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Evening Martin.
LBS-Nick Griffen more your taste huh?
Archduke, Jon: Hmm,checkmat….but not quite…the micro-management doesn’t come from 10 but from the shadow PM in 11.
Remember “means tested benefits”? The current road charging debarcle?
The “hair brain” implementation of PFI (re: attention to detail) is left in the hands of people like Milliband, Jowell or Prescott because Blair is having too remined our European allies that Al Quieda is a real threat,when not answer rebuttles on red herrings that are wasting police time. Blair’s hands are tied not by the Tories but by the left,time after time after time.
Those Muppets couldn’t make a cup of tea.
And for every Reid there is a Blunkett and for every Straw (in his more thoughtful moments) there is a Cooke.
But hey ho it’s the Labour National Party Exec (with exclusive coverage from the BBC) who put these people together.
You see from where I am sitting the UK is about to take a turn to the left and in about two years you guys are going to understand the notion of statism,regulation and political correctness.
The Tories have taken the soft option and are now in the thrall of Al Beeb and chums. All fluff and no bollo*ks. Yet people like Fox or Mates are in the party, shut away, because Johnstone is “funny” and “photogenic”.
And you are saying to me that Blair is incompetent?
That “sneering” voice may well be last reasonably sane voice that you hear for a long long time….
Happy days indeed!
Sorry Chaps that was me 🙂
Martin Belam: Maybe its where I live as I say in this part of the country Labour is in the blood. Once upon a time at election time you would probably get some of the candidates knocking on your door – but now you don’t even get a chance to question them face to face – its all done by “newsletters” (and in my wives case the Lib Dems actually send her an email).
No high flying conservative would stand where I live as it would be a hopeless cause
Thanks IngSoc Is Doublethink: that has really cheered me up.
“You see from where I am sitting the UK is about to take a turn to the left and in about two years you guys are going to understand the notion of statism,regulation and political correctness.”
WTF??
EMPEROR MING : YOU WILL DIE A THOUSAND DEATHS!
How much worse could it get? How much more PC can politics get?
@Jon: Maybe its where I live as I say in this part of the country Labour is in the blood. Once upon a time at election time you would probably get some of the candidates knocking on your door – but now you don’t even get a chance to question them face to face – its all done by “newsletters” (and in my wives case the Lib Dems actually send her an email).
I think it all pretty much depends on the local area and how much party funding there is or volunteers.
When I was younger I’ve been out on the streets and done canvasing before elections, I’ve done telling on polling stations, and I’ve done scrutineering at election counts.
Some candidates do a big sweep, and some don’t. Some are better than others.
I’m interested – do you think the email was a better approach / an interesting approach / or would you have rather seen someone at the door?
To be honest Martin – I thought the personel email was quite good, although it was probably not just sent to my wife. The newsletters are just full off hot air (no doubt email would be the way to go to save the planet!!)
No worries Jon.
I think its sad that the Tories don’t do more in the North West because I think what conservative thinkers believe would be more or less the sort of things that would help people in the forgotten corner of England..
Self help self belief and self motivation-not handouts and the reliance on the state. Community projects around “old fashioned” groups like the Scouts so little Johnny can go out canoeing and camping rather than crack. People pulling together and saying not to the thugs and the crack, and the guns.
Local businessmen and local people putting money into there schools and there hospitals, schooling that reflects the local economy so those business’s get the talent back, hospitals that are able to treat the sick.
Real power, but with the balance in regulation (you do need some sort of administration) to ensure fairness.
But they can’t get heads around the old tribal thing, understandable because Thatcherism did have a down side in the mining communities and steel works.
I’m sure people remember before the strikes the local Conservative Club; full of members, but after Maggie….
Mrs Thatcher was harsh, it needed it but it hurt people a lot and that has to be addressed by the Tory’s.
But I bet if you took away the name of somebody like Liam Fox and show them the sort of ideas going around I bet he would get a lot better response.
Perhaps a Pepsi taste Jon?
Anonymous | 17.03.07 – 12:11 am – there is no doubt that the end of the coal mining industry here in the North east certainly affected everyone – and maggie and the conservatives have never been forgiven – but before this you are quite right conservative clubs were full with fully paid up members – It will take a lot to revive those days but someone like Liam Fox could certainly do it – Cameron on the other hand has no chance at all.
is it just me, or is “red nose day” more of a narcissist celebration of the media “celebs” rather than the charities themselves?
i’ve not donated a penny. i prefer to go direct.
@Jon
thanks
my local tory councillor has been appointed the “climate change champion” for our council.
latest newsletter is her wittering on about CO2 levels.
i wrote a letter back , pointing out that water vapour is a 90 per cent contributor to warming, and that a volcano exploding in Indonesia will emit a hundred years worth of C02.
i dont think i’ll get a letter back. they really have lost the plot – the entire political class – havent they?
