Why Halliburton built those prison camps. ICE keeps up the budget numbers

In 2005 Tony Blair said "September 11 for me was a wake up call".

It certainly woke up the US - legislation poured from Congress. The borders were strengthened by the Homeland Security Act, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) forces were beefed up.

There was no new Pearl Harbour, the other shoe didn't drop.

The forces of law'n'order were not inactive. A signal event is described in a post from Sunday, January 14, 2007 Judge gives ICE until 22nd Jan to tell him where 220 plus illegals are from Swift , Greeley Plant.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raided Swift meat packing plants on Dec 12th 1,282 people were arrested. ICE has said about 220 face identity theft or other criminal charges and the rest face immigration charges, The plants raided were in Grand Island, Neb.; Cactus, Texas; Hyrum, Utah; Marshalltown, Iowa; and Worthington, Minn. and Greeley Colorado where 260 staff were arrested. (they didn't raid the Louisville, Kentucky and Santa Fe Springs plants) With more than $9 billion in annual sales, Swift & Company is the world’s second-largest processor of fresh beef and pork. It was founded in 1855 and headquartered in Greeley, Colorado.

Preparations had been going on since February 2006 after several reports of stolen identities were linked to the company. Strangely enough it was in February 2006 that The Army Corps of Engineers awarded a contract worth up to $385 million for building temporary immigration detention centers to Kellogg Brown & Root, the Halliburton subsidiary.

In retrospect it is interesting that The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 7 filed suit in Denver federal court, alleging the arrests of the 265 Greeley workers violated their constitutional rights to due process. (No civil or criminal charges, filed by the government against Swift & Company or any of its current or former management employees.)

Involved in the claim to illegal processes are 61 detainees who were taken to El Paso, Texas instead of remaining in Colorado for complete deportation processing. Some detainees claim they did not know what they were signing when they agreed to leave the country willingly. If they return, they could face felony charges, but they claim agents told them they would be allowed to return legally.

The forces of law'n'order were not inactive. A second signal event took place a short while later and is described in a post from - Saturday, March 10, 2007 Insourcing by Michael Bianco and the US Military - see no evil....

Michael Bianco Inc ,89 West Rodney French Blvd, New Bedford, Ma. 02744 ( 47 miles south of Boston) is an American manufacturer of high quality leather goods they also make military equipment, airvests, medipacs etc.,

The factory was raided on Tuesday 6th March and 300 (out of 500 total workers) people were arrested by Homeland Security and Immigration and Custom Enforcement.

It appears that 240 were flown to Texas for deportation.90 people were flown from Devens Air Force base to a detention center in Harlingen, Texas, on and 116 others were flown to Albuquerque, N.M., on Thursday. See AP story for problems of dealing with mothers / children, providing welfare.

This was evidently a mammoth and well prepared raid ... Mr. Chadbourne, Boston-based field Director of Apprehension, Detention & Removal for ICE, said it took about a month to prepare the Devens area before the raid. His department is a section of the federal Department of Homeland Security.

About 700 agents were called from all over the country to complete what was the fourth largest such raid conducted in the country, he said. He also said about 60 percent of those arrested were from Guatemala. The second largest group was from El Salvador, followed by Brazilians. The women outnumbered men arrested 2-to-1.

It is of interest that owner (and supplier to the DOD / US forces) Francesco Insolia, 50, of 3 Country Club Circle, Pembroke, Massachusetts (also the address of Leather Bags an online leather bag store) ; payroll manager Ana Figueroa, 40, of 150 Thompson Street, New Bedford; plant manager, Dilia Costa, 55, of 43 Sherman Street, New Bedford; and office manager Gloria Melo, 41, of 135 Sprague Street, Fall River, with conspiring to encourage or induce illegal aliens to reside in the United States, and conspiring to hire illegal aliens.

There seems to have been a quietus in the activity of ICE on this front . Then came the big one.
Sunday, May 25, 2008 - Agriprocessors Kosher meat plant ICE raids result in rushed justice for illegals - top prices for Memorial Day beef for the BBQ

You can read the piece above but sufficient to say ICE (The raid …officials boasted… was “the largest single-site operation of its kind in American history.” )rounded up and 297 faced specially organised courts. Mainly Guatemalan, they required and were provided Spansh Court interpreters. A NYT story at the time gave an outline of the procedures. 'Fess up using false identities, take the rap, 5 months in pokey and go home. You wish to contest , lie around in jail and rot. Faceed with no choice they signed up for jail - perhaps who knows ,in Mr Halliburton's camps somewhere and will soon be off on their way home.

It doesn't appear that any of the plant owners, supervisors or managers have ben prosecuted - for anything.

Until that is one of the Spansh Court Interpreters,Erik Camayd-Freixas, Ph.D.
Florida International University incensed at what he experienced wrote an essay which is dated June 13, 2008. A copy is stored here and here and here at the Sanctuary and Docudhama has an excellent exegisis which it is pointless to copy - go look.

Here is a flavour ;

The essay begins:

On Monday, May 12, 2008, at 10:00 a.m., in an operation involving some 900 agents, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) executed a raid of Agriprocessors Inc, the nation's largest kosher slaughterhouse and meat packing plant located in the town of Postville, Iowa. The raid ...officials boasted... was "the largest single-site operation of its kind in American history." At that same hour, 26 federally certified interpreters from all over the country were en route to the small neighboring city of Waterloo, Iowa, having no idea what their mission was about.

Dr. Camayd-Freixas describes the place:

The NCC is a 60-acre cattle fairground that had been transformed into a sort of concentration camp or detention center.

Fenced in behind the ballroom / courtroom were 23 trailers from federal authorities, including two set up as sentencing courts; various Homeland Security buses and an "incident response" truck; scores of ICE agents and U.S. Marshals; and in the background two large buildings: a pavilion where agents and prosecutors had established a command center; and a gymnasium filled with tight rows of cots where some 300 male detainees were kept, the women being housed in county jails.

Later the NCC board complained to the local newspaper that they had been "misled" by the government when they leased the grounds purportedly for Homeland Security training.

He continues:

Then began the saddest procession I have ever witnessed, which the public would never see, because cameras were not allowed past the perimeter of the compound (only a few journalists came to court the following days, notepad in hand). Driven single-file in groups of 10, shackled at the wrists, waist and ankles, chains dragging as they shuffled through, the slaughterhouse workers were brought in for arraignment, sat and listened through headsets to the interpreted initial appearance, before marching out again to be bused to different county jails, only to make room for the next row of 10.

They appeared to be uniformly no more than 5 ft. tall, mostly illiterate Guatemalan peasants with Mayan last names, some being relatives (various Tajtaj, Xicay, Sajché, Sologüí...), some in tears; others with faces of worry, fear, and embarrassment. They all spoke Spanish, a few rather laboriously.

But the most telling thing is it became apparent what was really going on ...

It is no secret that the Postville ICE raid was a pilot operation, to be replicated elsewhere, with kinks ironed out after lessons learned. Next time, "fast-tracking" will be even more relentless.
Never before has illegal immigration been criminalized in this fashion. It is no longer enough to deport them: we first have to put them in chains.

At first sight it may seem absurd to take productive workers and keep them in jail at taxpayers' expense. But the economics and politics of the matter are quite different from such rational assumptions.

