44 Responses to OPEN THREAD…

  1. Abandon Ship! says:

    BBC World Service Health check:

    “Can psychology save the planet? Facts alone are failing as awareness of climate change does not mean action to reduce emissions. Can psychologists change that?”

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/healthc

    i.e. if the buggers won’t fall into line then we’ll just hypnotise them to believe “the facts”

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    • Marky says:

      In other words mind control, brainwashing and propaganda – being sceptical of AGW is a thoughtcrime that needs to be stamped out. Very BBC.

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    • Martin says:

      Funny the BBC didn’t run the story about Cocaine growing destroying the environment. I wonder why?

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  2. cjhartnett says:

    Oh dear!
    I know the pondlife at Opinionated above my Education won`t be pleased at what is coming-but I`ve just heard Marcus Brigstockes new half-hour vehicle. It is a humour free zone but at least it allows us to ponder on what we pay our licence fee for. It takes us for the fools we are!

    It sounds like poor Marcus is hauling some old prep school exercise book around and still trying to get his equally unfunny mates onto the radio. That it never made the sixth form Revue seems to irk him-hence Mr Angry!…but why the hell do WE have to suffer?

    Honestly-you could hear the tumbleweed and the crashing of gears as this vehicle didn`t even make the showroom. It was utterly useless and has ruined a few careers except for those who bought it as a makeweight for getting some real talent like Jimmy Cricket or Jim Davison. I can find no other excuse for this toxic dump of tripe…and am telling you in some rage because those comedy titans at Feedback won`t let me say it. No wonder Marcus feels the plight of the threat to any protected species-he is plumped and preened every week now and trips over the touchline each time the Beeb insist on playing him-“he`s going to be really funny one day!”
    For Gods sake-let`s all splash out at pcWorld and get him as the comic in residence there-the conference circuit of East Devon deserves him and that`ll surely cover the prep school fees!
    ” Matron-the screens..Yumsk!”
    Oh heck-I see there is another three of them-any chance of getting the receipts so we can get a refund in the New Year…it`s our BBC so they told me once!

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  3. cassandra king says:

    Marcus is not funny but he is perfect BBC material, he is a right on trendy leftist, his political views are of the BBC approved variety so the fact that he is as funny as a case of oral cancer is not important.

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  4. George R says:

    BBC: don’t criticise the Islamic regime of Iran –

    There’s nothing in this dhimmi BBC report to displease Ahmadinejad.

    Well done BBC’s Mr. J. Leyne.

    “Iran opposition accused of insulting founder Khomeini”

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8410558.stm

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  5. Atheist Ranter says:

    Listening to Radio 4 this morning around 9am ish, I heard a piece from ‘their man in India’ stating that it is because of Global Warming that more people are now being eaten by Bengal Tigers!  

    There was some general blithering around sea level rises screwing up the rivers, moving wildlife around, but the bottom line is ‘it is because of global warming’.  Such utter rubbish they can get away with quoting.  On top of all that, sea levels have yet to raise, it’s just one of the many things that ‘will happen’ because of us bad people in the west.

    I wonder what his ‘carbon footprint’ was, traveling out there to invent and distribute such bilge?

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  6. cjhartnett says:

    Stood by my JobCentre today and held a minutes silence of my own to honour the viscious attack on poor Silvio Berlusconi.
    The BBC were in shock last night that a leader of the Free World could be so easily got to.
    We can now expect all our leading statesmen to carry concrete bollards around at all times when they might catch something from the civilians. Motorbike helmets on expenses for all our vulnerable MPs and media stars surely!
    Poor old Browm and Marr look like Milan Cathedral has already been used to make them more presentable without any success! Suggest Mandelsons green slime face mask next time!
    Trust we`ll all see this as another Franz Ferdinand moment when we`ve stopped laughing at Romes BBC correspondent talking about Silvios tragedy!

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  7. Paddy says:

    Bloody hell.

    Skating will now be available as a passtime in Hell

    BBC give airtime to a skeptic without interruption or veiled attacks

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00n9lm3/A_Point_of_View_23_10_2009

    Is the tide turning.

    I bloody hope so

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    • Bob says:

      Ah yes, hell has frozen over, not like Clive James has written articles on  this as well, or Andrew Neil has been sceptical in his blog, or the daily politics have run a series that included sceptics (although perhaps not given equal weight), or Newsnight have given space to some

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      • Paddy says:

        Bob,

        do you live in a bubble?

