Monthly Archives: July 2011

Myths and Facts Part 3

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A favourite talking head, panellist and guest of the BBC is Green MP for Brighton, Caroline Lucas. She’s the only Green MP, so you’d think she’d be busying herself doing the job she was elected to do. (Saving the planet.) Instead, as Richard Millett shows, she and some other intellectually challenged activists for peace or whatever they call themselves are creating unnecessary carbon footprints with a mock flotilla on the Thames. Why? Activists for peace are not ‘pacifists’ – a term which implies apathy, inactivity and capitulation. These people shriek “Free, free Palestine” and “from the river to the sea, Palestine shall be free” discordantly and shrilly through loudhailers, with little or no knowledge or understanding of what their chant means. The word ‘activist’ resonates with righteousness. Pent-up hatred animates such people into flatulent, gaseous, hyperactivity, till they enact vacuous gestures of pointlessness. Oh! the smug looks on their faces. Do they know what ‘From the River to the Sea” means? The Greens have links with undesirable organisations, antisemitic tendencies, and are popular with the BBC.

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Myths and Facts part 2

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The Rachel Corrie topic led to DB’s reminder of a couple of B-BBC articles we prepared earlier, concerning a journalist called Keira Feldman who had devised a kind of agenda-driven honey trap in order to coax a sensational story from Robert Spencer of Jihadwatch. She gave him the impression that she was “a freelancer working without a specific assignment”, when she was in fact working for the BBC. She now writes for US based radio stations and online publications, so her relationship with the BBC may have been but a brief fling. Her utterances on Twitter reminded me of why not to join. Keira’s photo with jaunty hat exudes the cockiness and overconfidence of a gel convinced of her own righteousness, despite having acquired dangerously little knowledge. Her anti Jewish articles indicate a deep-seated self-hatred or similar internal psychological conflict which would be best addressed medically. Hers, and thousands of others’ reflexive support for the fly/flo tilla illustrates how myths bed-in, however illogical they may be, and become part of the landscape.
By now, everyone but flotillistas accept that Gaza is not under siege. The famine in Africa throws Gaza’s humanitarian non-crisis into perspective. The BBC lets the failed flotilla story slink away with its tail between its legs, willing it to fade hurriedly into obscurity. But we do hear about the flytilla, another publicity stunt dreamed up by Israel-haters, primarily to make Israel look cruel, but also intended, in some transcendental way, to ‘help’ Palestinians.

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Myths and Facts part 1

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The initial lurid sensationalism is the part of a story that will always stick, never mind what emerges thereafter. Cindy Corrie’s piece in the Guardian’s ‘Comment is Free’ (H/T Too True) reminded me how unfortunate that can be, especially if the story appears to confirm any of the commonly-held negative preconceptions about Israel.
Just as people still repeat the Al Dura lies unchallenged on the BBC, the myth of Rachel Corrie’s noble martyrdom remains untarnished despite the facts that have come to light following the regrettable incident in 2003.
The notorious legend of Rachel Corrie’s adventures in Gaza concerns her passage from youthful but misguided idealist, through useful idiocy, to her final, inevitable destination – being bulldozed to death.

Posthumously exalted, deified and immortalised by Israel-hating dramatists and propagandists, and further elevated by having the good ship Rachel Corrie named in her honour, (and seized by the Israelis during last year’s propaganda-stunt-flotilla) her media-fuelled journey from zero to hero bears out the adage that a little knowledge is truly a dangerous thing.
It is understandable that Corrie’s family should take up her cause and exploit the unassailable position their bereavement affords them. To face the stark truth about her death would be to accept the futility of it and to rub salt into a painful wound.

However, overwhelming evidence indicates that she sacrificed herself on behalf of the ISM, a cynical and exploitative group who used her mercilessly. The martyr myth endures, regardless. People won’t let an inconvenient truth get in the way of a cherished fairytale. The Corrie fable is firmly embedded in the stubborn imaginations of people determined to cling to their preconceptions. To make matters worse, Israel had initially performed its customary suicidal ruse of taking the blame itself, even before the blamers had a chance to get their own accusations out of their mouths. They’re now beginning to see that was hasty.

