Alan Turing: December 2008

The Middle East is in turmoil once again. Over the past few days, Israeli jets have pummeled Hamas inside the Gaza strip. At the moment, more than 350 people have died in the conflict in one of the hottest flash points in the world.
.
While Israel regards its military action as necessary to stop Hamas from continuing to fire homemade rockets into western Israel, the Arab world has denounced the operation as either disproportionate or wholly unjustified.
.
Unfortunately for the people of Gaza, this round of bloodshed appears to only be in the first stages of a new protracted struggle between various factions of Palestinians (and some non-Palestinians) and the state of Israel. Because social upheaval and war have been a permanent component in the lives of Gazans for more than five centuries, nothing is new under the sun.
.
From 1517-1914, Gaza was controlled by the Ottoman Empire. Although subservient to Constantinople, it retained a degree of political autonomy. When World War I broke out in August 1914, the Ottoman Empire, which had already been in decline for decades, started to permanently disintegrate under the weight of armed conflict on its territory. Siding with Germany and the other Central Powers proved fatal, and the triumphant British managed to take control of Gaza after three battles on 7 November 1917.
.
Gaza, a religiously eclectic area with Muslims, Jews, Christians and others, plunged into chaos in the summer of 1929. The Western Wall or 'Wailing Wall', built in 19BC by King Herod, is sacred to the Jews as it marks the site where the First and Second Temple existed . At the same time, Muslims regard the Western Wall as the holy place where Muhammad rode upon al-Buraq, a divine man-horse from heaven, between Mecca and Medina (and vice versa) in conquering the Arabian peninsula for God. When access to the Western Wall became political, as it did in 1929, violence ensued, and 249 people died in the wake of Palestinian riots. Jews in Gaza went into exile.
.
Two decades later, Gazans were swept up in the Arab-Israeli War of 1948. The British, who had retreated as a consequence of WWII, left a power-vacuum in the territory. Three years of tension and war resulted in rival declarations of control of Gaza. Although the Palestinians would declare the formation of a government on 22 September 1948, the same date as 'Day One' of the French Revolutionary calendar in 1792, it was under the tutelage of Egypt - which would essentially control Gaza until 1967. In that year, Israel vanquished Egypt in the 'Six Day War' and became the next master of Gaza. It would last until a Palestinian uprising (of intifada) forced Israel to agree to withdraw under a complicated diplomatic arrangement in 1994.
.
Israel has occupied Gaza several times over the past 14 years in efforts to end and preclude further attacks across its border by militants. Despite withdrawing its forces once again in 2005, Israel still retains control over Gazan airspace and its port. Its sanctions on the Hamas-led government have devastated the economy. Unable to export goods or import essential supplies, medicine is scarce and Gazans wallow in misery with 50% unemployment (the highest in the world), gangs in the streets and a constant threats of invasion by Egypt, Israel or both.
.
The people of Gaza have been in the crossfire for centuries, and it is time for their suffering to end. Untangling hundreds of years of resentment between rival religions, rival ethnic groups, rival claims for property and rival nation-states around Gaza will neither occur by simply convening a conference nor adopting a cease fire. It will require a sea-change of political perception driven from the bottom-up rather than the top-down. If the world can bring peace to Gaza, then there is hope that the world can bring peace to itself.
.
J Roquen

HAPPY HOLIDAY

MERRY CHRISTMAS,
HAPPY HANUKKAH, AND
A GREAT NEW YEAR......

Damian Green Arrest - Letter to my MP.

Below is a letter I sent to my MP regarding the constitutionally important issue of Damian Green's arrest by the Metropolitan Police. I have finally received a letter from the Home Office - which essentially states it cannot comment about an ongoing police investigation (no surprise there then). More disappointing was the fact that my MP, Alan Williams, didn't bother to comment directly on the affair or appear interested in taking up the issue within the institution of Parliament (he merely forwarded the letter to the Home Office). He stands down at the next election and I will be interested to see if his replacement shows more interest in representing constituents concerns *within* Parliament.

Friday 28 November 2008

Dear Alan Williams MP,

I write to express my concern that Metropolitan Police officers, namely
members of its counter-terrorism command, arrested and searched the
offices of an acting MP, Damian Green. More worryingly I wish to
express dismay that it appears that they searched his office within the
Parliamentary Estate. I think it is unacceptable that police officers
submit any MP to this kind of search without clear reference to
Parliament. This is essentially that State interfering directly within
the workings of Parliament and as such shows that the police are
developing a worrying disregard for the sanctity and preeminence of
Parliamentary privilege. It is reported that Speaker Michael Martin
had authorised the search, if this is so, then I would expect you as my
MP to call for his resignation and for a full inquiry into the way in
which this matter was handled. More so considering the justification
was an obscure and little-used offence under common law 'aiding and
abetting, counselling or procuring misconduct in a public office'.

I am even more surprised and shocked that members of the Government
were not informed in advance of the decision of the police to conduct
this inquiry (more so when the police are required to enter Parliament
to search for information).

Parliamentary privilege exists to safeguard our democratic rights from
incursions from either the State, the Monarchy or any other threat to
our democracy. Parliament must assert itself and ensure that any search
or activity by the police or security services within its boundaries
are carefully monitored and subject to the authority of Parliament in
the last instance. Increasingly the rights of Parliament appear to be
considered anarchonistic or out-dated by too many members of the
security services or the police. In fact, it appears that this is also
the opinion of too many of the sitting parliamentarians. It is about
time for the dogmatic slumbers of MPs to be disturbed and Parliament to
take a severe and critical look at the attitudes towards Parliament by
government and State institutions, such as the police.

