141 Responses to OPEN THREAD…

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  1. TooTrue says:
    October 5, 2009 at 8:32 pm

    The subversive swine on the World Service calmly informed us yesterday that eight “foreign” soldiers and seven Afgahn soldiers were killed.  I thought at first there must have been more than one nationality among the “foreign” soldiers but then realised that was just the BBC reaching new lows when in subsequent broadcasts it became clear that the eight were all Americans.

    On a different tack, I can’t access the third page of the 51 comments currently under the “Civility” thread. Anyone else having the same problem?

       0 likes

  2. Martin says:
    October 5, 2009 at 9:24 pm

    I notice that Inspector Blakey (Ainsworthless) being collared about troop numbers and equipment doesn’t seem to be making the BBC Tv news. I wonder why?

    And here we go again, Liebour politicians doing grandstanding in the Tory conference week and making announcements to try to trump the Tories. I always thought it was considered ‘good form’ to give each party the airtime during their conference week?

    But yet again we see Liebour breaking that tradition and the BBC bigging up the good stuff but playing down Blakey. ITV have reported it.

       0 likes

  3. Larry Dart says:
    October 5, 2009 at 9:29 pm

    Anyone else experiencing RECENT COMMENTS not being updated ?

       0 likes

  4. Sedders says:
    October 5, 2009 at 10:51 pm

    Question on  BBCs Weakest Link last week.; Anne Robinson asked ”Of which national newspaper is Alan Rushbridgr the editor?

    You just cannot imagine a similar question about the Times or DT can you?  That special relationship evens appears subliminaly in quize programmes.

       0 likes

  5. George R says:
    October 6, 2009 at 12:22 am

    Mass immigration into Britain (cont’d):-

     Following on from BBC ‘Panorama”s latest propaganda programme for illegal immigrants from Africa tonight, there’s the BBC’s uncritical propaganda piece for further immigration, of Iraqi refugees, courtesy of the European Union:

    “EU ready to accept 10,000 Iraqis”

    [Extract]:

    “Priority will be given to those with medical needs, torture victims, single mothers and religious minorities. ”

     Excellent! And there’s to be an endless, unlimited stream of such immigrants every year from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Somalia, Afghanistan, etc., which Britain will be forced to make residents.

     Cannot British people have a direct say in this, and be allowed to say: No ?

    http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7754097.stm

       0 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:
      October 6, 2009 at 1:32 am

      Religious minorities?  From Iraq?  Do they mean minorities there, or in the UK?  I bet it’s that religious minority Mark Thompson was concerned about.

         0 likes

    • George R says:
      October 6, 2009 at 8:20 am

      And, on top of the endless numbers of the world’s ‘refugees’, which Britain is being forced to take every year, there are the ‘asylum seekers’, the illegal immigrants, and let’s not forget either, the 75 million Muslim Turks whose entry is being lobbied for by the global Organisation of Islamic Conference, as well as by Brown, D.Miliband and Straw.

       No BBC report on this in Turkey:

      “Turkey: Thousands attend anti-Israel rally, burn Israeli flag”

       http://www.jihadwatch.org/2009/10/turkey-thousands-attend-anti-israel-rally-burn-israeli-flag.html

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      • George R says:
        October 6, 2009 at 12:30 pm

        “Calais migrants are flown home…with a fat wad of your money”

        http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/132276/Calais-migrants-are-flown-home-with-a-fat-wad-of-YOUR-money

           0 likes

        • George R says:
          October 8, 2009 at 5:30 pm

          BBC radio 4 ‘PM’ continues its campaign for Calais camp’s illegal  Afghani immigrants, c/o BBC’s Ms Kirby.

          BBc’s Ms. Kirby represented the viewpoint of the Afghani illegal immigrants, who are part of an endless stream of such people, trying to enter Britain to become residents; but. of course, not one British person’s voice is heard in all this BBC propaganda paid for British BBC licencepayers’ money.

          (The item is the final one in today’s ‘PM’ programme, available on BBC iPlayer.)

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          • George R says:
            October 10, 2009 at 3:36 pm

            BBC continues its campaign for Calais camp illegal immigrants, c/o BBC’s Ms Kirby – now online as video.

            Note: BBC uses British licencepayers’ money, but allows NO British voice to oppose the BBC’s propaganda for illegal immigrants, whom the BBC wrongly calls ‘migrants’.

