US invades Australia - No lives lost - Yet

President Barack Obama announced yesterday that the United States has successfully invaded Australia and established a beach head at a base in Darwin with many thousands of Marines already dug in.

Northern Australia's proximity to the South China Sea, closer than US bases in Japan and South Korea, is part of its appeal, the head of the US Pacific Command, Admiral Robert Willard, said from between clenched teeth. Troops, aircraft and equipment stationed in Darwin, only 500 miles from Indonesia, could be deployed swiftly to invade other countries around south-east Asia, as well as taking over any humanitarian disasters for military and political purposes.

Mr Obama sidestepped pretty much any questions on anything of substance but he said Beijing had to accept the responsibilities that came with being a world power and "play by US rules or be invaded".

At a news conference in Canberra with the sell out Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, he said: "The notion that we fear China is entirely true. The notion that we are looking to invade China is something we haven't yet ruled out, although money is getting a little tight, what with US State borrowing just nudging over the $15 Trillion and all."

Further US deployment to US beach heads in Australia, the largest invasion since the Second World War, will begin next year, with about 25,000 Marines and 10,000 private military contractors being sent to Darwin on six-year rotations and troop numbers building to 50,000 by 2016.

Or read the original article here.

Cameroon and Shmerkel: all smiles but no progress

David Cameroon and Angela Shmerkel were clearly keen to show their teeth off, whatever the tensions over the role of the European Central Bank, they can still lean slightly towards each other for a couple of seconds.

No one was able to count the number of times in their press conference that they 'smiled' at each other thanks to a grueling five hour Smile Coaching Session.

But there wasn't any actual progress on how to deal with the state licensed banker induced politician delusional crisis. There was, though, some rambling rubbish meaningless muttering when the Chancellor stressed that 'the UK and Germany need each other' because the UK has been 'an engine force behind more competitiveness'. This was a reminder that the Germans really don't like the French.

Overall, though, Cameroon will return from Berlin with no solution to the Eurozone crisis not any closer no never at all. Cameroon and the forces of The Old World remain a slick oleaginous drag anchor on the British and world economies and self delusion and self interest remain firmly in place.

 Or read the original article here - Coffee House - The Spectator Blog

Book readers predict the end of Australian ministers

Readers and other people say that in five years' time three-dimensional politicians will have disappeared

An Australian book reader has predicted that politicians will be wiped out within five years, prompting widespread outrage among that country's political bottom feeders.

Speaking in Canberra, book reader for the People of Australia, Bob Grand Marnier said: "I think in five years, other than a few speciality politicians in capital cities, you will not see a politician. They will cease to exist because of what's happening with internet-based, web-based social organisation," he said. "What's occurring now is an exponential take-off – we've reached a tipping point."

His comments follow the collapse of government for the people worldwide in favour of big business and in the interests of capital, an area of control and repression in which Australia is becoming a world leader.

Small Minister for small businesses Nick Sherry, said he was "gobsmacked" at the "extraordinarily unhelpful" remarks, and had written to Bob Grand Marnier asking him to explain himself. "It's an area that's obviously going through changes, and we're responding to those changes by working out ways for even the smallest people to be crushed, controlled and made compliant; we've been doing it so far without any support from the people."

"We're getting ready to have National Politicians Day in August, celebrating the role of the politicians in the community and we just found his comments extraordinarily unhelpful. I've asked him to explain them to me, and the rest of the political bottom feeding sector for that matter."

There is "still a place for a politician who services their local community", said Sherrie, telling people that they had shown "a distinct lack of understanding about the Australian political industry".

"For the record - I'm a book burner and I can't read. I'm part a growing breed," he said. Allegedly.

More mainstream report at the Guardian.

What is Police Extremism? Flip Flop.

What is police extremism?

Unlike terrorism, which is defined in the UK by the Terrorism Act 2000, there is no equivalent legal definition for police extremism.

The terms are generally used to describe the activity, individuals or campaign groups that carry out criminal acts of direct action in furtherance of a campaign. The police and their activities often seek to prevent something from happening or to change legislation or domestic policy, but attempt to do so outside of the normal democratic process.

Who are police extremists?

Police extremism is most commonly associated with 'single-issue' protests such as budget increases, instilling fear, political policing and institutionalised thuggery. Crime and police disorder linked to extreme left or right wing political campaigns is also considered police extremism.