A quick look at the ICE Fiscal Year 2007 Annual Report (www.ice.gov) shows an agency that has grown to 16,500 employees and a $5 billion annual budget, since it was formed under Homeland Security in March 2003, "as a law enforcement agency for the post-9/11 era, to integrate enforcement authorities against criminal and terrorist activities, including the fights against human trafficking and smuggling, violent transnational gangs and sexual predators who prey on children" (17).

No doubt, ICE fulfills an extremely important and noble duty. The question is why tarnish its stellar reputation by targeting harmless illegal workers.

The answer is economics and politics. After 9/11 we had to create a massive force with readiness "to prevent, prepare for and respond to a wide range of catastrophic incidents, including terrorist attacks, natural disasters, pandemics and other such significant events that require large-scale government and law enforcement response" (23). The problem is that disasters, criminality, and terrorism do not provide enough daily business to maintain the readiness and muscle tone of this expensive force.

For example, "In FY07, ICE human trafficking investigations resulted in 164 arrests and 91 convictions" (17). Terrorism related arrests were not any more substantial. The real numbers are in immigration: "In FY07, ICE removed 276,912 illegal aliens" (4). ICE is under enormous pressure to turn out statistical figures that might justify a fair utilization of its capabilities, resources, and ballooning budget.

One fascinating item is that ..."There were 697 arrest warrants, but late-shift workers had not arrived, so "only" 390 were arrested: 314 men and 76 women; 290 Guatemalans, 93 Mexicans, four Ukrainians, and three Israelis who were not seen in court. "

The three Israelis were actually Rabbis who have to be present at the slaughter to provide the necessary kosher authority. It appears that they, like the whole of the plant management escaped prosecution.

So it goes on ...boston.com 16th July 2008 Immigration agents arrest 31 in courthouse sweep
Associated Press
About 20 cleaning workers from Central and South America remained in custody Wednesday after a sweep of six Rhode Island courthouses that targeted illegal immigrants, including some who investigators said used fake names and Social Security numbers to get hired.

"Simply put, illegal aliens using fake documents to work in the United States are a vulnerability to sensitive security sites," said Bruce Foucart, special-agent-in-charge of ICE's Office of Investigations in Boston.

Just to provide another perspective on the Postville incident here is a report on a far right blog ... White Reference ... "According to the search warrant application and affidavit dated May 9th, federal officials relied on a variety of sources, including former employees and at least one undercover source who wore a wire and became an employee of the plant at ICE's request. "

But as I disclosed in my previous post on this raid, *** see pic some pro-white activists affiliated with a local Klan organization were also reportedly involved in the takedown. They not only flooded ICE with complaints, but several volunteered to hire on at the plant and report on the activities from the inside.

This was also posted on another website of the far right , VNN Forum "Since August of 07 members of the Fraternal White Knights and the Iowa Knight riders along with members of the Aryan Werwulfe Brotherhood have been constantly calling ICE on the Postville plant here in Ia. When they demanded proof of illegals working in the jew owned plant, we sent members in to work there and gather that info. The results after many hard months of dedication paid off today and we hope they also get to the other plants we told them about."

Are they telling the truth ?

Sacramento Library has racked up US$4.6Mn unpaid fines (and counting) is this a world record ?

A Sacramento County grand jury in March was investigating the management of the library, They were told that US $2.5 million was due in unpaid fines.
A " revised assessment" comes in an agenda item released today in advance of the library board's monthly meeting, scheduled for next Thursday.

The report says library officials told the grand jury that there was a total of $2.7 million in unpaid fines and materials that had not been returned, but that "upon performing data review and error checking, a large error reflecting a negative amount owed of -$1.6 million was corrected...

"The analysis indicated that the corrected amount total owed by customers was $4.3 million," and additional checking shows the actual amount is now $4.6 million, the report says. They had (in April) 114,000 overdue users see report online.

The grand jury's report criticized library management for credit card abuses, questionable travel expenses and excessive use of consultants, in addition to what it reported at the time was $2.5 million in unpaid fines.

Library director Anne Marie Gold, (at US$145,000 per annum since 2002 ) was accusing of ignoring library employees who tried to warn officials about an alleged billing and kickback scheme. the grand Jury said she "failed to adequately safeguard public funds, and advised the library board that oversees library operations to "seriously consider removing" her from her position. (see biog.)

Facts about Librarians : It was a librarian who married George Bush, Philip Larkin was a librarian , Philip Larkin's dad admired Germany , attended 2 Nuremberg rallies and had a statue of Hitler on his mantlepiece ... George Bush's grandad read books as well.

Plans are already afoot for a George Bush Memorial Library - they can't have his books yet , he still has some left to colour in.

Klimov jet engine sales pitch reaches a climax at Farmborough

How the cunning Russkis sell their jet engines at Farnborough...ooops adults only, are you over ..er.. 21 ? You don't look it, take a peek anyway..Just watch that "cobra " strike on those big , powerful thrusting jets, screaming sidewinding on a "Cobra" strike as the missile fails to penetrate the Sukoi jockey's airspace ..oooh

Thank goodness the authorities have stopped all that. Let's hope BAE don't do any of that sort of thing .. or did for the Al Yamamah .. Typhoon deals.

PS : Boeing say Dreamliner's OK, doing fine, OK, no weight problems, certainly not on the stretch versions, no problems... share price is well up in a bad week...
Maybe it was US$119 a year ago.737 sales are booming ... A380..coming to New York, San Francisco, superb luxury Emirates .. fluff man, I'm telling you fluff. Passenger mile seat costs are lower .. don't give me that BS man..the tanker deal is ours ..nudge, nudge , Know what I mean ?

It's a strong bet that Boeing and Airbus don't use tactics like the Klimov...

Dwain Chambers not on GB team ....Hooray.Does that mean there are no drug fuelled GB athletes - No

The best news for athletes everywhere for some time. 30 year old sprinter and failed wannabe RL star, Dwain Chambers failed to have a lifetime suspension from the Olympics lifted by a London judge today. He won't be allowed to run for Britain in Peking next month - unless he successfully appeals the ruling.

Pity the ruling came from a Judge and not the pompous blazers who run sport today.

Chambers, was banned from the Olympic team in 2003 for taking steroids. He went to the High Court in London after winning the 100 metres in last weekend's trials in Birmingham. The top two finishers there are usually selected for the U.K. Olympic team.

Chambers wanted an injunction to be able to run and Justice Colin Mackay and the court was ``not convinced'' by his arguments. The ruling can be appealed. Jonathan Crystal, Chambers's lawyer, didn't comment as he left the court.

Chambers was the first athlete to be banned for testing positive for THG, the designer steroid distributed by Balco, the California-based Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative that has been at the center of a U.S. probe of drug use by top athletes.

He was also stripped of his 2002 European 100-meter title and had his British 100-meter record of 9.86 seconds annulled.

Victor Conte , the Balco guru chemist revealed that Chambers, who tested positive for the designer steroid tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) in 2003, actually took seven banned substances. The others were a testo-sterone/epitestosterone cream, EPO, insulin, human growth hormone, modafinil and liothyronine. Conte, who served a jail term for distributing steroids in 2005, previously limited himself to saying he gave Chambers “the full enchilada” of drugs.

Beautiful actresses, betrayal, double dealing, Mossad chief blabbed about double agent."Egyptian Flu" stops double talk about Al Yamamah

Egyptian film star Soad Mohamed Hosny (سعاد محمد حسني) was taping her fascinating diaries. Alone at the age of 58 , her body was found on a London sidewalk in front of 'Stuart Tower' (105 Maida Vale), June 1, 2001.

