Why you will pay more tax - North Sea oil production / tax "significantly lower" than Budget forecasts

This is a chart of the decline of production of oil (milions of barrels per day) from the UK North Sea Oil fields in ten years The UK is now a net importer of mineral oil and oil products.


If you want to become informed on the decline of indigenous UK energy resource pay regular visits to the Oil Drum. Informed, level headed comment on UK energy (in)security.

In the December pre - budget statement Gordon Brown had to cover a projected £3 billion shortfall in oil taxation receipts in 2007 and a further £4 billion in 2008-2010 As a result, Mr Brown will raise taxes by £2 billion each year from next year, and also borrow £2 billion a year more than he forecast in April's Budget. Scotsman Treasury Documents Table B12 Page 16 and notes Page 17 revenues decline as oil is sold in the declining US$) Quote ;

"the overall level of production is expected to be significantly lower than assumed in the Budget 2006 forecast reflecting the lower starting point and more modest increases expected by operators."

Disappointing tax receipts from companies operating in the North Sea were the biggest single reason for the unexpected deterioration in the public finances. Major figures in the oil industry argue that the increases in taxation introduced by Mr Brown in 2005 have upset the economics of North Sea oil and gas, and could have a serious effect on production if oil prices fall.

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CCTV pictures - 7/7 Bombers - Plod releases incredible new pictures.

The unclothed body of 24-year-old Anneli Alderton, from Colchester, was found in woodland near Nacton outside Ipswich on the afternoon of Sunday, December 10, one of 5 dead women found in the Ipswich area.
EADT online reported on the 15th December

"staff at the CCTV control hub in Ipswich have painstakingly sifted through more than 10,000 hours of video footage.

There are around 60 cameras in the town centre, 12 of which are in the “traditional” red light district of Sir Alf Ramsey Way, Portman Road, West End Road, Alderman Road and nearby parkland.

This afternoon (16/12 5 pm) CCTV pictures taken from a camera on board the 5.53pm train from Harwich to Colchester on Sunday, December 3 showing Annelli have been released by Suffolk Police.

Detective Chief Superintendent Stewart Gull said,

" if anyone saw Anneli after the evening of Sunday, December 3, we want to hear from them.”

The free hotline number is 0800 096 1011 .

Which Lord Patel again points out that this makes an interesting contrast with the release of CCTV film of the 7/7 bombers who killed 56 people and injured over 700 by the Metropolitan Police.

An excellent detailed and authoritative analysis of the unbelievable way that Plod issued, slowly, doctored, still images of the alleged "suicide" bombers whose location, date and time could not be verified is available at the JulySeventh. (3,000 cameras 80,000 hours of evidence) website
J7 CCTV 'Evidence' Analysis

UPDATE SUNDAY 17th 10.00pm

The Guradian ONline says ..."Detectives released CCTV footage showing Miss Alderton on the 5.53pm Harwich to Colchester train on December 3 and police said they had received a stream of calls (50 or more in some reports - Ch 4) as a result of the images appearing in the media... They now think she changed trains at Manningtree to connect to Ipswich."

The Mail on Sunday, God Bless 'em who now refer to the target of the Police enquiries as "The Suffolk Strangler" have a par heading in their coverage ...

7/7 team called in to hunt Suffolk Strangler

"The elite Scotland Yard team which caught the July 7 London bombers on CCTV has been drafted in to help catch the Suffolk Strangler. "

.... "elite" team Hmmmmm .. that'll slow 'em down a bit.

Keep up to date on developments here and at at July 7th website.

UK Gas price rise Shock !

Scottish & Southern Energy the UK's third largest gas supplier, pledged no further increases in 2006 when they raised energy prices twice this year. SS&E (which includes Scottish Hydro Electric) announced today that its 600,000 customers north of the Border would face increases of 12.2 per cent for gas and 9.4 per cent for electricity on New Year's Day.

Scottish Gas (part of British Gas AKA Centrica) simultaneously announced that they will be cutting prices for their 1 million gas customers and 1/2 Mn electricity customers in the spring - but provide no details ( delayed until spring says Times) . They are renowned as the most expensive energy suppliers North of the Border.

Centrica (who buy in 2/3 rds of the gas they supply) with 29,000 staff overall,(and approx 16 Mn. domestic consumers) has also announced 1,310 job cuts with the closing of their Stockley Park HQ in Middlesex - a response to the loss of 1 mn customers in 2006 throughout the UK after losing 670,000 gas customers in 2005.

Centrica claim British Gas had a 52 % share of the residential gas market and a 23 % of the household electricity market as of the end of June 2006 but has since seen it's domestic share drop to lower than 50%.

Centrica sees the Morecambe Bay gas field (pic) generate half the profits (£900 Mn) - expected to halve this year as the field is declining massively (15% in Q1 2006). The board has invested in North Sea exploration but the City patiently wait for a takeover at £4/5 a share (say £20Bn) from Norsk Hydro, Gaz de France or Lord Patel's friend at the gaming tables Vagit Alekperov and LUKoil. Goldman Sachs had them as a BUY (again) on Friday 15/12 @ 340p up from 250p over the year.

All this news of domestic energy prices follows the energy regulator Ofgem on December 4th authorising funding for more than £5 billion of investment in Britain’s gas and electricity transmission systems over the next five years which will allow energy suppliers to raise their prices to pay for new networks for LNG gas supplies and wind farms which have hitherto not been factored in to the costs of future energy supplies.

£1 Bn of this will be spent in the next 12 months by Scottish & Southern Energy, National Grid and United Utilities, to improve the gas network compared with a total of £864 million on improving their networks during the last five years. Much of this work is part of a 30 year plan to replaced ageing cast iron pipes.

This was explained by Ofgem as an agreement to increase overall transmission charges by 8% to consumers over 2006-2007 charges and 2% above inflation for each year thereafter, while gas transmission revenues will increase in line with inflation. The effect on domestic customers it was said will "be relatively small as transmission makes up only 3% of household energy bills." Ho.Ho.

Ofgem say that in the first three quarters of 2006, 2.9 Mn. customers switched gas suppliers, and 3.52 Mn. their electricity provider. Which keeps those busy bees drones in the call centres busy. (1,000 in British Gas in Cardiff alone)

This my child is all part of UK energy security.

Lord Patel's advice is buya forest, a wood stove and lay in some candles.

Was it 10 years ago ?

It was as much as the resurrection of the old canard about the likeness between Nazi loving Prince Harry and Captain Scarlett by Famous for 15 Megapixels as much as the surprise discovery that the fabled wildlife destroyer and Chairman of the World Wildlife Federation, the Queen's rubbing rag for sixty years , the grumpy Duke of Edinburgh, had not after all organised the grisly slaughter of Lady Diana (then no longer Princess of Wales), his daughter in law and mother of the future king in the Pont D'Alma tunnel, that drew me once more to my trophy collection of intimate apparel. Limp, but lustrous mementos, redolent of exciting and dare we say it ? Happier times ?

