Please use this thread for off-topic, but preferably BBC related, comments. Please keep comments on other threads to the topic at hand. N.B. this is not an invitation for general off-topic comments – our aim is to maintain order and clarity on the topic-specific threads. This post will remain at or near the top of the blog. Please scroll down to find new topic-specific posts.
Open thread – for comments of general Biased BBC interest:
Bookmark the permalink.
slightly OT , but the doublethink in this article is quite incredible
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6100012.stm
substitute the word “gambling” for “drugs”
QUOTE:
“Last week she criticised the US, which has banned firms from taking internet bets, for creating a “new Prohibition”, which could fuel an increase in crime.”
And yet , the UK policy of prohibition on drugs has lead directly to rampant gun crime on our streets.
As i said -doublethink.
“Would you care to tell me what you think of the BNP?”
Not much.
If you genuinely think that getting rid of a few muslims (who are far more prevalent and out of control in the minds of dubious niche websites than in real life) trumps the wellbeing of the entire economy the frankly you’re an idiot.
And as for your quite amusing ‘oooh, they might be a little bit anti-American and socialist’ but ‘they’ve got some Jewish members now – how nice’….. Good to see that you’ve adopted the complete off the peg approach to contemporary right-wingery rather than over straining those brain cells.
Abandon ship!:
Gobbledegook meets environmental moonbattery on the Today programme.
Absolutely! Same presenter talking to representative from M&S:
“What about the Kiwi tax?”
Next item, some BBC bimbo lurking near a motorway talking about sightings of Ghosts on the hardshoulder. Return to a discussion of Sir Nicholas Stern, shortly to be followed with the Archbishop of Canterbury, paraphrasing God “…it’s not much good wasting my time on Humphries”
At times the BBC resembles a Marx brothers film
I know no-one will be watching this rubbish this evening, but in “The Amazing Mrs Pritchard” this evening “the country is up in arms when Ros decides to ban the use of cars every Wednesday”.
I think that one may have touched the confines of lunacy.
Compare the liberal view with the reality of the war against the totalitarians…
“Among the dead was
Liaqatullah, a radical pro-Taliban cleric with links to the al-Qaida terrorist network, said Gen Sultan, but the raid did not target any prominent al-Qaida figures.”
The Guardian today
http://www.guardian.co.uk/pakistan/Story/0,,1935613,00.html
Reports are emerging that the U.S. conducted the strike (as we predicted) and Ayman al-Zawahiri was the target.
“Alexis Debat reports Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaeda’s second in command, was indeed the target of the nighttime raid. He was not killed, but 2-5 senior al-Qaeda were killed, “including the mastermind of the airliners plot in the U.K.” We presume this is Matiur Rehman.”
http://billroggio.com/
Any takers… ?
Will you be performing the Hajj?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/6088370.stm
“And as for your quite amusing ‘oooh, they might be a little bit anti-American and socialist’ but ‘they’ve got some Jewish members now – how nice’….. Good to see that you’ve adopted the complete off the peg approach to contemporary right-wingery rather than over straining those brain cells.” (Cockeyed)
You sound upset. Are you OK? Which party would you recommend?
And how true is this?
Sniffing out edits
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/
“You sound upset. Are you OK? Which party would you recommend?
John Archer | 31.10.06 – 11:16 am |”
none – you’d be better off joining a pressure group or a think-tank.
thats the way the world works nowadays i’m afraid.
TPO:
When the oxymoron that is the BBC Trust eventually becomes “active” (i.e. rubber stamps, ink pads, blindfolds and ear defenders at the ready), the Mail will probably do a fairly good number on them.
John
Just amused by your desperate desire to ensure that you get every conceivable stereotypical pet cause/bugbear into your reasoning one way or another, irrespective of how irrelevant it is. Have you ever embraced the power of independent thought?
Personally I thoroughly agree that all the parties are sh*t but I don’t see why voting for the sh*ttest party of all (with the possible exception of the ultra-socialists) is really going to help. Why not stay at home instead and read Melanie Phillips for some spiritual guidance?
I’m actually starting to hope that the Conservative Party implodes.
Hopefully, out of the mess there might actually emerge a true Libertarian party. One that believes in low taxes, personal freedom, personal responsibility, small state, law and order, etc.
Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be much chance of that at the moment.