Overweight, a result of spinal disease and medication , troubled with financial probems she allegedly jumped off the balcony of her friend’s sixth floor apartment.

Wire netting on the balcony had been cut, she had one shoe on , the other was in the bedroom - had she been dragged and thrown off the balcony ? A British coroner’s inquest ruled that it was suicide and the case was closed.

She was buried in Egypt . The tapes she was using to record the fascinating memoirs of a much loved young and beautiful actress who mingled with the high society of Egypt remain (as yet) undiscovered.

The First mysterious murder of an Egyptian

They may perhaps have shed some light on the mysterious and brutal murder of Major General Ali Shafik who also lived in London with glamorous with his glamorous wife, a singer Maha Sabry. Major General Ali Shafik was also head of the field marshal Abdel Hakim Amer’s office, who worked closely with Egyptian chief-of-staff Saad el Shazly in preparations for the Yom Kippur war.

It was the smell of his ten day old corpse that alerted the housekeeper of his his rented apartment in 133 Harley Street, London on Tuesday the 5th of July 1977 . Marylebone police station received a phone call from the house keeper who opened the door of the house after the weekend to find the terrible smell of the decayed apartment owner’s body lying in a pond of blood.

Ali Shafik was found dead, killed, he was dressed in full suit, the apartment was a blood messy, Shafik, an big man and ex boxer had struggled with his attacker(s) , he was hit with heavy item,, crushing his skull, and he had been stabbed many times.

In his right hand he was clutching a small suitcase. It contained one million pounds sterling.

The third mysterious murder of an Egyptian

Which is why there was such litle official interest in the apparent de-fenestration of 63 year old Ashraf Marwan, the son-in-law of the late President Gamel Abdel Nasser, found dead beneath his fourth-floor flat in Carlton House Terrace on June 27th 2007.

He was also the seller of a minor interest in Chelsea Harbour, owners of Chelsea Football Club , friend of their owner Ken Bates . he was also associated with rich gangsters, Adnan Khashoggi***, Tiny Rowland and even the Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

Police were treating the case as murder but nothing has surfaced.. until a nasty little spat has just surfaced amongst Mossad spies.

Marwan, was fingered by Harold Bloom in his book Eve of Destruction The Untold Story of the Yom Kippur War as a double agent stringing his Israeli contact along, telling them what they wanted or needed to believe, until the last hours before the shooting started. Son in law of Gamal Nasser he was also part of the gilded and rich inner circle of his successor, Anwar Sadat, who started the massively successful Yom Kippur war , 4 years earlier.

The Egyptian chief-of-staff Saad el Shazly developed his own concept of a limited war in which Egypt would seize positions; Israel would then have to counteract, with Egypt then bleeding its enemy dry.

A postwar Israeli inquiry commission said that there was a “ source”, that had been a closely guarded secret. Evidence pointed towards someone high in the Egyptian Establishment.

Israeli storytellers say Marwan was a “walk-in” who entered an Israeli embassy in Europe and offered his services in 1969.

The truth is that Marwan had come to London, ostensibly to consult a Harley Street doctor about a stomach ailment. The doctor he had chosen had offices that had been used previously for a covert meeting between King Hussein of Jordan and the general director of the Israeli prime minister's office.

Along with his X-rays, Marwan handed the doctor a file crammed with official Egyptian state documents. He wanted them delivered to the Israeli Embassy in London

Extensive checks convinced Mossad that he was not a double agent. Marwan was contacted by the Mossad in the champagne bar at Harrods, a shop, now owned by Mr Mohamed Fayed.

In the ensuing years Mr Marwan provided information on Egypt and the Arab world that Moshe Dayan, the Israeli Defence Minister, and others would later term priceless. Because of him he warned of the Yom Kippur war - 6 months too early. The Israeli army was mobilised - then stood down, he warned again. The Army and reserves were not called up.

Some believed that he was a double agent.

Mr Marwan denied the claims. he laughed at them claiming that he had never worked for the intelligence communities on any side. He was a simple, hard working business man, who just had a lot of money - said to be over £400 Mn.

Gamal Mubarak, the president's son and possible successor, and Omar Suleiman, the head of the Egyptian intelligence service, attended Marwan's funeral. Sheik Mohammad Seyed Tantawi, Egypt's highest-ranking imam, led the prayers over the coffin, covered with an Egyptian flag.

On the following day, in response to reporters' questions, President Hosni Mubarak called Marwan "a patriot," . "He carried out patriotic acts which it is not yet time to reveal."

His sister saw him some days before his death and said he was well and in good spirits. He was said to be writing a book, but no manuscript has been found.

That's 2 books unwritten, unpublished, unread.

Now we hear that The Shin Bet security service and the Israel Police are investigatingMilitary Intelligence (MI) chief Eli Zeira. Mongers of rumours say he is suspected of disclosing state secrets.

The state secret is that he revealed the name of Ashraf Marwan as a Mossad agent.

Deputy State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan, took over the case after Attorney General Menachem Mazuz recused himself for fear of the appearance of a conflict of interest, in light of his family connection with one of the figures associated with the case. Media restrictions have been eased since Haartez newspaper obtained the removal of 4 month gag order, started 2 months ago in Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court.

It seems that 2 former officers from the Israel Defense Forces' intelligence section, Brigadier General Amos Gilboa (President Shamir's first Advisor on Arab Affairs and co-founder of Jewish People Policy Planning Institute ) and Colonel Yossi Langotsky, filed a complaint against Zeira over four years ago. So did Mossad chief Zvi Zamir.

Zeira implied and explicitly stated to Israeli and foreign journalists that Ashraf Marwan was the Mossad agent who informed Israel about Egypt's plans to attack Israel on October 6, 1973. Zeira claimed that Marwan was a double agent who deceived Israel. This apparently happened at "some time in the 90's".
Dr. Aharon Bregman, an Israeli historian who teaches at King's College London in an interview to the Egyptian daily Al Ahram. in late 2002 was the first to reveal Marwan's role.

In claims for libel against Zamir by Zeira in June 2007, former Supreme Court justice Theodor Or found for the Zamir, ruling that Zeira had indeed leaked Marwan's name.

Last year after Marwan's death, Zamir said he had no doubt that Marwan had killed himself because of Zeira's disclosures. He did not of course mention or suggest that Marwan had any contact with BAE and the hideous prospective revelations of Swiss bank accounts and the Al-Yamamah deal.

*** Jonathan Aitken MP and Defence Minister for procurement was very much invoved with the BAE Al Yamamah deal. Petrina b.1981 was his daughter by Adnan Kashoggi's (ex) wife Soraya (AKA Sandra Jarvis- Daley from Leicester ). This was only made clear to Jonathan when she was 16 and proven with DNA tests. Adnan's's sister Samira (other of Dodi) was the first wife of Mohamed al Fayed whose revelations of Aitkens meetings at the Ritz (which he owned) led to Aitken's downfall, imprisonment and finding God.

Tiny Rowland was sometime friend of Mohamed al Fayed amd sometime enemy and played dirty poker throughout Africa.

Mohamed al Fayed has been married to gorgeous blonde , former Finnish model and wannabe Miss Suomi Heini Wathén since 1985 and has four living children by her: Jasmine (who has one child, Delilah), Karim, Camilla and Omar.

