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Open thread – for comments of general Biased BBC interest:
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A warning to all commenters – Haloscan is wobbling and eating posts again – time to dig-out wordpad!
Oh, and suffered/suffering in my previous.
SIR IQBAL 2+2=5
Lets see ABC says police have crystal pic of suspect driver whom they had already arrested and released in relation to Sayeedi Barot’s Limo Service
http://www.haloscan.com/comments/patrickcrozier/3289696097036604691/?a=23204#363060
The NBC says that police are looking for 3 individuals from Birmingham.
Sir Iqbal notes: Al Beeb is so far silent on all this.
Sir Iqbal thinks: Oh Sh%t.
From my link above: This is probaly why the water problem will never be solved.
“Why aren’t we talking about population? One reason is its almost unique capacity to offend just about every shade of opinion, from the neo-cons and evangelicals, who see it as an attack on liberty or a promotion of contraception/abortion, to the left, for whom multiculturalism has achieved iconic status — and who therefore view any questioning of immigration, currently responsible for some 84 per cent of projected UK population growth, as tantamount to racism.”
This will end Muslim terrorism once and for all:
“…Dewsbury MP Shahid Malik is believed to have become the first Muslim Cabinet member, joining the team as junior minister for international development.”
Bravo, Gordon! This will do it.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6251788.stm
Sir Iqbal is pissed off!
No mass killing and now the game is up. Still Al Beeb is keeping mum …
Sources: Three Suspects ID’d In London Bomb Threat
http://www.wnbc.com/news/13596910/detail.html
Not for the first time, I find myself agreeing with Jon.
I realise that the libertarian Right has utter contempt for neo-Malthusian ideas, but I often suspect those who shout loudest live in the wide open spaces of the USA.
Things look different from a crowded island.
And Jon is correct – any discussion of overpopulation seems to be regarded as quite out of the question by most shades of opinion, which may be why the BBC rarely features it as an idea.
“We all hear how the dustruction of rain forests alter climate – could the tarmacing of England also have a consquence on local weather patterns?”
Jon | 29.06.07 – 9:00 pm |
Jon, you are absolutely right. The Southwestern US is prime evidence of your theory. Endless stretches of tarmac for parking in the endless stretches of shopping malls, endless stretches of street and sidewalk paving for endless stretches of suburban housing developments, and the ever increasing smog levels (as bad as Los Angeles, nearly as bad as Beijing), are a factor. Of course, these things don’t by themselves increase the overall temperature of a state, island, or continent. Locally, however, temperatures do rise above what they had been previously. When more local reports than ever speak of higher temperatures, it does become a larger trend. This should sadly sound familiar to anyone living an hour’s train ride from a major city in Britain.
Now, if one factors in the endless stretches of residential lawns, office park greens, golf courses, man-made water features in public and private places, things get worse. The increase in humidity levels has been unbelievable. It’s pretty clear that the climate in those regions has been significantly altered for the worse by human development. None of this really affects the climate of the rest of the continent, though, nor in Antarctica.
“Two car bombs found in West End”
Under this heading al-BBC produce a story on the attempted London car bombings that manages to avoid the words “muslim” and “islamic” entirely. Of course, it must be galling for Al-Beeb to have to report on the violent side of it’s beloved “Religion Of Peace” but surely as a “news organisation” it could make the effort now and again to give us the truth.
DAY 3: BROOUN GETS CAUGHT WITH HIS SNOUGHT IN THE TROUGH
Wonder if this will ever show up on the BBC?
http://www.order-order.com/2007/06/smith-institute-boards-financial.html
It is not BBC bias. It just so happens that when BBC 24 News was giving an uncritical interview with a Muslim Council of Britain spokeman a few minutes ago, Radio 5 was giving an uncritical interview with George Galloway. We must understand what BBC impartiality means, that’s all.
It always amazes me how the BBc cannot wait to interview Galloway. He is the only representative of the Respect party, which is an insignificant party in terms of numbers. But you will find that he has more clout with the BBC than say Dr Fox or David Davies.