It doesn’t really matter, because I have ‘no vote’ anyway. Living in Gobshite George’s constituency, means any vote not for RESPECT or Zanulabour will be pointless.
My grandfather fought for my right to vote, so I’ll always turn up on election day. Unfortunately, under our present electoral system, my views are worthless.
Steve E
Strange how excited the crass & spudthick BBC get over all kinds of religion (except Christianity of course).
I`m just waiting for “where were you when the stampede began?, send us your photos”
Cockney,
I do follow Melanie Phillips. I think she is superb.
I will not abstain from voting. It’s my ‘shot across the bows’ or rather my shot at the bows, even if it is with just a little peashooter. If I could fire a cannon ball, I would. But if enough of us do it, maybe we can sink them, or force a change in direction. Join us and give peas a chance.
Archduke,
“…you’d be better off joining a pressure group…”
Thanks. Sure, I could do that too. But I’m not that kind of animal. Maybe some day.
Grimer,
“I’m actually starting to hope that the Conservative Party implodes.
Hopefully, out of the mess there might actually emerge a true Libertarian party. One that believes in low taxes, personal freedom, personal responsibility, small state, law and order, etc.”
Snap!
BECTU keep teasing us with their strike threats – I hope they follow through this time:
BBC news faces strike
http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,,1935327,00.html
“BBC news could be hit by a 12-hour strike next week after the broadcasting union Bectu said it expected its members to vote for industrial action over proposed changes to staff rotas.
BBC news production facilities staff, who deal with live news feeds and provide technical support, are currently voting in a ballot about proposed changes to their rotas.
The ballot closes at midday on Wednesday, with union officials saying they expect members to vote for strike action.
A 12-hour walkout could then take place within seven days, with any action expected to hit the main BBC1 news bulletins hardest.
“Bectu is confident our members will support a strike action ballot,” the union’s supervisory official Luke Crawley said. “When the outcome is known on Wednesday, we will be telling the BBC when the strike action will take place.”
Further action could follow, with the union saying it wanted to “cause as much disruption as possible”.
BBC journalists are not involved in the dispute.
The head of BBC television news, Peter Horrocks, said contingency plans were in place in the event of a strike and he did not expect there to be any “significant” on-air disruption.
A BBC spokesman said: “As always, we have contingency plans for such scenarios, but we’ll await the result of any ballot and, naturally, look to avoid any industrial action.”
The strike ballot is separate from proposed union action over staff redundancies in BBC news.
Unions were due to meet BBC news management last week, but the BBC postponed the meeting. A meeting is now expected to take place within seven days.”
Madonna to defend her theft of an African child on BBC 2s Newsnight
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=413642&in_page_id=1773&ico=Homepage&icl=TabModule&icc=picbox&ct=5
where she will talk to……………………………..drumroll please!……………………………………Kirsty Wark!
Brilliant! fresh back from vacation with the leader of the Scottish Parliament and still unable to get the stars out of her eyes from her interviews (two) with the well know Junkie Pete Doherty (whom wark called – on taxpayers money- “a prodidgious talent”).
Always spudthick & stupid, the BBC now have a starstruck millionaire leftie interviewing a superstar millionaire leftie on a serious “news” program and no doubt the conclusion will be that Madonna is a prodigious talent who has gone to Africa and done something worthy.
All on YOUR money.
All whilst British soldiers are dying in the desert.
The only time the major parties take any notice is when the bit of the elctorate they’ve been taking for granted threaten to leave the reservation, as is happening with the white working class in east London among other places. A vote for a protest party, even if one has to hold one’s nose, can at least get them thinking.
I’m the chairman of the tory party in my ward and, even after I’ve delivered all my leaflets, “Dave” won’t be in there with me when I mark the paper. Hope he remembers that.
Personally I thoroughly agree that all the parties are sh*t but I don’t see why voting for the sh*ttest party of all (with the possible exception of the ultra-socialists) is really going to help.
But you voted Labour in May 2005. Now even if you choose (what you think is) the least shit option, you’ll still get shit. You defended your act of towering stupidity at the time on the grounds that the Tories were shit. Well tell us something we don’t know. I didn’t vote for my Tory candidate for the same reason, but I damn well won’t vote for a party which wants to destroy my country and enslave me at the same time.
