226 Responses to OPEN THREAD

  1. My Site (click to edit) says:

    I wonder how long it will be before this latest closes?

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2011/10/talking_to_haqqani_how_it_was.html

    Siraj Haqqani, a rising star in the second generation of Taliban leaders’

    Guess he’ll be on Strictly.. next?

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    • My Site (click to edit) says:

      Have to say.. opening with ‘Dear BBC Friends’ was cute. If, probably, accurate.

      I this was WW2, the new generation BBC would have been running Lord Haw Haw’s feed for him.

      So now I have to co-fund enemy propaganda?

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  2. john in cheshire says:

    The purpose of the article appears to be to show how wonderful are the bbc reporters in chasing down a story. Their ingenuity and diligence is a wonder to behold. Such intrepid reporters, and all from the safety of their own armchair.

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  3. TheGeneral says:

    “Then, last Sunday, a BBC Pashto reporter in the Khost province of Afghanistan, was approached by an envoy of Siraj Haqqani – the son of Jalaluddin, the group’s founder    (the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network ), who has a key role in the network’s operations.”

    Well its not surprising. Any anti Israel, anti America, anti Christian, anti Democracy, muderous organisation can be assured of a favourable reception from the BBC.

    NB :  By anti American I mean anti that part of America not associated with Barac Obama.

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    • deegee says:

      Anti American trumps pro Obama.

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    • John Horne Tooke says:

      anti Israel, anti America, anti Christian, anti Democracy” You don’t need so many words “anti-western civlization” will do.

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  4. Louis Robinson says:

    But the rule is when criticising America the name “Obama” is usually omited. This allows the BBC to be Pro-Obama while remaining anti-American. Good trick.

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  5. D B says:

    A young lady by the name of Jenny Clarke tweeted this yesterday:

    Shut up going on about how great Manchester is George Osborne. We know it is and flattery will not buy our votes. Now kindly fuck off.

    This was her next tweet which appeared today:

    @InspiralGraham Hi!I work for BBC Radio Manchester and would love to arrange in interview with you! Please e-mail jennifer.clarke3@bbc.co.uk

    She’s clearly way down the pecking order, but the fact that she felt relaxed about tweeting her message to Osborne reveals – yet again – a great deal about prevailing opinion within the BBC.

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    • Jack Bauer says:

      Carlos Tevez thinks Manchester sucks — I wonder if the delighful Jenny has tweeted him to fuck off.

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    • My Site (click to edit) says:

      I would deeply admire any Beeboid who put this on their twitter bio – ‘The views expressed here are the only way I could get a job amongst the benighted inbreds that pass as Helen Boaden’s genetic impartiality cluster-fubar’

      Mind you, a role elsewhere in the media market rate infirmament for an actual talent may then be required.

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    • My Site (click to edit) says:

      She’s clearly way down the pecking order,’

      Beyond sussing how you gain ‘cred’ wiv da hood, another peroxide sink also clearly running a box of rocks quite close on twitter savvy.

      Note to hive: twitter is not an intranet. But, please, do carry on. It is the gift that keeps on giving.

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    • Jeremy Clarke says:

      Odd, really. Telling someone to fuck off on Twitter is essentially little different from telling them fuck off in person – it is a public medium, after all, and Jenny Clarke has identified herself as a BBC employee.

      Clearly, this is inadvisable on two levels. Her employer may be a little concerned that she is making such politically partisan comments – even allowing for the ‘the views expressed are what I have been brainwashed into thinking and not those the BBC’ caveat.

      The other problem is this: I am sure Jenny is absolutely, utterly, completely, 150,000 per cent impartial’ to the very core of her undoubtedly generous and loving being, but by publicly exhorting the Tory Chancellor to go forth and procreate, she is, in fact, presenting DB and Biased BBC with the juiciest of leg-stump half-volleys.

      In other words, she is quite stupid.

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      • David Preiser (USA) says:

        You’re assuming she wouldn’t say that in person.  Of course she would.  If she had a different viewpoint, she wouldn’t be working for BBC Radio Manchester.

