Today (31/8/11) an application for a injunction to prevent Basildon Council evicting 400 gypsy/traveller families from the Dale Farm site in Essex was rejected by the High Court.
So at 00:01 tomorrow (1/9/11) Basildon council will interfere in the contractual agreements between the residents of the site and the power and water companies to cut off water and electricity supplies to the site in order to make life as difficult as possible. However it is unlikely that the actual eviction will begin tomorrow in order to avoid embarrassing Britain as they attempt to portray themselves as great humanitarians at the Paris conference on Libya.
According to local rumour on Friday (2/9/11) the police will then close off all roads in and around the site preventing people for leaving. If previous evictions are anything to go by during the day on Friday or possibly Saturday (3/9/11) the bailiffs will then drive bulldozers and other heavy machinery onto the site and then proceed to destroy all the mobile homes and vehicles on the site with little or no concern for the people in them. This process could last from anywhere between several days and several months depending on the level of resistance the occupants of the site put up.
Wednesday, 31 August 2011
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Operation Oil Theft: Month 6, Week 2, Day 1.
Although sporadic fighting continues around Zawiya, Gharain, Tripoli and Misrata the rebels now control the majority of the western coastal region of Libya including the main supply route from the Tunisian border. However last weeks assault on Sabha failed and Muammer Qaddafi has still not been deposed let alone captured so the rebels have focused their efforts on an advance of Sirte from both the west and the east. On the western front their advance has been slowed to a stop by Libyan government troops near the village of Abu Grin. On the eastern front the rebels have been stopped near the town of Bin Jawad. Western journalists are being kept well away from the front lines because it is widely believed that the rebels advance on both fronts is being spearheaded by British, French, New Zealander and possibly American special forces.
With the assault on Sabha failing and the south eastern area being mostly desert the current map of Libya looks something like this with the hatched area being the area under Libyan government control;
Photobucket" border="0">
Today (30/8/11) the rebel's Transitional National Council (TNC) have given Libyan government forces until Saturday (3/9/11) to surrender or face a full military assault on Sirte. This is triumphant way of admitting that the rebels will not be in a position to attempt an assault on Sirte until Saturday at the earliest.
In the meantime NATO continue to provide the rebels with close air support. This included a British attack on Sirte last Thursday (25/8/11). Although the target itself - a bunker complex - was nothing special this attack was important because it was a long range mission launched from within the UK rather then from the NATO base in Italy. Therefore the main purpose of the attack was Britain warning the other NATO allies that even if the NATO mission ends as scheduled Britain will continue to attack Libya. Britain obviously has the capacity to do this but without NATO support it will be unable to maintain the naval blockade or extensive battlefield surveillance and will be limited to two or possibly three missions per day.
Meanwhile as western journalists flood Tripoli the true horror of the NATO siege and the rebel assault continues to emerge. This includes the desperate situation at the Bab al-Azizya hospital where over 100 patients were left to die from battlefield and other injuries due to a shortage of medical supplies and medical staff being forced to flee from the rebels advance. There have also been two confirmed instances of mass killings constituting a war crime. One committed by Libyan government forces and one committed by the rebels. On August 24th Human Rights Watch (HRW) uncovered a field hospital for Libyan government troops in the Bab al-Azizya area of Tripoli. It contained 29 bodies, some with their hands or legs tied, who'd been executed by rebel fighters. There have also been numerous, unconfirmed reports of gangs of rebel fighters entering Tripoli hospitals and killing black patients in their beds. On August 26th HRW discovered 35 bodies in and around the Internal Security building in the Gargur area of Tripoli who had been executed by Libyan government forces.
The most controversial incident of mass killing so far relates to the discovery of at least 45 bodies (possibly 200) in a burnt out warehouse in the Khalida Ferjan area of Tripoli on August 23rd. This was reported by the BBC on August 28th as a massacre by Khamis Qaddafi's 32nd armoured brigade and if you speak to anyone now no-one will tell you any different. However if you are able to read the statements made by witnesses at the time they talk of prisoners being guarded in the room by Libyan government soldiers with other Libyan government soldiers on the roof of the building. Then there were sounds of battle outside before unidentified gunmen opened the door, threw in several hand grenades and sprayed the room with gunfire before closing the door. They then opened the door for a second time, threw in several more hand grenades and again sprayed the room with gunfire. Now it seems odd to me that Libyan government forces would deliberately kill their own soldiers while they're under attack. So, to me, this incident sounds more like poorly trained and poorly disciplined rebel fighter messing up and then trying to cover it up rather then a deliberate massacre.
Although there are many more bodies to recover after a week of fighting that left an estimated 2,500 dead the main problem for the residents of Tripoli is a chronic shortage of food, water, medical supplies, fuel and electricity. You may have noticed that the rebels and NATO are being evasive and contradictory about what is causing these shortages. Apart from squandering Libya's wealth on a first class health care system, extensive social housing and free education for all Qaddafi also built an extensive network of overland rivers to bring fresh water from desert aquifers to the coastal cities. As part of the siege of Tripoli NATO closed the main supply route from Tripoli, cut the oil pipeline to Zawiya and bombed these overland rivers specifically to cut off the supply of fresh water. So what was a legitimate military tactic to protect civilians when Tripoli was under the command of the Libyan government has suddenly become a humanitarian crisis now the city is under rebel control.
In the UK much is being made of the TNC's refusal to extradite the Lockerbie bomber, Abdel Basset al-Meghari. The problem is that al-Meghari has been tried, convicted, jailed and freed from prison so there's really nothing Britain can do with him if he was extradited. Also is Libya, as with much of the rest of the world, no-one believes that al-Meghari was responsible for the Lockerbie bombing and he is viewed as either a victim of the Qaddafi regime or as a hero. So by requesting something they never wanted Britain was setting the TNC to refuse in order to allow them to give the impression that they're not just Britain's pets.
With the assault on Sabha failing and the south eastern area being mostly desert the current map of Libya looks something like this with the hatched area being the area under Libyan government control;
Photobucket" border="0">
Today (30/8/11) the rebel's Transitional National Council (TNC) have given Libyan government forces until Saturday (3/9/11) to surrender or face a full military assault on Sirte. This is triumphant way of admitting that the rebels will not be in a position to attempt an assault on Sirte until Saturday at the earliest.
In the meantime NATO continue to provide the rebels with close air support. This included a British attack on Sirte last Thursday (25/8/11). Although the target itself - a bunker complex - was nothing special this attack was important because it was a long range mission launched from within the UK rather then from the NATO base in Italy. Therefore the main purpose of the attack was Britain warning the other NATO allies that even if the NATO mission ends as scheduled Britain will continue to attack Libya. Britain obviously has the capacity to do this but without NATO support it will be unable to maintain the naval blockade or extensive battlefield surveillance and will be limited to two or possibly three missions per day.
Meanwhile as western journalists flood Tripoli the true horror of the NATO siege and the rebel assault continues to emerge. This includes the desperate situation at the Bab al-Azizya hospital where over 100 patients were left to die from battlefield and other injuries due to a shortage of medical supplies and medical staff being forced to flee from the rebels advance. There have also been two confirmed instances of mass killings constituting a war crime. One committed by Libyan government forces and one committed by the rebels. On August 24th Human Rights Watch (HRW) uncovered a field hospital for Libyan government troops in the Bab al-Azizya area of Tripoli. It contained 29 bodies, some with their hands or legs tied, who'd been executed by rebel fighters. There have also been numerous, unconfirmed reports of gangs of rebel fighters entering Tripoli hospitals and killing black patients in their beds. On August 26th HRW discovered 35 bodies in and around the Internal Security building in the Gargur area of Tripoli who had been executed by Libyan government forces.
The most controversial incident of mass killing so far relates to the discovery of at least 45 bodies (possibly 200) in a burnt out warehouse in the Khalida Ferjan area of Tripoli on August 23rd. This was reported by the BBC on August 28th as a massacre by Khamis Qaddafi's 32nd armoured brigade and if you speak to anyone now no-one will tell you any different. However if you are able to read the statements made by witnesses at the time they talk of prisoners being guarded in the room by Libyan government soldiers with other Libyan government soldiers on the roof of the building. Then there were sounds of battle outside before unidentified gunmen opened the door, threw in several hand grenades and sprayed the room with gunfire before closing the door. They then opened the door for a second time, threw in several more hand grenades and again sprayed the room with gunfire. Now it seems odd to me that Libyan government forces would deliberately kill their own soldiers while they're under attack. So, to me, this incident sounds more like poorly trained and poorly disciplined rebel fighter messing up and then trying to cover it up rather then a deliberate massacre.
Although there are many more bodies to recover after a week of fighting that left an estimated 2,500 dead the main problem for the residents of Tripoli is a chronic shortage of food, water, medical supplies, fuel and electricity. You may have noticed that the rebels and NATO are being evasive and contradictory about what is causing these shortages. Apart from squandering Libya's wealth on a first class health care system, extensive social housing and free education for all Qaddafi also built an extensive network of overland rivers to bring fresh water from desert aquifers to the coastal cities. As part of the siege of Tripoli NATO closed the main supply route from Tripoli, cut the oil pipeline to Zawiya and bombed these overland rivers specifically to cut off the supply of fresh water. So what was a legitimate military tactic to protect civilians when Tripoli was under the command of the Libyan government has suddenly become a humanitarian crisis now the city is under rebel control.
In the UK much is being made of the TNC's refusal to extradite the Lockerbie bomber, Abdel Basset al-Meghari. The problem is that al-Meghari has been tried, convicted, jailed and freed from prison so there's really nothing Britain can do with him if he was extradited. Also is Libya, as with much of the rest of the world, no-one believes that al-Meghari was responsible for the Lockerbie bombing and he is viewed as either a victim of the Qaddafi regime or as a hero. So by requesting something they never wanted Britain was setting the TNC to refuse in order to allow them to give the impression that they're not just Britain's pets.
Another Tuesday. Another Ward Round.
I've more or less just got back from visiting my grandmother in hospital. As you would expect from someone who has been subjected to torture for over five years she is in a very fragile psychological state alternating between mild catatonia and agitation. Unfortunately I was unable to speak to a doctor so I do not know if a urine test has been preformed. However after a quick look of my grandmother's drug chart nothing immediately leapt out to suggest she is being treated for a urinary infection.
However the chart does indicate that she is being treated with Codeine - a mild opiate analgesic, Haloperidol - a heavy duty anti-psychotic and Lorazepram and Diazepam - both benzodiazepine sedatives. My grandmother has also been provided with a specialist chair to avoid having her lie in bed all day and has been placed under a specialist close observation regime by the nursing staff. All this suggests that she is being treated as a psychiatric patient without being officially classed as a psychiatric patient.
This is being clearly being done in an attempt to avoid incriminating the local health authority for the way they've been mistreating my grandmother up to now. Unfortunately this deceit is undermining my grandmother's care by denying her access to the specialised care she requires. For example there are more appropriate anti-psychotics then Haloperidol and no-one would prescribe Codeine or benzodiazepine sedatives to a patient who is essentially being treated for opioid addiction.
Edited at 20:25 on 30/8/11: It's Tuesday night and I'm back from the pub. The reason I'm back late is because I left late. This is because there has been exciting news from the hospital. A urine test has been performed and ruled out a urine infection. So my grandmother's been sent for a chest X-ray and other tests to investigate a possible chest infection which she most certainly didn't have when she went into hospital. So the odds of death by MRSA or other hospital acquired infection have been shortened to 5/2.
However the chart does indicate that she is being treated with Codeine - a mild opiate analgesic, Haloperidol - a heavy duty anti-psychotic and Lorazepram and Diazepam - both benzodiazepine sedatives. My grandmother has also been provided with a specialist chair to avoid having her lie in bed all day and has been placed under a specialist close observation regime by the nursing staff. All this suggests that she is being treated as a psychiatric patient without being officially classed as a psychiatric patient.
This is being clearly being done in an attempt to avoid incriminating the local health authority for the way they've been mistreating my grandmother up to now. Unfortunately this deceit is undermining my grandmother's care by denying her access to the specialised care she requires. For example there are more appropriate anti-psychotics then Haloperidol and no-one would prescribe Codeine or benzodiazepine sedatives to a patient who is essentially being treated for opioid addiction.
Edited at 20:25 on 30/8/11: It's Tuesday night and I'm back from the pub. The reason I'm back late is because I left late. This is because there has been exciting news from the hospital. A urine test has been performed and ruled out a urine infection. So my grandmother's been sent for a chest X-ray and other tests to investigate a possible chest infection which she most certainly didn't have when she went into hospital. So the odds of death by MRSA or other hospital acquired infection have been shortened to 5/2.
Sunday, 28 August 2011
Wow Have Things Got That Bad?!
In England's Manchester United of the year award aka the Premier League the Libyan rebels beat the Jews 5-1 and the Brits destroyed the Lesbians 8-2. If I didn't know better I'd think someone was in need of a big ego boost.
Also the BBC are playing atrocity propaganda over Libya. They're reporting a incident of mass killing that was uncovered on Wednesday (24/8/11) as a new incident to give the impression that there have been more mass killings then have actually taken place. They're also blaming the incident on Libyan government troops with no evidence to support that claim.
Also the BBC are playing atrocity propaganda over Libya. They're reporting a incident of mass killing that was uncovered on Wednesday (24/8/11) as a new incident to give the impression that there have been more mass killings then have actually taken place. They're also blaming the incident on Libyan government troops with no evidence to support that claim.
Friday, 26 August 2011
The Big Weekend.
Over the next three days (27/8/11, 28/8/11, 29/8/11) it will be a three day, Bank holiday weekend in Britain. As this is the last Bank holiday until Christmas the August Bank holiday is widely seen as the end of the British summer and there are many events planned to celebrate.
In London there is the Notting Hill Carnival. Imported by immigrants from the Caribbean and with it's roots in the end of slavery the ethos of Carnival is very much throwing off the shackles of oppression and taking to the streets in celebration. In 21st century Britain this translates as over a hundred thousand people drinking and partying for four days straight. Inevitably when the music stops and the party ends on Monday night there is always some level of disorder but normally it's just the occasional fist fight. Due to the concerns over violence this years Carnival also marks the end to the unspoken police lock-down that has been in place since the riots. So providing Carnival ends relatively peacefully all the people who have been remanded in custody since the riots can start making bail applications. However there are sections of British society including the police and the wealthy residents of Notting Hill like one David Cameron who will do everything in their power to provoke a riot to make sure future Carnivals are cancelled and the police lock-down never ends.
Saturday (27/8/11) also sees the opening of Camp Constant the Amnesty International supported camp to non-violently resist the eviction of Dale Farm the gypsy/traveller site in Essex. Although the eviction itself is not expected to take place until Thursday (1/9/11) the United Nations have already warned the British Government that this eviction is illegal unless the residents of Dale Farm are properly compensated for being forced off the land they own and are allowed to continue their cultural traditions at another location. Therefore I think there will probably be a lot more then non-violent resistance because there is a growing global consensus that the forcible transfer of an ethnic group constitutes a crime against humanity and therefore everything up to and including lethal force can be used to prevent it from happening. Obviously though the British courts are not part of that consensus.
Oh and a group calling themselves "Western Education is Sinful" contacted the BBC to claim it was they who taught the UN a lesson in Nigeria today. That claim has not been independently verified.
In London there is the Notting Hill Carnival. Imported by immigrants from the Caribbean and with it's roots in the end of slavery the ethos of Carnival is very much throwing off the shackles of oppression and taking to the streets in celebration. In 21st century Britain this translates as over a hundred thousand people drinking and partying for four days straight. Inevitably when the music stops and the party ends on Monday night there is always some level of disorder but normally it's just the occasional fist fight. Due to the concerns over violence this years Carnival also marks the end to the unspoken police lock-down that has been in place since the riots. So providing Carnival ends relatively peacefully all the people who have been remanded in custody since the riots can start making bail applications. However there are sections of British society including the police and the wealthy residents of Notting Hill like one David Cameron who will do everything in their power to provoke a riot to make sure future Carnivals are cancelled and the police lock-down never ends.
Saturday (27/8/11) also sees the opening of Camp Constant the Amnesty International supported camp to non-violently resist the eviction of Dale Farm the gypsy/traveller site in Essex. Although the eviction itself is not expected to take place until Thursday (1/9/11) the United Nations have already warned the British Government that this eviction is illegal unless the residents of Dale Farm are properly compensated for being forced off the land they own and are allowed to continue their cultural traditions at another location. Therefore I think there will probably be a lot more then non-violent resistance because there is a growing global consensus that the forcible transfer of an ethnic group constitutes a crime against humanity and therefore everything up to and including lethal force can be used to prevent it from happening. Obviously though the British courts are not part of that consensus.
Oh and a group calling themselves "Western Education is Sinful" contacted the BBC to claim it was they who taught the UN a lesson in Nigeria today. That claim has not been independently verified.
How Disappointing.
Today (26/8/11) at around midday I asked my father if we were going up to the hospital for my grandmother's ward round. He responded by becoming a bit aggressive and flatly denying that the ward round takes place on Friday's. Knowing this to be false I went up on my own.
