Something is going on with Labour's economic truth denial policy

Apparently Ed Balls is almost about to admit that there might have been a tiny little itsy bitsy structural deficit, which could (just technically amongst less generous commentators mind you) have been considered to have happened whilst Labour were in power. ( Apparently its in the New Statesman somewhere ).

So Denial not working for the two Eds so well then ?

My guess is Labour have been stung by the torrent of abuse they have received for supporting the public sector dinosaurs and their rent a thug supporters on #march26.

I bet the private polling is in.

I bet they realise people have seen through their lies and deceit.

So we'll perhaps be getting a new position shortly.

They had better move quickly before Portugal really blows up and the public become even more incredulous of Labour Debt Denial policy.

Cynicism against green cynicism

Ed Miliband's debt denying luddites are getting a bad press

Labour's flat-earthers demand the cuts go away - Bagehot, the Economist
Miliband faces protest backlash: Unease as Labour leader ranks marchers alongside suffragettes James Chapman Daily Mail
(both HT Conservative Home - Tim Montgomerie ).

And that's before we get onto the thuggery a general leftwing hypocrisy and crime wave that we all knew would accompany such a childish demonstration.

No doubt there's more ...

And there is


HT Guido

March for pampered privilege and debt denial with Red Ed and the TUC

Here we go. Those sharp minded people at the TUC ( like Bob - tax email to solve the financial crisis - Crow ) have organised the most exciting thing in any leftie's entire life - a protest rally.

They are marching against "cuts".

Of course since trade unions are now almost entirely public sector trade unions what they mean is reductions in the public sector. After all the greatest reduction in manufacturing industry ever in the UK happened under the last Labour govt ( what you don't remember the TUC marches then ? Surely some mistake ! )

The BBC has been doing its eager best to boast interest - running sympathetic pre-event stories etc, after all the freezing of the licence fee impacts them also. ( To get an idea of how over staffed and careless with public money just watch the number of correspondents they send on almost any junket you care to look at - also check out BRMB's offer of running BBC WM at half the price !)

Those of us who live in the productive sector - whose pensions have been drained by Gordon Brown's stealth and then slashed by Brown's mates in Banking, if you didn't lose your job - know all about cuts.

As do those pensioners who see their savings (which they paid tax on #UKUncut parasites take note ) sucked dry by negative real interest rates and the need to live of their capital.

But the privilege and gold plated land of the public sector suffered not a bit. Now they are being asked to join the rest of us in reality, and their reaction and that of the low life Labour councillors who slash vital services whilst keeping high paid council junkets and political projects to feather their own nests with.

In short the march today is all about selfish people being selfish.

No one should be taken in by them.

Blue skies darkening

Yesterday there was a video report from the BBC on the US Navy's USS Bataan tooling up and getting ready to spend a year in the Med.

As I probably mentioned before my father was in the RAF and was cross posted tot he US. His comment was the the US airforce saw WW3 as happening in the middle east as a 'blue sky war', not over the north German plain.

And how right they mostly were: Gulf wars I & II, Lebanon, Gaza, Libya ( ok with the Balkans trying to get a bit of attention also ).

Now we have signs of deep instability in Syria, Bahrain & Yemen. The odd rumble in Oman & Jordan, and the ongoing regime change in Tunisia & Egypt.

In and near Israel terrorist activity is up from bus bombs to random anti-civilian rocket attacks - with their corresponding counter battery fire from Israel. ( Don't judge too quickly - if you lived in that neighbourhood you'd understand why signs of weakness are fatal ).

The Saudi's and just about everyone else who has supplies of cash, are busy bribing their population.

And after what one Tunisian fruit seller has achieved its easy to understand why they are a little nervous.

But let no one tell you this is a surprise ( though they will ).

Let no one tell you this is caused by twitter & facebook ( as opposed to facilitated on a few occasions ).

The famous Tunisian fruit seller light the fuse on the powder keg, and that moment may have been a surprise, but the construction of that powder keg has been obvious for over twenty years.