        If you take a see saw and put 45 elephants on one side  and on the other you put a cocker spaniel would you call that balanced?

        CJ was given free  airtime. Unedited unspun unapologised for. It was not ‘put into context'(Euphemism for dismissed as quackery)
        It was not interrupted by some artschool trot trying to score points.

        It was refreshing

        In Britain it snows about a couple of days of the year and yet we wouldnt call ourselves a snowy country.

        Just because the beeb devotes off peaktime hours in obscure show sto put the realists point doesnt make them balanced.

        Like snow on Christmas day it is a rare and beautiful thing but I wont be buying my snow mobile anytime soon.

        What stinks to me is where are the realist scientists, for they are many?

        Where is the proff from MIT? Where is the founder of the weather channel? Where is David Bellamy?

        Bellamy appears on US and Irish TV shows about AGW and yet he is absent from the beeb. Is it because people trust him? They respect him and he has a very good grasp of communication.

        When fluffy Grandad David talks people might listen people might question and that is just what auntie doesnt want.

        We are being spun a crock of shit by luddite eternal student radicals with BBC press credentials

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  8. cjhartnett says:

    Are none of us bovvered?
    Look-all those eco warriors may well be trapped in Copenhagen if those nasty airline crews at BA choose to go on strike.
    Please send all water wings and strong boots to our dreadlocked martyrs that you can-or failing that lets get a flotilla like the D-Day evacuations as least!I have already commandeered a pedalo from Weymouth Bay! Come on the rest of you!
    It`s what the polar bears would have wanted

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    • George R says:

      Apparently Brown is going to be in Copenhagen on Wednesday, giving away more British taxpayers’ money to foreign governments for ‘climate’; stuff PMQs in London, says Brown.

      BBC will be pleased.

      ‘Give the Labour government the gift of your money, and we”ll give it to foreign governments who may spend it on ‘climate’.

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  9. Millie Tant says:

    All this overseas aid money, whether for so-called climate purposes, or whatever else it’s for, should be linked in some way to money that we spend on illegal immigrants, non-existent or real chidren abroad, health service tourism, costs of detection, court, prison, housing and benefits, appeals, deportations, etc…so as the costs of the above go up, the overseas budget should go down in proportion.

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  10. John Anderson says:

    Yes,  the new Marcus Prig programme about Giles Wennbley Hogg – having been trailed ad nauseam – really was dire.   Half an hour of contrived “humour” that does not raise a single laugh.

    I ex0pect it will be repeated later in the week.   Awhole bloody series of rubbish.

    Don’t the BBC product-test the crap they put out any more ?

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  11. deegee says:

    The BBC doesn’t seem to notice the irony.  
    ‘Get to work’ urges urges Copenhagen climate summit head. We should all get together to destroy the economy of developing nations to save the world.  
     
    Earlier, the G77-China bloc, speaking for developing countries, said the Danish hosts had violated democratic process.  
    The G77-China bloc negotiates on behalf of 130 countries – ranging from wealthy nations such as Saudi Arabia, to some of the poorest states – in the UN climate negotiations.  
     
    Why is Saudi Arabia a wealthy nation? Because it is the world’s largest exporter of oil used to power internal combustion engines and power stations which in turn produce CO2. The BBC has not yet twigged that Saudi Arabia may be in a conflict of interests with the aims of the conference.  
    Why is China part of the bloc? It is a major producer of CO2 and isn’t going to slow its development in favour of Burkhina Faso.

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  12. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Any chance of the BBC reporting this?

    Al Qaeda’s Zawahiri Accuses Obama of Trying to ‘Enslave’ Arab World

    That really wouldn’t help His personal magical powers for saving the world on the last day of the Warmist Synod in Copenhagen, so I don’t expect much.  Come to think of it, where is the BBC analysis about why the US President is postponing His visitation on such a world-savingly important matter?  Surely Justin “Farcical Man” Rowlett can find space for it on his blog, at the very least.

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  13. deegee says:

    Alan Johston is back in the West Bank, walking down the Casbah (old market) in Nablus. It’s so quaint and primitive (and BTW buzzing with commerce)- clearly Israel is keeping it 3rd Worldy. Compare with the Nablus Municipality website – all about multistory buildings and getting on with business.