Actually can anyone remember the last time you saw either on the BBC. Either they don’t get asked or they are giving the Beeb the cold shoulder.
On Sky News, they have a scrolling message across the screen giving the Police Anti-Terror Hotline number – 0800 789 321.
Well done Sky – a nice gesture and it shows us which side you are on.
Turning over to BBC News 24 (same story) I see no such thing, just a scrolling plug for bbc.co.uk/news .
How typical.
Where is the water pipeline to England. Build that and solve your problem.
indigenous
Well the Victorians have already built one. Birmingham is directly linked to the Elan Valley in Wales, brilliant piece of engineering. Ask me about it sometime I will bore you rigid about it!
You assert – according to my understanding of your position – that the MMGW/IPCC world view is the definitive and last word on the subject.
Umbongo | 29.06.07 – 8:24 pm | #
Nope, never said that. I come here to have what I hope is a sophisticated debate about how to present science in the media. I’ve gone into it in great depth in another thread. Science can never say “100% this is the truth”. But that’s a position that offers no ultimate comfort to either side of this debate. What we can say is right now most of the world’s science points to the fact global warming is real and we caused it. I report that.
Having grown up in the Southwestern US, with the memory of several droughts and periods of minor water rationing, I can appreciate the sentiment.
David Preiser
Thanks, Dave. I think this is the point. Something is happening. It may be short term but the evidence says it’s a long term thing. To cope with it involves difficult choices about what we value. Farming is important, security of food supply and all that. But perhaps to secure that supply we will have to spend public money.
Do farmers have a right to it? What can we ask in return?
Or should we do nothing.
Thanks for your feedback so far.
Dave
David Gregory (BBC) | 29.06.07 – 10:16 pm
Thanks David – no mention of population growth (proves a point) – so the answer you want is “Yes” let the farmers take tax money and build small reservoirs. It will only help in the short term.
WHAT THE BBC WONT TELL YOU
Frank Gardner has been on for the 100th time with his mantra, Iraq-Car Bomb, Car Bomb-Iraq, what he wont tell you is that these teror attacks were concieved as early as 2000 … before Bush came to power.
ABC and NBC report that the police already have images of the terrorist. He was part of Barot’s team who had been released due to lack of sufficient evidence.
When will the BBC tell you about the truth of what is going on in your country and the rest of the world? Why dont you do something about it!
Barbershop arrest led to heart of al-Qaeda’s web
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1945941,00.html
David Gregory (BBC) | 29.06.07 – 10:16 pm
“What we can say is right now most of the world’s science points to the fact global warming is real and we caused it. I report that.”
So there are no other contributory factors in GW ? All GW is caused by man ? Is that what you are saying ?
Oliver Kamm makes some interesting comments about Paul Reynolds’ Milliband profile here.
http://oliverkamm.typepad.com/blog/2007/06/the-milibands-t.html
Hat tip; Stephen Pollard
David Gregory (BBC),
I agree with you that action needs to be taken to deal with the water supply. But the MMGW argument is not the way to go, surely. If all the glaciers melt, sea levels rise, etc., this would not decrease the amount of available water. Rather, it would dramatically increase the amount of water in liquid form available to farmers. They would most likely just need to get more de-salination plants going, and make dramatic improvement to the collection of rain water.
That’s a bit glib, I know. Actually, I think the Southwestern US is a good place to look for how, why, and when water supplies get diverted. The more water that gets allocated for non-farmers (cities, business areas, residential areas, etc.), the less water is available to farmers. It can be quite an economic power struggle. Maybe you could trade government monetary farm subsidies for water subsidies.
I don’t believe that the British Isles are in fact become more arid due to any climate change. So I think it’s more about improving the system of allocation already in place.
Water conservation in urban areas should be stressed regardless of any Global Warming or Climate Change or whatever. The amount of water wasted by egregious behavior – both publicly and privately – is probably significant in many places. How efficiently is water managed in Britain? Although I fear I may have just opened up another angle of attack for the Nanny State.