The West, and especially the US, has seen this coming for a long time. Yes the short term execution of diplomatic moves may have been shambolic ( yes Mr Barrack Hussain Obama I mean you ), but there have been plenty of hand waving articles about exploding populations, without prospect of work being supported by unsustainable oil wealth and infiltrated by religious ideologies that are most closely related to fascism.

This is why the US will be moving larger assets into the area. They have always know this could happen.

The US also has to consider that Iran and North Korea may try to use any over stretch for mischief. Maybe even China against Taiwan. ( This may be the more charitable explanation of US reluctance to carry on leading on Libya - normally the US hates leaving its forces under any non-American command. )

Most of any fighting will be under blue skies, but the scope may yet be global.

We live in the most dangerous times since détente and latter perestroika. Those blue skies over Arabia and the Maghreb are darkening fast and its mostly the US that stands in the way of that darkness.

Lest we forget

.. and counting.

I was disappointed more wasn't done yesterday about this.

The Debt Labour have hung around our necks

The BBC's bias on war reporting

The BBC headlines are all Israeli "child murder's" . Since most people only read or scan the headline the BBC's anti-Israel job is done.

If you follow through to the article below more biased headlines you discover that:

1) Islamic Jihad terrorists were successfully killed in counter battery fire due to their murderous attempts to fire rockets to kill anyone is Israel they can.
2) The Israeli's don't deny the event, but point out this happens when you have to return fire against terrorist activity.

What most worrying is the BBC spin on this event, that is quite frankly bigoted.

* Clip is from the UK version of the BBC news main page at about the time of this post.

East and West Libya ?

One of the achievable things for the powers who are implementing the protection of Libyan civilians from their own government may be to restore the balance of power between the rebels and the government.

But if deeper divisions such a tribal loyalties turn out to be key it may become necessary to divide Libya.

If this happens the key issue will be possession of the central oil downs that Gaddafi's armed forces pushed the rebels from.

A shrunken West Libya under the Gaddafi's would be a rump state short of perhaps much of its oil, and much more manageable.

How long before this becomes official policy I wonder ?

Update: And here it starts "It sounds like a way out of stalemate – but it’s fraught with problems" Venetia Rainey - The First Post

Note from the map above that East Libya would hold a significant part of the oil facilities and fields.

Seen from space

View Larger Map

H/T Google maps

The West wakes up to Cameron & Sarkozy's arguments

Well this did look likely 24 hrs ago, but it seems the White-house has had a change of mind ( or does it just take a long time behind that oval office desk these days ). I can't help thinking this is more Hilary Clinton than Barrack Obama.

But still things are on and first priority will be to save the revolution from being snuffed out.

You would not want to be sitting in or near any Gaddafi controlled armed vehicles or artillery in a few hours. A point that won't be lost on the professional and mercenary element who are currently supporting Gaddafi.

What will Gaddafi do ? He probably needs to sit tight and wait for his next opportunity. If he's capable of doing that is the big question.

What will the UK Labour party do as it seems David Cameron's brave determination pay off against Labour's old friend Gaddafi who is now threatening to shoot down airliners over the Med ? Maybe they could promise to release anyone convicted of doing so on compassionate grounds.

Now does anyone have the grid reference for Mr al-Megrahi ?

The West will regret wounding then fearing to finish Gaddafi

The Economist had an article last week on the various factions in the rebel movement against Gaddafi. The more militarily competent they were the more likely they were to switch sides - though perhaps with the Colonel's reputation few will labour under the illusion that this will save them.

Only direct intervention can now save the rebels. That means troops on the ground - and lets face it no one going to do that.

Their best hope is a cease fire. A no fly zone just won't help much or fast enough.

No one is asking for a cease fire, so I have to assume the rest is now for show.

The west will now have to deal with the Rabid Dog of the Desert who will be hell bent on revenge. I suspect certain UK oil contracts are likely to get cancelled. The west will scream sanctions and the Chinese will move in.

The BBC has gone quiet and pulled its star reporters back. No more egging on the revolution.

A spectacular home goal for the West. Mostly due to Barrack Hussein Obama who continues his quest to destroy Western interests around the world. ( Maybe it because his anti-British bigotry is getting in the way ? )

Soon the grim business of revenge in the desert will start - it will be out of the news camera's way terrifying and deadly. If Obama sleeps at night then he has no sense of shame.