    But the Israeli occupation (of Nablus?) goes on and if these two peoples can’t find a way to move towards a peace deal which will satisfy both sides then the frustrations and tensions (illustrated by posters of ‘matryr’ because A.J. and the BBC crew couldn’t find anything else to shoot) in this city will possibly rise. There is a danger that violence will one day return to the alley ways of the Casbah. Translated: the people of Nablus will willingly sacrifice their standard of living and turn Nablus into Gaza City if ‘my friends’ dont get their way. PRICK.

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    • sue says:

      There’s something truly repulsive about Alan Johnston’s demeanour. Why does he have to say those things? In one way he’s stating the obvious. If there’s no peace there won’t be peace. He only does it to consolidate the BBC’s theory that Israel alone is responsible for preventing the peace process.

       Otherwise why couldn’t he go to Israel and walk along some street saying exactly the same thing, substituting “But the Palestinians’ refusal to recognise Israel and renounce violence goes on and on” for “But the Israeli occupation etc etc.”
      Yes Alan Johnston, if there’s no peace, there won’t be peace. And there is a danger that violence will return, and not only to the quaint streets of Nablus.

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  14. cjhartnett says:

    Say what you like about Bin Laden-but his carbon footprint is to die for surely!
     He lives in a cave and probably only runs into town to do a bit of shopping when he has to! Not like that gas guzzling,polar choking Obama.
    Let`s see some balanced reporting on this most crucial of issues.
    Wonder if  we could get him over here( by sustainable transport…hang glider?) to come and pick up his Green Lifetime Achievement award from Geri Halliwell or suchlike?
    Got to be better than bloody Brigstocke anyway!

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  15. Enzo says:

    This Cameron plan to make all MPs pay UK taxes – This is just a ploy to keep people paying taxes.

    Forced income taxation is nothing more than sharecropping.

    About the smartest idea I’ve ever seen – organize a mass tax protest, and bring the entire system down that way. If you dislike war, or dislike welfare, stop paying into the system that enables BOTH. War is just as “socialist” as “welfare”…which isn’t much, considering that there are usually a deep layer of corporate involvement; for example: private merc outfits like Blackwater, arms manufacturers, companies like KBR and Halliburton lining up for taxpayer’s money. All taxation represents is wealth distribution to the most corrupt people on the planet.

    “To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical. ”
    ~ Thomas Jefferson

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  16. George R says:

    BBC’s parallel spinning universe:  No ISLAM.


    1.) BBC ‘report’:

    “Spain sentences Barcelona subway terror cell men”

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8413025.stm

    2.) ‘Jihadwatch’:

    “Spain jails 11 ‘men’ for jihad plot”

    [Extract]:

    ‘”Asians.” “Men.” “Men of South Asian origin.” “Pakistanis.” “Men.” “Born in Pakistan.” “Pakistani origin.”
    ‘Eight paragraphs in, we learn it was a “suspected Islamist cell.” Until then, one might almost have gotten the impression that Pakistan had declared war on Spain. And that is the problem with this kind of coverage, which is, of course, thoroughly ordinary. It is not because they are “men,” or “Asians,” or “Pakistanis” that they are waging war on Spain. So these reports are essentially misleading.’

    http://www.jihadwatch.org/2009/12/spain-jails-11-men-for-jihad-plot.html

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  17. Marky says:

    More BBC climate change bollocks here, but at least most who have replied aren’t falling for it.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2009/12/bbc_news_coverage_of_copenhage.html

    “The world leaders who will gather in Copenhagen at the end of the summit will make their decisions informed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a scientific body established by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization. It reviews and assesses the most recent scientific, technical and socio-economic work relevant to climate change.”

    The IPCC, a scientific/political body established by the United Nations whose existence hinges on proving man made climate change exists and therefore needs managing globally by the UN and IPCC. No conflict of interest then.

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  18. Martin says:

    BBC ethical man on Newsnight trying to persuade us proles that climate change is man made. Tune on Wednesday to be brainwashed.

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    • Martin says:

      Og forgot to mention he will have a ‘scientist’ on hand to brainwash um I mean answer any questions. Want to bet it won’t be a skeptical scientist?

