Just to say that in an effort to improve site loading speed, I have removed my Twitter and also the video bar. I feel these have not worked and some have misunderstood why I placed my Twitter here. I have tried to bring more interactivity, greater responsiveness – including the weekly liveblog – but accept that these haven’t worked as I wanted. We are also planning to restore haloscan comments in the next few days. At that point, I think my work is done.
The essence of this site is BBC bias. I have approached this from MY perspective and angle all blog posts accordingly. I write to my own style which people can love or loath. I know that this sometimes brings trolls and perhaps that brings the site problems. It is not my intention, as I do not control trolls, it is they who haunt me.
In summary, I have come to feel I am more of a liability to this site than an asset and perhaps it can grow without me.
if you look on here there are 2 or 3 trolls determined to not debate, but attack the messenger – why do these people exist?
cant you IP ban them Dave?
PS – DONT BLOODY LEAVE YOU SILLY BUGGER!
DV if you are feeling pressure, or are pushed for time, then consider a small break, and come back refreshed and ready to do battle.
I doubt seriously this is over the twitter bar. Surely not? There must be something else at the root of it.
Consider a break of say a few weeks, recharge your batteries, and then come back fighting?
Well David, the way in which you have allowed personal politics to get in the way of uncovering BBC bias has annoyed me in the past, but congratulations on doing the honourable thing in recognising this and standing aside. I look forward to the site moving ahead to uncover more bias in the future.
Post personal politics on your own site David Vance, and let us get on with bias at the beeb.
DV, on the ledger of Asset/Liability you come down decisively on Asset column. The only thing I think distracts from the excellent Contribution you make is that the site comes over as a Conservative anti-BBC bias site which can onl alienate sincere democrats on the Left and Centre and undermine this site’s raison d’etre.
Blog formats are meaningless. It’s the content that counts.
John W 3:47 PM, May 30, 2009
Style without substance does very little, but substance without style is a major disaster. Leaving aside aesthetic considerations, which are important of themselves for the gaiety of nations, if you care about your message, if you have a passion for your message, then the way you present it will be very important to you. A great message should inspire great presentation. Anything less is simply vulgarity.
Lest there be any misunderstanding, I think the new look is presentable, but I prefer the old one which was very servicable.
Stay David, this blog and life would be much duller without it. You are adding to the sum of human experience by doing the posts and moderating the comments.
I’m glad most of the troll posts, both mindless and the two insidious ones have been left up. It shows the essential hatefulness and evil of people who want BBC bias to continue to eat away at British democracy.
As 95 per cent of the BBC’s bias is directed against the Right in favour of the liberal-Left, how else could a blog dedicated to exposing BBB bias be seen, other than as skewed to the Right?
As for people complaining about Mr Vance’s politics, as I’ve said before, I suspect we have one or two visitors who have brought baggage with them from elsewhere.
hippiepooter (4.53pm)
There's some truth in the point you're making. The Beeb’s attack on British democracy is many-sided.
This site shouldn't be seen to be affiated to any particular party. It isn't, of course – as regulars (such as yourself) know. UKIP, the Conservatives and even (regretably) the BNP are likely to garner votes from its many contributors. I’m going UKIP in the Euro elections, for example. But a stray visitor might indeed conclude that it is a Conservative site. Reading many of my own posts today, for example, I can well see why!!
Yet, as GCooper says, conservative parties are one of the main targets for the BBC's bias, & the largest conservative party here is the Conservative Party. It IS on the end of a lot of BBC bias – daily. Today alone has been given a large number of instances of this (recorded across the site).
I have not voted Conservative in the last three general elections – though I will next time. But all throughout that period (even though I didn't mind too much), I could see that the BBC was pro-Labour (especially Brownite Labour) and strongly anti-Conservative. That was – and is – wrong & should be exposed on this site. Indeed, it is now one of my missions!
