Wikileaks Performing A Public Service.

Image by @mjb via Flickr of The National Secuity Agency.

 When the British Government supports corrupt and totalitarian regimes around the world, like the Saudis who stone women for committing adultery, then they are not only being unprincipled but also duplicious. For at the same time as providing succour to these vile regimes they are colluding behind their backs by supplying  all of their intelligence, on Arab countries, to the Israelis. Whilst Iran must not have nuclear weapons (why did Feisal the Coward want the USA to bomb them the when he has his own bombers supplied by us) the Israelis, against the rule of  international conventions, spit on the United nations as they stockpile these weapons of mass destruction and nobody objects.
 Of course, as Wikileaks has shown, all of this is done without our knowledge and we get embroiled in wars , executions and acts of atrocity that none of us voted for. When a cell in MI5 tried to bring down Harold Wilson he was one step ahead of them and always followed the golden rule, "NEVER TRUST ANYONE".
 As an aside at the height of the nuclear arms race between the USA and Russia I was involved in providing an intelligence tip off about the Soviet's testing of an orbital bomb. This, quite rightly, had the American's in an enormous flap because it affected their National Security on an unprecedented scale. Whilst their early warning systems, such as Fylingdales in Yorkshire, looked east and west this fecker could come from any direction and Nuke them without any forewarning. As sure as hell the Yank's went off to the Ruskie's and agreed a deal to withdraw some of their threat to the Soviets if they dropped, or rather didn't drop, the orbital bomb.

Related articles

• WikiLeaks Lesson: Deception Part of Middle East Diplomacy (time.com)
• WikiLeaks Lesson: Deception Par for the Course in Mideast Diplomacy (time.com)

Anyone Think I'm Gelivable?

Chinese cyber buzzword "geili" - which describes something as "cool," "awesome" or "exciting" - has received the "official seal of approval" with an appearance in the official newspaper of the Communist Party of China.

Chinese character "Geili" appeared in a headline on the front page of People's Daily, which is marked by a black circle.

This is the latest episode in the ever-increasing popularity of this completely new word which has also been given English and French translations by web users and a negative form in a manga animation.

"Geili" featured in a headline on the front page ofPeople's Daily on Wednesday. While the meaning was slightly different, in the newspaper it meant "empower," millions of netizens were delighted and surprised to see it used by the Party newspaper.

Online jargon is usually considered too casual for standard written language, and is thus excluded from language guidelines.

"Geili" is created from two Chinese characters "gei" and "li." Literally, it means "giving power," but is now widely accepted as an adjective describing something that's "cool."

A test of a Chinese jargon word's trendiness is if users translate it into a foreign language, according to its pronunciation. "Geili" has been transformed into the English-sounding "gelivable," and "ungelivable," and the French "très guélile."

But it was the word's antonym "bugeili" - meaning dull or boring - that first grabbed wider public attention after it appeared online in May in an episode of a Chinese-dubbed Japanese comic animation.

In another twist in the word's linguistic evolution, Life Weekly, a Shanghai-based magazine, posted a word "ungelivable" - referring to bugeili - last weekend on its official micro-blog at sina.com.

This was regarded as a stroke of genius by netizens, who praised the word for containing "un" as a negative prefix, "able" as a suffix for an adjective, and all with the sound of "geili" in the middle. And, of course, the pronunciation is close to "unbelievable."

"très guélile" - which translates as "so geili and so cool," - was also coined very recently. It has the added advantage of pronunciation that is almost identical to the Chinese.

China's language usage guidelines, however, have banned the appearance of Internet buzzwords in formal written language, including textbooks.

Linguists, however, seem more tolerant. "These words are interesting and fun but it's unclear how long they will remain in use," said Pan Wenguo, a linguist in East China Normal University. "We'll see if the word can survive after it's out of fashion."

Hao Mingjian, editor of a linguistic magazine, seemed pretty positive about words created online.

"The Internet has many positive effects on language," Hao said. "Web users are able to find new words and give other words new lives."

Just in case you think I'm not then this, from Old Albert, definitely is:-

Chilling - Without Comment.

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Queda Unveils Strategy of a Thousand Cuts

DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda's Yemen-based wing vowed to "bleed" U.S. resources with inexpensive, small-scale attacks that cost militants just thousands of dollars to mount but billions for the West to guard against.