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    • John Horne Tooke says:

      Ever thought of sending that tweet here?

      http://twitter.com/#!/GOsborne_MP

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    • D B says:

      I see Jenny Clarke has closed down her @jenrclarke Twitter account. She’s now @jennyfleur88 and has protected her tweets.  
       
      For posterity…

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      • David Preiser (USA) says:

        Excellent work, DB!  I wonder if that is connected to David Gregory’s tweet on the topic of personal views (as pointed out later in this thread)?

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        • D B says:

          Quite possibly, yes. I’d be surprised if they didn’t discuss this sort of thing at the BBC social media away day he attended yesterday. On which point – I notice Prodger hasn’t had much to say for himself over the past few days.

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          • David Preiser (USA) says:

            I still say it’s hypocritical for the BBC to encourage their employees to use Twitter to better engage with their audience but then protest when people think they’re doing it in their capacity as BBC employees.

            Twitter truly is the gift that keeps on giving.  I hope someone is keeping a running tab on how many of these dopey Beeboids have been busted on this.  Still waiting for an intrepid defender of the indefensible to show us a single Beeboid tweet coming from the other side of the political spectrum on any issue.

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            • D B says:

              Pick out a BBC tweeter, go to the follow list and find other BBC tweeters. You are almost guaranteed to find yourself within a network of people who share a Guardian-reader lefty-lib worldview.

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  6. Louis Robinson says:

    An interesting BBC narrative is developing on the “riots in the USA” front.

    “As a man known as Mercury puts the finishing touches to his corporate zombie make up, he explains why he’s joined the anti-capitalist protests here in the shadow of Wall Street.

    “We are inspired by the Arab Spring. Americans have rights but they’re too often apathetic.”
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15160953

    How soon before we see the words “American Spring” in the media? The hero and one of the instigators George Soros is being portrayed as some sort of benevolent uncle (“Mr. Soros was announcing a gift of $40m (£26m) to a development project in Africa.”) and even – the ultimate accolade! – The protesters won support from actor Alec Baldwin, who posted videos on his Twitter page that had already been widely circulated” Alec Baldwin! Wow!

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15155046

    This “unrest” has been predicted by many and prepared for months. But the “spontaneous outpouring of protest against corporate America” line is the one the most of the media will stick by.

    Meanwhile you can almost hear the plaintive pleading from Laura Trevelyan: “The question is whether this ad hoc group of protesters – who feel they’re getting the short end of the stick while corporate America hoards money – could morph into a political movement, a kind of left wing Tea Party.

    Translation: We lefties want our own tea party and till we get it we’ll stamp our feet and scream and scream till we are sick.

    Has Laura ever asked herself why corporate America is “hoarding money”? Because they don’t want to flush it down the toilet like the trillions of dollars of stimulus money. They don’t trust the current administration not to “redistribute” good money among bad people. They want to know what future tax rates will be. Theyn don’t want to hand their money over to the Chicago political machine to buy the next US election. They want stability. They don’t want to hand capital over to Mr. “Mercury” and his ilk.

    However pictures speak louder than words:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15160346

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    • Geyza says:

      Although Soros is undoubtedly taking advantage of these protests, he is NOT the instigator, (Much as some in the Fox end of the media would love it to be the case).

      What I have seen of the coverage from opposing sides of the media (although they are actually on the same side) Is the right wing media portraying this as a bunch of Marxists and lefty scum paid by Soros to cause trouble.  The left wing media portray this as poor working people standing up for the cause against corrupt bankers and against climate change and any other left wing pet grievance they may have.

      In truth it is a wide cross-section of society, from the working class to the upper middle class, all people who have been screwed by the Federal Reserve and the Fractional reserve system of banking with a worthless fiat currency, and the obscenely corrupt distribution of bail-out funds which were stolen from Main street and handed to Wall Street.

      Many of them want to end the Fed, and scrap fractional reserve banking and restore the power to issue currency to the Congress.  The media are studiously ignoring the real sentiment of these protests to portray them as whatever is most helpful to whatever their own personal agenda is.