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  19. John Horne Tooke says:

    “Mr Obama’s popularity sunk to its lowest level yet with a Rasmussen poll that gave him an approval rating of just 44 per cent – the lowest for any president at this stage of his first term.”
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/6812387/Barack-Obama-health-care-bill-dealt-blow-by-Joe-Lieberman.html

    I wonder if the BBC would have reported this had it been “Bush”. Seems like a year after GW Bush won in 2001, he still had a rating of 81 to 82%.

    What is happening to the BBCs messiah?

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  20. woodentop says:

    Martin – I was just about to post on Newsnight and ethical man – apparently he’s going to show us the “science” behind global warming, in his low-carb kitchen with some water bottles, bicarbonate of soda and sticky-backed plastic. And a tame scientist to answer any questions us proles may have about the magic show. I hear Phil Jones from UEA has a bit of time on his hands at the moment.

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  21. Marky says:

    “The BBC – or, to give the Corporation its proper name, British state television – is on a multi-billion pound life support system, thanks to the licence fee extortion racket by which it acts as gatekeeper to 200 other television channels by charging £142.50 a year to viewers, the majority of whom do not want to watch its programmes. The BBC’s own report to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport in 2005 revealed that, if the licence fee were abolished, 58 per cent of viewers (14 million households) would opt out of all BBC television, leaving the Corporation with a paltry £1.2bn in revenue.

    That is the despised organisation that relentlessly inflicts climate alarmist propaganda, fairy tales, “bedtime stories” on the British public, in the style of Radio Moscow, circa 1954 (“Implement the resolutions of the 23rd Congress…” “We have 27 minutes to save the polar bears from melting…”). No intelligent or inquiring individual believes, respects or trusts the BBC. Ditto the print media that is similarly spewing out Al Gore’s trashy superstition.”

    http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/geraldwarner/100019894/climategate-the-ailing-mainstream-media-are-committing-suicide-by-ignoring-the-scoop-of-the-century/

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  22. cjhartnett says:

    Heard the Toady programme this morning until Montague did her horse laugh once too oftenat 7.23.
    Before it though we had some scientists whinging that their findings wern`t being taken seriously-indeed were even being spun-by those bad men(always men; being science eh?) in Whitehall…Nutt a martyr and all that!
    Funny that they don`t like it when we do take them seriously like at UEA-and for the BBC to pick on the last Tory administration for its examples was typical-no Thalidomide scandal on Wilsons watch then?
    Maybe we should get our fearless scientists a copy of Alistair Campbells audio book-BBC ran it as book of the week did it not?Or maybe they ought to check their salary statement to see who is paying them to whinge on Newsnight etc…yes the Government no less!

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  23. Grant says:

    I just caught the very end of the afternoon play on R4 yesterday .  ” Starring Marcus Brigstocke and written by Marcus Brigstocke “.  Looking forward to seeing him on “Top Gear” next. 

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  24. Grant says:

    Deegee 21:52

    Actually, China is a major investor in Burkina Faso, so when it comes to “climate change” and Copenhagen, the chinese are in a win-win situation !  Either way they will outsmart the stupid western “leaders”.

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  25. George R says:

    Difficult one for the BBC: who to support – Gitmo Binyam or dhimmi D.Miliband?:

    “David Miliband attacks ‘irresponsible’ judges over Binyam Mohamed”

    http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article6956218.ece

     

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  26. George R says:

    Aide memoire for BBC Copenhagen:

    “Climate change is natural: 100 reasons why”

    http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/146138

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  27. MarkE says:

    Interesting HYS at the moment: http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=7346&edition=2&ttl=20091215114325

    Now there are a number of issues here and a lot to discuss, but they seem to have given the moderating job to their slowest readers.  At the time of writing there are 25 published comments, 3 rejected and 199 queued.  Must be so hard to work out the line on this; muslim guy (doubleplusgood) defends family (ungood, families being evil) from crooks (sorry, “society’s victims”)(ungood). Does a doubleplus outweigh two simple “ungoods”?

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    • Marky says:

      The two Muslims were wrong to take the law into their own hands and use such force on a criminal who was no longer a threat to them or their family. They moved from victims of criminals to criminals themselves when they used unreasonable force. The judge was right.

      “Anyone acting outside the law should automatically forfeit the protection of the law.”