            Note Ms. Kirby’s parting words of overt propaganda: ‘they’d be better of in Britain than in Calais’:

            http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8298233.stm

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  6. Guest says:
    October 6, 2009 at 7:05 am

    ‘Let me tell you what Ken from Chalfont S. Giles’ says…

    I never thought I’d be sympathetic to Tesco or its CEO Terry Leahy.

    This on top of top political interviewer Sian desperately trying to cram as many ‘what our readers are telling us’ [read: what we think quoted from some selected emails we agree with] to a clearly, and equally unimpressed David Cameron.

    This is not legitimate news reporting, it is rigged opinion blatantly trying to use (not very subtly) proxy commentary filtered by in-house corporate editorial.

    Totally dishonest.

       0 likes

    • Guest says:
      October 6, 2009 at 7:22 am

      Now listening to… surprise.. ‘guest’ ‘commentator’ Kevin Maguire’s pearls of wisdom.

      Ably complemented.. indeed prompted via the hostess with mostest by all those emails from [50 year old public sector workers about to retire] ‘readers’ saying how the Conservatives have lost their vote.

      Go figure. Bogging off early on full whack funded by the rest of the country working until they die to support them seems quite popular with the public sector national broadcaster and its employees. And those it invites on daily.

      A clear conflict of interest.

         0 likes

      • Llew says:
        October 6, 2009 at 7:58 am

        If the BBC spent less time interrupting the Tory interviewee after every word, and their never ending supply of left wing guests actually cleared the red wax out of their ears, they might actually hear and understand what is being said in the interview.

        Immediately after Cameron’s interview this morning, the BBC went straight into attack mode with comments like the message on women’s retirement age is “confusing”.

        I heard Cameron quite clearly and slowly say the issue of Women’s retirement age is, because of the change from 60 to 65, being reviewed. What is “confusing” about that statement? I know and everyone else can understand what he said. It is still being reviewed.

        The BBC should stick to reporting what is actually being said rather than trying to twist everything into a pro-Labour message.

        The BBC simply cannot report anything accurately these days.

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  7. George R says:
    October 6, 2009 at 11:26 am

    BBC’s non-stop anti-Israel campaign.

    1.) BBC report:

    “Clashes raise Jerusalem tensions”

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8292184.stm

    2.) ‘Jerusalem Post’:

    “Third intifada?”

    http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1254756248068&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

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  8. Sedders says:
    October 6, 2009 at 12:29 pm

    An interesting claim on the BBC Panorama programme website was that the UK is contrary to popular myth not the country with the highest influx of asylum seekers. Malta, France Spain and others have more than we do . Interesting! I don’t suppose it has anything to do with the way asylum seekers and illegal immigrants are counted? All family members are counted for statistical purposes in other countries whereas we count only the head of the family. Take for example the Afghan plane hijackers (the ones who were going straight back according to Robin Cook) only three were counted for asylum purposes , but the real headcount was 13.
    The BBC should be made to compare like with like and not follow the deliberately misleading figures put out by government.

       0 likes

  9. Will says:
    October 6, 2009 at 1:43 pm

    BBC soulmate Robert Fisk is given the front page of the Independent to come up with an anti-US tale. Needless to say the BBC rush to claim Fisk’s ramblings have come to pass

    “The dollar has fallen following a report that Gulf states are in secret talks to replace the greenback as the main currency for the trading of oil.
    Nations including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were speaking to Russia, China, Japan and France, said the UK’s Independent newspaper. “

    that’s despite denials & currency movements well within daily norms

    “However, Saudi Arabia subsequently said the report was “absolutely inaccurate”.
    It caused the euro to rise 0.5% against the dollar to $1.4727. The pound also rose, by 0.4%, before falling back.”
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8292011.stm

       0 likes

  10. Guest says:
    October 6, 2009 at 6:24 pm

    Not a fan, I am guessing..


    <h2 style=”font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal bold 1.19em/normal ‘Trebuchet MS’, Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;”>SunTalk’s Jon Gaunt: ‘BBC should be banned from the internet'</h2>

    http://www.journalism.co.uk/5/articles/536044.php

       0 likes

  11. Guest says:
    October 7, 2009 at 7:55 am

    Whilst the BBC where happy to wax lyrical about Matt Lucas’ “marriage” to his boyfriend, they’re less keen to advertise the fact that said “husband” has killed himself. When you point out on liberal fora that gay rights has only corresponded to greater problems for homosexuals, you are rapidly censored.

