Britain: MPs seek to censor the media

MPs seek to censor the media

by Kim Sengupta - Monday, 10 November 2008

Britain's security agencies and police would be given unprecedented and legally binding powers to ban the media from reporting matters of national security, under proposals being discussed in Whitehall.

The Intelligence and Security Committee, the parliamentary watchdog of the intelligence and security agencies which has a cross-party membership from both Houses, wants to press ministers to introduce legislation that would prevent news outlets from reporting stories deemed by the Government to be against the interests of national security...

Continued...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mps-seek-to-censor-the-media-1006607.html

International Gangsters & Control Freaks

UK's Brown: Now is the time to build global society

07:03 PM EST

LONDON (Reuters) - The international financial crisis has given world leaders a unique opportunity to create a truly global society, Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown will say in a keynote foreign policy speech on Monday.

In his annual speech at the Lord Mayor's Banquet, Brown -- who has spearheaded calls for the reform of international financial institutions -- will say Britain, the United States and Europe are key to forging a new world order.

"The alliance between Britain and the U.S. -- and more broadly between Europe and the U.S. -- can and must provide leadership, not in order to make the rules ourselves, but to lead the global effort to build a stronger and more just international order," an excerpt from the speech says.

Brown and other leaders meet in Washington next weekend to discuss longer term solutions for dealing with economic issues following a series of coordinated moves on interest rates and to recapitalize banks in the wake of the financial crisis.

"Uniquely in this global age, it is now in our power to come together so that 2008 is remembered not just for the failure of a financial crash that engulfed the world but for the resilience and optimism with which we faced the storm, endured it and prevailed," Brown will say in his speech on Monday evening.

"...And if we learn from our experience of turning unity of purpose into unity of action, we can together seize this moment of change in our world to create a truly global society."

According to a summary of the speech released by his office, Brown will set out five great challenges the world faces.

These are: terrorism and extremism and the need to reassert faith in democracy; the global economy; climate change; conflict and mechanisms for rebuilding states after conflict; and meeting goals on tackling poverty and disease.

Brown will also identify five stages for tackling the economy, starting with recapitalizing banks so they can resume lending to families and businesses, and better international co-ordination of fiscal and monetary policy.

He also wants immediate action to stop the spread of the financial crisis to middle-income countries, with a new facility for the International Monetary Fund, and agreement on a global trade deal, as well as reform of the global financial system.

"My message is that we must be: internationalist not protectionist; interventionist not neutral; progressive not reactive; and forward looking not frozen by events. We can seize the moment and in doing so build a truly global society."

(Reporting by Jodie Ginsberg; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

http://mobile.reuters.com/mobile/m/FullArticle/CBUS/nbusinessNews_uUSTRE...

All the powers required...

...to silence their critics and consolidate their power base. Brilliant.

I would like to take this moment to decry George Orwell's utter failure of imagination.

They Control Money & Information

A potent mix.

They CANNOT control

the Human Spirit.

That spark within us that IGNITES everytime Tyranny beckons.

The Cry for Freedom, The Thirst for Truth, The Unquenchable Insatiable Hunger for Justice.

They CANNOT Control or Suppress. The more they tighten their grip......

The Truth Revolution is THE Potent Mix.

Freedom CAN NEVER be legislated or removed via legislation alone.

It flows in our bloodstream and as long as America & her Constitution LIVE IN US, FREEDOM will Live.

In Us and Posterity.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The CONSTITUTION is NOT going to "collapse" into pulverized dust no matter how much thermate/explosives or planes they throw at it

Patriot Movement Needs To Step Up Its Game

The globalists seem to be moving very quickly.

Although the public is becoming more aware of what is happening, we are still providing very, very little effective opposition.

"we are still providing very, very little effective opposition"

I believe this is true and it an unpleasant truth not often seen on blogger -- or voted down if it is seen.

I understand the urge to want to cheerlead the movement, the "That's alright, that's okay, we're gonna make it anyway!" type of cheer heard at football games. Perhaps some feel they must keep our enthusiasm high for the fight ahead.

But personally I prefer to be completely realistic and call em as I see em. And the gods honest truth is that they are proceeding with their agenda as if we didn't exist. Translation: no effective opposition.

When ridiculing and fighting the truth movement didn't work

they went back to ignoring us.

Now that Sen. Obama has been installed, we will see more articles and hear more people on the street telling us that the neo-cons are gone now, so what's your problem?

Real change will only come with an effective general strike and we need to keep informing people and building our movement before we have the numbers to accomplish this, we're getting there but it takes time.

As the true nature of the Obama administration becomes clear to more and more "progressives" they will become more open to the truth about 9/11 and that demographic will swing our way.

Increasing membership of groups like firefightersfor911truth.org and ae911truth.org will go a long way to achieving our goals, heavily promoting these groups will get us to the tipping point.

