Flotilla of Provocation

This is my translation of "Flotilla of Provocation" by Voitenko Michael

The big headline of today - the storm of the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla" by the Israeli military, which, as declared, carried humanitarian aid intended for the Gaza strip, which is blockaded by Israel without proper authority.The fleet's flagship, cruise ship called Mavi Marmara (525 tons deadweight, buit in 1994, sailing under flag of Comora and operated by Turkiye Denizcilik Isletmeleri Denizyollari Isletmesi Mudurlugu), was taken by storm, resulting in several people dead, exact number unknown. The progressive mankind is furious and demanding that the Israeli war machine to be brought to justice. The old and familiar case - would the USSR still exist, by the evening the "masses of workers" would be brought to protest demonstrations, where they, yawning as usual, would ask each other, what is the matter and who do we protest against this time.

This whole story, from the pretentious name "Gaza Freedom Flotilla", to thousands miles and even more, smells like a very elaborate provocation. It has been declared that the flotilla cariies 10,000 tons of cargo, strictly humanitarian. Look at the photo of the fleet's flagship, the Mavi Marmara, and tell me where do you see the cargo holds. There are none. On the other hand there are 750 activists, that would eat and drink more than it would cost to deliver these 10,000 tons of cargo. There are 6 (six) vessels, while for the 10,000 tons, it would be sufficient to chart only one small cargo ship, which would cost much less than one Mavi Marmara. The question - why one would chart an expensive cruise ship and load on it 750 parasites, charting another 5 ships for the cargo, 5, when only one would be sufficient?

Let's assume that I'm set out to deliver 10,000 tons of cargo to the Gaza strip and I do not have any other hidden agendas. While at it, the shipper what's to save costs, as it should be. What would I do? I would freight a descent cargo ship, meanwhile I would make inquiries about the status in Gaza, and if my ship can reach it without issues. I would be told that it would not. Then I'd ask about the cargo. I would be answered that it would, under the condition that it would pass through an Israeli port, where it would be checked for restricted materials, since the strip is controlled by Hamas, which most of the world classifies as a terrorist organization. I'd make sure to inquire which goods are allowed and which are restricted. I woudl agree tho the terms. Next I would ask how can I make sure that the cargo would reach the target? I would be told, that I can take whoever I like, observers, journalists, as ling as they are peaceful and unarmed. I would take the ship, load the cargo, and a dozen of journalists and rights activists, and calmly set off on my way. The cargo could be in the strip a long time ago.

On the other hand, let's assume that my agenda is different - to make sure that the cargo is stopped, while at it someone to get hurt, and to make as much noise and yells for the whole world to hear. Let's assume that I was told thet the money is not an issue, and the humanitarian supplies and other nonsense, is all for cover, and the main goal is to show the world the inhumane face of Israel.Assuming that I was tempted by the offer, I would rent an expensive cruiser, which is totally unsuited to cargo transfer. I load 750 people, take whoever I can as long as they are loud and some are armed and violent. As for the cargo, which would contain, deliberately, forbidden items, so to make sure that it would be detained, I would chart 5 ships, since I don't need a cargo transfer. I need a "Gaza Freedom Flotilla". I would take this flotilla and for a long and boring trip around the Mediterranean, in order to produce the required hype. Finally, as I would be sure that the whole world knows about my flotilla, and everyone is already interested, I would rush the fleet to the forbidden waters, hopping that, in the last minute, the Israeli authorities wouldn't withdraw and storm the fleet.

I wouldn't be disappointed. The ships were intercepted. When they boarded the flagship, where they were met with my 750 noise makers, and not just them. I succeded in my mission - a scandal for the whole world, the progressive mankind is professionally indignant, Europe calling Israel to justice. Who cares about the cargo? I don't care and don't want to, since I wasn't hired for it.

This is, in my view, the whole story about the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla", which deserves a better name as a "Flotilla of Provocation".

The bad, the ugly and copyright

Recent developments in the the fields of copyright and the field of responsibility of the the hosting provider are more than alarming. They are outright dangerous.

Recent court verdict in Italy against Google, semi legal attempt to close down Russian torrent tracker Torrents.ru and several other cases show that we are at a very dangerous path that can seriously damage our cultural and technologic progress. Furthermore, copyright laws, quickly becoming into a weapon to ram anyone or anything, like business or political opponents.

If drastic moves will not be taken soon, we will see more such cases and they will be more and more dangerous and ugly.

A must read

A Minority Report from the West Bank and Gaza
I'm not even going to quote parts of it, even thou there are a lot of thing I could quote from the article. I suggest you read it whole, for it's entire length.

The true meaning of "HAMAS"

Got in an email message:
source "The San Diego Union-Tribune"

Spot on...

I just hope that islamists would get it's own sting up in his own ass soon enough.

A must see...

Is Putin delusional?

I would like to combine what I've heard, read and seen for the last few years and combine it all into a theory that I've come to about Mr. Vladimir Putin.

There is a continuous trend in declarations and actions by Russian administration, that Russia is up again and ready to take the place of the former Soviet Union in cold confrontation with USA.
Many consider all of the anti American sentiments part of the Putin's government's propaganda for domestic consumption. I think that they are wrong. Even if they were right to some extend, it was obvious that some day it would make it to Russia's foreign policy.

I think that Mr Putin is caught in the soviet reality, and he projects this reality on Russia's policy on every "front".

I think that Putin actually believes in "The West's" ambition to conquer Russia and all of the former Soviet Republics.
If you assume that I'm right, you can easily understand Putin's position on NATO's expansion to the east and how it must fuel his suspicions. So goes for the war in Yugoslavia and Iraq. The situation around Iran and North Korea.
Now if you look the missile systems that US wants to deploy in Europe from Putin's perspective you can see nothing but another step in the plan to conquer Russia, and all the promises and explanations that these are steps against nuclear Iran, look, at best, as cheap trick to fool the public opinion.