“is it just me, or is “red nose day” more of a narcissist celebration of the media “celebs” rather than the charities themselves?”
It’s all self publicising hype…..look at when “Madonna” did it a few years ago….she just “happened” to be releasing an Album the next day…that went right to number 1……….none of those MILLIONS went to Comic reliefe……
It’s all product placement, and begging….very grim TV..the BBC at it’s worst…..Millionaire luvvies who take so much from so many……begging for us to give wht pennies we have left……to African dictators and Terry Wogans Bank Balance….
Celebs are all selfish “look at me” merchants….it’s not for Charity……it’s for fame and glory…a vile show….
And after 20 years….Africa is getting WORSE..so maybe these morons should stop being racist toward Africans….and really HELP, instead of doing this pity drive every two years……..
yeah – i agree – the “look at me” vibe seems to be even more in your face this year.
of course , it totally ignores the big issues – like WHY african farmers are excluded because of EU protectionist policies.
wasnt Rhodesia once the breadbasket of the British empire? of course, the idiots at the BBC cant put two and two together. in 2007 we shouldnt need a red nose day.
archduke: You have to understand how councils work – they get money from central government for certain projects which are mostly on things like “diversity and inclusion” etc. Lately, because as we all know we have to do something really quickly about climate change, “Climate Change Co-ordinators” are springing up in every Local Authority – in the same way that scientists are funded if they are “on side” in the climate change debate, so to do Local Councils – they can also tick a box next time they get a CPA(Comprehensive Performance Assesment), which in turn could be the difference between being a 3 star council or a 4 star one – in other words it is just a paper exercise which actually means nothing – but costs a lot of money.
we are truely living in 1984 so jon. winston smith would feel right at home here.
red nose day is showing me lots of pictures of children in tanzania and imploring me to donate to them.
so, why dont we get rid of the EU CAP and the half million bung that Prince Charles gets.. wouldnt that help african farmers way more than this celeb ego trip?
oh wait – i’ve got a better idea – total withdrawal from the EU so that britain can revive its free trade with africa.
Its the hypocracy that gets me about this “red nose day” – so called celebs trying to make themselves feel good – then going back to their luxurious lifestyles – While they try and make people in this country part with their money. Its why these stupid things are on BBC – the same mindset.
Don’t get me wrong I have nothing about people making money – but if they are so het up about the people of Afriica why don’t they do what they preach and give up all their worldly goods – when they have done that and are living in a mud hut in the Sahara then I might just take notice.
Now if red nose day had people like this on then it would be quite different.
“Livingstone treated the Africans with respect. He learned their languages and customs and explored a great portion of the continent. Livingstone believed the best way to share his faith with the Africans was to teach them about the outside world. Livingstone supported his missionary work by writing books about his travels”
http://www.mrdowling.com/609-missionaries.html
Another intersting bit on Livingstone
“Livingstone was a very religious man who was appalled by the way the Dutch and Portuguese colonists treated the African people. His writings told the world about the slave trade, which Livingstone called “the open sore of Africa.” When he died in 1873, most of his body was returned to England, but Livingstone’s many friends buried his heart in Africa.”
Link as above
” May all those who drove Sally to this hang their heads in shame”
“Sally Clark – wrongly jailed for killing her sons – found dead”
Sally Clark, the mother who was wrongly jailed for killing her two sons, has died.
Her family said in a statement she was found dead at her home Friday morning.
The cause of the 42-year-old’s death has not been revealed. But relatives said she never recovered from the appalling miscarriage of justice she suffered”.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=442800&in_page_id=1770&ct=5
While BBC gives Greenpeace even more air-time to get irate, this time about flights between London and Newquay (Cornwall), ‘Today’ programme this morning….
“Unfriendly Skies” (15 Mar.),
cartoon by Cox and Forkum
http://www.coxandforkum.com
ok , its the 17th of march, so the “st patricks day bbc news watch” begins…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/
hmm… no mention there
ok, i’ll try the uk page
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/default.stm
no mention there
maybe the america page, since the yanks go nuts over it ,color their rivers green, and have an enormous parade on 5th avenue in NYC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/default.stm
no mention there.
ah – finally found it
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/default.stm
northern ireland page.
by contrast, google.co.uk gives a nod , in its logo
http://www.google.co.uk/
Martin Belam: ‘I studied the Byzantine empire and mostly live in Greece’
You lucky sod. Are you on one of the islands? Sorry for prying, its just that we used to go every year until little one appeared and I’ve got severe withdawal symptoms, aggravated by the fact that we’ll be in Canada before the year’s out.