The truth movement, by definition, should be based in reality. This includes being self-critical and realistic about our numbers and relative power. That said, we need to remain positive and forward-thinking or we will lose momentum and become discouraged by the constant nattering nabobs of negativity.

Love is a verb, brothers and sisters, let's get busier!

The truth shall set us free, but we have to free the truth first.

Love is the only way forward.

They censored "Oh what a lovely war"! why?Danger censor inFRANCE

John A MITCHELL
Herblay FRANCE

bonjour ,

when I was young in Scotland, I remember the great day when we were able at last to see the film "oh what a lovely war" which up to there had been censored by the British government.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh_What_a_Lovely_War

http://www.google.fr/search?hl=fr&client=firefox-a&channel=s&rls=org.moz...

It had a very powerful and truthful message. The 1st world war was a stupidity and I see now I see why they wrongly censored it.

Are they going to censor the new film "Being W" or "W" the film d'Oliver Stone or any others treating the 911 truth ?

The French national newspaper Libération did an article yesterday on how the authorities want to be able to censor films before they are projected. See the article below.
(Perhaps someone can do a translation into english.)

Updated this blog entry the 15/11/2008 21h00 french time with the english translation at °2 . ATTENTION this translation of °1 is not professional and can contain some errors !

Yours

John

°1 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ beginning
http://www.liberation.fr/culture/0101221293-vous-avez-dit-visa

Cinéma 10 nov. 6h51
Vous avez dit visa ?

Usine à gaz. Un décret de loi paru début octobre veut encadrer la diffusion des films dans les festivals. Entre censure déguisée et casse-tête pour les organisateurs, une situation que la France partagerait avec la Chine et l’Iran.

Réagir

BRUNO ICHER

«Une mauvaise solution à un problème qui ne se pose pas.» La formule est d’Antoine Leclerc, délégué général du Carrefour des festivals, association qui regroupe une cinquantaine de manifestations de cinéma en France. Il qualifie ainsi le décret de loi du 1er octobre 2008, obligeant les festivals de films, cinémathèques ou ciné-clubs à demander au Centre national de la cinématographie (CNC) une autorisation pour projeter un film ne possédant pas encore de visa d’exploitation.

Le visa temporaire sera valable une semaine pour six projections, le tout sur le territoire d’une seule commune. Pas davantage. La demande doit être adressée à la Commission de classification des films, dépendant du CNC, au moins deux semaines avant la projection, sous forme d’un «synopsis détaillé et, le cas échéant, d’une fiche récapitulant les mesures de restriction prononcées dans les pays où cette œuvre a fait l’objet d’une exploitation». Enfin, la loi précise que «le ministre de la Culture peut demander que lui soit remise une copie de la version exacte et intégrale de l’œuvre qui sera représentée». Cette étrange mesure, qui permet accessoirement à la France de rejoindre la Chine et l’Iran au rang des pays qui pratiquent l’usage du visa temporaire pour des manifestations culturelles, est, selon de nombreux professionnels, impossible à appliquer.

«Cela n’a pas de sens», s’agace Laure Tarnaud, déléguée générale de la Société des réalisateurs français (SRF). «Il n’y a jamais eu, à ma connaissance, le moindre incident pour un film présenté dans un festival. Il faut se rendre compte du délire bureaucratique que cela implique. Un festival comme celui de Clermont-Ferrand passe plusieurs centaines de courts métrages à chaque édition. De plus, certains points sont absurdes, comme la limitation du visa à une semaine. Comme son nom l’indique, la Quinzaine des réalisateurs dure deux semaines et, après Cannes, la plupart des films sélectionnés font l’objet de reprises. Il faudra alors demander d’autres autorisations ? Quant aux délais, c’est tout simplement inapplicable, de même que la copie que l’on doit tenir à disposition du ministre.»

Bobines. L’histoire de Cannes ou de la Quinzaine, pour ne citer que les festivals les plus célèbres, fourmille d’anecdotes à propos de films débarquant sur la Croisette dans des versions pas totalement achevées. Entre autres, Apocalypse Now, de Francis Ford Coppola, ou Mission, de Roland Joffé, si l’on s’en tient juste aux palmes d’or. Sans oublier le film d’ouverture de la toute première Quinzaine des réalisateurs, en 1969, la Première Charge à la machette, du Cubain Manuel Octavio Gomez, dont les bobines ont été livrées le jour même de la projection et que Henri-François Deleau, le délégué général, n’avait pas eu le temps de voir.