On arrival I was disappointed to find that the police were not present and the ward had not been closed as a potential crime scene. However this did mean that I was able to catch my grandmother's SHO as the ward round ended and because my father was not present we were able to talk about him more freely.
So we talked about how he finds caring for my grandmother stressful and how he seems to find these frequent trips to hospital and the attention they bring exciting. We also talked about how sister's health problems only started to improve once my father had been excluded from decisions about her care. We also talked about the several occasions that he has had to be removed from this and other hospital's by security. We also talked about how back in 2000 the local police were forced to issue a bulletin to all local hospitals and GP surgeries about my father and his repeated attempts to interfere in other people's medical care.
As for my grandmother herself we discussed about how yesterday (25/8/11) she again became highly agitated and due to this agitation fell and again split her head open requiring yet another CAT scan. Although that scan showed no immediate problems it led on to a discussion of whether a medical ward was capable or providing the type of care my grandmother requires or whether she needs to be transferred to a psychiatric ward. The doctor agreed that this was a definitely possibility but they couldn't possibly attempt it until they'd ruled out a urinary infection.
So I asked if they'd done the simple urine test to rule out an infection. The answer was no so I asked the obvious question of why not. This led to an uncomfortable silence but I didn't push the issue further because that silence spoke volumes. Besides no-one likes being forced to admit that they're deliberately refusing to perform tests that will disprove their diagnosis.
Anyway I hope there's a dramatic improvement in attitude by the next ward round on Tuesday (30/8/11) otherwise I will require the entire hospital not just a single wing. And yes that bombing of the UN compound in Nigeria is looking more suspicious by the second even if a Nigerian government containing the father of the Detroit underpants bomber won't see a thing.
On arrival I was disappointed to find that the police were not present and the ward had not been closed as a potential crime scene. However this did mean that I was able to catch my grandmother's SHO as the ward round ended and because my father was not present we were able to talk about him more freely.
So we talked about how he finds caring for my grandmother stressful and how he seems to find these frequent trips to hospital and the attention they bring exciting. We also talked about how sister's health problems only started to improve once my father had been excluded from decisions about her care. We also talked about the several occasions that he has had to be removed from this and other hospital's by security. We also talked about how back in 2000 the local police were forced to issue a bulletin to all local hospitals and GP surgeries about my father and his repeated attempts to interfere in other people's medical care.
As for my grandmother herself we discussed about how yesterday (25/8/11) she again became highly agitated and due to this agitation fell and again split her head open requiring yet another CAT scan. Although that scan showed no immediate problems it led on to a discussion of whether a medical ward was capable or providing the type of care my grandmother requires or whether she needs to be transferred to a psychiatric ward. The doctor agreed that this was a definitely possibility but they couldn't possibly attempt it until they'd ruled out a urinary infection.
So I asked if they'd done the simple urine test to rule out an infection. The answer was no so I asked the obvious question of why not. This led to an uncomfortable silence but I didn't push the issue further because that silence spoke volumes. Besides no-one likes being forced to admit that they're deliberately refusing to perform tests that will disprove their diagnosis.
Anyway I hope there's a dramatic improvement in attitude by the next ward round on Tuesday (30/8/11) otherwise I will require the entire hospital not just a single wing. And yes that bombing of the UN compound in Nigeria is looking more suspicious by the second even if a Nigerian government containing the father of the Detroit underpants bomber won't see a thing.
Bombing in Nigeria.
In the last hour or so a bomb has today (26/8/11) exploded in the Nigerian capital Abuja close to the United Nations (UN) Compound and the United States (US) Embassy. The fact this is being reported at all in the western media suggests it was a very large bomb. However ambulances are still arriving at the scene and it is still unclear exactly which buildings have been caught in the blast so it is far too early to speculate on who carried out the attack.
However Nigeria is another African nation that has suffered badly at the hands of western oil companies. So while I think we can rule out Libyan government involvement it is possible that a local group has carried out a revenge attack on the UN/US over their involvement in Libya. Alternatively it is also possible that someone has attacked the UN/US to give them the impression that they've been attacked over their involvement in Libya in order to galvanise their support for the rebels and the mission. So rather similar to the Norway attacks then.
However Nigeria is another African nation that has suffered badly at the hands of western oil companies. So while I think we can rule out Libyan government involvement it is possible that a local group has carried out a revenge attack on the UN/US over their involvement in Libya. Alternatively it is also possible that someone has attacked the UN/US to give them the impression that they've been attacked over their involvement in Libya in order to galvanise their support for the rebels and the mission. So rather similar to the Norway attacks then.
Thursday, 25 August 2011
Unpleasent But True.
I originally tried to make this post under the heading "Oh The Irony" at around 21:50 but someone objected and my Internet connection was cut;
My neighbour with the large and illegally built shed still has not sorted out his rodent problem. So this evening (25/8/11) while I was outside having a cigarette a big brown rat came scampering across my foot.
Now I'm not the person who will poison a rat and then watch it die slowly over a period of days as it slowly dehydrates from the inside out. So I picked it up and snapped it's neck. It's unpleasant but you can't have rats running around where people live so really it is the only way to deal with them.
My neighbour with the large and illegally built shed still has not sorted out his rodent problem. So this evening (25/8/11) while I was outside having a cigarette a big brown rat came scampering across my foot.
Now I'm not the person who will poison a rat and then watch it die slowly over a period of days as it slowly dehydrates from the inside out. So I picked it up and snapped it's neck. It's unpleasant but you can't have rats running around where people live so really it is the only way to deal with them.
Too Little, Too Late.
Today (25/8/11) in London it has been announced that batches of an over the counter painkiller "Nurofen" have been found to contain a powerful anti-psychotic medication "Seroquel XL".
This has caused the government regulator The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to send out this warning to all hospital pharmacies;
http://www.mhra.gov.uk/Publications/Safetywarnings/DrugAlerts/CON126220
As Nurofen and Seroquel are made by two completely different drug companies in two completely different factories this is clearly no mistake. Instead it is the government trying to send a subtle little hint to the doctors currently treating my grandmother on a medical ward that she should be transferred to a psychiatric ward for assessment and a drug rehabilitation program.
The problem is that all the doctors who are treating my grandmother or have treated my grandmother know this and have known it for over five years. So the obligation on Britain now is to arrest the guilty, try them, convict them and send them to prison for the rest of their natural lives.
This has caused the government regulator The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to send out this warning to all hospital pharmacies;
http://www.mhra.gov.uk/Publications/Safetywarnings/DrugAlerts/CON126220
As Nurofen and Seroquel are made by two completely different drug companies in two completely different factories this is clearly no mistake. Instead it is the government trying to send a subtle little hint to the doctors currently treating my grandmother on a medical ward that she should be transferred to a psychiatric ward for assessment and a drug rehabilitation program.
The problem is that all the doctors who are treating my grandmother or have treated my grandmother know this and have known it for over five years. So the obligation on Britain now is to arrest the guilty, try them, convict them and send them to prison for the rest of their natural lives.
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
America's Earthquake.
The United States has been providing the bulk of the intelligence that was behind Britain, France and Qatar's grand plan to sweep into Tripoli, kill Muammer Qaddafi and cause the Libyan government to collapse. On Monday (23/8/11) and Tuesday (24/8/11) what that plan started to unravel people began asking if America had purposefully supplied Britain, France and Qatar with false information in order to make them fail of whether the Americans had also been fooled by Qaddafi's ruse.
Also on Tuesday American prosecutors dropped rape and other charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn and he was allowed to return to France. Now it's well established that Strauss-Kahn is a serial sex offender who committed the rape he was accused of yet has been allowed to get away with it because he's friends with the American President so the announcement itself was hardly a surprise. What was interesting though was the way it was presented. The maid who Strauss-Kahn raped was something of an amalgamation of several of the carers who have been causing my grandmother problems. Struass-Kahn could also be several people including myself or my father. So the presentation of the announcement could either look like the Americans getting tough on Britain over the way they've been behaving or America joining forces with Britain to increase the pressure on me ahead of the traditional Tuesday night pub dinner. Personally I'm going with the latter.
About two hours after the Strauss-Kahn announcement was made in New York a 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck the town of Mineral in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As the reasonably powerful 'quake struck at a shallow depth it caused moderate damage to buildings across a wide area including the Washington National (protestant) Cathedral and the Washington Monument. Across Washington and New York it forced a Pentagon briefing on Libya to be cancelled and forced hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate from their buildings. This was an experience that must have felt much like the terrorist attacks of September 11th 2001 and came just over two weeks before the tenth anniversary of those attacks.
Obviously this is going to keep the scientists fascinated for months to come and I've still haven't fully got my head around it. However it seems to me like a subtle little hint to America that the operation against Libya has run it's course and should be allowed to come to it's natural conclusion. After all it seems that America is going to have to work very hard and give away a lot to get the United Nation's to mis-appropriate Libyan government assets or get the NATO mission extended.
Also on Tuesday American prosecutors dropped rape and other charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn and he was allowed to return to France. Now it's well established that Strauss-Kahn is a serial sex offender who committed the rape he was accused of yet has been allowed to get away with it because he's friends with the American President so the announcement itself was hardly a surprise. What was interesting though was the way it was presented. The maid who Strauss-Kahn raped was something of an amalgamation of several of the carers who have been causing my grandmother problems. Struass-Kahn could also be several people including myself or my father. So the presentation of the announcement could either look like the Americans getting tough on Britain over the way they've been behaving or America joining forces with Britain to increase the pressure on me ahead of the traditional Tuesday night pub dinner. Personally I'm going with the latter.
About two hours after the Strauss-Kahn announcement was made in New York a 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck the town of Mineral in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As the reasonably powerful 'quake struck at a shallow depth it caused moderate damage to buildings across a wide area including the Washington National (protestant) Cathedral and the Washington Monument. Across Washington and New York it forced a Pentagon briefing on Libya to be cancelled and forced hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate from their buildings. This was an experience that must have felt much like the terrorist attacks of September 11th 2001 and came just over two weeks before the tenth anniversary of those attacks.
Obviously this is going to keep the scientists fascinated for months to come and I've still haven't fully got my head around it. However it seems to me like a subtle little hint to America that the operation against Libya has run it's course and should be allowed to come to it's natural conclusion. After all it seems that America is going to have to work very hard and give away a lot to get the United Nation's to mis-appropriate Libyan government assets or get the NATO mission extended.
Operation Oil Theft: Month 6, Week 1, Day 2.
In western Libya fierce fighting has continued in Mistrata, Ziltan, Gharain, Zawiya and the area to the west of Zawiya. Hospitals and international aid agencies report that they are being overwhelmed by the number of casualties.
In Tripoli itself Libyan government forces still control the Qaddafi compound. The rebels breached the compounds outer walls yesterday (24/8/11) afternoon but have been unable to breach the inner walls. When and if that happens the rebels will still have to fight their way into the buildings in the compound and through the network of bunkers and tunnels underneath it. There are also reports of heaving fighting around the Rixos hotel as the rebels try and fight their way into the quarter of the city still controlled by the Libyan government.
Although his exact whereabouts are still unknown overnight (24/8/11 - 25/8/11) Muammer Qaddafi gave a speech on Libyan state radio to announce that he is no longer in Tripoli after withdrawing for tactical reasons. This is actually Muammer Qaddafi being modest because what he's done is actually a tactical master stroke that forces NATO to lift it's siege of the city that has been making life seriously unpleasant for the cities civilians.
With even Muammer Qaddafi confirming that he is no longer in Tripoli the British, French and New Zealand special forces who led the assault on Tripoli have led Libyan rebel units on another assault, this time of the southern city of Sabha. Although this is officially a mission to capture Muammer Qaddafi I think that the British military planners know full well that he is not in Sabha. However they're still leading the rebels on a pointless mission in order to keep them busy and the adrenaline pumping because if the rebels get the time to stop and think they'll realise that their grand plan has failed and they are now closer to defeat then victory.
In Tripoli itself Libyan government forces still control the Qaddafi compound. The rebels breached the compounds outer walls yesterday (24/8/11) afternoon but have been unable to breach the inner walls. When and if that happens the rebels will still have to fight their way into the buildings in the compound and through the network of bunkers and tunnels underneath it. There are also reports of heaving fighting around the Rixos hotel as the rebels try and fight their way into the quarter of the city still controlled by the Libyan government.
Although his exact whereabouts are still unknown overnight (24/8/11 - 25/8/11) Muammer Qaddafi gave a speech on Libyan state radio to announce that he is no longer in Tripoli after withdrawing for tactical reasons. This is actually Muammer Qaddafi being modest because what he's done is actually a tactical master stroke that forces NATO to lift it's siege of the city that has been making life seriously unpleasant for the cities civilians.
With even Muammer Qaddafi confirming that he is no longer in Tripoli the British, French and New Zealand special forces who led the assault on Tripoli have led Libyan rebel units on another assault, this time of the southern city of Sabha. Although this is officially a mission to capture Muammer Qaddafi I think that the British military planners know full well that he is not in Sabha. However they're still leading the rebels on a pointless mission in order to keep them busy and the adrenaline pumping because if the rebels get the time to stop and think they'll realise that their grand plan has failed and they are now closer to defeat then victory.
So Much For Normal.
With my grandmother in hospital and all the confusion about when and how she will be discharged my usual routine has more or less disintegrated.
For example today (24/8/11) I went to the supermarket to buy some fresh vegetables on a Wednesday rather then a Thursday as I normally do. On my way back I came up to the junction between Melfort and Brigstock road. There was a police Territorial Support Group (TSG) van parked across the junction and the police officers were carrying out an aggressive and seemingly random stop and search on two young black men. I saw pretty much the same thing going as I was making my way back from the pub on Sunday (21/8/11).
The last time I saw the police behaving like this it was in the run up to the anti-Gaza war protests in January 2009. They ended in violence and led to thousands of young Asian, mainly Muslim, men being sent to prison for long and disproportionate sentences.
So if the police are behaving like this across London then it seems to me they're deliberately trying to provoke further rioting at this coming weekend's Notting Hill Carnival.
For example today (24/8/11) I went to the supermarket to buy some fresh vegetables on a Wednesday rather then a Thursday as I normally do. On my way back I came up to the junction between Melfort and Brigstock road. There was a police Territorial Support Group (TSG) van parked across the junction and the police officers were carrying out an aggressive and seemingly random stop and search on two young black men. I saw pretty much the same thing going as I was making my way back from the pub on Sunday (21/8/11).
The last time I saw the police behaving like this it was in the run up to the anti-Gaza war protests in January 2009. They ended in violence and led to thousands of young Asian, mainly Muslim, men being sent to prison for long and disproportionate sentences.
So if the police are behaving like this across London then it seems to me they're deliberately trying to provoke further rioting at this coming weekend's Notting Hill Carnival.
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
Oh Yes, Of Course.
It's now 01:10 on 24/8/11 and I've gone a little bit Rancid.
More importantly the "Libyan rebels" you saw yesterday (23/8/11) "storming" the Qaddafi compound including that kid with an AK-47 and a Unicef T-shirt were obviously "Libyan government" forces.
The bad new is that on NATO commando all those hooligans are now heading towards central Libya at great speed. It's now 01:14 and I most certainly have Wagner.
More importantly the "Libyan rebels" you saw yesterday (23/8/11) "storming" the Qaddafi compound including that kid with an AK-47 and a Unicef T-shirt were obviously "Libyan government" forces.
The bad new is that on NATO commando all those hooligans are now heading towards central Libya at great speed. It's now 01:14 and I most certainly have Wagner.
Yep Still Here.
It's 00:03 on 24/8/11 and I have not yet logged out of Blogspot.com nor logged into Hotmail.com. Most importantly though I have followed through on my either MachineHead nor my Wagner threat. I'm still awake though and now trying to watch the BBC News channel but I feel I may fail 00:07
"Scotch Is....
...God's way of telling us that he loves us and wants us to be happy."
That is an Anna Chancellor line from the second episode of the BBC2 drama "The Hour."
Unfortunately I missed the first episode on account of my VCR going gay. It's been fixed now and tonight (23/8/11) my father and I sat down to watch the final episode. The moment after I explained to him that "Brightstone" is a code word for the USSR spy at the heart of the BBC the little man on the screen - "Freddie" I believe - thoroughly explained the plot of the previous five episodes and my father revealed to me that he'd watched it all on BBC iPlayer.
Then, once the Hour finished, we watched the ITV news at 22:00 which was little help in explaining the earthquake in the USA but at a guess I would say that the earthquake in the Commonwealth of Virginia did less damage in New York and Washington then we've seen in Tripoli recently.
Now it's 22:51 and I'm going off to listen to Black Sabbath. I will constantly threaten my neighbours with the promise of MachineHead even if I have Wagner and I not afraid to use it.
That is an Anna Chancellor line from the second episode of the BBC2 drama "The Hour."