On a climate change note. Anybody see what John Redwood said that upset New Tory Boy Dave so much.
Apparently scientific study shows that the surface temperature on Mars is increasing but they are having trouble locating the 4X4s that are causing it.
Daily Mirror:
THE BBC was at the centre of another phone-in scandal last night after bosses pre-recorded a “live” children’s game show.
Youngsters ring a 10p phoneline to apply for CBBC’s Jam Buster game on its Sunday Morning Smile programme.
But five programmes were pre-recorded with the “winning” children being supplied by an agency and given time to practise their game skills.
“apparently scientific study shows that the surface temperature on Mars”
its also warming on Jupiter – second red spot has formed, and Triton , a moon of Neptune. oh, and Pluto.
http://www.scienceagogo.com/news/19980526052143data_trunc_sys.shtml
lots more links here:
http://seoblackhat.com/2007/03/04/global-warming-on-mars-pluto-triton-and-jupiter/
archduke
Much as I deplore the BBC’s bias on a lot of things, I am disappointed that you have chosen to play the victim in its treatment of St P’s Day. Were you English you would have noticed last year that Radio 4’s contribution to St George’s Day was a sermon on replacing St George with St Alban (who? you might very well ask) or, basically, anyone except the traditional saint. The “campaign” to replace St George is noted quite gratuitously at the foot of this item: there is no similar warning footnote on the BBC religious information sites concerning Saints Patrick, David and Andrew.
I have no argument with London’s Irish but they are well taken care of by a parade tomorrow which has this comprehensive item on the BBC website. You will be pleased to note that our mayor will be ingratiating himself with the Irish community by taking his usual high profile position in the festivities.
@TPO – Martin Belam: ‘I studied the Byzantine empire and mostly live in Greece’ You lucky sod. Are you on one of the islands?
I’m actually in Salzburg at the moment working on a contract in the shadow of the Alps, but I go back to Greece in a fortnight for the summer. We’re on the north coast of Crete
>> Sorry for prying
No worries – I’m one of those people who doesn’t understand the concept of privacy on the web anyway – hence not using a pseudonym on here – it keeps you honest 😉
“Umbongo | 17.03.07 – 11:37 am ”
not playing the victim card at all. just pointing out the lack of news on it. hard news. facts. about our next door neighbour. with tens of thousands of English people visiting Dublin this weekend.
its a similar sort of thing to the lack of reporting on the recent Utrecht riots that we heard nothing about.
if theres no latest trendy victim angle, the BBC snootingly ignores it.
Back in February i posted on the lack of coverage of Karnival in Frankfurt (attended by 2 million people)
and on the lack of reporting on Oktoberfest. instead we get lots of Hajj Hajj Hajj.
surely you know thats the angle i’m coming from?
I like the sound of this Lewis Hamilton guy.
He might have wished to avoid the eco question, prompted by the presence on the dais of Jenson Button, pilot of Honda’s earth car. Had he made any changes in his personal life to fall into line with the eco agenda growing pervasive in F1? No, not really.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=A1YourView&xml=/sport/2007/03/17/smgars17.xml
Hamilton qualified 4th fastest for his first grand prix; Button’s Honda Hippie was 14th.
“were you English you would have noticed last year that Radio 4’s contribution to St George’s Day was a sermon on replacing St George with St Alban”
err.. i did notice that one. and i also notice the BBC snootilly ignoring the significance of April 23rd in their news reports. which is highly perplexing – its like an American news outlet ignoring July 4th (an obviously impossible occurence)
With a Praveda like whiff of news ‘management’, the BBC’s website appears to have buried the announcement of the amount raised by its stomach-turning “Red Nose Day” in a throwaway sidebar.
Five minutes searching on Google (really rather nore than what Rod Liddle rightly called a ‘smugfest’ is worth) fails to reveal whether this is, as I suspect, a lower figure than the preening luvvies had hoped for.
Does anyone happen to know whether this is actually the case?
If it is, it would be nice to think that the whole thing might be on a downward slope, soon to vanish, like a nightmare in the daylight.
gcooper -> like those phone-in scams, i suspect that the donation figures are probably all made up.
archduke
“surely you know thats the angle i’m coming from?”
I do – sorry – I had a . . er . . heavier evening than usual at the pub last night and, to be frank, I’m feeling a bit liverish!
sky news gives march 17th a nod:
http://news.sky.com/skynews/home
daily telegraph have changed their logo to incorporate a shamrock:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
bbc – not a whisper:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/
“Umbongo | 17.03.07 – 12:11 pm ”
he he.:-)
here – have a virtual guiness on me.
archduke
I’m beginning to feel better already – it’s either the Guinness or the aspirin . . maybe both.
