Condi in call for Women's Rights to Muslims worldwide ?

Still reeling from the BBC reports about the crowd of 200 "swelled by wellwishers" - well 2 at most, I was looking for a more dashing pic of Condi and found this when she met Putin earlier this year.

Then I thought of her and the First Lady telling the Seirra Leonians about Women's Rights.... Hmmmm ... Condi (according to the TIME reporter on the BBC) " went out" amongst the Muslims to confront them.

Well ..... which Muslims (even less confronted) she met is still unknown , and she didn't go out and meet them, they were carefully selected and invited to meet her and Jacky in the Town Hall. Pound to a pinch of snuff there wasn't a lady amongst them... did she stoutly call for Women's Rights, and did Jacky Straw her drooling lapdog echo her call ?

Well no mention in the Press / TV coverage so far .... an opportunity missed ... or avoided ?

Armitage PNAC signatory joins one of world's biggest oilco's as Director

Richard Armitage, former Deputy Secretary of State t Colin Powell (March 2001 - Nov 2004 resigned one day after Powell) and signatory of the Project for the New American Century, has been under scrutiny in connection with the trial of ex-vice presidential aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby, over the leak of a CIA operative's name to the press. He is said to be the first person to discuss the identity of CIA official Valerie Plame with reporters, and is expected to testify in the perjury trial. Bob Woodward is "alleged" to have been the journalist he talked to.

A court filing suggests Libby's team may try to pin blame on the State Department for the leak of Plame's identity to the public after her husband. U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson, criticized the Bush administration's Iraq policy.

Powell and Armitage resisted the administration's push to invade Iraq more than other senior officials and left their posts after President Bush's 2004 reelection.

Armitage ran an international consulting company before joining Powell in the Bush administration in 2001.

His name popped up on Friday 30th March 2006,in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), in which ConocoPhillips said its board was expanded from 15 to 18 members as a result of its $33.9 billion acquisition of natural gas producer Burlington Resources.

In addition to Armitage, (Ex Navy, Viet Vet, international consultant and powerlifter) who becomes a Class I director effective immediately, the company said its board also elected Burlington's former President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman Bobby Shackouls to the board, as well as William Wade, Jr., who was on the board of Burlington (and is retired Chairman of Atlantic Richfield Oil Co).

ConocoPhillips earlier on Friday said it had closed the acquisition. Burlington shareholders will receive $46.50 in cash and 0.7214 shares of ConocoPhillips common stock for each Burlington share. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, ConocoPhillips operates in more than 40 countries. The company has approximately 35,600 employees worldwide and assets of $107 billion.

Full list of ConocoPhillips Board with biogs here including J. Stapleton Roy Managing Director of Kissinger Associates, Inc. (position previously held by Paul Bremer of Baghdad)

Pic Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov with Armitage (on right) .Copyright US Gubment

Scanlon, Abramoff now Rudy spill the beans .... De Lay next for a plea ?

Tony Rudy 39. former deputy chief of staff and press secretary to US Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX), (USA v. Rudy, 06cr82, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia) and renowned Amhurst graduate and bare knuckle Republican operator pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy Friday 31st March 2006.

Rudy admitted to working with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff , among other people, to corrupt public officials and defraud clients while he was employed by DeLay and later while a partner in the now defunct (shutdown January 9, 2006) Washington lobbying firm Alexander Strategy Group.

The plea deal contains no allegations of wrongdoing by DeLay, but court documents do state that Rudy was involved in planning a golf trip to Scotland for Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) and members of his staff. Rudy's plea also includes a promise to cooperate in further investigations of bribery and lobbying fraud. In exchange, prosecutors will not further charge Rudy or his wife.

Rudy ( who resigned as DeLay's deputy chief of staff in 2001 before working with Abramoff) faces up to 5 years in prison, but could receive much less depending upon his help with the investigation, U.S. District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle told Rudy at a court hearing in Washington. (pic Rudy leaving Court)

Susan Schmidt and James Grimaldi of The Washington Post November 26th 2005 reported that investigators are looking into whether Rudy aided Abramoff's lobbying clients while he was working on the Hill, ... and are reviewing payments from Abramoff clients and associates to Liberty Consulting, a political firm founded by Rudy's wife, Lisa. The Washington Post reported that Rudy, while on DeLay's staff, helped scuttle a bill opposed by eLottery Inc., an Abramoff client, and that Abramoff had eLottery pay a foundation $25,000 ( a Seattle-based Orthodox Jewish foundation, Toward Tradition, headed by a friend of Abramoff, Lapin) that then paid fees to Rudy's wife to hire Liberty Consulting,"

The Magazine Publishers of America also paid the Seattle-based Orthodox Jewish foundation, Toward Tradition, that then paid fees to Rudy's wife. "I can confirm that based on direction from Preston Gates, the MPA did make a $25,000 contribution to Toward Tradition in 2000," said MPA spokesman Howard J. Rubenstein.The Postal Service were intending to raise postal costs by 15% and the MPA spent £ 10Mn campaigning against it, using Preston Gates - they succeeded when the postal rise was much less.

Rudy is claimed (without any evidence) to be on the ground at the time of one of the most historic episodes of the 2000 battle for the White House -- the now-legendary "Brooks Brothers Riot" at the Miami-Dade County polling headquarters.

This was when dozens of "local protesters," actually mostly Republican House aides from Washington, chanted "Stop the fraud!" and "Let us in!" when the local election board tried to move the re-counting from an open conference room to a smaller space. For more see Wapo Jan 24th 2005 this is a must see story.

Michael Scanlon, a former DeLay press secretary who later became a lobbying partner with Abramoff, pleaded guilty to bribing public officials in November.

Busy couple Mr & Mrs Rudy. According to the Wall Street Journal Rudy made nearly 500 stock trades from his Capitol Hill computer in 1999 and 2000 and profited handsomely from the day trading.

According to a document filed in court yesterday, Rudy admitted accepting gifts from Abramoff and associates, including $86,000 in payments to his wife's firm, Liberty Consulting, as well as "tickets to sporting events, meals, golf and golf trips."

Rudy was known on the Hill as the "impelmenter" overseeing "members high maintenance" operation, an elaborate concierge service, making sure GOP lawmakers had private cars and meals during late-night votes. Rudy told a Washington Post reporter that it made sense to shuttle lawmakers to a five-car hospitality train from Philadelphia's First Union Center. "The whole purpose of this is to treat members of Congress as kings and queens," he said.

"Rudy was a practical, no-nonsense aide who made sure the De Lays's Republican political vision became reality." an insider is reported saying.

So now we know why (partly) Abramoff is singing like a canary.

Tom De Lay must be sleeping badly these days.

Lord Patel of the Internet gets in the Rogue's Gallery...again.

They didn't seem to respond too well to blown kisses ... obviously got me down as a wrong 'un.

Notice the two officers (one recording voice and one video) with red tabs are not displaying (as required) any numbers.(Click on pic to enlarge)

The excellent BBC gallery of pictures here None of Lord Patel !

The BBC ONline report says of JS .."Mr Straw described crowds of supporters outside as "remarkable" and dismissed the number of demonstrators as "not large".

By not large one imagines that he means , well that many die violently in Baghdad every week. The innumerate BBC head counter arrived at 200 people - a number confortably exceeded by the number of Police present.

Bloomberg report astonishing news of her meeting with the Press in Blackburn Town Hall..." U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the U.S. will no longer give explicit support to governments that are not elected, suggesting that spreading democracy now takes priority over maintaining political stability.

``The past 60 years of trying to buy stability at the expense of democracy is now gone,'' Rice said at a press conference in Blackburn, England, that was televised by the British Broadcasting Corp...... so that is the end of cosying up to General Musharrif of Pakistan the Military Dictator, who amended the Constitution that he can introduce any law he wishes and Parliament nor the legal process can later alter it..... Kuwait, Saudi, Emirates, Jordan .... those havens of Democracy and Women's Rights.

...............oooooops silly us, it is April Fool's Day. (The Daily Torygraph blog by Anton La Guardia "Chasing Condoleeza Rice "had a very weak schoolboy April Fool about Jack calling her Condom Rice ...

POSTSCRIPT SUNDAY 2/4

Reviewing my pics of the day I note that these unnumbered and unsmiling Plods actually blocked taking pics of Condi and Jacky getting in their bomb proof, gas guzzling Range Rover - that is the bus contaniing the Press / TV claque in the background, .... meanwhile the VIP's roared off past the two supporters waving their single Union Jack.