NeoMancunion: We have had some “debate” on MMGW on this blog – but as you probably know the BBC will not debate this question. The official BBC line is that we are all guilty (only in the west of course) and we should curse people like Watt,Darby and Bessamer for taking us out of our idyllic agarian existance.
Anonymous | 29.06.07 – 10:24 pm | #
Re: Frank Gardner’s comments – it seems to me that this latest attempted outrage in London owes more to Bali than Iraq as a template – and if I’m not mistaken Bali PRECEDED the invasion of Iraq.
They don’t really care who or how many people are maimed and murdered in London, Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine or elsewhere as long as they can find an angle to attack Bush, Blair et. al.
Drivel, drivel, drivel; they really can’t help themselves can they?
Mark Urban has just been on Newsnight more or less rubbishing the Gardner-Iraq analysis by pointing out the apparent relative unsophistication of the car bomb.
Earlier I heard Gavin Hewitt on the news talking about “Islamic terrorists”as the most likely perpetrators,so it is just possible that someone has noticed how ridiculous their earlier efforts were and realized what a laughing stock they were making of themselves.
Hamas TV pulls children’s program with Micky Mouse-like character advocating violence.
http://eye-on-the-world.blogspot…e-is- goner.html
“Israeli and American media” Who left the BBC out?
indigenous | 29.06.07 – 7:04 pm
Farfour Mouse dies in last episode
Hamas TV on Friday broadcast what it said was the last episode of a weekly children’s show featuring “Farfour,” a Mickey Mouse look-alike who had made worldwide headlines for preaching Islamic domination and armed struggle to youngsters.
In the final skit, Farfour was beaten to death by an actor posing as an Israeli official trying to buy Farfour’s land. At one point, Farfour called the Israeli a “terrorist.”
“Farfour was martyred while defending his land,” said Sara, the teen presenter. He was killed “by the killers of children,” she added.
The weekly show, featuring a giant black-and-white rodent with a high-pitched voice, had attracted worldwide attention because the character urged Palestinian children to fight Israel. It was broadcast on Hamas-affiliated Al-Aksa TV.
Station officials said Friday that Farfour was taken off the air to make room for new programs.
Station manager Mohammed Bilal said he didn’t know yet what would be shown instead.
Israeli officials have denounced the program, “Tomorrow’s Pioneers,” as incendiary and outrageous. The program was also opposed by the state-run Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation, which is controlled by Fatah.
Outraged Buddhists? No
Offended Christians? No
Incensed Hindus? No
Apoplectic Sikhs? No
Revolting Atheists? No
Wound Up Hare Krishnas? No
Incandescent Jews? No
Revolutionary Agnostics? No
Furious Zoroastrians? No
In the end even they will have to get there…
In the end even they will have to get there…
Wrong Wrong Wrong | 30.06.07 – 12:15 am
Your behind yet again Al Beeb, your just not worth the money.
“Terror Plot Involves Islamic Extremists; Police Have ‘Crystal Clear’ Picture of Suspect.”
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/06/terror-plot-inv.html
When is Brooun getting off his fat arse and go to flooded towns?
and why does the BBC not critise him for this?
difficult to forget their constant harping at George Bush when New Orleans was flooded
http://news.bbc.co.uk/newswatch/ukfs/hi/newsid_4280000/newsid_4287300/4287372.stm
Anonymous writes:
“difficult to forget their constant harping at George Bush when New Orleans was flooded”
You know, that’s really a very good point.
It’s yet more evidence that the BBC is on honeymoon with our new dictator.
http://www.westernresistance.com/
Sorry, scroll down a bit for the London Bomb story.
“The government’s emergencies committee, known as Cobra, will be meeting on Saturday morning to discuss the attempted bombings, the BBC’s political editor Nick Robinson said.
The meeting could be chaired by either Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is not cancelling any planned engagements, or Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6255960.stm
Who the bloody hell cares who is charing the meeting. Is this slipped in so that they could mention “Prime Minister Gorden Brown” no doubt from now on it will be shortened to Prime Minister Brown.