"We don’t have the luxury to have the debate we’ve been having about should we talk, should we not talk; the—the time for diplomacy here is rapidly coming to an end.”
—Elizabeth Cheney, former deputy secretary of state for Near East affairs (and daughter of VP and war criminal Dick Cheney, AIPAC Policy Conference Round Table, June 2, 2008

Dick Cheney publicly accused House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) of "bad behavior" for visiting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Elizabeth Cheney supported her dad and published an op-ed in the April 12, 2007 Washington Post. She argued that "conducting diplomacy with the regime in Damascus while they kill Lebanese democrats is not only irresponsible, it is shameful." She added: "Talking to the Syrians emboldens and rewards them at the expense of America and our allies in the Middle East. It hasn't and won't change their behavior. They are an outlaw regime and should be isolated."

Elizabeth (the Cheney child who digs heterosexual sex - and boy do we dig her ) is married to Philip Perry (m. 1993), at one time the general counsel for the White House Office of Management and Budget and very, very, very bright. He was involved on regulating the chemical industry. Post 9/11 there were concerns on safety - Environmental Protection Agency staff felt such fears even more acutely: agency data shows over 700 sites across the country could potentially kill or injure 100,000 or more people if attacked.

He told a meeting finalising legislation to grant regulatory authority over chemical security to the EPA. “If you send up this legislation,” he told the gathering, “it will be dead on arrival on the Hill.”

He left to lobby for the Washington law firm , Latham & Watkins - No 2 in American Lawyers List (he stated his legal life there along with a man called Chertoff who has miracle guts with feelings - both of them are also members of the conservative Federalist Society) that represents the American Chemistry Council, and also strong-arming the Department of Homeland Security for Lockheed Martin and General Electric.

Then Perry is back with the Administration as general counsel for the Department of Homeland Security, he gained authority for DHS to oversee chemical plant security. (see this)

So that's good news for the US Chemical Industry.

It was only in January last year that Perry stepped down as general counsel of the Department of Homeland Security and returned to Latham & Watkins. Elizabeth Cheney, Perry’s wife, had given birth to the couple’s fifth child in July 2006. Chertofff had gut feeling agian and supported Perry’s “decision to put his family first.” But there were other reasons for Philip Perry to leave government, too. After all, he’d done what he came to do.

Families - where would we be without 'em?

Send Karl Rove to Jail

Linda T. Sánchez is the Chairwoman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law. Linda is one angry lady.

Karl Rove's attorney sent the House Judiciary Committee a letter stating that Rove will not be attending a hearing that he has been subpoenaed for on July 10th, citing executive privilege. Instead he went abroad on a "long planned trip".

The Committee want to ask him a few questions about the way the Department of Justice fired some Attorneys - which resulted in Mr Gonzalez spending more time with his family.

Linda has ruled that they do not accept his claims for such privilege.

There are 2 ways for the Committe to move..

1. They can do nothing.
2. They can rule him in contempt and throw him in jail.

Robert Greenwald sent me this video explaining why they should throw him in jail.... he is also pimping his first Meet the Bloggers show which airs at 1pm ET / 10am PT, the first episode ever will be a discussion with bloggers Marcy Wheeler(FireDogLake.com), Liliana Segura (AlterNet.org), Baratunde Thurston (JackandJillPolitics.com), and special guest Arianna Huffington .They will be considering why Rove should be in the slammer.

This is not just some BJ in the Oval Office, this is how the Bush Administration have seized control over the Executive "Scooter" Libby got a jail term even after a Presidential pardon.. Rove is another crook .. the Internet offers bloggers a chance to get their views heard, sign the petition , watch, join in, air your views ..

Zippity doo-dah,Zippity Yayy - Friday's looking like a very good day ...

The Wall Street Journal today reports that " citing unnamed people familiar with the matter", Freddie Mac is "considering" selling up to US $10 billion in new shares to investors. One of their potential new investors over at Market Watch makes the wonderful pithy point , which raises the level of internet drollery to a new and higher level of informed financial comment.

CEsqy ..
"The invisible hand of the market slowly put its greedy fingers into the short stubby appendages of the latex glove and whispered to the Fed Chairman, "Its your turn today Ben."

The Market Watch library of his shots reveals (186 and counting) yet more compressed wisdom and cheer.

"The stock market, like housing, always goes up, till it don't."

"Rate's are going up, no matter what convoluted form the GSE bailout takes. Foreigners who support our addiction to credit realize they have the opium we don't have....American dollars. "

"President Bush was looking for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but all he had to do was take a stroll down Wall Street and open his eyes to see the true Apocalypse. "

"WaMu and Wachovia are highly leveraged with toxic loans. Do your own diligence" ***

Have a good day, won't you all.

Chuck Saletta at Motley Fool has the best take on the Hank'n'Ben" End of the pier World Show. Graph (and much more here)

***Washington Mutual (WM) Wachovia (WB) curiously missing from SEC's list of firms stopped from shorting. Thrown to the Dogs asks Mish ?

For good measure "When will people learn that you can’t legislate (for) honesty?"asks Roger Schlesinger at the TownHall ,"Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before "

Tricastin radioactive fluid leak may be historical ... hiccup could will affect Gordon's grand nuclear build plan - that's show business folks!

A fluid leak was reported at the Tricastin nuclear power plant in SW France , 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Avignon last Tuesday. Whilst cleaning a tank containing a solution with traces of non-enriched uranium, a reservoir designed to collect it overflowed. Some 30,000 liters (7,925 gallons - comparison - a standard road petrol tanker holds 34,000 litres = £40,000) of solution seeped into the ground and two nearby rivers. Despite assurances, local authorities have now banned the use of well water from three nearby towns as well as using water from the contaminated rivers to irrigate crops. Residents have also been banned from swimming, water sports and fishing in the contaminated waters. See post on 14th May Klaus Töpfer ex German Minister of the Environment - "It would be disastrous if we were to consider a future with nuclear energy once again" with map of nuclear accidents in Europe including the then just announced Tricastin event.

France's nuclear safety agency (ASN) claimed that the "risk was slight." On Friday, the Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) -- which is responsible for safety inspections of France's nuclear facilities -- announced that it had discovered traces of uranium in the water that pre-dated the recent leak.

In October 1998, the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) reported that uranium had been secretly stored on the facility grounds since the 1970s in a mound of eatth / dirt six meters (20 foot) high. This (It now appears) contained nuclear waste with uranium from military stockpiles. Years ago there were warnings that rainwater could wash uranium out of the pile and into the ground.

French anti-nuclear umbrella group Sortir du nucleaire, or Abandon Nuclear Power have written to Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo demanding a comprehensive examination of France's nuclear industry. Thye make claims that other accidents have been kept secret "so as to not damage the reputation of nuclear energy."

Borloo has deflected criticism and action by electing a special committee to review the accident. Le Parisein reporty that he has asked for groundwater in the areas surrounding all French atomic plants to be tested. Which will byuy him time. he has also deflected the crticis by blaming Areva, the French nuclear contractor (bidding to supply UK plants in Gordon Brown's massive renaissance of the UK industry) that operates the Tricastin facility through its Socatri subsidiary, for its handling of the incident as well as unsatisfactory operational and safety procedures.

".. everything is under control," Borloo told the paper. "I intend to make sure." It is also almost August .... when nothing happens in Paris.

"Maybe it's the beginning of the truth," Sortir du nucleaire spokesperson Stephane Lhomme says optimistically.

