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With more than one disaster competing for the top new headline position within the last few weeks, it does indeed feel as anything is possible at the moment.  Sitting from my safe haven of the North East currently, eyes glued to the unfolding dramas and pinching myself occasionally to ensure reality has not bolted out the door.  This country could quite easily be on the cusp of a civil war, revolution, be plunged into the sad reality of martial law(perhaps shipped in).  Whatever does eventuate, you can be guaranteed of two things.  Politicians who began the who fiasco, will be parading around  ensuring the required amount camera time and pithy sound bites are dished out, and it will damage our economy even further meaning more doom and gloom headlines for the foreseeable future.  Its grim up north some say, but at the moment at least we don't have to content with violious vagabonds tearing up our city centres.

The most beguiling of all recent stories is the eruption of wanton looting, burning and an array of different criminal acts being carried out by large gangs of young louts across the country. This feels like the culmination of blunder after blunder everyone currently in positions that have been gifted to the   The media come time and time again to the conclusion that Blackberry Instant Messager has had a large part to play, as have many internet social and communicative tools.  Bit of a shame for Blackberry really, getting caught in the crossfire between an large amounts of media companies attempting not to implode and venting their frustration at the recently departed bedfellows also known as current and previous members of the government, and a large percentage of disenfranchised, muppets with a thirst for Carling Special Brew, chucking things, especially if they can be ignited then thrown, and the odd 32 inch tv or 500.… Continues …

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Okay folks. Here we go. Anyone who has read my previous articles will no doubt be aware that I have very sceptical views on what we like to call “democracy” and even more sceptical views on the foreign policy of pretty much every government, especially that of the UK and our (for now) younger but more hard-assed sibling the US.

I’ve sat back in wonder at the situation we find ourselves in regarding the Middle-East/North Africa and the seemingly organic democratic uprisings of its trodden on citizens.

It’s the largest political shift in our lifetime and may determine the course of our entire species. There, I said it. People are skirting round this point, but what’s at stake is the exposure of the deceptions our respective governments carry out, the response to which by those of us who hold none of the wealth could trigger a forced change in the way we approach politics on the whole.… Continues …

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"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever" - from George Orwell's 1984

For millions of Americans this is their future. How else can you describe a person's future as a prisoner of the American Prison Industrial complex? Take a look at the facts and figures and what you will find is incredibly frightening and something needs to be done about it.

I'm not saying that people who commit horrible crimes shouldn't be locked up but when one in every 18 men are either behind bars or being monitored there is something wrong in society. As of June 2009[update], 2,297,400 were incarcerated in U.S. prisons and jails  This means America, the land of the free, has the worlds largest prison population. The worst part is that although crime rates have declined by about 25 percent from 1988-2008 the Prison population has increased dramatically in same period. This cost the states $47 billion dollars in 2008.… Continues …

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Today in the News US President Obama said progress was sufficient to permit a "responsible reduction" of US forces to begin in July.

I'd like to ask what progress? Afghanistan still is by far the worlds largest producer of opium and has the 2nd most corrupt government in the world. Transparency International rates only one country, Somalia, as worse.

The cornerstone of the coalition strategy in Afghanistan calls for the Afghan government to eventually take over security and to provide stronger government institutions and services. How can this happen though in a country where the police set up checkpoints and stop cars demanding payment for permission to pass. In 2009, Afghan citizens had to pay approximately US$ 2.5 billion in bribes, which is equivalent to 23 per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).… Continues …

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The recent peaceful demonstrations planned by the NUS in response to the Lib Dems U-Turn on tuition fees have all turned sour resulting in a blame game between the students and the Police. The NUS and it seems the mass media have blamed a mixture of heavy handedness on the part of the Police and the hijacking of non-student youths with various mixed agendas.

I feel, as opposed to the notion of these hijackers being organised anarchists and the like the whole affair is the resultant “spilling over”, of tensions between generations.

For so long the youths (yoofs) of our society have been marginalised and pilloried by a succession of reactionary governments and mainstream media resulting in a socio-political shift in the collective consciousness of the country which instead of encouraging and nurturing our future generations, serves only to demonise, alienate and disenfranchise them resulting in an unprecedented lack of trust between “them” and “us”.… Continues …

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As an aviation enthusiast I have been aware of the development of the increasing autonomy of military technology for a number of years. In the apparent pursuit of making life easier for pilots by decreasing their workload has morphed into a sinister beast however and we are at the point where a number of seemingly disparate technological military advances could converge and make sci-fi like future conflicts a reality.

What follows is a run-down of the areas I find a concern.

