OPEN THREAD.

68 Responses to OPEN THREAD.

1. DB says:

   May 12, 2009 at 7:42 pm

   Should say “BBC North America editor”.

   I was too busy wondering where to put in extra punctuation to make this ridiculous comments system read more easily.

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2. John Horne Tooke says:

   May 12, 2009 at 8:07 pm

   backwoodsman

   The BBC thinks the countryside is populated with potters and quaint people who make their own scones with clotted cream.

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3. AndrewSouthLondon says:

   May 12, 2009 at 8:48 pm

   “Olivier Besancenot is the Robbie Williams of French Communism.”

   This little infant twat is head of the French “New Anti-Capitalist Party” – which managed exactly 2% in the recent French Cantonales. 2% got that Mark – 2%. I suspect Kim il Jong would have got more if he had stood. The boy is a complete basket-case. I am gobsmacked anyone gives him the time of day.

   Woah!! He’s the “Robbie Williams”is he? What’s that – a has been ex-boyband warbler who’s career has nosedived?

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4. George R says:

   May 12, 2009 at 10:25 pm

   Classic, long BBC ‘Newsnight’ item tonight continued to use British people’s money to propagandise on behalf of the political interests of immigrant musicians. (BBC iPlayer, limited access.)

   The BBC, of course, actively favours the continuation of Labour’s open-door ‘policy’ of mass immigration; the BBC does not discuss the need to end such mass immigration. British indigenous people are regarded as mere voyeurs in this Labour, BBC- supported political project.

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5. Anonymous says:

   May 12, 2009 at 11:17 pm

   Re BBC documentaries….is there any one of these where the overpaid presenter does not have to fly at least half way round the world to make a point that could be made perfectly well in the UK?

   Tonight Portillo was shipped to Bolivia to emphasize some spurious fact (plus 25 camera team/directors presumably)….and Dan Cruickshank apparently did a complete global tour for some 30 second sound bites. You’d hope that the Bali / Singapore snippets were just studio shots because they were so short and irrelevant, but this being the BBC you have the horrible feeling that they all piled into business class and spent several days covering all the angles.

   Complete and utter wasters.

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6. David Preiser says:

   May 12, 2009 at 11:42 pm

   Has the BBC told you about this yet?

   Obama administration threatens Britain to keep torture evidence concealed

   The Obama administration says it may curtail Anglo-American intelligence sharing if the British High Court discloses new details of the treatment of a former Guantanamo detainee.

   It seems that The Obamessiah has become pro-“torture” now, seeing as how the General he put in charge of Afghanistan aided and abetted “torture” a couple years ago. But the BBC forgot to tell you that, didn’t they?

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7. Mailman says:

   May 13, 2009 at 8:26 am

   DP,

   Im pretty sure Al Beeb has covered this in the past (although it wasnt Barry’s fault, obviously, but evil amerika’s fault).

   Mailman

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8. Mailman says:

   May 13, 2009 at 8:35 am

   DB,

   Having read your entry in Webb’s blog, Im at a loss as to why its been referred to the moderators (ie. banned)???

   It was well thought it, with lots of “evidence” as back up to your arguements.

   Hope you kept a copy of your entry, if so you should post it here.

   Mailman

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9. Jack Hughes is back says:

   May 13, 2009 at 9:37 am

   
   Obama keeps Bush polar bear rules“The US government has opted to retain a Bush-era rule that limits protection for polar bears from the effects of global warming. “So when Obama does wrong – it’s Bush’s fault…

   On the sidebar we have a link to
   Climate scenarios ‘being realised’“The worst-case scenarios on climate change envisaged by the UN two years ago are already being realised, say scientists at an international meeting.”Good job that ‘being realised’ is in quotes because the piece describes:

   risks
   predictions
   estimates
   coulds
   ifs
   maybes

   And its short on actual, real, facts.

   Then we hear that Sterny has warned of “Mass migrations” – well hang on but I thought that migration was a good thing – you know vibrant and multicultural and all that ?

   Had to chuckle at the Grauniad piece about the eco-beebers getting the heave-ho.

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10. George R says:

    May 13, 2009 at 10:28 am

    Interesting. The BBC correctly informs British electorate about the reduction in number of UK MEPS in the BBC’s beloved European Union:

    BBC ‘Politics’ webpage:

    “ELECTIONS 09
    Find out who is standing for the European elections where you live”

    ‘European election candidates’

    [Extract]:

    “Elections for the European parliament will be held on 4 June 2009. Voters in the UK will elect a total of 72 MEPs, a reduction from the current 78 due to the enlargement of the European Union.”

    Interesting too, that UKIP has included on its MEP list of candidates for the East Midlands, the banned postmaster from Nottingham, Sri Lankan-born, Mr. Kumasiri:

    BBC ‘Politics’ webpage (1 April):

    ‘Post ban man to be UKIP candidate’

    “Mr Kumarasiri says saving the pound is one of his priorities
    A postmaster who refused to serve customers unless they spoke English is set to stand for election as a Euro MP for the UK Independence Party (UKIP).

    “Sri Lankan-born Deva Kumarasiri told customers at his Nottingham post office they had to speak the language so he could understand them.

    “But he was forced to leave his job after going public with his demand.

    …”Mr Kumarasiri, who claims he was expelled from the Liberal Democrats because of his post office stance, said friends and family had been widely supportive of his joining UKIP.”

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11. Abandon Ship! says:

    May 13, 2009 at 10:38 am

    Nicky Campbell interviews Nigel Farage on his phone-in on Monday

    podcast at:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/5lnpi/

    Note how Campbell tries to smear Farage and UKIP with a BNP “connection” at 12min 30sec into the broadcast.

