Iran

Oh, BTW - looks like Obama resisted pressure to start the war with Iran, the Greens have kind of taken some power through the ballot box and the arc of history's bending the right way again. To be continued...

And we're back...

Well, it's been a while, and took me a while too to remember the URL and the account I used to make this blog. Apparently too, thanks to Google, I'm not actually able to change the log in details, so this blog looks to be permanently associated with a defunct email address. Oh well, joys of online living...
It's been a while cos lots of things have happened to me and lots of things haven't been happening which made me want to jot down ramblings. Then now, here we stand on the edge of a cliff and all the better angels seem to be shouting "Jump, jump".

Frigging farce in the Ukraine right now and it's reminding me of Sudetenland and Croatian independence and lots of nasty shit. It's so dangerous and right now I don't see how we're going to back away from war. In fact, it's just a question of what will be the first shot.

It wasn't this one: http://time.com/16294/russia-crimea-sevastopol/

Just.

more

More from London

Student demos 9th Dec

The Signal: در پل حافظ ( پل كالج) چه گذشت؟ صحنه هائی از نبرد قهرمانانه مردم با اوباش رژیم

The Signal: Scenes from the Heroic Fight of People against Islamist Hooligans!

Quiet

Why is it quiet now after the Ashura uprising?

Green revolution

So much been happening in Iran that I haven't jotted down. Yesterday, Dec 27th, was Ashura, also 8th day after death of Ayatollah Montazeri. Demos became uprising becoming revolution.
News coming this evening of more battles in the centre. Rumours of military unhappiness at what's going on, of top level secret meetings...

Come and wet this truncheon

Here's some old school:
Still makes my blood boil:
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Early days back then:

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Whilst I'm on the theme, another object lesson from the time in ridiculously biased reporting:
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This one, I first saw many years ago. The footage was provided to the travellers by a Channel 4 film crew who were making a schools programme about travelling lifestyle, some 7 or 8 years after the beanfield. There's actually longer footage around than this, I used to have a tape some 40 or 50 minutes long. The reporter had to retake his to-camera piece several times, each time toning it down, until it could be sanitised enough for broadcast. I believe he left journalism after this event. Here's his original - with the comment that it's some of the most brutal police behaviour in Britain in a long time.
Unfortunately, that wasn't true. This particular brutality was the specialty of the cops back then. I don't know what they're like now, but back in the day, it was par for the course. the Beanfield, of course, remains a particularly nasty example. Because of this footage having surfaced, it's also well documented just how brutish it was.

back from the canvas

So, got a bit of a breather. Haven't had chance yet to pick up on what's been happening in Iran. It seems fronm what I've gathered so far that the power struggle amongst the ruling class is continuing unabated. I haven't yet touched base on what's actually happening on the ground. And still I have no real picture on how big a gap there is between the aspirations of the demonstrators and the intentions of the "reformers".

Meanwhile - today I've been busy finding out more about cryptography. About time, probably.

And in the Atlantic, the first named storm should be called Ana any hour now. Bill, in the background, looks nasty - possibly for Florida - in 10 days or so.
Hundreds have died in Taiwan flooding from Typhoon Morakot. Rain amounts have neared Reunion world records and there's been massive flooding.
Earthquakes shook Asia too today, promising more; and more storms killing in Japan. The planet's been quiet lately - seems that time's over. Here's more.

Coming and going

Should be away again in a few hours. We'll see what happens.

The Iranian revolution has remained in and out of the headlines - Ahmadinejad was inaugurated this week, with clashes outside. Apparently it wasn't even broadcast live on State TV - presumably for fear that it would be disrupted, or that people would wonder "Where's Khatami and Rafsanjani and Moussavi?"

Things are still happening. I'd love to get a feel for what's really happening because it seems there isn't the fear that you'd expect if the crackdown had been truly successful. There are reports of rapprochement with security forces. On the other hadn, there are also horrific reports of torture, rape and murder coming out of the prisions.
And still people are fighting. Last night, there were reports of gunshots and a Basiji base being attacked by a crowd. Here's footage from the streets:


I'm going to try and catch up on everything that's been going on for the last few weeks and post what I can. Someday I'm sure I'll actually be able to visit Iran and see the sights for myself. And at that time, this blog will give me a handy jog to my memory to remember the second revolution.

off again

will be gone for a few days again in a while. Hearing that Moussavi has turned up at the cemetery even as cops are trying to break up the crowd.
Matt Weaver on the Guardian blog makes the good point:

(It's interesting that Reuters now seems to be breaking news on Iran before the usually reliable sources on Twitter. Last month Twitter was beating the wires on news of the protests by several hours in some cases).

Saeed is still going strong though.
And hearing now that 10,000 have gathered already at the cemetery. SO seems the twitterfeeds are coming back online.

Been away

Have been away for a few weeks. Enjoyed a family holiday.
The Ashes are on - the Third Test starts today. I'm working from home today, so that's worked out well.
Had a bit of a rough night - woken around 3 by the wee one, then couldn't get back to sleep. Sounded like a heavy storm in the distance approaching, but it became a bit of a damp squib. Meanwhile on the other side of the Atlantic, there's been no named storm yet. In fact, I haven't even seen an invest that looked worth tracking.
And Iran. Ah, a lot has been happening I think, out of the spotlights. The leadership in Iran is split. Rafsanjani finally spoke out, at a Friday prayers on Tehran University. That led to more protests which were again beaten down. Some say the RG has effectively mounted a coup with Khamanei.
And the people on the streets - it seems they've become more radicalised, which is the way of these things. When even shouting Allah Akbar becomes punishable, then the theology will be questioned along with the theocracy.
Today's the 40th day since the massacres of June 20th. Once again, tens of thousands are expected to march. They are likely walking into more guns. But the revolution is still happening.

On holiday

...back in a few weeks

The revolution is here

Give me a minute....

Daily

Seems like vali-asr square is becoming the regular location of the daily protests. People are gathering there again now, and cops reported to be preparing to attack again.

Surprise!

So the Guardian COuncil or whatever translation you want to use has confirmed Ahmadi as President.
Well there's a fucking surprise.

Meanwhile, thousands marched again today, again at vali-asr square. They tried to form a human chain. Again attacked by riot cops and basiji. Again people fought back.
But this uprising is still not laying down. Word of people on the move from arrest, and hundreds, probably thousands arrested, but still they're out there.
Even now, I think the regime is worried about cracking down too hard. This isn't China; too much blood won't be accepted. Even the blood that has already spilled is beyond forgiveness. When the sun goes down, the sound comes from the balconies and rooftops "Death to the Dictator".
The revolution has only just begun.

update

Obviously things have been suppressed somewhat. All the same, there were reports yesterday of thousands (mainly women) gathering at the place where Neda was killed, and fighting in Enghelab square and laleh park amongst others. SO quite clearly the people in Iran have not laid down and taken it, even if that's the only story getting out to the West.
Today is another commemoration for the martyrs - and supposedly, it's actually legal! So this will be interesting to see.
In that memory, here's new video of the shootings at Azadi square on June 15th:

more video from the 24th

Despite the title, this isn't police violence at all. A large sit down demo is - at least during the film - left unmolested by the cops.