Emergency meeting on Saturday ? Wouldn’t you think that they should be doing something now?
2 car bombs found in London – but the politicians have to go to bye-byes before they sit up and take notice.
Talking about visiting the scene of the floods – will Gorden Brown visit the site of the bombs.
“The BBC’s Andy Tighe said the timing of the car bombs was significant coming two days after Mr Brown became prime minister, and with the second anniversary of the 7 July bombings approaching.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6255960.stm
Where is the significance there – 2 days after Gorden Brown became Prime Minister? I’m sorry but I just don’t see it. Do the BBC type think that car bombs are only exploded on particular meaningful aniverseries?
“Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has said a car bomb alert in central London showed Britain faced “serious and sustained” threat from international terrorism.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6254746.stm
How the hell does she know? Shes only been in the job 5 minutes.
Its not “international terrorism” its “imported terrorism”.
US court admits Guantanamo cases
“Now that they are in their sixth year of captivity, the only question is whether these men will still be sane by the time a court actually hears their case,” he said.
http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6254526.stm
So their stay in Guantanamo has cured these crazies?
Look Jon, the politicians arn’t to bothered about terrorism on the whole. Having flooded the country with immigrants and terrorists legal or otherwise they will now have a justification for getting rid of silly little things like civil liberties.
Nightclubs targeted by Al Qaeda(savages) for being ‘symbols of Western decadence’
“Nightclubs have long been a favourite target of Al Qaeda and Islamic radicals planning to bring slaughter and terror to the heart of major Western cities”.
Such a Peaceful Religion
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=465225&in_page_id=1770&ct=5
Call election and put Tories out of their misery
“Regular readers will know how this column likes nothing more than to break new ground, and this week is no exception. For the first and, quite possibly, only time, this column and Dave are at one.
That’s right: we agree. Dave and I are in accord. We sing, in perfect harmony, from the same proverbial song-sheet. You cannot get a sliver of tissue-paper between us. For Dave has said that our new Prime Minister should call an immediate general election. He couldn’t be more right.
You see, given the state the Conservative Party is in, that general election would almost certainly be lost, as our poll today seems to indicate. It is so blindingly obvious that I am amazed Gordon Brown has not chucked caution to the wind and given Dave his wish. The Tories are incoherent, policy-free, a PR stunt going badly, and terminally, wrong. The veneer of magic Dave brought with him – and it was only ever a veneer – has cracked and is flaking off. He has nothing to offer except spivvery and (to use a word beloved of Quentin Davies, of whom more anon) vacuity. And the great thing about an immediate election is that the ensuing defeat for the Tories would give them an excuse to end the self-deluding experiment that has been life with Dave, and send a man to do a man’s job instead.
Mr Davies may have shown poor judgment in introducing so obvious a note of self-regard in his letter of resignation from the Tory party last Tuesday, but his critique of Dave and the yawning void that is Davery was spot on. The new, bright, shining, young, vigorous Cabinet that Mr Brown has just installed may well be as much of a crowd of charlatans as the last lot: but, unlike their Tory shadows, they know where they are going, and they know what they are going to do when they get there.
I know from your emails during the grammar schools debacle that many of you feel betrayed by Dave: especially some on the Right, who feel he won his place under false pretences (notably on Europe). What was so shocking about the Davies defection, though, was that it came not from a hyena of the fascist Right, but from an old Lefty: precisely the sort that Dave has allegedly spent so much of the past 18 months trying to suck up to and make feel welcome in the Tory party, while not giving a stuff about what the traditional Right thinks. Well, chaps, what a resounding success that has been, eh?
Is there any hope? I fear not. Dave is soon going to have his own reshuffle, but you can bet it will be one in which the few able people on his back benches are kept in the cold (usually because they have unfashionable views about cutting taxes) while yet more mediocrities are promoted. Most of the present shadow cabinet have the public recognition factor of a group of Trappists, and that is unlikely to change. There is no sign of any real principles, let alone policy: and certainly no sign of an exciting, radical programme as a compelling alternative to the Brown terror.