Again, as GC says, it’s going to be hard to avoid that. If we discuss bias in the BBC’s coverage of domestic politics, we're going to have little to say if we don’t detail how it works against the main party of the Right.
BBC bias certainly doesn’t work against the main party of the Left – except, on certain occasions, against its leader’s internal enemies.
I think David Vance should go. He’s steering the good ship bias bbc away from actual bias and in favor of his own personal opinions, which aren’t always about the bbc.
It’s time to get on with the work of BBC bias.
David, I was shocked to read this post. I would be very sorry to see you leave. Can I suggest that if blogging fatigue has set in, that you take a break and/or scale down your currently very generous contribution of time and effort rather than formally depart?
I do wish someone would just ban these trolls’ IP addresses. Then we could get on with the work of exposing the BBC without this nonsense, most of which, clearly, is the work of, at most, a couple of idiots.
Vance has done more damage to this site than a wreckers ball does to a direlect building.
I hope he fucks off and does not come back.
zzzzzzzzzz
David
Anyone can see that the adverse comments have come mostly from people who sign in as anonymous.
I raised a lot of criticisms about the new site design. But that did not mean hostility to you personally, it was forensic stuff, I have dealt with HTML coding in the past, I have some background knowledge about what makes website designs tick.
Your views about Ulster plainly attract trolls. We who live on the mainland have no real concept of your history. You could be over-stating – or you could be plumb right. Our view this side of the Irish Sea has over decades been coloured by the media here – especially the BBC.
But all the stuff – contentious maybe – that you post about Ulster has lots of resonance with much wider issues. How much should we accommodate terrorism in the name of "peace" ? How much does "peace" override justice ?
"The butterfly upon the road
Preaches contentment to the toad
But the toad beneath the harrow knows
Where every single pinprick goes".
We now have an Obama leadership of the Western world. Leadership that looks to be appeasing of terrorist states and organisations, kowtowing, derelicting democratic values, and skewing of historic reality.
Your Ulster background may help us see these issues.
And certainly your input and energy has woken this site up when it was, sadly, in the doldrums.
So – take your time over your decision, please.
All these anonymous bell ends…
Yeah take lots of time, no hurry.
This thread is the perfect example of why Anonymous commenting should be banned. Can’t a mod check IPs? Two people shouldn’t be allowed to derail everything. If the intention of the post was to show up the two people with a personal vendetta and a desire to use Saul Alinsky’s tactic of demonizing their opponent rather than engage in debate, then: result.
David Vance, we may have our differences of opinion, but in my view your contributions overall keep the site going. Others have already suggested how the content of posts might improve further, so I won’t bother, but there’s no need to let the two attackers shut this down.
Maybe the Twitter feed could be changed to a general B-BBC deal, rather than your personal one? Might be less distracting, and less troll fodder.
In any case, block a couple of IPs, bring the emotional tone down just one more notch, and watch how things will clear up.
ALL,
Thanks for your comments.
Last night saw haloscan (almost) restored. It IS a little tricky insofar as it behaved differently in IE and Firefox. Geoff and GOT are working on this and I doff my hat in their direction for the HOURS of work being put into this. It’s important to me that everyone appreciates the unpaid and lengthy work these folks do. They are under no obligation to do a damned thing so the fact that they do this is evidence of a deep commitment to the B-BBC project.
The new haloscan will do as David P suggests and allow all little trolls to be obliterated. IP’s will be banned and things cleaned up. Blogger does not have this capability as readily available – a flaw.
I would also ask if there are few volunteers who might like to be moderators here? We can set up a smart system that means any gratuitous offensiveness is shut down right away. I am all for difference of opinion but as this post shows there are a few who need shown the door permanently. If you would like to help – please drop me a mail and we can discuss.
More broadly, I wanted to thank those who have commented here and also emailed me. I am touched by your kindness.
My sole motivation for writing is that I share your interest in exposing BBC bias. I want to make this as much fun and as substantive as possible. The Twitter thing was so I could post from my phone when I am away from the laptop. I listen to the radio quite a bit and hear things that I figure are relevant and so thought it a good idea to cross post here.
