Korea and Alpha to Omega

Those of you who have read the book will know that North Korea, although only briefly mentioned, plays a pivotal role in the plot of Alpha to Omega. In some ways, fact looks like following fiction.

In my last post, I referred briefly to what was going on in the Korean peninsula. In just two short weeks, tension has increased rapidly. Missiles are being moved, as are the other side's missile shields. Troop build- ups are escalating and everyone has started to take things seriously. By why now? Why at this particular moment?

Today, North Korea pulled the date of 10th April out of the hat as the day of reckoning. News commentators and others couldn't fathom why. They obviously take no interest in astrology. I suspect North Korea's leaders do! This is the date of the New Moon and if you take North Korea's astrological chart as commencing at partition from the South in 1948, you will see that it is directly opposing their natal Chiron.

Sorry if this is confusing or annoying you, but I'm trying to establish why this date might have been selected by the North.  I won't go into the Greek mythology, you can read it up for yourself. Suffice to say that Chiron was a 'noble' centaur who sacrifices his life for others and is rewarded by being given a place in the heavens as the constellation Centaurus. Although not immortal in life, he became immortal in death.

At around the same time all this is going on (April 10th), the planet Mars (planet of war) is hovering around the New Moon and, consequently, also opposing Chiron in the North's chart.

Now I'm not asking you to sign up to believing in astrology (it's a bit like Bovril - you like it or hate it), but I am asking you to think about why North Korea might be thinking about it as an auspicious date. I'm sure they don't think they could win any war, but I think they might think they are being smart and creative. Would they sacrifice their country to achieve 'immortality' against the bullying opposition (as they see it) or is it brinkmanship to achieve greater recognition and status in the eyes of others?

It is also possible that decades of isolation has so warped the collective mind of  North Korea that they are no longer capable of what we might consider rational thought. In short, they have become an enormous 'sect', with a mindset similar to that of Jim Jones in 1978 or Waco in 1993.
     

   

Now it starts to get interesting!

Whether you are waiting for your electricity to be reconnected in the UK or in despair in Cyprus, I think we are on the brink of something far more important. Sorry, that's not meant to sound as if your problems are not real ones.
The US President has completed his visit to the Middle East and the Israeli Prime Minister has (uncharacteristically) apologised to Turkey for an incident a couple of years back. Essential if you want people 'onside' for any military activity in the region!
Elsewhere, a number of things are bubbling away beneath the surface and, like a volcano, will have to erupt in the not too distant future; including in the Korean peninsula. Readers of Alpha to Omega will recognise the markers here.
So it's worth being alert to big changes that I think are now very close. They may be so significant, that you don't need my little blog to tell you to keep your eyes and ears open. You will not be able to miss them.

Viruses

Those of you who have read Alpha to Omega, will know the tremendous risks posed by pathogenic viruses. This week, I received an email from a reader about the Internet variety.

I have previously posted about the problems in the Middle East, not least in respect of Israel and Iran. Since then, Israel has hit a convoy carrying arms from Syria to Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. In the process (through good intelligence) it appears to have killed top Iranian General Hassan Shateri. Now what, you might ask, is an Iranian General doing getting mixed up in all of this. For an answer, I refer you to one of my earlier posts. At the same time, Iran has been making further advances with its nuclear programme.

So where do Internet viruses figure? Well my reader reminded me about the stuxnet virus. This was probably jointly developed by the USA & Israel specifically to attack Iran's nuclear facilities and seems to be 'intelligent' as it can target specific systems. As tensions increase so, I imagine, will cyber attacks.

And they're not the only ones at it! The Chinese People's Liberation Army are also very active. Unit 61398 based in Shanghai spreads it net around the world, trying to steal - and succeeding - commercial and military secrets. It also has the capacity and motivation to spread major internet viruses, whenever it suits its purpose. In this day and age, you don't just need the world's largest army to achieve domination.

Returning to Israel/Iran, these problems are likely to be right at the top of President Obama's list during his upcoming visit to Israel. I previously gave my views on when military action was most likely and the weeks following this visit would seem to be worth watching. No doubt there will be a good deal of cyber activity in the run up to any military action.