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      • Louis Robinson says:

        Point taken

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      • Margo Ryor says:

        Um, the Truth seems to be the protestors belong to the Ivy League upper income non-productive elite that has been the source of Leftist twaddle in this country since the sixties if not before. Foxnews’ condemnation barely balances the love from the rest of the networks. As a columnist on Foxnews.com admits they have a few good points, but for the most part it’s the usual anti-capitalist twaddle.

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        • Geyza says:

          Anti Capitalist? I think not. I have seen loads of protestors calling for a RETURN of capitalism and the scrapping of corporatism.  Something that the corporatist right and corporatist left and the whole corporate elite definately do NOT want to see, hence why they only interview a select few protesters who happen to agree with whatever corporatists agenda their news corporation supports.

          Capitalists would have allowed the banks to fail and let the less greedy, less corrupt and more responsible surviving banks pick over the carcasses of the failed banks.

          Corporatists use tax payers money to bail out the corrupt failed banks at the expense of the rest of the economy.  Privatising profit and socialising loss is NOT capitalism.

          Most of the protestors I am in contact with oppose corporatism, corruption and the decay of the global financial system brought about by fractional reserve banking of fiat currencies, and would love sound money and capitalism and a return to free markets, small government, state’s rights, and a capitalist USA.

          I am in contact with people who are blue collar, white collar, students and wealthy middle classes who are ALL supporting these occupy Wall Street protests and all for the same reason.  and NONE of that reason is getting on any news channel, because ALL the corporatist news channels depend on the same markets and advertisers who rely on corporatist corruption, kick-backs and lobbyists to stay in business.

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          • David Preiser (USA) says:

            This more accurately reflects the desires I’ve been hearing from many sources:

            And the call of action should be to END the PRIVATE CONTROL over our MONEY system.

            DEMAND PUBLICLY OWNED, NOT-FOR-PROFIT, STATE RUN BANKS IN EVERY STATE.

            If North Dakota can do it and end up with the lowest unemployment in the nation and a yearly budget surplus, then every state can!

            North Dakota, BTW, is doing well because of oil.  This will not go down well with the Leftoids doing the protesting, or with Van Jones, who heads another organization sponsoring other protests, or with Susan Sarandon.  But the author of the above probably isn’t aware of that.

            This is not an intelligent plan for prosperity.

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          • David Preiser (USA) says:

            More on the demands and desires of the Occupy Wall Street geniuses can be seen here.  This is much, much more than regulating the banks and simple corporatism.

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      • David Preiser (USA) says:

        Most of the protesters from last week wouldn’t know the Federal Reserve from Federal Express.  This is more about the same banker bashing we hear from the usual suspects than any intelligent ideas.

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    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      The BBC is much more sympathetic to the viewpoints of these people than they have been about the viewpoints of Tea Partiers.  Funny how protesting against bank bailouts is cool when some people do it, but not when others do it.

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    • Margo Ryor says:

      Ye God, have you seen those pictures. I’m having sixties flashbacks here! Pretty much settles who these protestors really are imo.

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    • Reed says:

      This kind of amorphous gathering of anti-anything types often occurs at this time of the year. Late summer is usually the time for climate change camps near various travel hubs, and other assorted jamborees for the usual suspects. The reason? – they’ve all de-camped from the summer festival tours, which have all come to an end, and are looking for one last venue to pitch their tents, wave their banners and bang their drums. Once the cooler weather beckons, they will all fade away, back to their comfortable, middle class lives. There is no real cause behind this protest, except for the need of people with a certain mindset and political outlook to have one last attempt at feeling ’empowered’ before winter sets in. It won’t last much longer.

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    • George R says:

      Let’s not forget how multi-billionaire SOROS is involved in financing left-wing groups, which BBC-NUJ supports politically; nor should we forget Soros’s financial speculation against the pound sterling.    
         