Above all, there is no sign that Dave is going to shake up the chinless twerps in his kitchen cabinet and bring in fresh, dynamic, intelligent blood: let alone someone, anyone, who might link him to the real world outside west London. He and his pals will continue to wallow in their own self-regard, and stuff themselves on the arrogance of their imagined superiority and brilliance until it chokes them: which, at this rate, it soon will.
Oddly enough, Dave could win the election: not by imitating Labour, which he seems determined to do in his obsessive belief in high taxes, profligate spending and pulling up the ladder after him when “ordinary people” aspire to better themselves, but by being different. He bangs on about “change”, but never seems to know what to change to. Well, let me tell him: a Conservative”.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2007/06/30/do3003.xml
Remember, “the higher echelons of the Church” where friends with Hitler:
“Church split feared as Pope backs return of ‘anti-Semitic’ Latin Mass”
“A plan by the Pope to authorise the widespread return of the controversial Latin Mass, despite concerns that parts of it are anti-Semitic, has provoked a backlash among senior clergy in Britain and threatens to divide the Catholic Church worldwide. The 16th-century Tridentine Mass – which includes references to “perfidious” Jews – was abandoned in 1969 and replaced with liturgy in local languages, to make worship more accessible to the bulk of churchgoers. But the Pope announced on Thursday that a long-awaited document liberalising the use of the Mass, which some clergy fear will also limit the Church’s dialogue with Jews and Muslims, will be released next week.
There have been months of debate about the impending statement within the higher echelons of the Church. Cardinals, bishops and Jewish leaders are concerned by the text of the “old” Mass, which has passages, recited every Good Friday, which say Jews live in “blindness” and “darkness”, and pray “the Lord our God may take the veil from their hearts and that they also may acknowledge our Lord Jesus Christ”.
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article2723235.ece
I’ve just had a look at the Have Your say page. Unsurprisingly, at this time (07.45) there is nothing on the car bombs found in London yesterday.
But there is a “top debate” on what fuels anti-Americanism.
I suppose they’d have to cancel far too many of the comments as people are only too aware of who is behind the attempt and are unlikely to be silenced.
And, they must be finding it difficult to put a “religion of peace” spin on a story like this.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Meant to say that the top story is the England smoking ban.
Now, this is a big story for me, as I am a smoker – but really – does it top two major attempts at slaughtering hundreds of English people?
The BBC clearly feel that smoking is a greater danger than islamic fundamentalists.
While we’re on the subject, how about a firm vote of thanks to the defence team, jurors and human rights legislators who ensured that once that charming fellow had got off the bombplot case earlier this year, he was then allowed to abscond from his draconian, fascist “retaining order” (or whatever the sh*t you guys call it)?
Philip Eden’s Weather Watch in today’s Telegraph(not online):
Wet, but not a national record
“The wettest day in the wettest month on record” was the way BBC News chose to headline the floods in Yorkshire and the Midlands this week. Well, it wasn’t.
Averaged over England and Wales, and allowing for a substantial contribution from today’s rain, this has been the wettest June only since 1997, and it ranks 11th wettest overall…
The BBC headline originated from a statement that, at one single rain gauge – Weston Park in Sheffield – this June has been wetter than any other month since the station opened in the 1890s…
For the record the wettest month of all, averaged nationally, was October 1903 when almost twice as much rain fell as this month.
Not the impression given by the newspaper review on BBC1’s Breakfast this morning, during which Lauren Booth and the two BBC presenters all agreed that the heavy rainfall was due to climate change.
Al Beeb’s impartiality continues. E.g., on Radio 4’s 9 am brief news summary this morning, the only comment on the current London bombing plot was from Mr. Livingstone, who in rote fashion didn’t blame the murderous Islamic jihadists, but blamed the West’s policy in Iraq.