No mention in the Press about their visit to the Liverpool Maritime Museum ... after all she had been to the Air Museum at BAE Warton to see the 18 yr old brand new, instant military antique, Typhoon with a bag of concrete instead of a machine gun .... enough of museums maybe, as Jacky whisked her off to the Sands of Araby ??????

Probably the most stomach wrenching weekend Press piece of hagiography was Condimania By Elizabeth Day (Filed: 02/04/2006) Sunday Torygraph

"The Dean of Blackburn is a holy man and, as such, is not generally touched by earthly desires. He has serious misgivings about the Iraq war. He is a sensible, mild-mannered sort of fellow, not given to unnecessary exaggeration. But that was yesterday. That was BC. Before Condoleezza.

Oh, I thought she was charming," says the Very Rev Christopher Armstrong, reflecting on his hour-long meeting with the US Secretary of State in Blackburn Cathedral. He pauses. A playful half-smile curls his lips. His eyes glaze over slightly and gaze into the middle distance. It is as if he is recalling a particularly pleasing experience, such as winning the egg-and-spoon race at his primary school.

Condoleezza Rice left men powerless in her wake

"She looks nice, she's interesting, she's very aware, very concerned, and she can handle the protesters so well. She knows other people's opinions are important and she values them." (We'll skip over that earlier observation about the Dean..."not given to unnecessary exaggeration")

A few hours earlier, Mr Armstrong had been declaiming the war in Iraq in forceful tones in front of the nation's media. Now, he appears to have undergone a quasi-religious conversion. But you can't blame him. This, it seems, is quite simply the Condi effect."

Pass the sick bag Alice ......

If you have the stomach to read the article by Miss Day, you will see she managed to speak to two people who approved of her visit, and missed speaking to a single one of the thousands giving voice to a very vocal opposition.

Condi " Give Peace a fucking chance ! "

Condi and her beau stepped briskly down the steps of the Town Hall, Blackburn with a very brief wave and kept close to the wall and railings (thigmatropic response as the zoologists describe the scuttling style of the woodlouse) surrounded by 15 burly well dressed thugs men who looked like what the zoologists call, bulls in a china shop. (CR is just to the right of the Plods with the cameras by the tree, with JS behind)

In seconds they were in the cars and roared off in convoy with Police outriders to the Liverpool Maritime Museum (yawn) and then Liverpool Airport (ooops John Lennon International Airport) ... no doubt as Air Force II bore here off to sunny Washington she was quietly cursing the umpteenth time she heard JL's "Imagine" and it's much repated refrain "Give peace a chance".

All in all we can rejoice that her trip was such a fuck up, shunned from a photo op at the mosque by the Muslim community ... having to look at the aircraft museum with the "instant antique" Typhoon fighter (?) plane 18 years in the making ... a pesky child at Pleckgate school (even after her slippy back entrance manouevres with Jacky) singing "Give Peace a Chance endlessly"... she missed the footie with Blackburn game moved to Monday by Sky TV .... a silent audience who sat on their hands at the Chatham House speech ... that black woman insulting her at ther Phil ... more crowds yelling abuse..."War criminal" ... Jim Naughtie giving her a mildly hard time on Today's TODAY program (not what the BBC had promised). ... and then 4,000 people at a zillion decibels, hurling abuse and telling her to Fuck off back to the USA - in the midle of Blackburn Jack's own patch!!!! (Where were his supporters ?) . ... plus almost endless rain, clouds and that sweaty Kack following her like a bloody lapdog everywhere agreeing with everything she said.

Oh! by the way today it was a smart 2 piece tailored charcoal grey suit, although I haven't checked that with the BBC Fashionistas yet.

Probably most disappointed were the shoe stalls on Blackburn Market who missed the chance to sell her a nice comfy pair of slippers, or some good walking shoes.

Even worse than the cobblers and tripe scutchers, must be Jacky, poor lad, dreams of No 10 shattered, what a sad fuck he must feel ... imagine him fondling his silk Blackburn No 10 shirt he managed to snaffle, alone with a bottle of Chivas Regal ... what's this, a loaded Revolver and a handwritten note .... "WE will miss you...Tony".

Crowds out to support the war criminals etc.,

Lest the BBC 4 News at 2.00 clock today "... the crowd of 3,000 was swelled by supporters" slightly overstate the number of supporters of the war criminals here they are ... literally yards away ( and 10 minutes before she appeared) from where Condi and the man who shares her mini bar got into their bomb proof Range Rover.(click on all pics to enlarge)

The lady with the flag was interviewed by BBC Five Live and this ended up on BBC Online .....

"Judith Hodgkinson, 35, from Blackburn, who was among the supporters, said: "I think it is a major coup for Blackburn that she (Ms Rice) is here.

"She's a very powerful woman and she makes very important decisions. To me it's astonishing to have a person like that in a town like Blackburn."

Mrs Hodgkinson's view contrasted with protesters who booed Ms Rice and branded her a "war criminal".

Pictures are worth a 1,000 words ?



The two highly trained POLICE horses seen here reared and skittered and knocked down an elderly lady (who had absolutely nothing do do with the demonstration - no bones broken but badly shocked. No paramilitaries attended but the Police ladies were VERY sympathetic and found her a chair from M & S .. eventually.

Note the 2 sharpshooters (?) on top of BHS (immediately above the blue bhs sign).




















Of course it wasn't just the Press / TV and the public taking pictures, P C PLod has now got even MORE pictures of Lord Patel of the Universe. What DO they do with these fillums ... play them on Drunk night in the canteen ?

War criminals in Liverpool

Blairwatch has 2 excellent photo albums one of the visit of leading war criminals to the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts here (see pic) and one of the evening march from Paddy's Wigwam

The BBC have cleared up one major problem concerning many people. The US war criminal Rice was wearing a 2 piece tailored suit which they finally agreed was to be described as "dusky plum". Glad that's been cleared up. No Ferragamo pumps though just plain old Jimmy Choos.

See you in Blackburn!

Where is April Glaspie ?

Where is April Glaspie when you need her ? April Glaspie you will remember was the last US Ambassador in Baghdad (before the illegal invasion and the installation of a series of puppet regimes). She met Saddam Hussein and told him as he was sending his armoured battalions south to invade Kuwait that the US really "takes no position". The verbatim record shows ... "U.S. Ambassador Glaspie - We have no opinion on your Arab - Arab conflicts, such as your dispute with Kuwait. Secretary (of State James) Baker has directed me to emphasize the instruction, first given to Iraq in the 1960's, that the Kuwait issue is not associated with America."


Well a lot of blood has been spilled on the floor since then and we have heard nothing from her ... apparently that day she couldn't get through to the State Department and so took the rap quietly moved on....first going to a lowly job at United Nations then Consul General in Cape Town, then she retired in 2002.

April was the first US woman Ambassador to an Arab country and much respected. Wouldn't it be nice to hear what she has to say about Iraq today ?

Charlie Sheen has 9/11 Website (so does Condi)

Charlie Sheen's Bravo Charlie website is here whilst we are listing websites the Times (Rupes No 1 UK Rag) has listed www.condiwatch.co.uk giving deatils of all the North West protests - Blackburn, Bangor Steet 9-10 tomorrow for the march on the Town Hall. Be there!

Don't miss the BBC collection of 24 photographs from the Liverpool march here

Condileezza Rice at prayer in Liverpool Cathedral

School protest against Condi / Straw seen worldwide

School children and parents demonstrate against Rice's visit Friday at Pleckgate High School in Blackburn, England. (USA Today)



Reuters says Rice's trip is expected to be heavy on photo opportunities and light on discussion, as was Straw's trip to the American south in October.



Christopher Furlong, Getty Images / Reuters

Straw / Rice visit reaches climax

At Ewood Park, home of Blackburn Rovers ( anatural location for discussion of the philosophy of war etc.,) war criminal Condileezza Rice attempted to explain to a handpicked and carefully scrutinised party ...."I know we've made tactical errors, thousands of them I'm sure," Rice told an audience "gathered" by the British foreign policy think tank Chatham House. "But when you look back in history, what will be judged will be, did you make the right strategic decisions."

She said she remains firmly convinced that it was the right strategic decision to remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq three years ago, and that it required an invasion to do it.