         
      “The Soros Loophole”    
         
      http://frontpagemag.com/2011/08/11/the-soros-loophole/
         
         
      And:    
         
      Glenn BECK:    
         
      (video clip)    
         
      “Soros the Puppetmaster” ( Part 4)    
         


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      • David Preiser (USA) says:

        Here’s what the Occupy Wall Streeters really want, from the sympathetic NY Times:

        On the group’s Web site, they describe themselves as a “leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions. The one thing we all have in common is that we are the 99 percent that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1 percent.”

        The 1 percent refers to the haves: that is, the banks, the mortgage industry, the insurance industry. The 99 percent refers to the have-nots: that is, everyone else. In other words, said a group member: “1 percent of the people have 99 percent of the money.”

        It’s class war and little else.  There may be the odd reasonable outlier who understands the bigger picture about crony capitalism and a toothless SEC, but this is pretty basic class war stuff, and the quotes we’ve heard from actual protesters generally back this up.

        I say the NY Times is sympathetic because the freelancer they hired to cover the event got arrested along with the protesters. YCMIU.

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  7. Billy-no-mates says:

    I am listening to Sheilagh Fogerty on R5. There was piece regarding Doctors not speaking English. Sheilagh said the unthinkable – Surely the answer is to train more of our own Doctors? You could feel the panic as one contributor said the NHS keeps a balance of 1/3 to 2/3 foreign to home grown so we are dependent on foreign doctors (?????????) and the other contributor said quickly that we should think about regional accents as well (??????????). No more discussion, ……. It hasn’t finished yet so its not on iplayer its about 45-50mins in when it goes on. I’m still quite shocked at the lack of obvious questions and am beginning to doubt what I heard.

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    • noggin says:

      that discussion is 38 mins in, lots of excusery terms “anomalies” 
      “loopholes”,  “linguistically challenged”, basically going all the way “around the houses” instead of being to the point.
      she did mention why not more british doctors?….thankfully
      the 2 in house, Drs were El Beeb guardian reading, multi culti
      rainbow society fu-kwits, hence the….
      “well what about a regional accent eh!” moment?? 😀
       what about, a Bangledeshi patient (no Engilsh) and a Lithuanian Dr (no English)….el beeb answer,….
                many 1000s  of more translators obviously…

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      • Billy-no-mates says:

        I revisited again – so much tip-toeing around the questions. The loophole which “only” exists for Euro doctors! The most frightening part (again unexplored) was how they got round the problem in France. Apparantly, they get round it with a informal meeting with the potential doctor to understand how good they actually are. For younger readers in times past this was called an IN-TER-VIEW – so apparantly doctors are employed by trusts in the UK without being interviewed? – I really find this hard to believe yet how else can you explain employing incompetant doctors who don’t speak English. Then when caught out – blame the EU?? which is such obvious bullshit (no love lost here with the EU – but really?) In the good old days we had people dressing up in medical gear pretending to be doctors in now appears we have people pretending to be hospital managers.

        If regional accents were a problem CBBC would  have to be closed down!

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  8. Jack Bauer says:

    Here’s an intersting precedent…

    http://www.football365.com/news/21554/7222938/Premier-League-hit-by-TV-case
    The Premier League may face an upheaval in how they sell their TV rights after the European Court of Justice ruled in favour of a pub landlady who used a foreign decoder to show live matches at 3pm on Saturdays.


    The ruling by the ECJ could have major implications for how the Premier League sell their broadcast rights both in Britain and Europe.


    The ECJ said in a statement: “A system of licences for the broadcasting of football matches which grants broadcasters territorial exclusivity on a member state basis and which prohibits television viewers from watching the broadcasts with a decoder card in other member states is contrary to EU law.”

    So I’m thinking…
    Then how is it also legal for the BBC to charge people for watching the BBC via a TV Poll Tax?…
    More to the point how is it LEGAL (using EU diktat) for the BBC to force people to pay them for merely OWNING a TV even if you DON’T WATCH THE BBC…
    There must be some linkage here?

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    • Geyza says:

      Indeed and is it also illegal for the BBC to block people in other EU states from watching BBC output on the web? I know that this can be curcumvented by foreign proxy servers, but isn’t it illegal in principle?