Beside the swapsies with Oliver Reed and Peter O'Toole lay the treasured memories, and, fragments of a romance, silent and silken, gossamer playthings - these , torn caught on a Kensington Palace handle, as, idly draped over a keyhole - "to keep out our butler from seeing" - an idle happy remark echoing in the vast bedroom underlined it seemed only moments later when "Oh God and " other mangled cries could be heard outside..."Don't worry" she cried, like a huntress, "those ejaculations are the Butler" ... "now it's your turn," the rest is a blur. (As Boofy could be encouraged, late on a November evening at the fireside in Boodle's to say, yet again, "Sex - all you remember is the first time and the last time - all the rest's a blur d'ya see ?")

Also hidden in the same drawer were some rather interesting (if intimate - Testino eat your heart out) photographs and a contemporary one of a portrait (from the ancestral halls) of a younger Lord Patel (much cropped here to remove some remarks she scrawled over it in a fit of passion, which I publish here alongside her gorgeous son and future King.

There was also the curious brief manuscript sent mysteriously by a messenger some years ago which appear to be the outlines of a short story of how a deranged woman, who spent her time sat on a sofa, writing cheap romantic novels, who had a brief acquaintance / liason with Prince Carol ll of Romania (a tale mentioned in Olvia Mannings Spoilt City)and plotted the overthrow of the House of Saxe Coburg.

This fanciful tale involved her daughter inveigling herself into the one of the great families and ensaring the royal heir in a loveless ( and childless because of a familial streak of syphilis) marriage, and by producing a male child by an incestuous relationship establishes her line as one of the major royal families of Europe.

A fanciful story in which there are evidently many pages missing but there are some rather odd notes in Greek(Coptic ?)throughout the text which, if someone had the time might be worth examining. Full of tales of the Illuminati, rituals of motherhood, and the cheap imagery of popular romances, horses and their riders, mounting polo ponies, the Great Park at Windsor. An absurd place called the Russian Tea Rooms in Kensington.

Also nonsense about some queer picture dealer (friendly it appears with a chap called Liddle) and distant relative of the Monarch (!) flying to Germany after the war and retrieving some embarassing Nazi documents, files, about a mad impotent uncle and Hitler. Definitely not your Beevor sort of stuff. More like the heirs of Beaver (brook). Do his papers still publish anything about the Royal Family ?

Wistfully closing the drawer, denying the room the frangrance, it is worth remembering that with modern PCR analysis DNA can be recovered and identified 20 - 30 years after the being deposited on clothes.Even after being washed many times.

Which reminds my Research staff that the last scion of the House of Saxe Coburg und Gotha, young Simeon,(Симеон Борисов Сакскобургготски) who is a political leader in Bulgaria, (and until August 2005 Prime Minister) will of course become a European from January 1st 2007.

Now if that tale were true - could the TRUE Saxe Coburg's regain their throne and lands from the infertile usurpers ? Now THAT would make a fascinating tale.

Police interrogate Tony Blair - tape leaked in publishing sensation - Amazing pictures

Tony Blair today became the first serving Prime Minister to be quizzed in a criminal inquiry. Lord Patel has been handed an illicit copy of the tape of the conversation.

Plod 1. I am Detective Constable Peter Jones and this is your local area Police Community Support Officer Fariz Mahmood.
TB. Hi! How can I help ? Sit down.
Plod 1. Are you Tony Blair, of 10 Downing Street, London W1A A1A ?
TB. Well of course I am , now can we get on, I'm due in Brussels soon and I don't really have that much time.
Plod 1. Mr Blair ...
TB . Puhlease, ..... call me Tony.
Plod 1. Mr Blair, do you ever lie ?
TB. Ah. Lie eh, eh, you mean tell an untruth. Ha. Well Yes. That's a curveball if there ever was one. Ha. What is Truth qoth Jesting Pilate and would not stay for an answer.
Plod 1 Well could you answer the question Mr Blair.
TB. Bacon. Francis. Francis Bacon.
Plod 1. Is that your answer Mr Blair.
TB. Well that's what Bacon , Lord Francis Bacon, said in his Essay on Truth. Shifting sands of truth, sense of perspective, my Truth could be your lie ... if you catch my meaning. Look do call me Tony.
PSO Mahmood . Tony. is there a chance of a cup of tea ? I see you have a mug.
TB. Certainly just let me give the kitchen a call....
TB cont. ... now this Kaleidoscope of reality ...

Ringtone heard of Snoopy Dogg

TB ..Look I thought I told you not to ring Daddy at work Leo.. Yes. Yes. .... Well ask Carole or Mummy... if she's about ...

As more is transcribed Lord Patel will have it made available. Pic of a disguised and barefoot PSO Fariz Mahmood sneaking in the back passage at Downing Street to fool papa razzi. Unsuccessfully.

Euro carbon trading scheme in final stages of collapse

The EU has been running a Common Fisheries Policy for decades, it is a carefully designed policy to centrally allocate quotas and to limit environmental damage. This bureaucratic nonsense has saved neither the fish nor the fish eaters from over fishing in European waters.

The EU Emissions Trading Scheme ETS is a carefully designed policy to centrally allocate quotas and to limit environmental damagein which polluters (i.e net emitters of carbon in carbon dioxide over some fanciful self declared target) pay non- polluters (i.e net emitters of carbon in carbon dioxide below some fanciful self declared target) for their mythical non emitted tons of carbon has collapsed.

The accompanying graph (price of 1 Tonne of tradeable carbon) shows that carbon is trading at it's lowest levels ever and drifts lower in the market every week.

This financial juggling has failed in every respect to save the environment but has enriched many lawyers , accountants, consultants, and City traders at the expense of a credulous investing public. It is one of the most successful financial scams of the last decade - eclipsed of course over time by the "pensions industry".

FOOTNOTE TO HISTORY

At the recent 11th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-11) in Montreal, 28/11 - 9/12 06 the the 25 EU ministers (knowing the game was up) stopped short of mentioning greenhouse gas reduction targets for 2020 (let alone 2050) that EU heads of states had agreed to in March.

Greenpeace welcomed "many positive elements" of COP 11 which "underline Europe's commitment to tackling climate change". Ho.Ho.

They added : "the text on the post-2012 process is vague, and ignores the urgency of getting it under way with a clear end date for the completion of negotiations".

They commented on the real politik rather sharply "The UK presidency's claim that climate change was one of its main priorities has been exposed as subordinate to Britain's special relationship with the US and its obsession with tactics over substance."

