By Michaela Whitton (ANTIMEDIA): In June 2015, a Sky News investigation uncovered at least 20 rogue telephone masts operating in London. The IMSI catchers — also known as stingrays or cell-site simulators — mimic mobile phone masts and trick phones into logging on and giving access to the owner’s calls and data.
The sophisticated surveillance technology listens to mobile phone conversations without the owner’s permission by leading the handsets to believe they are genuine mobile phone towers. As with all controversial surveillance techniques, they are allegedly used by security agencies to target the communications of criminals. Like other methods of data harvesting, stingrays monitor thousands of phones at a time and sweep information from all devices in the targeted area — yes, that means yours. VICE News went further than Sky, with an in-depth investigation that revealed evidence of stingrays being employed at several locations in the British capital. Areas in the surveillance dragnet included the U.K. parliament, a peaceful anti-austerity protest, and the Ecuadorian embassy — home of WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange.
A senior Western official familiar with a large cache of intelligence obtained this summer told the Guardian that “direct dealings between Turkish officials and ranking ISIS members was now ‘undeniable.’” ISIS, in other words, is state-sponsored — indeed, sponsored by purportedly Western-friendly regimes in the Muslim world, who are integral to the anti-ISIS coalition. Which then begs the question as to why Hollande and other Western leaders expressing their determination to “destroy” ISIS using all means necessary, would prefer to avoid the most significant factor of all: the material infrastructure of ISIS’ emergence in the context of ongoing Gulf and Turkish state support for Islamist militancy in the region. There are many explanations, but one perhaps stands out: the West’s abject dependence on terror-toting Muslim regimes, largely to maintain access to Middle East, Mediterranean and Central Asian oil and gas resources.
By Ryan Bourne: The Times has a front-page lead today investigating differential pricing for similar functioning products branded towards men and women (sadly, another direct import from US debates). Some examples:
‘At Argos, identical children’s scooters are £5 more expensive in pink than in blue…’
‘Levi’s 501 jeans for women are on average 46 per cent more expensive than the men’s version, even if they have the same waist and leg length…’
‘Standard razors for women tended to cost 49 per cent more than the equivalent for men. Tesco sells five own-brand “female twin-blade disposable razors” for £1. For the same price men get ten of an almost identical product, except that the razors are blue.’
‘Amazon sells a Playmobil pirates ship for £12.59. The equivalent “fairy queen” ship costs £14.99.’
Predictably, the Fawcett Societyhas described this as a ‘sexist surcharge’ – implying overt, and almost coercive discrimination. Maria Miller perhaps gets closer to the real source of the outrage when she says: ‘At a time when we should be moving towards a more de-gendered society, retailers are out of step with public opinion.’ Here’s three things to bear in mind with this story:
"Don't these Baptists know the Jews despise them and they cheer for the Jews? ...Your Israel first agenda has to go. ...His war cry has got to go! ...Cut the crap Cruz, the boats wandered into high security Iranian waters close to a military base and were detained, not captured. Sometimes Cruz can be one nasty guy. ...What kind of deals would Trump make? Deals with Israel and the Saudis to make Iran an enemy all over again? Yet with twelve years in the making, the Iranian deal is Americas greatest peace achievement in decades. ...Before we try to fix countries abroad, let's get our own house in order first."Brother Nathanael.
By Michaela Whitton(ANTIMEDIA):A video has emerged showing Israeli soldiers goading each other to shoot at Palestinian protesters. In the commentary — reminiscent of teenagers playing a video game — the soldiers are heard laughing and praising each other on their aim as they target the young Palestinian men.
By Paul Craig Roberts:In the last years of the 20th century fraud entered US foreign policy in a new way. On false pretenses Washington dismantled Yugoslavia and Serbia in order to advance an undeclared agenda. In the 21st century this fraud multiplied many times. Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, and Libya were destroyed, and Iran and Syria would also have been destroyed if the President of Russia had not prevented it.
Washington is also behind the current destruction of Yemen, and Washington has enabled and financed the Israeli destruction of Palestine. Additionally, Washington operated militarily within Pakistan without declaring war, murdering many women, children, and village elders under the guise of “combating terrorism.” Washington’s war crimes rival those of any country in history. I have documented these crimes in my columns and books (Clarity Press). Anyone who still believes in the purity of Washington’s foreign policy is a lost soul. Russia and China now have a strategic alliance that is too strong for Washington. Russia and China will prevent Washington from further encroachments on their security and national interests. Those countries important to Russia and China will be protected by the alliance.
By Gilad Atzmon:Most people around the globe are relieved by the prospect of peace following the lifting the embargo against Iran. Two groups, however, are not so happy. The Saudis and the Jews. The Saudi unease is based on geopolitical terms: Sunni/Shia conflict, oil market competition, and so on. However, it is puzzling that NY Jewish leaders are pretty upset by the prospect of putting this never ending conflict to sleep. The American Jewish Committee (AJC), a body that claims to represent American Jews, reacted to the nuclear deal with a statement that it should not mean a return to “business as usual.” “We call on governments to make it clear – to their countries’ business sector – that the JCPOA does not represent a return to ‘business as usual’ with the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. A range of tough US sanctions, which AJC supports, remains in effect; Iran’s non-nuclear activities, which are ongoing and destabilizing, are subject to continued – and likely escalating – sanctions,” read a statement by AJC on Sunday. The AJC and the ADL are apparently concerned with ‘human rights’ issues. Both pointed to “Iran’s on going human rights abuses and expansionism in the Middle East, in part through proxies like Hezbollah.” One would actually expect these Jewish organisations to deal first with the inhumanity of their Jewish State that’s a leading force in abuse of human rights, brutal racism and expansionism.
"So somehow some men expressing some men's views about some women demonstrates that 'men hate women'. How does that work?"Karen Straughan.
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Angelo: On the subject of men hating women, there's an English movie called 'Wild Bill' that I recommend. Wild Bill said it well when his son's girlfriend asked him after a misunderstanding, "does he[Bills son] hate me now?"To which Bill replied with a knowing sarcasm, "Oh yeah, with a passion."
They’re listening. 