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    • deegee says:

      Talk about the irony if the TV license fee is brought down by the BBC’s beloved EU.

      et tu Brute

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      • Geyza says:

        This may be my cynical side coming out but, I think if the EU actually tried to end the BBC licence fee, that this would be the only thing that would actually make the government say no to the EU and mean it!

        However IF the EU did manage to scrap the BBC licence fee, that the inscription on my headstone would read, “Died laughing”

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      • ltwf1964 says:

        that would make my whole decade

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  9. Rated says:

    Here’s a typical piece of Beeboid nonsense:

     http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15168103

    I certainly do not recall them having the same box at the Labour conference!  After all, anyone outside of luvvieville is quite capable of seeing which political leader is most likely to be ousted by their party, but in typical BBC fashion, they always feel they have to suggest that the Conservative party is eternally divided, with no evidence whatsoever to back up their “wacky” experiment (of which you can’t see 99% of those who actually voted anyway).

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    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      This assumes that Cameron won’t last until the next election. Do the Beeboids seriously expect you to believe that Miliband Minor is in less danger of a leadership challenge than Cameron?

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  10. Geyza says:

    The first line: “There is no leadership crisis at the Conservative conference, but…” 

    Aren’t they always having ‘comedians’ on their vast array of stand up panel shows who always get a laugh using the reliable line,
    “Like those who say, I am not a racist, BUT…”

    So the BBC are saying that they are not letting reality get in the way of their left wing agenda and they will create as much mischief for the tories as possible, regardless.

    As you say, there was no such box at the Labour conference, despite their delagates being a lot more dissalusioned with Ed Miliband, than the tories in Manchester are with Cameron.

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  11. Will says:

    The BBC’s bleeding heart feature on the poor abused Somalian pirates & murderers, recently the subject of comments here, has a companion piece. We are informed that “Al Megrahi also described how he was running short of vital medicine” – maybe it would be available in a Scottish nick?

    I notice also that to the BBC Al Megrahi is “The man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing”. Not the man/murderer guilty of the bombing.

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    • Geyza says:

      I also saw some news articles today which have this miracle of a man whom we were assured by the BBC  a few weeks ago was in a coma and literally a few days from death, and now he is miraculously awake and speaking of his innocence about to be proved soon…

      Hasn’t anyone at the BBC ever learned what being in a coma actually means?

      Perhaps all the relatives of coma patients all over this country should shout in the patient’s ears, “GET UP YOU LAZY BASTARDS!”?

      I mean, WTF?

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    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      And the man who seems to have made a miraculous recovery from a coma….

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  12. ltwf1964 says:

    BBC views at 9PM last night

    George Aligayah reading the headlines

    “years after the invasion of Afghanistan,the Taliban are unbeaten and unbowed…..”

    can you imagine what Churchill would have done to the quisling BBC lowlifes if they had likewise intoned that “months after d-day Hitler is unbeaten and unbowed”?

    yes-that’s right readers

    he’d have had the scum shot at dawn,and rightly so

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    • My Site (click to edit) says:

      They seem to be feeling ’empowered’.

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2011/10/talking_to_haqqani_how_it_was.html

      Both the Taliban, and their UK PR arm.

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    • Dez says:

      ltwf,

      You want anyone reporting that the Taliban are unbeaten to be “shot at dawn”? Even if they are unbeaten?

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      • Reed says:

        Hyperbole. Chill.

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      • matthew rowe says:

        Erm are you just playing thick or [not that you would know being thick an all] just daft?? the post stated  some one else would have acted in that way I see no support or condemnation unlike you and your total pro BBC waffle!

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        • Dez says:

          “the post stated  some one else would have acted in that way I see no support or condemnation”

          Erm: “he’d have had the scum shot at dawn, and rightly so

          Whatever, comparing the current situation in Afghanistan to D-Day is ridiculous.

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      • hippiepooter says:

        Scez, you use the word “if”.  It’s a highly contentious point in favour of the enemy that the Taliban are “unbeaten and unbound”.  As a rule, unpleasant things should happen to people who aid and abett the enemy at time of war.