“We’re nuts. We overlook the fact that Corrie’s death took place in the midst of the “intifada” terrorist onslaught against Israel and that she was working for a Palestinian-led organization as the first line of defense against Israel’s Operation Defensive Shield to stop terrorist suicide bombers. Just ten days before Corrie’s death, a Palestinian suicide bomber blew up a bus in Haifa, a few miles from the courthouse where the Corrie parents are suing.”
“Corrie and her band of ISM internationals had been disrupting IDF activity in Rafah just yards from the infamous “Philadelphi route” along the Gaza-Egypt border. This was an area of intense terrorist activity and was — and still is — the location of Hamas tunnels.”
“On the day of Corrie’s death, the new ISM aggressive actions involved placing themselves in severe danger. Eyewitness reports recorded immediately after Corrie’s death prove that the ISMers had knowingly decided to put themselves in harm’s way.

“Reported here — for the first time — is the fact that prior to Corrie’s death at least two “internationals” had been pulled out from under the bulldozers at the last second.”

Eight years on, Corrie’s parents have again taken Israel to court, being dissatisfied with the initial investigation. The first phase of this is over and a press conference took place in Jerusalem on this very day. Whether the BBC will report this I wouldn’t like to guess, but if Israel can be blamed unequivocally, I’d hazard a yes.
The Guardian, needless to say, is already on the case. But it’s not over yet. Even when the courts have finally finished with it, the legend will live on. I’m telling this story merely because you won’t hear it, at least not impartially, on the BBC; and because it’s a prequel to more things I’m going to mention, which I hope will illustrate the ignorance, superficiality and agenda-driven half truths which will be dished up for public consumption if ever the BBC monopoly comes to pass.

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ON THOSE DETECTOR VANS…

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A Biased BBC reader writes to advise that despite suggestions to the contrary, BBC Detector Van’s evidence has NEVER been used in Court! Here are details 

“Despite being very reluctant the BBC has finally confirmed what we all knew anyway – detector van/portable detector evidence has neverbeen presented in court. The revealing Freedom of Information Act response came after the BBC u-turned on their earlier decision to withhold the information under the law enforcement exemptions of the 2000 Act. In their revised response, issued after an internal review found in our favour, Beeb Kiwi lawyer Dan McGregor says the following: “I can confirm that TVL has not, to date, used detection evidence in Court.

I find the whole “detector vans” aspect of the BBC operations positively menacing and evidence of a mindset that is both arrogant and bullying.

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LOVING ALISTAIR!

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You cannot failed to have noticed the frequency with which Alistair Campbell has been appearing on the BBC recently. He has become ubiquitous as the BBC pursues the next target onthe hit-list David Cameron for employing Andy Coulson. A Biased BBC reader asks is this the same BBC that now has Tony Blair’s spin doctor, the man who took usto war on a lie leading to the death of British soldiers and hundreds ofthousands of Iraqi civilians?

The Daily Mail has noticed:
‘With almost unbelievable feebleness, it has clasped its one-time persecutor toits bosom. Worst of all, it is treating him as though he is a great statesman,a man of honour and a respectable person, whereas he is, in fact, anunscrupulous bully who has often omitted to tell the truth.’
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-467567/Why-IS-BBC-lionising-liar-like-Alastair-Campbell.html

 and so has political blogger Iain Dale:
” I can think of no one who book the BBC has publicised more than AlastairCampbell. I can think of no one who has ever had a full half an hour interviewin the 8.10 slot of the Today Programme. I can think of no one who would beallowed three programmes simply to read their book out on prime time BBC2.
Is this the BBC’s way of saying sorry?’
http://iaindale.blogspot.com/2007/07/how-bbc-is-saying-sorry-to-alastair.html

Yes it is, step forward Alastair Campbell…here having an enviable amount offree publicity for his books…all organised by the BBC….