Unfortunately I missed the first episode on account of my VCR going gay. It's been fixed now and tonight (23/8/11) my father and I sat down to watch the final episode. The moment after I explained to him that "Brightstone" is a code word for the USSR spy at the heart of the BBC the little man on the screen - "Freddie" I believe - thoroughly explained the plot of the previous five episodes and my father revealed to me that he'd watched it all on BBC iPlayer.
Then, once the Hour finished, we watched the ITV news at 22:00 which was little help in explaining the earthquake in the USA but at a guess I would say that the earthquake in the Commonwealth of Virginia did less damage in New York and Washington then we've seen in Tripoli recently.
Now it's 22:51 and I'm going off to listen to Black Sabbath. I will constantly threaten my neighbours with the promise of MachineHead even if I have Wagner and I not afraid to use it.
It's Tuesday Night and I'm Back From the Pub.
Tuesday August 23rd 2011 at around 20:23 to be slightly more accurate.
Apart from that I'm far too drunk to more accurately the define how the meal with my father went. However it was much more civilised the last week. Mainly because I sat out in the garden drinking while my father played with his food.
Elsewhere in the news the toxicology report into Amy Winehouse's death has been released. Although I haven't seen a copy I believe it was negative for all illegal drugs. So the cause of death on the death certificate will read "natural causes" unless of course the pathologist feels the need to expand if which case it will read; "multi-organ failure brought about by stress on those organs caused by rapid and unsupervised detoxification from long term opiate abuse."
Or exactly what I told you happened and what the Brits hoped would happen to my grandmother when they last discharged her from hospital. The timing of the announcement was Britain's way of asking the International Criminal Court (ICC) if the ink is dry on the arrest warrant for Dr Wallace Tam and others. As the ICC are currently enjoying quiet time it was up to NATO to answer on their behalf and they had a clear message for Muammer Qaddafi; "This is the final chapter. This is the end."
If that wasn't enough drama for one day a 5.8 magnitude earthquake at 6km (3.7 miles) struck the state of Virginia in the USA. Although this was an earthquake on the lower end of the scale it was enough to disrupt a Pentagon press briefing on Libya being held in Washington. Elsewhere on Saturday (20/8/11) an RAF Hawk T1 fast jet similar too the type currently being operated by Qatar over Libya crashed in Bournemouth, UK killing it's British pilot.
So after editing it's 20:38 and the long descent into drunken madness can begin.
Apart from that I'm far too drunk to more accurately the define how the meal with my father went. However it was much more civilised the last week. Mainly because I sat out in the garden drinking while my father played with his food.
Elsewhere in the news the toxicology report into Amy Winehouse's death has been released. Although I haven't seen a copy I believe it was negative for all illegal drugs. So the cause of death on the death certificate will read "natural causes" unless of course the pathologist feels the need to expand if which case it will read; "multi-organ failure brought about by stress on those organs caused by rapid and unsupervised detoxification from long term opiate abuse."
Or exactly what I told you happened and what the Brits hoped would happen to my grandmother when they last discharged her from hospital. The timing of the announcement was Britain's way of asking the International Criminal Court (ICC) if the ink is dry on the arrest warrant for Dr Wallace Tam and others. As the ICC are currently enjoying quiet time it was up to NATO to answer on their behalf and they had a clear message for Muammer Qaddafi; "This is the final chapter. This is the end."
If that wasn't enough drama for one day a 5.8 magnitude earthquake at 6km (3.7 miles) struck the state of Virginia in the USA. Although this was an earthquake on the lower end of the scale it was enough to disrupt a Pentagon press briefing on Libya being held in Washington. Elsewhere on Saturday (20/8/11) an RAF Hawk T1 fast jet similar too the type currently being operated by Qatar over Libya crashed in Bournemouth, UK killing it's British pilot.
So after editing it's 20:38 and the long descent into drunken madness can begin.
Operation Oil Theft: Month 6, Week 1, Day 1.
After a day packed with the wild claims, dark fantasies and outright lies that have become the rebel's trademark today (23/8/11) the hysteria is starting to fade and the reality of the situation is beginning to dawn.
In the east of the country the rebels have still failed to re-take Brega over five weeks since Libyan government forces withdrew from the town. In Zawiya, Gharain and Ziltan in the west of the country the rebels are coming under sustained guerrilla style attacks by Libyan government forces. They are also being attacked from the west by the government forces who still hold the area between Zawiya and the Tunisian border. In Mistrata the rebels are coming under attack from rocket fire. According to some independent reports the death toll from the rebels four day advance from Zawiya to Tripoli is as high as 1300. This is equivalent to the entire death toll from the four week Operation Cast Lead that Israel launched against Gaza in the winter of 2008/9.
Within Tripoli itself Libyan government and rebel forces are currently engaged in fierce and confusing urban warfare. However the rebel's claim that they would storm the Qaddafi compound and capture Muammer Qaddafi by dawn today (23/8/11) has proved to be false. Although the location of Muammer Qaddafi is still unknown the compound is still most firmly under Libyan government control. Also the credibility of the rebel's claim that they had captured Saif al-Islam Qaddafi was damaged slightly when overnight he strolled into a hotel housing western journalist. He then took some of the journalists of a guided tour of the south western quarter of Tripoli. This not only demonstrated that he's not been captured it also showed that he still had freedom of movement across large sections of the city.
At best I would say that the rebels control about 60-65% of Tripoli. That figure is only expected to fall as the British, French and New Zealand special forces who spearheaded the advance are withdrawn to search for Muammer Qaddafi and escape the TV cameras. Since yesterday (22/8/11) evening there have been reports of rebel units fleeing Tripoli as they discover the fighting is much, much harder then Britain's MI6 had promised them.
On the diplomatic front:
NATO are currently holding a meeting. This was called yesterday (22/8/11) and Britain and France had been hoping to use to get NATO to end the operation as quickly as possible. Today (23/8/11) they're going to try and use it to get NATO to extend the mission for as long as possible. The International Criminal Court (ICC) are being forced to explain why they announced that the rebel's had captured Saif al-Islam Qaddafi when they clearly hadn't. Some people are even suggesting that maybe if the ICC didn't simply accept everything the rebels say as fact without any form of investigation we wouldn't be in this mess.
Also Britain and France are suggesting the possibility of tabling a resolution at the United Nations Security Council that would allow the rebel's Transitional National Council (TNC) to start spending the Libyan government's frozen assets. The idea is to force the TNC to spend all their money now so they'll be totally dependent on the western powers when and if the time comes to negotiate oil contracts. I doubt they'll even get as far as tabling the motion let alone getting it past a vote.
As for the oil price it's gone back up. This is not due to events Libya overnight. Instead it's because the oil traders have had the time to read the lengthy technical reports that estimate that it will be the length of the conflict plus 5-8 years before Libyan oil production gets back to the very low level it was at before the conflict began. It will take even longer if the Libyan government actually get desperate and start sabotaging the oil infrastructure.
Edited at 19:02 on 23/8/11:
As I was making a lot noise writing this post a British or possibly Qatari fast jet bombed the Qaddafi compound primarily to generate a lot of smoke and influence the NATO meeting. However they also managed to breach the outer wall of the compound allowing rebel fighters to enter. The compound itself is about 2.5 square miles (4km) and contains many buildings, tunnels and bunkers. Therefore it will take the best part of 12 hours to search so I'm going to the pub. Not in any rush you understand because there is a football match going on.
In the east of the country the rebels have still failed to re-take Brega over five weeks since Libyan government forces withdrew from the town. In Zawiya, Gharain and Ziltan in the west of the country the rebels are coming under sustained guerrilla style attacks by Libyan government forces. They are also being attacked from the west by the government forces who still hold the area between Zawiya and the Tunisian border. In Mistrata the rebels are coming under attack from rocket fire. According to some independent reports the death toll from the rebels four day advance from Zawiya to Tripoli is as high as 1300. This is equivalent to the entire death toll from the four week Operation Cast Lead that Israel launched against Gaza in the winter of 2008/9.
Within Tripoli itself Libyan government and rebel forces are currently engaged in fierce and confusing urban warfare. However the rebel's claim that they would storm the Qaddafi compound and capture Muammer Qaddafi by dawn today (23/8/11) has proved to be false. Although the location of Muammer Qaddafi is still unknown the compound is still most firmly under Libyan government control. Also the credibility of the rebel's claim that they had captured Saif al-Islam Qaddafi was damaged slightly when overnight he strolled into a hotel housing western journalist. He then took some of the journalists of a guided tour of the south western quarter of Tripoli. This not only demonstrated that he's not been captured it also showed that he still had freedom of movement across large sections of the city.
At best I would say that the rebels control about 60-65% of Tripoli. That figure is only expected to fall as the British, French and New Zealand special forces who spearheaded the advance are withdrawn to search for Muammer Qaddafi and escape the TV cameras. Since yesterday (22/8/11) evening there have been reports of rebel units fleeing Tripoli as they discover the fighting is much, much harder then Britain's MI6 had promised them.
On the diplomatic front:
NATO are currently holding a meeting. This was called yesterday (22/8/11) and Britain and France had been hoping to use to get NATO to end the operation as quickly as possible. Today (23/8/11) they're going to try and use it to get NATO to extend the mission for as long as possible. The International Criminal Court (ICC) are being forced to explain why they announced that the rebel's had captured Saif al-Islam Qaddafi when they clearly hadn't. Some people are even suggesting that maybe if the ICC didn't simply accept everything the rebels say as fact without any form of investigation we wouldn't be in this mess.
Also Britain and France are suggesting the possibility of tabling a resolution at the United Nations Security Council that would allow the rebel's Transitional National Council (TNC) to start spending the Libyan government's frozen assets. The idea is to force the TNC to spend all their money now so they'll be totally dependent on the western powers when and if the time comes to negotiate oil contracts. I doubt they'll even get as far as tabling the motion let alone getting it past a vote.
As for the oil price it's gone back up. This is not due to events Libya overnight. Instead it's because the oil traders have had the time to read the lengthy technical reports that estimate that it will be the length of the conflict plus 5-8 years before Libyan oil production gets back to the very low level it was at before the conflict began. It will take even longer if the Libyan government actually get desperate and start sabotaging the oil infrastructure.
Edited at 19:02 on 23/8/11:
As I was making a lot noise writing this post a British or possibly Qatari fast jet bombed the Qaddafi compound primarily to generate a lot of smoke and influence the NATO meeting. However they also managed to breach the outer wall of the compound allowing rebel fighters to enter. The compound itself is about 2.5 square miles (4km) and contains many buildings, tunnels and bunkers. Therefore it will take the best part of 12 hours to search so I'm going to the pub. Not in any rush you understand because there is a football match going on.
Ward Round.
Today (23/8/11) my grandmother had her first ward round with the consultant and multi-disciplinary (care) team. As usual the consultant skulked off to avoid talking to me meaning my father and I we're left talking to his new Senior House Officer (SHO/underling). The issue of course is one of balance, mobility and falls.
The first thing we discussed was whether or not the care team were aware that my grandmother had not undergone a physiotherapy rehabilitation program following her hip replacement operation. They weren't.
We then discussed whether the care team was aware that following their decision to remove my grandmother from a powerful opioid she had not undergone any form of drug rehabilitation program. As it was their decision to make they were aware of this but were not keen to be pressed on the issue.
We then discussed whether or not the care team were aware that following her most recent discharge my grandmother's GP had flatly refused to carry out a medicine review. They weren't but they are now.
We then discussed whether or not the care team were aware that the carers imposed on my grandmother by them following her most recent discharge have a tendency to be aggressive, abusive and have a habit of turning up expecting payment when they know full well that there is no work to do on account of my grandmother being in hospital. They weren't but they are now.
Anyway my grandmother is being kept in hospital until Friday (26/8/11) over concerns about something whose Latin I cannot even begin to spell but is just a bruise between the skull and the scalp. We will also have to have a meeting with the full care team before she is discharged. The SHO explained that they are weighing up two options but did not elaborate further on what those two options were. So allow me to title them "the right one" and "the wrong one."
In the meantime the nursing staff are encouraging my grandmother to make free telephone calls to my father at all hours of the day or night. So the culture of the hospital is still firmly one of medical research with little or no concern for the welfare of the patient. Is it this afternoon NATO will be having a big meeting to discuss how to deal with tyrants who commit crimes against humanity?
The first thing we discussed was whether or not the care team were aware that my grandmother had not undergone a physiotherapy rehabilitation program following her hip replacement operation. They weren't.
We then discussed whether the care team was aware that following their decision to remove my grandmother from a powerful opioid she had not undergone any form of drug rehabilitation program. As it was their decision to make they were aware of this but were not keen to be pressed on the issue.
We then discussed whether or not the care team were aware that following her most recent discharge my grandmother's GP had flatly refused to carry out a medicine review. They weren't but they are now.
We then discussed whether or not the care team were aware that the carers imposed on my grandmother by them following her most recent discharge have a tendency to be aggressive, abusive and have a habit of turning up expecting payment when they know full well that there is no work to do on account of my grandmother being in hospital. They weren't but they are now.
Anyway my grandmother is being kept in hospital until Friday (26/8/11) over concerns about something whose Latin I cannot even begin to spell but is just a bruise between the skull and the scalp. We will also have to have a meeting with the full care team before she is discharged. The SHO explained that they are weighing up two options but did not elaborate further on what those two options were. So allow me to title them "the right one" and "the wrong one."
In the meantime the nursing staff are encouraging my grandmother to make free telephone calls to my father at all hours of the day or night. So the culture of the hospital is still firmly one of medical research with little or no concern for the welfare of the patient. Is it this afternoon NATO will be having a big meeting to discuss how to deal with tyrants who commit crimes against humanity?
Monday, 22 August 2011
Operation Oil Theft: Month 5, Week 5, Day 2.
Overnight (21/8/11 - 22/8/11) rebel forces entered Libya's capital Tripoli. However I would not go so far as to say that they are in control of the city. What appears to have happened is that the rebels took control of the main supply routes (roads) in Zawiya to the west, Gharain to the south and Ziltan to the east. They then pretty much ignored the populated parts of those towns/cities and instead made a mad dash up the roads into Tripoli in the hope of securing a propaganda victory that would cause the Libya government to collapse.
Although the rebels are still being met with guerrilla style resistance in Zawiya, Gharain, Ziltan and Tripoli itself their advance on the capital went almost unchallenged. This lack of resistance seems to have been the result of a speech Muammer Qaddafi gave on Libyan state television yesterday (21/8/11) evening. This appeared to contain a coded instruction that Qaddafi was no longer in Tripoli so it's defenders should allow the city to fall and withdraw to fall back positions in order to continue the fight. Obviously Qaddafi's current location is not known but it is widely believed that he is somewhere within the 70% of the country that the Libyan government still control between Misrata and Brega.
So the current map of Libya looks something like this;
However as you can see the rebels now control the areas of Libya that contain the majority of the oil reserves and pipelines. So Britain's current hope is that everyone will ignore the obvious and accept their claim of victory. The rebels will then play nice for the next five weeks to allow the NATO operation to expire at the end of September 2011. Once NATO are no longer involved Britain hopes that Libya will be forgotten about so the looting and massacres can begin.
Obviously the fact that the Libyan government is still functioning and is still in control of the majority of the country makes that much more difficult. So you can say what you like about Qaddafi but even as they're baying for his blood his every move is still all about trying to ensure the best possible future for the Libyan people.
Although the rebels are still being met with guerrilla style resistance in Zawiya, Gharain, Ziltan and Tripoli itself their advance on the capital went almost unchallenged. This lack of resistance seems to have been the result of a speech Muammer Qaddafi gave on Libyan state television yesterday (21/8/11) evening. This appeared to contain a coded instruction that Qaddafi was no longer in Tripoli so it's defenders should allow the city to fall and withdraw to fall back positions in order to continue the fight. Obviously Qaddafi's current location is not known but it is widely believed that he is somewhere within the 70% of the country that the Libyan government still control between Misrata and Brega.
So the current map of Libya looks something like this;
However as you can see the rebels now control the areas of Libya that contain the majority of the oil reserves and pipelines. So Britain's current hope is that everyone will ignore the obvious and accept their claim of victory. The rebels will then play nice for the next five weeks to allow the NATO operation to expire at the end of September 2011. Once NATO are no longer involved Britain hopes that Libya will be forgotten about so the looting and massacres can begin.
Obviously the fact that the Libyan government is still functioning and is still in control of the majority of the country makes that much more difficult. So you can say what you like about Qaddafi but even as they're baying for his blood his every move is still all about trying to ensure the best possible future for the Libyan people.
Sunday, 21 August 2011
Ha Ha Found It !
After digging through many minutes of crap I finally found my little brother's appearance on Russia Today. It can hopefully be viewed here;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnqFUaf4qOY&feature=player_profilepage
And now because I have apparently reached my video limit for the evening I have to ask why are Russia Today so angry? After all it's hardly my fault they insist on showing hours of endless, useless documentaries during news time.
Edited at 01:45 on 22/8/11;
"Thank You and Goodnight!"