        If your country means anything to you that is.

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        • Dez says:

          “…you use the word “if”.  It’s a highly contentious point in favour of the enemy…”

          My use of the word “if” was as part of a question. I’ll try to ask again; If one or more journalists come to the conclusion that Britain is losing a war do you think they should be made to keep quiet?

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        • NotaSheep says:

          Don’t feed the troll.

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  13. Sres says:

    BBC tearing Theresa May a new one about a cat!  They’re really scraping the barrel today with the headline.

    Theresa May ‘wrong’ over migrant cat tale

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    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      Sopel was just giving Clarke a hard time over it, and then made puns about the cat.  That’s the only coverage of the conference on the News Channel during the last 90 minutes or so.

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    • john says:

      Well at least we know which hapless moggy is the Home Secretary.

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    • As I See It says:

      Don’t forget the BBC consider themselves to be the unofficial opposition. If only the BBC, The Guardian and Labour would merge then we would all know where we stand.

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      • cjhartnett says:

        What a pudding this lady is!
        Her political career is palled by failure, fudge and flippety floppity!
        A complete nomark who has never-nor will ever-leave a trace of any contribution to public life.
        But she is female, so follows Jacqui Smiff into the ballpool…Cameron insults us with her kind.
        As for the cat…when the News Channels see THAT as the point of her (albeit silly) story….we can only say that real politics died back with Roy Jenkins…at least he WAS worthy of hate, scorn and contempt.
        Blair and the like are pitiful creatures by comparison…not even worth the latex of a Spitting Image puppet(ethically sourced or no!)

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        • Grant says:

          cj,
          Yep, I still don’t see the point of her.  She seems utterly devoid of a brain.  I guess that is the first requisite for a British politician. 

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        • NotaSheep says:

          The BBC know what the point of the speech was, that’s why they have been concentrating on the cat remark (and nothing else). Muddying the watrers, not allowing the British public to hear what else was said. The BBC’s enthusiasm for multiculturalism at the expense of so much else, will not diminish whatever the evidence that it is a failed policy.

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    • Teddy Bear says:

      As it happens she was kinda right about the cat, and even the Guardian ended up clarifying it. Seems The immigration judge said: “The evidence concerning the joint acquisition of Maya (the cat) by the appellant and his partner reinforces my conclusion on the strength and quality of the family life that appellant and his partner enjoy.”

      The judge added: “Canadian courts have moved away from the legal view that animals are merely chattels, to a recognition that they play an important role in the lives of their owners and that the loss of a pet has a significant emotional impact on its owner.”

      Somehow in the BBC desire to destroy her chances at ending their precious EU Human Rights Act, they seemed to have overlooked it – by my reckoning they’ve got at least 13 eggs on their faces judging by the number of articles and videos on the subject.

      Funny how when a story goes against their desired agenda they seem to overlook it – and when they believe it promotes it there’s overkill.
      :-E

      Their idea of ‘balance’? 

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      • Barry says:

        I’m not a huge fan of Theresa May, I’d prefer Norman Tebbit, but she was right about the cat.

        The BBC is sensing blood – that’s what is happening here.

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        • Roland Deschain says:

          But why the f*** couldn’t the useless Ms May produce this straight away?  By not doing so, it looked like she couldn’t substantiate it.

          Did it never occur to her that as soon as she made that remark, everyone would ask for details of the case, and she should have been able to produce it there and then.  I really despair at the utter uselessness and stupidity of “Conservative” politicians.

          Ken Clarke as well.  If he disagreed with the Home Secretary, he should have ripped her a new one privately, not gone mouthing off to the BBC.  In former days he’d have been sacked for that.

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          • Millie Tant says:

            That’s what they have Private Secretaries and Special Advisers for.  Looks as if someone is falling down on the job there.

            Also, Clarke has form for mouthing off.

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            • Grant says:

              Kenneth Clarke’s appointment is just more evidence of Cameron’s weakness. 
              Can anyone tell me what he has actually achieved as PM ?  So far as I can see, nothing ! 