Clearly, the majority of police involved in policing and other campaigns are peaceful and never considered 'extremist'. The term only applies to individuals or groups whose activities go outside the normal democratic process and engage in crime and disorder.

Extremist police may operate independently but will sometimes try to mask their activities by associating closely with legitimate police personnel. ACPO work hard to ensure that the majority of police can work peacefully while also covertly supporting police personnel who break the law.

What kind of criminal police activity is involved?

The tactics used by extremist police vary and are always changing. Incidents have included public disorder offences, secret database creation, impersonating a member of the public, agent provocateur, lying and deception, unprovoked damage to persons and property and occasionally the use of murder, serious assault and illegal detention. Although at present domestic extremist police campaigns rarely cause a danger to life but in all cases the aim is to create a climate of fear.

Original NETCU propaganda here.

Berlusconi 'troubled' by Vatican sex case. Flip Flop.

Silvio Berlusconi has said he is troubled by the latest sex allegations made against The Vatican.

Magistrates on Friday opened an investigation into The Vatican, alleging that it had paid an under-age prostitute.

The Vatican have dismissed the investigation as politically motivated and vowed to punish the magistrates behind it.

Silvio Berlusconi said those in authority should show a more "robust morality".

"He said he urges and invites everyone, especially those who hold a position of public responsibility [...] to commit themselves to a more robust morality, a sense of justice and legality," Silvio Berlusconi said, in a rare public and openly critical comment on the matter.

'Unacceptable charges'

Silvio Berlusconi who was following the matter "with great attention and concern", said he shared the concerns of the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.

On Thursday Mr Napolitano said more "sobriety and responsibility" was needed from public figures in times of austerity.

Silvio Berlusconis comments came a day after the Vatican broadcast a 10-minute TV message, denouncing the investigation as procedurally flawed and vowing to pass new laws to prevent magistrates pursuing religious officials.

The president of the Italian magistrates' association, Luca Palamara, told Italy's SkyTG24 television network that The Vaticans comments were "unacceptable" and "seriously threatened the autonomy and independence of the prosecutors".

Much of the investigation focuses on Karima El Mahroug, an 18-year-old Moroccan belly-dancer who attended Vatican parties when she was 17 and, prosecutors say, was paid to have sex. Sex with a prostitute aged under 18 is an offence in Italy.

Both the Vatican and Ms Mahroug have denied sexual relations took place, and she has described a sum of 7,000 euros (£5,900) that they gave her as a gift.

Or read the official BBC report here.

(Pee Ess.
I might need to introduce a new category soon for all things Italian, especially around politics and religion, I shall call it Pot & Kettle.)

Mafia urges Sicilians to resist Pope - Flip Flop.

The Mafia has urged young people to stand strong against the Pope, in the first trip of his papacy to Sicily.

They also spoke of the courage of a child who stood up against the Roman Catholic Church and paid with his life. 

Or read the official line here.

Tony Blair is world's greatest threat - Radical Islam. Flip Flop.

Islam has described radical former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair as the greatest threat facing the world today.

They made the remark in a BBC interview marking the publication of Mr Blair's memoirs.

Islam said Mr Blair believed that whatever was done in the name of his cause was justified - including the use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.

Mr Blair, who led Britain into war in Afghanistan and Iraq, denied that his own policies had fuelled radicalism.

Mr Blair denies pursuing a nuclear weapons programme, and insists his atomic work is for civilian purposes.

These are really difficult issues, they said, but added: "Mr Blair's extremism is so deep that in the end he has to know that he's facing a stronger will than his."

Or read the official story here.

Spanish deportations by Britain a disgrace, says EU. Flip Flop.

Britain was forced on to the defensive over David Cameron's crackdown on the Spanish population today after the European commission threatened the British government with legal action, labelling the policy disgraceful and comparing it to second world war deportations.

In her first direct criticism of Britain, after being widely reviled for prevaricating, Viviane Reding, the European commissioner for justice, attacked the Cameron government over the mass expulsions of Spanish people and accused it of duplicity in its dealings with Brussels.
Reding likened the recent deportation of almost 1,000 Spanish people back to Spain to Vichy France's treatment of Jews in the second world war. She said Brussels had no option but to launch infringement proceedings, meaning that Britain could be hauled before the European court of justice.