‘OMG, as the yoof says, if they (the BBC top brass of course) could see me now.. all alone in a BBC studio, sitting at a BBC computer, eating a BBC tunamelt. They’re very trusting these BBC people — I reckon if I twiddled enough ofthe hundreds of knobs in the vicinity, I could get on air somewhere.
Not that I want to. My voice is starting to go a bit already, having donebreakfast telly and then 19 local and regional radio interviews, all in theinterests of publicising a book
These mass interviews are organised by something called BBC GNS.
http://www.alastaircampbell.org/blog/2010/06/03/all-alone-in-my-own-bbc-studio/

 or how about another BBC job appearing in ‘The Speaker’….ushered in as amentor, a figure to be looked up to and respected by young people….
 
‘Tony Blair’s former Director of Communications and Speech Writer AlastairCampbell, demonstrates the subtleties of Persuasion.’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/speaker/about/mentors/index.shtml

 or how about this, a special one off programme just for Mr Campbell:
‘Cracking Up’
In 1986, Alastair Campbell “cracked up”. His breakdown was the culmination ofmonths of intensive stress at work, too much alcohol and myriad other complexissues. Twenty two years later, the former Downing Street Director ofCommunications embarks on a personal journey, exploring his breakdown andsubsequent recovery in this special, one-off programme for BBC Two.
http://www.recoverywirral.com/2010/03/bbc-headroom-cracking-up-alastair-campbell-on-breakdown/

 or there is ‘The Alastair Campbell Diaries’….a series of programmes in whichhe reads extracts from his diaries.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007swj3

or this programme, ‘My Life in Books’, where he reads discusses his 5 favouritebooks, , and note no mention of his controversial past:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00z7sgp
‘After the 1997 election he became the Prime Minister’s Chief Press Secretaryand Official Spokesman. He returned to the Labour Party for six months prior tothe 2005 general election and continued to advise the party informally underGordon Brown, including during the 2010 campaign.’

oh and the appearance on Question time, innumerable other appearances on newsprogrammes and with Andrew Marr.

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STOP MURDOCH

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It may be a new week but the BBC is very clear on the need to STOP Rupert Murdoch taking control of BSkyB. Listen to this onslaught led by Robert Peston and were that not enough for you then try this from Nick Robinson. It’s remarkable to see the State Broacaster taking such an active and clearly biased role in this story as it seeks to buttress it’s own massive monopolistic power at our expense. One surreal angle that the BBC has been pushing is that the Murdoch evil empire is so big, so powerful, that it constitutes a threat to that all important “diversity.” A B-BBC reader informs;

But just who are thebiggest providers of web services? The United Kingdom Online Measurement Company Ltd. www.ukom.uk.net top web brands. While the profile of businesses populating much of the Top 50 has changed since2004, the Top 10 web businesses place the BBC 5th behind google, facebook, msnand yahoo. Sky is 15th, News Corp papers are 29th.

The fact is that it is the BBC which constitutes the single BIGGEST threat to democracy and diversity of opinion and it is relentlessly taking advantage of the (defunct) NOTW saga to try and nail Murdoch. This is the story that the MSM seems oblivious about and so you will excuse me if I harp on about it.

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UNIQUELY FUNDED

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Reported in the Telegraph:

The BBC’s annual report, published tomorrow, will show that it paid 19 presenters, actors and journalists more than £500,000 last year, at a cost of £22 million. However, despite promising MPs that it would reveal how many stars are paid between £500,000 and £750,000, as well as the number on £750,000 to £1million and those on more than £1million, the broadcaster has now dropped the plans.

BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten has defended the U-turn.

So, sod you licence payers.

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What You Won’t Be Told About The U.S. Budget Deal

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There won’t be a fantastic budget deal tonight, and the President won’t get His big economic victory. The BBC seems to think that only the “newly empowered Republicans” are causing ideologically-driven obstacles to agreeing on a debt package.

When the Congressionally-set debt limit has been reached in the past, Congress has voted to raise it.