See also Japan Times - The Libyan revolution's best hope? Egypt
extract:

What happens to the rebels and their families after active resistance is crushed will be much worse. When political prisoners in Abu Salim prison staged a protest at jail conditions in 1996, Gadhafi had 1,200 of them massacred. All the people now fighting him, or helping the Libyan National Council that organizes resistance in the east, or just demonstrating against him, will be tracked down by his secret police. They and their families are doomed.

Its a fair point - what are other Arabs willing to do if they see massacres in the country next door?

And The Spectator Gaddafi's coming victory is a huge strategic setback for the West

In Parliament at Prime Minister's questions Sir Malcolm Rifkind raised the forlorn hope that only the Egyptian army could now save the rebels.

I fear the retribution that is to come will be obscene and predict the worlds media that cheered on the exuberant protesters will look away as the butcher sets about his methodical work.

Maximum credible accident

Well this looks bad.

We have at least 3 of the 4 reactors at the Japanese Nuclear facility at the Fukushima having had major incidents. At least 2 have lost cooling and the fuel rods in them are believed to be melting. This will not only mean their materials will recombine in different, and potentially more lethal geometries, but also that the cooling of the reactor may not be possible to effectively restart as the passages through which cooling fluid would travel may now be blocked.

The remaining water will have boiled and nuclear and chemical reactions have generated hydrogen which will, thanks to the chemical properties of hydrogen, raise the pressure in the reactors to a level that containment can't handle - hence the venting and presumably the higher levels of radiation being observed.

Looks bad.

It is.

But it could yet get worse in the main containment vessels are breached allowing air into the reactor ( fire - are the moderator rods graphite ? ) and the China syndrome meltdown through the base of the reactor into the ground as the core melts it's way downwards. Remember if you heat steel enough it loses its strength and then will just collapse. I assume there is concrete around the reactor vessel also which may offer some further containment.

The mixed oxide fuel is likely to become an issue also as it has probably been manufactured either in the UK or France and certainly was used in our older reactors ( of the type we will need to keep running beyond their design lives thanks to the green delusion our politicians have been involved in ).

Did things need to turn out like this ?

Not really is my guess. The big mistake hear seems to have been speed of reaction to the unexpected failures. We are told to believe that the diesel pumps ran out of fuel. Why wasn't heaven and earth moved to get more fuel as a matter of national emergency ? Is this a case of the virtues of calm deference that are serving Japan so well over the Tsunami disaster being the last thing needed in a rapidly evolving emergency when the people on the scene need to be empowered to act ?

There is a term int he nuclear world "Maximum credible accident" and this is starting to look like it to me. If it is the failings may turn out to be as much human and cultural and technical or geotechnical.

Maximum credible accident was also a fictional story about a fast breeder reactor program which would have justified the Ultra Vox treatment.

For those old enough ...



PS Don't get me wrong the video is guff and I'm a supporter of nuclear power. We just need to know what we're doing. Nothing is without risk.

See also - The First Pot's nuclear expert things things are already beyond repair - see here.

Never mind high speed rail - how about a Thames barrage.

I know politicians and civil servants would like to cut a bit of time of their first class commute to and from Manchester. But really shouldn't the priority be a Thames barrage to prevent a storm surge doing to London what just happened to northern Japan ?

Also: See Labour's Thames gateway potential disaster earlier post.

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Stoic Japan

What can be said of the most terrible human disaster of the recent Japanese earth quake ?

What strikes me is how fantastic the Japanese engineering has been to stand up to the earth quake itself, but how inadequate the works of man have been compared to the Tsunami.

Not that its a time for such things but I think the fortitude and self discipline of the Japanese in such a disaster does them great credit.

I dread to think of the response to such an event if it were to occur here.

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The lack of interest on the high street

As the Bank of England continues its policy of keeping inflation high, much higher than its official Target, you can't find an interest rate on the high street that will stop your money evaporating.

After all those with assets were always going to end up paying for Labour's debt splurge.

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How a Lib Dem MEP would like to betray Britain

So Lib Dems - do you disown this traitor ?