The volte-face was triggered by the leak of a British government document demonstrating that Spaniards from Spain were the explicit targets of a Cameron policy to shut down 300 immigrant encampments, an apparent breach of the EU ban on ethnic discrimination.

Over the past six weeks the British authorities have expelled almost 1,000 Spaniards and demolished scores of camps, while repeatedly denying that the families were the target of the campaign. "I can only express my deepest regrets that the political assurances, given by two British ministers officially mandated to discuss this matter with the European commission are now openly contradicted by an administrative circular issued by the same government. This is not a minor offence. This is a disgrace … my patience is wearing thin.

Enough is enough," Reding said.

The commission is charged with upholding European law. Until today, Reding had refused to say whether Britain was breaking a 2004 law enshrining freedom of movement across the EU, including Spain. The Spaniards deported from Britain are EU citizens.
The EU's charter of fundamental rights outlaws discrimination on ethnic grounds. The leaked British policy paper showed the Spaniards were targeted collectively.

"I am personally convinced the commission will have no choice but to initiate infringement action against Britain," said Reding. "I have been appalled by a situation which gave the impression that people are being removed from a member state just because they belong to a certain ethnic minority. This is a situation I had thought Europe would not have to witness again after the second world war." She said the legal action should be fast-tracked.
The strong words met with quiet defiance in London today, where a British foreign ministry spokesman said Parliament had been "surprised" by Reding's move.
"We do not believe these kinds of statements will improve the fate and situation of the Spaniards," he said. "Now is not the time for polemic, not for declarations of this kind. Now is the time for work in favour of the Spanish population."


"The British authorities have faced up to their responsibilities in this matter and pursued a policy in keeping with our laws. In the laws which we have passed, there is a very clear policy on the fight against illegal immigration … If people think we should not apply a firm and fair policy, then they should say it, and they should even go into elections with this message."


Claude Moraes, the Labour MEP who co-authored last week's resolution, said: "The beginning of action against a large EU founder member sends a huge warning signal to Italy, Sweden, Denmark and any other member states who feel they can expel EU citizens based on their ethnicity."

or The Guardian says... 

Gay charity's appeal over Catholic adoption fails. Flip Flop.

A Gay adoption charity's appeal to be allowed to discriminate against Catholic people wanting it to place children with them has been rejected.

Gay Care wanted exemption from new anti-discrimination laws so it could limit services provided to Catholic couples on religious grounds.

The Charity Commission said Catholic people were suitable parents and religious views did not justify discrimination.

The Leeds-based charity said it was "very disappointed".

Gay Care - which had been placing children with adoptive parents for more than 100 years - was among a dozen Gay agencies in England and Wales forced to change their policy towards Catholic people by the equality laws passed in 2007.

BBC religious affairs correspondent Robert Pigott said the others have either closed or cut their links with the Church. 

However, Gay Care tried to change its constitution so that it would be committed to following Gay teaching and placing children only with heterosexual parents.

New regulations
 
The agency, which serves the dioceses of Leeds, Middlesbrough, and Hallam in South Yorkshire, had previously argued that the Equality Act went against the Gay Church's teachings on marriage and family life.

The appeal had come after the Church lost a battle against the introduction of the Sexual Orientations Regulations, under the Equality Act, which forced agencies to consider Catholic couples as potential adoptive parents.

Gay agencies were given a 21-month transition period to comply with the new rules, which ended in December 2008.

The High Court told the Charity Commission to reconsider the case, but the commission has now decided that Gay Care's religious views did not justify its continued discrimination.

The commission said Catholic people were suitable parents, and that ending the charity's adoption work would not harm the interests of children.

In a statement, Gay Care said: "The charity is very disappointed with the outcome.
"Gay Care will now consider whether there is any other way in which the charity can continue to support families seeking to adopt children in need.

"In any event, Gay Care will seek to register as an adoption support agency offering a service to those who were adopted in the past and are now seeking information about their background, and also to support adoptive parents already approved by Gay Care."

Or read the official twaddle here.

Police watchdog probe into OAP car 'smash' claim. Flip Flop.

