Sim-O

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Well, it’s that day again.
Anyone who knows me will know I don’t go in for sentimentality, doesn’t mean I’m a heartless bastard, just not one for outpourings of emotion.
So, with that in mind, here’s a couple of things:
What sounds like a couple of films that (intentional or not) further the myth of America.

Two Hollywood films mark 9/11’s fifth anniversary: Paul Greengrass’s United 93 and Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center. Both adopt a terse, realistic depiction of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. There is undoubtedly a touch of authenticity to them and most critics have praised their sober styles and avoidance of sensationalism. But it is the touch of authenticity that raises some disturbing questions.
The realism means that both films are restrained from taking a political stance and depicting the wider context of the events. Neither the passengers on United 93 nor the policemen in WTC grasp the full picture. All of a sudden they find themselves in a terrifying situation and have to make the best out of it.

This lack of “cognitive mapping” is crucial. All we see are the disastrous effects, with their cause so abstract that, in the case of WTC, one can easily imagine exactly the same film in which the twin towers would have collapsed as the result of an earthquake. What if the same film took place in a bombed high-rise building in Beirut?

And links to a quite convincing argument for a conspiracy theory here and a couple of videos here and here.

Labels: War On Terror

I’m not going to go into detail about the resignation letters to Mr Blurgh and the story behind it, as it’s all over the place and I’m just glad that at least Our Tone will be going sooner rather than later (but still not soon enough) but he did make an announcement about his resignation yesterday from Quintin Kynaston School in north London.

As someone who hasn’t much experience of this sort of thing, Lenins’ report, here, from the wrong side of the fence makes interesting reading, especially the part about teachers trying to intimidate pupils into going away and snatching banners and placards.

Labels: Blair

Gaza: Four killed and 27 injured in two extra-judicial executions in two hours

Labels: Palestine

Watch out General, you’ll be next on the hit list if this is true!

Oh, wait, just remind me who this Osama chap is again?
“Occupation? Unknown” – What? Come on, you’re the FBI!!

Doesn’t matter, you safe from George W., it’s just countries without WMD he invades, so these are safe(ish).

Labels: War On Terror

Prime Minister Tony Blair’s spokesman said some people were trying to misrepresent ministers’ views as privatisation of public services…
Mr Blair’s spokesman insisted that while ministers certainly intended to change public services, there were no privatisation plans…

Then, from Corporate Watch, this, and in the news yesterday DHL struck a deal with the NHS that is

“effectively a privatisation of part of NHS Logistics as well as a part of the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency”

for

“More than £22bn of orders over 10 years will be affected. The company says it will save the NHS £1bn in that period.”

If the NHS can save more than £1bn over ten years, by using a profit-making company, shouldn’t the NHS be able to save even more by doing it itself and cutting out the middleman as whatever profit DHL are making, could be more savings.
The NHS doesn’t need privatising, it needs someones arse kicking to do their job better.

But there is also a little victory.

Labels: Capitalism

The people who need to read it, probably couldn’t.

Labels: War On Terror

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Buy British

Pick it, pack it, fire it up, come along
and take hits from the bong
Put the blunt down just for a second
Don’t get me wrong it’s not a new method
Inhale, Exhale – just got a ounce in the mail
I like a blunt or a big fat coal
But my double barrel bong is gettin me stoned
I’m skill it, There’s water inside don’t spill it
It smells like shit on the carpet
Still it, goes down smooth when I get a clean hit
Of the skunky funky smelly green shit
Sing my song, puff all night long
As I take Hits from the bong…
Cypress Hill

Labels: Drugs

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“Despite having a heavy hand in negotiations, the United States says it will not sign a global treaty codifying the rights of people with disabilities”

Full Article

The fact that this is about people with disabilities is besides the point. You could change the last part of the quote to anything and it would sound true to the US’s attitude to the world at the moment.
The US is negotiating a treaty that it is not going to participate in. Why would somebody do such a thing?
To free them from reponsibility when it suits and to lock others into a certain behaviour that favours themselves, ‘Do as I say, not as I do’ to quote a cliche.

Later in the article it does mention that the USA has federal, local & state level laws that to assist citizens with disabilities.
If so, shouldn’t be a problem signing then.
None of us want to lose our sovereignty, but sometimes, you need to put your money where your mouth is.

Labels: Politix

While the world is looking the other way, it’s attention on Lebanon, let’s not forget what is happening in Gaza. Israel hasn’t forgotten the Palestinians, and neither should we.

With the UN-sponsored ceasefire between Israel and Hizbullah going into effect, Palestinians are apprehensive that might embark on a fresh rampage in Gaza in order to boost the morale of a conspicuously dispirited Israeli public.

In fact, the Israeli army never stopped murdering Palestinians and destroying their homes for even a single day during the war on Lebanon. Palestinian medical sources revealed this week that more than 187 Palestinians were killed, mostly in the Gaza Strip, since the beginning of July.

more

Labels: Palestine