An Armada, the Amish beard and rise of ...

... a chrome future, at least for now.

As Cruisers, aircraft carriers and minesweepers from 25 nations converge on the Strait of Hormuz you know there's trouble ahead, Israel and Iran are moving towards a war which could have monumental consequences.  The Armada that is telling the world that Israel will be the catalyst that gives the remainder of the "free world" the right to remove the Iranian nuclear programme forthwith.

Why am I so confident that the Armada will be needed, simple ...

"... just last week Mr Netanyahu signalled that time for a negotiated settlement was running out when he said: 
"The world tells Israel "Wait, there’s still time." 
And I say, "Wait for what?"  "Wait until when?"

... Israel has to act whilst it can, and "whilst it can" is rapidly running out of time.


Is it a religious hate crime or, as the defence contends, the equivalent of a family feud ...

Amish beard cutters face possible prison terms as jury weighs clash of the clippers
... personally I think it's a simple assault, to construct anything more sinister is an assault on the logic of men and women, whether "Amish" or "English".

And then to the rise of Chrome ...

A year ago, almost three-quarters of visitors to this blog used Internet Explorer, almost a quarter used Firefox, whilst the remaining percentages were a variety of lessor known browsers.

This week 62% of visitors used Chrome, 19% used Internet Explorer, 11% used Firefox, the remaining percentage a variety.

Technology evolves rapidly, the evolution of Chrome must be seen as phenominal.

How does Mitt Romney sell ...

... it to the peoples of the USA, when he speaks of a nuclear-armed Iran, will his words ...

"The threat it would pose to Israel, the region and the world is incomparable and unacceptable," 

he added that the US had ...

"a solemn duty and a moral imperative to deny Iran’s leaders the means to follow through on their malevolent intentions".

Are they empty words designed to garner support for his political ambitions, or do they represent a deep seated conviction that would be the foundation of his foreign policy were he to be elected to the Presidency on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 ?

The words that seem to underpin his feelings concerning Iran are ...

incomparable
unacceptable
malevolent
intentions

... there doesn't seem to be a diplomatic imperative amongst them, more a declaration of war !

... will the electorate of Ohio or Oregon vote for a Romney war, or is he another FoS politician ?

... Theresa May, facist, not wanted ...

... on our democratic journey when she prevents Maryam Rajavi from exercising an invitation to speak to members of our parliament.

Theresa May and the pathetic civil service running her office is preventing an eminent and well respected dissident from the tyrannical Iran regime from speaking on the subject of "women and their mistreatment in Iran", her crime is "to call for a democratic and secular government committed to the rule of law and respect for human rights".

There is distinctly unpleasant smell emanating from the Home Office, it is the smell that accompanies lies, half-truths and appeasement, the government of the 1930's did much the same with Nazi Germany and 60 million people died as a result (including 6 million Jews).


In a parady of democracy Theresa May said she had taken into account the views of the Foreign Office and other departments ...

"I have concluded that maintaining Mrs Rajavi’s exclusion is justified as I do not consider her presence in the UK to be conducive to the public good.  The government makes no apologies for refusing people access to the UK if we believe they might seek to undermine our society."

Well, I have thought about our "freedoms of thought and expression" and about "appeasement of tyrannies" ...

...It seems our government and their civil servants prefer the company of "international bullies" to the more civilised company found amongst the British people and those Members of Parliament who try to represent their views and feelings.

Brutal and moronic Iran, ...

... that's how Tristan Jakob-Hoff described the current regime that intends to execute a man because of his beliefs.

Youcef Nadarkhani a Christian pastor has refused to renounce his faith to escape a death sentence pronounced by an Iranian court.  When the court gave Youcef Nadarkhani, 34, a third and final chance to avoid hanging, but he replied: "I am resolute in my faith and Christianity and have no wish to recant".

As an atheist I find the events incredulous, the mystical past of the middle east holds as much credence as do the tales of Arthur and the Round Table, although as a human being I defend the rights to have a belief system, just don't even think of bringing your evangelism to my home ...