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  12. George R says:
    October 7, 2009 at 8:05 am

     More BBC special pleading on behalf of certain Pakistani Muslims –

    in article here, and on BBC ‘Asian Network’:

    “Families’ anguish over Pakistan missing”

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8290471.stm

       0 likes

  13. Will says:
    October 7, 2009 at 3:29 pm

    The review in the BBC Radio Times makes tonight’s programme sound straight down the middle!

    <div id=”titleInfo”>
    <h3>Iran and Britain</h3>
    </div>
    <!– END titleInfo –>

    Wednesday 07 October
    8:00pm – 9:00pm
    BBC4
    <div id=”review”>

    Documentary in which writer and journalist Christopher de Bellaigue explores the fraught but intimate history of Britain’s relations with Iran. He looks at some key events in the relationship, notably Britain’s role in the overthrow of several Iranian governments, its control of Iran’s oil and the on-off support for Iran’s democrats. Meeting prominent Iranians, he examines the foundations and justification for Iranian suspicions and asks if they are still there after 30 years of isolation.
    </div>

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    • George R says:
      October 7, 2009 at 6:18 pm

      Yes, the BBC’s political priorities re-Islamic Republic of Iran are:

      1.) play the dhimmi in the hope of the continued operation of a politically castrated BBC Persian service;

      2.) relegate the Islamic jihadist ideology of the Iranian regime – and all its murders, tortures, and anti-semitism;

      3.) present a politically unsympathetic view of Britain’s historical relations with Iran- up to, and including Iran’s capture of British navy patrol in the Gulf, a couple of years ago; at the same time present a picture of Islamic Iran since 1979, with all its horrific theocracy as, nevertheless, as somehow preferable to the British example;

      4.) never criticise the fact that Labour allows London to be used as the Islamic Republic regime’s HQ for the anti-West political propaganda of ‘PRESS TV’ s  24/7 operation.

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  14. Martin says:
    October 7, 2009 at 9:38 pm

    I see Newsnight is hammering the Tories again over Dannett. Funny that the BBC never had a problem with Alan Sugar being appointed to the government whilst still working for the BBC and he attacks the Tories but I guess that’s OK at the BBC.

       0 likes

    • Fat Face Penguin Seal says:
      October 8, 2009 at 12:09 pm

      Well Martin, be fair (if you can), the Dannett thing was a balls up. Clearly Cameron acts like Brown does, centres power round his circle of advisers and ignores the shadow cabinet. Otherwise he would’ve told Grayling wouldnt he? You can’t blame the BBC for correctly pointing out the farcical way this has played out.

         0 likes

  15. Heads on poles says:
    October 7, 2009 at 9:49 pm

    Agreed Martin, it’s almost as though it is a bad idea to have Dannett aboard, I mean, what could he bring to the table……..

    Ah, Newsnight now questioning the judgement of Osbourne.
    Where the hell were these febrile leftie scum ‘journalists’ last week when they were covering (promoting) a conference fronted by pathalogical liars.
    Now showing that nice Mr. Brown to back up their argument. this argument that the Tories were not behind bank support has been rubbished all week at the conference.
    the BBC take your money and give you what they think you ought to hear.
    Vile.

       0 likes

  16. David vance says:
    October 7, 2009 at 9:54 pm

    HOP

    Seen all of that. No bias? – no end of bias?

       0 likes

  17. Heads on poles says:
    October 7, 2009 at 9:59 pm

    Paxman now interviewing Osbourne.
    Whilst getting an answer, he’s muttering in the background like a senile old codger that sits in the corner of a pub.
    I’d like to see Boris give him a decent, verbal uppercut.
    Paxman, like Humphreys, seems to like the sound of his own voice, I suppose he has to market himself somehow.

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  18. George R says:
    October 7, 2009 at 10:25 pm

     BBC’s phoney non -election promise:

    BBC’s ‘Have-Your-Say’ road to non-democracy –

    “BBC to give licencepayers say on standards”

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/6269270/BBC-to-give-licence-fee-payers-say-on-standards.html

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  19. Marky says:
    October 7, 2009 at 11:57 pm

    “Stephen Fry (he is the bore that is a permanent fixture on your television screen but is not Jonathan Ross or David Attenborough) has delivered an insulting attack on Catholics and Poles which grotesquely misrepresents historical fact and which, if levelled at almost any other targets, would probably be characterised as a “hate crime”.”

    http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/geraldwarner/100012872/stephen-frys-slur-against-polish-catholics-remember-which-side-of-the-border-auschwitz-was-on/

       0 likes

  20. Terminal says:
    October 8, 2009 at 11:28 am

    Something to celebrate: “One in four is Muslim, study says”.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/8296200.stm

       0 likes

    • Fat Face Penguin Seal says:
      October 8, 2009 at 12:04 pm

      Maybe you can organise a new Crusade to redress the balance…?