Unfortunately such convictions, which are often called paranoia, are really hard to cure. Often such patients require compulsory hospitalization. Being the president of the state, Putin may only be hospitalized by the Russian people, but at this stage, they are either too scared, don't care, or share his delusions.

Microsoft at their game

Want a perfect example of how Microsoft makes business?
Read an open letter to Steve Ballmer, in recent post on a blog by François Bancilhon.
Two best describing quotes from the letter:
This:

Then, your people get in the game and the deal got more competitive. I would not say it got dirty, but someone could have said that.

and this:

Wow! I’m impressed, Steve! What have you done to these guys to make them change their mind like this? It’s quite clear to me, and it will be to everyone. How do you call what you just did Steve? There is various names for it, I’m sure you know them.

In every joke... No2

I've mentioned before, that often, jokes reflect our real life in great accuracy.
This one I've received over email, a few days ago.

A "Zaporojetz" has collided with "Volga" belonging to a General from the FSB.
In short, the driver of the "Zaporojetz" has turned out to be a smuggler, a terrorist, a spy....

Actually, one poor fellow was sentenced guilty for turning on some crazy hotshot path, who driving at speed just below 200Kph. Unfortunately for the poor guy, the "pilot" that had died at the crash site, was from the leading elite, dooming the unfortunate driver before the trial has even began.

The Russian way

While American legislators work to promote freedom of speech, Russian legislators do it in their special way:

"Russian parliament was introduced a bill proposing to register information on each unit transfers of video/audio compilation, software and database on any medium. In addition, manufacturers will be allowed to sell equipment designed for copying listed information (such as typewriters CD and DVD drives), only those with a license for it. Approval of the bill could result in serious problems for the equipment manufacturers as well as for ordinary users who have to register even video recording made by a mobile phone. "

In short, welcome Orwell's 1984.

In my opinion it could be one of the two, or both:
First option is ground checking, what if
Second is a public relations stunt. To make Putin and his heir to be seen as a better alternative. Putin will come as a knight in shiny armor and "save Russia" from evil plot.

Bloggers are included in the new federal journalist shield

Read this piece by Nate Anderson.
We will just have to ask our legally literate friends, what does this new bill actually mean.

"Hugo Chavez - a pop star"

This is the headline that I've read in one of the online editions five days ago (I've been busy).
It says that Hugo has recorded an album and it will be shipped nation wide.

When a president records an alboum of traditional music with a bunch of leading artists on a TV show for the occasion, and the CD's are shipped nation wide on the state's expense, this is as a clear sign as it gets. It must be an autocratic regime.

Inconceivable

I can't believe that that Ehud Olmert is still our PM.
Not this imbecile is speaking of giving parts of Jerusalem to Palestinians.
In what kind of dream world he is living in I don't know.
I don't want to know.
I just want him gone.
For good.

P.S.
Speaking of Ehuds, I would be delighted to see Ehud Barak to join Olmert on his way out of politics.
Even more delighted, to see them go to the place where they belong - behind bars.

Lets help this poor oppressed Muslim

Ynet reports that in Iranian newspaper "Ya-Asraat" published a story about the "horrible oppression" that Iranian Muslim "suffer" in the US. They needed some photo of an unknown bearded man for the illustration of "such oppressed" Iranian Muslim. They chose no one other then Avigdor Lieberman.
That just shows how "accurate" the media is in most Muslim countries.

Name your true reasons

Everybody are concerned about the air pollution and the global warming.
One of the sides of this concern is many government's stimulation of more modern and less polluting vehicles. Newer and more economical cars, use less fossil fuels meaning less air pollution. Meanwhile the politicians and automobile industry are happy either, more new cars are sold more money pours, more jobs for the people, while less mechanical related accidents.

Well there is a pit fall that I wanted to mention. What about the pollution caused in the production of all the new vehicles? What about pollution from all the old cars needed to be recycled? Has anyone calculated the benefits of making new cars versus keeping the old? If someone did, who did get to see the results?

I have no issues with all the benefits to economics and traffic safety, just don't expect me to blindly believe that it is done for the ecological reasons and definitely not about global warming. You couldn't care less.

I had a hunch...

I've always thought that the neo-Nazis are a bunch of jerk-offs. Well now it is a scientific fact.

A new study has found that many more women are leaving economically moribund Eastern Germany. The result is a new, frustrated and largely male underclass. And many of them find succor in the neo-Nazi scene.

I wish...

Lebanon army is trying, not too successfully to crush the Palestinian terrorists. I wish them all the luck in the world at this task. I just wish that Israel would get at least half as much tolerance from the world when we try to do the same.

A non convenient victim

As you might have heard, that a few residents of Sderot, backed by the ministry of the Foreign Affairs, went to Paris, with the remains of the Qussam and Al-Quds rockets to show the French and the world their suffering.

Guess what? Nobody (almost) cares. Just a handful of journalists bothered to come to the press conference. I don't expect any academic boycotts over Sderot's continues bombardment either.

RIAA: Radio Ga G...ive us your money

RIAA is always on the prowl.
Now, they put their sights on the terrestrial radio. However the radio is there for a long time, and has some teeth also, therefore it won't be a helpless prey.

I call this whole RIAA and MPAA attitude a legal racketing.

The masterpiece

A poster that I saw on one of the busy junctions:

The Hebrew captions say:
(Avigdor) Lieberman
(is) the "puddle" of
the Russian mafia.
(He is) Selling out Israel.

Mikhail (Michael) Chernoy (beside the photo)

I would really like to know who is the author of this masterpiece.
Unfortunately, he or she didn't bother to sign his or hers name on it.