Lhomme points out that Borloo's planned testing will only be conducted on groundwater and that possible gas emissions will be ignored.They also want all nuclear plants testing not simply nucklear power plants.

Nuclear watchdog IRSN also has a conflict of interest. "We want an independent group that we can trust doing the checking," Lhomme said. "We don't want the state to be telling everyone: 'Hey, everybody, there's no problem.'"

Instead, Sortir du nucleaire would prefer for the Commission for Independent Research and Information on Radioactivity (CRIIRAD) -- an independent French NGO founded in the wake of the Chernobyl disaster -- to conduct the tests. The group was not large enough to conduct all the tests, and that it should be joined by other international independent organizations.

Transparency Ho.Ho.Ho.

In a company statement, Areva CEO the fragrant and beautiful Anne Lauvergeon announced Wednesday that she would personally visit the Tricastin facility tomorrow and meet with public officials blah, blah

Sortir du nucleaire will not be invited to participate in the examinations or discussions. "If you are not for nuclear power in France," Lhomme laments, "then you are nothing. We are given absolutely no rights to see what's happening inside nuclear plants."

Tricastin is one of 59 nuclear plants in France, which supply nearly 80 % of France's domestic electricity ... and some of the UK's. French President Nicolas Sarkozy is an enthusiast for nuclear energy. His government is cooperating with a number of other nations in building nuclear facilities, and his government decided in May to establish a state agency to export French nuclear technology. France is currently cooperating with Saudi Arabia, India and a number of North African countries to help install nuclear power plants,

Greenpeace's Marillier said: "This accident just shows that what Sarkozy says is wrong and that this will never be a clean-energy industry. Even though France wants to export nuclear power to the world, it isn't even able to keep things clean on its own sites."

Third crazy cyclist tumbles out of Tour de France taking chemical cocktails

It was to be hoped that after last year, the Tour de France would be clean. We now have 3 rider testing positive for EPO (erythropoietin) . Today 's result on 24year old Riccardo Ricco of team Saunier-Duval (who have pulled from the race) was a result after testing in the 4th stage, an individual time trial in Cholet last week, the same as Moisés Dueñas Nevado . Manuel Beltran has also been tested positive for EPO.

Ricco, is the winner of two stages in this year's Tour - the 6th and the 9th - he was 9th in the general classification and was holder of both the polka-dot and white jerseys, for the race's leading climber and youth rider respectively.He finished 2nd in the Giro d'Italia earlier this year - pic at the prize ceremony.

Rumors have been circulating that some cyclists were using an allegedly undetectable variant of EPO. The French Anti-Doping Agency, have said a urine sample provided last week by Riccò after the fourth stage of the race in Cholet contained metabolites of synthetic EPO as well as evidence of a new substance known generically as CERA, or continuous erythropoiesis receptor activator.

The new drug is a longer-lasting treatment for anemia associated with kidney disease that is marketed in Europe by Roche. Clinical tests by the company showed that patients who required injections of EPO three times a week to treat their anemia could use Micera once or twice a month with the same effect. Micera or Methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta injection was only approved for clinical use by the US Food and Drugs Administration on November 14, 2007 and was approved by the European Commission in August 2007.

These guys and their "medical advisors" are playing on the edge.

International Cycling Union president Pat McQuaid who has tried so hard to ensure a clean race said "It's completely shocking - someone must have advised those guys to take some form of EPO thought to be undetectable because we haven't caught guys in this fashion for a long time."

McQuaid accused Spanish cycling in particular of failing to clean up its act. "He's not Spanish but he's connected to Spain,"

In the real race Mark Cavendish made cycling history by becoming the first British rider to land three stage victories in a single Tour de France by winning the 12th stage 168.5-km from Lavelanet to Narbonne.

Ricco's team-mates, Juan Joes Cobo Acebo, 8th overall and David De La Fuente, was just behind Ricco, in the King of the Mountains standings are hit hardest of all. The unbeleivable lure of the Mountains and the money that goes that entrapped their colleague will hit their reputation and their pockets.

Michael Portillo - a case in point

"This week" is a fairly lighthearted weekly look at the Westminster political scene with host Andrew "Brillo Pad" Neil, Diane Abbott (Body Mass Index = her majority) and Michael Portillo.

Whilst waiting for the grapes to be peeled Lord Patel couldn't help but be shaken by the remarkable weight loss shown by Michael Portillo. Is he a well man ?

Or is he Martin Amis ?

Natalie Bracht and children - an everyday story of very strange goings on on Dartmoor - has the dog barked in the night ?

Lord Patel : An Urgent Personal Statement

Speaking on behalf of Lord Patel today, Toni Fabuloso said "A great deal of Press and TV comment has been recently directed by leading political figures and commentators at remarks made by Lord Patel. He wishes to state that he has not, nor has ever been a member of any Political Party [1]."

" Lord Patel formed the Forthcoming UK Energy Defecit (FCUKED), formally, in 2001 to highlight the diminishing natural energy resources of the UK and it's central and critical importance to the UK economy. Membership is automatic and open to all, without charge, merely by sharing in the dwindling, coal, gas and oil reserves of this once, rich and productive island you automatically become a member. It is impossible to refuse membershp other than by emigrating."

"FCUKED is a subsection or special interest group (SIG) of the Sunshine Party whose origins lie shrouded in time and mystery and whose continuing membership is somewhat indeterminate and to date unknown - a hidden (or spent) force. Their political platform is, regrettably stolen , a hazy amalgam of all the other parties claims, encapsulated in a single (but nonetheless powerful) political promise - Vote for the Sunshine Party - we promise Sunshine tomorrow and every day."

"The Sunshine Party is based in the UK, but invites a global membership.

FOOTNOTES FOR EDITORS :

[1] Like all political truths this contains the germ of a lie. Lord Patel attended as a youth , and rude provincial oik, a "Freshers Fair" on entering University. A smiling young lady with ash blond locks, the freshest of smiles, the whitest of teeth, the bluest the greenestwith sparkling hazel eyes, the most moist, kissable lips and beguilingly attractive and seductive honeyed tones, wreathed in the perfumes of ... allowed him to gaze fixedly at her tits whilst he signed a cheque.

In the morning she was just a faint and aromatic memory , he was ten shillings poorer , and owner of a beigey coloured pasteboard card which said " XXXXester University Liberal Club, Membership Card."

There have been many other similiar wallet lightening moments in a rich and varied life, but none that he recalls involved becoming a member of a political party.

[2] This picure of Toni Fabuloso is quite old. Will it do ?

Public Service Announcement for UK Treasury, BERR, Bank of England, Foreign and Commonwealth Office , FSA , MEPC etc., etc., URGENT

This is highly specialised secret information about the prospects for coal / iron / freight rates from Brazil / Australia which may have an impact on future industrial / energy costs for the whole of the UK.

The sources are very difficult to find and require very skilled operators to develop economic espionage networks (pic Lord Patel discussing price of conch shells used as currency by primitive Pacific islanders - newspapers, TV news, speaking to folks involved with iron ore / coal imports, heavy users of same etc., people in bus queues, ..... (BTW Aluminium - the principal component of which is electrical energy, has also hit all time highs ever, of US$ 3,100- US$ 3,200 per metric tonne for Primary Aluminium 3mo Official Confirmed)

Platts are reporting some remarkable figures on bulk cargo mineral freight rates some of which are at historical highs and are expected to go higher as winter approaches.