I have no intention of running TWO Twitters as life is way too short for such complexity. So I’ve axed it – no problems. (I only wanted to give you spontaneity but hey, no big deal and no hassle)
I have enjoyed my time here primarily because the overwhelming number of posters are wonderfully informed, erudite and also very witty. Which I like – a lot.
I have felt pressure trying to post every day, whilst running my own very hectic blog and doing all the other stuff called having a life. I hope that Ed, Sue, Laban and Natalie – plus maybe a few others will be able to post a little more frequently going forward. It’s a 24 hour news cycle and things happen all the time. I like to try and stay on top of these things and offer up daily meat for you to eviscerate as you see fit. Others provide such great in-depth analysis which rounds the site out.
I’m taking a break but recognise that it’s a great site and I don’t want to let you down. Nor am I inclined to back off the BBC. I will return and hope that it coincides with haloscan returning as from that point, there will be a few more changes!
To those of you who have been so kind and generous to me – cheers! Your confidence in me is deeply appreciated.
To the little trolls who pathetically hide behind “Anon” – I thank you for your comments. Kinda swayed me into staying. When we disinfect this site, you will be gone just as you are gone from ATW. Taking out the trash takes time on blogger.
Now, the sun is out, the sky is blue, there’s not a cloud to spoil the view – and it’s not even raining here in Northern Ireland!!
Hope you are all well.
David, I do hope you enjoy a well-deserved break after all your great efforts on this blog.
You certainly made me a regularly viewer and ocassional commenter and I thank you for your contributions.
I wish you all the best in your future projects.
Best regards
GBS
Through you David – thanks to the people who have put all the work in on the site re-design.
re. lightening your workload in trying to post each day – bear in mind that some of the commenters here log stuff in the threads about each day’s BBC nonsense and bias. Such commenters may not be able to commit to being “on the strength” along with you and the others – but there is no reason why you could not lift good comments from a thread and turn them into a blog post. That is – “editing” rather than having to do all the creating. One way or another commentators here follow a lot of th BBC TV and radio output. You “or others) could select specific comments, top-and-tail them and maybe add your own quick comment. This may mean a little less spadework for the “team” ?
as an example – someone might give a sharp and lucid comment on a Today item that is worth elevating into a formal post now and then ? Just a thought.
“Never give in–never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”
John A
I do that already. I’ve just posted from original hat tip from Pounce’s comment as it happens.
But I would certainly encourage it happening more.
David’s tecchies.
Can I just make a plea. Please don’t lose the best bits of Haloscan when you reinstate it.
Namely.
Easy linking by cut and paste as before.
Link-ability to other comments by hash sign as before.
Unread comments facility.
No cumbersome signing-in procedure.
Simple visuals. i.e. double spaced Verdana font or similar.
No extraneous boxes, ‘saids’ or icons.
Time and date.
ID top and tail.
And (I only missed it when it was gone) — clickable smilies.
Very special most important must-have = Accurate Preview facility.
And THE COMMENTS ARCHIVE.
In other words, what we had before. Please try.
Oh No, how will I survive without being able to follow the day to day minutiae of Vance's pathetic existence?
You'll be missed David….like piles.
or a hole in the fucking head.
JohnW said…
As the BBC default position is leftwing Liebour, how could exposing their bias be anything other than the expression of a view from the right?
11:23 PM, May 31, 2009
JohnW, when I was a Tribunite member of the Labour Party at the precocious age of 15 (30 years ago now), I thought the only real bias at the BBC was in favour of the left and was against it. While it was good for Labour electorally, it was bad for democracy, and I was a democrat before I was a socialist. Now I am a Tory to my fingertips, but if the BBC became biased to the Right in the way it is biased to the Left now, I would oppose it. Admittedly, sincere democrats on the left and centre of British politics are not in abundant view, but those who put democracy before party are only going to be alienated if this site is seen principally as a means to promote Conservative politics than oppose BBC bias. It just leaves the impression that this site opposes BBC bias because its not Conservative bias. One does not make common cause in the interests of British democracy on this basis.