Saddam "wasn't going anywhere without military intervention," she said.

Meanwhile Jack was snapped gleefully drooling and fondling her brand new slinky silky vest ... does he, as a fan of Blackburn Rovers envisage any David Mellor style romps ? ... a case of get yer kit off Condi !!! ???? ("careful Jacky don't want to leave any DNA on it ... know whaddimean, nudge, nudge , wink, wank!" remember what Slick Willy told you.)

"Fuck it!" says, Jack the lad ... let's get to the Adephi as soon as ....I've had enough of these wailing Asians.

(AP Photo/Matt Dunham, Pool)

Oil, Gold, Copper at record highs today

Vital Trivia points out that US dollar price of West Texas Intermediate if expressed in UK pounds eg $65.72 and 1.73515 dollars to the pound results in a value of £37.88 a barrel. Probably the highest ever and a rise in the Pounds Sterling price of 44%. This has gone unremarked in the MSM.

Meanwhile Gold reached a 25-year high of $579 an ounce today. Base metals prices remained firm on the back of a new high for copper which reached $5,370 a tonne.

Kathy Tyson refuses to pimp for Condi & Jack

First Roger Mc Gough turned down the role of compereing the Liverpool Philarmonic concert for war criminals Rice and Straw, Liverpool born actress Cathy Tyson has turned down the job as well.

At age 17 she joined the Everyman Theatre. In 1984 she entered the RSC. She made a stunning debut as Simone, the elegant and mysterious black prostitute in Neil Jordan's acclaimed Mona Lisa (1986) with Bob Hoskins. Her assured performance received a BAFTA nomination and a Golden Globe (supporting actress).

She also appeared in the excellent TV series Band of Gold (Granada, 1995) .

She will appear however ... with the protesters outside ..... be there !

Bin Laden found hidden in Liverpool cave

Go here ... do not hold cup of coffee whilst accessing .. you have Bin warned.

Blackburn / Liverpool - security tightens up for war criminals visit

Sky News reports "Roads in and around both cities will be closed for security reasons during the visit."

Pic shows 3 tripod mounted cameras on M65 plus barier mounted video near Junction with M66 a white van nearby was presumably checking all number plates against the PNC. This was taken 1/4/06 and a video had been mounted overnight on the other carriageway for traffic exiting Blackburn. (Attention sign is in car windscreen sticker!)

Reuters reports Assistant Chief Constable Patricia Gallan, of Merseyside Police, said officers would deal "swiftly" with protesters who break the law.

She said:

"We fully recognise the democratic right of every individual to demonstrate peacefully.

"We need to ensure that public safety is maintained at all times, and therefore trained officers will be on hand to deal swiftly with anyone who breaks the law and puts public safety at risk.

"Local people should be reassured that we are aiming to keep disruption to a minimum and to ensure that everyone involved is able to enjoy this high profile visit in a peaceful and safe way."

Looks like Section 59 of the Terrism Act is going to be in for some heavy use in the next 48 hours.

HOT OFF THE PRESS

Lancashire Evening Post cover the visit of the war criminals to the BAE Warton Factory (no sly slipping in by the back entrance here) ...

Nigel Whitehead, Air Systems Group Managing Director, said: "We are delighted that during the short time they had available, the Secretaries of State visited BAE Systems.

"The fact that the Foreign Secretary feels that BAE Systems, and in particular Salmesbury, is an excellent example of a highly skilled technologically advanced industry, is something we should be proud of." (Subtext - we are really good at making things that kill people)

Cannot expect the MD of an outfit making an airplane 18 years in the making, that no-one wants to buy. to utter anything sensible to Dr Rice ...like "Fuck Off !!!! go and monger your wars elsewhere."

Which reminds me of the spectactular crash landing costing £50Mn at RAF Coningsby Lincs on Jan 19th 2006 when a RAF Typhoon, computer controlled front wheel landing gear didn't operate. More from a previous posting here and here is the lovely picture of £50Mn taxpayers money going up in smoke ... did they lay on a demo for the dolly war crim ? We want the computer codes for the JSF - you bet we do. 18 yrs and we still get these cock ups.

Condi and her beau slip in the back entrance

BBC Radio are reporting that Condileezza Rice and her beau for the weekend handsome, slim, debonair, man about town, Jack Straw used the back entrance this morning. Visiting Plackgate School they avoided the massive demonstration of banner waving children, parents and Anti War protesters by slipping in quietly.

At the school visited by Rice and Straw, about 200 protesters stood across the street with banners and signs, chanting "Condi Rice Go Home!" One demonstrator held a yellow hand-lettered sign that read "How Many Lives Per Gallon?" reports the Lexington Herald Leader. and details the Opponents of the Iraq war Web site, www.condiwatch.co.uk
, that listed times and locations for marches and gatherings. Protesters planned to distribute T-shirts that read, "Fab Four, Not War," in reference to Liverpool's most famous export, The Beatles.

The Jerusalem Post report Rice was greeted by protesters carrying anti-war banners, along with cries of 'war criminal' and 'human rights abuser' as she joined British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on a tour of northern England on Friday.

Meanwhile the Daily Mail reports she is off to BAE Systems at Warton, Nr Blackburn Lancs, where the Eurofighter Typhoon jet is built (never far from war our gal) - and will allegedly discuss the joint JSF Stike Fighter alternate engine to be built by Rolls Royce for which US$2.7Bn. funding was withdrawn from next year's military budget.

Under the heading (syndicated in many other papers)" Rice Gets the Cold Shoulder in Britain" the British Columbia , Canada Hinewburg Journal reports the AP story ...which says ...

"LIVERPOOL, England - Demonstrators organized marches to call Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice a war criminal and human rights abuser as she joined British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on a tour of his adopted northern England working-class home."

STOP PRESS NEWS

NELSON solicitor and Euro MP Sajjad Karim today told US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice not to visit the area this weekend unless she apologised for the war in Iraq and for the prisoners being held in Guantanamo Bay, dismissed the visit as a "shameless publicity stunt."

Mr Karim said: "I think it is wholly inappropriate for Jack Straw to be organising a series of events for Ms Rice designed to do nothing more than provide the world's press with a photo opportunity.

"While Mr Straw and Ms Rice are being entertained to a series of gala events and lavish dining, I doubt the British forces serving in Basra, the innocent Iraqis caught up in the turmoil in their own country or the detainees at Guantanamo Bay will be celebrating her visit in such style."

Mr Karim, who grew up in Brierfield, admitted high profile state visits were normally good at boosting the tourism and local economy of the region.

However, he blamed Ms Rice for the instability in Iraq and for Guantanamo Bay's Camp X-ray, in Cuba, where hundreds of people suspected of terrorism are held without charge.

"Condoleezza Rice is directly responsible for what has happened at Guantanamo Bay, where people are being held against international law, and the extraordinary rendition of innocent people by the CIA.

"Unless Ms Rice is planning on using this trip to apologise for the war in Iraq or to announce the release of the detainees in Guantanamo Bay, she may as well stay at home so far as I am concerned."

7:00pm Thursday 30th March 2006 Lancs Evening Post

Well said Mr Karim - no use him expecting ennoblement then.

Blackburn / Liverpool marches for war criminals Condi and Straw

Blackburn with Darwen Stop the War
PRESS RELEASE - DATED 29 MARCH 2006, 2330 hrs

...Are organising a march on Saturday April 1st. with the support of the community, from Bangor Street Community Centre (assembling 9am), which will make its way to the National Rally outside the Town Hall at 10.30am. This rally, and the support that it is now attracting, rising by the hour, will demonstrate to Condoleezza Rice and Jack Straw that there is no acceptance for the policies of the British and US governments in relation to the war against Iraq, and support of torture and other human rights abuses at Guantanamo Bay and throughout the world. ... and that they are a couple of war criminals.

More and full press release at MPACUK website

and also at Stop the War website .

Also read the shite the Independent wrote about the visit of the war criminals here

Friday night in Liverpool ...Assemble: steps of Liverpool's Catholic Cathedral at 5.30pm Mount Pleasant, L35TQ

March to Philharmonic Hall, Hope Street to arrive at 7.30pm

Merseyside MP George Howarth and Liverpool city council leader Warren Bradley insisted the American secretary of state should be made welcome.