In its propaganga, Al Beeb still, despite, or because of, its Report on itself, ignores counterviews to liberals and Left, like 1.) and 2.) here:
1.)
“Spain is vivid proof that rash exit from Iraq is fool’s gold” (27 June)
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/terrorism.php?id=1096686
2.)
“Britain, an unresponsive body being eaten alive by its enemies”
(29 June)
http://amnation.com/vfr
Anonanon writes:
“Not the impression given by the newspaper review on BBC1’s Breakfast this morning, during which Lauren Booth and the two BBC presenters all agreed that the heavy rainfall was due to climate change.”
Any comment, Dr Gregory?
Not the BBC news:
UN chief: Syria, Iran must respect embargo on arming Lebanese militias
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday called on Syria and Iran to respect an arms embargo on militias in Lebanon, and urged Damascus to better control its border with its neighbor.
A report submitted by Ban to the UN Security Council said that the two states are transferring anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons across the Syria-Lebanon border to militant group Hezbollah.
Ban also demanded support from Syria in efforts to disarm Palestinian armed groups outside Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.
The UN chief expressed “deep concern” that Lebanon’s ongoing internal political instability would hinder its implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, the ceasefire agreement that ended the Second Lebanon War, which calls for the disarmament of all militant groups in the region near the country’s border with Israel.
The UN chief submitted the report after receiving information from both Israel and Lebanon regarding blatant violations of the resolution.
[more…]
Nowhere to be found on news.bbc.co.uk
indigenous | 29.06.07 – 8:18 pm |
Where is the water pipeline to England. Build that and solve your problem.
That would be the one from the Elan Valley to Birmingham. Some history here
Kevin Trenberth, one of the lead authors of the recent IPCC report has made some startling revelations.
First of all, he claims that the IPCC makes no predictions – just presents possible scenarios.
In fact there are no predictions by IPCC at all. And there never have been. The IPCC instead proffers “what if” projections of future climate that correspond to certain emissions scenarios. There are a number of assumptions that go into these emissions scenarios. They are intended to cover a range of possible self consistent “story lines” that then provide decision makers with information about which paths might be more desirable.
Then he admits that those predictions are made without giving consideration to other climate factors.
But they do not consider many things like the recovery of the ozone layer, for instance, or observed trends in forcing agents. There is no estimate, even probabilistically, as to the likelihood of any emissions scenario and no best guess.
Not sure what he means by “observed trends” – perhaps he is referring to the fact that methane emissions have flattened out and may even be falling – but it’s clear that he means that the IPCC are choosing to omit “many” climate factors. And no estimate of the likelihood of these scenarios coming true, either – not even a “best guess”. In other words, it’s all just pure speculation.
Next, he admits that their climate models are pretty much useless.
None of the models used by IPCC are initialized to the observed state and none of the climate states in the models correspond even remotely to the current observed climate. In particular, the state of the oceans, sea ice, and soil moisture has no relationship to the observed state at any recent time in any of the IPCC models. There is neither an El Niño sequence nor any Pacific Decadal Oscillation that replicates the recent past.
So these models – on which we are supposed to gamble our economic future – are so poor they can not even be made to reflect the current climate. And yet we’re supposed to believe that they can predict the future?
Finally, he admits that, far from the science being settled it has barely started.
However, the science is not done because we do not have reliable or regional predictions of climate.
So there have it – straight from the horses mouth. The IPCC cannot make even a guess, let alone a “best guess”, they deliberately ignore many climate factors, the models are useless and they can not make even a reliable prediction about regional climate – today, tomorrow, in ten years or 100 years time.
http://climatesci.colorado.edu/2007/06/18/comment-on-the-nature-weblog-by-kevin-trenberth-entitled-predictions-of-climate/
Via Tangled Blog
Thoughts Dr Gregory?
David Gregory (BBC)
I gave up farming because not only is it at the mercy of the weather but also to Government interference. In other words you don’t have control and that leads to frustration. I had a farm in Wales with very wet pastureland suitable only for grazing.