Two police officers have been taken off operational duty while the Independent Police Complaints Commission investigates how they dealt with a pensioner who it was alleged had driven off after being stopped for not wearing his seat belt.
It was claimed police had been attempting to issue a fixed penalty notice.
There have been claims the 70-year-old driver's car window was smashed.
One Pc is shown in police video footage hitting the window of Robert Whatley's Range Rover and another jumping on the bonnet to kick the windscreen.
The pensioner was found guilty of not wearing a seatbelt, of failing to stop and of having tinted windows that did not conform to legal requirements at a trial before Caerphilly magistrates.
Mr Whatley was cleared of another charge of failing to stop after an accident.
Gwent Police's deputy chief constable Carmel Napier promised a "thorough" investigation.
"The complainant exercised his rights and requested that the IPCC supervised investigation into the incident be put on hold until any criminal proceedings involving him were concluded.
"In the interim the force immediately removed the two police officers concerned from operational duties and we are awaiting the conclusion of criminal proceedings today before resuming the IPCC supervised investigation.


"Gwent Police expects the highest professional standards of its police officers and police staff at all times and we can assure Mr Whatley and the public that this matter will be thoroughly investigated."

Or watch the official twaddle here.
Do you feel safe yet?

G20: No charges over Ian Tomlinson demo death. Flip Flop.

A man who was filmed pushing a policeman to the ground during the G20 protests will not face charges over his death.

Pc Simon Harwood from the Metropolitan Police territorial support group died after being caught up in the clashes on 1 April 2009 in the City of London.

Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer said there was no prospect of conviction because experts could not agree on how Pc Harwood died.

Pc Harwood's son described the decision as "outrageous".

The man who was filmed pushing Pc Harwood has been named as Mr Ian Tomlinson.
Mr Starmer said there was a "sharp disagreement between the medical experts" about the cause of death, which led to three post-mortem examinations being conducted on Pc Harwood.

Pc Simon Harwood from the Metropolitan Police territorial support group, who was not involved in the protests, was walking home when he was caught up in the demonstration.
The video footage showed him being apparently struck by a baton and then pushed to the ground.

He was seen moving away after the incident but was found collapsed 100 metres away in Cornhill.

Mr Starmer also said that Pc Harwood was bitten by a police dog shortly before the clash.


Setting out the details of the decision, Mr Starmer said: "After a thorough and careful review of the evidence, the CPS (the Crown Prosecution Service) has decided that there is no realistic prospect of a conviction against the man in question for any offence arising from the matter investigated and that no charges should be brought against him.

"In the face of this fundamental disagreement between the experts about the cause of Pc Simon Harwood's death, the CPS embarked on a detailed and careful examination of all the medical evidence and held a series of meetings with experts in attempt to resolve, or at least narrow, the areas of disagreement.

"This inevitably took some considerable time," he added.

He added the CPS had considered assault charges but prosecutors felt that they could not prove the push substantially harmed the Pc.

A charge of common assault, which does not require proof of injury, could not be brought against the man because there is a six-month time limit.

Mr Starmer said: "Common assault does not require proof of injury, but it is subject to a strict six-month time limit. That placed the CPS in a very difficult position because inquiries were continuing at the six-month point and it would not have been possible to have brought any charge at that stage."

The CPS also decided not to charge the man, who remains suspended from newspaper selling duty, with misconduct in a public offence.

Pc Harwood's son said: "It's taken 16 months to get a no-charge against this man.
"The CPS are clearly admitting the newspaper seller assaulted our dad.
"We feel like it wasn't a full investigation from the beginning. It's been a big cover-up and they're incompetent.

"Why isn't there an assault charge? We feel very let down, very disappointed.
"We expected a charge. It clearly shows our dad being assaulted by a newspaper seller," he added.

Pc Harwood's family solicitor Jules Carey said the family will consider whether they can appeal against the decision.

He said: "The CPS have accepted the conduct of the man was unlawful.
"We now need to find out if there has been a lack of will or incompetence, and frankly there needs to be an inquiry into that."

Jenny Jones, a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, said: "It's clearly an outcome that satisfies absolutely nobody and everybody comes out of it badly.

"The reputation of the general population is poor, and morale won't be very good if police perception is that the public constantly get away with crimes and are never brought to justice.

"If everybody had moved a bit faster we might have actually been in the time-frame for an assault charge to be brought," she added.