Throughout history, there have been periods of time that historians refer to as 'Ages'. We are now very much in the Age of the virus - both pathogenic and cyber.

Did you hear the sighs of relief in January!

Christmas over, a new year underway. January appeared like some temptress, quietly suggesting that things were starting to get better.

The European Union leadership were keen to play up the fact that the worst of the crisis in the Eurozone was now over and things were on the mend. Stock markets around the world started to rise on this and other news. The people of Israel having rejected the old right wing, sabre rattling government, now expected that moderates - through coalition - would play a more active part in policy making. The senior UK Liberal Democrat MP, Chris Huhne, again stated unequivocally that he was not guilty of trying to pervert the course of justice. And there were a few other hints of good things on the horizon.

But as January came to an end and February beckoned, things - including perceptions - started to change. Maybe the Eurozone crisis wasn't over, after all. A leading French politician suggested that France was effectively bankrupt. Both Italy and Spain started to look politically unstable. Borrowing costs for some of these countries started to rise again and stock markets began to lose the gains they had been making.

While the Israeli parliament is finely balanced between left and right, there seems a good chance that centre and centre-right parties will be able to form a government. With Iran pushing ahead with its nuclear programme and also openly supporting President Assad in Syria, it is still - I believe - a question of 'when' rather than 'if' an armed strike against it by Israel will take place.

And if you are reading this outside the UK, I can tell you that this morning the politician Chris Huhne suddenly changed his long held 'not guilty' plea to 'guilty'. His political career is over, he will almost certainly go to prison and eventually, he will probably try to rehabilitate himself with charitable work - or perhaps go  to work in the European Community in some role or other. 

2013 has only just begun and it will be some while before we start to hear the fat lady sing!


 

Alpha to Omega and unfinished business

So 2012 is almost at an end. Like me, you probably have to think for a moment or two in order to recollect all that has happened in the last twelve months. I started by skipping through my blog posts during the year and then realised how much else had happened; nationally, internationally and personally.

One common thread is change - often, quite sudden and without much warning. But it is change that is ongoing, with still more to be revealed. Or that's how I see it. What has been happening in 2012 is the lead in to an eventful 2013. More revelations, more sudden changes and potentially greater turmoil. By the time we get to the end of next year, I think we will all (in different ways) have a much greater awareness of how quickly the 'status quo' can alter.

If you have read Alpha to Omega, you will understand this scenario.  If you haven't, log onto your online bookseller and invest a small amount of your hard-earned cash! Alternatively, scare a relative or friend by gifting them Alpha to Omega.

I would like to wish everyone who reads this blog a Happy Christmas. I wish I could also wish for a peaceful New Year - but I think that is unlikely.

http://alpha-to-omega.org.uk

Link & connect!

The American Presidential election is over, the Sudan raid a few weeks ago seems to have been carried out successfully, so now Israel has this week turned to Hamas. As I write, both sides are firing rockets at each other and Israel (through its usual high-grade intelligence gathering) has eliminated a top Hamas military leader in bordering Gaza. In response, Hamas has spoken of 'opening the gates to hell'.

These should be seen as part of an overall plan or package and not simply random events. When Israel starts its attack on Iran, the last thing it wants is too much activity in response from its neighbours. So weaken the most likely to be troublesome first, so you can then focus most of your attention on your real enemy - Iran. Egypt will, of course, make all the necessary protests and complaints, but is unlikely to be drawn into an armed response. Syria has too much on its plate already and Jordan will, if reluctantly, have to sit by and watch.

The unknown (and perhaps the most worrying aspect) is whether Israel itself would contemplate using nuclear warheads to accomplish the task of destroying Iran's nuclear capability. If intelligence reports are to be believed, Iran has protected much of its nuclear development so well that conventional weapons would be unable to inflict much damage. You therefore have to get inside the installations with Special Forces - very difficult and risky - or use the most powerful aerial delivered missiles and bombs that have ever existed!