This year, however, newly empowered Republicans are determined to prevent any tax increases and want to see aggressive measures to reduce the deficit in exchange for agreeing to raise the debt ceiling.

Actually, they’re prepared to allow some of the class-war taxes (e.g. the expiration of the Bush tax cuts) in exchange for real lowering of the overall tax burden in the near future. The BBC knows that the President needs a big score here, as most people simply don’t trust Him to fix the economy right now.

The Obama administration wanted “the biggest deal possible” on debt reduction, Mr Geithner told NBC’s Meet the Press.

And now it looks like He’s not going to get one. So, who is to blame? The White House version, as told by the Washington Post, is the class war angle.

“We cannot ask the middle-class and seniors to bear all the burden of higher costs and budget cuts. We need a balanced approach that asks the very wealthiest and special interests to pay their fair share as well, and we believe the American people agree,” White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer said in a statement.

The BBC, naturally, echoes it:

But it also involved tax hikes and closing tax loopholes for the wealthiest Americans, something opposed by many Republicans.

In a statement released late on Saturday, Mr Boehner said he was pulling back from the $4tn package because it involved tax increases.

“Despite good-faith efforts to find common ground, the White House will not pursue a bigger debt reduction agreement without tax hikes,” he said.

The quotes from Boehner seem to support the White House’s side of the story. Except here’s the part the BBC doesn’t want you to know about the tax deal.

The White House isn’t giving in on any of the entitlement reforms they promised they’d make in exchange for the Republicans giving in on the quick tax rises I mentioned above. In fact, they want even more tax increases right at the time when the smart money says that’s the worst thing to do.

The Republican source said the Boehner-Obama effort stalled over taxes. After Boehner pushed the president to pursue major entitlement changes in the debt deal, Obama insisted on additional revenues, which Democrats have demanded throughout the deficit discussions. The Speaker, according to the Republican source, said the new revenues must come from economic growth and broad-based tax reform, not straight tax increases. The Republican said the White House rejected a Boehner proposal offered on Friday for “the core elements of tax reform.”

“A gulf also remains between the Speaker and the White House on the issue of medium and long-term structural reforms,” the Republican said. “Consequently, the Speaker believes a package that is smaller but still consistent with the standards he has outlined may now be the most appropriate option.”

The White House says it’s not true, but then read this:

WH is demanding major, unambiguous tax hikes. To get spending caps & entitlement tweaks, greater economic pain appears to be the WH’s asking price. It is increasingly likely that we aren’t going to see a ‘big’ deal if the WH doesn’t budge. Speaker looks to be holding strong. …

Their fierce insistence on higher taxes is beyond bizarre.

After months of demanding ‘clean’ increase to avert economic calamity (default), WH threatens economic calamity (default) unless they get economic calamity (trillions in tax hikes). No wonder these guys are governing over an economic calamity (9.2% & growth malaise), w an economic calamity on the horizon (debt explosion as mapped out in president’s budget).

The President’s own Comission He set up to look into this approved the Republicans’ notion of overall tax reduction and reform, but He won’t do it. None of this is in the BBC’s coverage. They either don’t have good enough sources, or just don’t feel like telling you.

It’s ideological. He’s too partisan, too stubborn, too stuck in class war mode. The result will be that Boehner will walk away tonight and we’ll end up with a smaller quick fix which won’t be the economic home run the President needs. He’ll have done it to Himself, but it will be spun as the Tea Party destroying the country, and Republicans selling out the country to protect the wealthy. That will be the story the BBC will tell you. And they won’t tell you what He really did.

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PC Puzzle

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A B-BBC reader says “There’s much puzzlement in Hampshire about what section of the community feels it is acceptable to put an old pony in a trap and force it into a lake in order to drown it.”

Pony ‘beaten’ into Hampshire lake dies. (Or should that be ‘dies’?)

When the BBC finally has the monopoly of newsgathering and reporting how will anyone ever know what’s behind the politically correct obfuscation of such stories?
Will such incidents always be carried out by ‘People’ and never by ‘Travellers’ or indeed ‘Gypsies’?

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