I hope you remember what you did in May 2005. I hope it haunts you every time you hear of yet another new tax, yet another ancient liberty abolished, yet another person murdered by someone released from prison for a previous crime.
When you’re sitting there in your retirement (that’ll be at least 70 years of age), skint (they nicked your pension) no home to call your own (you had to flog it when you found you had no pension) and that bloke from the council comes to demand yet more taxes, I hope you look in the mirror what you did.
Rueful Red,
🙂
“If it’s not the Crusades, it’s the cartoons.”
Great stuff from Mark Steyn’s encounter with the Pres.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/steyn/114966,CST-EDT-steyn29.article
The BBC and you couldn’t make it up
Abu Hamza ‘was wrongly convicted’
A radical Islamic cleric should be freed because Victorian laws do not apply to foreigners killing foreigners, the Court of Appeal has heard.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6102046.stm
The BBC headlines (on a right nasty piece of work who while he has no problem taking this country for everything he can has no problem shafting us) promotes the image that Hamza is in fact innocent.
BBC tries to silence its critics.
A few days ago I tried to post this comment to refute Helen’s claim that the BBC is not biased.
“If what the Mail reported is not accurate, why is the report being delt with here on the editors blog and not on the BBC’s main webpage? These are serious allegations and if the Mail is making false allegations one would have thought it news worthy enough for the front page.
If the meeting was streamed over the web as you claim, can you give us a link to the stream? Or was it streamed over the BBC’s own internal intranet? If so, that’s still secret as far as the public is concerned.
I’ve documented the BBC’s anti American, anti Israeli and pro Islamist agenda for years now. Here’s a link to the evidence against the BBC.
http://ussneverdock.blogspot.com/2005/01/bbc-is-turn-off-its-official.html
Likewise, Biased BBC is a blog dedicated to exposing the BBC’s left wing agenda.
http://www.biased-bbc.blogspot.com/”
Helen refused to post my comment.
Today I tried to post a comment on the BBC’s latest attempts to deny it’s biased. I got an error message that says “You are not allowed to post comments”.
My post is here:
http://ussneverdock.blogspot.com/2006/10/uk-bbc-tries-to-silence-its-critics.html
Civil war in Iraq (but not the one that you might expect… )
http://memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=SD134006
The BBC and half a story.
The story which the BBC sees fit in which to headline today’s England webpage (just in time for those lunchtime surfers) is this one about the arrest of 3 soldiers over the death of a soldier.http://img416.imageshack.us/img416/2614/image1lq9.jpg
So looking at that would you gain the impression that yet another young soldier has died at the hands of the British Military?
Only one problem, the actual death of this poor soldier transpired on the 3rd of July.
In fact the BBC reported this story on the 6th of July.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/5156402.stm
The story is almost 4 months old. Yes it concerns the death of a young man. But the headlines don’t need to be hogged by stories of such incidents when larger stories concerning larger death tolls are given lesser billing.
I wonder why the BBC has no problem demonizing the rank and file of the British army. Yet has no problems promoting Islamic terrorists as misguided criminals. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4671577.stm
or for that matter as “wrongly convicted’ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6102046.stm
Oh by the way BBC you quoted that one of the soldiers arrested was a medic? Did you know that for all outside military training? (CFT etc) that a medic (usually sat in a following Land rover ambulance) has to be present. Maybe you could do with actually looking into the incident before you bitch about how bad the British military are when compared to those wonderful Taliban freedom fighters you promote as just.
The BBC and half a story.
Marc, Good for you. Burn in hell, BBC.
Junkie Pete Doherty (whom wark called – on taxpayers money- “a prodidgious talent”).
not that i want to defend wark or anything,but the ist libertines album is fairly awesome.
Hidden away from the mainstream headlines yet again, is the ongoing saga of the Racist Murder of a white school boy by a bunch of Racist Muslims. Not that you would know from reading the story. (if you managed to find it that is)
Kriss trial hears from car valet
A valet has told the Kriss Donald murder trial that he saw a group of Asian men sitting on something unusual in the back of a car.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6099380.stm
Now contrast this story with how the BBC promotes the story of Misbah as of wider public appeal.