For those of you interested in such things, the attacks on Hamas coincided with an eclipse. In the coming weeks and months, be prepared for things to get worse rather than better.
   

The countdown has begun

In just a few days, we should know the outcome of the US Presidential election - or maybe not! Some of the polls say it is too close to call, others predict a victory for Obama; but not necessarily the Democrats. The astrologers, on balance, also think it is more likely to be Obama; then remind their readers that Mercury (the planet of communication) will begin its retrograde cycle at this time. This could produce delays or an inconclusive outcome, as it did with the election of George W Bush.

Back in August on this blog, I wrote that I did not think Israel would undertake a major strike against Iran's nuclear facilities until after the election, or possibly into 2013. This was despite many people thinking such action was imminent. Well, that impediment is almost out of the way. Romney would almost certainly support it and Obama, I suspect, would remain as neutral as it is possible to be.

My understanding is that Israeli representatives have already spoken with both 'camps', without openly admitting the date they have pencilled in. What we do know, is that a couple of weeks ago the Israeli airforce had a 'trial run' against a missile-making factory in Sudan that supplies Iran. As well as inflicting significant damage, they also proved their capabilities in electronically jamming radar and air air defence systems; critical for any attack on Iran.

Love it or loathe it, you know that Israel is never going to turn the other cheek when it feels threatened. Because they are so reliant upon US dollars, they have had to accept (reluctantly) some constraints; in this case waiting until after the election. Then, they will do what they want to do.

If you thought 2012 was a 'difficult' year, just wait for 2013. If you have already read Alpha to Omega, you will know my take on it.

http://alpha-to-omega.org.uk

Daily Mail & Alpha to Omega

Those of you who have read Alpha to Omega and/or some of my earlier posts, may find the article 'The Armageddon Virus' on today's Daily Mail interesting.
As I have said before, fact and fiction are closely interwoven in Alpha to Omega.
Sleep well!

http://alpha-to-omega.org.uk

Dominating & controlling personalities

In my last post, I referred to the politician Roy Bastable in Alpha to Omega. Events during the past week reminded me of him yet again. Let me quote a short extract, for starters:
'Are you deaf, man? Do you not understand the English language? Or are you one of those people who have trouble taking orders from your superiors?' Bastable was now performing to his true character. Gone were the days when it had to be subjugated as he weaved his way towards the top. He was there now and oiks like Aitken would be treated as they deserved.

We have seen or heard about a number of celebrities whose prominence and dominant personalities have protected them from the truth. People who became virtually untouchable.
Lance Armstrong: serial drugs cheat at the top of professional cycling who threatened his own team-mates to go along with the doping or lose their place on the team. And those who didn't, did!
(Sir) Jimmy Saville: DJ and celebrity fundraiser, who boasted he was untouchable and threatened  to stop raising funds for charity if anyone suggested he molested children. He now turns out to have been a long-term paedophile, whose 'charitable works' were almost certainly a cover to give him uncontolled access to young people and vulnerable adults. Other well-known celebrities have been implicated; some already named, some still to be named.

Whatever the 'crime', the need to dominate and control is a central issue. Those of you who can cast your mind back 15-20 years may recall a fraudster called Robert Maxwell: once a Labour MP, then a media 'mogul'. Maxwell had a vast ego. The problem was that his empire was built on sand. Make such a comment, however, and every threat imaginable would emerge. He was a thug and a bully who got away with it for decades, until even he realised the game was up and apparently fell off his yacht. A more likely scenario, however, was that one of the intelligence agencies helped him over the side; for fear that impending legal action against him would reveal too many secrets.

As I have commented previously, we are in a period when such revelations and changes to our world will become more and more evident.

http://alpha-to-omega.org.uk


 

Alpha to Omega and politicians.

When I created the politician Roy Bastable in Alpha to Omega, I wondered if I had simply produced a caricature; an individual invested with those characteristics disliked by most of us. Newspaper articles in the past ten days concerning three UK politicians have made me revisit my character. For those of you who have not read Alpha to Omega or perhaps forgotten this particular individual, I offer the following short extracts:

From the moment he (Roy Bastable) uttered his first sentence, I disliked him. It was subjective and unreasonable but I couldn't help it. He was opinionated and arrogant.