         0 likes

      • George R says:
        October 8, 2009 at 1:32 pm

        Maybe you be join the Islamic jihad against us.

           0 likes

        • Fat Face Penguin Seal says:
          October 8, 2009 at 2:09 pm

          I’m actually already a member of the Islamic Jihad – didn’t you know that? All of us who are to the left of you are members of at least 1 Jihadist cell. And I’m proud of it.

             0 likes

  21. Umbongo says:
    October 8, 2009 at 12:24 pm

    Accepting that Newsnight has a problem when interviewing Conservatives – the visceral loathing just keeps showing through – the supine response of the Conservative interviewees doesn’t help the Conservative cause.  If, instead of treating Paxman with the deference he expects, it would be refreshing to see the Conservatives on the attack.  I didn’t see Paxman-Osborne interview but if Paxman was indeed mumbling in the background would it have been beyond the ability of Osborne to have said words to the effect that if Paxman asks a question it’s only polite – as well as journalistic – to listen to (and allow others to listen to) the answer and seek clarification of anything unclear or ambiguous?  There’s little point in this blog and most of its commenters highlighting the many examples of BBC bias if those with the opportunity to challenge that bias directly just sit there there allowing themselves to be abused verbally by Paxman et al in the vain hope of getting their unmediated case across to the viewing public.

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    • Opinionated More Than Educated says:
      October 8, 2009 at 1:31 pm

      Umbongo

      Do you think it might be remotely possible that experienced people like Osbourne recognise robust journalism for what it is and respond as they see fit, rather than constructing elaborate – and ultimately irrational – conspiracy theories about The BBC  fighting to keep Labour’s grip on power? A simple question should be at the back of your mind: Is The BBC likely to bet its entire existence on the remote possibility of keeping an unpopular Labour Government in office? Simple self-interest – never mind the real issue of living up to its duty of impartiality – should ensure that the Tories do not wreak a terrible revenge when they come to consider the next licence settlement, as they very likely will.

         0 likes

      • Umbongo says:
        October 8, 2009 at 2:05 pm

        OMTE

        My criticism was levelled at the Conservatives: I take the bias of the Newsnight team (chronicled endlessly on this blog and elsewhere) for granted.  “Robust journalism” as you call it deserves a robust response which Osborne, apparently, is incapable of conducting.  The likelihood that the Conservatives are going to do anything about the BBC (except nibble round the edges and maybe appoint another political eunuch, a Conservative Michael Lyons, to guard the seraglio) is so remote as not to be worth considering.  Accordingly, the BBC runs little risk if it continues on its present course.  On the matter of the BBC my contempt for the Conservatives is as great as that for Labour.

           0 likes

        • Opinionated More Than Educated says:
          October 8, 2009 at 2:44 pm

          Umbongo

          The likelihood that the Conservatives are going to do anything about the BBC …. is so remote as not to be worth considering. 

          Possibly because they perceive the BBC as behaving as it should rather than in the manner summed up here by Mr Vance’s friend Andrew McCann:

          the nation’s principal broadcaster has lost the diaphanous veil of ‘impartiality’ it claimed to have had.  Every effort has thus far been made to portray the Tories in the worst possible light. 

          If the BBC were seriously embedded in the Labour election campaign, the Tories would be letting the nation, never mind themselves, down by ignoring it. The reality is that – minor skirmishes apart – Cameron’s cadres see the world as a less conspiratorial place than Biased BBC sees it.

             0 likes

  22. lloyd jones says:
    October 8, 2009 at 1:25 pm

    BONO! Which bright spark thought it would be a good idea to get that tax dodging hypocrite to make a contribution?

       0 likes

  23. George R says:
    October 8, 2009 at 1:35 pm

     “Would these classic BBC comedy moments still be made?”

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/6269925/Would-these-classic-BBC-comedy-moments-still-be-made.html

       0 likes

    • Opinionated More Than Educated says:
      October 8, 2009 at 1:48 pm

      George, I for one am entirely grateful for the cuttings service you provide, almost exclusively from the pages of the Telegraph and the Mail. I no longer need to click on their websites, much less buy the print editions.