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12. 1327 says:

    May 13, 2009 at 11:18 am

    Nice thread on Housepricecrash forum here ..

    http://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=114203

    In short the Beeb interview an amateur buy to let landlord where she tells of her problems. If you read the 2nd and 3rd page of the forum thread though you learn the Beeb hasn’t even Googled the womans name as part of their basic research.

    Well worth a read !

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13. George R says:

    May 13, 2009 at 12:15 pm

    SOMALIA – 2 reports –

    1.) ‘Jihadwatch’ on Somalia:

    “Somali jihadists preparing ‘final assault’ on government” (13 May).

    2.) BBC (‘Africa’ pages) on Somalia:

    “Somalia ‘worst drought in decade'” (13 May).

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14. George R says:

    May 13, 2009 at 12:35 pm

    PAKISTAN.

    BBC report (‘south Asia’ pages) has new map showing growing control of Pakistan by Taleban jihadists (13 May).

    ‘Jihadwatch’ raises a key issue on this which the BBC never raises:

    ‘Jihadwatch’ (13 May):

    ‘Humanitarian crisis in Swat: Once again, where are the Saudis?’

    [Extract]:

    “Even after the criticism Saudi Arabia and other wealthy Arab states faced for their stinginess in the aftermath of the tsunami of 2004, the Saudis again show their willingness to throw untold amounts of money at jihadist causes while looking the other way from civilians caught in jihadist crossfire in Pakistan.

    “‘Where Is Saudi Support For Taliban Victims?’ by Rachel Ehrenfeld for Forbes, May 12:

    “‘Conspicuously, neither Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz nor the rulers of any Arab or Muslim state are holding special national telethons to help raise funds for some 400,000 new Pakistani refugees. Many fled their homes after the Taliban took over the Swat valley, and others were forced to leave amid the fierce fighting between the Taliban and the Pakistani military. The Saudis say they are friends of the West and of all Muslim nations, but their real alliance is with Iran, Hamas and the Taliban–as you can tell just by following the money.
    Indeed, to get hundreds of millions, and even billions, of dollars in emergency funds from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the Gulf States, the Pakistani refugees should have declared themselves Palestinian.”

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15. piggy kosher says:

    May 13, 2009 at 2:40 pm

    Not been on for a couple of weeks. Im finding the MSM / beeboid output clinically depressing.
    However, has anybody noticed a slight lessening of hostility to anything Israeli in beeboid output in the past few days?
    Also great joy at the fragrant beeboid C Gracies’ lovely spat with Lord scottish yesterday. Makes you glad to be alive. The question is, are we?

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16. George R says:

    May 13, 2009 at 3:52 pm

    ‘Comment is free’, ‘Guardian’, Tim Luckhurst:

    “The BBC pays too much for too little”

    [Extract]:

    “Carrie Gracie has exposed a flaw in the BBC’s salary structure that has gone unchallenged for years. Many news presenters would turn up for work if their salaries were cut in half. Several would remain in the top tax bracket afterwards.

    “Britain has no cause to thank Lord Foulkes. He is a sanctimonious party loyalist who asked a useful question for entirely selfish reasons. Carrie Gracie was not obliged to answer, but she did and now her employer must explain why it pays so much for so little.”

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17. George R says:

    May 13, 2009 at 4:07 pm

    “BBC and Channel 4 partnership can generate £200m profit, says Worldwide chief”
    by Tristan O’Carroll, mediaweek.com

    “The planned joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Channel 4 – which aims to help address the latter’s £150m funding gap – will generate annual turnover of £800m and a profit of £200m, BBC Worldwide chief executive John Smith said today.”

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18. George R says:

    May 13, 2009 at 5:34 pm

    The BBC's Arts correspondent, Ms. Razia Iqbal is a Muslim, who is listed on 'Muslim Women Power List 2009' – yes, Warsi's on it, yes Ridley's on it, yes, Alibhai-Brown's on it – let me get on –

    Ms. Razia Iqbal recently gave an interview to Muslim convert, the ex-Cat Stevens, who for 30 plus years has called himself: Yusef Islam. She discusses, in cosy fashion, that vital 7th century question(to Muslims):is music compatible with Islam?

    'BBC the reporters razia iqbal':

    'The artist formerly known as Cat Stevens'

    "Is music compatible with Islam?"

    [Extract]:

    "This is a question which has concerned the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens for some time. When he decided to convert to Islam in 1977, he changed his name to Yusuf Islam and turned his back on music – pop music in particular."

    Ms. Iqbal gives no deals of Mr. Islam's political activities here:

    "As a high profile British Muslim, he was, by his own admission, chosen as a mascot for various organisations and marched out at conventions."

    For a different view of Mr. Islam, from a non-Muslim perspective, sugggest go to 'Jihadwatch' Search box and tap in 'Cat Stevens':

    e.g.-

    "Cat Stevens: The Singing Taliban Misogynist & His Islamic Cultural Imperialism"

    [Extract]:

    "The Moderate Mr. Islam shows his immoderation yet again. Rusty Shackleford has the story:

    "'Cat Stevens, aka ‘Yusuf Islam', is back on the radar screen. This time, for refusing to talk to women who were unveiled. Apparently, he was at an awards ceremony in Germany where he was the honored guest for 'building bridges betwen the West and Muslim world', but he refused to talk to his unveiled hosts. Charles Johnson has the details.
    Building bridges? Perhaps, but the only bridges being built by 'Mr. Islam' seem to lead back to the 15th century.'" ('Jihadwatch' 28/3/07).

    The BBC's pro-Islamic propaganda is obvious in its appointments and the broadcasting consequences: head of religious affairs, arts, why not DG? Why doesn't the BBC offer itself dhimmi-like to be taken over by Al Jazeera?

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