Roy Bastable charmed and schemed his way up the greasy pole of politics. From an early age he had been convinced of his own superiority and prepared for his greatness.

On a couple of occasions, his mask of friendliness and tolerance had slipped in public; but he was quick to spot both errors and immediately set about repairing any possible damage. At such delicate moments, whether at public or private gatherings, he often resorted to an expansive "I'm joking" sort of laugh. Although totally contrived, he invariably employed it to good effect. In truth, he was not an "I'm joking" sort of person.

My particular eye-catching politicians are Andrew Mitchell, David Laws and Tony Blair. As they are from three different political parties, I can hardly be accused of bias!

Mitchell is the Tory who referred to some on-duty policemen as "f...ing plebs" and then made various threats; he says he didn't use these words that were reported, the policeman's notebook record says he did. So one of them is lying and should be severely disciplined.

David Laws is the LibDem who fiddled his expenses and criticised others for doing the same thing - and was then found out. Having been a Cabinet minister he was forced to resign but, surprise surprise, is now back as an education minister. Great role model! He also seems to have officially forgotten quite a lot about his family, including that he has an adopted brother and sister. 

Tony Blair, apparently, having resigned as Prime Minister a few years ago to go off and earn zillions of pounds working for all manner of people and regimes, now sees himself as the next President of the European Union. This is the man who has felt "the hand of history on his shoulder" and who has said words to the effect that he can only be judged by God for his actions. He is a man who seems to be obsessed with his own morality and political importance. Some, however, might liken his desire to be President of the EU to volunteering to be captain of the Titanic.

Maybe, after all, Roy Bastable is not a caricature. Maybe, when compared to real politicians, he's quite a good bloke!

Mitt Romney echoes Alpha to Omega

It seems that the Republican nominee for President has been more than a little candid in recent days; expressing his views on a range of what are deemed controversial subjects. His first mistake, however, was assuming that they would not be repeated or, as it appears, recorded. For a politician seeking the highest office, this would seem to be more than a little naive!

One newspaper report I read today branded his comments about the possibilty of nuclear attack on Chicago as 'bizarre'. It may have been indiscreet, but certainly not bizarre. Those of you who have already read my book Alpha to Omega will understand why I say this. And those of you who drop by regularly to read these posts will know that I have previously said it is not a question of if, but when a major terrorist attack takes place on a major conurbation. This is not just my view, but that echoed by many top security analysts and western politicians.

His Chicago scenario is just illustrative. It could be any major US city or European one. I happen to think that the most likely is London in 2013. This conclusion was arrived at after research into a range of related issue. If I'm wrong about the exact location, it doesn't really matter. Paris, Washington, New York - we will all experience the consequences and the changes that will occur for generations to come.

  

Israel, war and heading towards 2013

Israel, it seems, is ramping up its preparations for war. To what extent circumstances in Syria influence this, I'm not sure. Syria and Iran are allies and it may be that when Syria eventually falls (as it undoubtedly will), Iran will feel even more isolated than it has in the past. It can then either 'fall into line' (unlikely) or become more aggressive or assertive. If that happens, some form of conflict will become inevitable.

Would Israel go it alone, or would they only move with the agreement of the USA? You have to assume the latter, but don't completely rule out unilateral action; dragging the US and possibly others unwillingly into the conflict. The other question, is when? With a Presidential election just a few months away, timing is tricky. Would the incumbent risk getting drawn into conflict on the eve of an election - or would it add a spark to his election campaign? Alternatively, might Israel hold off for a few months, in the hope of seeing a potentially more sympathetic Republican ally in the White House?

For what it's worth, my view is that it will wait until the end of the year or into 2013. But then, prepare for major earth changing events. Along with the world's economic woes, not least in the slowly decaying eurozone, the pace of change in the world we live in will gather pace.