      On the other hand, most people might regard Google News as providing that service already. Could I encourage you to add a few thoughts of your own? 

         0 likes

      • George R says:
        October 8, 2009 at 1:59 pm

        OMTE

        Thank you for another heplful, positive comment to this blog.

        What is your motive, I wonder.

           0 likes

        • Fat Face Penguin Seal says:
          October 8, 2009 at 2:11 pm

          Georgie, is your here motive to alert everyone to the dangers of Jihad? You don’t seem to talk about much else. Except Muslims, of course.

          You should join me in the Jihad – it’s got a bad press in recent years, but we do have a lot of fun.

             0 likes

          • George R says:
            October 8, 2009 at 3:06 pm

            Fat Face jihadist.

             Appropriate to see you in the company of OTME.

             Great humour  you repeat about your jihad.

             The BBC only allow jokes against against non-Islamic religions.

               0 likes

  24. Guest says:
    October 8, 2009 at 2:36 pm

    Meanwhile, back from the ‘playing the person because they can’t hope to make a case, let alone win one’ brigade:


    <h2 style=”font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal bold 1.19em/normal ‘Trebuchet MS’, Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;”>BBC Trust tightens online editorial rules for journalists</h2>

    http://www.journalism.co.uk/2/articles/536071.php

    I do note… online. Guess that means the other guys can break the ‘rules’ as per normal.

    Or maybe the plan is to call all of them ‘commentators’, and hence get wiggle space on semantics.

    It’s like hoisting a windsock in a typhoon: a little bit of guidance, but sod all use that will make zippy difference. However, I am sure many meetings were had, and boxes ticked to get there. Nifty.

    (and as I hit post, I really hope this system won’t turn my cut & paste into HTML-hell)

       0 likes

    • Guest says:
      October 8, 2009 at 2:37 pm

      (and as I hit post, I really hope this system won’t turn my cut & paste into HTML-hell)  

      Oh well.

         0 likes

  25. David Preiser (USA) says:
    October 8, 2009 at 7:59 pm

    All my posts are disappearing.  🙁

       0 likes

  26. martin sykes says:
    October 8, 2009 at 11:45 pm

    [url]http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article6867115.ece[/url]

    How the BBC uses its bloated wealth to crush the little guy.

       0 likes

  27. Philip says:
    October 9, 2009 at 7:28 am

    I see those evil Joooz are preventing the nice Palestinians from importing Zebras for their zoo (wait… I though they lived in state of permanent penury?);and they’re having to dye white donkeys with black hair dye at the zoo.

    Nice one, al-BBCeera for dressing up Jew baiting as a humorous human interest story. 

       0 likes

  28. Will says:
    October 9, 2009 at 8:07 am

    More infantile than socialist.

    A BBC Business correspondent (not mother & baby, or somesuch, correspondent) fills most of his R4 Today slot with an interview with a representative of the electricity supply industry. They talk about Offgem’s projections of staggering increases in future energy prices. The industry man tells of the £billions to be paid by customers as a result of the investment required to, in large part, meet Climate Change policies.

    The BBC man swiftly interjects “To be paid by the customer, not by you”. The industry man patiently explains that it is always the customer who, in the end, pays.

       0 likes

  29. Martin says:
    October 9, 2009 at 9:18 am

    Obama wins Nobel prize!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a frigging joke! The BBC are literally having on air orgasms

       0 likes

  30. Asuka Langley Soryu says:
    October 9, 2009 at 9:20 am

    It’s reassuring to know that one can be awarded a Nobel prize for doing nothing but having spurious, grandiose visions these days. I spend most of the day sitting on my fat arse, shacking and masturbating to Hentai, but I daydream about alleviating hunger, curing disease, establishing peace, and solving the remaining secrets of the universe. I’m expecting a call from the Nobel committee any second. I’m not black (or even half black) or a lefty or the leader of a personality cult. But that shouldn’t matter should it?

       0 likes

    • Martin says:
      October 9, 2009 at 9:35 am

      This really shows how pathetic people have become over Barry. The man is a failing President, he can’t sort out healthcare, his populartity rating is below 50% and Afghanistan is a total mess, not to mention the economy and the threat to the US Dollar if it is no longer the currency of choice for oil sales.

      But hey Barry’s a good guy has a nice smile anda a nice wife.

      The only thing pissing the BBC off is that Gorgon McDoom didn’t get anything for saving planet Earth.