Pour les cinémathèques et ciné-clubs, c’est le même étonnement. «Je ne vois pas à quoi cela peut servir, dit Serge Toubiana, directeur de la Cinémathèque française. Nous passons plus de 1 000 films par an, dont beaucoup sans visa d’exploitation et nous n’allons rien changer à notre mode de fonctionnement. Nous leur enverrons la liste des films de notre programmation trimestrielle et j’espère que cela suffira.»

Pourtant, ce décret en vigueur depuis plus un mois n’a pas fait beaucoup de vagues pour l’instant. Il faut dire que son auteur, Sylvie Hubac, conseillère d’Etat et présidente de la Commission de classification, s’est abstenue d’en faire une publicité intensive. «Il n’y a pas eu la moindre consultation auprès des professionnels», reprend Antoine Leclerc, qui vient de demander une entrevue au ministère. «Il semble que le sujet n’ait été abordé que dans le cadre des réunions de la Commission au moment de la rédaction de son rapport annuel. C’est aberrant, mais moins que le contenu du décret. Voilà le type même de texte mort-né en termes d’application. Pour des raisons de délais, d’organisation et de volume de travail, les structures concernées ne pourront pas s’y tenir. Au passage, j’aimerais qu’on m’explique comment le CNC va pouvoir attribuer ces milliers de visas temporaires. Qui va s’en charger ? Il m’avait semblé que la tendance n’était pas spécialement aux embauches dans les services de l’Etat».

Automatique. Au CNC, on ne se bouscule pas pour répondre aux interrogations. Le seul interlocuteur qui se colle à l’exercice préfère d’ailleurs commenter le texte au nom du CNC et pas du sien : «Ce décret comble un vide juridique et il était nécessaire de donner un cadre aux organisateurs de festivals. Mais dans le sens d’une autorégulation qui les responsabilise. C’est à eux de décider la limitation de l’accès à certains films. Ce décret n’appelle pas de notre part un contrôle des œuvres à des fins de censure, mais vise à fluidifier des procédures.» En d’autres termes, la délivrance du visa sera purement et simplement automatique. Auquel cas, on peut s’interroger sur l’urgence à légiférer sur une question qui n’avait posé de problème à personne depuis plus de cinquante ans !

Autre précision chuchotée aux inquiets, sur le mode «ça reste entre nous», dans les couloirs du ministère : jamais le ministre ne demandera à visionner une copie du film avant sa projection. En admettant que Christine Albanel ne se risque pas sur ce terrain miné, qui peut en être garant pour ses successeurs rue de Valois ?

«Cohérent». Si cette mesure irrite et inquiète la plupart des professionnels, certains se montrent plutôt satisfaits, à l’instar de Bruno Barde, directeur du Public Système, organisateur des festivals de Deauville (cinéma américain et asiatique), Gérardmer (fantastique) et Beaune (films policiers, successeur de Cognac). «J’aime l’idée que l’on nous responsabilise. Avant, au nom d’un principe de précaution, nous interdisions toutes les projections aux moins de 16 ans. A présent, je sais que nos décisions sont soutenues par le CNC. Ce texte me semble cohérent avec notre liberté de programmation.»

Ce n’est, manifestement, pas l’avis de tout le monde. Car, pour couronner le tout, le caractère désormais obligatoire de ce visa temporaire ouvre gentiment la porte à ceux qui, pour des raisons diverses et variées, souhaiteraient nuire à une manifestation. Ainsi, il n’est pas totalement farfelu d’imaginer qu’un beau jour, un excité quelconque saisisse la justice à propos d’un film projeté dans un festival dont l’organisateur, pour toutes les raisons décrites plus haut, n’aurait pas demandé le fameux visa. «Dura lex sed lex», diront alors - à condition qu’ils soient latinistes - les policiers en saisissant les bobines. Ce sera l’un des nombreux sujets de conversation que les professionnels aborderont très bientôt avec Christine Albanel.

°1 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ end

°2 _ added the 15/11/2008 21h00 french time _ _ begin ATTENTION this translation of °1 is not professional and can contain some errors !

A wonderfully complicated solution. A decree law appeared at the beginning of October wants to restrict the diffusion of films in the festivals. Between disguised censure and headache for the organizers, a situation which France would share with China and Iran.

Article by BRUNO ICHER in the French newspaper Libértion 10th November 2008
http://www.liberation.fr/culture/0101221293-vous-avez-dit-visa

" a bad solution for a difficulty which does not arise." The formula is of Antoine Leclerc, deputy general Crossroads of the festivals, association which gathers about fifty cinema demonstrations in France. The law decree of the 1st of October 2008, obliges the film festivals, cinema clubs or film clubs to ask the national Center cinematography (CNC) an authorization to project a film not having yet a visa of exploitation.