Environmentalists will sign up to almost anything. Video of Penn and Teller’s “Ban Water” petition at a green rally.
“Our petition woman was getting signatures left and right… OK, mostly left.”
Jon;
Anonymous | 17.03.07 – 12:11 am |
Thay was me 🙂
@Archduke – http://www.bbc.co.uk for your taste of St Patrick on the BBC homepage – its the main promo in case you miss it 😉
Celtic flavours for St Patrick’s Day
BBC Four 7pm and 12.30am
Celebrate the Irish saint’s day with a feast of Celtic music.
* Celtic Connections programme
* Watch Folk Hibernia clips now
* Listen: Pipe and fiddle virtuosos
* 1Xtra’s St Patrick’s Day party
* St Patrick’s Day: The background
The BBC’s latest tactic to secure the release of Alan Johnston: remind the kidnappers what a useful tool he is.
Alan Johnston on the front line
Jan, 2006: ABDUCTIONS IN GAZA
In Iraq an abduction can end in the most brutal murder. But fortunately Gaza is not Iraq, nothing like it. So far, all the foreigners kidnapped here have been freed quite quickly and unharmed.
[…]
They want proper jobs in this poverty-stricken place, and usually they want to be allowed to join the security services. It is ironic really. Gaza is the only place in the world where your kidnapper’s one demand is that he should be allowed to become a policeman.
And the kidnap craze has thrown up moments of black humour.
Against the social grain
The gunmen are not always crack division militants, more Keystone Kidnappers. While an Italian journalist was being led off to a hideout he had to climb a fence. And when one of his abductors started the climb he absentmindedly handed the Italian his gun. Surely it is the first thing they teach you at kidnapper’s school, never give the hostage your machinegun.
And the whole business of kidnapping goes very much against the local social grain. Palestinians are extremely hospitable people, and one of the dangers of being abducted here must be that you could get fed to death.
And the other day I heard that a foreign journalist wrongly thought he was about to be lifted, and being Japanese, he went into martial arts mode. Just part of the madness of Gaza, a Japanese journo mistakenly Kung Fu fighting in a refugee camp. I wonder how long he went at it before they could persuade him that it was not necessary.
What you fear most is a bungled rescue attempt. Winkling out a hostage safely is not easy – even for the world’s best trained police – and Gaza’s finest could not really be described in that way.
I’m looking forward to his report of his own kidnapping, if and when he’s freed.
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day (or whatever the appropriate greeting is) to archduke and any other Irishmen and women here.
May you die and go to heaven 1/2 an hour before the devil knows you’re dead!
@GCooper – if Pravda buried bad news like you seem to be accusing the BBC of doing today with Comic Relief, then I am surprised the Soviet regime clung on to power for as long it did.
When I visited the BBC News UK edition homepage about half-hour ago there were eight, yes, count’em boys, eight, stories about Comic Relief on the homepage.
As well as the one you mentioned, there was a picture promo about Blair being bovvered, the story took one of the top slots in the video news section, three top slots in the most watched video, had the slot underneath the Entertainment headline and was also in at #2 in the most read module.
Now if that’s burying bad news then I’m Irish.
(Which I’m not by the way, but I will be down an Irish pub watching the rugby this afternoon which looks like it could get a bit messy…)
Oh, and out of interest Comic Frelief fund-raising figures from Wikipedia
1999 – no figures
2001 – no figures from the night – £61m raised – apparently 10% of the population bought a red nose that year
2003 – £35million on show – £61m in total
2005 – £37.8million pledged on night – total raised £65m
2007 – £40million pledged on night
And sorry for the double-post – blimey, that’s before I’ve even started on the Guiness
You are one sick bunch.
i’m more on about the NEWS martin. as in the radio bulletins, 6 o clock news. that sort of thing. its just a useful insight into the bbc news departments bubble on what they think is “important” or not – almost like one of those Rorschach tests, if you can get the angle i’m coming from.
hence you get Hajj Hajj Hajj – and nothing on say, the Rio Carnival, for example.
BBC impartiality Project
Click to access rev_impartiality_termsofreference2.pdf
“To consider the implications of a changing world for the BBC’s delivery of impartiality.
Ok – that means the report will say nothing about BBC bias and contain loads of filler and guff about a changing world.
Lets hope John Bridcut visis this site as part of his research.
Anon:
You are one sick bunch.
Anon | Homepage | 17.03.07 – 1:35 pm | #
Oh grief… Not Dave Hill again
“May you die and go to heaven 1/2 an hour before the devil knows you’re dead!
Biodegradable | 17.03.07 – 1:17 pm |”
and a beannacht la feile Padraig to you too Biod.
i’m off now to watch the rugby and down some guiness