UAV/UAS

UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle)/Unmanned Aircraft Systems technology is a relatively new direction, where the pilots fly the aircraft as though are on board (following all rules of the air) themselves but are actually in front of a screen flying the aircraft remotely. Initially UAV’s were envisaged as a means of assisting the air power forces by providing “spy” roles such as finding targets and relaying the info to the correct arm of the air power wing and then providing imagery of the aftermath of any strike operations. The most developed UAV is the RQ-1 Predator, initially designed for reconnaissance purposes. In the winter 2000-2001 (post 9/11) tests were conducted with the view of arming Predators with Hellfire missiles (a lightweight but highly effective and accurate missile as used on AH64 Apachehelicopters), these tests culminated in the successful test attack on a stationary tank with 3 missiles. The head of the CIA at the time after seeing how successfully the Predators reconnaissance of Afghanistan was vocal in his support of the arming programme and had the updates accelerated so as to target Osama Bin Laden.  The armed version was re-designated MQ-1 and software and technological upgrades are frequently applied. They have launched hundreds of attacks during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom with some moderate success; however a large number have been destroyed for varying reasons. The Bae System Taranisis the latest development in UAV, it even looks nasty!… Continues …

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  The most interesting story I have read recently was about the English Defense League attempting to forge links with minority groups in England such as the Sikh, Jewish and gay communities.  The move is likely to be to fuel hatred of the Muslim community, and in fact the EDL were formed in response to Islamic terrorist activities last year. It has also been stated that they have made firm ties with  The Tea Party.  The EDL have been opening divisions specifically to exploit religious tensions for there own gain.  There  has been report of a "Jewish Division", which I think is a very dangerous move, and wonder if the gentleman in question will be allowed to wear the customary Doc Marten's his chosen fascists deem uniform.  Truly scary.  The EDL are setting these up under the banner of assisting other in response to encroaching Sharia Law.  The EDL Facebook page states "After all, leftists have portrayed themselves for decades as the only ones really interested in promoting a progressive and inclusive agenda: homosexual rights, women's equality, minority rights, reproductive rights, immigration, world peace, among others."  Amazing they would even try this type of stunt, but propaganda is propaganda after all.  EDL have denied being a racist group and have stated that they will not tolerate violence.  Meanwhile, founder of the group, Stephen Lennon denied assaulting a police officer during clashes with Islamic protesters in west London. I hope he is found guilty in the forthcoming trial.

I hate “Do-gooders”. There we go. I’m setting my camp out early with that statement. More to the point, I hate “Evil-doers”. But I find it very hard to distinguish between the two as without one the other would not exist and before long and the closer you inspect you will find a point where the two merge.

Tell me you have not been in the following situation good reader; you have been invited to a social occasion, whether it be a party or a alcoholic gathering of sorts, or any given group activity/gathering for that matter and you are struck dumb by the arrogance and downright unashamed patronising gloat-fest spouting from the mouth of a herd member, going on and on about which charity they support, what “fun” activities they have taken part in to raise funds and or awareness and what “connection” they felt to the current chosen concern.… Continues …

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It would seem that the focus of the press at the moment is all about the changes to Government spending and how it is changing the services that available to the British Punter.  Doom and gloom stories are about all of the time and it would be  a ostrich-like news fanatic of me not to point some of this stuff out. 

Education changes have been making the headlines, mainly due to ongoing "riots" during student protests over fees.  Not like Riots back in my day mind, they were proper riots with proper pipe bombs, coshs and  Riot Squad everywhere.  A Gentleman was charged this week with "violent disorder" for throwing a fire extinguisher through a window such was his rage.… Continues …

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For my first column I felt compelled to set out something of my mind-set for you to grab hold of in order to indicate where I’m coming from. The notion of what is and what is not, “fact” has for a long time been difficult for me to cope with and understand. Its trail is as elusive as time itself and throughout the course of my life has lead me down dark alley-ways of thought so much that I am now what most people would call a skeptic. That’s not to say I’m negative. On the contrary, being as I am, un-burdened by the notion of “fact”, my approach to life has the free flying exuberance of idealism as opposed to the weighed down guilt associated with the rigid infrastructure of realism. In short I find the infinite probabilities of the possible more captivating than finite possibilities of the probable.

Some in my circle see my stance as anarchic, merely a reluctance to conform or even a means of causing minor conspiracies in order to gain some form of recognition, credence or attention. Until fairly recently I had wondered myself, whether some subconscious effort was being played on my part to be different for different’s sake. Was there something in my past that triggered it off?… Continues …