Book on Coaches Bradford / Manchester / London here

Other Contacts:

Merseyside:

Mark Holt: 01519 312 612 Mark Henzel: 07752 350 994 markhenzel@yahoo.co.uk

Blackburn:

Alex Martindale: 07989 675 284
chair@condiwatch.co.uk

Jasmin: 07974 569 423
Jamilah Shah: 07974 569423
press@condiwatch.co.uk

Press - Carmel Brown 07718 155 105
browncarmel@hotmail.com

National Press: 07951 579 064

Post - George Davies 103 Redearth Road, Darwen BB3 2AR

.... and finally in the Times tomorrow ..

Now, in the last year and a half at the State Department, we have Phase Four Condi, the Light of the World, still favouring democratic reform in principle but insisting it be done through co-operation....... Dr Rice is without doubt one of humanity’s most multitalented souls – diplomatist, academic, concert pianist, ice-skater, sports buff.

... Pass the sick bag Alice.

Blackburn warms up for war criminals visit

Blackburn gets ready for the triumphal visit of the war criminals.. those with fond memories of Craig Murray's election office on Railway Road will love the picture taken today still displaying his website - remember all the nonsense about planning permission for the shop sign etc ? Nice to think everybody who arrrives and departs by bus and train will see this sign.



At the Lancashire Evening Post they won't tell you what the itinerary is, the US Embassy arrived and was closeted with the Editor many weeks ago. Security is evidently on high alert... here is a picture of the first bridge across the M65 leading to Blackburn (right hand cariageway) at the junction with the M66. You can see the 3 square box like tripod mounted cameras wired up to the white unmarked Police / Security van partly hidden by the tress - no doubt every vehicle approaching Blackburn is being filtered through the PNC.



Condileezza Rice will not be visiting a mosque after all, as Mr Kareshi said on BBC 4 PM ,of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, there could be some protests. They feel welcoming her is giving legitimacy to the war in Iraq. Ibrahaim Master a member of the mosque's governing committee, the Masjide Al Hidayah mosque on Millham Street where she was due to visit. He says they wanted to redress the feelings of Islamophobia.

Mr Master says he met people on Tuesday night with community leaders with contacts with the Stop the War Coalition, who said they would invade the mosque at 6.00 am at dawn prayers (Fadj) with 150 people, intervening so Condileezzas visit at 10.00 could not go ahead.

Alex Martindale, chair of Blackburn With Darwen Stop the War, said: "An historic decision has been made".

"Blackburn With Darwen Stop the War salutes the committee of the mosque and extends our thanks to the community and scholars involved for their united efforts in arriving at this decision."

Jamilah Shah, a member of Stop the War Coalition in Blackburn, said protesters were hoping to prevent Ms Rice visiting a local school.

Ms Rice was due to meet teachers and students at Pleckgate High School Maths and Computing College tomorrow.The BBC report the visit will go ahead despite up to 50 people protesting outside the school today (Thursday). One person protesting was adjoining Liberal Asian MP taking his child who knew nothing about the visit to the school.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), the largest lobby group for the country's 1.6 million Muslims, said there was widespread opposition to U.S. foreign policy and Rice's visit.MCB spokesman Inayat Bunglawala said, "This particular U.S. administration has upset many Muslims in the UK and around the world ... so it is not particularly surprising that the visit to a Blackburn mosque has had to be cancelled."

"The U.S. government needs to demonstrate that it is prepared to be more even-handed in its relations with Muslims and Muslim countries."

Beatle mad Condi will also miss the opportunity to hear poet Roger McGough who has withdrawn from compeering a celebratory concert of the Liverpool Philharmonic to celebrate the city's status as European Capital of Culture 2008in Liverpool on Saturday, which she is due (so far) to attend.

However Condi will visit Blackburn Cathedral on Saturday and meet the preposterous The Dean of Blackburn, the Very Rev Christopher Armstrong, who says he visit will "promote peace and justice in the global community."

"I am delighted that they will both be able to spend time with us, sharing in some of the reflective resources which we provide for the whole community," he added. Perhaps he can ask her to stop rendition flights, bombing, destroying houses, killing women, children the elderly, restore sanitary conditions, electricity, and leave Iraq to the Iraqis.

Vestas, Big sales more losses in the wind farm business

Vestas, the world's largest producer of wind turbines, lost nearly DKK 1.2bn (EUR 116m) on sales of DKK 26.7bn (EUR 3.58bn)last year up 52% on the previous year. The company's board called the loss 'disappointing' and 'totally unacceptable'.

Three factors had helped cause the losses last year: disappointing North American earnings, a lack of components, and vastly increased guarantee provisions.

Vestas expected better financial results in 2006. The company has already secured 60 percent of its projected earnings of DKK 28bn (EUR 3.7bn) through long-term orders.

It also predicted a growing market for wind energy in the coming years and maintained its 2008 goal of a 10 percent operating margins.

Vestas shares rose 11.25 dkr to 155, extending yesterday's more than 8 pct surge. JP Morgan upgraded to 'neutral' from 'underperform' on a reduced risk outlook after yesterday's full-year report, with the announced share capital increase of 10.3 mln shares being much smaller-than-feared. Vestas also announced winning 3 orders in China for the delivery of a total of 280 V52-850 kW wind turbines.

Asia Wind Power (Mudanjiang) Co. Ltd. and Hong Kong Wind Power (Muling) Co. Ltd. - both subsidiaries of Hong Kong Construction (Holdings) Limited - have placed an order for two wind power plants located in Muling in the Heilongjiang Province for a total of 58 turbines.

Gansu Datang Yumen Wind Power Co. Ltd, which is a subsidiary of China Datang Corporation, has placed an order for 58 turbines for the Yumen Diwopu project.

Datang Chifeng Saihanba Wind Power Generation Co. Ltd, which is also a subsidiary of China Datang Corporation, has placed an order for a total of 164 turbines which will be the largest wind power plant in China.The plant will be located in Chifeng, in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

All 3 orders include supply and commissioning of the turbines as well as Vestas Online remote monitoring systems for each site. Delivery of the turbines will begin in the spring of 2006, and installation is expected to be completed during the second half of 2006.

An order was recently obtained from the Spanish wind farm developer, Generaciones Especiales I, S.L. (GENESA). GENESA belongs to Neo Energía, which is HC Energía and Edp’s new company for development of renewable energy for the Neo Energía Group. The order is for a total of 39 units of the V90-1.8 MW wind turbine for two wind power projects in Spain, Munera I and Munera II at Albacete, the third in the region of Castilla La Mancha which is the second largest region in Spain in terms of MW installed..

An order for a total of 55.5 MW for the Italian market has been received from Italian Vento Power Corporation (IVPC) for three turnkey wind power plants. Two on Sicily and one in the Puglia region. In total, the order consists of 30 units of the V52-850 kW turbine and 15 units of the V80-2.0 MW turbine. All three wind power plants are expected to be fully commissioned by the end of 2006.

For previous post on Vestas go here http://postmanpatel.blogspot.com/2005/11/more-problems-with-wind.html
http://postmanpatel.blogspot.com/2005/11/wind-energy-more-problems-losses-stack.html

Deeply religious Abramoff "filled with remorse"

Jack Abramoff was sentenced Wednesday to nearly six years in prison for committing fraud in the purchase of a fleet of gambling boats.

Adam Kidan, 41, and Abramoff 47, who started his legal career in the offices of Bill Gates dad in Seattle( Preston Gates & Ellis)received the minimum under Federal guidelines: five years and 10 months.

Both pleaded guilty to concocting a fake $23 million wire transfer to make it appear they were contributing their own money toward the purchase of the $147.5 million SunCruz Casinos gambling fleet. Abramoff pleaded guilty in the SunCruz fraud in January. The same week, he pleaded guilty in Washington to defrauding Indian tribes and other lobbying clients out of millions of dollars.

Three men face murder charges, of former SunCruz owner Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis.
including one who worked for Kidan as a consultant at SunCruz and who allegedly has ties to New York's Gambino crime family.

A new, chastened Abramoff has emerged and told U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck that he had "started the process of becoming a new man. I am much chastened and profoundly remorseful. I can only hope that the almighty and those I have wronged will forgive my trespasses."

His defense team filed 62 pages of documents that depicted Abramoff as a deeply religious Orthodox Jew who was generous to charities, dedicated to his wife and five children and filled with remorse over his crimes.

Abramoff and Kidan will not have to report to prison for at least 90 days so they can continue cooperating with investigators in the slaying of former SunCruz owner Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis. Abramoff has also agreed to cooperate in a corruption probe that could involve up to 20 members of Congress, including former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas.