Now I'm going to kick my machine in it's head in the futile hope it will wake me up in the morning.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnqFUaf4qOY&feature=player_profilepage
And now because I have apparently reached my video limit for the evening I have to ask why are Russia Today so angry? After all it's hardly my fault they insist on showing hours of endless, useless documentaries during news time.
Edited at 01:45 on 22/8/11;
"Thank You and Goodnight!"
Now I'm going to kick my machine in it's head in the futile hope it will wake me up in the morning.
Another Night In Hospital
Amid the chaos and confusion of the 24 hours a day, 7 days a week working environment that is the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department my grandmother was transferred to the Medical Assessment Unit (MAU) in the early hours of this morning (21/8/11). For someone admitted by ambulance with a non-serious head injury this is an unusual move that is likely to bring the attention of NHS (British government) and hospital (Croydon University nee Mayday) management. So between 16:00 and 19:00 my grandmother was transferred back to the exact same ward she was discharged from not so long ago.
Officially this is being done due to concerns about my grandmother's "movement." Unofficially it's being done because no-one's got the courage to contact the police or use the General Medical Council's (GMC) whistle blower system which allows registered medical professionals to anonymously report other registered medical professionals whom they suspect of mal-practice or criminal behaviour. This is a shame because until that is done it is the taxpayer rather then the guilty who will have to pick up the bill for all these ambulance rides, hospital beds and CAT scans.
Although no consultant has been officially pulled of the golf course I suspect that come Tuesday (23/8/11) I will be on that exact same Purley ward having the exact same argument with the exact same one of Dr Tam's (with an M) underlings that I had before they discharged my grandmother for the last time. The only difference is that this time we won't have the exact same locum Occupational Therapist (OT) who got so aggressive the last time.
However due to the confusion about whether or not my grandmother would be discharged the chef (me) decided that it would be easier if my father, my brother and I ate out this evening (17:00 - 19:00). Of course that meant the pub. So even though I'm now drunk off my eyes on a nasty chemical mess that claims to be cider I think we learnt two important things at the pub.
Firstly we learned that due to the rioting the North End to Broad Green section of the London Road still looks like someone's bombed it. We also learned that on Thursday (18/8/11) my little brother appeared on the Russia Today (RT) news channel talking about the riots. Sadly we cannot attribute this as a cause for my grandmother's recent problems because in our house we don't watch those lesser news channels on account of them clearly letting any old idiot on screen.
Anyway it's now about 23:00 on 21/8/11 and I definitely need to try and Google that RT thing. I should also try and catch up on the BBC2 drama "The Man Who Crossed Hitler." Although a challenging piece I thought it told the story of the silly little Jew boy who helped Hitler's rise to power by giving him an education in courtroom theatre. So something of a Communist lecture then.
Officially this is being done due to concerns about my grandmother's "movement." Unofficially it's being done because no-one's got the courage to contact the police or use the General Medical Council's (GMC) whistle blower system which allows registered medical professionals to anonymously report other registered medical professionals whom they suspect of mal-practice or criminal behaviour. This is a shame because until that is done it is the taxpayer rather then the guilty who will have to pick up the bill for all these ambulance rides, hospital beds and CAT scans.
Although no consultant has been officially pulled of the golf course I suspect that come Tuesday (23/8/11) I will be on that exact same Purley ward having the exact same argument with the exact same one of Dr Tam's (with an M) underlings that I had before they discharged my grandmother for the last time. The only difference is that this time we won't have the exact same locum Occupational Therapist (OT) who got so aggressive the last time.
However due to the confusion about whether or not my grandmother would be discharged the chef (me) decided that it would be easier if my father, my brother and I ate out this evening (17:00 - 19:00). Of course that meant the pub. So even though I'm now drunk off my eyes on a nasty chemical mess that claims to be cider I think we learnt two important things at the pub.
Firstly we learned that due to the rioting the North End to Broad Green section of the London Road still looks like someone's bombed it. We also learned that on Thursday (18/8/11) my little brother appeared on the Russia Today (RT) news channel talking about the riots. Sadly we cannot attribute this as a cause for my grandmother's recent problems because in our house we don't watch those lesser news channels on account of them clearly letting any old idiot on screen.
Anyway it's now about 23:00 on 21/8/11 and I definitely need to try and Google that RT thing. I should also try and catch up on the BBC2 drama "The Man Who Crossed Hitler." Although a challenging piece I thought it told the story of the silly little Jew boy who helped Hitler's rise to power by giving him an education in courtroom theatre. So something of a Communist lecture then.
Operation Oil Theft: Month 5, Week 5, Day 1.
Britain hopes to soon release the findings of the public inquiry into the Iraq war. This is going to be a complete whitewash designed to boost Britain's international reputation by blaming the entire illegal war for oil on the progressive left Labour Party. Obviously Britain's Conservative right would never stand for this sort of thing which is why the Monarchy overthrew the Labour Party in the 2010 coup.
Clearly this propaganda message is going to drowned out by the current illegal war for oil that Britain's Conservative right are currently fighting in Libya. Also Britain knows full well that it does not have the support to get NATO to extend the operation against Libya beyond the current deadline of September 2011. So Britain knows is must win Libya now or lose it for ever.
The only problem is that Britain has known for a long time that the Libyan rebels have neither the popular support or technical ability to ever take control of the country. So Britain's military planners have given up on everything east of Misrata and west of Brega - some 80% of the country. Instead on or around August 8th (Month 5, Week 3, Day 2) Britain completely disregarded the no-fly zone it's meant to be enforcing and used transport aircraft to insert a small rebel force behind the Libyan government stop line south of Zawiya and Tripoli that runs roughly through the town of Gharain. With Libyan government forces distracted by having to fight against this attack behind the lines British attack aircraft including Apache attack helicopters opened up gaps in the stop line allowing the rebels to advance at speed from their positions in the foothills of the Nafusa mountains to Zawiya.
The rebels have been in Zawiya since August 14th (Month 5, Week 4, Day 1) but in the face of stiff resistance do not look anywhere near capable of securing the city. However because they've suddenly started fighting like a highly trained special forces unit they have managed to secure the oil refinery and cut the main supply route between Tripoli and Tunisia. There are also reports that the rebels have also taken the town of Gharain but that is impossible to verify because both Libyan government and rebel forces are currently in the town. It would appear though that the rebels have managed to cut the main supply route between Tripoli and Algeria. The civilians in the area have done what Libyan civilians always do when they see the rebels advancing and fled.
Although optimistic at best the news that Tripoli has been cut off has acted as the trigger for what's left of the resistance cells in Tripoli to rise up. As of yesterday (20/8/11) there are reports of gunfire in four districts in the capital including the Tajoura district. The Tajoura district of Tripoli is rather like the Brixton district of London or the Bronx district of New York - somewhere the government is never going to be popular and there's always some gunfire. So the current situation in Tripoli is comparable to London's recent riots and last time I checked they didn't cause the capital to fall.
Probably more out of necessity rather then reality Britain though is utterly convinced that this current operation will work and Qaddafi will soon fall. So much so that on August 10th (Month 5, Week 3, Day 4) they caused a leak on the Shell operated Gannet Alpha lateral oil drilling platform in the north sea. The purpose of this was to discuss primarily with the United States which oil company will get Libya's oil once Qaddafi goes. Britain's problem is that it is relying on a handful of people within the rebel's chaotic coalition to sign the oil rights over to a British company. It would be all too easy for these British assets to be removed either through assassination in the coming anarchy or through arrest for the multitude of crimes against humanity they've committed both during their time as rebels and their time as members of the Qaddafi government. The purpose of the Gannet Alpha leak was to find out what America knows and what, if anything, they've got planned. Of course I couldn't possibly comment further.
Meanwhile Britain's frantic claims that Qaddafi is about to fall has prompted the United Nations to raise the question of what will happen to Libya's civilians is that does happen. Based on their own data the UN see the need for mass evacuations and the setting up of Bosnia style safe havens to protect civilians from revenge attacks by the rebels against Qaddafi supporters or "the blacks" as the rebels refer to them.
Clearly this propaganda message is going to drowned out by the current illegal war for oil that Britain's Conservative right are currently fighting in Libya. Also Britain knows full well that it does not have the support to get NATO to extend the operation against Libya beyond the current deadline of September 2011. So Britain knows is must win Libya now or lose it for ever.
The only problem is that Britain has known for a long time that the Libyan rebels have neither the popular support or technical ability to ever take control of the country. So Britain's military planners have given up on everything east of Misrata and west of Brega - some 80% of the country. Instead on or around August 8th (Month 5, Week 3, Day 2) Britain completely disregarded the no-fly zone it's meant to be enforcing and used transport aircraft to insert a small rebel force behind the Libyan government stop line south of Zawiya and Tripoli that runs roughly through the town of Gharain. With Libyan government forces distracted by having to fight against this attack behind the lines British attack aircraft including Apache attack helicopters opened up gaps in the stop line allowing the rebels to advance at speed from their positions in the foothills of the Nafusa mountains to Zawiya.
The rebels have been in Zawiya since August 14th (Month 5, Week 4, Day 1) but in the face of stiff resistance do not look anywhere near capable of securing the city. However because they've suddenly started fighting like a highly trained special forces unit they have managed to secure the oil refinery and cut the main supply route between Tripoli and Tunisia. There are also reports that the rebels have also taken the town of Gharain but that is impossible to verify because both Libyan government and rebel forces are currently in the town. It would appear though that the rebels have managed to cut the main supply route between Tripoli and Algeria. The civilians in the area have done what Libyan civilians always do when they see the rebels advancing and fled.
Although optimistic at best the news that Tripoli has been cut off has acted as the trigger for what's left of the resistance cells in Tripoli to rise up. As of yesterday (20/8/11) there are reports of gunfire in four districts in the capital including the Tajoura district. The Tajoura district of Tripoli is rather like the Brixton district of London or the Bronx district of New York - somewhere the government is never going to be popular and there's always some gunfire. So the current situation in Tripoli is comparable to London's recent riots and last time I checked they didn't cause the capital to fall.
Probably more out of necessity rather then reality Britain though is utterly convinced that this current operation will work and Qaddafi will soon fall. So much so that on August 10th (Month 5, Week 3, Day 4) they caused a leak on the Shell operated Gannet Alpha lateral oil drilling platform in the north sea. The purpose of this was to discuss primarily with the United States which oil company will get Libya's oil once Qaddafi goes. Britain's problem is that it is relying on a handful of people within the rebel's chaotic coalition to sign the oil rights over to a British company. It would be all too easy for these British assets to be removed either through assassination in the coming anarchy or through arrest for the multitude of crimes against humanity they've committed both during their time as rebels and their time as members of the Qaddafi government. The purpose of the Gannet Alpha leak was to find out what America knows and what, if anything, they've got planned. Of course I couldn't possibly comment further.
Meanwhile Britain's frantic claims that Qaddafi is about to fall has prompted the United Nations to raise the question of what will happen to Libya's civilians is that does happen. Based on their own data the UN see the need for mass evacuations and the setting up of Bosnia style safe havens to protect civilians from revenge attacks by the rebels against Qaddafi supporters or "the blacks" as the rebels refer to them.
Saturday, 20 August 2011
Still In Hospital.
My grandmother is being kept in hospital overnight. However there is no indication that the police have been contacted or a criminal investigation has been launched. That's a shame because the GP will now have to do serious jail time or there is no deal. And with the week they've had the Brits really want to do a deal.
Round Again We Go.
Overnight my grandmother fell banging her head causing bruising and bleeding to the back of her skull. At around 07:00 on 20/8/11 an ambulance was called and she was admitted to hospital.
This is now her second hospital admission in less then a month so it is quite clear that she is being abused by her carers. Therefore the hospital has an obligation not to discharge her until the police have been called and arrests have been made. Of course they'll completely ignore that obligation, discharge her and recommend she gets even more carers.
This is now her second hospital admission in less then a month so it is quite clear that she is being abused by her carers. Therefore the hospital has an obligation not to discharge her until the police have been called and arrests have been made. Of course they'll completely ignore that obligation, discharge her and recommend she gets even more carers.
Friday, 19 August 2011
Whoa Dusty
It's 01:00 on August 20th and I have many problems. I assure you though my drugs intake is definitely not one of them.
The first problem I have is that according to the local news advice about the Riot Damages Act 1886 is now available on the Metropolitan Police's website. The second problem I have is that I now can't remember their website.
Yeah 01:06 and I've run out of clever words.
The first problem I have is that according to the local news advice about the Riot Damages Act 1886 is now available on the Metropolitan Police's website. The second problem I have is that I now can't remember their website.
Yeah 01:06 and I've run out of clever words.
Outstanding.
It's 23:01 on August 19th and somewhere amongst the de-brief of last night I saw the best Japanese documentary about Dementia I ever did see.
Unfortunately a little while before that I did get to witness the new series of British Celebrity Big Brother on Channel 5. The main thing to remember about that is I really need a cigarette.
Anyway it's 23:09 and I think the big fight of the evening is between Amy off of the ITV2 show "The Only Way Is Essex" V Paddy off of the gypsy's living at Dale Farm in Essex. Beyond that we've go Kerry Katona doing her best Pink impression, some little black guy off of "Waterloo Road" who looks a bit like F1 Driver Lewis Hamilton and British rapper "Tinie Temper." Jedward off of German Xfactor Lena, Sally Bercow off the Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow and Darren Lyons of the paparazzi. We've also got Tara Reid off of her new marriage and David Hasslehoff's wife giving her advice about her alcohol intake.
And now the cocaine has worn off it's 23:17 and I think we've got a show on our hands. I love what they did scheduling the first episode of the series on the day (18/8/11) A-level results were announced and therefore capturing a whole new generation.
Unfortunately a little while before that I did get to witness the new series of British Celebrity Big Brother on Channel 5. The main thing to remember about that is I really need a cigarette.
Anyway it's 23:09 and I think the big fight of the evening is between Amy off of the ITV2 show "The Only Way Is Essex" V Paddy off of the gypsy's living at Dale Farm in Essex. Beyond that we've go Kerry Katona doing her best Pink impression, some little black guy off of "Waterloo Road" who looks a bit like F1 Driver Lewis Hamilton and British rapper "Tinie Temper." Jedward off of German Xfactor Lena, Sally Bercow off the Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow and Darren Lyons of the paparazzi. We've also got Tara Reid off of her new marriage and David Hasslehoff's wife giving her advice about her alcohol intake.
And now the cocaine has worn off it's 23:17 and I think we've got a show on our hands. I love what they did scheduling the first episode of the series on the day (18/8/11) A-level results were announced and therefore capturing a whole new generation.
Norway: One Month On.
It has been four weeks since Norway was devastated by Anders Behring Breivik who killed 76 people in a bomb attack in Oslo and a shooting rampage on Utoya island. So far I've explained how Britain engineered these attacks to keep Norway in the Libya campaign, ignite tensions between Jews and Muslims and promote discussion about the Julian Assange/Wikileaks trial.
Although these were the main reasons behind the attacks there were others including;
North Sea Oil: Both Norway and Britain have the right to extract oil and gas from the north sea oil reserve. Hoping that it will soon have control of Libya's oil reserves Britain has set about reducing the amount of oil extracted from the north sea reserve by placing exorbitant taxes on oil companies operating there. The idea is to preserve that reserve for as long as possible so Britain still has oil when everyone else has run out. The problem is that Norway hasn't followed suit leaving production and tax levels more or less the same. If this imbalance continues then all the oil companies will simply move from Britain to Norway so all the oil will be pumped out anyway and Britain won't get any revenue from it at all. This has been a source of major tension between the two nations with Britain seemingly shocked and confused that the Norwegian government is acting in Norway's interest rather then Britain's.
Afghanistan: As a NATO member Norway is currently engaged in Afghanistan. Led by the United States NATO members are currently debating the best way to withdraw from Afghanistan. As that withdrawal approaches there has been an increase in attacks carried out by members of the Afghan National Army (ANA) and the Afghan National Police (ANP) or by militants wearing uniforms they'd stolen. As he carried out his attacks Anders Breivik wore a Norwegian police uniform. So that aspect of the attacks was designed to promote discussion about the role of the Afghan police in a post-NATO Afghanistan. America wants to pull out as quickly as possible while Britain wants to stay on until it has trained and therefore gained control of the Afghan police.
The Security Culture: Although it does have crime Norway has nowhere near the levels of crime you get in other western nations such as Britain and the US. As a result Norway simply doesn't need much of the security apparatus such as CCTV cameras and repressive laws that other nations have. For example Norway's only police helicopter was unable to respond to the attacks because it goes on holiday in the summer. So by carrying out the attacks Britain was trying to create fear in order to change Norway's security culture. In part this was done to create a global homogeneity which makes it harder to argue against the ever more totalitarian and repressive measures that Britain wants to introduce. Mainly though it was done to help British companies to sell Norway things like blast resistant glass which Britain is something of a market leader in. Also according to some conspiracy theories this was also the reason Israel carried out the 9/11 attacks and those attacks were most certainly exploited after the fact for that reason. So discussing this aspect of the Norwegian attacks feeds into reinforcing the entirely false idea that the 9/11 attacks were an Israel false flag attack which in turn inflames tensions between Jews and Muslims.
