SUGGESTATION

(via Bloggerheads)

Seems that you can’t even go for a drive in private these days… Well, of course, we all knew that really, but who expected traffic camera images to be transmitted to the US? That reciprocal is it? Yeeeaaaah. Didn’t think so.

Not the only big brother story floating about today.

Came across this Times article on Blears talking about immigration’s effect on communities etc etc. Usual stuff, stretches resources, can’t be sure of the impact, need to gather more data etc, with a throwaway comment towards the end about using footfall in supermarkets to measure population growth. Boggle. I didn’t think too much of that, but someone else did -

Supermarkets ’should spy on migrants’

Ho ho. Paying in cash? Sound foreign? Let our supermarket checkout assistant guess your nationality. Stay off the couscous!

Bit of an overreaction I think, though it’s been a long day and I’m tired. Would you get any meaningful data at all out of supermarkets? Certainly not on nationality - and even straight up population figures are surely going to be skewed by a whole heap of variables in different towns.

Amnesty have today released a video demonstrating Cheney’s no-brainer ‘dunk in water’. You know, that funny little splash of water in the face that some subhumans get in order to help loosen their tongues. What’s the official name for it again? Oh yes… Waterboarding.

It ain’t pretty.

Let me say this - if the idea of subjecting another human being to this kind of treatment for *any* reason doesn’t completely revolt you - get off my ****ing planet.

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On the infinitesimal odds that you’ve found this blog without being a regular reader of Bloggerheads, go check this out.

Tim is thinking about starting up a new major project. He’s currently juggling two ideas, either tackling UK Libel Law, or having a swing at Rupert Murdoch. Both very good causes - have a read, and add to the discussion.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/apr/17/middleeastthemedia.television

The Guardian has footage up of the death of Reuters cameraman Fadel Shana, killed in Gaza by a tank shell. Reuters have reported that doctors examining Mr Shana’s body confirmed he had been killed by flechettes (long slivers of metal, burst from a shell exploded in mid-air) fired by an Israeli tank.

There has long been controversy over the use of flechettes by Israel. In april 2003, a petition submitted to the Israeli High Court by several human rights organisations was rejected, along with the statement:

This court has ruled that “the choice of weapons, which the respondents use for the goal of preventing murderous terror attacks, is not one of the topics in which this court sees fit to intervene.” (HCJ 5872/ 01, Bracha v Prime Minister, PD 56 (3)1). Needless to say, the respondents have eased our minds that the scope of use of this ammunition is arranged by the IDF through rules that are binding on the commanders of forces acting in the field. The decision regarding the question as to whether the conditions in the arena of combat, in every given case, justify use of the flechette, is determined by the authorized commander, who in formulating his decision is commanded to act according to professional guidelines, that in principle were intended to prevent harming residents not involved in activities that endanger IDF soldiers or Israeli citizens.

Not our problem, gov.

Journalists risk death whenever they report in areas affected by violence. The use of indescriminate weapons such as flechettes can make it impossible for reporters to work however, and obviously they will kill soldiers, and innocent civilians including children alike. Fadel Shana was killed near a refugee camp - he had been covering the aftermath of an Israeli airstrike that had killed several children.

In the released footage, Danny Seaman, an Israeli press office spokesperson, states:

The tragic loss of life today of a Reuters photographer in gaza is the direct result of the cynical behaviour of the Hamas army. This army which chooses to fire against Israeli civilians also uses the Palestinian civilians as a shield.

Israel has experience with human shields.

You may think that this post is a little one-sided, and that I am holding Israel to a higher standard than Hamas. You’re damn right I am - they’re the ones getting millions of US dollars in aid, and boatloads of arms. ‘Kill them all and let god sort them out’ is a phrase best left to history.

(via Liberal Conspiracy - casting the net. Cheers Aaron!)

I’ve not read the blog ‘Enemies of Reason‘ before, but this great post caught my eye.

I’m a liberal. In the US, according to stereotype, that should make me a peaceloving, cheek-turning, happy-go-lucky pacifist, who sees no wrong in anyone. Let me tell you this is not the case.

There are a few things which make me see the red mist. One is tailgaters. You’re driving along the motorway, and some twit drives up your exhaust pipe because, although you’re in a queue, he expects you to pull over and let him through. It takes a huge effort of self control to stop myself from hurting people that tailgate me. Another is … (relax Jherad, soothing thoughts), right-wing nutcases who leave nasty, idiotic, bigoted remarks on mainstream news comment/messageboard areas. I sincerely *shudder* to think what happen if I was to meet one of these ‘people’.

There. I said it. It sounds rather ridiculous - it is ridiculous, that I can get so wound up at the petty remarks of some dribbling subhuman fool, but there it is. Do these people really exist? I’m not sure I’ve ever met one in the flesh…

Perhaps there is only one explanation: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/apr/16/immigrationpolicy.immigration

The Guardian has an article up on a study conducted for the Association of Chief Police Officers, which shows that despite scare stories in the tabloid media about an influx of eastern european immigrants causing a massive crimewave in the UK, crime rates in general have continued to fall - rises in crime numbers have only been proportional to the increase in population. In other words, immigrants are no more likely to commit crime than the British born populace.

Tabloids often like to confuse rates with simple figures - One of the biggest issues highlighted is the burden that immigrants place on infrastructure and public services. Problem is, that despite the increased tax revenue that immigrants bring, public spending has not risen in line. The problem is solveable, but it is much easier to blow a dogwhistle blaming immigration for the deterioration in services, or flat increases in crime figures than to open up purse strings.