In the third edition of its online Inspire magazine, released on militant websites, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) said it had cost just $4,200 to mail two parcel bombs from Yemen to the United States last month.

The bombs were intercepted in Britain and Dubai, sparking a worldwide security alert.

Here are the main points from the edition, a special issue intended to explain the plot and the thinking behind it.

STRATEGY

* Bleed the enemy - "This strategy of attacking the enemy with smaller but more frequent operations is what some may refer to as the strategy of a thousand cuts. The aim is to bleed the enemy to death."

* Low risk, low cost - "It is such a good bargain for us to spread fear amongst the enemy and keep him on his toes in exchange of a few months of work and a few thousand bucks."

* Security worries - "In such an environment of security phobia that is sweeping America it is more feasible to stage smaller attacks that involve less players and less time to launch and thus we may circumvent the security barriers American worked so hard to erect."

RESOURCES

Equipment - "Two Nokia mobiles, $150 each, two HP printers, $300 each, plus shipping, transportation and other miscellaneous expenses add up to a total bill of $4,200."

Time - "It took us three months to plan and execute the operation from beginning to end."

People - "A team of less than six."

THE FUTURE

* More to come -- "We will continue with similar operations and we do not mind at all in this stage if they are intercepted."

* Next phase - "The next phase would be to disseminate the technical details of our device to the mujahidin around the world to use from their respective countries.

"...Do you think that our research will only be used by al Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula and won't be shared with other mujahideen (holy warriors)?

* Subsequent phase - "The following phase would be for us to use our connections to mail such packages from countries that are 'below the radar' and to use similar devices on civilian aircrafts in Western countries."

ECONOMIC IMPACT

Aviation is the target - "Our objective is not maximum kill but to cause (damage) in the aviation industry, an industry that is so vital for trade and transportation between the U.S. and Europe."

* Economic losses sought - "We knew that cargo planes are staffed by only a pilot and a co-pilot so our objective was not to cause maximum casualties but to cause maximum losses to the American economy."

* The goal is to "force upon the West two choices: You either spend billions of dollars to inspect each and every package in the world or you do nothing and we keep trying again."

The Royle Wedding Conspiracy!

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 Unlike the press I was not surprised to read that  Bonny and Clyde have arranged their wedding for 29 April. I am not a party to the scurrilous rumours going around that she is pregnant but, having worked inside government for most of my life,  I see the hand of the politicians in setting the date.

 Slimy Nick and Dangerous Dave have called council elections for 5 May as well as the referendum on AV which, if it goes in their favour, will guarantee a permanent place in government for The Liberals.
 So, coming off the back of the ecstasy and orgy of the Royle Wedding they are hoping that the feel good factor will propel them to victory. Get real Lurkio!

Lost Hits, Part Whatever, and Harmony.

 These two, although constantly falling out in their private lives, produced some magnificent harmonies of which I think this is the best.

Why Radio Silence Meant The Possible Extinction of Mankind.

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In days long ago at the iciest time of the cold war when I worked for GCHQ, at what the BBC described as, "the electronic eavesdropping spy station at Cheltenham" I worked in  J Division who were responsible for monitoring Russian communications.
 It was in the interests of politicians on both sides of the Iron Curtain to play up the threat so that billions of pounds/dollars/roubles could be spent on what Eisenhower, who deserves a larger and more noble role in modern day history, warned was a potential risk to democracy by stating that:-

"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together."

 It is in the interests of politicians to suggest to their populations that threats to them exist, either internally or externally, so that they can forge ahead with their own hidden agendas. And so we were led to believe that nuclear catastrophe was imminent and that more and more nuclear weapons and their launch pads were needed in order that MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) kept us safe and sane!

 In fact during the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the world thought that we were on the edge of nuclear annihilation, the spies trade union members, from both sides, met through back channels (more on these another day) to ensure that no such thing would happen. I firmly believe that after losing 25 million souls during the Second World War that although Russia would defend it's motherland to the  death it never had any intention of invading the west.

