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0 Ken Livingstone on Michael Gove's "Islamaphobia", and his radical plan for taxing London

Do Ken’s policies seem sensible?


Even though it is Ken Livingstone, I still find it quite astonishing how unguarded he is during our interview. It was only in 2006 that he was suspended from his mayoralty for four weeks for comparing Jewish journalist Oliver Finegold to a Nazi concentration camp guard. Some said the remark was blown out of all proportion. Others, including the Jewish Board of Deputies, were deeply offended.
You’d have thought Ken would steer clear of anything the Jewish community might be sensitive to when talking to a journalist. Instead, this is what happens.
We are talking about Yusuf Al-Qarawadi, the Muslim leader portrayed as an extremist and/or hate cleric by much of the media, who became an ally of Livingstone’s. Livingstone is defending his relationship with him. Al-Qarawadi, he tells me, is “somebody who had constantly said that Muslims shouldn’t attack Britain and London and that violence couldn’t be justified – I thought it was really important to reach someone like that”.
I thought the main criticism of Al-Qarawadi was that he condoned violence? “No, no, the one thing he has always said is that Palestinians have the right to fight and to kill in the struggle round Israel. But he’s always been absolutely clear that that was the only area in which violence could be justified.”
“People like Michael Gove and others have been stridently Islamaphobic for some time”
Now, I’m not sure this is the wisest defence of character drawn by Mr Livingstone, bearing in mind, however justified or unjustified, the accusations of anti-Semitism he elicited only five years ago.
I almost feel bad publishing his remarks, because it seems he says these things so off-the-cuff that he doesn’t consider how they might sound. Then again, I’m reminded of the line from Alistair Campbell’s memoir, in which he wrote: “[Livingstone] was running rings around us”. Quite some praise coming from Campbell.
Livingstone continues: “The people like Michael Gove who are fervent Zionists and Boris Johnson, they wanted to isolate Al-Qarawadi because he’s a critic of Israel. And they ignored the fact he strongly urges Muslims not to launch attacks here in Britain.”
Well, you can’t fault his loyalty to Al-Qarawadi. But calling Gove and Johnson Zionists, in this context, feels pretty punchy.
He also tells me, “People like Michael Gove and others have been stridently Islamaphobic for some time, and they assume there are votes in this”.
I double check I have heard this accusation right – how do you mean Gove is “stridently Islamaphobic”?  “Just look at his writings and the general tone he takes is to depict Islam as genuinely a threat. He’s at the extreme end of this.”
It’s worth noting that Gove has written a book called Celsius 7/7, warning of the threat of Islamist extremists to the West. But Livingstone’s words seem, again, fairly strong.
It was only in spring last year that Livingstone had to pay an estimated £11,000 in libel damages to former leader of the Tower Hamlets council, Michael Keith, for accusing him too of “Islamaphobia”.
Perhaps my surprise at Livingstone calling Gove an Islamophobe is my own fault for not researching sufficiently. In March this year, Livingstone told Iran’s Press TV:
“I think the core around Prime Minister David Cameron and a small group of neo-conservatives like Michael Gove - their objective really is to turn Britain into a small version of America. […] I think we have got a virulently pro-American government.”
Livingstone obviously does not share any of the government’s supposed fervour for our neighbour over the pond. Talking about how to prevent terrorism, he tells me: “The best way to manage risks is to create the genuine impression that you’re actually fair, which means trying to keep yourself as distant as possible from America and its wars.”


I would never ever wish harm on anyone, but I'm willing to make a "Prediction" here, that in the next month(or 4 weeks) Kens going to be all over the papers in some sort of career ending "Sex Scandal"....or worse. It's kind of a given when someone starts actually telling the truth. 

1 Nando's feature Colonel Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein in controversial advert

Nando's has released a controversial advert which shows deceased world dictators such as Saddam Hussein and Colonel Gaddafi joking about with each other.



The 45-second advert, called ‘Last dictator standing’, originates from Nando's in South Africa and opens with a Robert Mugabe lookalike wistfully picking up a Colonel Gaddafi place card from an empty dinner table. In a dream sequence he is then met by the deceased Libyan dictator who starts a waterfight with a golden AK-47.

Mugabe is then seen frolicking with Saddam Hussein, South African apartheid leader P W Botha and former Ugandan president Idi Amin before the dream sequence cuts out. Nando’s 6-pack meal is then advertised in its place.


Nando's South Africa have produced a number of controversial adverts and a statement on their website says: "Needless to say Nando's ads have been the centre of some heated topics of conversation. We've also won a lot of advertising awards along the way and they've been fantastic!".

Nando's South Africa gave a tongue-in-cheek response to the expulsion of Julius Malema from the African National Congress, releasing an advert which stated "Juju, you've been served". The firm also responded to the South African Protection of the State Information Bill (referred to as the "secrecy bill") by releasing an advert with blacked out words- parodying censorship in the media.

Source:http://uk.news.yahoo.com/nandos-feature-colonel-gaddafi-and-saddam-hussein-in-controversial-advert.html

I'm calling sick & twisted on this one..
Gadaffi has not even been in the ground long enough to defrost, and we get this??

0 Occupy Exeter High Street March - 12th November 2011


Daily Telegraph Video


Occupy Exeter: Moving into the Cathedral Green, and speech from Priest.


The group calling themselves "Occupy Exeter", in tribute to similar movements which began in New York and spread around the world, staged a protest march from the High Street in Exeter to the Cathedral on Saturday.
Video shows the protesters marching and shouting slogans such as, "this is what democracy looks like", on the way to the Cathedral to set up their camp.
Protesters claim that up to 150 people turned up to the march to protest against income inequality.
Acting Dean of Exeter Cathedral, Carl Turner, spoke to protesters before they set up their tents.
"We can't give you permission to stay here overnight and we can't guarantee your safety staying overnight," he said.
He added: "We do ask you to respect that this is a Holy place and we have some guidelines to give you if you want to stay."
A statement on Exeter Cathedral's website said: "While we would rather you did not occupy our land and we do not give you permission to do so, nevertheless, we acknowledge your right to peaceful protest and freedom of assembly."
The statement then listed guidelines for the protesters, such as respecting the Cathedral and its precincts and keeping access free for emergency vehicles.
Footage then shows the group setting up 13 tents next to the walls of the Cathedral. It is thought that about 20 people slept at the camp at the weekend.
Police are monitoring the area around Cathedral green.
The protest comes after widespread criticism of the ongoing demonstration set up outside St Paul's Cathedral in London, which last month forced the building to close for the first time since the Blitz.
The protesters did not disrupt either the Remembrance Sunday service or two minute silence, which attracted hundreds of people to the Cathedral's main entrance, and laid their own "Occupy Exeter" wreath covered with poppies next to their camp.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8888342/Occupy-Exeter-set-up-protest-camp-outside-Cathedral.html 

0 Police Pepper Spray Peaceful UC Davis Students



UPDATE: UC Davis Faculty Assoc calls for Immed Resignation of Chancellor Katehi 
Second UPDATE: Chancellor Katehi leaving peacefully. Protestors are remaining quiet. http://pic.twitter.com/l7hPk0vJ


UC Davis Chancellor Kotehi walk of shame to her car



UC Davis Students came to the consensus that they give Kotehi a silent walk of shame to her car.

0 Fatah, Hamas to Unify Despite US Objections

Israeli and American opposition won’t stop the Palestinian Authority from proceeding with its plans to achieve reconciliation with Hamas, PA officials said on Sunday.


The officials told The Jerusalem Post that the US and Israel were trying to “foil” the plans to end the dispute between Fatah and Hamas and reach agreement on the formation of a new unity government.