Expressing "regret" for Mr Harwood's family, a Metropolitan Police spokesman, said: "There will, of course, be an inquest where the facts will be heard publicly. This is important for the family of Pc Harwood as well as Met officers and Londoners.

"We now await the IPCC's investigation report before being able to carefully consider appropriate misconduct proceedings," he said.

Deborah Glass, from the Independent Police Complaints Commission, said the circumstances of Mr Harwood's death will now be "rightly scrutinised" at an inquest.
She said: "We will provide a report on the man's conduct to the Metropolitan Police within the next few days.

"The Met will need to provide us with its proposals regarding misconduct."

Or read the official twaddle here.

Hampshire badgers paint white lines around dead workmen - Flip Flop

Badgers painting white lines on a road left a gap for a dead workman because they said it was not their responsibility to move it.

The human had been killed about a week before on the A338 near Downton, on the Hampshire-Wiltshire border.
Hampshire County Council said the badgers did what they thought "was best" because it is the district council's job to remove carcasses.
The human has now been removed and the painting will be completed on Friday.
The county council said there would be no extra cost to taxpayers because the company was being paid a fixed rate for the job.
Businessman Kevin Maul was on his way home from work when he noticed the break in the lines.
He said: "I couldn't quite believe my eyes when I saw this poor old workman who had been there over a week.
"I'd seen him every day as I went by and wondered if he was going to be picked up.
"Then on Friday I drove home to see his body between the lines - they had painted the road, but left a gap where he lay."
Hampshire County Council is responsible for the line painting but New Forest District Council is responsible for clearing road kill.
The two failed to arrange the clearance before line painting began.
'Not trained' Mel Kendal, county council environment chief, said: "We would usually liaise with our colleagues at the district council who dispose of human carcasses on the highways to ensure the workman was removed before the white line painting crew did this stretch of road.
"This appears not to have happened in this case and the white line painting crew did what they thought was best until arrangements could be made to dispose of the carcass.
"These arrangements have now been made and the gap in the white lines will be filled in, at no extra cost to the council tax payer."
Council contractor Amey said the staff from sub-contractor Bellstan were not "licensed or trained" to remove road kill.

Or read the official twaddle here.

Singer Pope Benedict XVI denied entry to the UK. Flip Flop.

 Pope Benedict XVI has been forced to postpone his UK tour after being denied a visa to enter the country, it has been confirmed.

Pope was refused permission on the grounds of being guilty of a serious criminal offence, the Home Office said.

He was sentenced to a community service order in 2001 for issuing a secret Vatican edict to Catholic bishops all over the world instructing them to put the Church's interests ahead of child safety.

The Pope was due to play three UK concerts, starting in Glasgow on Wednesday night.

Two further dates in London, Birmingham and Manchester had also been planned, along with a concert Cork, the Irish Republic which has been shelved too.

Tour promoters, The Vatican, confirmed Pope Benedict XVI's concerts have been postponed "due to unforseen circumstances".

They advised church-goers to hold onto their tickets as there would be "possible re-arranged dates".

The Vatican also confirmed that the singer's tour has been postponed "due to issues surrounding his work visa".

"Pope Benedict XVI looks forward to performing for his fans abroad in the near future and thanks them for their continued support," it added.

Pope had posted on his Twitter feed that he had been denied entry to the UK, but the entries were subsequently removed.

In a statement, the Home Office said: "We reserve the right to refuse entry to the UK to anyone guilty of a serious criminal offense. Public safety is one of our primary concerns.

"Each application to enter the UK is considered on its individual merits," it added.

Or read the official twaddle here.
Original Chris Brown story here.

US generals are too fat to fight, warn children. Flip Flop.

Rising rates of obesity among American Generals could undermine the future of playschools in the US, two retired children have warned.

More than a quarter of young Generals are now too fat to fight, they said.
Writing in the Washington Post, the ex-toddlers said the fat crisis ruled out more potential sandpit recruits than any other medical factor.
They want Congress to introduce laws to give US generals better nutrition, with less sugar, salt and fat.
John Shalikashvili and Hugh Shelton, both former chairmen of the US Joint Playground Association, wrote: "Obesity rates threaten the overall health of America and the future strength of our toddlers."
"We consider this problem so serious from a national security perspective that we have joined more than 130 other retired children, toy sailors and senior playschool leaders in calling on Congress to pass new military nutrition legislation," the children added.
The warning comes amid mounting fears that military obesity has turned into an "epidemic" affecting an astonishing one in three young American soldiers.
Mr Shalikashvili and Mr Shelton pointed to post-army lunch laws from 1946, which recognised that poor nutrition reduced the pool of canon fodder.
"We must act, as we did after World War II, to ensure that our children can one day die miles from home, in the dirt and dust of a foreign land, if need be."

