John Cleese: ‘Syria and Alert to threats in Europe’

21st Century Wire says… When this story was originally published there was speculation as to who the real author was, with most people saying that it was he of Monty Python fame. Based on the skilled prose, we’d have to agree with the mob on this one. A masterpiece nonetheless…

By John Cleese

The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent events in Syria and have therefore raised their security level from “Miffed” to “Peeved.”

Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to “Irritated” or even “A Bit Cross.” The English have not been “A Bit Cross” since the Blitz in 1940 when tea supplies nearly ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorized from “Tiresome” to “A Bloody Nuisance.” The last time the British issued a “Bloody Nuisance” warning level was in 1588, when threatened by the Spanish Armada.

The Scots have raised their threat level from “Pissed Off” to “Let’s get the Bastards.” They don’t have any other levels. This is the reason they have been used on the front line of the British army for the last 300 years.

The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level

«A Time Bomb For Civil Liberties»: France Adopts a New Biometric ID Card

This post has been authored by Angela Daly, international legal fellow

On Tuesday March 6, the French National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) passed a law proposing the creation of a new biometric ID card for French citizens with the justification of combating “identity fraud”. More than 45 million individuals in France will have their fingerprints and digitized faces stored in what would be the largest biometric database in the country. The bill was immediately met with negative reactions. Yesterday more than 200 members of the French Parliament referred it to the Conseil constitutionnel, challenging its compatibility with Europeans’ fundamental rights framework, including the right to privacy and the presumption of innocence. The Conseil will consider whether the law is contrary to the French Constitution.

The new law compels the creation of a biometric ID card that includes a compulsory chip containing various pieces of personal information, including fingerprints, a photograph, home address, height, and

Mass S&P downgrade as Greek debt impasse hit euro zone

By Matthias Sobolewski and Dina Kyriakidou

BERLIN/ATHENS (Reuters) – Standard & Poor’s downgraded the credit ratings of nine euro zone countries, stripping France and Austria of their coveted triple-A status but not EU paymaster Germany, in a Black Friday 13th for the troubled single currency area.

«Today’s rating actions are primarily driven by our assessment that the policy initiatives that have been taken by European policymakers in recent weeks may be insufficient to fully address ongoing systemic stresses in the eurozone,» the U.S.-based ratings agency said in a statement.

In a potentially more ominous setback, negotiations on a debt swap by private creditors seen as crucial

The Death of Democracy and National Sovereignty in Europe

As Johan Van Overtveldt, the editor-in-chef of Trends magazine states, Greece is «condemned to go down in a vicious circle of more recession, more unemployment, larger government deficits or budget deficits and so an endless need of additional money to fill up the gaps.»

So why continue the loans? Why continue the Euro sham? Since Italy is next, and France’s banking system will follow suit, why fix something that already smells putrid?

Brussels will undoubtedly push the situation to its advantage and demand to step in at any time.

Why the media lies about Greece

by Jérôme E. Roos on June 24, 2011

In a short BBC interview today, I argued that the media’s witch hunt against Greece perpetuates a false impression that the Greeks themselves are to blame.

With special thanks to Naveena Kottoor, I was able to appear on BBC World Have Your Say today, for a brief segment on the international media’s coverage of the Greek debt crisis.

Asked whether I agreed that the international media are engaged in a ‘witch hunt’ against the Greek people, I pointed out that all talk about the Greeks being profligate, lazy and spoilt is simply not true (video below, my contribution from 34m50s onwards — somehow the audio got messed up):

 

Unfortunately, however, I didn’t get the time to back up these assertions with hard facts — so I would like this to use the opportunity to do so here.

Special thanks for the data below go out to Alex Andreou and Ingeborg Beugel.

MYTH #1: The Greeks are profligate

‘Last Days’ of the Euro Are Upon Us

BOSTON (TheStreet) — The euro is about to go the way of the dodo, if Credit Suisse researchers are correct.

In a research note making the rounds Monday carrying the title The «Last Days» of the Euro, a team of Credit Suisse analysts argue that «we seem to have entered the last days of the euro as we currently know it.»

While a break-up of the 17 eurozone nations isn’t a strong likelihood, Credit Suisse researchers say that

Contagion: Europe on The Brink as Debt Crisis Spreads To Spain

• This is going to end badly for the world. I do not believe that Asia will escape, it may suffer less but will suffer nevertheless.

  CONTAGION: EUROPE ON THE BRINK AS DEBT CRISIS SPREADS TO SPAIN 

  By Emily Fox for www.express.co.uk

  FEARS of contagion in Europe intensified today as the debt crisis spread to Spain. Spain was forced to pay nearly 7 per cent to borrow 3.56 billion euros (£3billion) on bond markets. Italian