But remember, major change is not necessarily bad. It may feel like it at the time, but perhaps not in hindsight. A sentiment, for those who have read it, that I echo at the end of Alpha to Omega.

Interview on Mysterious Writings

I recently gave an interview to Jenny Kile on the website Mysterious Writings. Jenny was not only interested in Alpha to Omega, but also in my book The Ultimate Quest.
You can find the interview (6 questions and answers) at http://mysteriouswritings.com

Alpha to Omega: a time of change

At the end of my last post, I briefly referred to the fact that the rich and powerful - according to recent research - tend to be more greedy and less caring than the rest of the population. This is not some quick value judgement, it's the result of six years work. Through various experiments, some of them quite mundane, the researcher concluded they are not a particularly nice group.

The truth is, they are totally out of touch with the lives and problems of the rest of us. Now maybe it didn't need six years of methodical research to come to this conclusion - but at least the 'haves' cannot now accuse people of being jealous, biased, ill-informed or whatever stock phrases they roll out when faced with criticism. This is objective research.

"I know what it's like to lose your job", says the disgraced multi-millionaire banker or the politician who loses an election. Oh no you don't! Technically, maybe; but not the harsh reality. Having to go cap in hand for benefits; scrimping and saving just to be able to pay for the weekly shopping; wondering if you car breaks down whether you will be able to afford the repairs - and the list goes on.

And apparently it's not just those who are firmly entrenched at the top. The children born to the rich or famous, generally develop a view of themselves as being 'special'. They get access to education and jobs either because of money, connections or both. They may also believe they can lie, cheat or break the law; in the knowledge that money or influence will bail them out if they get caught. Drug and alcohol abuse are nothing to them; the money is there time after time to send them to an expensive clinic. The parents of a child from a poor family, can only hope, pray or vainly try to persuade.

Those, however, who have 'risen through the ranks', so to speak, also have a tendency to become greedy and less caring. The tough years seem to be soon forgotten, or at least lodged away in a safe place. Their new wealth or status creates a barrier that stops them from truly understanding (or perhaps even caring about) those who are less fortunate.

Going to a 'posh charity do' or donating money which may be tax deductible anyway, is their salve. And being seen to do it or getting your publicist to get media coverage, just adds to your status. Wouldn't it be wonderful if all this philanthropy was anonymous; even better if the giver genuinely had to forego something ( a second or third home, annual holiday, their prized sports car etc) or sell a precious possession in order to make the gift or donation.

The theme of a number of my posts and running through Alpha to Omega is change. Not only that which is overdue, but that which is inevitable. Change that is not only to do with our planet, but with our way of life.

Heading towards 2013

Those of you who have already read Alpha to Omega (or even taken note of the cover) will know that 2013 figures largely. You will also know, if you read these posts, that I have previously referred to a 'tipping point'. This term has often been used in the past in respect of climate change; I see it in a wider context - of which climate change is just one part.

Since completing Alpha to Omega last year, I have become increasingly aware of the pace of change beginning to quicken. If you don't believe me, sit down quietly for 10 minutes with pencil and paper and start to make your own list of significant issues that have already or are likely to bring about major changes in the near future. I'll give you a few of my own, just for starters. Even if they at first seem to be focussed on the UK, I would argue that the ramifications extend well beyond these shores or similar events can be found worldwide.

Each quarter seems to bring some new major misdemeanour to light in the banking world; resulting in massive fines and management resignations. There are plenty more 'surpises' in the pipeline! This effects everyone and massive restructuring is inevitable. In the UK, the roots of the problem can be traced back to the 1970s and the chickens are now coming home to roost.

The Eurozone crisis (arising out of deception and lies) sends a chill through the global economy. Even China (the powerhouse of the world economy in the past few years) is beginning to feel the effects. There are obvious consequences, but it is the less obvious - such as civil unrest - that we should really take notice of.