PIC Abramoff, right, listens to his attorney Abbe Lowell.

If you want all the details of Jack at work in the House Of Congress go here

Post election Jerusalem Street sign now peace has broken out

George Galloway goes to police after "Fake Sheikh" con trick

Mohamed Ali, the chief executive of the Islam Channel was approached covertly by " fake sheik" Mazer Mahmood of Rupes Rag NOW to introduce George Galloway to him claiming several times that "somebody" wanted to meet him who was "keen to help "Respect" and the ...er .... “community”.

GG claims he was naturally suspicious, Mazer tells me GG kept putting off the "offer" for several weeks. Finally, after much prompting from Mr Ali, He agreed to meet this "someone" after his radio show on Saturday 25 March, at 10.30pm at the Dorchester Hotel, ( asort of pub on Park Lane) a venue which made him deeply suspicious.(Although Finjan Ltd., may well have paid for the odd meal or two on the premises, as GG's Jordanian businessman friend , Fawaz Zureikat may well have done - but probably hasn't)

GG explains he arrived and met Mr Ali sitting with someone who didn't introduce himself - but who later identified himself with a visiting card claiming he was Sam Fernando of Falcon Group International of 64 Knightsbridge.

They were joined by a man who embraced him in the South Asian custom but didn't identify himself. Neither GG claimed looked Islamist ! (Mazer is quite upset about this!)

Neither had a beard!!! Sam was a cool trendy looking man, and "Pervaiz" (though he never did say his name) had shoulder length jet black hair - not the usual style of an Islamist. (GG has evidently never been to Rochdale!).

After some small talk they began to ask some ludicrous leading questions. Such as, “How can we help, can we sponsor members of parliament?... fund political parties?”

I told them, "Absolutely not, it's completely illegal."

"But through English people ?" said Pervaiz, gesturing towards Mr Ali. I replied, "No. It’s completely illegal and so it should be Britain is sinking in campaign funding sleaze involving foreign funding." I told them that if they wanted to help the "community" they should invest in the Islam Channel, or start a radio station like the one I work for.

They then made offensive statements about Jewish peoplewhich GG says hey invited him to agree with. For example, when GG said the Daily Express was the worst pro-war, anti-Muslim paper in the land they asked, "Because it's owned by a Jew?"

"No," GG claims he said, "Because it’s owned by a pro-war anti-Muslim pornographer."

More seriously, they then moved on to doubt the Holocaust relates GG. "You're not allowed even to quibble about the numbers," said Fernando, "Not even to say it might have been 5 million"

" I weighed in, “People should never go down that road . David Irving isn't quibbling about the numbers in his heart he supports the Holocaust." said Gorgeous George.

I’m always telling Muslims never to get involved in that debate. The Holocaust is the greatest crime in human history and it should be accepted as such." At midnight I said GG made his excuses and left as many readers of the NOW would be familiar with.

"My driver wants a picture with you," said "Pervaiz", "He's seen you on television." His driver was built like a bodyguard, had a mouthful of gold teeth and when GG asked where he was from he answered, enigmatically, "From up north.”

After pictures, GG left. Outside GG rang Mr Ali and warned him. GG thought these people were deceivers. It turned out they have been also wanting an introductiom to my parliamentary colleague, Jeremy Corbyn, Hon. Member for Islington North.

GG explains that in In Andrew Marr's book, he interviews the “fake Sheikh” Mazer Mahmood. He describes the Sheikh's "minder". Marr says has a mouthful of gold teeth.

GG has written to the Speakers Office and Sir Ian Blair of that Ilk claiming all sorts of malpractice, torts, rights, wrongs.... anyway he got a slap up dinner at the Dorchester. When Mazer "exposed the 5th 7/7 bomber he got six months inside for wasting Police time.

Pic George Galloway and the owner of the Sahara Nights club Mr Haleem Kherallah.

PS Fawaz Zuriekat, is an individual named on 12 May 2005 by the US Senate Sub-Committee as allegedly connected with payments in relation to allocations of oil under the Iraq Oil for Food Programme.

Danish jokers at it again

What with Berlusconi claiming Communists boil babies, when we know that is the preserve of Karimov and his cooks in Uzbekistan, it is difficult to tell what news is worth reading ..

This from UPI Denmark yesterday ...

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (UPI) -- An 8th grade Danish schoolteacher, showed a 10-minute film clip of two adults engaging in oral sex, and has been reported to police.

The teacher, (name unknown) was teaching a class in sex education on sexuality and puberty, and was reported to have shown her students pictures from a pornographic magazine, according to the Frederiksborg Amts Avis newspaper.

The teacher, has been removed as a sex education teacher, some parents want the teacher removed permanently from the school because students say she continues to mention sexual issues in other subjects she teaches, reported the Copenhagen Post Sunday.

The school`s principal had reprimanded the teacher immediately after the incident -- not for showing the adult material, but because it could be considered a copyright violation.

Fascinating story UPI ? Well if you look up the Copenhagen Post for June 2nd 2005 you will find the story almost word for word. See here

Ah well nothing like a porn story on a slow news day ...Israeli elections, Darfur, Iraq, ....

Sit down.Have a cuppa and read about BISCUITS

Here is a good and interesting website by Bill Fisher. Go see

Poppy Day will be early this year .....

"Canada and Britain will rue the day they obeyed the orders of Bush to take up his burden in Afghanistan. The Fifth Afghan War will be another horrible legacy of Bush to his country and the world".

Read Brian Cloughley's powerful article in Counterpunch on the 5th Afghan War ... and then wait for the body bags to pile up.

Pic US Special forces working undercover. AP

Boeing to "supersize" 787 "Dreamliner"

Mike Blair who is the General Manager for the 787 Dreamliner tells me that after reading the earlier post about size he realises he should have told me about plans to "supersize" the 787 Dreamliner program, after they realised they had misread the market demand.

The 787-10 Mike tells me excitedly will carry about 300 passengers, 50 more than planned originally.Mike said Boeing expected to begin delivering the plane in the final quarter of 2012.

He said "about a dozen" carriers had expressed interest in a stretch 787, but the only one he mentioned by name to me was Emirates Airlines, based in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. Qantas Airways of Australia has also said it may be interested in a larger 787 if Boeing built it.

Initially, Boeing had resisted the call for a larger 787, lest it steal 777 sales - but wotthehell says "Mehitabel" Mike,"let's fuck Toulouse big time, if the Emirates want it" ... and he had just seen my article.

(Rolls Royce the UK supplier of the hugely uprated Trent engines say they are singing like a dream...)

Terrorists and war criminals in Blackburn - arrest imminent

Take a good look at this picture of a latter day Bonnie and Clyde, these are terrorist bombers, killers and torturers, who are wanted for war crimes committed in several countries , Kosovo, Sebia, Afghanistan, Israel, Iraq .... One Condileezza Rice, AKA "Vice President" is a non- European, (on the left) described as an African American who has authorised and sanctioned the kidnapping, illegal imprisonment and torture of hundreds of citizens of many countries.

The other, Jack Straw AKA "Foreign Secretary" is not foreign and is an elderly white man, with a distinctive speech impediment, known to associate with and be funded by people with questionable financial backgrounds. He claims no knowledge of the savage and barbaric treatment of prisoners by his partner "Condi".

Both these criminals , who assert that the invasion by US and UK forces of Iraq in March 2003 was "legal" are believed to be travelling to Blackburn on Thursday 30th March. Do not approach these people, they may be unarmed but their guards will be, simply inform the authorities (with placards , T shirts, leaflets) that they have committed war crimes and are wanted for an appearance at the International Criminal Court in the Hague.

Catch them and there could be a Baronetcy in it for you.

Joshua Bolten ...Who ????

President Bush named long-time aide Joshua Bolten (51) as his new Chief of Staff today in the first major White House shakeup (well... shuffle of the same old pack) since Bush was re-elected.

From 1994 to 1999, Joshua Bolten, a Princeton law graduate was Executive Director, Legal & Government Affairs, for Goldman Sachs International in London.

From March 1999 through November 2000, he was Policy Director of the Bush-Cheney presidential campaign. Mr. Bolten also served as Policy Director of the Bush-Cheney transition.

From January 2001 through June of 2003, Mr. Bolten was Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy at the White House.