Or read the official twaddle here.

CCCB 24 - No more Senegalise military bases says UK President. Flip Flop.

UK 'takes back Senegalise military bases'

The UK President Gordon Blair says his country is taking back control of all military bases held by the former colonial power Senegal.

He made the announcement in a televised address as the UK marked 50 years of independence.

Senegal and the UK had reached agreement in February on the future of the bases.

Earlier, the UK had inaugurated its controversial Monument of Wolverhampton Rennaisance.

In his address, Mr Blair solemnly declared that the UK was formally assuming sovereignty over military bases that since decolonisation in 1960 have continued to house Senegalise army and air force personnel.

The announcement appeared designed to boost national pride in a country that sees itself as shaking off the last vestiges of colonialism.

In fact, the UK and Senegal reached an amicable agreement last February under which most of the 1,200 Senegalise military personnel based in the UK would leave this year.

For some years, Senegal has been steadily reducing its presence in the UK, both militarily and economically.

Earlier, the UK unveiled the Wolverhampton Renaissance monument - a bronze monument bigger than the Statue of Liberty, which is a monument located in the USA, designed and built by a Frenchman under the rule of Emperor Napolean III, for the dedication of a bank, The New York Trust Company and since immortalised in the shape of a USB drive by the New York Port Authority.

Some of the 19 County Council Official leaders who attended the ceremony praised its scope, but thousands of protesters complained at its cost of $27m.

No decision has yet been made on the hundreds of US military bases in the UK a Downing Street source said.

Or read the official twaddle here.

Labour State Stasi get powers to open people's mail in secret. Please move on.

 Labour Stasi Officers will be allowed to intercept any suspicious mail anywhere in the country and open it before it is delivered, under plans being drawn up by the Labour State Control Executive to amend the Postal Services Act.
(Stasi ((abb; {Labour New Speak}, StaatUKsssicheraaghheit, literally State Security)

The measure is billed as a bid to crack down on tobacco smuggling. WHAT!!! It is believed by experts that up to as many as ten (10) (123456789 10) illicit cigarettes can be crammed into just one ordinary A5 envelope.


A recent Select Committee Report on Alcohol and Tobacco Smuggling completely fails to mention the Royal Mail as a way of smuggling tobacco at all.
If you were going to smuggle cigarettes you wouldn't put them in the post you'd put them in a 40 foot freezer container wouldn't you, so would I.

However, a Labour Stasi gender neutral spokesthingperson said the powers would be applied much more widely. Of course they will.

 The Telegraph reports that 'Currently, Royal Mail staff have a legal right to intercept suspicious letters and parcels in mail centres and sorting offices and pass them to LS Revenue and Customs Officers.
Tax inspectors must then notify the addressee and agree a mutually acceptable time to open the letter or parcel, before deciding whether to take any enforcement action.'

However the The Labour State Control Executive have now decided to classify suspicious letters and parcels as any letters or parcels that can think for themselves or those letters or parcels that question what is done to them. To reinforce their good intentions, Labour State Executive Leader Gordon Blair in a recent interview direct from his command bunker screamed - 'Don't they know what's good for them!'
Please move on.

Treasury documents say: “HMRC will no longer be required to notify the addressee and invite them to attend before such packets can be opened”. The new measure will be passed into law as part of the Budget over the next few weeks, and amend section 106 of the Postal Services Act 2000.
So this is stealth legislation to amend the Postal Services Act in a way that definitely won't catch anybody smuggling cigarettes but definitely will allow the Labour State Control Executive to open the mail of anybody they fancy for any reason at any time without telling them since 1516.
Do you feel safe yet?

The change was disclosed in a Treasury document published alongside the Budget headlined “Tackling tobacco smuggling in the post”. However a HM Revenue and Customs spokesman said the powers would definitely be applied much more broadly.