Here is a wonderful picture of the happy, happy people at the LSE on the morning of February 23rd when Econergy (ECG) "a world leader in Carbon Credit origination and sale" raised £60m through a placing of Ordinary Shares of 1p each with institutional investors.

Stepping the change - Bridging the gap - Spooks flee as Gorbals Johnny grabs power

The world of corsetry was shaken to its foundations last night with the news that Lord Patel's friend and epistolary lover of many years , pal and fellow graduate of Lady Margaret Hall, the beautiful Dame Pauline Neville - Jones, Eliza Manningham Buller (58 - 33 of them as a spook) the "M" in MI5 is handing in her lunch pail. She will be remembered principally for having (at the insistence of Lord Patel ) introduced the MI5 website - and in a very real sense our alert CRITICAL warning is a daily reminder of her to all our readers and especially by Lord Patel of very fond (but no too distant) memories.

This is a small part of the fall out in Whitehall in the maniacal grab for power by the crazed Scots Home Secretary John Reid under the guise of "tackling terrorism". A national security ministry based on the lines of Hitler's 1933 putsch of the State and judiciary is under way - which is the buzz of the queue at the squash Court under the Purple Palace at Vauxhall Bridge as Mr Scarlett raises a bleak smile and extends his Empire yet further.

A department with yet another Scots Cabinet minister responsible will "bridge the gap" between the Foreign Office, the Home Office, the security agencies and the Ministry of Defence in meeting the non existent and fantasist threat from al-Qaida.

A "radical step change" is the result of a report into the totally spurious August "plot" on blowing up the world's supply of airliners by a teenager in High Wycombe armed with some hair care products and his plastic sandwich box.

Eyes rapidly revolving, the hard man of the Stirling Communist League, John Reid, babbled to MP's about global threats transcending foreign affairs, defence or domestic affairs ... getting into gear he accelerated into ...... "It therefore needs a seamless, integrated, driven and politically overseen counter-terrorism strategy which places at its heart the recognition that above all that this is a battle for ideas and values,"

The review sets out not only the changes in the terror laws that are needed but also the doctrines and capabilities needed to counter radicalisation in Britain and abroad. "This goes way beyond legislation," said Mr Reid mysteriously and with evident sinister intent as can only be adduced by the addition of a Gorbals kiss.

The Gubment will introduce an anti-terror bill next month on a very tight timetable and Mr Reid hinted to MPs that he was looking in detail at proposals to introduce a new power to question terror suspects after they have been charged and losing the 28 day to 90 detention idea and using intercept evidence.

What Reid quickly wants to do, is consolidate his power whilst apparently maintaining a posture of legality throughout, and this new legislation will provide a combination of the1934 post Reichstag Reichstagsbrandverordnung or Decree for the Protection of People and State and the Gesetz zur Behebung der Not von Volk or Enabling Act of the following year. Which is why he has dropped the plans to extend from 28 days to 90 days for dentention and the use of surveillance intercepts in courts. These will become superfluous under new anti-democratic legislation which will be rammed through with a supine Tony Blair hounded by scandal and Brown by inertia watch it happen.

Remember on the 10th December John Reid said in a TV interview that a "terrorist atrocity by Islamic extremists in the UK over the Christmas period is highly likely", John Reid claimed yesterday and emindedMP's that 30 'major' conspiracies were currently being monitored by the security services.

The battle against terror said the Home Secretary would continue for “longer than a generation.”

Staff at Rigby and Peller "buying lingerie is one of the most romantic things you can do for the lady in your life " , have already set up a fund to provide Eliza with a token of their esteem (and they trust continued custom) to which members of the public are invited to contribute.

You think Lord Patel is burbling on ... You ain't seen nuthin' yet folks !

above all that this is a battle for ideas and values

also the doctrines and capabilities needed to counter radicalisation in Britain and abroad

This is either Star Wars fantasist talk, the stuff of juvenile debates - to be dismissed out of hand, or the most dangerous and sinister ravings of a truly power hungry lunatic.

Iraq - Endgame or Stalemate ? .. or Meltdown ?

Stephen Hadley, security adviser to Dubya sent him a memo about Iraq which "leaked" and caused Maliki to sulk for 12 hours before he would break bread with Dubya in Jordan last week.

He said ;

1 . Shi-ite Prime Minister A - Maliki is too close to Moqtada al-Sadre.

2. Shi-ite Prime Minister A - Maliki is out of touch with reality in Iraq and needs to put more effort into national reconciliation.

Penetrating observations that most readers of the Roanoake Herald could have told him.

Now his heirs and wannabe successors Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, the arch zealot and Shiite theologian, and Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi, a Sunni, have dropped by the White House.

So as the hitherto notionally unified Iraqi Gubment fragments, Iran steps up support for an extension of the Shi-ite Kingdom which Washington likes to call the Shia Arc. Saudi Arabia have very brusquely told Cheney that they will actively support, finance and encourage the Sunnis in Anbar and Syria is none to covertly supporting the rag tag and bobtail of the Baathists.

... and the UK military forces (the very last remnants of the Coalition of the Unwilling) in the South are readying to make a dash south for the door marked EXIT.

Meanwhile Dozy Dubya says he will reveal his revised Iraq strategy in the New Year.

He may not be afforded that luxury.

Too much news to handle today,

What a day to be a news Editor !

The Prime Minister is interviewed by Plod for selling coronets for cash - at least he didn't get kidnapped by the Met, as his tennis partner the Tottering Toff of Totteridge !.. just sandbagged in an alleyway - believed to refer to Downing Street, an inaccessible throughfare in the heart of Government.

The Attorney General lies to the House of Lords claiming that the decision of the Serious Fraud Office into Britain's biggest defence company, BAE Systems and claims of a slush fund to ease the historic mega bucks Al Yamamah arms deal with Saudi Arabia because he thought that a prosecution "could not be brought".

He defended such a gross intrusion into the legal process by the Government that it is in "the wider public interest" which he bleated," had to be balanced against the rule of law."

Which added to the failure to declare an invasion of Iraq as illegal, contrary to advice of his officers - who resigned over the matter, makes him the most corrupt and dishonest Attorney General this country has had. He should be impeached - a formal accusation of ‘wrongdoing’, where a public official is charged with improper conduct in public office - a high crime and misdemeanour beyond the reach of the law or which no other authority of the state will prosecute.

At stake is a massive order for the unwanted, out of date, rag bag of the Eurofighter or "Typhoon" which the Saudi's quite sensibly now don't want and BAE (shortly to be handed to Boeing on a silver salver) cannot sell. The Saudis are now deep in discussion with Dassault over an intitial 16 off Rafale C fighters. These have (unlike the Typhoon) the superb SPECTRA integrated electronic survival system with software-based virtual stealth technology. Which combined with the THALES RBE2 passive electronically scanned multi-mode radar (develeoped in France by Thales and EADS) leaves the Typhoon standing (as it did in competition for the Singapore order) although it appears both lost to the politically heavyweight Lockheed F - 15.