Now there are also other reasons why the attacks were carried out but I think this is enough for now because we are talking about a decreasing level of importance. Meanwhile Britain continues it's relentless pressure on Norway. First in the form of the polar bear attack and then through the oil leak at the Gannet Alpha lateral drilling platform in the north sea. This is actually the basis of a hostile bilateral discussion between Britain and the US over Libya amongst other things. However because they share north sea oil, north sea wildlife and north sea coastline Norway have been dragged into the middle of it.
Although these were the main reasons behind the attacks there were others including;
North Sea Oil: Both Norway and Britain have the right to extract oil and gas from the north sea oil reserve. Hoping that it will soon have control of Libya's oil reserves Britain has set about reducing the amount of oil extracted from the north sea reserve by placing exorbitant taxes on oil companies operating there. The idea is to preserve that reserve for as long as possible so Britain still has oil when everyone else has run out. The problem is that Norway hasn't followed suit leaving production and tax levels more or less the same. If this imbalance continues then all the oil companies will simply move from Britain to Norway so all the oil will be pumped out anyway and Britain won't get any revenue from it at all. This has been a source of major tension between the two nations with Britain seemingly shocked and confused that the Norwegian government is acting in Norway's interest rather then Britain's.
Afghanistan: As a NATO member Norway is currently engaged in Afghanistan. Led by the United States NATO members are currently debating the best way to withdraw from Afghanistan. As that withdrawal approaches there has been an increase in attacks carried out by members of the Afghan National Army (ANA) and the Afghan National Police (ANP) or by militants wearing uniforms they'd stolen. As he carried out his attacks Anders Breivik wore a Norwegian police uniform. So that aspect of the attacks was designed to promote discussion about the role of the Afghan police in a post-NATO Afghanistan. America wants to pull out as quickly as possible while Britain wants to stay on until it has trained and therefore gained control of the Afghan police.
The Security Culture: Although it does have crime Norway has nowhere near the levels of crime you get in other western nations such as Britain and the US. As a result Norway simply doesn't need much of the security apparatus such as CCTV cameras and repressive laws that other nations have. For example Norway's only police helicopter was unable to respond to the attacks because it goes on holiday in the summer. So by carrying out the attacks Britain was trying to create fear in order to change Norway's security culture. In part this was done to create a global homogeneity which makes it harder to argue against the ever more totalitarian and repressive measures that Britain wants to introduce. Mainly though it was done to help British companies to sell Norway things like blast resistant glass which Britain is something of a market leader in. Also according to some conspiracy theories this was also the reason Israel carried out the 9/11 attacks and those attacks were most certainly exploited after the fact for that reason. So discussing this aspect of the Norwegian attacks feeds into reinforcing the entirely false idea that the 9/11 attacks were an Israel false flag attack which in turn inflames tensions between Jews and Muslims.
Now there are also other reasons why the attacks were carried out but I think this is enough for now because we are talking about a decreasing level of importance. Meanwhile Britain continues it's relentless pressure on Norway. First in the form of the polar bear attack and then through the oil leak at the Gannet Alpha lateral drilling platform in the north sea. This is actually the basis of a hostile bilateral discussion between Britain and the US over Libya amongst other things. However because they share north sea oil, north sea wildlife and north sea coastline Norway have been dragged into the middle of it.
Yeah Fake.
Overnight the Taliban attacked the British Council offices in Kabul and the building remains under Taliban control. At least 8 Afghans have been killed so far in the attack but all the British nationals remain safe locked in a panic room awaiting heroic rescue the British Army. This is pretty obviously an attempt by Britain to reinforce the entirely false notion that my problems are caused by Croydon Council acting unilaterally.
Especially after that Chinook helicopter crash you would think that America would now be seriously concerned about the apparent overlap between British intelligence services and the Afghan Taliban. Not least because while America continues it's unconditional support for Britain stock markets across the world hurtle toward oblivion.
Especially after that Chinook helicopter crash you would think that America would now be seriously concerned about the apparent overlap between British intelligence services and the Afghan Taliban. Not least because while America continues it's unconditional support for Britain stock markets across the world hurtle toward oblivion.
Thursday, 18 August 2011
And With Perfect Timing
It's now 22:57 on August 18th and just as the United Nations Security Council is debating passing a resolution calling on Syria to prosecute all those who have committed human rights abuses my grandmother's had a small fall and got herself in to a big panic.
It's not her fault. It's just that these years of carers and involuntary but sustained drug abuse has eroded her natural coping mechanisms and created dependence. This of course completely undermines the independent living approach to social care which was founded in the USA in the 1970's and has been official British (NHS) policy since the early 1990's.
So is Britain voting with a straight face on this one.
It's not her fault. It's just that these years of carers and involuntary but sustained drug abuse has eroded her natural coping mechanisms and created dependence. This of course completely undermines the independent living approach to social care which was founded in the USA in the 1970's and has been official British (NHS) policy since the early 1990's.
So is Britain voting with a straight face on this one.
Now That Is a Problem.
Today (18/8/11) I telephoned Croydon Magistrate Court to chase up this statutory nuisance matter because really three months is more then enough time to process the paperwork. Sadly the court is still refusing to answer it's phones. This isn't much of a problem for me because it leaves me in exactly the same position I was in yesterday.
However it might be a very serious problem for the court. You see Britain has given a series of firm undertakings to the UN security council that not only will they try the case they'll convict. So by refusing to do that Croydon Magistrates Court is in defiance of both the law and the British government of the day which is quite a risky position to be in. Perhaps they should have got the hint when all those arrested in the Croydon riots were transferred out of borough to Westminster Magistrates Court to avoid questions about unsafe convictions.
Mind you the security council are meeting today to discuss Syria and there are almost daily high level UN meetings over the East Africa food crisis/Somali famine. So maybe, just maybe Britain was lying all along in order to work an angle to get themselves back in the game.
As for the statutory nuisance matter the onus today is exactly where it was yesterday. On the court to send out a summons and contact me with the date the trial will take place and the conviction will be announced.
However it might be a very serious problem for the court. You see Britain has given a series of firm undertakings to the UN security council that not only will they try the case they'll convict. So by refusing to do that Croydon Magistrates Court is in defiance of both the law and the British government of the day which is quite a risky position to be in. Perhaps they should have got the hint when all those arrested in the Croydon riots were transferred out of borough to Westminster Magistrates Court to avoid questions about unsafe convictions.
Mind you the security council are meeting today to discuss Syria and there are almost daily high level UN meetings over the East Africa food crisis/Somali famine. So maybe, just maybe Britain was lying all along in order to work an angle to get themselves back in the game.
As for the statutory nuisance matter the onus today is exactly where it was yesterday. On the court to send out a summons and contact me with the date the trial will take place and the conviction will be announced.
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
Kadima Are on the Backfoot.
You may remember that back in July supporters of Israel's progressive left Kadima party staged Tahrir square style protests in Tel Aviv. These were designed to open up the Israeli political system ahead of September's vote on Palestinian statehood and some would say projected a negative image of Israel. After coming in for some criticism inside Israel Kadima expanded the protests but turned them into a campaign for more affordable homes.
This provided the centre right Likud party and the religious right wing Yisreal Beiteinu party with the perfect pre-text to approve another 5,500 housing units of illegally occupied Palestinian territory. These include 2,500 in East Jerusalem which the Palestinians hope will become the capital of their new Palestinian state. So less then a month from that vote it doesn't feel like we're moving forward.
This provided the centre right Likud party and the religious right wing Yisreal Beiteinu party with the perfect pre-text to approve another 5,500 housing units of illegally occupied Palestinian territory. These include 2,500 in East Jerusalem which the Palestinians hope will become the capital of their new Palestinian state. So less then a month from that vote it doesn't feel like we're moving forward.
That's Not Good For the Paranoia
This afternoon (17/8/11) I did a quick web search for this Gordon Thompson who has been charged with arson in relation to the fire at the Reeves furniture store during the Croydon riots. As there are now so many news reports about the incident I found absolutely nothing of any use. However as I was doing this two sinister but civilian black helicopters took up a formation hover above my house. That means we're looking at private money and lots of it.
So never let it be said that all the compensation the police will have to pay out for riot damage will have to be paid for through higher taxes. After all the police can simply recover the costs from those found to be responsible for the damage.
So never let it be said that all the compensation the police will have to pay out for riot damage will have to be paid for through higher taxes. After all the police can simply recover the costs from those found to be responsible for the damage.
Tuesday, 16 August 2011
Can I Mention This Now
Without it counting as incitement to riot?
Long term readers may remember that last Tuesday (9/8/11) my grandmother's GP was meant to visit to carry out a medical (drugs review) assessment on my grandmother following her discharge from hospital.
Unfortunately on Monday August 8th Dr Shaikh of the Parchmore Road Medical Centre (undamaged in the riots) telephoned my father and flatly refused to attend on the grounds that one of several questionable drugs that my grandmother is being prescribed "is a very low dose so there's no need to worry." Now a reasonable person would consider this definite grounds to launch a prosecution against said doctor for attempted murder contrary to section 23 of the offences against the person act 1861.
Unfortunately my father still considers himself to be "Alzheimer's Man!" The hero who is going to provide Britain will all the information it needs about elderly care and therefore save the world. So when we were at the pub this Tuesday (16/8/11) he did his usual trick of pushing every last pea around the plate in order to make the conversation last as long as humanly possible. So I simply walked out on him. Unfortunately once we'd returned home, just as CSI:Miami started, he re-started the argument.
So I went off and watched "The Hour" on BBC2 which is much better even if it does borrow heavily from Glorious '39.
Anyway it's 23:00 on Tuesday August 14th 2011.
Long term readers may remember that last Tuesday (9/8/11) my grandmother's GP was meant to visit to carry out a medical (drugs review) assessment on my grandmother following her discharge from hospital.
Unfortunately on Monday August 8th Dr Shaikh of the Parchmore Road Medical Centre (undamaged in the riots) telephoned my father and flatly refused to attend on the grounds that one of several questionable drugs that my grandmother is being prescribed "is a very low dose so there's no need to worry." Now a reasonable person would consider this definite grounds to launch a prosecution against said doctor for attempted murder contrary to section 23 of the offences against the person act 1861.
Unfortunately my father still considers himself to be "Alzheimer's Man!" The hero who is going to provide Britain will all the information it needs about elderly care and therefore save the world. So when we were at the pub this Tuesday (16/8/11) he did his usual trick of pushing every last pea around the plate in order to make the conversation last as long as humanly possible. So I simply walked out on him. Unfortunately once we'd returned home, just as CSI:Miami started, he re-started the argument.
So I went off and watched "The Hour" on BBC2 which is much better even if it does borrow heavily from Glorious '39.
Anyway it's 23:00 on Tuesday August 14th 2011.
Phone Hacking's Back (again).
It must be time to change the subject.
After being recalled due to the riots and spending most of the week running around like headless chickens Britain's politicians have started to try to stamp their authority on the crisis. First up was the Prime Minister David Cameron (Conservative) who promised to tackle the gang culture that has gripped so many young people in Britain's tough inner cities and was totally, utterly and completely the cause of all the rioting. To drive home his point the Prime Minister spoke in front of an audience of young people in the notoriously tough inner-city area of south Oxfordshire(!)
Then the Labour run Hackney council held a "Tea Party" in the streets to peacefully bring together the community. This was clearly a dig at the American Tea Party movement. Next the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrat) announced a consultation exercise "to allow the victims of the riots to join in a dialogue with the leaders of the three main political parties" before wandering off the stage looking lost and mumbling something about making offenders wear orange.
Bizarrely the party leader who came up with the strongest response was Labour's Ed Miliband who called for a full public inquiry into the riots. Normally I'm not a fan of public inquiries because they're usually just a way of making a lot of noise without getting anything done. However I did see the British TV schedules for Sunday (14/8/11) night.
On ITV1 at 21:00 there was a brand new episode of the UK version of Law & Order. I won't spoil it for you but the story centred on a gang related murder on a Tottenham housing estate. The murder weapon was a converted Bruni 8mm Olympic 6 starting pistol. At the same time on BBC2 there was a British film called Glorious '39. This thriller centred around a gang of British spies, aristocrats and church leaders killing people in order to keep Britain out of the second world war and help Nazi Germany conquer Europe. This was followed by another British film called FishTank which hopes to solve all the problems of Britain's inner-cities through the medium of dance. About six hours earlier firefighters in Croydon had been called to deal with a fire caused by a faulty Fish Tank. Channel 4 is also running a special season of programs dedicated to exploring British urban youth culture including street dance. You can join in the debate at a number of specially dedicated websites.
Of course all of these programs were made and scheduled at least a week before the rioting broke out. So I think there should be a public inquiry into the riots. That inquiry should focus mainly on the events that led to the police shooting dead Mark Duggan on Ferry Road in Tottenham on August 4th
After being recalled due to the riots and spending most of the week running around like headless chickens Britain's politicians have started to try to stamp their authority on the crisis. First up was the Prime Minister David Cameron (Conservative) who promised to tackle the gang culture that has gripped so many young people in Britain's tough inner cities and was totally, utterly and completely the cause of all the rioting. To drive home his point the Prime Minister spoke in front of an audience of young people in the notoriously tough inner-city area of south Oxfordshire(!)
Then the Labour run Hackney council held a "Tea Party" in the streets to peacefully bring together the community. This was clearly a dig at the American Tea Party movement. Next the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrat) announced a consultation exercise "to allow the victims of the riots to join in a dialogue with the leaders of the three main political parties" before wandering off the stage looking lost and mumbling something about making offenders wear orange.
Bizarrely the party leader who came up with the strongest response was Labour's Ed Miliband who called for a full public inquiry into the riots. Normally I'm not a fan of public inquiries because they're usually just a way of making a lot of noise without getting anything done. However I did see the British TV schedules for Sunday (14/8/11) night.
On ITV1 at 21:00 there was a brand new episode of the UK version of Law & Order. I won't spoil it for you but the story centred on a gang related murder on a Tottenham housing estate. The murder weapon was a converted Bruni 8mm Olympic 6 starting pistol. At the same time on BBC2 there was a British film called Glorious '39. This thriller centred around a gang of British spies, aristocrats and church leaders killing people in order to keep Britain out of the second world war and help Nazi Germany conquer Europe. This was followed by another British film called FishTank which hopes to solve all the problems of Britain's inner-cities through the medium of dance. About six hours earlier firefighters in Croydon had been called to deal with a fire caused by a faulty Fish Tank. Channel 4 is also running a special season of programs dedicated to exploring British urban youth culture including street dance. You can join in the debate at a number of specially dedicated websites.
Of course all of these programs were made and scheduled at least a week before the rioting broke out. So I think there should be a public inquiry into the riots. That inquiry should focus mainly on the events that led to the police shooting dead Mark Duggan on Ferry Road in Tottenham on August 4th
Sunday, 14 August 2011
Riot Damages: The Claim Form.
For my sins I've been going through the "Form of Claim, Riot Damages Act 1886" which can be downloaded here;
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksro/1921/1536/pdfs/uksro_19211536_en.pdf
Although it was written in 1921 it's just your standard insurance claim form. On the first page the first five (5) points are rather self explanatory. For point six (6) you need to write in the address where property was damaged, stolen or destroyed. For point seven (7) you need to write a brief description of what happened e.g "Shop looted during riot" or "House set on fire during riot." The "during riot" part is important because the act does not cover crimes committed outside of a riot situation.
For point eight (8) you are asked to provide documents proving both that there was a riot and that the property you are claiming for existed. For the worst hit areas the address should be enough to prove that there was a riot. However you should also include a crime reference number from the police. Photographs of the scene and copies of the local newspaper will also help because no-one's ever had a claim turned down for providing too much evidence. As for proving the existence of the stolen/destroyed/damaged property send photocopies of receipts, invoices, stock lists etc. Remember to label each document with either a number or "Exhibit A", Exhibit B" etc. Then in the small section on the form write things like "Exhibit A - police crime number", "Exhibits B-F - receipts."
Point nine (9) is for any documents like property title deeds, tenancy agreements, business accounts, CCTV footage that is too valuable or too bulky to send in with the form. Simply list them and say that they can be viewed by appointment at contact details.
Then there are the Schedules which I think are too small to be of any use. So don't be afraid to write "See attached" on them and continue on separate sheet(s) provided that those sheets are correctly labelled e.g "Schedule A" and contain all the information the form asks for.
Schedule A covers buildings owned by you that have been completely destroyed. Fortunately this won't apply to most people so simply cross it through and write N/A for non-applicable . If it does apply to you then really need a solicitor. However in the first column you should write the address of the property, what type of building it was and your interest in it. So for example "99 Madeup Road, shop, owned and occupied." or "99A Madeup Road, apartment, owned but rented to another." The second column asks how it was destroyed so you should write something like "fire" or explosion" depending on what happened. The third column just asks how much it will cost to replace it so just write how much you paid for it or an approximate market value. Point one (1) here asks for the name of any insurer who has insured the property and how much they are expected to pay out. This figure will be deducted from the claim under the act. So unless you actually have a firm, written figure from you insurer at the time you submit the form I would just write the name of the insurer and the figure £0.00. However if your insurer does pay out after you make your claim you are obligated to pay that money back.