 However we were briefed at GCHQ that, contrary to what you would expect, if an attack was imminent then rather than the airwaves being buzzing with traffic then RADIO SILENCE would prevail so that the enemies communications would not be de-coded and positions revealed. Fortunately this never happened, except for the New Year, when the Russian armed forces all went on leave or were too pissed on vodka to put together a coherent transmission

 As for Eisenhower then this speech is worthy of study as a definitive statement of the American perspective of the world at that time and also reveals the humanity of the man.

Why I Hate Children In Need

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

1. We live in one of the richest countries in the world and to have children in need is a shocking indictment on us all for having failed to elect a government who have eradicated the problem,
2. A bit like band aid it is run by well meaning people and even more generous donors, who unlike the Wogan's and Geldof's, do not receive a knighthood, for their services to the cause. It salves consciences for a day but it is no more than a sticking plaster on a massive wound. In the meantime the auction houses of the world are making their largest profits in history from the rich who are buying into art and diamonds on a scale which dwarfs the money donated to these charities.
3. Chris Evans gets to auction rides in Ferrari's and arranges meets with celebrities for tens of thousand whilst Joe Blogs and Mary Humble struggle to pay their electricity bills to listen to his drivel.
4. In offices up and down the land people are bullied by peer pressure to throw money into buckets held by people who, for some reason that I have never figured out become cross dresser's for the day.
Miserable old git ain't I.

Always Be On Guard Against Those That Wish To Destroy.

    William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)

               THE SECOND COMING

    Turning and turning in the widening gyre
    The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
    Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
    Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
    The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
    The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
    The best lack all conviction, while the worst
    Are full of passionate intensity.

    Surely some revelation is at hand;
    Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
    The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
    When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
    Troubles my sight: a waste of desert sand;
    A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
    A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
    Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
    Wind shadows of the indignant desert birds.
    The darkness drops again but now I know
    That twenty centuries of stony sleep
    Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
    And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
    Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

Paul O'Grady on the Coalition and the Dangers of Anne Widdecombe

 I have never liked drag acts and must admit that when Mr. O'Grady was Lily Savage I scarcely watched him. I have always had a problem with men dressing up as women but it is probably not politically correct for me to say that these days. However that arch conservative Ms. Widdecombe, although allegedly retired from politics, never loses any opportunity on television to push her extreme right wing views. Even on The One Show the other night she started off with a tirade against "Red Ed" (a contradiction in terms) and the dangers of socialism. For an early evening light hearted  chat show I thought this was out of order and I hope a representative from the Labour Party is given the right of reply on the programme to balance her extremist views.
 There is even a suggestion in the press that she may be, with others, about to found the British equivalent of the despicable American Tea party. She is now trying to ingratiate herself into the nation's hearts by appearing in Strictly Come Dancing. She doesn't dance but puts on an act, but unlike John sergeant, hasn't add the good grace to pull out and nor would I expect her to as she lives on the oxygen of publicity. However after a recent show in which O'Grady poured out his wrath on The Coalition and it's cuts (see below) he turned his wrath on her telling The Times, " I can't feel warmth for a woman who said that pregnant female prisoners should be shackled .. You don't kid me Miss Widdecombe".

BBC Newsreaders, Jack London and Scabs.