On June 26, 2003, the United States Senate confirmed Joshua B. Bolten as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and sworn in on June 30, 2003. As Director of OMB, Mr. Bolten helped oversee the preparation of the Federal budget and supervise its administration in Executive Branch agencies. He worked with Congress and Federal departments to successfully implement the President’s agenda, from growing the economy and creating jobs to ensuring a strong national defense and a secure homeland. (it says here in the WH brief).

Many Republicans have been urging the president both privately and publicly to bring in fresh blood after a series of political missteps that have weakened the White House and sent Bush's poll numbers to new lows.

The president, in a brief ceremony, called Bolten a "creative thinker" who is a "strong advocate for effective, accountable management in the federal government. No person is better prepared for this important position." Truly it may be said, a man who has risen without trace, but well liked and respected in his Jewish community.

Everyone now waits to see how the Grand Wizard deals with Rove's imminent indictment.

Pic from Presidential Prayer Team who had a special prayer for Joshua Bolten Head of OMB August 25, 2005.

...when members were also asked that week to especially pray for ..."Pray for Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff and TSA administrator Adm. David Stone and their teams as they work to meet the White House's deadline for screening air cargo carried in the holds of commercial airliners. Pray that God will guide them as they seek the most effective system and technology with which to undertake this important matter."

Size IS important to Boeing

Jeff Robinson, Boeing's marketing manager has invited me along to Everett site, at 3003 West Casino Road, Everett, WA 98203 for a photo-op to see the Guiness Book approved world's BIGGEST mural which is a digital graphic that has been applied to all six hangar doors on the south side of the building, which is also recognized by Guinness as the largest building in the world by volume.

Sory to disappoint readers but, my camera simple isn't big enough but Jeff says he will rush me an official pic as soon as. I would like to make it, just to meet those guys from Guiness and get them to slip me in as Lord Patel of the Internet the First Lord of the Internet. (Which is a bit cheeky for a Muslim non-drinker dontcha think ?)

Everett is of course where Boeing will assemble all the bits (40 tons of Japanese PAN carbon fibre in each plane) made almost everywhere else in the world to make their 787 Dreamliner ... no wonder Airbus who passed the evacuation of the A380 yesterday (another world's BIGGEST Mr Guiness !!) with flying colours calls it the Lego - Liner. Just to interest the legislators among you Gov Chris Gregoire of Washington State got the The State Legislature in 2003 to approve tax breaks for aerospace manufacturers as part of the state's effort to convince Boeing to build the 787 in the state... he's just extended these breaks to other aerospace companies in the state... and Boeing complain Airbus gets subsidies !!!

Smallest


Boeing have produced the new small Diameter bomb the USAF's newest precision guided munition just 71 inches long and weighing in at 285 pounds, the bomb's small size increases the number of weapons an aircraft can carry, therefore raising the amount of targets it can kill in one sortie.(They beat Lockheed Martin to get the contract)

Because of its size and precision accuracy, it also reduces collateral, or unintended, damage in the target vicinity. Available in a high damage steel casing or low collateral composite casing increases the type of target available.

Complementing the weapon is a smart miniature munitions carriage systemsimilar to an aircraft stores management system by communicating with and controlling up to four weapons. The whole wing mounted system can carry four small diameter bombs, enabling an aircraft to quadruple its load out.

A small diameter bomb can be used in adverse weather and has a standoff range of more than 60 nautical miles with supersonic launch.It is said to be compatible with every U.S. fighter and bomber aircraft

Once released, the weapon uses its inertial navigation and an anti-jam Global Positioning System to fly to the target. Its guidance is further augmented by a differential GPS system, which provides corrections to enhance accuracy. (Harris Corporation a Boeing Gold Supplier has the contract for the GPS system - worth $500Mn alone)

As the Air Force chief of staff's (John Jumper) number one weapon priority, the small diameter bomb is the fastest major acquisition program in Eglin history.

The small diameter bomb will first be integrated on the F-15E Strike Eagle and is scheduled to have required assets available in September. This means warfighters will have the weapon in their arsenal and can use it.

"In the urban conflict we're currently engaged in, the warfighter struggles at times to find a weapon that gives them a desired effect on a target without an excessive effect," Col. Richard Justice, commander of the Miniature Munitions Systems Group said, "so the small diameter bomb will be a nice addition."

The Air Force plans to purchase 24,000 small diameter bombs through 2017 at less than $30,000 a weapon.

So the real kicker is that each F-15E instead of carrying 2 X 250 lb JDAM's @ $30,000 a throw, he loads up with 8 x SMDB's @ $30,000 a throw, that's 1/4 Mn bucks a sortie into the Boeing coffers. Small bombs BBBIG profits ...but don't tell Mr Guiness !!

(Pic bomb at close quarters, the white conical things the men in uniform are holding are styrofoam coffee cups.)

Three Mile Island ...27 years ago today

Twenty seven years ago, on March 28, 1979, early that morning, about 4 am, some of the main feedwater pumps stopped running in Three Mile Island's Unit Two at Middletown, Pennsylvania on the Susquehanna River. Those pumps were supposed to remove heat from the reactor, which had been on line for only three months. The temperature inside the reactor began to rise, and pressure began to build. A relief valve opened to let off the excess pressure - and then stuck open. The pressure fell below normal levels. (More details / diagrams here)

Another emergency cooling water system was supposed to kick in, it had been tested 2 days before the accident - but because someone forgot to reopen a valve in this backup cooling system after the test, it failed to work properly. Eight minutes later, the valve was opened, and water began to flow through the backup system. ecause a gauge incorrectly said the main system was full of water, the plant operator shut down some pumps and stopped adding water, and the temperature began to rise again.

Before the accident was over, between a third and a half of the reactor fuel had melted. Some radioactive gas was released to the outside. The reactor building's basement was filled with radioactively contaminated water.

Did anyone die ? Will anyone die ?

Studies conducted indicate that the maximum potential offsite radiation exposure likely was 83 millirem. An actual individual located on a nearby island is believed to have received at most 37 millirem. Extensive studies by Federal agencies led to these conclusions and to an estimate that one excess cancer fatality due to the accident could be expected over a 30 year period.

Today, the TMI-2 reactor is permanently shut down and defuelled, the reactor coolant system drained, the radioactive water decontaminated and evaporated, radioactive waste shipped off-site to an appropropriate (?) disposal site, reactor fuel and core debris shipped off-site to a Department of Energy facility, and the remainder of the site is being continously monitored. The owner says it will keep the facility in long-term, monitored storage until the operating license for the TMI-1 plant expires at which time both plants will be decommissioned.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Comission have a very good online Fact sheet about the Accident.

"I think the best way to put it is that there were very poor communications at the time. We weren't able to get clear, accurate information out to the media and the public. ... And at that point the media went to other sources for their information." - Tom Kauffman TMI owners

This single accident, not to mention the Simpson family who live in it's shadow, have have made a massive impact on electricity generation policy, more than any rational argument. No one died, No one will die ... indeed no one was injured.

LEO - a King of the Pharma Industry

The Danish, Ballerup based ,LEO Pharma with plants in Denmark, France and Ireland (400 people in Crumlin, Dublin and 40 in Cork) have unveiled remarkable results for 2005 today.

With Sales of Danish Kroner (DKK) 4.87 Mn. an increase of 11% on 2004, profits increased from DKK 1.1 Mn. to DKK 2.5 Mn. , a 71% increase on 2004. This represents a return of 17% on Group equity of DKK 13 Mn.

The company spent the year concentrating on healthcare products and the continuing disposal of non core / non human business interests ;

# 1998 Divestment of the Medico business unit
# 1999 Merger of Løven Petfood A/S and Arovit A/S
# 2000 Sale of shares in Arovit A/S
# 2000 Divestment of the Agro business unit
# 2005 Divestment of Panther Plast
# 2005 Divestment of Animal Health (cat and dog products)
# 2006 Divestment of Animal Health (large animal products)

During 2005 the LEO Group strengthened its R&D pipeline spending 17% of Turnover on Research and Development , and at the end of 2005 LEO Pharma has a very strong portfolio of R&D projects:

Dermatology

* Duac™/Clindoxyl™ for treatment of acne – will be launched in the Nordic countries in 2006
* Taclonex® ointment for treatment of psoriasis – will be launched in the US in 2006 by Warner Chilcott (Bristol Myers Squibb)
* LEO 80185 is under development - for treatment of scalp and body psoriasis
* LEO 80190 is under development - for treatment of facial psoriasis
* LEO 19123 is under development - for treatment of eczema

Critical Care

* ATryn® is under development – for treatment of antithrombin deficiencies
* LEO 15520 is under development – for treatment of inflammations

Generally LEO Pharma is working on a number of promising discovery projects; both within dermatology and Critical Care.

