then there were the three skiers who fell at the end of the Ski Cross with the silver medal awarded to the skier who fell facing forward as his hands went across first as the other two slithered backwards.
The Brazilian bobsleigh team who crashed on almost the first corner and careered down the rest of the course on its side, the four Olympic rings in the opening ceremony as the fifth failed to open, Vanessa Mae participating for Thailand and the US bobsledder who got stuck in the toilet by a dodgy lock on the door but still went through it anyway by smashing a massive hole in it.
Elise Christie getting disqualified in her first race, missing the finishing line in her second race and then taken out by a South Korean skater in the third race and Jenny Jones taking bronze in the snowboard was a great moment.
My highlight though has to be the curling. It is a strange looking sport, can't think of many others when your sport kit contains a broom but it was all very exciting.
It may take a while to regain my morning regime without watching men in tight fitting lycra bodysuits filling my screen while i eat my cornflakes. Unless of course Aled and the other guy who does the entertainment news on Daybreak want to ditch the suits and give it a go.
Not you though Laura, you just concentrate on the isobars.
Monday, 24 February 2014
Piers Sacked But Staying There
Piers Morgan's talk show has been cancelled by CNN and he blames the controversy over his stance on gun control.
A spokesperson announced: 'CNN confirms that Piers Morgan Live is ending. The date of the final program is still to be determined'.
'Look, I am a British guy debating American cultural issues, including guns, which has been very polarising' he explained referring to his call for tighter gun control measures in the wake of the December 14 massacre at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.
I have always found Piers to be a massive moron but the American gun laws even more moronic so as far as i was concerned it was an idiot trying to tell cretins that their boneheaded guns fetish was wrong which was never going to play well in a place where the solution to 20 kids and 6 staff getting shot in school was to try and introduce more guns to the equation.
My biggest worry though was that the smug faced gimp would come back here but before i could email CNN begging them to give him another go, they said they were discussing a new role for him at the channel.
Phew, that was close.
A spokesperson announced: 'CNN confirms that Piers Morgan Live is ending. The date of the final program is still to be determined'.
'Look, I am a British guy debating American cultural issues, including guns, which has been very polarising' he explained referring to his call for tighter gun control measures in the wake of the December 14 massacre at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.
I have always found Piers to be a massive moron but the American gun laws even more moronic so as far as i was concerned it was an idiot trying to tell cretins that their boneheaded guns fetish was wrong which was never going to play well in a place where the solution to 20 kids and 6 staff getting shot in school was to try and introduce more guns to the equation.
My biggest worry though was that the smug faced gimp would come back here but before i could email CNN begging them to give him another go, they said they were discussing a new role for him at the channel.
Phew, that was close.
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