For background on Gulf Arms procurement go here

Gordon Brown's PFI liabilities have now been revealed in the fine print of the Treasury figures accompanying his December statement to have soared 11% in 9 months from £142.4bn in figures issued with the Budget to a heart stopping £158bn up a huge up by £15.6bn since March. Don't worry the grandchildren will be left to pay THAT bill.

On top of this scandal is growing over the vigorous pursuit of a Knighthood for Gordon's wealthy Jewish friend and New Labour benefactor Sir Ronald Cohen (The Electoral Commission records Sir Ronnie gave ( no fancy loans in those days) £100,000 in 2001, £200,000 in 2002 and £250,000 in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 ) Lord Patel has followed the fortunes of Sir Ronnie with interest and the reader is invited to search the archives for "Apax" - especially their interest in CETV , half of which they bought from Likudist Ronnie Lauder the Estee Lauder / Clique parfumier, obsessive Klimt and Scheile collector and is expected to bid for ITV any day. (Apax have already bid for ITV in a deal with Greg Dyke earlier this year which was withdrawn)

Lord Patel remarked Sunday, July 16 Political / Police skullduggery, censoring the blogs and Prime Minister Reid in waiting

Those anxious to understand who will take over from Lord Levy as Middle East savant and fund raiser might look no further than Egyptian-born Jewish multi-millionaire (run out of Egypt by Nasser 50 years ago) Lord Cohen of Apax Partners.

Such a close fiend of the mean Scot from Kirkcaldy (and no mean benefactor to Noo Labour who have been so helpful to the BVCA the Vulture capitalists Trade Union) who it is said was so anxious he recived a Knighthood - and no doubt assiduously promoted by his friend and Karaoke King the Toff from Totteridge.

Lord Patel is a great fan of Sir Ronnie and can however ascribe some of his great wealth by following his investment lead. Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR) Bluetooth pioneers - launched May 03 at 220p by Apax Partners (and others) soared to above 1400p in June July this year - although they have catastrophically slumped since on a revenue warning in September to hover around 600p - a handy 300% growth since launch however. With 55% of the market they have launched their new 5th (!) generation Blue Core, a fully integrated 2.4 GHz radio, baseband and microcontroller on a single chipwhich will maintain their place at the cutting edge, Customers include Nokia, Dell, Panasonic, Sharp, Motorola, IBM, Apple, NEC, Toshiba, RIM and Sony.

Vulture capitalists steer clear of hi-tech but this is one gold seam they have helped along very nicely thank you. A good time to buy.

On top of this we have the entertaining spectacle of Lord Plod (AKA Stevens of the Yard) telling us that after 3 years well paid work and ten years after her death, unrecorded by 11 CCTV cameras (which had been switched off at 9pm), her 1hr 45 minute ride over 4 miles to hosital, embalming, curious tale of blood samples, pregnancy tests, mysterious Place telephoned instructions, MI5 / MI6, US Secret agencies (9 of them), and Mystic Meg my old friend and lover the Princess of Wales died in a "tragic accident " ... which is probably marginally worse than a "non-tragic accident". King Fayed of Horrids still maintains however , despite the sterling work, expenditure of much money, time and effort by Lord Plod, that it was the "fuggin" Duke of "fuggin" Edinburgh who killed her .

Quite a day when a Senior ex Policeman makes and hits the headlines by declaring that the Queen's husband did not murder their daughter in law and mother of the future King.

More of this in a later post with some sensational news and amazing photos!

The Independent also is late, breaking the news that FO memos about Iraq have now been supplied in confidence to the House of Comons committees and are therefore privileged and can be quoted publicly. Now that should be very interesting - Mrs Wilmshurst strikes back.

Who would be the news Editor of Channel 4 News who show a wonderful acrobatic zooming, swooping, jet fighter aircraft (see pic) being put through it's paces (sans weapons and extra range fuel tanks) to illustrate the Saudi "Typhoon" deal story ... only to have to explain at the end of the news hour that the fillum was actually... er ... of the competing ...er .... (and highly distinctive) French Rafale for which the Saudis and the French are about to announce an order. Sacré Bleue.

Where are they now ? No. 237 Mr Shady - was he killed by Plod ?

At approx 3.20 on the afternoon of August 1st 2005 the Police arrested six people for illegally protesting in an area ( around Parliament) designated under Section 132 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act' which came into effect that day.

Five of those arrested subsequently appeared in Court and were variously fined and charged costs. One fit looking youn man who was arrested, as seen in the above photograph with PC's KF 105 and KF 90 has not been seen since, (We'll call him, seeing he wore wrap-around sporty Shades - Mr Shady) nor has he been identified by anyone attending the event or after subsequent distribution of the photograph on appropriate websites. He apparently spent some 30 minutes near the megaphone used by various speakers and was present in the area for much longer.

Mr Shady has disappeared - Is he still alive ? Is he dead ? Was he killed ? Extradited ? Rendered ? Beamed up ? Evaporated ?

If you are PC KF 105 of KF 90 or anyone else who has any knowledge of what happened to Mr Shady please let someone know.

There have been outrageous suggestions Mr Shady is a Police stooge, "official" agent provocateur, secret service / SAS operator ..... nonsense - he doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to David Shayler. Keep your eyes open - perhaps we could get Crimewatch to publicise his mysterious disappearance?

Police unlawfully, stopped, searched and returned Fairford protesters rule 5 Law Lords

5,000 plus protesters organised by the Gloucestershire Weapons Inspectors , demonstrated outside US Fairford (UK base of USAF 420th Air Base Squadron, whose 14 B-52 bombers bombed Iraq in nightly attacks for weeks - since upgraded for use by US Stealth (B2) Bombers) on March 22nd 2003. 120 people on coaches were prevented by the police from arriving at the site stopped and searched at Lechlade, and returned under Plod escort to London.

Using powers they claimed to have under Section 60 of the Public Order and Criminal Justice Act 1994 (Powers to stop and search in anticipation of violence. ) Plod and his fellow comedians, with patience, skill and care searched the coaches for weapons for nearly 2 hours, with the full and peaceful co-operation of the passengers.They removed deadly weapons such as a Frisbee and some toy soldiers.

On boarding the coaches (assuming they would travel on to Fairford) the protestors were directed to return to London and the drivers threatened with arrest if they didn't comply with the police and their escort of vans and cars.