In World War 2 the War Agricultural Committee decreed that all farmers should be made to grow potatoes. If farmers objected to ploughing contractors the WAR AG sent in the Police and many farmers were arrested and imprisoned. While in jail they contemplated their meadow land being turned into an undrainable quagmire as ancient drainage ditches and stone pipes were ripped up by the plough.
http://www.slaidburn.org.uk/war_agriculural_committee.htm
Then after the war came the “cheap food policy” and endless debates
in the townie press that framers were the new idle rich on farm subsidies. Try telling the townies that it was they who were being subsidised. But hey ho along came Ted Heath and we joined the EU food mountains and wine lakes while the cost of UK food quadrupled in price overnight. The townies began to pay the true cost of food. Perhaps the best known, err,
landmark (‘scuse the pun) of that era was the agropolitical feature
that became known as the butter mountain. …
http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1416087
Food today is so profitable that a whole industry of food distribution and retail empires has been built on it (Tesco etc..Incidentally it is this industry that is the main polluter with lorries criss crossing the country, air freight flights to bring runner beans from Kenya – which the Kenyans don’t get to eat,
strawberries from Israel, and new mountains of packaging and
plastic – ad infinitum.)
All the time the UK farmer, the producer gets nothing in return,
just a bigger pile of paperwork, bureaucracy and heavy handed
administration from a faceless government office. The latest big
idea is the “set aside” scheme. Now this is a good one. Neglect
your land and get paid for it it doesn’t get much better than this.
Pause for thought…….. Can you think of examples in other
industries in the UK where owners of a resource are paid either not
to use the resource, or to manage it in a specific manner?
http://www.ecifm.rdg.ac.uk/setaside.htm
However the money men have cast their eyes over the countryside looking for new ways to make money and what do you know? City slickers are buying up land as soon as the bonus is in the bank. Various ways exist to manipulate the system such as selling milk quotas. June 30, 2007 City ploughing its money into the land
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/money/property_and_mortgages/article2007931.ece
A great battle is under way for control of the heart of rural England. The struggle to own a piece of the countryside is pitting
city dwellers against farmers, new money against inheritance and
financial investors against people who work the land. Subsidise farmers to build reservoirs? you must be joking! Those who need them already build them, I don’t know if you have a
garden pond but have you noticed how quickly clean water turns into
green sludge? Toxic algae closes reservoir The reservoir near Mansfield is full of algae A reservoir in Nottinghamshire has closed to the public because of
an infestation of poisonous algae.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/3187295.stm
Note: The main way to control algae is with CHEMICALS! As I said Wales lets 95% of its annual rainfall flow
back to the sea. NINETY FIVE PER CENT IS WASTED. Far better to build an efficient distribution system and allow farmers to have free water out of the tap so they can water any crops that need water with good clean water via the wheeled irrigation systems so prevalent in the dry USA today. Agricultural, Municipal, and Industrial Water and Irrigation Systems Serving US, Mexico, and Central America
http://www.peerlessequipment.com/
Look at a satellite picture of the USA plains and you will see CIRCULAR fields. This is because the rrigation wheelie is going round a central point. Reservoirs are not the answer. A plentiful supply of clean water through the mains free to use by
agriculturists is the way forward.
We live in one of the wettest countries on earth and have hosepipe
bans. How ridiculous is that? Don’t tell me it can’t be done, there was a time when London had no sewers, it wasn’t until MP’s
could no longer stand the smell during the “Great Stink” that money
was found to cure it.
“Police hunt Iraqi on run after double bomb plot in London”
http://news.scotsman.com
I suggest the following ‘Have Your Say’ for Al Beeb (unless they’ve beaten me to it):
How can we help Iraqi refugees to come to UK?
What is it with the BBC and Apple?
The company finally gets its iPhone into shops and that somehow justifies two features on the front page of the BBC’s ‘news’ (ha ha!) website?
GCooper:
What is it with the BBC and Apple?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/05/23/jobs_wants_gore_for_president/