Schedule B covers repairable damage to buildings owned by you. If this does not apply to you cross it through and write N/A. However if it does apply in the first column you should write the address of the property, the type of property it is and your interest in it e.g "99 Madeup Road, shop owned and occupied." The second column asks for a brief description of the damage done so you would write something like "Window smashed" or "Shutters torn away." In the third column you write in the cost of repairs if they've already been carried out and include an invoice. In the fourth column you write a tradesman's estimate for the cost of repair if they've not been carried out. Also include a copy of that quote when you submit the form. Point two (2) here should be treated the same as point one (1) in schedule A.
Schedule C Part 1 relates to property that belongs to you that has been damaged inside a property. Unless you intend to repair damaged items rather then simply replacing them just cross this section through and write N/A. However if it is more cost effective to repair the first column asks for just the address in question. The second column asks for details of the property damaged. So you would write something like "Cash register smashed open" or "TV knocked from stand and smashed." In the third column you write in the cost of repair if the item has already been repaired and include an invoice. In the fourth column write a tradesman's estimate of the cost of repair if it's yet to be carried out and include a copy of the quote. In the fifth column write any additional costs other then repair such as hiring a replacement while repairs are carried out. Point one (1) here should be treated the same as point one (1) in schedule A.
Schedule C Part 2 relates to property that has been damaged which you do not own but has been left in you care by it's owner. The kitchen appliances in a rented apartment would be a prime example. If it does not apply to you simply cross it through and write N/A. However if it does you fill in part 2 in exactly the same way you fill in part 1 but where it asks you for the name and address of the property owner you write in the name and address of the property owner. Point two (2) here should be treated the same as Point one (1) in schedule A.
Schedule D Part 1 relates to property owned by you that has either been stolen or damaged beyond repair. If it does not apply to you simply cross it through and write N/A. The first column asks for just the address where the property was stolen/destroyed so you write the address. The second column asks for a brief description of what was stolen/destroyed. So you write things like "Apple iPhone." The third column asks for the value of the item. So you write in the value of the item and include a receipt when you submit the form. Point one (1) here should be treated the same a point one (1) in schedule A.
Schedule D Part 2 covers property that was stolen/damaged which was not owned by you but had been placed in your care by it's owner. If it does not apply to you simply cross it through and write N/A. However if it applies to you fill it out in the same was schedule D Part 1 but include the name and address of the property owner. Point two (2) here should be treated the same as point one (1) in schedule A.
There is then the summary where you add up all the totals from the schedules. Finally there is the declaration which you fill out as applicable, write your address, sign and date. Obviously where it says "19" for the date cross it out and write "2011." I should warn you that by signing the declaration you are making the form an official document so if you knowingly submit false information you could be prosecuted. I should also warn you that I have no legal qualification or training so this is simply my opinion. If you have doubts and can afford it you should seek proper legal advice.
There is also some debate about whether or not you can claim for damage to vehicles under the act. In my untrained, unqualified opinion I think that you can but only if those vehicles are used as part of your business. If the vehicle in question is not registered to a business you will have to open you accounts and tax records to prove that it is a machine used for the purposes of running
a business.
Anyway I think it's probably best if I leave this topic alone for now otherwise it will look like I'm starting a campaign and that won't help make things run any smoother.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksro/1921/1536/pdfs/uksro_19211536_en.pdf
Although it was written in 1921 it's just your standard insurance claim form. On the first page the first five (5) points are rather self explanatory. For point six (6) you need to write in the address where property was damaged, stolen or destroyed. For point seven (7) you need to write a brief description of what happened e.g "Shop looted during riot" or "House set on fire during riot." The "during riot" part is important because the act does not cover crimes committed outside of a riot situation.
For point eight (8) you are asked to provide documents proving both that there was a riot and that the property you are claiming for existed. For the worst hit areas the address should be enough to prove that there was a riot. However you should also include a crime reference number from the police. Photographs of the scene and copies of the local newspaper will also help because no-one's ever had a claim turned down for providing too much evidence. As for proving the existence of the stolen/destroyed/damaged property send photocopies of receipts, invoices, stock lists etc. Remember to label each document with either a number or "Exhibit A", Exhibit B" etc. Then in the small section on the form write things like "Exhibit A - police crime number", "Exhibits B-F - receipts."
Point nine (9) is for any documents like property title deeds, tenancy agreements, business accounts, CCTV footage that is too valuable or too bulky to send in with the form. Simply list them and say that they can be viewed by appointment at contact details.
Then there are the Schedules which I think are too small to be of any use. So don't be afraid to write "See attached" on them and continue on separate sheet(s) provided that those sheets are correctly labelled e.g "Schedule A" and contain all the information the form asks for.
Schedule A covers buildings owned by you that have been completely destroyed. Fortunately this won't apply to most people so simply cross it through and write N/A for non-applicable . If it does apply to you then really need a solicitor. However in the first column you should write the address of the property, what type of building it was and your interest in it. So for example "99 Madeup Road, shop, owned and occupied." or "99A Madeup Road, apartment, owned but rented to another." The second column asks how it was destroyed so you should write something like "fire" or explosion" depending on what happened. The third column just asks how much it will cost to replace it so just write how much you paid for it or an approximate market value. Point one (1) here asks for the name of any insurer who has insured the property and how much they are expected to pay out. This figure will be deducted from the claim under the act. So unless you actually have a firm, written figure from you insurer at the time you submit the form I would just write the name of the insurer and the figure £0.00. However if your insurer does pay out after you make your claim you are obligated to pay that money back.
Schedule B covers repairable damage to buildings owned by you. If this does not apply to you cross it through and write N/A. However if it does apply in the first column you should write the address of the property, the type of property it is and your interest in it e.g "99 Madeup Road, shop owned and occupied." The second column asks for a brief description of the damage done so you would write something like "Window smashed" or "Shutters torn away." In the third column you write in the cost of repairs if they've already been carried out and include an invoice. In the fourth column you write a tradesman's estimate for the cost of repair if they've not been carried out. Also include a copy of that quote when you submit the form. Point two (2) here should be treated the same as point one (1) in schedule A.
Schedule C Part 1 relates to property that belongs to you that has been damaged inside a property. Unless you intend to repair damaged items rather then simply replacing them just cross this section through and write N/A. However if it is more cost effective to repair the first column asks for just the address in question. The second column asks for details of the property damaged. So you would write something like "Cash register smashed open" or "TV knocked from stand and smashed." In the third column you write in the cost of repair if the item has already been repaired and include an invoice. In the fourth column write a tradesman's estimate of the cost of repair if it's yet to be carried out and include a copy of the quote. In the fifth column write any additional costs other then repair such as hiring a replacement while repairs are carried out. Point one (1) here should be treated the same as point one (1) in schedule A.
Schedule C Part 2 relates to property that has been damaged which you do not own but has been left in you care by it's owner. The kitchen appliances in a rented apartment would be a prime example. If it does not apply to you simply cross it through and write N/A. However if it does you fill in part 2 in exactly the same way you fill in part 1 but where it asks you for the name and address of the property owner you write in the name and address of the property owner. Point two (2) here should be treated the same as Point one (1) in schedule A.
Schedule D Part 1 relates to property owned by you that has either been stolen or damaged beyond repair. If it does not apply to you simply cross it through and write N/A. The first column asks for just the address where the property was stolen/destroyed so you write the address. The second column asks for a brief description of what was stolen/destroyed. So you write things like "Apple iPhone." The third column asks for the value of the item. So you write in the value of the item and include a receipt when you submit the form. Point one (1) here should be treated the same a point one (1) in schedule A.
Schedule D Part 2 covers property that was stolen/damaged which was not owned by you but had been placed in your care by it's owner. If it does not apply to you simply cross it through and write N/A. However if it applies to you fill it out in the same was schedule D Part 1 but include the name and address of the property owner. Point two (2) here should be treated the same as point one (1) in schedule A.
There is then the summary where you add up all the totals from the schedules. Finally there is the declaration which you fill out as applicable, write your address, sign and date. Obviously where it says "19" for the date cross it out and write "2011." I should warn you that by signing the declaration you are making the form an official document so if you knowingly submit false information you could be prosecuted. I should also warn you that I have no legal qualification or training so this is simply my opinion. If you have doubts and can afford it you should seek proper legal advice.
There is also some debate about whether or not you can claim for damage to vehicles under the act. In my untrained, unqualified opinion I think that you can but only if those vehicles are used as part of your business. If the vehicle in question is not registered to a business you will have to open you accounts and tax records to prove that it is a machine used for the purposes of running
a business.
Anyway I think it's probably best if I leave this topic alone for now otherwise it will look like I'm starting a campaign and that won't help make things run any smoother.
Operation Oil Theft: Month 5, Week 4, Day 1.
In Libya this week the unofficial Ramadan ceasefire has not held. In the east of the country the rebels have still failed to regain control of the town of Brega almost a month after Libyan government forces abandoned the town and the rebels promised to re-take it in record time.
The rebels have had slightly more success on the Misrata front line. As of Saturday (13/8/11) they seem to be in control of the town on Tawargha south of Misrata save for some small pockets of government resistance. Although of limited strategic importance Tawargha is where Libyan government forces had based the artillery and long range rockets they'd been using against rebel positions in and around Misrata. With extensive help from NATO close air support the rebels have been able to push those heavy weapons out of Tawargha meaning that they are no longer in range of most of Misrata.
The most dramatic developments though have come on the Nafusa mountains front line. Today (14/8/11) the rebels claim to be in control of the town of Zawiya some 18 miles (30km) outside of the capital Tripoli. This is almost incredible because it would have required the rebels to have advance some 125 miles (200km) from their positions in the foothills of the Nafusa mountains in little over four days - something that would have required the complete collapse of the Libyan government forces. So I think this is the result of a commando style lighting raid rather then a proper military advance. The idea being that a small but highly mobile raiding party smash their way into an area in order to grab a high profile, attention grabbing and morale boosting victory. They are then very quickly pushed out of the area but not before they've caused panic and gathered intelligence on how the area is being defended. So a bit like the London riots then only with heavier weapons.
Also the mystery of whether or not Muammer Qaddafi's youngest son, Khamis al-Qaddafi was killed in a NATO air strike near Ziltan last week has been solved. Put simply he wasn't. What did happen though was NATO aircraft attacked civilian positions in Majar near Ziltan killing at least 85 and injuring hundreds more. NATO claimed that Khamis al-Qaddafi's 32nd Armoured Brigade was in the area in an attempt to cover up the fact they'd attacked a civilian target. This ruse fell apart somewhat when Khamis al-Qaddafi was filmed visiting survivors of the attack in hospital. I hope you weren't expecting to see that on the western media.
The rebels have had slightly more success on the Misrata front line. As of Saturday (13/8/11) they seem to be in control of the town on Tawargha south of Misrata save for some small pockets of government resistance. Although of limited strategic importance Tawargha is where Libyan government forces had based the artillery and long range rockets they'd been using against rebel positions in and around Misrata. With extensive help from NATO close air support the rebels have been able to push those heavy weapons out of Tawargha meaning that they are no longer in range of most of Misrata.
The most dramatic developments though have come on the Nafusa mountains front line. Today (14/8/11) the rebels claim to be in control of the town of Zawiya some 18 miles (30km) outside of the capital Tripoli. This is almost incredible because it would have required the rebels to have advance some 125 miles (200km) from their positions in the foothills of the Nafusa mountains in little over four days - something that would have required the complete collapse of the Libyan government forces. So I think this is the result of a commando style lighting raid rather then a proper military advance. The idea being that a small but highly mobile raiding party smash their way into an area in order to grab a high profile, attention grabbing and morale boosting victory. They are then very quickly pushed out of the area but not before they've caused panic and gathered intelligence on how the area is being defended. So a bit like the London riots then only with heavier weapons.
Also the mystery of whether or not Muammer Qaddafi's youngest son, Khamis al-Qaddafi was killed in a NATO air strike near Ziltan last week has been solved. Put simply he wasn't. What did happen though was NATO aircraft attacked civilian positions in Majar near Ziltan killing at least 85 and injuring hundreds more. NATO claimed that Khamis al-Qaddafi's 32nd Armoured Brigade was in the area in an attempt to cover up the fact they'd attacked a civilian target. This ruse fell apart somewhat when Khamis al-Qaddafi was filmed visiting survivors of the attack in hospital. I hope you weren't expecting to see that on the western media.
Friday, 12 August 2011
Yay Paperwork.
It's 23:24 on Friday 12/8/11. I'm a little bit late because I've decided to print off this document;
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksro/1921/1536/pdfs/uksro_19211536_en.pdf
which is the claim form for the Riot Damages Act 1886.
Obviously I will need to read through this in much more detail tomorrow. However for now I will say that for Schedules A, B, C and D where it says "Deduct sum or which Claimant is entitled to or may receive as compensation for" you should name your insurance company but unless you have actually received a letter containing a written figure from that insurance company at the time you submit the form you are legally entitled to subtract the sum of "£0.00" from the amount claimed.
Oh f*ck it. It's now 23:36 and the fewer of these forms that come in with my signature the more chance there is of them getting paid.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksro/1921/1536/pdfs/uksro_19211536_en.pdf
which is the claim form for the Riot Damages Act 1886.
Obviously I will need to read through this in much more detail tomorrow. However for now I will say that for Schedules A, B, C and D where it says "Deduct sum or which Claimant is entitled to or may receive as compensation for" you should name your insurance company but unless you have actually received a letter containing a written figure from that insurance company at the time you submit the form you are legally entitled to subtract the sum of "£0.00" from the amount claimed.
Oh f*ck it. It's now 23:36 and the fewer of these forms that come in with my signature the more chance there is of them getting paid.
The Mark Duggan Shooting
Today (12/8/11) life in Britain is slowly returning to normal after a week in which vicious and violent rioting engulfed large parts of the country. This rioting was the worst civil unrest that has been seen in Britain since the General Strike of the 1920's and was more akin to the sort of violence that you see in places like Syria, Nigeria and Haiti. It was all sparked by the shooting of a man called Mark Duggan by the Metropolitan police in the Tottenham area of London on Thursday August 4th 2011.
Obviously this incident is still the subject of an ongoing investigation. I do not know any of the people involved and I do not have access to all the facts. However in my opinion what happened is as follows;
On the day in question Mark Duggan was acting as a courier. That is to say he was transporting a gun from one person in one location to another person in another location. He may have been doing this because he's been paid too or because he's been intimidated into it and he may not have known exactly what he was transporting. The problem was that even before Mr Duggan set out on his journey somebody had already informed the Metropolitan police's anti-gun crime unit known as Operation Trident (SCD11) that he would be travelling through Tottenham carrying a gun on that day. This gave the SCD11 officers little choice other then to mount an operation to arrest Mr Duggan and take the illegal gun off the streets. As is standard procedure in this type of operation SCD11 enlisted help from armed officers from the Metropolitan police's specialist firearms unit (CO19) to stop the vehicle, secure the suspect(s) and secure any firearms.
Unfortunately when the CO19 officers surrounded the silver Toyota Estima taxi that Mr Duggan was travelling in on Ferry Road at 18:15 something went wrong. One of the CO19 officers either deliberately or accidentally discharged a single 9mm jacketed round from their Heckler & Koch MP5 carbine. Although DNA tests have yet to be completed it is unlikely that this bullet struck Mr Duggan. Instead it struck one of the other CO19 officers in their radio/bulletproof vest. Thinking that Mr Duggan had fired at them and therefore being in fear of their lives either the CO19 officer who'd been struck by the bullet or more likely a third CO19 officer reacted as they'd been trained too and fired two 9mm jacketed rounds from their H&K MP5 carbine in quick succession into what shooters call the central body mass. These two bullets struck Mr Duggan in his chest and upper left arm killing him almost instantly. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 18:41.
After searching the vehicle the police also recovered a third firearm that has so far only been identified as some sort of Bruni 8mm blank firing/sporting pistol which had been converted to fire 9mm jacket rounds. Although this gun had most certainly been fired at some point in it's life it had not been fired on that day. In fact it only contained one bullet which was in the magazine rather then the chamber so it had not even been made ready to fire and according to some reports it was still firmly wrapped in a sock.
Normally in high profile situations like this the police immediately try to calm things down by providing the victims family with lots of support and making neutral statements about the need not to jump to conclusions until the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) conduct a thorough investigation. On this occasion though the police chose to inflame the situation further by pretty much ignoring the Duggan family and releasing an entirely false but hugely provocative statement about how their officers had heroically shot and killed an armed gangster who was trying to kill them. Although the exact words were not used this statement may as well as said; "The police think the only good nigger is a dead nigger." Obviously this made the people of Tottenham furious so when the police continued to ignore the Duggan family on Friday and Saturday the rioting started.
