Oncoming oppression...

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...or 'further' oppression really: the BBC today reported that the new regulations that Venezuela has introduced essentially allow soldiers to open fire if they feel their lives are at risk during demonstrations, "The rules specify a scaled approach to maintaining public order, up to and including the use of deadly force" [edit]...if they feel their lives are at risk, right.



Naturally Citizen rights groups (and everyone not directly involved) realise these rules are "dangerously vague".

You may feel rules controlling protests are reasonable but, as The Devil's Excrement blog says, the are effectively legalising military repression; "The Interamerican Commission on Human Rights has explicitly banned the use of the Armed Forces on matters of internal security". More from Caracas Chronicles on the same thing: "Last year, mass protests were shamelessly quashed by fierce repression, tear gas, beatings, jailings and torture pretty much out in the open, for the whole world to see. This year, they´ll be repressed before they even happen."



Thing is, everyone thinks this is to repress the actual known 'Opposition' but most probably it is a message to the armed civilian militias (you know, formed for the 'war of resistance against the United States') who always said they would go into the streets to defend the revolution. Well the revolution has stalled and puppet clown Nick's dictatorship is telling them 'come for us and you know what's waiting.' 

Oncoming oppression...

---

...or 'further' oppression really: the BBC today reported that the new regulations that Venezuela has introduced essentially allow soldiers to open fire if they feel their lives are at risk during demonstrations, "The rules specify a scaled approach to maintaining public order, up to and including the use of deadly force" [edit]...if they feel their lives are at risk, right.

Naturally Citizen rights groups (and everyone not directly involved) realise these rules are "dangerously vague". You may feel rules controlling protests are reasonable but, as The Devil's Excrement blog says, the are effectively legalising military repression; "The Interamerican Commission on Human Rights has explicitly banned the use of the Armed Forces on matters of internal security". More from Caracas Chronicles on the same thing: "Last year, mass protests were shamelessly quashed by fierce repression, tear gas, beatings, jailings and torture pretty much out in the open, for the whole world to see. This year, they´ll be repressed before they even happen."

Thing is, everyone thinks this is to repress the actual known 'Opposition' but most probably it is a message to the armed civilian militias (you know, formed for the 'war of resistance against the United States') who always said they would go into the streets to defend the revolution. Well the revolution has stalled and puppet clown Nick's dictatorship is telling them 'come for us and you know what's waiting.' 

Obstreperous ogling oblectation...

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Hahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaa...first I must say that I don't buy the Sun newspaper (yes, and some of my best friends are Black, Muslim, gay...); to be honest I have VERY rarely even looked at it - honest! - but today, despite how illogical it may sound when you consider what I have just written, I was delighted to discover that the oft maligned Page 3 will continue! Clarification and corrections:

"FURTHER to recent reports in all other media outlets, we would like to clarify that on Page 3 of today's Sun is a picture of Nicole, 22, from Bournemouth.
We would like to apologise on behalf of the print and broadcast journalists who have spent the last two days talking and writing about us"

Hat-tip Guido. The best thing for me about all this of course is that it is one in the eye for all those against free speech and free expression (i.e. the poll that showed 86 per cent of loony left Guardian readers were anti Page 3, hat-tip Stephen Bayley) And no doubt that what Brendan O'Neill wrote in the DT earlier this week is perfectly true: "Without realising it, feminist do-gooders kept the Sun's outdated institution alive and thriving into the second decade of the 21st century".



The No More Page 3 campaign - on their website - 'Boobs aren't News', 'wish to make two things clear': 1. *CONTEXT* We love breasts! And have nothing against the women who choose to show them, we simply feel that a family newspaper is the wrong context for these images. 2. *EQUAL REPRESENTATION* all we are really asking is that women be represented with respect in the newspaper, rather like men are. Erm...family newspaper? And who really buys the Sun for the news? Sport, tits, crosswords etc...but news? Pah! Plus, to address their 2nd point, perhaps we could push Martin Robbins' idea in the NS more than a couple of years back**: The sinister campaign against Page 3:

"Put more boobs on Page 3, and add some cocks too. Show people of every size, shape, colour, gender and sexuality; let them speak in their own voice, and celebrate them all. That, rather than self-censorship of adult-oriented content, would be a progressive tabloid revolution worth fighting for."

** Unbelievable tripe in the NS today though: "The purpose of Page 3 is to humiliate, chasten and bully women". FFS!

Obstreperous ogling oblectation...

---

Hahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaa...first I must say that I don't buy the Sun newspaper (yes, and some of my best friends are Black, Muslim, gay...); to be honest I have VERY rarely even looked at it - honest! - but today, despite how illogical it may sound when you consider what I have just written, I was delighted to discover that the oft maligned Page 3 will continue! Clarification and corrections:

"FURTHER to recent reports in all other media outlets, we would like to clarify that on Page 3 of today's Sun is a picture of Nicole, 22, from Bournemouth. We would like to apologise on behalf of the print and broadcast journalists who have spent the last two days talking and writing about us"

Hat-tip Guido. The best thing for me about all this of course is that it is one in the eye for all those against free speech and free expression (i.e. the poll that showed 86 per cent of loony left Guardian readers were anti Page 3, hat-tip Stephen Bayley) And no doubt that what Brendan O'Neill wrote in the DT earlier this week is perfectly true: "Without realising it, feminist do-gooders kept the Sun's outdated institution alive and thriving into the second decade of the 21st century".