DV wrote:
“To the little trolls who pathetically hide behind “Anon” – I thank you for your comments. Kinda swayed me into staying.”
Way to go Big Man! Hope you enjoy your well deserved break, and come back refreshed and rejuvenated – not that you haven’t appeared vibrant! Always amazed me how you manage to provide the volume you do here amongst your other activities.
I hope that if trolls manage to post without excessive abuse or obscenity they are allowed to remain. Its very salutory seeing the evil-mindedness in favour of BBC bias.
Hippiepooter,
You are continuing to raise some interesting points.
Concerning the BBC's coverage of UK politics in particular, please can you give us some examples of the sort of bias you see & that you think it would be of benefit to this site to consider – and which we aren't presently considering?
Are there any examples, say, from the BBC's coverage of the Expenses Scandal that we have missed, & that we can learn from?
A new way of looking at things would be fascinating.
The Expenses scandal is, as Ady pointed out on another thread, THE big story at the moment, so this would be a great test-case for a fresh perspective.
David,
Enjoy the sun (while it lasts) & thank you. We expect you back on duty for Marr and co. as soon as you are ready!
mad dogs and vance the irish man out in the noon day sun,
vance u fucking bog trotter and second rate grocer – stick around and hopefully it will drive u mad. hopefully the pressure will mount until you crack – you stinking irish bigot
I am an Anonymous coward. I feel good about myself when I come here and attack people. I look in the mirror each day and tell myself how much of a man I am. I roll my feces into little balls sometimes, just to see if I can do it. I see no irony in calling somebody irish as an insult and simultaneously calling them a bigot. I think grocers are the scum of the earth, and have no business dealing with the public at large. I use the same fingers to type these clever comments that I use to pleasure myself whilst looking at pictures of young boys in top hats. Explains rather a lot, really. I am much braver than anyone because I am tireless in my fight against people I don’t like. I am good enough, smart enough, and, dammit, people like me. If we sat down and had a drink you’d like me a lot, you really would. In fact, I think we’d get along swimmingly if you just hated vance as much as I do. Can I see you again sometime? You’re not Jewish, are you? You will come to fear me. You will come to love me. You will never convince me that I am a coward. I am your God. Is it raining again?
David
Your racist, dipso, insommiac Anonymouse attacker has lost!
Its desperation is palpable.
Relax, have a good long laugh and have a great evening.
And keep the posts coming.
I for (another) one will be checking this site far less often if David Vance goes. He revitalised it and brought the fight to the enemy – hence the high number of vapid and ridiculous BBC trolls who appeared (together with the morons who have posted on this thread as ‘anonymous’ – when they’re not stealing others’ identities).
I stopped commenting here when the haloscan was removed – but it would be a shame to see haloscan reappear without Vance to keep it ticking over… I hope you have a rethink
Summed up wonderfully David, you have become a liability to this site. You started with good intentions, but your obsessive hunt for bias everywhere, 24/7, is just beyond a joke. You focus so much on completely minor /irrelevant cases that true examples of bias squeak by almost unnoticed. An obsession that others hold with Israel makes this site appear to a newcomer more like some extreme pro-Israel gung-ho type rant blog. Rants are great, you rant a lot, you do it well. But rants have no credibility. They just make you seem mad and partisan. And that makes it hard for logical, sensible people to listen to whatever valid points you may have to say.
Sorry to get personal with you, but this forum has almost become (and you didnt intend this I’m sure) a bizarre personality cult to yourself.
Dominoking666
I am not actually obsessed with Israel. But I might be, just a bit, with the BBC’s bias against it. If that went away, so would my obsession, and I wouldn’t need to keep on about it. That’s all.