Capesize ships from Brazil to China and/or Southeast Asia iron ore is being fixed at the US $88.00-88.50/mt level for 160,000 mt cargoes (up from mid June US$82/mt) although they have dropped from May all time highs of US $108.50/mt but are still at historically high levels.

For example South Korea's Posco fixing a 170,000 mt iron ore cargo from Ponta da Madeira to Kwangyang on an August 1-15 loading window at $88.50/mt on a Transfield ship that has yet to be nominated.

These rates apply to SE Asian destinations other than the China mainland especially South Korea, as Chinese charterers have cut back spot buying and rely on longer term iron ore contracts for 2008/2009. Chronic port congestion at the main discharge terminals and a need reduce stockpiles to more manageable levels after the plant shutdowns to ensure clean air for the peking Olympics has slowed spot buying.

Western Australia to China freight rates have fallen dramatically by some 50% since mid-May, when the market peaked at around $48/mt - related essentially to the consequences of flooding in the fields. (see Friday, February 08, 2008 Floods wreak havoc in Queensland coalfields - global coal prices shift up a gear )

On Monday, BHP Billiton fixed a 170,000 mt cargo from Port Hedland to Qingdao at $27/mt for a late July-early August loading window on the 2006-built, Mineral Shikoku (206,312 dwt). The same charterer also reportedly fixed a 160,000 mt cargo from Port Hedland to Qingdao for a July 25-30 loading window at $28/mt on the 1995-built Bet Scouter (173,149 dwt). It is of interst to note here that BHP Billiton have closed a deal with South Korean steel giant Posco for a price of US$300 (A$325) a tonne for coking coal in 2008-09, up from US$97 in 2007-08.

"Coal prices rose throughout the year to record highs. The price of annual coal delivered to European ports, commencing January 2009, rose from US$72/tonne at the start of April 2007 to US$124/tonne as at 31 March 2008. (British Energy Half year results to 31/3/08 Page 12 )

Longer shippping times from Brazil are affecting prices as Iron ore , loading in Western Australia can be in China in two weeks, once the ship leaves its loading port .

Australian suppliers are expecting Iron ore prices to rise 70-85% this year and thermal coal for power stations is expected to more than double from its existing level of US$56 a tonne.

The impact of the coking and thermal coal price rises alone would boost Australia's annual 2008-09 export revenue by $35 billion to $56billion.

PS : If you don't work for UK Treasury, BERR, Bank of England, Foreign and Commonwealth Office , FSA , MEPC etc ., but know someone who does .. pass it on.

Tricky work being an economic spy .. salt water plays havoc with yer Gucci loafers.

How the Government waste their time and your money Part 7,465

The British Government today became the first in the world to announce plans to slash the carbon footprint of its computer systems.

Information and communication technology (ICT) is responsible for up to 20% of carbon emissions generated by Government offices - around 460,000 tonnes a year. (and ££££Squillions on useless unworkable projects) Under the plan announced today by Cabinet Office Minister Tom Watson the Government aims to make energy consumption of ICT carbon neutral within four years.

Departments will be asked to take 18 key steps. They include:

Automatically switching off desktop computers outside working hours. Turning off every desktop PC in central Government for the 16 hours that fall outside the standard working day could save up to 117,500 tonnes of CO2 per year - equivalent to taking 40,000 cars off the road.

Yes and if they use Windows Vista the user will spend 30 minutes per day watching the fucking thing wind itself up and down, asking do you really want to shut down etc,

More of this shit here ....

Cabinet Office Minister Tom Watson said:

"Worldwide, computers are responsible for the same quantity of carbon emissions as the airline industry. It is a serious problem that requires a serious solution.

"That's why I'm so proud that we are the first Government anywhere in the world to formally set out exactly what we're going to do to make our ICT systems carbon neutral within four years.

Andrew Lee, Chief Executive of the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC), said:

"This is a welcome move and a radical target. As the SDC reported earlier this year, government departments have a long way to go on reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions, and tackling IT will be crucial to this effort.

God, it makes you weep.

Just discovered Bob Marshall Andrews, barrister at law, MP, part time Judge, Old Mill Hillian, supporter of the wretched Bill for rushing through criminal trials with anonymous grasses and Gordon Brown (he nominated him for leadership) called Tom Watson a "faggot" which apparently in the circles in which he moves carries a meaning that suggests not only that the person is a homosexualist but also went to public school.

Apparently it was all a misunderstanding and he was (what we lawyers call) "misheard" and he actually called him a "nasty litle turd strangler".

42" plasma screens all round Doris !

David Davis - Another silly conspiracy theory from Lord Patel

There are many observers, players, commentators, on the Westminster scene puzzled by ;
1. David Davis MP's resignation
2. The response of David Cameron in actively campaigning for and with him
3. The muted response from his Party
4. The total and rapid unwillingness of the Labour Party to field a candidate
5. The total and rapid unwillingness of the Liberal Party to field a candidate
6. The curious case of Shami Chakrabarti very publicly swinging the non - political Liberty behind David Davis's campaign
7. The curious and shadowy role of an expensive and very well connected PR company, Fleishman-Hillard in so swiftly erecting David Davis's website (not to mention the source of funds to do it etc.,)
7 (a) The clumsy attempt to conceal the role of Fleishman-Hillard
8. The extraordinary coverage that the BBC gave to David Davis across the spectrum, Radio 5 Live phone in (1.5 hr), You and Yours (1 hr), Womans Hour (20 mins), Question Time (1 hr), Any Questions (1 hr) (plus repeat and Any Answers), Newsnight ...not to mention endless news items covering the election without any opposing or dissenting views
9. The role of the new Total Politics magazine that has so mysteriously appeared, fully financed by unknown sources, and with the ubiquitous help of Shami Chakrabarti OBE CBE , Governer of the Ditchley Foundation along with Lady Dame Jane Baroness Pauline Neville Jones.

There was however, a curiously congruent and interlocking series of events also going on, which received virtually no coverage and certainly no discussion....Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Bill.

June 18th The Lords Davis ruling on anonymous witnesses published (but of course known of within Government circles)
June 18th - Also the day when David Davis applies for the Chiltern Hundreds

June 21st (Saturday) war criminal Jack Straw announces he is going to rush through legislation to allow anonymous witnesses

June 23rd Judge Paget halts trial using anonymous witnesses

On BBC June 24th Commissioner Bob Quick, for example, called the ruling “catastrophic” and criticised the criminal justice system for “too much principle and not enough pragmatism”. (This was the guy who with Sir Ian Blair couldn't remember how any terrorist plots there were when asked by MP's. see Counter terrorism Bill ..and the Old Bill... Fiction is stronger than the truth )

June 26th “Chaos as Law Lords ruin trials” (The Sun, 25 June); “Anarchyis unleashed” (The Sun, 25 June); and “Terrorists, murderers and other violent criminals will escape justice unless emergency laws are passed within weeks” (Daily Mail, 26 June).“Britain could witness unrestrained violence like the slaughter in Zimbabwe” ( Sun 25 June). (All these quoted in Liberty brief Page 4 - "Thankfully" says Liberty n contrast to the Press "Thankfully, the response of Government and opposition parties to the decision did not follow suit. It was, in contrast measured and informed."

June 26th the Government makes routine sotto voce outline the plans for legislation with dates for debate in Commons on 8th July and Lords on 10th July (Bill published July 3rd). This after cross party "consultation".