I hope that you will raise this matter in Parliament and with the Home
Office.

Yours sincerely,

David Berry

AISHA BY ALBERTO BUZZANCA

Happy Christmas!

The reason for this Holiday Season!, originally uploaded by astanse-(Angela)

A Christmas Coronation

Governor Rod Blagojevich of Illinois, who stands accused of selling Barack Obama's vacated US Senate seat, claims to have done nothing wrong. According to federal prosecutors, Blagojevich was ready to give the prestigious slot away to the highest bidder in order to finance a potential run for the presidency in 2012. While a case can certainly be made that his actions constitute corruption, his behavior might also be characterized as mere politics, or to put it in vernacular terms - 'one hand washes the other'.
.
Beyond a global celebration of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, 25 December is also the anniversary of one of the greatest political maneuvers - or cynical acts of corruption depending on your interpretation - in world history.
.
Charlemagne (Carolus Magnus), meaning 'Charles The Great', was born in the middle of Europe in 742AD. As son of the Frankish King, Pepin The Short, he became King himself upon the death of his father in 768AD at the tender age of 26. Over the next three decades, Charlemagne acted as a guardian of the papacy, encouraged and supported education and the arts (the Carolingian Renaissance) and expanded the territory of his kingdom through war and diplomacy.
.
From 772-774AD, Charlemagne cemented his leadership in Europe by conquering the Lombards, a people hostile to the Papacy, and seizing a swath of modern-day Italy. Adrian I, the Pope, was showed his appreciation by bestowing on him the title of patrician. Clearly, Charlemagne had much of the same warrior spirit and fighting skills as his grandfather Charles 'The Hammer' Martel - who is credited with turning back the armies of Islam at the Battle of Tours in 732.
.
In the year 778, Charlemagne suffered a nearly catastrophic defeat at the Battle of Ronceveaux Pass in the Pyrenees Mountains at the hands of the Basques. Rather than turn inward from the setback, the King retooled his army and eventually launched another invasion into Spain. When Barcelona fell to the Franks in 797, Charlemagne might have called 'The Master of Europe', but one woman stood in his path.
.
Irene (The Athenian) became Empress of Byzantium in 798 after issuing an order to have the current ruler's eyes plucked out of his head. That ruler, Constantine VI, was her son. Needless to say, Irene was anything but a submissive 8th century woman, and she was the heiress to the glory of Rome. Rather than battle for supremacy with the 'West', Irene had been increasing diplomatic contacts with Charlemagne over the years prior to coming to power. Hence, Charlemagne and Irene formed a new East-West axis between the old lands of the Roman Empire.
.
In 799, Pope Leo III fled Italy to avoid being captured by hostile elements on the peninsula. A subsequent meeting with Charlemagne would alter the course of history. Although their conversation can never be known, the momentous event on 25 December 800AD illuminated the political trade-off of a year earlier. On that day, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne Imperator Romanorum (Roman Emperor) in St.Peter's Basilica in return for his protection. In short, Leo III gained an army and Charlemagne acquired the ultimate form of legitimacy.
.
By the coronation, Charlemagne was essentially declared a ruler appointed by God. As he had defended the Pope and the Papacy from barbarians, Charlemagne now eclipsed the remains of the traditional Roman Empire consisting of Irene and Byzantium. Indeed, the coronation produced widespread consternation in Constantinople, but Irene did not take personal offense. Rather than war, Irene talked openly of co-opting the powerful 'Western' King by offering him her hand in marriage. Power-brokers in the Byzantine court, however, were able to sabotage the idea.
.
Was Charlemagne a cynical opportunist, a corrupt, power-hungry ruler or a talented leader defending the faith and Christendom? Unlike today, the King was not subject to the law. The King was the law, and historians have debated the merits of the Christmas coronation for more than a thousand years. Unfortunately for Governor Blagojevich, the days of kings are long over.
.
J Roquen

Daddy Drinks: Hot Buttered Rum

° c o f f e e °, originally uploaded by ° d i + m a r s °

Rum and butter are two great tastes that taste great together. If you like both of those things, and you like to have warming drinks from a mug in winter, here's a nice one to keep at hand during the holidays.

3/4 cup Boiling Water
1/4 cup Spiced Rum
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Butter
1 Clove
Nutmeg
1 Cinnamon stick to stir

Boil water and pour into a mug. Mix in the brown sugar and spiced rum (I use Sailor Jerry's). Add the butter and stir until melted. Use a tea strainer or infuser to mix in the clove flavor, then remove the clove. Do not eat the clove. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg and stir with a cinnamon stick. Drink up and stay warm!

Bread & Jam

rainy saturdays, originally uploaded by MEOMI

We had a little snow storm over the weekend and spent an entire day at my in-laws' house in the country. This might sound awful, but I like my wife's family, so I didn't mind being stranded. I helped her dad to clear the snow outside, and her mom taught me to bake bread and make a batch of Christmas jam.

It is fun to learn traditional skills, and I am especially fond of any process that results in something I can eat or drink. Jam isn't hard to make when you have the right tools. Bread was easy too. Basically the bread-making machine does all the work for you.

I also learned that the primary ingredient is sugar, which explains why jam is so delicious. Hopefully I can find the time to make more bread and jam. Now I know the process, I want to try different flavors and varieties!