Destabilisation of countries, through uprisings and civil wars, also brings its own problems. While we might cheer heartily for those who have or will defeat oppressive regimes, we also have to recognise that it creates its own problems. What, for example, will happen to Syria's substatial stocks of chemical weapons? These are not largely mythical (as with Iraq), they are universally known to exist. As happened with the old soviet bloc countries, sudden change creates opportunities for weapons of mass destruction to fall into the wrong hands. As yet, few have been used; but that will change.

My final one for this 'starter' list is the environment. Those of us living in the UK have been experiencing prolonged spells of wet weather in recent months, as a consequence of the jet stream being further south than is usual. We also discovered this week that the oceans are continuing to warm up. We can, of course, argue about the causes of this, but the consequences are inevitable. Firstly, water evaporates faster from the oceans, resulting in more rain. Where it falls, will depend on what is happening to the 'conveyors' that move our weather around. Warmer waters also mean ice thaws more rapidly. That melting ice upsets the salinity of the oceans, which in turns influences the currents which circulate around the globe. In the UK, for example, that would impact on the Gulf Stream; which has traditionally helped to give us a mild and temperate climate.

And finally, an extended piece of research has come to the conclusion that the rich and powerful (bankers, politicians and other 'leaders') tend to be more greedy and less caring than the rest of the population. That could explain quite a lot, don't you think? It's a topic I may come back to.

Alpha to Omega review on BookLore

A bit earlier in the week, I discovered a new review by a reader of Alpha to Omega. Unless you know they are going to happen, you often only stumble upon them by chance. This one is on a book review site called BookLore. If anyone is interested in reading it, the site is http://www.booklore.co.uk/
The review is by someone named Norma. If it is the Norma who follows my blog, thank you. If it's another Norma, thank you still applies!

Every action has a consequence.

In an earlier post (19 May if you want to refer back to it) I included a short quote from my book Alpha to Omega. In summary, it stated that secret steps from the past tend to deliver up their unforeseen consequences many years later. Or, according to a long since dead aunt of mine, 'be sure your sins will find you out'.

Here in the UK, banks and other financial institutions seem to be the most recent 'targets' of this truth. Mis-selling and misleading their customers and the markets is becoming increasingly obvious. So, what's new you say? Well, if you go back one or two generations such things would have been pretty unthinkable. A rogue bank manager or employee possibly; but not institutionalised wrongdoing. But that is what we now have - despite a massive increase in consumer protection laws and regulation.

But the UK is by no means unique in this respect. Much of the economic mess throughout Europe is because many of its governments lied about their economic situation in order to join the euro or agreed to the 'rules' without any intention of sticking by them. Similarly, many of their largest banks and financial institutions thought that they were above mundane rules and regulations; and even the basic tenets of common sense. No doubt a closer look at most countries and continents would reveal similar patterns of behaviour.

The phrase 'tipping point' is most often used in connection with the environment and consequences of global warming. I think it could now equally be applied to our civilisation as a whole. You may or may not have liked history at school, but it shows us time and time again how the world 're-balances' itself. Ice ages, natural disasters, wars and pandemics have all played their part. As a result of all of these, a new order or civilisation is invariably created.


 

Spooks (and governments) just can't get enough!

If you live in the UK, you could soon find that every letter or email you send or every phone call you make or receive, is intercepted and the details kept for at least 12 months.

Do you need to be a criminal under surveillance? No! A potential terrorist or someone with terrorist links? No! A paedophile? No! All you have to be is an everyday citizen who writes letters, sends emails or uses a telephone to communicate with other people. I guess that covers about 99% of the UK's adult population.

The government - actively egged on by the spooks and senior police officers - are seriously contemplating making all internet providers and phone companies responsible for keeping detailed records of all traffic. Even the Royal Mail will have to keep details of the addresses on every envelope. Postcards to Aunty Ethel or little Tarquin will, presumably, even have the message/greeting recorded - just in case it's in code and dealing with some gems heist. (Those of you who battled with The Ultimate Quest should be well-placed to baffle the authorities with your secret messages!)

If you have already read Alpha to Omega you will know that such 'intercepts' are routine practice under certain circumstances, but this is really going to the nth degree. But are we surprised? I'm not.