26th June East Riding of Yorkshire council announced the long, long , varied and entertaining list of accepted candidates and date of election to be 2 weeks on Thursday 10th July.

So the Bill is to be debated (?) 8/9/10th July which means press comment could be 9th/10th/11th but curiously enough they were busy looking at Gemma Garretts teeth and tits and Elvis and the Cow girl.

Of course David Davis gets his seat back, without actually having said a fucking thing, except a few mildly critical remarks about useless CCTV pictures, and DNA databases. But he and Shami had very effectively hi-jacked the so called debate on "civil liberties" - and she hen goes on to pat herself and David on the back (see top).

Debate on the Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Bill, somehow, slips by and " 42 days or not 42 days " has monopolised any concern about stealing fundamental liberties and freedoms and the proper conduct of trials. Psyops success, in fucking spades.

What about dear sweet, doe eyed, scarf adjusting, Shami Chakrabarti offering TLC to DD in late at night , heart to heart's on the cellphone? The ex Home Office lawyer whose non-political Liberty winds up supporting a politician's election, one who agrees to 28 days and the loss of habeas corpus.

Shami Chakrabarti the ex Home Office lawyer who leads the non-political Liberty but ends up helping edit Total Politics ?

Shami Chakrabarti the ex Home Office lawyer who leads the non-political Liberty who provided a brief for the Government which agrees in principle to the Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Bill.

Shami Chakrabarti the ex Home Office lawyer who leads the non-political Liberty who provided a brief for the Government written by Jago Russell & Michael Spencer which agrees in principle to the Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Bill.

Prior to his post at Liberty, Jago Russell worked as a legal specialist in parliament where he advised select committees on a range of matters including counter-terrorism laws and corporate accountability. He has particular expertise in international and comparative human rights law, the UK government’s anti-terrorism policy, constitutional and criminal justice issues and has written and spoken on these and other matters for parliamentary and wider audiences.

Nu Labour has an eye for colourful ladies they can promote Baronesses, Vadera, Amos, Scotland .... arise Baroness Shami Chakrabarti of the Pashminas .... you have earned it.... and who knows maybe to join her soulmate and phone-sex pal David will reluctantly pass on his seat at the next election to a Tory hopeful and pass onwards and upwards as Baron Davis of the Blinding Diversion

Of course Liberty will need a new leader ... someone with the right ideas.. step forward Jago Russell.

PS : Here's a nice summertime job for a media studies student .. and god knows there are plenty of them... A good detailed annotated Timeline, fleshed out with details of all press coverage / comment , of the above.

Queen ready to give Assent to Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Bill - Rush to judgement - Liberty be damned !!!!

The preamble to the Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Bill says it all ...

New rules relating to anonymity of witnesses
(1) This Act provides for the making of witness anonymity orders in relation to
witnesses in criminal proceedings.
(2) The common law rules relating to the power of a court to make an order for securing that the identity of a witness in criminal proceedings is withheld from the defendant (or, on a defence application, from other defendants) are abolished.
(3) Nothing in this Act affects the common law rules as to the withholding of
information on the grounds of public interest immunity.

The full html text of the Bill is here the full parliamentary history from 4th July to Royal Assent (probably tommorrow) is here. Explanatory notes are here.

This is what war criminal Jack Straw said when introducing the Bill Hansard 8 July 2008 : Column 1304

"There has been an intensive period of consultation since my statement, the product of which is reflected both in the Bill as introduced and in the Government amendments standing in my name. I am very grateful indeed to the spokesman for the official Opposition and to the Liberal Democrats for the constructive approach that they have adopted in the course of the consultation. In the intervening period, too, we have sought the most up-to-date information available from the Crown Prosecution Service regarding the scale of the use of anonymous witness evidence. "... ie it's all stitched up and the MP's have been told to shut up.

Mr. Edward Garnier (Harborough) (Con) said inter alia (and to his credit) ..."we do not want to encourage lazy policing, lazy prosecuting or an informal process to emerge under which such orders become the norm" , of course not, but that is what we have had and what we will have more of, and there is nothing to stop it.

The only change made was to institute a so called "Sunset" of 31 December 2009, but orders can continue .....(b) may not be made unless a draft of the instrument containing the order has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.’. Which makes things even worse ... what should be a judicial decision will become a political decision, thus blurring the control of the Judiciary.

In the Lords , God Bless her Ann Mallalieu expressed her misgivings about the speed of legislation, the slow slide to it's use in magistrates courts and the fact that the bulk of outstanding cases was not to protect public witnesses but state witnesses. This Bill as she points out is " is an attempt to validate retrospectively those 580 cases (!!!) in which it seems, as a result of Davis, that unlawful orders have been made."

It is worth pointing out that Clause 12 (1) a of the Act ..."Interpretation
In this Act— “court” means— (a) in relation to England and Wales, a magistrates’ court, the Crown Court or the criminal division of the Court of Appeal;

Reminded by Baroness Butler-Sloss that Liberty, which has nothing to do with political parties, does not object in principle to the Bill, " she replied that she did ..." My Lords, I am very much aware of that. I have read the helpful briefing that Liberty has sent, but I disagree with it."

Geoffrey Roberston , QC in the Guradian on the 8th July There can be no fair trials with this perjurer's charter said ....

Parliament will this week be asked to make the most serious single assault on liberty in memory. The witness anonymity bill abolishes the right of defendants to know the identity of their accusers. This will result in thousands of unfair trials; and the principles of open justice, which this nation has contributed to the lexicon of human rights, will be gutted by a panic-stricken measure that encourages courts, in criminal cases of any kind, to suppress the identity of crucial witnesses.

He adds that safeguards have been overlooked or dismissed ..

There are no safeguards for the citizen. The prosecution does not even have to prove that a witness has been intimidated or fears any kind of mental or physical threat: any "harm to the public interest" is sufficient - a formula that might cover up questionable police operations. There is no safeguard against a conviction relying entirely on the evidence of an anonymous witness; incredibly, this bill does not require judges to ensure corroboration (independent evidence pointing to guilt), or even to warn juries about the dangers of convicting on the word of witnesses who can't be effectively cross-examined. There is no right of appeal against the granting of anonymity orders.

He also points out that war criminal Jack Straw makes false claims under EU HUman Rights Legislation

The Bill is prefaced by a statement from Jack Straw that it conforms with the European Convention on Human Rights. It does not: article six of the convention says that "everyone charged with a criminal offence" has, at minimum, a right "to examine or have examined witnesses against him" - and you cannot examine a distorted voice.

So MP's were silenced by a behind the chair deal, Liberty led by their pretty (ex?) Home Office Lawyer who is so concerned to defend Freedom with David Davis has no problem with the principles in the Bill.

The Press have been silent, so the public have been unaware of the progress of this Bill and it has been left to the old war hoses opf the legal left geoffey Roberston and Ann Mallalieu to try to stop the State's juggernaut.

The CPS say they have over 550 criminal cases in the pipeline (our resourceful rsearch staff cannot find this report - it is not on the CPS website) requiring the use of anonymous witnesses which is astonishing.

Now this device can be used in Magistrates courts - where you can be certain it will be used.