         0 likes

  31. leadtinyellow says:
    October 9, 2009 at 9:50 am

    Al Gore. Arafat. And now this. The prize is a worthless joke – why are we even surprised?

    Or did I miss something – did Iran dismantle its nuclear facilities while I slept? Did Israel and the Palestinian Arabs make peace while I was in the shower? Did any of Obama’s speechifying actually achieve anything?

       0 likes

    • Martin says:
      October 9, 2009 at 10:40 am

      No you woke up in an alternate reality!!! In this world Gorgon Brown plays a man who flies a space Shuttle around the Moon to save the Earth from a Comet.

      Obama was only President for TWO WEEKS before nominations for the Nobel Peace prize closed.

      The Nobel prize used to be something worth winning, but over the last 20 years it’s simply become a political tool for wet liberals to use.

         0 likes

  32. Will says:
    October 9, 2009 at 10:41 am

    O/T, but just to cheer up DV if he missed it. Shortly after 7am on “Today” Ofgem’s Chief Executive tells us that costs could rise by up to 60% above inflation by 2016. Jim takes this as badly as a man who can’t afford to heat his house, so the Offgem man chirpily suggests that we look on the bright side, “but emissions are going to fall by up to 40%” Rejoice!

       0 likes

  33. Martin says:
    October 9, 2009 at 10:44 am

    The Taliban have condemned Barry getting the Nobel Peace prize, yes we really are living in an alternate reality when I find myself agreeing with the Taliban for once

       0 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:
      October 9, 2009 at 11:58 am

      Cult of Personality.  Nobel Prize for giving pretty speeches.  Do I have to join the little children in singing hymns to Him now?

         0 likes

    • Anonymous says:
      October 12, 2009 at 4:13 am

      Why do you call Obama “Barry”?

         0 likes

  34. George R says:
    October 9, 2009 at 11:15 am

     BBC licencepayers fund BBC ‘Asian Network’ to lobby for visas for

    Pakistanis:

    “Ire of visa-delayed Pakistani students”

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8293741.stm

       0 likes

  35. Martin says:
    October 9, 2009 at 11:59 am

    I see injuries from knives have rised by some 9% over the last few months. Some of you might remember that the BBC’s Sheena Easton was made to look a fool some time back when he bigged up some distorted statistics issued personally by Gorgon Broon.

    Some of you might remember the Tories accusing Labour of distorting knife crime figures when they got these hospital stats (Sheena accused the Tories of distorting these figures).

    So I wait to see how Ms Easton waffles his way out of the latest jump in the figures? Perhaps more people go to hospital now? After all being stabbed in the stomach was never the sort of thing you’d go to hospital in the past for was it?

    Expect to see Sheena’s poison all over this story by this afternoon.

       0 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:
      October 9, 2009 at 12:09 pm

      Don’t worry, he’ll find some way to square this with his contention that knife crime isn’t as bad as people think, while still claiming that he has always been skeptical of government figures on it.  It was “sharp objects” or something, not knives, and anyways it’s more of a rise in the reporting of crime, etc.

         0 likes

      • Martin says:
        October 9, 2009 at 12:44 pm

        Yes well I did hear that on the BBC already David (more reporting) but as I posted above you always went to hospital for a serious stab wound, unless you fancied bleeding to death.

           0 likes

      • Martin says:
        October 9, 2009 at 6:06 pm

        BBC haven’t even reported it not only that but there is a report showing that most Police forces are failing the public, that wasn’t reported on the TV news either.

           0 likes

  36. Umbongo says:
    October 9, 2009 at 12:12 pm

    It appears that despite the revelations by Steve Mcintyre on his blogsite http://www.climateaudit.org/ concerning the data used to underpin the “hockey stick” suppression of the medieval warm period (and which includes Briffa’s response) the BBC seems to have chosen to ignore the matter in its entirety.  A search on the BBC website of the word “Yamal” http://search.bbc.co.uk/search?uri=%2F&scope=all&go=toolbar&q=yamal contains no reference to the debate let alone the consequences for the “hockey stick” assertion.

       0 likes

    • Martin says:
      October 9, 2009 at 1:39 pm

      That’s because “we’ve moved on” or “the sicence is settled” or “you’re a climate change denier” or “tihs is is dangerous climate change”

      Please keep up! 🙂

         0 likes

      • Guest says:
        October 9, 2009 at 2:10 pm

        Just guessing, but this might not impress you guys much either….

        http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6867046.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=1515793

        £6M, eh? That would by a shed load of insulation for poor or old folk this winter.