Repeated requests to stop were denied during the 2 1/2 journey to London resulting in some anxious "toilet moments" with bottles and other receptacles. (more information @ Fairford Coach Action website)

The BBC report today that from 2002 to 2004, the Plod operation to police Fairford USAF base cost a total of £7.79m, including £89,000 on costs including prisoner maintenance. Most of this came from Home Office funds and £375,000 or 0.5% from the Gloucestershire Plod Budget - it was the largest operation the force had ever mounted

After many delays a Judicial review was held in January 2004, and the judgement which followed in February ....

1. Stated that the Plod acted unlawfully by detaining the passengers on the coaches
2. The police were right to turn the group away - a decision which was the subject of the Appeal to the House of Lords resolved yesterday.

The High Court and Court of Appeal has already ruled Plod acted unlawfully in holding protesters on the coaches. Yesterday 5 Law Lords (see Footnote) unanimously overturned a previous Appeal Court ruling and ruled police did violate the right to freedom of expression and lawful assembly of the coach passengers because the actions Plod took was not prescribed by law and were disproportionate. Plod and fellow comedians had previously argued that they acted to protect the protesters since the U.S. military reserved the right to use deadly force in the event of an intrusion onto the base.

The 5 Law Lords also dismissed a cross-appeal by the police against the "unlawful" decision to hold protesters on the coaches.

The boneheads of Gloucester Plod are reported by the BBC saying that they were disappointed" with the decision, which it accepted (having no choice) , and then added insult to injury by lying and claiming that officers acted in "good faith". They say however that It also they "regret" any inconvenience and said it would now review its policies.

"Policing in [such] scenarios is difficult and complex, with competing rights and responsibilities having to be assessed and acted upon in real time by operational commanders," said a spokesman.

"Intelligence pointed to the potential for further disorder at the base ( would that they would share this "intelligence" with us) and it was against this background that the decision was made to stop and turn back the three coaches travelling to RAF Fairford from London."

Evidently their intelligence was totally false (There's a surprise ! - always assuming such "intelligence " existed) as 5,000 other people protested without the need for a single arrest or the peace being broken.

Full Times Law report
Regina (Laporte) v Chief Constable of Gloucestershire Constabulary
Before Lord Bingham of Cornhill (Senior Lord of Appeal in Ordinary), Lord Rodger of Earlsferry, Lord Carswell, Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood and Lord Mance (also at Hansard HOL)

Basically for those fascinated by the law and the word jugglers. Mr Emmerson (for Miss Laporte and the protestors) satisfied the Judges that the leading authority Albert v Lavin ([1982] AC 546), introduced a test. That test was, that a constable and private citizen alike, could act to prevent a breach of the peace which reasonably appeared to be about to be committed - an event which was imminent, on the point of happening.

The test applies whether intervention by arrest or action short of arrest was considered. There was nothing in domestic authority (i.e in Statute Law) to support the proposition that action short of arrest might be taken when a breach of the peace was not so imminent as to justify arrest.

Officers plainly did not think a breach of the peace was so imminent; that was plainly correct. Therefore the officer was not governed by a test of reasonablness but by the Albert v Lavin test. By that standard his conduct, whatever the stated intention, was unlawful in domestic law.

So whilst The Human Rights Act 1998, which gives domestic effect the European Convention on Human Rights,.... (including )Article 5 ,deprivation of liberty Article 10, freedom of expression and Article 11 , peaceful assembly, is absolute, it still remains that protection of the citizen by the articles might be denied, if the demonstration was unauthorised or unlawful or if conduct was such as actually to disturb public order.

It is however a successful landmark in protecting the continual erosion of freedom and liberty which the forces of Laura Norder which are being whittled away. As ever ... Eternal Vigilance

Pic (c) BBC of B52 freshly returned to Fairford from dropping 80 X HE500lb Boeing manufactured JDAM precision guided bombs on Iraqi civilians and cities.
Fairford Coach Action Group for bus escorted by Plod

Can you trust the Pakis ? World in grip of new terror....

Rashid Rauf (See Pic) the crazed Al Quaeda mastermind and Islamofascist Pakistani, dark skinned, beaded, bomber and terrorist who was the evil man behind the massive wholesale massacre of over 200 planes using simple DIY lavatory made bombs from easily obtained Lucozade and something else .. er ... isn't. (RR has the ability to appear both as an atheist evil smooth shaven white man AND a dark skinned bearded religious maniac simultaneously)

A Pakistani judge (who else ?) has ruled there is not enough evidence to try Rauf (AKA "Doggy" - Rauf Rauf) the cunning, evil, cold blooded, Muslim ringleader and key Pakistani, dark skinned, merchant of death who who planned a massacre in the skies.... vene without buying so much as a ticket - how evil can these monsters be that they prey on little children like this ? No prostitute is safe. (Wrong story.Ed.)

The Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court found no evidence today that the dangerous lunatic madman murderer, had been involved in terrorist activities or that he belonged to an evil, wicked, worldwide Al Quaeda freedom hating anti Democratic terrorist organisation.

Apparently he was in possession of hydrogen peroxide which is a highly dangerous chemical that will explode with immense earth shattering power, destroying aeroplanes, buildings, people, babies, pregnant women, children , cats dogs ...er.. anything. It is also widely used as a disnfectant and as a bleach for hair and is available in any supermarket, chemist of hardware store at a very modest cost. It is so dangerous instruction for using it in making bombs is available on the FBI website.http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/oct2001/bartick.htm

The Crown Prosecution Service in the UK said the dropping of charges against Mr Rauf in Pakistan would "make no difference" to the case against the men charged in Britain.

Which means that like their Pakistani friends, they have no evidence that will stand up in a court of law either ... apart from pictures of frightened passengers clutching their few possesions in a plastic bag facing certain death of all their family and friends in a terrible doomsday scenario Armageddon when the sky will darken with the exploding hair gel, sun tan cream and fizzy drinks with an eeerie silence broken only by the sobbing of children and keening of widows, wail of sirens, bleat of politicians.... and faintly on a breeze the triumphant battle cry of these Warriors of Satan ..."Down with Participatory Jeffersonian Democracy"

WARNING

Hydrogen Peroxide is not the same as Polonium - 123 which really is a dangerous life threatening ingredient of Japanese cooking. Polonium (etym : doubtful may be associated with POL -ICE) is everywhere but it is nowhere - like the Scarlet Pimp, the Plods seek it here, they seek it there , that damned elusive stuff that will contaminate anybody within 2 mm of it, and has been KNOWN TO TRIGGER ATOMIC BOMBS !!!!!

Russian bear gets grisly - Shell raped, Hambro dumped

Dmitry Medvedev, is the Russian first deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of Gazprom the state controlled Gas company.

Oleg Mitvol, is the deputy head of the state environment agency,(Rosprirodnadzor) who has threatened the Shell-led operating company Sakhalin Energy with fines, licence withdrawals and lawsuits, for environmental damage, tort, malsfeasance,misfeasance, breathing, farting and anything else he can throw at them.