H/T Danniel Hannan & @JackDaRipperJr

When are Labour going to stop point scoring and notice the dead bodies being stacked up by their best friend Gaddafi ?

Wee Dougie Alexander (WDA) is doing his best to save his job, after that disastrous Newsnight interview where he was defending Labour's choice of releasing the Locklerbie mass murder and cosying up to the Mad Dog of the Desert. ( I guess Ed Miliband can hardly criticise given his own personal close links via the LSE. )

So there's must crowing by Labour spin doctors and WDA.

In the mean time the tools of industrial killing are being turned on the people who wanted to free themselves in Libya, who are reported to be hiding behind human shields of the local population just for good measure.

What does WDA do ? Attack Britain's reputation and try to make a mistake on setting up communications with the rebels into a party political point to help his career and those of his grubby terrorist appeasing buddies.

Labour should just shut up. They have soiled themselves and the country's honour with their appeasement of Gaddafi, betrayal of Yvonne Fletcher and the people of that PanAm flight and Lockerbie, whilst hiding their own close links.

And now that something must be done Labour destruction of the UK economy with its burnt earth debt policy, created solely to get itself re-elected, has reduced the options that can be offered.

Other people are now making the decisions and WDA should get out of the way and go back under the rock from which he crawled out from under.

Enterprise friendly ?

I heard the headline reports of David Cameron's spring forum speech in Wales.

The speech was delivered in his own engaging style, but I have one problem. I don't think the government does get enterprise.

If it did ridiculous equality legislation and business busting rights ( eg massive maternity leave ) would be under review.

Another speech about red tape that could be delivered by anyone just won't cut the mustard.

Sorry.

Choosing the loosing side in a revolution

The moment appears with great excitement. People around you are making their decisions and urging you to join them. In a moment of euphoria you do something you would never do if you were sober and resign your position to join the revolutionaries on the barricade.

Its a familiar story.

A friend of mine in our joint first year at University was chosen to kick of a food fight. Everyone went in in their old clothes, ready to re-enact that scene from Animal House. Up stood (insert now senior manager at blue chip company name here) a shouted the immortal lines "Food Fight" just as the chief cook, a formidable West Indian Lady known as Lucy turned the corner.

Everyone saw Lucy, except my friend who started distributing food. Everyone else staid quiet and seated. Everyone else knew Lucy was not to be messed with.

Lucy's retribution was a swift as it was sure - a bottle of tomato ketchup was emptied over my somewhat sheepish looking friend, and the legend of Lucy had a new chapter to add. ( Like the time that I still can't explain when she chased a bunch of guys dressed a Vikings out on the last day of Summer term. )

But what's some harmless fun is now looking deadly serious in Libya.

Many foreign diplomats resigned, believing the BBC's euphoria and disgusted with the violence of the Gaddafi regime. But they must now consider the possibility that Gaddafi might hold on, and if he does his revenge (whatever is spoken of amnesties and forgiveness) will be sure and terrible.

The UK has now turned from Labour's policy of appeasement to one of almost open hostility. Our colours are now nailed to the mast also.

Everything now hangs int he balance. Delay favours the Mad Dog - which is why Venezuela's Chavez is busy trying to create one with the old kicking the ball into the diplomatic long grass ploy ( after all it has worked so well for Iran and North Korea over their nuclear weapons programs ).

Add into the mix that fact that the UK was planning on taking a break from wars for a decade or two, and we have a very real and painful dilemma that will impact all our lives.

It all hangs in the balance - the west must decide if it will kill off the dictator whom it has dared to wound, or let him recover and find ways of extracting revenge when he is strong again.

Remember the Marsh Arabs and the rebellion in Basra after the first Gulf war, or the initial ineffectiveness in the Balkans. But also remember the protection of the Kurds with the no-fly zone & UK Marines on the ground ( a friend of mine was a volunteer Doctor on that exercise - she asked her husband if something shouldn't been done and the next day got a letter through the door asking for volunteers and was at the end of the week in Northern Iraq - moral be careful what you wish for .)

The BBC and its cheerleader friend would do well to remember this is far from over and the stakes are frighteningly high for many.