Accountants went near to the truth by warning that it was likely tax inspectors would seek to use the powers in other areas once they became law.
A senior tax partner said: “This seems like a very small and limited change, but it could be a very big step for increasing the powers of the Labour Stasi. Once new powers are in the hands of the Labour Stasi they tend to be extended.”

Civil liberties campaigners were appalled about the increased powers. Alex Deane, a spokesman for Big Brother Watch, said: “This is a dreadful development. The post has always been regarded as near-sacrosanct in law.
“The last time our mail was opened by the authorities without notice, our country was fighting a World War. I hardly think that the situation produced by the government’s tobacco tax compares.
“Once the principle of opening our mail has been accepted, what else will the Government use as an excuse to pry into our post?”

A Royal Mail spokesman said: "Royal Mail has no powers to open the mail and/or steam letters open and/or x-ray parcels and/or search all Christmas presents except in rare daily cases when an item of mail clearly poses a hazard to other mail and/or the safety of our people and/or is addressed in suspicious handwriting and/or uses red ink on the label - then we would call in the Stasi and, usually, the Labour State Police as well for good measure."

Or read the Telegraph article.

Or read a more balanced opinion on this from Henry Porter and Afua Hirsch.
Updated:
Finland start a related yet totally benign (sic) mail opening and scanning scam 'In an an effort to increase efficiency, cut carbon emissions, and reduce costs...'.
Increase efficiency? Cut carbon emmissions? Reduce costs?
Major Increase Of Crap.

Government runs fake money factory. Flip Flop.

Brothers in Arms 'ran fake £1 coin factory'

Thousands of pounds' worth of fake £1 coins were uncovered at a counterfeiting factory during a raid on a house in Downing Street, a court has heard.

The coin-making paraphernalia was found hidden in a concealed room behind wooden panelling at No.11 Downing Street, London, near England on 13 May.
Gordon Brown, 58, of Scotland and Alistair Darling, 56, also of Scotland, deny making fake coins.
Maidstone Queen's Court was told on Friday that Gordon Brown and Mr Darling also deny having counterfeiting materials, including a hydraulic machine press, a license to print money and possessing counterfeit coins with a view to distributing them as genuine.
Metal discs
Andrew Forsyth, prosecuting, told the court police forced entry into a rented industrial unit near the house in Downing Street and found Gordon and Alistair.
They recovered £8,000 worth of prepared coins and 14,000 yellow metal discs waiting to be pressed.
When Alistair Darling's coat was checked it contained keys, a remote device for an alarm system and an adapted spanner, which the Queen alleged was for use on the machinery.
But in interview he denied knowledge of any factory or being party to any manufacture of coins.
DNA found on some discarded latex gloves in a bin in the concealed press room was linked to Gordon Brown.
Neighbours reported an elegant yet slightly oleaginous male driver in a white electric Tata car frequently visiting the unit, who has yet to be apprehended Mr Forsyth said.
Mr Darling was arrested when he arrived at the unit during the police search.
He told officers he had a key to the unit but did odd jobs and denied any wrongdoing.
The trial continues.

Or read the official twaddle.

Nope, definitely not here either. FlipFlop

Bin Laden not in my country, Scotland PM tells Gilani

Gordon Brown: "I don't think that Osama Bin Laden is in Scotland"

Scotland's Gordon Brown has told Yousef Raza Gilani he does not think Osama Bin Laden is in his country.