Although the circumstances of the actual shooting are still somewhat unclear the mistakes in how the aftermath was handled are such elementary mistakes I am in little doubt that someone - not necessarily the police - set Mark Duggan up to be killed in order to create an interesting talking point and provoke a very real riot but one that was limited to the Tottenham area over one or possibly two nights. There are many reasons for why this was done however the main ones are;
As for what should now be done about the people involved in the Mark Duggan shooting the key questions are who gave him the gun and who told the police he had a gun? If a link between these people and the police can be found then they and all of the police officers involved in the operation should be tried for murder by way of joint enterprise because although only one of them actually killed Mr Duggan they were all involved and no-one tried to stop it.
If no such link can be found I think it would be unfair to try the CO19 officer who fired the fatal shots for murder on their own. This is because if I had a gun and I was getting shot at I would most certainly shoot at the person I thought was doing it until they stopped. I don't see why this shouldn't apply equally to a police officer. However the CO19 officer who fired the first shot should most certainly be tried for negligent manslaughter through the careless handling of a firearm because it would be nearly impossible to prove that they fired on purpose.
Failing that the entire Metropolitan Police force should be tried for corporate manslaughter as the were over the shooting of Jean Charles De Menezes.
However at the risk of provoking further riots which I do not want to see I think that achieving any of these outcomes is going to be very difficult because the case is not as clear cut as the Ian Tomlinson killing and that was incredibly difficult to bring to trial. So the Duggan family will have to decide if the pain of not seeing justice done is worse then the pain of trying to get justice done.
Obviously this incident is still the subject of an ongoing investigation. I do not know any of the people involved and I do not have access to all the facts. However in my opinion what happened is as follows;
On the day in question Mark Duggan was acting as a courier. That is to say he was transporting a gun from one person in one location to another person in another location. He may have been doing this because he's been paid too or because he's been intimidated into it and he may not have known exactly what he was transporting. The problem was that even before Mr Duggan set out on his journey somebody had already informed the Metropolitan police's anti-gun crime unit known as Operation Trident (SCD11) that he would be travelling through Tottenham carrying a gun on that day. This gave the SCD11 officers little choice other then to mount an operation to arrest Mr Duggan and take the illegal gun off the streets. As is standard procedure in this type of operation SCD11 enlisted help from armed officers from the Metropolitan police's specialist firearms unit (CO19) to stop the vehicle, secure the suspect(s) and secure any firearms.
Unfortunately when the CO19 officers surrounded the silver Toyota Estima taxi that Mr Duggan was travelling in on Ferry Road at 18:15 something went wrong. One of the CO19 officers either deliberately or accidentally discharged a single 9mm jacketed round from their Heckler & Koch MP5 carbine. Although DNA tests have yet to be completed it is unlikely that this bullet struck Mr Duggan. Instead it struck one of the other CO19 officers in their radio/bulletproof vest. Thinking that Mr Duggan had fired at them and therefore being in fear of their lives either the CO19 officer who'd been struck by the bullet or more likely a third CO19 officer reacted as they'd been trained too and fired two 9mm jacketed rounds from their H&K MP5 carbine in quick succession into what shooters call the central body mass. These two bullets struck Mr Duggan in his chest and upper left arm killing him almost instantly. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 18:41.
After searching the vehicle the police also recovered a third firearm that has so far only been identified as some sort of Bruni 8mm blank firing/sporting pistol which had been converted to fire 9mm jacket rounds. Although this gun had most certainly been fired at some point in it's life it had not been fired on that day. In fact it only contained one bullet which was in the magazine rather then the chamber so it had not even been made ready to fire and according to some reports it was still firmly wrapped in a sock.
Normally in high profile situations like this the police immediately try to calm things down by providing the victims family with lots of support and making neutral statements about the need not to jump to conclusions until the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) conduct a thorough investigation. On this occasion though the police chose to inflame the situation further by pretty much ignoring the Duggan family and releasing an entirely false but hugely provocative statement about how their officers had heroically shot and killed an armed gangster who was trying to kill them. Although the exact words were not used this statement may as well as said; "The police think the only good nigger is a dead nigger." Obviously this made the people of Tottenham furious so when the police continued to ignore the Duggan family on Friday and Saturday the rioting started.
Although the circumstances of the actual shooting are still somewhat unclear the mistakes in how the aftermath was handled are such elementary mistakes I am in little doubt that someone - not necessarily the police - set Mark Duggan up to be killed in order to create an interesting talking point and provoke a very real riot but one that was limited to the Tottenham area over one or possibly two nights. There are many reasons for why this was done however the main ones are;
- The Olympics. Inspectors from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have been in London all week to inspect preparations for the 2012 games including the all important security plan. The shooting of Mark Duggan raised the issues of gun/gang crime in east London. The rioting raised the issues of protests, riots and public order policing. Blaming the riots on Research In Motion's (RIM) Black Berry Messenger (BBM) service raised the issue of the security of communication networks. The BBM network has been of particular international interest for a couple of years now. Some authoritarian middle-eastern governments like Bahrain have banned it completely because they can't crack the network's encryption and America have added extra levels of security to allow US President Barack Obama to continue to use his Blackberry whilst in office.
- Property Developers. As simple as it sounds. The rioting was used as cover to destroy old buildings in poor neighbourhoods so property developers could make huge profits at the public's expense re-developing the derelict sites.
- Police Cuts. Like everyone else the police are not happy about being made redundant and having their pensions cut. By provoking riots they make themselves seem essential to the public and politicians and get themselves exempted from the cuts.
- Debt Default and Libya. Britain seems to be positioning itself to argue to the international community and the financial markets that Britain could not possibly be expected to pay it's debts or be stopped from stealing Libya's oil because the threat of major civil unrest is so great. Meanwhile we pay over £20 million for a Royal Wedding and the Prime Minister continues to go on £20,000 a week holidays. This is part of the reason why the London stock exchange dropped below 5000 points during the riots.
As for what should now be done about the people involved in the Mark Duggan shooting the key questions are who gave him the gun and who told the police he had a gun? If a link between these people and the police can be found then they and all of the police officers involved in the operation should be tried for murder by way of joint enterprise because although only one of them actually killed Mr Duggan they were all involved and no-one tried to stop it.
If no such link can be found I think it would be unfair to try the CO19 officer who fired the fatal shots for murder on their own. This is because if I had a gun and I was getting shot at I would most certainly shoot at the person I thought was doing it until they stopped. I don't see why this shouldn't apply equally to a police officer. However the CO19 officer who fired the first shot should most certainly be tried for negligent manslaughter through the careless handling of a firearm because it would be nearly impossible to prove that they fired on purpose.
Failing that the entire Metropolitan Police force should be tried for corporate manslaughter as the were over the shooting of Jean Charles De Menezes.
However at the risk of provoking further riots which I do not want to see I think that achieving any of these outcomes is going to be very difficult because the case is not as clear cut as the Ian Tomlinson killing and that was incredibly difficult to bring to trial. So the Duggan family will have to decide if the pain of not seeing justice done is worse then the pain of trying to get justice done.
Wednesday, 10 August 2011
The Riot Damages 1886
In Britain we are forced by law to pay for a police force. In return that police force has a duty to protect our person and property from harm or damage. When the police fail in that duty on a large scale known as a riot the Riot Damages Act 1886 means that they have to pay compensation for all damage done. The act can be read in it's full Olde Worlde glory here;
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1886/38/pdfs/ukpga_18860038_en.pdf
However the main point is that whenever a house, shop or building or it's contents are damaged, destroyed or stolen by a riotous and tumultuously assembled crowd the police authority have to pay for the damage or loss provided the person took reasonable steps to protect that property. For the purposes of the act;
So if you had property damaged or stolen in the riots and you're not insured my advice is to use this form;
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksro/1921/1536/pdfs/uksro_19211536_en.pdf
In London you then hand this form in at your local police station. For Croydon that would be Croydon Central Police Station, 71 Park Lane, CR9 1BP but any police station is good enough provided it's in the correct Borough. Outside London the form must be sent to the Clerk to the County Council who can be found at your local Town Hall. Your claim will then be investigated and provided it's an honest claim you should then receive some money.
If you are insured you should make a normal insurance claim but also follow the above steps to also make a claim with the police. If you can afford it you should seek proper legal advice and inform your insurance company of the police claim. Many insurance policies do not cover riot damage because there is an assumption that the police will do their duty so insurers are unlikely to pay out when they really don't have to.
Tomorrow (11/8/11) the House of Commons will hold an emergency session to allow MP's to discuss the riots. The Conservatives with froth at the mouth about all the new powers and weapons they want to give the police. Labour and the Liberal Democrats will use it all as an opportunity to score political points about spending cuts. However it would be nice if they could also find the time to ask the Home Secretary to extend the claim period for the act from 14 to 42 days and produce an online claim form to help the police and the public cope with a rarely used and often forgotten piece of legislation.
Edited@15:10 on 11/8/11: The government have now extended the claims period for the Riot Damages Act to 42 days and made a claim form available online which you must use to make a claim so I've updated my advice accordingly.
Also part of the act makes reference to a £100 limit which has given some people the impression that the maximum compensation you can claim is £100. It's not. That part of the act only refers to what action you can take against the police if they refuse your claim and you can pursue them through the small claims court the same you would any other bad debtor. At the time the act was written the maximum cap for the small claims court was £100. It's now about £12,000 and even if your claim is above that you can still pursue the matter through the normal county courts because there is no limit on the amount of compensation that can be claimed. I wouldn't worry about that too much though because if legitimate claims are refused I'm sure the insurance companies will be more then happy to bring test cases and class action suits.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1886/38/pdfs/ukpga_18860038_en.pdf
However the main point is that whenever a house, shop or building or it's contents are damaged, destroyed or stolen by a riotous and tumultuously assembled crowd the police authority have to pay for the damage or loss provided the person took reasonable steps to protect that property. For the purposes of the act;
- Riot is defined as; Three or more people acting with common purpose using force, violence or alarm to achieve an aim. That aim can be to make a political point, demolish a wall or loot a shop. [Field V Metropolitan Police Receiver (1907)]
- Tumultuously is defined as; Being in such large numbers and acting in such an aggressive manner that the police should have been well aware of the threat and taken action to prevent it. [J.W. Dwyer Ltd V Metropolitan Police District Receiver (1967)]
So if you had property damaged or stolen in the riots and you're not insured my advice is to use this form;
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksro/1921/1536/pdfs/uksro_19211536_en.pdf
In London you then hand this form in at your local police station. For Croydon that would be Croydon Central Police Station, 71 Park Lane, CR9 1BP but any police station is good enough provided it's in the correct Borough. Outside London the form must be sent to the Clerk to the County Council who can be found at your local Town Hall. Your claim will then be investigated and provided it's an honest claim you should then receive some money.
If you are insured you should make a normal insurance claim but also follow the above steps to also make a claim with the police. If you can afford it you should seek proper legal advice and inform your insurance company of the police claim. Many insurance policies do not cover riot damage because there is an assumption that the police will do their duty so insurers are unlikely to pay out when they really don't have to.
Tomorrow (11/8/11) the House of Commons will hold an emergency session to allow MP's to discuss the riots. The Conservatives with froth at the mouth about all the new powers and weapons they want to give the police. Labour and the Liberal Democrats will use it all as an opportunity to score political points about spending cuts. However it would be nice if they could also find the time to ask the Home Secretary to extend the claim period for the act from 14 to 42 days and produce an online claim form to help the police and the public cope with a rarely used and often forgotten piece of legislation.
Edited@15:10 on 11/8/11: The government have now extended the claims period for the Riot Damages Act to 42 days and made a claim form available online which you must use to make a claim so I've updated my advice accordingly.
Also part of the act makes reference to a £100 limit which has given some people the impression that the maximum compensation you can claim is £100. It's not. That part of the act only refers to what action you can take against the police if they refuse your claim and you can pursue them through the small claims court the same you would any other bad debtor. At the time the act was written the maximum cap for the small claims court was £100. It's now about £12,000 and even if your claim is above that you can still pursue the matter through the normal county courts because there is no limit on the amount of compensation that can be claimed. I wouldn't worry about that too much though because if legitimate claims are refused I'm sure the insurance companies will be more then happy to bring test cases and class action suits.
Birmingham's Still Bubbling.
Across the UK the rioting that has plagued the past four days seems to be blowing itself out with a sense of calm and normality returning to most areas. The exception seems to be in Birmingham.
Yesterday (9/8/11) local residents in the West Bromwich area formed neighbourhood watch groups to protect their homes and business. At one point a car drove into one of these groups killing three young Asian men. Whatever the truth the rumours flying about claim this was a racist attack and as a result there are large groups of young men assembling in the street divided along ethnic lines. This creates the obvious worry that race riots will break out over night. I hope they don't.
Already politicians like David Cameron are talking about sections of British society that are "sick" and need to feel the strong arm of the law. In Eltham in London, scene of the Stephen Lawerence murder, the English Defence League (EDL) have been organising large groups to white men to go around "hunting looters" which really means beating up young black men.
So my worry is that it if Asian areas of the country continue to riot long after everywhere else has calmed down people will forget what really caused this violence and and blame it all on a Muslim problem.
That would be a shame because up until now the one good thing you can say about the rioters is that they've been a very ethnically diverse group with Black, White and Asian, Christian, Jew and Muslim all united in their hatred of the police and their desire for free stuff.
Yesterday (9/8/11) local residents in the West Bromwich area formed neighbourhood watch groups to protect their homes and business. At one point a car drove into one of these groups killing three young Asian men. Whatever the truth the rumours flying about claim this was a racist attack and as a result there are large groups of young men assembling in the street divided along ethnic lines. This creates the obvious worry that race riots will break out over night. I hope they don't.
Already politicians like David Cameron are talking about sections of British society that are "sick" and need to feel the strong arm of the law. In Eltham in London, scene of the Stephen Lawerence murder, the English Defence League (EDL) have been organising large groups to white men to go around "hunting looters" which really means beating up young black men.
So my worry is that it if Asian areas of the country continue to riot long after everywhere else has calmed down people will forget what really caused this violence and and blame it all on a Muslim problem.
That would be a shame because up until now the one good thing you can say about the rioters is that they've been a very ethnically diverse group with Black, White and Asian, Christian, Jew and Muslim all united in their hatred of the police and their desire for free stuff.
Tuesday, 9 August 2011
Suck My Balls and Call Me Daddy.
Sorry I've been on the Stella and got a bit fighty. So you'll excuse me if I don't exactly set the right tone for the rest of this post.
Yesterday (9/8/11) Britain's Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) released their preliminary findings into the shooting of Mark Duggan which sparked the last four days of rioting in the UK. These findings can be read here;
http://www.ipcc.gov.uk/news/Pages/pr_090811_dugganupdate.aspx
However the main points are;
On Thursday August 4th 2011 an intelligence led operation by London's Metropolitan Police's "Operation Trident" (SCD11) caused four officer's (3+Driver) from London's Metropolitan Police's firearms unit (CO19) to stop a taxi (Toyota Estima) containing Mark Duggan on Ferry Road, Tottenham at 18:15. As they surrounded the vehicle one of the CO19 officers discharged a 9mm jacketed round from his Heckler & Koch MP5 carbine. This round struck another CO19 officer in his radio. In fear of his life this or possibly the third officer discharged two 9mm jacketed rounds which struck Mark Duggan in his chest and arm. At 18:41 Mr Duggan was pronounced dead at the scene.
At the scene the police also recovered a BBM Bruni pistol which is assumed to belong to Mr Duggan. This weapon had not been fired but contained a single 9mm jacketed round in the magazine.
The only problem is that the Italian weapons manufacturer Bruni do not make a BBM pistol. What they do make is a range of blank firing and 8mm gas powered replica weapons which can look like any handgun you choose including a Beretta 92, a Walther PPK or a Colt.45. The Italian and Manchester City footballer Mario Bartoelli was recently photographed holding a Bruni Beretta 92 so we can only assume that the BBM was a reference to Research In Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) service which apparently played a crucial role in organising the riots. Bruni also make a range of sporting pistols including the "Olympic 6" revolver style starting pistol which was a bit of a hint that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) were in London yesterday (9/9/11) to inspect preparations for the 2012 games.
Anyway we're still trying to work out a suitable punishment for the police officers involved in the Mark Duggan shooting. Ideally all of them should be tried for joint enterprise murder. However I think the best the law will allow is negligent manslaughter because the sad fact about guns is that even the best made of them - like a H&K MP5 - is that sometimes they do just go off because you've shaken them too hard.