...wow, am I so different to the Iranian Islamic priesthood, well the Jehovah's Witness or Mormon missionary who knocks on my door won't find me at all interested, but they will not be asked to recant, neither will there be the alternative option of being assisted with the last great leap of faith.

So the only difference between a Caerphilly door and the Iranian courtroom is the level of violence offered to the missionary. There has to be more, we are after all civilized in our secular world;  but how civilized is it to refuse the offer of an explanation of another persons belief, albeit in mystical terms.

By turning our back on the other view, we often use an expression such as "lets agree to disagree" or "... but I defend your right ...", and slot the event into the tolerance bag, and this is where we become less than honest, we should always challenge opposing views or the unproven hypothesis, along the way we can maintain the dignity of those who sit opposite.


The dishonesty practised by the Iranian State is founded on its fear of debate and fomenting internal opposition from the people of Iran, here lies the real reason Youcef Nadarkhani is going to be executed ...

In 2009, he challenged the regime’s insistence that all schools should teach Islam. He was arrested in October that year and has been imprisoned in Rasht ever since. He was sentenced to death for apostasy by a court in Rasht last year.

Well at least we are able to voice our disent in Britain, or are we ...

When they look at Britain, the people of ...

North Africa, the Middle East and other less than than democratic countries must feel the jackboot of tyranny like nothing we can imagine.

In the United Kingdom last week we were offered a different way to elect our democratic representatives, the vast majority declined ...... whilst in Syria the scum Assad and company sent armoured troops to suppress a wish for democracy.

In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland we went to the polls to determine our preferred political shape, the democratic process gave exactly what was asked for, In Wales we preferred Socialism underpinned with Conservative and Liberal Democratic values, Nationalist elements are being slowly rejected democratically ..... whilst in Libya Gaddafi punished the people by dropping cluster bombs on men women and children who wish for freedom.

In England there were local elections to select by secret ballot ...... whilst in Morocco King Mohammed has yet to fulfil his promise of democratic reform and to end government corruption.

In Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Persia there are no people, only a subjugated mass of humanity ...... it is time the people of these countries threw off the yoke of serfdom and embraced democracy.

Here in Wales and the United Kingdom, there were no secret police on the streets last week, no aircraft dropping bombs to influence the voters, corruption is dealt with by the law (imperfect possibly), and we have freedom of religious expression ......... and we still complain, aren't we lucky we can complain, complain in the knowledge that there will not be a knock on the door during the night, a knock that is followed by a dissenting brother being dragged into the night never being seen again .......

... a very personal reply to Julius, who wrote ...

... to me via email "Kirsty Williams , dunno what to make of her , hope she is re-elected though ..."

You are absolutely right Julius, we need Kirsty Williams in the Assembly, we need Peter Black in the Assembly, we also need every other Liberal that the public will elect; there aren't many, more is the shame, and we can find a Liberal wearing many different political suits, including no suit at all.

One of the greatest no suit Liberal, in my opinion, was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, he took opposition to new heights when he pioneered satyagraha ( resistance to tyranny through mass peaceful civil disobedience),

... the image is Gandhi beginning the great march against the salt tax.

... now I'm not suggesting that every country needs their own Gandhi, but I do believe we can find tyranny in every country of the world, if we look hard enough we can even tyranny it in our local communities and in our places of work.  The difficult part is defeating the tyrant without destroying life of those dependent upon yourself, some might say "cutting your nose to spite your face".

In Wales we have the Welsh Assembly Government and though it has few restraints on its actions, there is a world of difference when we compare our politics to the politics of Iran where the leader is elected by a "Council of Experts" ( 86 Islamic scholars) and they execute people who find a new form of worship in Christianity, so I look to Switzerland and Denmark for inspiration for political reform in Wales where politicians are held to account through a persistence of referendum, the belief that people should be able to control or limit politics.

I digress, thanks for your email Julius ....