The temporary visa will be valid one week for six projections, not exceeding the territory of the commune concerned. Not more. The request must be addressed to the Commission of film’s classification, depending on the CNC, at least two weeks before projection, in the form of a " detailed synopsis and, if necessary, of a recapitulating form giving the mesures of restriction pronounced in the countries where this work was the subject of an exploitation ". Lastly, the law specifies that " the Minister for the Culture can ask that a copy of the exact and integral version of the work be given to him which will be represented by someone". This strange mesure, which incidentally puts France amongst China and Iran the countries which practise the use of the temporary visa for cultural events, and is according to many professionals', impossible to apply.

" That does not make sense ", aggravates Laure Tarnaud, deputy general of the Company of the French cinema director. (SRF). "There never was, to my knowledge, the least incident for a film presented in a festival. It is necessary to realize of is delirious bureaucratic that implies. A festival as that of Clermont-Ferrand passes several hundreds of short films to each edition. Moreover, certain points are absurd, like the limitation of the visa at one week. As its name indicates it, the film festival “Director’s Fortnight” lasts two weeks and after Cannes, the majority of selected films are the subject of repeats. Other authorizations will have then to be asked? As for the deadlines, it is quite simply inapplicable, just as the copy one must keep at disposal for the minister."

Reels. The history of Cannes or the Director’s Fortnight, to quote only the most famous festivals, swarms with anecdotes in connection with films passing on the Croisette in uncompleted versions. Amongst others, Apocalypse Now, of Francis Ford Coppola, or Mission, of Roland Joffé, if one sticks just to the "Golden Palm". Without forgetting the opening film of the very first Producers Fortnight, in 1969, “la Première Charge à la machette”, by the Cuban Manual Octavio Gomez, of which the reels were delivered the very same day of projection and which Henri-François Deleau, the general delegate, had not had time to see.

For the cinematheques, cinéma clubs, it is the same astonishment. " I do not see for what that can be used, says Serge Toubiana, director of the “ Cinémathèque française”. We pass more than 1 000 films by year, of which many are without an exploitation visa and we are not going to change anything with our operating mode. We will send to them the list of films for our quarterly programming and I hope that that will be enough."

However, this decree in force for more one month has not done many waves for the moment. It should be said that its author, Sylvie Hubac, State adviser and president of the Classification Commission, abstained from making an intensive publicity of it. "There was not the least consultation amongst the professionals ", picks up again Antoine Leclerc, who has just requested an interview with the ministry. " It seems that the subject was only aboarded in the context of the drafting of the Commission’s annual report. It is aberrant, but less than the decree’s contents. Here is the very example of a still-born text in terms of application. For reasons of delay times, of organization and the volume of work, the structures concerned will not be able to keep the schedules. In the passing, I would that one explains to me how the CNC will be able to allot these thousands of temporary visas Who is going to take care of it? It had seemed to me that the tendency was not especially the time of recruitment in the State’s services".

Automatic. With the CNC, We do not crowd to reply to the questions. Besides the only interlocutor who sticks himself to the exercise prefers to comment on the text in the name of the CNC and not in his own: " This decree fills a gap in the law and it was necessary to give a guidelines to the festival’s organizers. But in the direction of a self-regulation which gives responsibilities to them. It is up to them to decide the access limitation to certain films. This decree does not call on our behalf a control of works as a means to censor them but aim at fluidifying procedures" In other words, the visa delivery will be purely and simply automatic. In which case, one can wonder why the urgency to legislate on a question which had never posed problem for anyone for more than fifty years!

Another precision whispered with anxious, on the mode " that remains between us ", in the ministry’s corridors: never the minister will ask to view a copy of film before his projection. By admitting that Christine Albanel does not risk herself on this mined ground, who can guarantee it for his(her) successors Valois street ?
" Coherent ". If this mesure irritates and worries the majority of the professionals, some are shown rather satisfied, following the example Bruno Barde, directing of the Public System, organizer of the festivals of Deauville (American and Asian cinema), Gérardmer (fantastic) and Beaune (police films, Cognac successor). “I like the idea which we give responsibilities to us. Before , in the name of a principle of precaution, we prohibited all projections for the under 6 year olds. At the present, I know that our decisions are supported by the CNC. This text seems to me coherent with our freedom of programming."

It is not, obviously, the opinion of everyone. Because, to crown the whole, the obligatory character from now on of this temporary visa simply opens the door for those who, for various and varied reasons, would wish to impede a demonstration. Thus, it is not completely eccentric to imagine that one fine day, some hothead seizes the justice in connection with a film projected in a festival of which the organizer, for all the reasons described above, would not have asked for the famous visa. " Dura lex sed lex " (Painful law, but it is the law), will then say - provided that they are Latinists – the police officers while seizing the reels. It will be one of the many subjects for conversation which the professionals will aboard very soon with Christine Albanel.

ATTENTION this translation of °1 is not professional and can contain some errors !

°2 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ FIN