      If this were ever written into law then no-one would be safe from summary justice, lynch mobs, killing and maiming as people see fit. Britain would also then become a lawless society where individuals allow themselves to be judge, jury and executioner.

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  28. David Preiser (USA) says:

    It’s difficult to interpret this BBC report on the recent warrant for Tzipi Livni’s arrest for war crimes in any other way than that the Beeboids feel that any civilian death in war is a war crime.

    Key bit:

    Palestinians and human rights groups say more than 1,400 people were killed during Israel’s Cast Lead operation between 27 December 2008 and 16 January 2009, more than half of them civilians

    Israel puts the number of deaths at 1,166 – fewer than 300 of them civilians. Three Israeli civilians and 10 Israeli soldiers were also killed.

    No mention of circumstances, any illegal weapons usage by Israel, illegal tactics, or anything of the sort.  It’s simply left that civilian deaths = war crime.  Especially, one supposes, since the body count is so disproportionate.  The ghoulish body count Narrative never stops, nor does the demonization of Israel, above and beyond any other nation on Earth.

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    • deegee says:

      It’s a rhetorical question of course but I don’t expect the BBC to investigate it. Why does Israel kill so many more Palestinians than vice versa? 

      Here’s my take on it.
      1) No matter how lethal the intent the weapons used by Hamas are far less accurate than those used by Israel, generally carry a smaller warhead and probably most importantly Hamas has no means to check where they fall and correct their aim. Israel’s response was also sufficiently quick that Hamas really had no choice other than to point the rockets in the basic direction of population centres, light the fuses and run.
      2) Israel invests in civilian protection systems that warn of impending attacks (OK 15 secs but better than nothing). Every building must by law have a bomb shelter and after the first Gulf War every dwelling must have a reinforced room. Not so in Gaza or at least not reported.
      3) Israel’s first response is to move civilians away from danger Hamas deluded itself that by moving civilians around Hamas positions Israel would always hold their fire.
      4) Israel finally realised that sacrificing its own soldiers to protect against possible civilian deaths gained it nothing in world public opinion.
      5) The total number of casualties was actually remarkably low by international standards because Israel tried wherever possible to avoid killing innocents. 
      BTW 6) Israel’s figures are more truthfull than Hamas’ because it checked the names of reported victims against known terrorists but that begs the question why so few Hamas fighters died? The BBC’s Quil Lawrence reported that despite all the jihadi rhetoric far fewer Hamas fighters confronted the IDF than predicted. What ever happened to him?

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  29. rachel.miller says:

    Truly wonderful piece by Richard Black on climate change on the BBC website. (Please excuse the heavy sarcasm.)

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/richardblack/2009/12/cop15_questions_about_sex.html

    Why are there so many men among climate sceptics, and so few women? Well, of course, it’s because men are more likely to have psychological difficulties that cause them to dress in tweed, be dismissive, take dangerous risks, and be lacking in empathy. Do we award prizes for Best Ad-Hominem Attack in a BBC Article? Should we? This deserves an honourable mention at the very least.

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    • Marky says:

      The BBC is sinking to new lows over their biased coverage of ‘sceptics’ and AGW. Anyone with a modicum of sense should be able to see though the stinking bile the BBC output these days and I hope they say to themselves not with my money you don’t.

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  30. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Any chance the BBC will be reporting on this important women’s rights conference?

    Activists:  Harrassment Across Arab World Drives Women to Seek Cover

    The sexual harrassment of women in the streets, schools and workplaces of the Arab World is driving women to cover up and confine themselves to their homes, said activists at the first-ever regional conference addressing the once taboo topic.


    Activists from 17 countries across the region met in Cairo for a two-day conference ending Monday and concluded that harassment was unchecked across the region because laws don’t punish it, women don’t report it and the authorities ignore it.

    It’s the first-ever conference about women’s rights like this held in the Muslim World, yet the BBC can’t be bothered to mention it.

    Funny how abused women seem to be a non-story to the Beeboids when the women being abused are Muslim.

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  31. George R says:

    “And over on BBC 1 it’s Ready, Steady Yentob” (Littlejohn).

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1235919/And-BBC1-Ready-Steady-Yentob.html

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  32. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Can we have a new open thread please?  This one is about to disappear off the page.

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