The No More Page 3 campaign - on their website - 'Boobs aren't News', 'wish to make two things clear': 1. *CONTEXT* We love breasts! And have nothing against the women who choose to show them, we simply feel that a family newspaper is the wrong context for these images. 2. *EQUAL REPRESENTATION* all we are really asking is that women be represented with respect in the newspaper, rather like men are. Erm...family newspaper? And who really buys the Sun for the news? Sport, tits, crosswords etc...but news? Pah! Plus, to address their 2nd point, perhaps we could push Martin Robbins' idea in the NS more than a couple of years back**: The sinister campaign against Page 3:

"Put more boobs on Page 3, and add some cocks too. Show people of every size, shape, colour, gender and sexuality; let them speak in their own voice, and celebrate them all. That, rather than self-censorship of adult-oriented content, would be a progressive tabloid revolution worth fighting for."

** Unbelievable tripe in the NS today though: "The purpose of Page 3 is to humiliate, chasten and bully women". FFS!

Oncoming Orinoco orthosis...

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"The tragedy is that what is playing out now in Venezuela has happened many times before. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.....and nowhere is that more true than in Latin America."  Just been led (from a comment here) to this great blog Coppola Comment by Frances Coppola: earlier this month she wrote A Latin American tragedy.



Frances writes - linking to research - that the recurring problems (Peru, Chile etc in the past) tend to be a combination of factors that comprise four stages: the current tragedy being Venezuela of course, which is currently well into the 3rd Phase:

"There are pervasive shortages, inflation is over 65% and rising, and foreign reserves are declining sharply despite Venezuela's trade surplus. The budget deficit is currently at 17% and rising. The economy is demonetizing rapidly as more and more transactions are done on the black market. To make matters worse, the US government has imposed sanctions on Venezuela for suppressing dissent. So far, the government has resisted devaluation and subsidy cuts, but it cannot do so for much longer. Maduro - never as popular as his predecessor - is resorting to bribing the population with unsustainable fiscal expenditures, but this will only hasten the economic collapse that now appears inevitable. Venezuela is headed for default, hyperinflation, disorderly regime change and a wrenching fiscal adjustment. And the people who will suffer - indeed are already suffering - are the poor that Chavez and Maduro set out to help, just as the poor in Chile and Peru suffered."

Coo, coo...that's no pigeon.

Oncoming Orinoco orthosis...

---

"The tragedy is that what is playing out now in Venezuela has happened many times before. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.....and nowhere is that more true than in Latin America."  Just been led (from a comment here) to this great blog Coppola Comment by Frances Coppola: earlier this month she wrote A Latin American tragedy.

Frances writes - linking to research - that the recurring problems (Peru, Chile etc in the past) tend to be a combination of factors that comprise four stages: the current tragedy being Venezuela of course, which is currently well into the 3rd Phase:

"There are pervasive shortages, inflation is over 65% and rising, and foreign reserves are declining sharply despite Venezuela's trade surplus. The budget deficit is currently at 17% and rising. The economy is demonetizing rapidly as more and more transactions are done on the black market. To make matters worse, the US government has imposed sanctions on Venezuela for suppressing dissent. So far, the government has resisted devaluation and subsidy cuts, but it cannot do so for much longer. Maduro - never as popular as his predecessor - is resorting to bribing the population with unsustainable fiscal expenditures, but this will only hasten the economic collapse that now appears inevitable. Venezuela is headed for default, hyperinflation, disorderly regime change and a wrenching fiscal adjustment. And the people who will suffer - indeed are already suffering - are the poor that Chavez and Maduro set out to help, just as the poor in Chile and Peru suffered."

Coo, coo...that's no pigeon.

Obvious objurgation...

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[edited 14/01/15] "And this is the problem today: Too many Parisians, Londoners and, yes, Americans, pretend we're not in a war." IBD editorial.



P.S. Been reading old posts re Mohammed cartoons etc, Onward to Oblivion, was it really 2005/6!



P.P.S. And finally: well said Ahmed Aboutaleb Mayor of Rotterdam - of Moroccan descent and a Muslim: "And if you do not like it here because humorists you do not like make a newspaper, may I then say you can fuck off." Hat-tip Tim Worstall.



Image: Michael Ramirez at Investors dot com. More and the growing threat from within HERE

Obvious objurgation...

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[edited 14/01/15] "And this is the problem today: Too many Parisians, Londoners and, yes, Americans, pretend we're not in a war." IBD editorial.

P.S. Been reading old posts re Mohammed cartoons etc, Onward to Oblivion, was it really 2005/6!

P.P.S. And finally: well said Ahmed Aboutaleb Mayor of Rotterdam - of Moroccan descent and a Muslim: "And if you do not like it here because humorists you do not like make a newspaper, may I then say you can fuck off." Hat-tip Tim Worstall.

