Re: The Bigger, Badder, Even More Serious Thread [2]

[Mrs Figg]

exactly. they know the settlements have to go, they are stalling for time, maybe theres an election in the offing?

[Eldorion]

Israel has been complaining that Palestinian statehood would be an obstacle to the peace process, so what do they do a day later? Authorize 3000 more settler homes on Palestinian territory, that's what.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20552391

[Mrs Figg]

[Pettytyrant101]

Holy crap Batman! What is wrong with them?

[Eldorion]

My guess is they're trying to punish the Palestinians for obtaining UN recognition instead of begging Israel for recognition and fair treatment. It goes to show what a joke the Israeli government's claims to support the peace process are.

[Pettytyrant101]

Yes, very grown up resposnse to things.
Perhaps the plan is just to come out in the open and take all the land now by force, take the international flak for it knowing America will block any UN sanctions or actions to stop them, and hope by the time they are held to account for it it will be too late for Palestine.

[Eldorion]

Not knowing a ton about the situation, I don't find that too likely. I do expect more posturing and a continuation of aggressive policies by the conservative factions with Israel. Hopefully in the next Israeli election more peaceful parties will enjoy success.

[halfwise]

I've long thought that if there is to be a path to peace it would be bureaucratic rather than military, and this seems like a good first step.

Now imagine step 2. What would happen if rather than trying to dismantle settlements, Israel were to assess property taxes on them, the total of which were turned over to the Palestinian government? More settlers and more development would then mean a wealthier, stronger Palestine.

Other regulation to follow.

This would allow any of the moderate occupants of the settlements who were interested to gradually integrate into an independent Palestine, while the more extreme Zionists would have plenty of time to decide if they wanted to relocate and sell their assets in an orderly manner.

I personally hate bureaucracy, but in this case I think it could be the right tool....

I think it's sheer genius, David.

[David H]

Thank you Halfwise. Now you wouldn't have any thoughts on how we could implement this, would you? It's always the little details.....

[halfwise]

I'd say outline the basic plan and send it over with a promise to cut all US funding if not implemented. They'd work out the details themselves pretty damn quick.

[Lorient Avandi]

Member of the NFL team Kansas City Chiefs shot his girlfriend and himself today, they had an infant that is alive. Can be hard to feel sorry for someone making that kind of money, but this is one of those times.

[Eldorion]

I was reading about that earlier. Really tragic story and I can't believe they're not even cancelling or delaying the game tomorrow. He shot himself outside the stadium in front of his coach.

[Lorient Avandi]

Sadly, another case of money being more important than people's lives.

[David H]

Back in Palestine...

Israel rejects a full pullback to its 1967 lines, and says the resolution is a way to bypass border negotiations.

In Sunday's response, Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said the government would also strike at the Palestinians' pocketbook, by withholding taxes and customs collected from Palestinian laborers and businesses on behalf of Abbas' cash-strapped Palestinian Authority, which led the statehood campaign.

The money will be used to help pay off the authority's debts to Israel, including $200 million owed to the state-run Israel Electric Corp., government officials said. This month, more than $100 million was to have been transferred; Steinitz said Israel would decide later whether to withhold future transfers as well.

They've got it exactly backwards. Now a higher percentage of Palestine's GNP will have to come from their other neighbors. When you withhold money from the moderate diplomats you empower the radical militants. I know there are people in the Israeli government who understand this. What are they thinking???

[Pettytyrant101]

Perhaps they are thinking war. Take the land, drive off the Palestinians, but first make sure they can claim the Palestinians started it.
So punish them, cripple their economy, build more settlements, anything to enflame them.
Its the only logical reason I can see for Israels actions of late.

[Eldorion]

Looks like you're about to have another future overlord, British (and Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, etc....) people!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20586343

He or she will one day be head of the armed forces, supreme governor of the Church of England and head of the Commonwealth, and subsequently head of state of 16 countries.

What a way to come into the world.

[Pettytyrant101]

Dont worry Eldo they are well trained for the role....in how to keep everything they do a secret from the public.