Image by Caro Wallis via Flickr

The recent strike by BBC newsreaders against losing their guaranteed pensions was as usual Marred (pun intended) by the deterioration in relationships between the 95% of the staff who were solidly behind the strike and those few that crawled in (as usual in the dead of night so that they did not have to cross the picket line) to do what they regarded as their duty.
 Now I have been in a few strikes in my time - in fact as a Union Man I have always supported the cause when the call has been made, though not without reflection on the issues involved. In a career of forty years this probably amounted to a maximum of about seven working days. As related in these pages before, only the loony fringe revel in strikes and most of the people who participate do it either because they are starving, about to be sacked or are trying to correct an injustice hoisted on them by their employer. It is the striker that takes all the risks of being sacked and losing employee benefits, ostracising themselves from friends and family as well as losing their wages and even a gong for services to their country (more of this later).
 No wonder then there is bitterness between the strikebreakers, or blacklegs as I prefer to call them, and those that are making a sacrifice to try and improve their terms of service. Incidentally I have never yet heard of a strikebreaker who has refused the benefits that come along should, and this happens only rarely, industrial action prove to be successful.
 However Fiona Bruce has gone up in my estimation, as I always regarded her as a typical middle class BBC employee who would think it unpatriotic and beneath her to strike. Top marks Fiona - I shall watch the Antiques Roadshow with renewed enthusiasm in the future. Of those that did crawl into work I am not surprised that most of the so called "City Experts" like Robert Peston, Evan Davis and Sarah Montague, none of whom predicted the banking crises, have stuck with their allies in The City.
 Andrew Marr has always crossed the picket line and his lightweight series of books on the History of Britain reflect his prejudices against the working class and his love of the establishment. He also  wrote a damning indictment of Harold Wilson in one of those tomes that the facts did not bear out and was short on any detail such as a good historian should provide (see the blog piece I wrote on Wilson somewhere below).
 Nick Robinson's love of all things Tory ensured he would be loyal to the management's cause and I agree with The Fat Man In the Bathtub's  views on the man who also is a very poor reporter and lucky to be in a job. Andrew Neil is a Thatcher sycophant and a previous Murdoch employee and acted true to form. Johnathan Dimbleby the official pal and biographer of  Prince Charlie,the Serial Adulterer, payed homage as well.  Also I must admit to never hearing of Chris Rogers or Emma Crosby but they also reneged on their colleagues.
 You will notice that I have not used the term, "scab" which I have always thought to be offensive and slightly over the top demotic language. It postdates "blackleg" and it's first use in this sense is allegedly attributed to Jack London a writer I much admire and who turned me into a socialist at a formative age when I read his description of the poverty that existed in London in, "People of the Abyss" when the British Empire was at it's zenith in the Victorian age. I say alleged because although the passage smacks of his fine descriptive writing it has never been truly attributed to his pen - it reads, " After God had finished the rattlesnake, the toad, and the vampire, he had some awful substance left with which he made a scab. A scab is a two-legged animal with a corkscrew soul, a water brain, a combination backbone of jelly and glue. Where others have hearts, he carries a tumor of rotten principles. When a scab comes down the street, men turn their backs and Angels weep in Heaven, and the Devil shuts the gates of hell to keep him out...."
 And whilst I'm at it bollocks to Keith Richard and Mick Jagger who have made fortunes presenting themselves as rebels when they are as false as Jordan's tits and hobnob with the Tory elite and collected their gongs from HM. Which brings me neatly to the fact that in the Civil Service anyone who takes strike action is never awarded a medal and I suppose that those broadcasters will be in the same boat. Not to worry says I gongs are only given to fraudsters and lacky's.

Related articles

• BBC's top stars in bitter split over strike (telegraph.co.uk)

Apocolypse: The Second World War.

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 There is little enough television around these days which makes absorbing and educational watching as well as providing a new perspective on past events. I have no hesitation therefore in recommending the new Channel 4 series, being shown on Saturday evenings, about The Second World War. not only are there, to me, new historical facts (more on this later) but with the introduction of computer graphics to enhance the shots and more importantly provide provide colour to the old footage then this groundbreaking series is not to be missed.
 For those of you who missed the first episode it is available here at Channel 4's download site and I urge you to watch it and, if possible, make the remaining episodes part of your regular Saturday night's viewing.
 As for those facts that I had never heard of whilst I knew that Edward the V11 was a Nazi sympathiser I did not know that Henry Ford had anti-semitic views and nor that John Kennedy's father was behind America not getting involved in the early days of the war although his son, John,  to his credit took the opposite view.
 The one issue that staggered me however was that Sweden supplied iron ore to Germany throughout the war, when I always thought that they were neutral.
 Stalin's deviousness and cruelty are well documented but the film showed in close up the look of deceit in his eyes when he expressed surprise and denial as General Sikorsky of Poland presented him with a list of the Polish Officers that Stalin had exterminated.
 This is the great thing about education which is to reveal hidden truths and remind us of things which have been conveniently dusted under the carpet. Just as the history books in Britain tell us about the triumphs of Nelson and the defeat of the Spanish Armada they do not tell us about the complete destruction of the British Fleet off of the coast of East Anglia during that same period.
 To those of you who live outside of the United Kingdom I understand how annoying it is to be unable to watch these programmes as is the same with BBC I-player. However keep reading as in a few days I might have good news for you. Testing, testing, testing as they say.