Yesterday (9/8/11) Britain's Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) released their preliminary findings into the shooting of Mark Duggan which sparked the last four days of rioting in the UK. These findings can be read here;
http://www.ipcc.gov.uk/news/Pages/pr_090811_dugganupdate.aspx
However the main points are;
On Thursday August 4th 2011 an intelligence led operation by London's Metropolitan Police's "Operation Trident" (SCD11) caused four officer's (3+Driver) from London's Metropolitan Police's firearms unit (CO19) to stop a taxi (Toyota Estima) containing Mark Duggan on Ferry Road, Tottenham at 18:15. As they surrounded the vehicle one of the CO19 officers discharged a 9mm jacketed round from his Heckler & Koch MP5 carbine. This round struck another CO19 officer in his radio. In fear of his life this or possibly the third officer discharged two 9mm jacketed rounds which struck Mark Duggan in his chest and arm. At 18:41 Mr Duggan was pronounced dead at the scene.
At the scene the police also recovered a BBM Bruni pistol which is assumed to belong to Mr Duggan. This weapon had not been fired but contained a single 9mm jacketed round in the magazine.
The only problem is that the Italian weapons manufacturer Bruni do not make a BBM pistol. What they do make is a range of blank firing and 8mm gas powered replica weapons which can look like any handgun you choose including a Beretta 92, a Walther PPK or a Colt.45. The Italian and Manchester City footballer Mario Bartoelli was recently photographed holding a Bruni Beretta 92 so we can only assume that the BBM was a reference to Research In Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) service which apparently played a crucial role in organising the riots. Bruni also make a range of sporting pistols including the "Olympic 6" revolver style starting pistol which was a bit of a hint that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) were in London yesterday (9/9/11) to inspect preparations for the 2012 games.
Anyway we're still trying to work out a suitable punishment for the police officers involved in the Mark Duggan shooting. Ideally all of them should be tried for joint enterprise murder. However I think the best the law will allow is negligent manslaughter because the sad fact about guns is that even the best made of them - like a H&K MP5 - is that sometimes they do just go off because you've shaken them too hard.
Watch the BBC Get in Trouble For This.
It's 22:52 and I've been trying to update by blog for about 10 minutes.
I got back from my grandmother's at around 22:40. The main topic of conversation there was why last night (8/8/11) when I said; "Don't worry, they're rioting up the top but the police are pushing in them in the other direction." I was lying through my teeth. She knows that now because she's had the TV and the carers banging on her door all day long.
Anyway other things on my to do list include; the world economy, Syria, Somalia/ Kenya/East African food crisis, the IPCC report into the Mark Duggan shooting and I would quite like the opportunity to do some laundry some day soon. Or to put it another way;
Keep rioting, It's f*cking Funny(!)
22:59
I got back from my grandmother's at around 22:40. The main topic of conversation there was why last night (8/8/11) when I said; "Don't worry, they're rioting up the top but the police are pushing in them in the other direction." I was lying through my teeth. She knows that now because she's had the TV and the carers banging on her door all day long.
Anyway other things on my to do list include; the world economy, Syria, Somalia/ Kenya/East African food crisis, the IPCC report into the Mark Duggan shooting and I would quite like the opportunity to do some laundry some day soon. Or to put it another way;
Keep rioting, It's f*cking Funny(!)
22:59
It's All Gone a Bit Iraq.
It's 20:06 on Tuesday August 9th 2011, I'm back from the pub and everything is ok.
This however does not mean that everything was fine because on the advice of the police my usual pub had removed all it's outside chairs and tables, barricaded the doors and windows, removed all the spirits from being the bar and closed the kitchen.
This forced my father and I to instead go to the Moon Under Water Wetherspoons on the London Road, right opposite Windsor House and next to Norbury Fire Station which seemed tired. To make matters worse they had a new barman on and it was his very first day. I had the chicken burger and my father had the steak while we discussed how when he went to bed at around midnight last night he might have under estimated the situation.
Anyway now I'm getting up to speed with the days news it turns out that the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) have released their initial findings into the shooting of Mark Duggan. Unfortunately it will take a couple of hours before I'm able to impress you all with my complete lack of knowledge of eastern european 8mm gas powered pistols. I will say though;
The police lied because they want you to riot. If you riot the police will only lie some more.
Oh and London road was being kept quiet by three police carriers from Thames Valley police doing thunder runs all evening
Anyway 20:17, trying to publish
This however does not mean that everything was fine because on the advice of the police my usual pub had removed all it's outside chairs and tables, barricaded the doors and windows, removed all the spirits from being the bar and closed the kitchen.
This forced my father and I to instead go to the Moon Under Water Wetherspoons on the London Road, right opposite Windsor House and next to Norbury Fire Station which seemed tired. To make matters worse they had a new barman on and it was his very first day. I had the chicken burger and my father had the steak while we discussed how when he went to bed at around midnight last night he might have under estimated the situation.
Anyway now I'm getting up to speed with the days news it turns out that the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) have released their initial findings into the shooting of Mark Duggan. Unfortunately it will take a couple of hours before I'm able to impress you all with my complete lack of knowledge of eastern european 8mm gas powered pistols. I will say though;
The police lied because they want you to riot. If you riot the police will only lie some more.
Oh and London road was being kept quiet by three police carriers from Thames Valley police doing thunder runs all evening
Anyway 20:17, trying to publish
Kristallnacht
The British Prime Minister, David Cameron has returned from his holiday and today (9/8/11) visited riot-torn Croydon Town Centre. This did not make my visit to riot-torn Croydon Town Centre any less complicated.
In order to understand last night's violence in Croydon you first need to know a little a bit about the local geography. There is a road that passes through Croydon which stretches from central London all the way down to Brighton on the south coast known as the London to Brighton road or London Road for short. Along the mile (1.6km) of this road between Thornton Heath Pond and West Croydon railway station where the rioting began there are eight large, newly built apartment buildings containing over 1000 apartments and 100 retail units. It is in this area where most of the worst arson occurred.
As you enter from Thornton Heath Pond the first fire you come across occurred at the junction of London Road, Sumner Road and St James' Road. This is the fire the BBC have been reporting from for most of the day. On one side of the road you have one of these large apartment buildings. On the other side there used to be a Tote bookmakers and a parade of two level shops dating from the 1930's. Last night a fire was started in either the bookmakers or the neighbouring shop and totally gutted four properties and damaged several more. The entire parade will now have to be demolished and re-developed.
The second and third major fires occurred on a parade of shops approaching the junction of London Road, Mead Road and Oakfield Road. This is where David Cameron visited today. At one end of this parade of two level shops dating from the 1930's you have the stand alone, newly built headquarters of the Croydon Voluntary Action "community" group which is partly funded and I believe owned by the Whitgift Foundation. Fortunately this building was untouched but the shop next to it which had an occupied apartment above it was set ablaze. This fire spread up the parade destroying four or five properties. At the Oakfield Road end of the parade there used to be a pawnbrokers and a music shop called "Rockbottom Music" which was something of a Croydon landmark. Both the pawnbrokers and the music shop where set alight and the fire burned back up the parade destroying four of five properties. The entire parade will now have to be demolished and re-developed.
You then come up to West Croydon railway station and a street called North End where Croydon's two shopping malls; the Drummond Centre and the Whitgift Centre are located. These contain some of Croydon's best shops including jewellers, many mobile phone shops, electronic stores and sports stores like JJB Sports which have all been major targets for looters in other parts of the country. Curiously though these shopping malls were left undamaged save for a branch of Comet which was looted, some minor damage to the Wellesley Road entrance to the Whitgift Centre and some minor damage to the Tamworth Road entrance to the Drummond centre.
If you continue down Tamworth Road you come to Reeves Corner, scene of the fifth and largest fire - footage of which has been seen on TV screens from San Diego to Sydney. On Reeves Corner there used to be a pub and a furniture shop called "Reeves Furniture" which has been there for 150 years and has been owned by the same family for five generations. It is such a local institution that they named the street after the shop. This has all already been destroyed by the fire and will have to be re-developed. Across the road stands the newly built Whitgift Foundation nursery school and a newly built apartment and office complex which houses Whitgift Foundation funded charites.
So I don't care what the Prime Minister says. In Croydon the people responsible for last night's violence and destruction won't be punished. Instead the police will protect them just like they've been protecting them for years. To make matters worse last night's riot will be re-classified as "an incident of serious violent disorder" because a riot means the police lost control and therefore have to pay for all the damage. Violent disorder though means that the business and home owners will have to pay.
And to think there are still people who can't understand why large sections of British society truly hate the police.
In order to understand last night's violence in Croydon you first need to know a little a bit about the local geography. There is a road that passes through Croydon which stretches from central London all the way down to Brighton on the south coast known as the London to Brighton road or London Road for short. Along the mile (1.6km) of this road between Thornton Heath Pond and West Croydon railway station where the rioting began there are eight large, newly built apartment buildings containing over 1000 apartments and 100 retail units. It is in this area where most of the worst arson occurred.
As you enter from Thornton Heath Pond the first fire you come across occurred at the junction of London Road, Sumner Road and St James' Road. This is the fire the BBC have been reporting from for most of the day. On one side of the road you have one of these large apartment buildings. On the other side there used to be a Tote bookmakers and a parade of two level shops dating from the 1930's. Last night a fire was started in either the bookmakers or the neighbouring shop and totally gutted four properties and damaged several more. The entire parade will now have to be demolished and re-developed.
The second and third major fires occurred on a parade of shops approaching the junction of London Road, Mead Road and Oakfield Road. This is where David Cameron visited today. At one end of this parade of two level shops dating from the 1930's you have the stand alone, newly built headquarters of the Croydon Voluntary Action "community" group which is partly funded and I believe owned by the Whitgift Foundation. Fortunately this building was untouched but the shop next to it which had an occupied apartment above it was set ablaze. This fire spread up the parade destroying four or five properties. At the Oakfield Road end of the parade there used to be a pawnbrokers and a music shop called "Rockbottom Music" which was something of a Croydon landmark. Both the pawnbrokers and the music shop where set alight and the fire burned back up the parade destroying four of five properties. The entire parade will now have to be demolished and re-developed.
You then come up to West Croydon railway station and a street called North End where Croydon's two shopping malls; the Drummond Centre and the Whitgift Centre are located. These contain some of Croydon's best shops including jewellers, many mobile phone shops, electronic stores and sports stores like JJB Sports which have all been major targets for looters in other parts of the country. Curiously though these shopping malls were left undamaged save for a branch of Comet which was looted, some minor damage to the Wellesley Road entrance to the Whitgift Centre and some minor damage to the Tamworth Road entrance to the Drummond centre.
If you continue down Tamworth Road you come to Reeves Corner, scene of the fifth and largest fire - footage of which has been seen on TV screens from San Diego to Sydney. On Reeves Corner there used to be a pub and a furniture shop called "Reeves Furniture" which has been there for 150 years and has been owned by the same family for five generations. It is such a local institution that they named the street after the shop. This has all already been destroyed by the fire and will have to be re-developed. Across the road stands the newly built Whitgift Foundation nursery school and a newly built apartment and office complex which houses Whitgift Foundation funded charites.
So I don't care what the Prime Minister says. In Croydon the people responsible for last night's violence and destruction won't be punished. Instead the police will protect them just like they've been protecting them for years. To make matters worse last night's riot will be re-classified as "an incident of serious violent disorder" because a riot means the police lost control and therefore have to pay for all the damage. Violent disorder though means that the business and home owners will have to pay.
And to think there are still people who can't understand why large sections of British society truly hate the police.
Monday, 8 August 2011
Can You Say "Failed State"?
It's 02:25 on Tuesday August 9th 2011 and the London wide rioting has spread to become UK wide rioting.
There have now been serious disturbances in the St Pauls area of Bristol, the Toxteth area of Liverpool and Manchester city centre. In the Handsworth area of Birmingham a police station has been set ablaze. In the Chapeltown area of Leeds rioting continues and one person has been shot.
In London rioting has continued in Hackney, Lewisham, Peckham, Colliers Wood and Clapham where a large branch of the Debenhams department store was looted for a full hour and a half before being set ablaze. Rioting has also spread to Bromley, Ealing and Woolwich which is being described as "a f*cking warzone." In Waltham Abbey the Sony distribution warehouse that occupies a couple of acres is fully ablaze and looks set to burn to the ground. Here in Croydon the air is still thick with smoke and the police have confirmed at least one shooting
So it is just like the inner city riots of the 1980's. All of them on the same day. I'm surprised Qaddafi hasn't been on the phone offering support.
There have now been serious disturbances in the St Pauls area of Bristol, the Toxteth area of Liverpool and Manchester city centre. In the Handsworth area of Birmingham a police station has been set ablaze. In the Chapeltown area of Leeds rioting continues and one person has been shot.
In London rioting has continued in Hackney, Lewisham, Peckham, Colliers Wood and Clapham where a large branch of the Debenhams department store was looted for a full hour and a half before being set ablaze. Rioting has also spread to Bromley, Ealing and Woolwich which is being described as "a f*cking warzone." In Waltham Abbey the Sony distribution warehouse that occupies a couple of acres is fully ablaze and looks set to burn to the ground. Here in Croydon the air is still thick with smoke and the police have confirmed at least one shooting
So it is just like the inner city riots of the 1980's. All of them on the same day. I'm surprised Qaddafi hasn't been on the phone offering support.
It's Still Spreading
The London riots have now spread out to three other British cities; Birmingham in the Midlands, Romford in Essex and Leeds in Yorkshire where one man has reportedly been shot. Apart from the use of firearms this is worrying because it means that West Midlands Police, South Yorkshire Police and Essex Police can no longer send reinforcements to London.
Within London the rioting has spread to Catford, Colliers Wood and Clapham which is a very wealthy area. It has also spread to Croydon where I live. Here at least two large buildings have been burnt to the ground in prime redevelopment sites. So you'll excuse me if I don't say anymore about that at the moment because I feel I've got a long enough night ahead of me especially as the police seem to be redeploying to Clapham.
Oh and if you're interested to know where the rest of the police are most of them have been deployed to Oxford Street to protect all the rich people.
Within London the rioting has spread to Catford, Colliers Wood and Clapham which is a very wealthy area. It has also spread to Croydon where I live. Here at least two large buildings have been burnt to the ground in prime redevelopment sites. So you'll excuse me if I don't say anymore about that at the moment because I feel I've got a long enough night ahead of me especially as the police seem to be redeploying to Clapham.
Oh and if you're interested to know where the rest of the police are most of them have been deployed to Oxford Street to protect all the rich people.
The Police are Starting to Lose This.
The rioting in London has now entered it's third day.
At around 15:30 today (8/8/11) police stopped and searched a young man in Hackney (the Olympic Borough.) When the police failed to find anything illegal about the man they came under attack from an angry crowd armed with fists, bricks, bottles and sticks which forced the police to abandon their patrol cars. Eventually police reinforcements arrived and the situation developed into a full blown riot with burning barricades being erected, buses and trucks being hijacked and shops being smashed and looted. This riot is still ongoing now (20:15) and appears to be escalating. To give you an idea of the anger involved I earlier saw footage of a masked man walk up to a line of a dozen police officers in full riot gear and just punch one of them full in the face. That is not something you see everyday.
As word of the riot in Hackney spread another large scale disturbance started in Lewisham with crowds fighting the police and each other, setting fire to cars and looting. At around the same time (17:00) another major disturbance started in Peckham with a bus being hijacked and set on fire, fights breaking out all over the place and a parade of shops being set on fire. As with the situation in Hackney the disturbances in Lewisham and Peckham are still ongoing.
The situation has got so serious that both the Mayor of London and the UK Home Secretary have been forced to return from their holidays early. Even though they've combined their efforts the Metropolitan Police, the City of Westminster Police and the British Transport Police are now so overstretched that they been forced to call in reinforcements for 12 other police forces including some as far away as Newcastle. At the risk of sounding dramatic I seriously think that if this continues we're about two days away from the army having to be deployed but yet our Prime Minister is still on holiday.
At around 15:30 today (8/8/11) police stopped and searched a young man in Hackney (the Olympic Borough.) When the police failed to find anything illegal about the man they came under attack from an angry crowd armed with fists, bricks, bottles and sticks which forced the police to abandon their patrol cars. Eventually police reinforcements arrived and the situation developed into a full blown riot with burning barricades being erected, buses and trucks being hijacked and shops being smashed and looted. This riot is still ongoing now (20:15) and appears to be escalating. To give you an idea of the anger involved I earlier saw footage of a masked man walk up to a line of a dozen police officers in full riot gear and just punch one of them full in the face. That is not something you see everyday.
As word of the riot in Hackney spread another large scale disturbance started in Lewisham with crowds fighting the police and each other, setting fire to cars and looting. At around the same time (17:00) another major disturbance started in Peckham with a bus being hijacked and set on fire, fights breaking out all over the place and a parade of shops being set on fire. As with the situation in Hackney the disturbances in Lewisham and Peckham are still ongoing.
The situation has got so serious that both the Mayor of London and the UK Home Secretary have been forced to return from their holidays early. Even though they've combined their efforts the Metropolitan Police, the City of Westminster Police and the British Transport Police are now so overstretched that they been forced to call in reinforcements for 12 other police forces including some as far away as Newcastle. At the risk of sounding dramatic I seriously think that if this continues we're about two days away from the army having to be deployed but yet our Prime Minister is still on holiday.
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