The BBC and half a story
Upcoming on the Beeb…
Newsnight • Inside Al-Qaeda:
A Spy’s Story
Wednesday 15 November
10.30-11.20pm BBC TWO
“In a world exclusive, Newsnight presents a rare glimpse into the world of terrorists and spies. Inside Al-Qaeda reveals the story of a man who spent seven years inside the terror networks of al-Qaeda and who also spent those years working as a spy for European intelligence services.
In a one-off Newsnight special, Omar Nasiri (not his real name) paints a unique portrait of the emergence of the terrorist threat • from his time in an Algerian terrorist cell in Europe to the training camps of Afghanistan, and from his meetings with top al-Qaeda officials to his time spying on the mosques and militants who had made their home in London. Nasiri presents a dramatic perspective on what the authorities knew about this threat and how far they understood it.
The story provides new insights into al-Qaeda’s work on biological and chemical weapons, as well as into how one key figure may have misled the US and UK into war in Iraq. This special programme features the first-ever interview with Nasiri and with senior security and intelligence officials who worked on terrorism during the Nineties.”
“Hopefully, out of the mess there might actually emerge a true Libertarian party. One that believes in low taxes, personal freedom, personal responsibility, small state, law and o
rder, etc”
i wholeheartedly agree. the time is not yet ripe for one – but that time will come soon. Brown as PM will probably be the catalyst.
“Steve E. | 31.10.06 – 1:44 pm”
but he’s really a Mossad agent, because Al Q doesnt really exist.
The BBC and its bias against Israel.
Two Palestinians killed in Gaza
Israeli forces have killed two Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, Israeli and Palestinian officials say.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6101128.stm
So the BBC reports on the killing of 2 gunmen in a gunfight as “Two Palestinians killed in Gaza” ..
Yet the BBC reports somewhat differently here;
S Ossetia ‘kills armed Georgians’
Officials in the breakaway South Ossetia region of Georgia say their security forces have killed four “Georgian saboteurs” in a clash.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6101710.stm
I wonder why the BBC didn’t report the latter as;
“Two Georgians killed in Georgia”
The BBC and its undying bias towards Israel.
Socialism is Necrotizing:
Madonna to defend her theft of an African child on BBC 2s Newsnight
Seems logical, she is the only true “Hello” journalist from the BBC 2 Newsnight team. Kirsty will have lots to talk about with Madge- her recent meeting with top fashion designer Wolfgang Joop, having her done by Udo Walz in Berlin….it will be a walk in the park. You are forgetting Kirsty’s blow-job-fantasy interview with George Clooney. Kirsty will bond well, she always does.
Pete,
Exaggerating as ever. You won’t convince me that any other option in 2005 would have been better. This lot have done some bad things, done some good things, f**ked up the implementation of lots of things for which we’ll never know….
“I hope you remember what you did in May 2005. I hope it haunts you every time you hear of yet another new tax, yet another ancient liberty abolished, yet another person murdered by someone released from prison for a previous crime.”
Well not really given the fact that my net income is perfectly healthy (and job extremely secure – thanks Gordon!), I can’t remember an abolished ancient liberty which I was particularly minded to pursue and I have an infintessimally small chance of being murdered. Likewise I’ll have an extremely comfortable retirement unless somebody comes in and explodes the economy. You could call me a smug bastard but f***ing hell, I’ve worked hard for it so I really don’t care – I thought that was self improvement in action.
I appreciate that poor people aren’t having it great but when I was at uni at the height of the Conservative rule the poor people in the particular city I called home weren’t exactly having fantastic lives in the free market Thatcherist utopia either.
We keep paying, BBC keep on spending…(our money)….
BBC refurbishment £20m over-budget and a ‘waste of money’
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23372717-details/BBC%20refurbishment%20%C3%BD%C3%BD20m%20over-budget%20and%20a%20'waste%20of%20money'/article.do
“…..state-of-the-art air conditioning…”
I do hope the BBC is being careful of it’s ‘carbon footprint’!
Cockney,
You say you have an “extremely secure job” thanks to Gordon Brown. Would that be in the public sector with a no-risk, inflation-proof, final-salary pension funded by the taxpayer? And do most people want your services?