We have done out little bit .. Tuesday, June 24, 2008 Rush to judgement for anonymous trial witnesses...wronging a Right....more hastily prepared laws restricting ancient Common Law Rights
Thursday 26th June 2008 - War Criminal Jack Straw and Conservatives and Lib Dems stitch up to breach of common law rights in allowing anonymous witnesses in criminal cases
Thursday, June 26, 2008 Lord Thomas of Gresford QC for Lib - Dems slams War criminal Jack Straw's proposals on witness anonymity
Saturday, June 28, 2008 10 cases where anonymous witnesses helped secure a conviction

Curiously the world of blogistes has been remakably silent on this one.....

Monging rumours @ Sacks of Gold - shock moves on the Street : Amazing Pictures !!!!

The Wall Street Journal have a shocking story today ,"Goldman is queried on Bear's fall"

Apparently Alan Schwartz, who headed Bear Stearns Cos. at the tiome it sunk in March, called Goldman Chief Executive Officer Lloyd Blankfein to ask if there was any truth to talk that in the days preceding Bear Stearns's fall, if traders in the Goldman London office manipulated the struggling firm's stock. (A "spokesman" for the Goldman CEO says he doesn't recall having such a conversation with Mr. Schwartz)

By coincidence CEO Richard Fuld Jr of struggling Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. whose shares (and reputation) have been battered, has also contacted Mr. Blankfein.

To those inoccents abroad (fed a diet of stories ... My word is my bond etc.,) who don't sit in the plush banking parlours of Wall Street or Bishopsgate - spreading rumors one knows to be false with the intention of manipulating a public company's price is illegal.

But rumours haven't stopped there , and these fancy Credit Default Swaps (CDS's), a fancy sort of insurance / casino chip / IOU which banks bet with have left a toxic trail ...
Which may just ring a bell to those who read the post Thursday, June 12, 2008 Lehman shuffle the team, no new faces, no new ideas, ... the Bonfire of the Vanities ... Wail Street just needs a few more sparks about the semi-exit of glamorous lawyer, Alpha female and short lived CFO at Lehman Bros. Ms. Erin Callan.

In which Lord Patel remarked ..."Erin is of course good pals with Chicagoan Kenneth C Griffin and has helped over several years (with Lehman's dosh) his US$20 Bn, Chicago based Citadel Investment Group. He is of course a big noise in Chicago, a supporter of Barak Obama and also the lovely Michelle. Citadel daily trading activity reportedly is reputed to account for "more than 10% of daily U.S. listed equity options contract volume" and issued investment grade bonds in 2006."

Now the immensely rich, immensely powerful Kenneth C Griffin didn't get where he is today by acting on false rumours... no he, naturally, prefers the facts.

So, speaking hypothetically, any CFO half way out the door marked Exit in possession of a great deal of accurate information, maybe looking for another, safer berth ....

For those unfamiliar with the glamorous good looks of 42 year old Ms Callan , but who will no doubt be interested in her future career on Wall Street , here is a picture.

Late news .."Credit Suisse today announced that Erin Callan will be joining the Bank as a Managing Director and Head of its Global Hedge Fund Business. In this newly created position, Ms. Callan will join the Investment Bank Management Committee and the Global Client Steering Committee. Her appointment is effective September 2, 2008 and she will be based in New York."

Anyway here is a picture of this fascinating lady....

In one of those crazy co-incidences Goldman CEO Lloyd Blankfein $27 million Goldman's Whitehall real estate investment fund is a 30% investor in brand spanking new apartment on the swanky "Tower" side of gleaming white 15 Central Park West where Erin recently took a 31st floor apartment... price not known. Hedge funder Daniel Loeb stopped the traffic when he paid $45 million, or $4,200 a square foot, for his pad on the "Tower" side ...... two years ago, asking prices are now US$6,000 per sq. ft plus.

Handy too for her personal buyer Michelle Beauvais at Bergdorf Goodman to pop round with a rail of frocks for her to try on.

RUSH UPDATE - http://www.spartacuslives.org/node/18821 How Goldman won big on mortgage meltdown Wall Street Journal Dec 14, 2007 On Mortgage Meltdown, A Team's Bearish Bets Netted Firm Billions; A Nudge From the CFO A useful link provided some time ago by George Dutton Many Thanks GD

Remote Lap-top / PDA access to CCTV images anywhere in the world

Wireless CCTV is a part of Cellhire plc and operates from Rochdale. They do what it says on the tin. They provide CCTV systems that send a wireless (radio) signal of images - this has hitherto been to a centralised control room, where images are viewed, monitored, recorded. They have also sold over 23,200 sets to UK Government services / Police of their body cam kit which they introduced earlier this year. see pic

Now they can offer remote portable lap top /PDA access to signals from their cameras using 3G telephone technology .

Running under Windows Mobile , users can access and screen capture , Live / Archived video and control over Pan-Tilt - Zoom in real time of specific cameras.

This means for example that a user in Rochdale could access town centre cameras , from say RMBC Town Hall council offices, of the many cameras overlooking Albanian drug dealers at work outside the town centre Post Office, where they operate by the red Gilbert Scott telephone boxes with their fleet of youthful cycle couriers.

The alternative is they could just look out of the window.

Obama - quite who is he at war with ? , Michelle, Bernardine and home grown radicalised terrists

If you don't read the WSWS you might start with this ....

Obama outlines policy of endless war
By Bill Van Auken
16 July 2008

Any misconception that Barack Obama is running in the 2008 election as an “antiwar” candidate should have been cleared up Tuesday in what was billed by the Democratic presidential campaign as a “major speech” on national security and the US war in Iraq.

Speaking before a backdrop of massed American flags at the Reagan Building in Washington, Obama made it clear that he opposes the present US policy in Iraq not on the basis of any principled opposition to neo-colonialism or aggressive war, but rather on the grounds that the Iraq war is a mistaken deployment of power that fails to advance the global strategic interests of American imperialism.

What emerges from the speech by the junior senator from Illinois is that the November election will not provide the American people with the opportunity to vote for or against war, but merely to choose which of the two colonial-style wars that US forces are presently fighting should be escalated. mehr >>

Writing in Foreign Affairs a year ago (published by those highly interesting folks at the Council on Foreign Relations - Chairman Peter G Paterson ) , Obama stressed that the lesson of the Iraq debacle was the necessity to prepare for new US wars. "We must use this moment both to rebuild our military and to prepare it for the missions of the future," he stressed. "We must retain the capacity to swiftly defeat any conventional threat to our country and our vital interests. But we must also become better prepared to put boots on the ground in order to take on foes that fight asymmetrical and highly adaptive campaigns on a global scale." Don't say you didn't realise .....

Meanwhile for those who seem to have lost (or misunderstood) the reference to afro haired, Kalshnikov toting, cammo be-trousered, Michelle Obama on the Noo Yorker cover this week ...

Here is a picture of Michelle Obama with her friend Ex Weatherwoman and Sidley Austin Partner Bernardine Dohrn at a political rally.see Monday, April 28, 2008 Obama. Ayers Rocks.

Bernardine (on the right) is the wife of Weatherman Bill Ayers and mother of his 2 children. She went to prison on various charges - Dohrn and Ayers became legal guardians of the son of former members of the Weather Underground, Kathy Boudin and David Gilbert, after they were convicted of murder of a security guard and 2 police officers during a 1981 Brinks armoured car robbery.

We have yet to turn up a single news story that mentions the Obama connection with these fascinating folks who were involved with The Weathermen in bombing the Pentagon, the US Capitol, the New York Police Benevolent Association, the New York Board of Corrections, as well as the offices of multinational companies.