[Mrs Figg]

good news for the Soux tribe. They bought their ancestral sacred ground the Black Hills. They originally refused to purchase it saying rightly that no one has the right to sell their land. It cant be owned. But this time I think they thought they could not lose this opportunity.

[halfwise]

cool, I'll have to look it up.

One thing non-US folks may not be aware of is that full-bore gambling is illegal in most states, but Indian lands are under a different jurisdiction. It's fairly common for casino hotels to be set up on tribal lands, run completely by native Americans. Immigrant upstarts show up in droves to empty their pocketbooks and the Indians get some well deserved payback.

[Kafria]

More arrests relating to decades old abuse allergations here today. Do wonder how long this is going to go on for and how many more will be implicated.

Sad reflection on how attitudes used to be, it seems.

[Pettytyrant101]

Old Prince Charlie is a bit close to a few of these people, particlularly to Saville who was a friend.

'Prince Charles asked Jimmy Savile for advice over the appointment of a senior aide for him and Princess Diana, it was claimed yesterday.
It was also claimed that they were so close that Charles treated Savile like the ‘fool in Shakespeare’s King Lear’, allowing him to tell him things that others courtiers could not say to his face.
Former palace aides said he would drop in to see Charles when it suited him.
Another source, who asked not to be named, said: ‘Savile was in and out of the palace at that time pretty frequently.
‘Like the fool in King Lear, he was allowed to say things to Prince Charles that other courtiers weren’t.’
In 1999 Charles accepted an invitation to dinner at Savile’s home in Glencoe.'- Daily Mail

[Orwell]

Is it it just me, but doesn't it seem a little strange that a man who is so universally reviled was so popular?

[Pettytyrant101]

It seems this trend is not isolated Orwell.
Not only was Saville popular so was Hall, the commentaor and voice of 70's family hit 'Its a Knockout'



And you know if there is a pedo ring at the highest levels of UK society that has been operating for many decades they might have displayed a very twisted sense of humour when last year they gave Hall an honour, for 'services to the youth of Great Britain.'

Cyryl Smith was a hugely popualr politician in his day. He was also friends with Saville.

Then there is the retired Bishop under investigation too. Another close friend of Charles. He even put the Bishop up on his own estate AFTER allegations of child abuse where made against him a decade ago.

Now Max Clifford, PR guru and keeper of celebrity secrets has been arrested. Only last week he warning in the press that many sars of the 70's, 80's period were terrified of a witch hunt. No he is part of it. Clifford was of course amongst many celebs and famous people closely connected to PR for Diana.

Does make you wonder as more and more stuff gets uncovered just how high up this goes. So far its not just the people its the fact most were either openly known about among their collegues at the time, or even worse investigated by the police or parliamentary committees and covered up.

[Eldorion]

In other news, David Cameron is actually doing something good for once.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20642428

One thing I noticed is that the religious freedom provisions in the bill are almost identical to the provisions of the Maryland gay marriage law that passed this year. I'm encouraged by the reports that this enjoys broad support in the House of Commons but I'm not entirely sure what power the House of Lords has to block this. Hopefully the Conservative MPs talking about that are just blowing smoke out their asses.

[Pettytyrant101]

The Lords is a revision chamber Eldo- if they vote against a law it goes back to the Commons for further debate- it can then be amended if the Commons thinks the Lords have highlightd a problem, or it can be sent back exactly the same.
The Lords can reject a bill twice but on the third time it becomes law even if they vote against it, on the basis it is the will of the democractically elected house which takes precedent.

But this whole gay marriage is an election promise Cameron made without ever having the support of his party or grass roots campaigners.
He has used the economy as an excuse to put into the long grass, but he is running out of grass now.
It was part of an image rebranding to soften the public perception of the Tories.
Gay marriage, green issues and 'protecting the NHS' were all a part of this. All unpopular with his own party but popular withthe electorate.
So far he has gone back on or watered down all the green policies and effectively begun the privitisation of the NHS in England and Wales, so not sure how much chance he stands on gay marriage.
The best thing in his favour is that it is popular with the general public and the media.
But dont mistake it for enlightment on the Tories behalf, its pure politics I'm afraid.