Image: Michael Ramirez at Investors dot com. More and the growing threat from within HERE

Overtly optimistic ovine O...

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Well said Matt Ridley: a highly optimistic outlook as one would expect from 'the Rational Optimist'; also published in The Times with excellent comments (£ Link £): "Britain's best years", a New Year's offering: "800 years after Magna Carta and 200 after Waterloo, the UK's in good shape". Worth a read in full but something Matt says chimes true:

"All my life I have been told that Britain is in decline. But stand back and take a long, hard look. Even by relative standards, it just is not true."... ..."Compared with many other countries, we have enviable opportunities ahead of us."

Not forgetting of course how much of that history was England. Just in case you're wondering about the title of this blog-post, in one month the Chinese Year of the Sheep/Ram starts and 'O' is the 15th letter of the alphabet. :-)

Overtly optimistic ovine O...

---

Well said Matt Ridley: a highly optimistic outlook as one would expect from 'the Rational Optimist'; also published in The Times with excellent comments (£ Link £): "Britain's best years", a New Year's offering: "800 years after Magna Carta and 200 after Waterloo, the UK's in good shape". Worth a read in full but something Matt says chimes true:

"All my life I have been told that Britain is in decline. But stand back and take a long, hard look. Even by relative standards, it just is not true."... ..."Compared with many other countries, we have enviable opportunities ahead of us."

Not forgetting of course how much of that history was England. Just in case you're wondering about the title of this blog-post, in one month the Chinese Year of the Sheep/Ram starts and 'O' is the 15th letter of the alphabet. :-)

Oppugnant of Obama's Oval Office octennial...

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...not long left to impress and unfortunately "he has played a bad hand poorly": Andrew J. Bacevich in today's Spectator has this article: Barack Obama: anatomy of a failure.

"Obama moved into the Oval Office about as well equipped to serve as global CEO as Kim Kardashian is to run one of Wall Street’s larger investment banks."

Trouble is, IMHO, Andrew is being too kind! And (credit to longlance in the comments) Kim has maximized her assets!



Elsewhere he says "...an obviously gifted President, swept into office on a wave of immense expectations", gifted in what way? Certainly the rampant media bias and general unwillingness to question anything before Obama was elected played a part in the exaggerated and irrational expectations. That media bias continues - although to a lesser extent - and is much like the 'honeymoon period' given to New Labour in the UK; something that abetted the corrupt and duplicitous traitors and set the scene for the complete disaster we face now.



P.S. Needless to say, any regular reader here would know I'm not Obama's greatest fan. 

Oppugnant of Obama's Oval Office octennial...

---

...not long left to impress and unfortunately "he has played a bad hand poorly": Andrew J. Bacevich in today's Spectator has this article: Barack Obama: anatomy of a failure.

"Obama moved into the Oval Office about as well equipped to serve as global CEO as Kim Kardashian is to run one of Wall Street’s larger investment banks."

Trouble is, IMHO, Andrew is being too kind! And (credit to longlance in the comments) Kim has maximized her assets!

Elsewhere he says "...an obviously gifted President, swept into office on a wave of immense expectations", gifted in what way? Certainly the rampant media bias and general unwillingness to question anything before Obama was elected played a part in the exaggerated and irrational expectations. That media bias continues - although to a lesser extent - and is much like the 'honeymoon period' given to New Labour in the UK; something that abetted the corrupt and duplicitous traitors and set the scene for the complete disaster we face now.

P.S. Needless to say, any regular reader here would know I'm not Obama's greatest fan. 

Obtruncation obreption...

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Happy New Year! Here is your 2015 – YOUR HANDY MONTH BY MONTH GUIDE TO THE YEAR AHEAD by James Delingpole, Breitbart London. All good fun yet worryingly, could all be very true and most of it has already happened to a lesser extent. Time we woke up. Looking back over 2014 leaves one realising that The Islamization of Britain [sic] is further advanced than you know: it is not racist, it is not hyperbole is is not wrong to point this out. Remember THIS, What Islam Isn't by Dr. Peter Hammond. "From 5% on they exercise an inordinate influence in proportion to their percentage of the population... ...At this point, they will work to get the ruling government to allow them to rule themselves under Sharia, the Islamic Law." The UK is now more than 5% Muslim.

Obtruncation obreption...

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Happy New Year! Here is your 2015 – YOUR HANDY MONTH BY MONTH GUIDE TO THE YEAR AHEAD by James Delingpole, Breitbart London. All good fun yet worryingly, could all be very true and most of it has already happened to a lesser extent. Time we woke up. Looking back over 2014 leaves one realising that The Islamization of Britain [sic] is further advanced than you know: it is not racist, it is not hyperbole is is not wrong to point this out. Remember THIS, What Islam Isn't by Dr. Peter Hammond. "From 5% on they exercise an inordinate influence in proportion to their percentage of the population... ...At this point, they will work to get the ruling government to allow them to rule themselves under Sharia, the Islamic Law." The UK is now more than 5% Muslim.