        But at least, as Martin has confirmed, the ‘science is settled’ (did I miss that?), so I guess ‘raising awareness’ with public funds is OK.

        I’m in the climate caution camp and this one sucks.

        But at least the BBC is not showing it… or…?

           0 likes

        • Guest says:
          October 10, 2009 at 7:17 am

          I should bet on the horses today…

          Just watching it being ‘promoted’ on BBC Breakfast News: the commercial that aims to scare us into taking climate change seriously.

          Yup, this ‘un will do it. And scaring has worked great so far. But maybe doing it with kids might be a better line of attack. 

             0 likes

  37. David Preiser (USA) says:
    October 9, 2009 at 12:13 pm

    There must be a tiny connection to sanity somewhere in the offices of BBC News Online.  The HYS on The Obamessiah “winning” the Nobel is actually asking if people thought He deserved it.  Someoene there must realize this isn’t exactly awarding anything other than pretty speeches and the media’s mass hysteria of Hope.

    And the comments I’ve seen are all negative, except one Norwegian guy (surprise) reminding everyone of said mass hysteria of Hope.

    Of course, they’re not all rightwingnut racists in the comments, because more people are saying the Nobel is tainted goods because they gave it to Kissinger than to Arafat.

    http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=7098&edition=2&ttl=20091009130505

       0 likes

  38. Martin says:
    October 9, 2009 at 12:42 pm

    God something is wrong today. Not only do I find myself agreeing with the Taliban I now find myself agreeing with Jeremy Bowen who on News 24 was actually quite scathing of Barry’s award. The BBC even seem embarassed about Barry’s prize.

       0 likes

  39. Guest says:
    October 9, 2009 at 2:04 pm

    “The corporation drew a distinction between the two incidents, saying that Du Beke offered an unreserved apology, whereas Thatcher apologised but continued to maintain her comment was a joke.”

    Another for my list of unique BBC semantic distinctions.

    Meanwhile… 

    http://www.24dash.com/news/Communities/2009-10-09-Jeremy-Clarkson-ridicules-TVs-obsession-with-black-Muslim-lesbians

    It will be fun seeing how the PC/diversity commissars ‘deal’ with this one. Fining the licence fee payer, if history is any guide.

       0 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:
      October 9, 2009 at 2:43 pm

      That’s what I’ve been talking about all along.  The one who got the sack was the one who declined to admit racist intentions in the offending remark.  It’s not denying that people might find the remark racist to say there were no racist intentions behind the remark.  Yet, that’s what the BBC required Carol Thatcher to do.

         0 likes

  40. George R says:
    October 9, 2009 at 2:23 pm

    ‘Guardian’:

    “Jeremy Clarkson: TV” [BBC] “obsessed with ‘black Muslim lesbians”

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/oct/09/jeremy-clarkson-bbc-muslim-lesbians

       0 likes

  41. Heads on poles says:
    October 9, 2009 at 2:59 pm

    Interesting to read the BBCs have your say – readers recommended comments.
    O’bama winning this is a complete farce – it has done for politics what the Turner prize has done for art.
    ’nuff said.

       0 likes

  42. Will says:
    October 9, 2009 at 5:08 pm

    Could a “beeboid” be the political death of Brown? In the Glasgow NE by-election (Martin’s old fiefdom) the SNP candidate is “David Kerr, a personable 36-year-old former BBC journalist”

       0 likes

  43. Martin says:
    October 9, 2009 at 6:04 pm

    I was looking at the BBC Poll Tracker to see if it’s been updated. Funnily enough no! I wonder why. Perhaps this might be the reason?

    After a narrowing of the Tory lead yesterday, today we have the first poll since David Cameron’s conference speech and it shows a swing back to them. The topline figures are CON 44%(+4), LAB 27%(-4), LDEM 17%(-1).

    17% Tory lead.