History


LEO was founded by August Kongsted in 1908 and his successors owned LEO for 75 years.

In 1983, Dr. Knud Abildgaard and his wife, Gertrud Abildgaard, created the LEO Foundation. After their death in 1986, the LEO Foundation became sole owner of LEO.

With this move, the Abildgaards created a solid footing for LEO, making the company totally independent of outside capital and therefore able to commit to its long-term objectives.

The LEO Foundation ensures that all the company's earnings remain in LEO for investment in future research and thus the development of new and even better drugs.

Would that all drug companies were like LEO.

Hashim Djojohadikusumo sells Nations Energy to Vagit Alekperov

Hashim Djojohadikusumo is an Indonesian , a very rich Indonesian and is the chairman and president of Nations Energy Ltd (www.nationsenergyltd.com).Nations Energy Co Ltd, was founded in 1996 as a private Canadian company to pursue international oil and gas exploration and production projects.

Lukoil who recently made their largest purchase ever, a Canadaian company, Nelson Resources Limited, which they acquired for $2 billion. It operates on the five fields located in the western part of Kazakhstan with the annual production of about 11 million barrels and recoverable reserves of 269 million barrels. This is the largest deal in LUKoil's history. Drilling of the first exploratory well has been conducted on the offshore site Sub-Karagan in the central part of the Kazakhstan sector of the Caspian Sea. On the neighbouring site, Kashsky, under completion is preparation of 2D seismic survey, electrical exploration and engineering and geological research prior to the drilling of the first exploratory well. Both projects are being implemented together with the national company KazMunayGas.

Vagit Alekperov told me over the gaming tables in Northern Cyprus that he has his eyes on Nations Energy – a price tag of $2.5Bn is attached. Expect news any day he said. LUKoils share on the LSE rise steadily every day. Fill ya boots.

Kazakhstan

JSC Karazhanbasmunai, a 94.6% owned subsidiary in Kazakhstan, on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea, was purchased in 1997 where it has grown from an average of 4,900 bpd in 1999 to over 50,000 bpd at the end of 2004. Hashim's older brother Prabowo Subianto is the chairman of JSC Karazhanbasmunai. The Karazhanbas field was discovered in the 1970s and was in decline until Nations Energy acquired it in 1997 and drilled new wells, optimized, reactivated, or recompleted existing wells and added new production facilities. Production has grown from under 5,000 barrels per day in 1999 to average 41,000 barrels per day in 2005.Currently they are reported to have has 17 company-owned workover rigs and one drilling rig, with additional rigs and trucks being added to the fleet in 2005. The steam-generating capability in the field was doubled in the past 18 months with a full six steam-generating units in the field.

Azerbaijan

In 2003, Nations Energy started additional oil field activity in the western coast of the Caspian Sea in Azerbaijan. The fields in Azerbaijan offer a similar production growth opportunity as Kazakhstan. The Azerbaijan project area includes undeveloped lands which will allow for exploration over the near and mid-term. Production in 2005 averaged 5,150 barrels per day. In 2003 Nations Energy gained the right for exploration and development of the Mishovdag and Kelameddin oil fields and the block including the Padar prospect in the Azerbaijan Republic. In a little more than one year Nations Energy succeeded to change the existing opinion about these oil fields by increasing the daily production from 2800 barrels in 2003 up to 4150 barrels in August 2004. Nations Energy believes that Azerbaijani projects have a great potential and the company shall do its best to ensure their further development. Nations Energy is bound to the idea of economic development of the independent Azerbaijan Republic and shall cooperate actively for the good and prosperity of the Azerbaijani nation.

Karasu Operating Company (KAOC) is an Operating Company dealing with exploration and development of the Mishovdag and Kelameddin oil fields onshore Azerbaijan. From the beginning of the year 2003, when Nations Energy took over the operations, KAOC managed to significantly change the situation in the field. Thus, having stabilized the production at the end of 2003 KAOC ensured its gradual growth bringing it to 4150 barrels of oil per day in August of the current year. Today KAOC counts over 1000 local national specialists, 200 of which have been recruited during the last year.

Having received positive results from the pilot waterflood project in the Mishovdag field in the year 2003, KAOC commenced with the construction of facilities for a full-field waterflood program. The project is carried out on a high technological level pursuing the latest international standards practiced in the oil and gas industry. KAOC has finished the construction of a tank farm, pump station, electricity and water distribution network and is proceeding with installation of filters and other corresponding facilities at this time. The entire facility was inaugurated in November. The total estimated value of the project is approximately USD 9Mn. It is the biggest capital investment onshore in Azerbaijan for many years.

In 2004 KAOC began drilling exploration and development wells and by the end of October will have drilled 8 development wells with 6 of these being completed. Another 6 wells will be drilled and completed by the end of the year.

KAOC pays a peculiar attention to the environmental protection. In 2004 the company completed the implementation of a project on oiled soil clean up in Mishovdag. Another project on well sites development is in progress at present.


Nations Energy proven reserves in Khazakhstan and Azerbaijan exceeds 400 million barrels.

Indonesia

Continental Energy Corporation has announced that it and GeoPetro Resources Company have sold their interest in Continental - GeoPetro (Yapen) Ltd., holder of an interest in the Yapen Production Sharing Contract in West Papua, Indonesia, to Nations Energy Company Ltd. of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, for US$ 6,000,000 in cash.

Continental and GeoPetro are also partners in the Bengara-II Production Sharing Contract area in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, and have agreed to apply most of the funds from the Yapen sale to exploration and development drilling in Bengara-II. Continental owns 60% of the Bengara-II PSC.

Proceeds to Continental were US$ 3,600,000. No broker's or finder's fees were incurred on this transaction.



In January (Bloomberg)
there were reports (subsequently denied) that China National Overseas Oil Company (CNOOC) was about to buy Nations Energy Co Ltd at US$2 billion. Citigroup Inc was reportedly advising CNOOC for the transaction, while Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB) was advising Nations Energy.

Further reports mentioned India's Oil and Natural Gas Company may enter the bidding for a $2 billion Kazakhstan oil producer sought by China's CNOOC Ltd as competition intensifies for energy reserves.

Nations Energy (its website reveals) had a profit of $80.5 million on sales of $339.6 million in the first nine months of 2004.

According to the latest financial statement , Nations Energy booked net profit after tax in 10 months of 2005 at US$179 million, which had jumped from only US$54.4 million in 2004. Net sales in 10 months 2005 were US$551 million.


Hashim is reported in Indonesia to be anxious to get some cash to sort out previous problems he had in Indonesia and buyback his, including the recently-started Tuban Petrochemical Complex and financing his brother's ailing PT Kiani Kertas through Merrill Lynch.

100 things you didn't know about Wikipedia

Few Internet users will be unaware of Wikipedia , which is a global project to produce a free content encyclopedia that could be edited by anyone, formally began on 15 January 2001 (link for Wiki history). As of today, it includes millions of articles and pages worldwide, and content from hundreds of thousands of contributors.

Few internet users will be aware of the role of Bomis which has provided the backing for a tool that in a few short years has proven a valuable tool for students, and researchers, although many, myself included view anything with considerable scepticism ...An alternative and interesting history of Wikipedia / Bomis can be found here. Again a degree of scepticism is necessary.

James Wales who was born in Huntsville, Alabama, went to the exclusive Randolph prep school, and onto the University of Alabama. He graduated and became a Futures Trader in Chicago. He next opened Bomis, an 'Adult Content' website, with Timothy Shell an American internet entrepreneur. Shell is the CEO of the Internet company Bomis and serves as the Executive Secretary on the Board of Trustees of the Wikimedia Foundation ( a non profit organisation started June 20, 2003). Shell has been at Bomis since he joined up with Jamesy Wales to start the company in 1996 after discontinuing his degree in computer science.

Shell has lived in Chicago, Florida, and San Diego, and currently resides in Las Vegas.