Go to BBC Online’s World section, and you’ll find a link to (Don’t) Have Your Say about the bombing in Pakistan that was aimed at Al Qaeda. The comment they highlight is…
HAVE YOUR SAY
I think that Pakistani government in creating problems for itself and its people by this action
Abdul Haleem, Faisalabad
Now, clicking on the most recommended you find mostly commonsense views expressed by many with Muslim names…
http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?sortBy=2&threadID=4574&edition=1&ttl=20061031141958&#paginator
Of course, these most recommended ones are, as far as the Beeb is concerned, “off message”.
Note also the link about the Hajj…
Performing the Hajj
Would you like to share your journey to Mecca with us?
I look forward to similar coverage about Christian pilgrimages to Lourdes, Fatima etc.
Then again, perhaps not…
http://ukcommentators.blogspot.com/2006/10/bbc-news-search-results.html
.
Hook son’s job on Tube
THE terrorist son of hook-handed Abu Hamza has been working on London’s Tube, The Sun can reveal.
Mohammed Kamel Mostafa, 25 — a convicted fanatic who has glorified suicide attacks like the 7/7 slaughter — was rumbled by Underground workmates when they saw his picture in The Sun.
Photo
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006500443,00.html
.
John,
Nope, I’m in the (very private) City in corporate finance where irresponsible fiscal policy and related boom and bust equals regular bouts of extremely depressing redundancy. And yes, lots of people do want my services. Picked up quite nicely this year from the recent (relatively gentle) downturn.
Cockney,
OK. Good for you. I suppose somebody has to work there. 🙂 Outplacement, eh? Do you come here to practice your ‘bedside manner’?
Just joking. Not fishing either, so don’t answer that.
I’m glad you’re feeling a little better now.
‘Bosses sacked Mostafa — given a jail stretch in Yemen for plotting to blow up British and US targets — within hours.’
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006500443,00.html
Why on earth was this man allowed back into this country?
If he is the holder of a UK passport why not revoke his citizenship?
If there a legislative issues about such action why aren’t the BBC raising the profile of such a loophole that allows this man to enter the UK
Why aren’t the BBC treating this as a news story?
Sorry, me being rhetorical, we all know the answer, except those apologists for the BBC.
John
thanks for the BJ fantasy.
I hadn`t seen that before but its spot on.
[deleted]
Edited By Siteowner
Another non-racist crime not reported by the BBC
http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?scope=all&edition=d&q=%22andrew+webber%22+%2B+Bristol&go.x=32&go.y=13
http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=15788877&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922
A Teenager is being treated in hospital for broken ribs and a punctured lung after he was attacked by a gang of Somalians in Bristol
Cokney,
Tell us who to vote for
A;In the nations interest.
B;In your interest.
Doff, thank you, on your recommendation, I have just watched Culture Clash. It was indeed excellent.
Many thanks again.
After several months of silence and denial Cuba’s Minister of Health finally admitts to Dengue outbreak, yet they still do not give any figures.
“Cuba says dengue outbreak caused deaths”
http://au.news.yahoo.com/061029/2/p/117nu.html
What was the BBC saying about cuban healthcare again????? OHH I remember, LIES LIES AND MORE LIES.
Don’t forget it’s the retrial of the ‘free speech two’ tomorrow at Leeds crown court. Whatever you think about them, you can be sure the bbc will not report it accurately, if at all.
http://www.radical-and-right.org/20061015.html
” Two Palestinians killed in Gaza”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6101128.stm
Last Updated: Tuesday, 31 October 2006, 11:38 GMT
===
“The two men, members of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, died in a clash with Israeli troops in the south near Khan Younis.”
Now last time the BBC talked about hamas they included this useful bit of information.
Hamas refuses to recognise Israel and its charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish state.
I didn’t know that was how Hamas thought, untill I read it on the BBC here.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6095846.stm
“Corporal Gilad Shalit was captured on 25 June after militants led an attack into Israel. Two Israeli soldiers were killed in the attack.”
I am glad that the Israeli soldier has a name. But under what flag where the “militants” operating? There were several groups involved and at least one of them starts with an “H”.
====
By BBC standards this article has shown great improvement over previous BBC articles, in that Cpl Shalit has a name and is recognsed to have been kidnapped in Israel.
Still the BBC refuses to regularly mention the operating ideology of Hamas or its involvement in leading the terrorist raid.
Christian suicide bombers? Were they wearing veils by any chance?
Anonymous, Thanks for the Radical and Right link. A political show trial it is. (I saw the original programme.)