Mitvol , after listening to very expensive legal eagles says he wants a modest US$30 billion in damages on the Skhalin peninsu;ar , its 2 dozen inhabitants, the local wildlife and .... well whatever , he threatens international arbitration at the court in Stockholm earlynext year. Bollocks.

Shell has 55% of the Sakhalin LNG project which it is intended will ship 2008 and supply Japan, Korea and the United States by tanker with 9.6 million tonnes per year of supercooled LNG - hence Mitsui & Co have a 25 % stake and Mitsubishi have 20 %.

After the shouting and tumult dies it looks like Gazprom , and Medvedev, assisted by Mitvol's threats of scandalum magnatum will emerge with 50% of the field with Japanese twins M & M dropping 10% each and Shell disgorging the rest. Cash exchanges, licences, etc remain to be sorted out. Shell was looking at some swapsie deal for the Gazprom Zapolyarnoye field (which straddles the Arctic Circle) as part of the negotiations over Sakhalin-2 but when they got to look at costs got cooler than the ice cap where the gas may be found.

Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko told Parliament on Tuesday (12/12) "Working consultations and negotiations on Gazprom's possible involvement in the project are in progress," and said Gazprom would face the same requirements as other investors should it join Sakhalin II, which operated under a production sharing agreement with the Russian government signed in 1994.

Khristenko said Gazprom would need to deal with inflicting serious environmental damage to Sakhalin Island, including deforestation, toxic waste dumping and soil erosion which had been alleged. "Gazprom will have to follow all the obligations of the agreement, including the requirements of environmental protection legislation, just like all other investors,"


Shell CEO Jeroen van der Veer met Gazprom's senior staff on Friday when details of the corporate rape by the State were hammered out. (Curiously elsewhere in the world, the State is unloading public assets - except Venezuela). Presumably Jeroam lay back and thought of his pension and annual performance bonus.

It must be remebered that Sheel was admonished by the Uk Cahrity Commisdsioners for using a Sherll funded charity (The Shell Foundation) to make improper representations to the UK government in respect of the Sakhalin II crisis. Even asking the policeman for help didn't help.

Once again Russia is flexing it's economic and energy muscles - but they suffer from expertise - which is what Shell have so they can hang on to some of the project and run it for the Russians and still come out smiling. D'Souza of Shell says talk of surrender , white flags and being stuffed royally by the Russians is all nonsense. - as if!

A deciding factor is of course that Gasprom has made promises to deliver all over the plave for gas - and it has to deliver ... a prospect that is not truly in the bag.... and one that should worry European and UK energy planners.

Now the heat is turning on Hambros Mining whose shares lost 15% today as Mitvol and the state environment agency starting bleating about safety - as if ! Minerals are the next on the hit list - is NATO listening ? watching? ... or just wanking about in Afghanistan playing at not being soldiers ?

Play with the Russian Bear - you can get hurt very badly.

This my children is energy security.

PS. Oleg Mitvol (pic) was a business partner of "UK citizen" Boris Berezovsky,friend of Tony and Cherie Blair, and the late Alexasandr Litvinyenko. He was board chairman and majority shareholder in the Russian daily newspaper, Noviye Izvestia essentially owned by and a mouthpiece of Berezovsky.

Quoted by the Guradian as the "Kremlin attack dog" so perhaps his alliances are variable.

PPS LATE NEWS

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke at Moscow State University, about the West accusing Russia of gas blackmail, he said, "Here transpires the West's intention to get access to Russian energy without giving anything in return." Ho.HO. The Season of Tidings of Goodwill starts early.

Massive Europe wide raids to tackle huge VAT fraud

VAT fraudsters , who are extremely successful and resourceful organised criminals steal £400 MN a month from the UK Treasury, more than the combined cost of the illegal Iraqi invasion and occupation force and sending ill equipped,and under resourced soldiers to a certain death in Afghanistan ...

As part of a massive integrated operation,targeting multi million pound VAT fraud, 300 HM Revenue and Customs staff (HMRC) have been deployed across France, Spain, Germany and the UK in the early hours of today.

A total of 50 search warrants were executed at business and domestic addresses in London, Glasgow, the Midlands, Manchester, Dover, Bristol and South Wales. A total of 13 people were arrested in the operation - further arrests are expected.

Whilst organised criminals steal £400Mn a month (at least - no one knows the true figure) HMRC have had some success, in 2005 - 06, there were six successful prosecutions for carousel fraud, resulting in 18 convictions and total prison sentences of 67 years.

A further nine successful prosecutions have concluded since April this year, resulting in 35 convictions and jail sentences totalling 165 years. - there have also been successful proceedings for asset recovery in one case a recovery of £13 Mn , plus a Marbella villa and 3 racehorses, even after the alleged criminal was found inoccent of VAT fraud.

Total assets recovered so far do not exceeed £20 Mn, 2 days take for the fraudsters...each day ... every day... all day.

Assets recovered in Edinburgh

Michael Voudouri, (pic) from Alloa in Clackmannanshire, got 4 years in 2004 after pleading guilty to or operating a major VAT fraud involving £3Mn VAT evasion by three companies he operated. Fairwood Trading and Cortec Management, textile traders and also £20Mn of turnover with - Computer Technics, who acquired computer chips from Denmark, Luxembourg and the Republic of Ireland.

He is now out of prison and at the High Court in Edinburgh, on 28th November, assets of his were seized and he was given 6 months to pay £1.3m, the single biggest seizure under Proceeds of Crime legislation. The proceeds from the sale of a £600,000 Bridge of Allan house will be added to that of other addresses in Alloa and London.

Music industry group involved in mobile phone fraud of £40Mn.

In September 2005 4 people received jail sentences totalling 22 years forma £40MN VAT fraud. In passing sentence, Her Honour Judge Williams said, "It was an audacious and outrageous fraud... all defendants showed a shameless dishonesty."

The highly organised scam, operated over 2 years, involved buying mobile phones from twelve fictitious companies (they were clones of legitimate UK firms, set up in Hong Kong with names and letter-heads identical to British firms dealing legitimately in telephones and computer chips) and using false receipts to charge VAT on the transactions, resulting in a loss to HM Revenue & Customs of more than £40 million. The proceeds from this crime were then sent to the Hong Kong bank accounts of a number of companies created to perpetrate the fraud.

All four defendants faced two charges, Cheating the Public Revenue with intent to defraud, contrary to Common Law and (Money Laundering) Assisting another to retain benefit of criminal conduct contrary to s93A(1) (a) CJA 1988.of cheating the public revenue with intent to defraud, and money laundering.