Bomis allegedly the source of funds, expertise and equipment, describes itself as an "adult" website and has run nekkid.info, a "free repository of selected erotic photographs", and continues to host The Babe Engine, "a precision babe search engine", which indexes photos ranging from glamour photography to pornography.Website (pornographic content).

Pic is of Sylvie Saint wearing a Bomis T shirt who seems to figure a lot in the adult section of the Bomis web rings. She has her own site here VERY pornographic !

...and don't miss reading this here and this gives more information about the origins of Bomis.

Wikipedia = funded by smut, 2.4 billion hits per day and the content is manipulated by unregulated self elected "moderators" ... no wonder they keep quiet about their past.

NEWS UPDATE

This website has a great deal of Anti-Wikipedia information much is worth reading, much is bollocks. It is especially interesting to read the section on who provides the funds.

Tal Afar - V for Victory

Juan Cole on the third anniversary of the illegal Iraqi invasion Marc 20th 2003


"The US military used Kurdish and Shiite troops to attack the northern Turkmen city of Talafar in August. Kurdish troops, drawn from the Peshmerga militia, were allowed to paint lasers on targets in the city, which were then destroyed by the US air force. Entire neighborhoods were destroyed, and much of the population was displaced for some time. Shiite troops and local Shiite Turkmen informants were used to identify and interrogate alleged Sunni insurgents. Turkey was furious at the attack on ethnically related Turkmen and threatened to halt its cooperation with the US. Although the attack was allegedly undertaken to capture foreign forces allegedly based in the city, only 50 were announced apprehended. The entire operation ended up looking like a joint Kurdish-Shiite attack on Sunni Turkmen, backed by the US military. Turkmen and Kurds do not generally get along, and Turkmen accuse Kurds of wanting to ethnically clense them from Kirkuk. The entire operation was politically the worst possible public relations for the US in northern Iraq, and seems unlikely to have put a signficant dent in the guerrillas' capabilities."

President Bush at Cleveland spoker at length about Tal Afar ...White House report

he concluded..

"The strategy that worked so well in Tal Afar did not emerge overnight -- it came only after much trial and error. It took time to understand and adjust to the brutality of the enemy in Iraq. Yet the strategy is working. And we know it's working because the people of Tal Afar are showing their gratitude for the good work that Americans have given on their behalf. A recent television report followed a guy named Captain Jesse Sellars on patrol, and described him as a "pied piper" with crowds of Iraqi children happily chanting his name as he greets locals with the words "Salaam alaikum," which mean "peace be with you."

When the newswoman asks the local merchant what would have happened a few months earlier if he'd been seen talking with an American, his answer was clear: "They'd have cut off my head, they would have beheaded me." Like thousands of others in Tal Afar, this man knows the true meaning of liberation. "

Washington Post on his Cleveland speech..March 21st An Iraq Success Story's Sad New Chapter by Peter Baker.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/20/AR2006032001897.html

.... a 23-year-old law student predicts that Tal Afar will return entirely to its dark past in a matter of months. "The Tal Afar mission failed," he tells the Post. "The city will turn back to how it was before the battle within two months. The Americans are busy putting cement barriers and barbed wire around their bases and no one is taking care of the infrastructure."

In his speech in Cleveland Monday, the president made it clear that Tal Afar was about as good as it gets in Iraq just now. "I wish I could tell you that the progress made in Tal Afar is the same in every single part of Iraq," he said. "It's not." He was right about that.



40 killed in bomb at US base BBC Report today

At least 40 people have been killed by a suicide bomb inside a military base housing US and Iraqi forces near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.There were no immediate details on how the bomber breached the base's security, although latest reports suggest it was a suicide car bombing.

The village of Kisk, which houses the military base, lies between Mosul and Talafar.

Both towns have been the scene of much anti-US violence and unrest in the three years since the US-led invasion of Iraq.

No comments required ... according to Dubya, Tal Afar was a major fucking victory for Hearts and Minds ... many of them strewn around their Military HQ.

30 Headless corpses found near Baghdad

Iraqi Iraqi Police Find 30 Bodies, Most Beheaded


By STEVEN R. HURST, The Associated Press Mar 26, 2006 3:04 PM
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi forces found 30 bodies, most beheaded, near a village north of Baghdad on Sunday, in one of the bloodiest episodes in a cycle of apparent sectarian killings.

Police said the bodies were found after police and soldiers were dispatched to respond to a report of killings in Mullah Eid, a village near the town of Buhriz, a former stronghold of ex-President Saddam Hussein's Baath Party about 35 miles north of Baghdad.

Authorities gave no immediate information on the identities of the victims or who may have been responsible.

Just to remind you, civil war has NOT started in Iraq. No.No.

MAJOR NEWS UPDATE

Blackburn Lancs. Thursday 30th March 2006 2 War Criminals, Condileezza Rice and Jack Straw will parade around Blackburn, the public are asked not to demonstrate, throw tomatoes, eggs, wave posters, and behave sensibly.

Lord Barry Townsley ...more

Why does this man deserve to be made a Lord?
Evening Standard (London), Dec 15, 2005 by KEITH DOVKANTS

His friend, Lord Bell, who speaks for him, told the Standard: "Any financial arrangements between Mr Townsley and the Labour Party that require publication have been published."

It is said of Barry Townsley that whatever his shortcomings may be, he is brilliant at picking his partners.

That was evident when, in November 1975, he married Laura Wolfson, daughter of Lord Wolfson of Marylebone. The Wolfson business dynasty was founded by Laura's grandfather, Isaac, who started the GUS mail order giant.
------
One of his clients was Sir Trevor Dawson, among the City's most colourful characters. In 1981, as the Thatcher era was hitting its stride, Sir Trevor was an investment banker with legendary spending habits. He was chauffeured around London in a Cadillac - number plate TD 1 - often with an attractive young woman at his side. He adored horse racing and revelled in his soubriquet, the Galloping Major. He once challenged Lord Hesketh to a race over jumps.

Behind the glamorous screen of his private life, however, Sir Trevor was running a sleazy scam. He was buying shares for clients, then, if their value rose quickly, he would secretly move the short- term profits into accounts controlled by himself. One of the stockbroking firms he used was Jacobson Townsley and when he was eventually found out, Barry Townsley and Ronnie Jacobson were barred from the floor of the exchange for six months for "gross misconduct".
------
The Financial Services Authority launched an investigation after a mystery buyer bought 500,000 Railtrack shares just days before the then Transport Secretary Stephen Byers announced, in March 2002, that the Government had decided, after all, to bail out the firm.

The stock had been languishing but its price soared after the announcement and the purchase secured a profit of nearly £1 Mn for the buyer, who was not identified. The identity of the broker who placed the order for the shares was never in doubt, it was Insinger de Beaufort, whose chairman was Barry Townsley.

There was no suggestion he was involved in any irregularity or illegal activity and the FSA told the Standard that no action was taken following its inquiries. Mr Townsley said his firm simply acted for a (evidently very well informed ) client.

A friend and business partner is Martin Paisner, a highly respected solicitor who acts for the Blair family and handled Tony Balir's "blind" trusts. Mr Townsley, his wife Laura and Mr Paisner have a film production company, Wisecroft, which appeared to have serious ambitions. Companies House records show its shares have a nominal value of more than £6Mn .

According to one report, Berwin Leighton Paisner has won more than 100 government contracts, including a lucrative consultancy on the Millennium Dome project.

Complete article here

The End of Francis Fukuyama

Francis (The End of History) Fukuyama is in the UK peddling his latest minimum opus "After the Neocons" (Profile Books £12.99) and is interviewed in the Undependent on Sunday by John Rentoul (Not online).

inter alia he says ..

"Everybody points to these letters I signed, The project for the New American Century, which is basically just Bill Kristol and a Fax machine"


... ...Kristol promoted what FF now regards as an excessively militaristic brand of neoconservatism adds Rentoul.

Of course we all got it wrong, even FF did when he signed up for the 70 page statement of "militaristic brand of neoconservatism " and didn't withdraw his signature.

Easy sort of mistake to make ... one that millions of people marching through London didn't make.

Like being gung ho for the invasion of Iraq, which he and the neocons were, but the millions marching in London were totally opposed to.

Would that someone would write "The End of Francis Fukuyama". ... and throw away that overheated Fax machine in Washington.

In many ways FF reminds me of that quasi academic sage and faux novelist of the 50s/60s CP Snow (later Lord) with his presposterous notion of 2 Cultures so effectively despatched by F R Leavis.