Fear and uncertainty grips the heart of every government, elite or enforcement agency. Fear that something may be going on that they do not know about. And so it has been for a very long time. It grips democracies just as much as dictatorships. The only difference is that the former pay lip service to controls and safeguards, while the letter couldn't give a ****. Which is the more honest?

But I think it also has to be seen in the current context. We are already in times of great uncertainty and, in my view, this will get worse before it gets better. I've 'predicted' 2013 in Alpha to Omega; but the actual year is irrelevant. Let's just say that it is going to happen. However 'it' manifests itself, it will be life-changing and the spooks and governments are likely to go into a spiral of despair. As they already know much more than we do, is it a surprise they are anxious?

But here's a small consolation - it is already quite easy to communicate without falling foul of the planned interception. How will 'they'cope with that, poor souls?

False trails to flush out spies.

Those of you who have read Alpha to Omega, will know how I used this in the book. As I've previously stated, I have drawn on much factual material in the construction of Alpha to Omega and this is one small example.

The use of the technique was explained to me by a security services officer and then effectively demonstrated. It arose out of necessity, but with mildly amusing consequences. It also showed that even when you are sitting in meetings with people you think you know, you still need to be cautious what you say and how you say it. It happened like this.

Over a period of time, I had been attending meetings at which colleagues not only from the UK, but also France and Germany were present. A couple of days after one of these meetings, one of my UK colleagues said something along the lines of: "your comments about X were apparently raised at a security meeting in Paris yesterday." You may imagine my surprise. Not only that business conversations were being reported back to some official in the French security services, but also because the matter was so apparently mundane.

Not long after, it happened again; this time, relating to a matter my UK colleague had raised in a meeting. This was slightly less surprising, given his status, but still amazing given the subject matter. He said he was not certain who the conduit for this information passing was, but suggested a strategy to 'flush him out'. This basically involved the two of us (by prior mutual agreement) concocting spurious, but reasonable stories and then running them in different gatherings. By noting the 'membership' of the meetings in which the stories were run, it would be possible to identify the conduit back to Paris. Within a couple of weeks, we knew who our man was. It seemed pretty certain that he was debriefed on a fairly regular basis and they had swallowed (or at least been interested in) a most ridiculous, but plausible, story.

What was perhaps the most intriguing, to me, about this whole matter was that a UK security officer was getting feedback from meetings being conducted by the French security services. That is how we (or rather he) discovered our 'mole'. But that of course means UK security services had someone inside French security services who was able to tell them what was being said. Everyone spying on everyone else!

The moral, I suppose, is don't always believe what you hear or read.

A Dystopian Future?

Following on from last week's post about 'predictions' in Alpha to Omega, I was interested to see this week scientists again raising the serious issue of antibiotics becoming useless - and the very real threat this poses to all of us.

Earlier this year, the World Health Organisation highlighted the same issue. In no uncertain terms, they talked about a developing global crisis because of antimicrobial resistance and the risk of every antibiotic ever developed becoming useless. As a result, both common and life-threatening infections have already or will soon become impossible to treat.

So if that's true of the known infections, where does that leave us with in respect of new ones? I'll leave you to supply your own answer! And there is a near inevitability that such will appear; either 'out of the blue' like HIV or as a result of a deliberate man-made action. Long before science can hope to have any answer to the problem, it will be too late and we will be back in a world of pandemics.

Sorry to be so blunt, but I think it puts into perspective the million and one 'complaints' about such things as whether we'll have to work a bit longer to get our pension or bemoaning the fact that we can't really afford an overseas holiday this year. And those who are currently attracted to dystopian literature will see their dreams (or nightmares) come true!

If I was a serious terrorist leader - which I assure you I am not - this is the area I would be looking at; not the occasional bomb on a bus or pair of exploding underpants. The material is out there and it only needs someone with money and serious intent to exploit it. The CIA, MI6, Mossad and the rest are fully aware of this. With a lucky break, they might stop it. Without one, there is absolutely nothing they could do, until it was too late.