       0 likes

  44. George R says:
    October 9, 2009 at 7:03 pm

    BBC:”‘Al Qaeda link’ CERN worker held”

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8299668.stm

    ‘Jihadwatch’ comment:

    “When the EORN (CERN) hired him, it is virtually certain that no one asked him any questions about what he thought about jihad, Sharia, Israel, republican government, freedom of speech, etc. Honest answers probably would not have been forthcoming, but it is extremely naive and stupid of authorities such as these simply to assume that Islam is a Religion of Peace and that it would accordingly be in bad taste to try to determine whether or not one is employing a jihadist.

    http://www.jihadwatch.org/2009/10/french-muslim-nuclear-researcher-arrested-for-links-to-al-qaeda.html

       0 likes

    • Will says:
      October 9, 2009 at 10:33 pm

      And another thing about CERN – we have not heard much about the god particle & the Large Hadron Collider since it went kaput over a year ago. If it was a project funded by US tax $$ the BBC would be very concerned that the cash was not being spent on foreign aid. When it is our Euros going down the pan the failed project is quietly forgotten.

         0 likes

      • Martin says:
        October 9, 2009 at 11:08 pm

        I don’t think they want egg on their faces again, it will be done quietly this time.

           0 likes

  45. George R says:
    October 9, 2009 at 9:36 pm

    Zurich, Switzerland: a clarification for BBC, re- anti Islamic minaret campaign report.
     
    BBC report: “Zurich allows anti-minaret poster”

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8297826.stm

    The clarification which the BBC needs to make relates to the sentence about half-way down the report:

    “Some media reports have said the minarets resemble missiles.”

    The clarification which the BBC needs to make is that this statement about such comparisons was orininally made by the then  Muslim Mayor of Turkey, now
    Prime Minister of Turkey, ERDOGAN, as reported by the ‘NYT’:

    “The 43-year-old mayor is being prosecuted for a speech he gave near Diyarbakir last year in which he said,

    ”The mosques are our barracks, the domes are our helmets, the minarets are our bayonets and the faithful are our army.”

    http://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/05/world/turkey-secularists-take-their-battle-into-court.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/E/Erdogan,%20Recep%20Tayyip

    The BBC will make this clarification any time soon?……….

       0 likes

  46. Ben says:
    October 9, 2009 at 9:38 pm

    Astonishing! Balanced BBC!

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8299079.stm

       0 likes

  47. Guest says:
    October 10, 2009 at 7:32 am

    Not too happy with policy of getting a tame journo that shares Aunty’s views to come on and say things the national broadcaster would be (rightly) taken apart for, but watching the Guardian talking head was fun just now.

    Mr. Bradshaw (ex. BBC, and soon ex. Gov Minsiter I’d hazard) getting taken apart for… um…not being very good at , well anything, really, but culture and communications awareness especially. By the BBC… and The Guardian! That’ll teach him for not being as supportive as he might.

    ‘Gordon… time to elevate another to the House of Lords before they get ejected!’

       0 likes

  48. Guest says:
    October 10, 2009 at 9:38 am


    <h1 style=”margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 1.5em; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; color: #454545; padding: 0px;”>Updated editorial guidelines</h1>

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2009/10/updated_editorial_guidelines.html#comments

    A few more comments telling ’em to pull the other one as they are a bunch of self-evidently self-monitoring, agenda-driven, out of control arrogant agenda driven numpties already, and this will make b-all difference… and I suspect the thread my get closed.

       0 likes

  49. George R says:
    October 10, 2009 at 10:04 am

     BBC has decided that the word ‘paki’ is racist! And the BBC demands a public apology (or more?) from anyone who uses that word (except when used by Pakistani friends amongst themselves).

     To emphasise the BBC propaganda on this, the BBC ‘Today’ programme got two non-white people, one of whom happened to be from the BBC’s own ‘Asian Network’, to lay down the law on this. 8:54 am –

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8300000/8300375.stm

     It’s all to do with ‘perception’ apparently. If certain people ‘perceive’ that the word ‘paki’ is racist, then it is racist.

     So, when white people perceive the words ‘infidel’ and ‘kufir’ to be insulting when used by followers of Islam, those words too are now designated ‘racist’ by the BBC?

       0 likes

  50. George R says:
    October 10, 2009 at 12:07 pm

     More fence-sitting stuff from BBC (Christian Fraser) on the wearing of the Niqab in Egypt:

    “No covering up Egypt’s Niqab row”

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8299830.stm

    The BBC approach is not as insightful as this:

    “Ban the Burqa – the Niqab too” (by Daniel Pipes):

    [Extract]:

    “Nothing in Islam requires turning females into shapeless, faceless zombies; good sense calls for modesty itself to be modest. The time has come everywhere to ban from public places these hideous, unhealthy, socially divisive, terrorist-enabling, and criminal-friendly garments.”

    http://www.danielpipes.org/4783/ban-the-burqa-and-the-niqab-too

       0 likes

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