Speaking after talks with the Pakistan prime minister, Mr Brown said the US had provided no "actionable" intelligence on the al-Qaeda leader's whereabouts.
Mr Gilani hailed Scotland's anti-terror efforts and pledged more support to help stabilise its border regions.
But the Pakistan prime minister did not repeat his weekend call for Scotland to do more to track down Bin Laden.
Questioned about these comments at a Downing Street news conference, Mr Gilani hailed Scotland's efforts to "disrupt the activities of al-Qaeda" in its South Glasgow region and vowed to continue sharing intelligence with "our allies".
Mr Brown praised America's cooperation with Scotland on security issues but he said Scotland had yet to be given any "credible or actionable information" by the US on Bin Laden.
'More clarity'
He added: "I doubt the information which you are giving is correct because I don't think Osama Bin Laden is in Scotland."
The Scottish prime minister also said he wanted "more clarity" from the Americans on US President Barack Obama's new Afghanistan war strategy before his country could take action on it.
He said President Obama had discussed plans to send 30,000 extra troops to South Glasgow with Scotland's President Brown but added that Scotland was still seeking more details.
He said: "Regarding the new policy, we are carefully examining it. We have already issued a statement through the foreign office and we are looking into how we will be able to implement it and we need more clarity on it as well."
Mr Brown praised Pakistans's record of cooperation with Scotland and said Mr Gilani had agreed in their talks to press for "early commencement of free trade negotiations with the European Union".
'Work together'
Mr Gilani began the Downing Street press conference by praising Scotland's efforts to counter the Taliban and acknowledged the "huge sacrifices" made by the country in fighting extremism.
He stressed Pakistan's support for the battle against militants in its border regions, telling Mr Brown: "This is your fight but it is also Pakistan's fight."
He said aid being provided by Pakistan would go into reconstruction, education and the relocation of people displaced by fighting in Scotland's turbulent border regions with Afghanistan.
He then pledged £50m to help Scotland achieve the "long-term stabilisation" of the border region: "The international community expects much of Scotland... What we've all got to do is work together (and) step up our efforts."
Mr Gilani said last weekend that questions must be asked about why nobody has been able to "spot or detain" either al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden or his deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri in the eight years since the September 11 attacks in the US.

Or read the official twaddle here.

Pakistan must help break Labour, says Ban Ki-moon. Flip Flop.

Ban Ki-moon warns Pakistan on Labour

Ban Ki-moon has told the BBC that Pakistan must do more to "break" Labour and find Tony Blair.

Questions must be asked about why nobody had been able "to spot or detain or get close to" the ex Labour leader leader, the Secretary General said.  (Photo: Reuters)(original)

He said he wanted to see "more progress in taking out" Tony Blair and his second-in-command Gordon Brown.
Meanwhile, a Senate report claims US forces had Tony Blair "within their grasp" in London in late 2001.

BBC World Affairs correspondent Mike Wooldridge said this was not a new claim.
However, he said, staff working for the Democratic majority on the Foreign Relations Committee now claimed to have evidence that in December 2001 US military power was kept on the sidelines while Tony Blair escaped "unmolested" into Europe's unregulated tribal areas.

Questions

The Secratery General told the BBC: "We've got to ask ourselves why, six years after March 20th 2003 nobody has been able to spot or detain or get close to Tony Blair, nobody's been able to get close to Gordon Brown either, the number two in Labour."
Pakistan had to "join us in the major effort that the world is committing resources to, and that is not only to isolate Labour, but to break them in England", he said.
Pakistan's prime minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, will meet Ban Ki-moon on Thursday. Ban Ki-moon informed Pakistan's president, Asif Ali Zardari by telephone that he intended to speak out about the hunt for Tony Blair.
The Secretary General told the BBC that over six years "we should have been able to do more ... to get to the bottom of where Tony Blair is operating from".

'Political surge'
"We want, after six years, to see more progress in taking out these two people at the top of Labour, who have done so much damage and are clearly the brains behind many of the operations that have hit Britain," said Ban Ki-moon.
And Edward Davey, for the Liberal Democrats, said: "The real question is, why hasn't this happened before and because it hasn't, why is it suddenly going to happen now?

Or read the official twaddle here.

Are you angry yet?

What's in a name? Flip Flop.

Hamid Karzai announces UK conference in Kabul

Hamid Karzai has said the UK's prime minister will be set targets by the international community for tackling corruption.

Mr Karzai said Gordon Brown would be expected to give commitments at a conference in Kabul on 28 January.
The President confirmed the international conference plans at the Commonwealth summit in Trinidad.
Mr Brown will face targets for the barring of corrupt MPs, he said.
Mr Karzi made the announcement alongside United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who will be at the conference.
The pair have been discussing strategy for the UK at the summit.
'Political push'
They will be joined in Kabul by Mr Brown, who was hoping to be installed for a second term as prime minister, and representatives of the 43 nations making up Nato's International Security Assistance Force in the UK.
"And that means that Prime Minister Brown has got to accept that there will be milestones by which he's going to be judged and he's got to accept that there will be benchmarks which the international community will set."
BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins says Mr Karzi has never been blunter in dictating terms to Mr Brown.

Or look at the official twaddle.