Musician Stephen Pigott, DOB 27/12/62. A musician/ music producer of Dubai, UAE. Was sentenced to nine years on both counts to run concurrently. His work invloved star names such as Celine Dion, Rod Stewart,The Pet Shop Boys and Mike and the Mechanics and had a string of song-writing awards to his name.

As part of the fraud Pigott had emplyed a trick lifted from the Frederick Forsyth novel The Day of the Jackal, Pigott got a passport in the name of David Roy Chapman after finding the name on a child's gravestone in a churchyard near his birthplace in Yorkshire.

Stacy Haber-Hofberg, DOB 25/01/62 a former environmental judge in New York , who had moved to Liphook, Hampshire with her English husband and their three young children , received six years on each count to run concurrently.(pic) She is also a songwriter, producer (of countless music videos, documentaries, the Off-Broadway play The Man From Verona, and the feature films "Def By Temptation" and "Rockabilly Vampire", the latter two often cited [she insists by design!] as being amongst the worst horror films ever made).

In addition both Pigott and Haber-Hofberg were both disqualified from holding the position of company director for the next fifteen years.

Joanna Harris DOB 24/02/69. A fitness instructor of London SE26. She was sentenced to three and a half years on both counts to run concurrently.

Theresa Igbanugo (38) a record label director of Sydenham, she had a reputation as a very good pioneering music entrepreneur, talent-spotting young acts. London SE26 received three and a half year sentences on each count to run concurrently. Harris and Igbanugo were also both disqualified from being a company director for ten years.

Recovery of assets proceedings are underway.... but ... Mr Big got away , Piggott refused to identify a man he called "Matt" whom he met in a bar ... he is thought now to be in Dubai from where he cannot be extradited. To HMRC he was John Andrew Shaw (code Z111), 52, a businessman and father of two from Sheffield. HNRC had a 67-page dossier on him. Another codename, Mauve 111, is a code given to his former home, a converted farmhouse in a South Yorkshire village.

The dossier identifies a lengthy series of suspicious transactions via banks in Dublin, Hong Kong, Ghana and the Isle of Man, as money was harvested from the HMRC frusdulently and then washed by banks around the world ... who know nothing about the fraud.

George has Georgia on his mind and Vladimir standing on his toes

The Caspian is seing an intricate game of oil /gas warfare, NATO brink statesmanship, Turkish ambitions for the EU and US dislike of Iran, helping Georgia out of a hole in this winter's energy supplies caused by Russian state owned Gazprom guided by the bad boy on the block Vlad Putin.

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev (another ex Communist dynastic Dictator President, playboy who followed his father in 2003) visited both Brussels and Moscow last month. In Brussels he wanted to get help from the European Union to develop and deliver energy supplies from the Caspian basin to the EU .

In Moscow he played a dangerous game by showing he was unwilling to help Moscow freeze out Georgia from Russian Gas this winter. Don't be surprised if he ends up with Baloneyium in his breakfast.

The Empire Strikes back

From 1/1/07 , Sergei Kupryanov of state owned Russian gas giant, Gazprom told Azerbaijan last Wednesday 6th December (Interfax) that exports willl be cut from 4.5 billion cubic meters in 2006 to 1.5 Bn.c.m and simultaneously double the cost the "European price " of approx US $200 and US $230 per 1,000 cubic meters.

1/1/07 will be a busy day because Gazprom are also scheduled to cut gas supplies to Georgia if they don't agree to pay this "European price" - this threat is also tied in with the Gazprom offer of US$250 MN to purchase the Georgian network and pipeline systems - and the refusal to allow Gazprom to buy the ageing, bankrupt Tbilgazi. Currently Georgia gets about 1.5 billion cubic metres from Gazprom of which 400-450 million cubic metres are imported by the Russian gas company Itera.

Armenia, a much more Russo-centric state (so far) will continue to pay the old US$110 per 1.000 c.m - they still have problems with Georgia over the unending duispoutes in the Nagorno - Karabakh region,

There are three objectives in this policy by Russia

1. To show how Moscow is not frightened to exercise it's economic muscle usinf energy supply and cost as a lever.

2. To prevent Azerbaijan from diverting gas to Georgia.

3. To release supplies to be available for Europe as growing supply commitments are hit by stagnant extraction levels in Russia.

To fuck with the Baku boys even further Alexsandra Chubais' Unified Energy Systems (RAO/UES) said in November it would cut electricity supplies from 300 MW per day in 2006 by 80%, again on 1/1/07.

All this will force Azerbaijan back to use domestic oil and gas supplies, whilst gas should not be a problem they will struggle to meet electricity demand and heating requirements, especially if it is a hard winter - the newly developed giant Shah Deniz offshore field may also not be producing as hoped this winter. This is scheduled to begin in September 2006 for transport to Turkey in the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum - with some being fed into Georgia via Tblisis, but construction has hit problems and agreements with Turkey remain to be concluded so nothing has moved yet. To get the deal done, Turkey, a U.S. ally and member of NATO, will have to forgo gas it already has signed to buy, which would allow Georgia to buy it instead.(See below, penultimate para)

The Shah Deniz field is a consortium of British Petroleum ( technical) operator and Norway's Statoil ( commercial) operator, each with 25.5% Azerbaijan's State Oil Company, Total of France, National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) (this share is shipped as gas to Georgia), with 10% each; a partnership of Agit Alekperov's LUKoil and Italy's Agip with 10% , and Turkish Petroleum = 9%.

Iranian gas could reach Georgia through Azerbaijan’s recently refurbished but small-capacity Astara-Gazi Mahomed-Gazakh pipeline - it will provide relief but nothing more (and is not welcomed by the US) . This line was revived after the mysterious and unexplained bomb blasts in Russia's North Caucasus that sabotaged 2 pipelines carying Russian gas late January this year. This "Iranian" gas will actually be from Turkmenistan which hits the Iran border at a reported US$66 per 1,000 c.m. and for which georgia will be happy to pay US$110 per 1,000 c.m.

The US Ambassador recently made it clear to the Georgian government that it would not be acceptable for the US if Georgia were to form a longterm strategy for energy cooperation with Iran.

President Aliyev characterised these moves against Baku by Moscow as "exorbitant and unjustificable" and is prepared to hit back by cutting northward (Russia) bound crude oil through the Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline (projected 5 Mn tons in2007), use some internally and send the rest southwards in the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline (which is expected to double capacity with a parallel pipeline soon).

The US throws it's hat into the ring... again

Matthew Bryza, is the deputy assistant secretary of state, quaintly titled the "coordinator of U.S. energy policy in the Caspian and Black seas area" and is with Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli in Washington to discuss post New year's Day gas supplies , "political blackmail" he characterises it, and their wish to join NATO.(Georgia - 1/7th the size of California with 5Mn population. GDP per head US$2000)

The United States doesn't like Georgia's negotiations with Iran, but says Bryza, any deal is simply a "stop gap" (Oh yeah ?). If they have no alternative, and Iran comes offering, even if we told the Georgians, 'Well, we would prefer you simply freeze this winter - I'm not sure how much weight that would carry," said Bryza.

