November 1st
My first book,The Neocon Aberration, is now available.
Though concerned primarily with U.S. policies and politics, I believe the work might be of interest beyond North American shores because of America's pervasive influence everywhere.
Detailed review of the Metropolitan Police's fuckups that lead to the killing of Jean-Charles de Menezes.
"gives the lie to Met Commissioner Sir Ian Blair's claim that the incident was an "isolated breach", and that there is "no evidence at all of systematic failure by the Metropolitan Police." On the contrary, the systems of command, control and communications used were as a matter of design virtually pre-programmed to fail, to the extent that the life of Jean Charles de Menezes was in severe peril from the moment he stepped into the street. His death was not an 'unfortunate accident' but a direct consequence of systemic failure of the Metropolitan Police systems and procedures deployed (in this instance) for the surveillance and interception of suspected suicide bombers."
Summary and commentary on the Stockline plastics factory explosion in Glasgow.
Proprietary software industry pressure group the Business Software Alliance says Glasgow is the software "piracy" capital of the UK. It's giving businesses 30 days to get "legal" or prepare to repel boarders.
Expect high-profile pre-Xmas raids on the Barras.
October 30th
In the Scottish edition of the Times, a picture of the Edinburgh Mosque holds the frontpage along with a headline suggesting links to extremism.
But, what the article doesn't say, is that Edinburgh Mosque is only one of several mosques in which controversial literature is found.
According to Craig Murray, the film today about the Cotton Industry in Uzbekistan is very recommended viewing, as are the obituaries for journalist Alisher Saipov, who challenged the Uzbek torture regime of Karimov and Mark Yakovlevich Weil, theatre director.
This weekend, the Edinburgh Independent and Radical Bookfair clashed with the London Anarchist Bookfair.
It was the 11th bookfair organised by Word Power bookshop.
The first official order for the so-called "$100 laptop" has been placed by the government of Uruguay.
The XO laptop, as the machine is known, has been developed to be used primarily by children in the developing world.
It is durable, waterproof and can be powered by solar, foot-pump or pull-string powered chargers. It includes a sunlight readable display so that it can be used outside and has no moving parts.
Private US security contractors accused of shooting dead 17 innocent Iraqis may have been offered partial immunity by the US state department, say reports.