Meanwhile yesterday in simultaneous meetings whilst the US leant on President Nogaideli in Washington, in Tblisi, after an 8 hour closed session, the three energy ministers of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia (with some help from Us educated running back for Unlce Sam,President Mikheil Saakashvili ) agreed that Turkey would surrender their (9% share) of which 2.8 billion cubic metres of gas it receives from the Shah Deniz project of which Georgia should receive 1.5 billion cubic metres of gas - no transfer prices have been made public.

For some background on US / Russian intervention over energy supplies to Georgia go here. 24/11/03 Georgia, Velvet Underground in Overdrive" more about the Georgians keeping their cool here.

"When the rest of the world recognizes how thinly spread the US military is, thinly spread physically, and economically, because it is not a sustainable institution in its current incarnation, rebellions will occur. Indeed they have already started. The response of the weakening US will be to lash out, often with unforeseeable consequences, just as the consequences of this impending invasion are unforeseeable, and unknown."

CCTV - what would our Police Forces do without it ?

Having had such a close physical and spiritual attachment to Lady Diana, (and indeed some shared antecedents) Lord Patel has never been able to steel himself to share the grief and anguish of such a transparently good man and her future Father in Law as Mr al Fayed.

Clutching some of the more intimate mementos of our relationship, bravely but briefly stifling a tear, sniffing and sobbing, it was as much as he could do to watch the Panorama Special tonight about her murder by the Secret Services of France and the UK on behalf of the Royal Family and the Illuminati.

Grief however broke into joy some 20 minutes into the programme when it was revealed that 11 CCTV cameras covering the path of the speeding car, driven by the drugged, drunk driver , including those outside the Ministry of Defence, Place de la Concorde etc., were switched off @ 9 pm.

Evidence, if required , that the perfidious French had stolen a march on their traditional foes and started on their covert plan of energy saving - cutting both carbon emissions, costs and laying the sound policy foundations that 1,000's of hours of CCTV fillums only serve to confuse any Police enquiries when pursuing sensational murder enquiries.

Yet again the land of super sleuths, Hercule Poirot, Georges Simenon and Professor Moriarty have led the way - for the Met's finest to follow in their footsteps ... belatedly.

Evidently we need more CCTV cameras to prove Lord Patel's First Law of Televisual Surveillance

Evidence (E)discovered by CCTV cameras is in inverse proportion to the number of cameras installed. E tends to infinity in all cases. The length of time (T) to disclose that CCTV cameras are, not working, switched off, faulty, have been stolen, whose recorders are faulty, have not been loaded or the tapes overwritten or hard drives accidentally erased / stolen can usually be measured in at least months and can take for ever. (T) tends to infinity in all cases.

Lord Patel's Second Law of Televisual Surveillance Part A

CCTV cameras will only work effectively when trained on a car with two occupants (or in certain cases more) of the opposite (or in certain cases the same) sex involved in extensive, vigorous, loud, noisy (preferably unclothed) sexual activity.

Lord Patel's Second Law of Televisual Surveillance Part B

Such CCTV evidence is usually available in the pub down the road, and in the Station canteen, usually in hours - and on the web minutes after. eg http://www.doggers-schaak.nl/

Vive La Belle France.

General Jackson gets the thumbs up finger

General should have acted on his concerns before he retiredLetter Daily Telegraph Dec 8th 2006

Sir - I am a Major in the Army who has served in Bosnia and more recently as a military assistant to the General Officer Commanding in Basra. General Sir Mike Jackson's comments in the Dimbleby lecture and his interview on Today left me seething (report, December 7).

If Sir Mike felt so strongly about the topics of over-stretch, equipment, accommodation and pay, why did he not do something about it when he was in a position to do so? If he thought that Afghanistan was going to be bloodier than it has turned out to be, why did he not restructure the fighting force at the time? Why did he not just say "No" when faced with more deployments and the subsequent overstretch?

His comments are an insult to those who have lost their lives in Afghanistan, a conflict he could have affected, but did not have the moral courage to do so. A poor performance for the top general. If he was in the commercial world, he would not have been entertained for so long. I, like many of my fellow officers and soldiers, have decided to vote with my feet and have sadly resigned my commission after 10 years' service as I cannot see a turning point for the Army.

Name and address supplied

Politics and the sewage works - the solid bits rise to the top

Promotions, pay rises honours - how the key players in the Kelly scandal were rewarded

The politicians and officials at the heart of the David Kelly murder scandal have been showered with honours, promotions or lucrative retirement jobs in the 3 years since his death.

Read Norman Baker MP's expose of the fat cats getting fatter for their part in the murder of Dr David Kelly.
http://dr-david-kelly.blogspot.com/2006/12/promotions-pay-rises-honours-how-key.html

e.g

Ann Taylor, 59, Labour MP, was chairwoman of Parliament's Intelligence Committee.(pic)
Salary: £56,000.
Role: She headed the committee that published a report which exonerated Downing Street over allegations of manipulating the Iraq intelligence The committee rejected Andrew Gilligan's charge that Alastair Campbell was responsible for "sexing up" the dossier.
Now: Ennobled as Baroness Taylor of Bolton on 13th May 2005 after resigning her Dewsbury seat in favour of Shahid Malik. In her first year in the Lords she claimed more than £30,000 in tax-free "subsistence allowances".


Donald Anderson, 67, was Labour chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.
Salary: £56,000.
Role: Agreed to Government request from Defence Minister Geoff Hoon not to ask David Kelly awkward questions about Iraq's WMD. Kelly was found dead two days after he appeared before Anderson's committee.
Now: Elevated to Lords as Baron Anderson of Swansea . on 13th May 2005 after resigning his Swansea Dewsbury seat in favour of Sian James.Claimed £25,000 last year in tax-free attendance allowances in return for attending Lords on a total of 94 days.

How do they sleep at night ? What is worse, buying a Baronetcy or selling your soul
for one ?

PS Shahid Malik is a very loyal New Labour member pro ID cards, Anti Terror legilsation and against an investigation into the illegal Iraq invasion he did however pop up in a debate on the invasion of the Lebanon by Israel with this remark ...

My hon. Friend rightly said that two or three children a day were dying as a result of cluster bombs. Does he agree that it would be helpful if the Israelis gave the grid maps for those bombs? That could save lives; the fact that the Israelis are not yet doing that is nothing short of shameful.

He wants to be careful .... and not go for long country walks on his own.