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          • NotaSheep says:

            Lib Dem cabinet ministers are sage from sacking, Ken Clarke is an unofficial Lib Dem minister.

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  14. My Site (click to edit) says:

    I probably missed it elsewhere, but worth a repeat (as there is a metaphor for the value we derive from the licence poll tax)..

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/8804509/Cut-BBC-One-television-if-you-must-but-dont-let-them-trash-BBC-Two.html

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  15. David Preiser (USA) says:

    ATF Fast and Furious: New documents show Attorney General Eric Holder was briefed in July 2010

    Except Holder testified to Congress five months ago that he didn’t know.

    BBC: ZZZZzzzzzzz

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  16. Louis Robinson says:

    Geyza, you say “Most of the protestors I am in contact with oppose corporatism, corruption and the decay of the global financial system brought about by fractional reserve banking of fiat currencies, and would love sound money and capitalism and a return to free markets, small government, state’s rights, and a capitalist USA.”

    Sorry, but now I’m beginning to doubt your veracity. “free markets, stste’s rights and a capitalist USA”. Hmm. Nice try.

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    • Geyza says:

      This is the sentiment expressed by a protestor which is exactly what those I am in contact with support.  Free markets, state’s rights rather than Federal dictat, and a return of capitalism, instead of corrupt, socialist corporatism where profits are privatised and excempt from tax through a myriad of complex loopholes, and losses are dumped on the tax-payer.

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      • Margo Ryor says:

        All I can say is supporters of free markets, state’s rights and capitalism are keeping darn strange company!

           0 likes

  17. David Preiser (USA) says:

    My goodness but the 10 winners of BBC Vision’s new “Pitch to Win” scheme are a rather un-diverse group.  Eight women, only one of color, and two men, one of which is not white.  So eight out of ten are not people of color, and the gender balance is way off.  Can’t tell from looking if there is any representation of the LGBT community.  Hardly representative of multicultural Britain, eh, BBC?

    Also, it seems that there are 3000 people in the BBC’s Vision Productions.  What are they for?

       0 likes

    • noggin says:

      One entrant, Steven Green, was told that his excellent Tour de Britain brainwave was already sufficiently well-developed to go straight before the commissioners

      oh brother!… completely original, yawn.
      kick him in to touch, get a celeb on a jolly-go-round, you know cornwall..doh! …done it
      er the coast doh! done.. it
      scotland doh! done it
      lake district doh! done it
      etc etc etc etc

         0 likes

  18. Gerald says:

    HELP WANTED.

    Anyone know how to upload an article from the Telegraph today – page 3 – Starkey cleared on Newsnight comments.

    He is rather “unkind” to Miss Maitlis in his comments.

       0 likes

  19. George R says:

    Somalia: latest Islamic jihad massacre, as told by INBBC Muslims.    
       
    INBBC:    
       
    “Huge Somalia suicide car bomb kills dozens in capital”    
       
       
       
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15166107
       
       
       
    ‘Long War Journal’    
       
    “Shabaab suicide bomber kills scores in Mogadishu”    
       
    http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2011/10/shabaab_suicide_bomb_2.php    
       
       
    ‘Jihadwatch’:    
    Somalia: Mogadishu truck bomb kills more than 50    
       
    [Excerpt]:    
       
    “Al-Shabaab pulled out of Mogadishu in early August, at which point we observed that the jihadists were now simply in a position to do what they do best: not to fight like men, but to engage in asymmetrical warfare, targeting civilians to terrify and demoralize the population, and thwart any attempts at rebuilding or even at achieving some semblance of a normal existence. ”    
       
       
       
    Is INBBC reporter Mohammed Dhore (presumably a Muslim) likely to discuss critically the Islamic jihad aspects of the massacre in Somalia?    
       
    More generally, Islam Not BBC (INBBC)  licencepayers pay for and are fed reports from Islamic countries which are often politically filtered by INBBC Muslim reporters in Somalia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Egypt, Afghanistan, etc.,etc.    
       
    The question must always arise as to whether INBBC’s Muslim reporters’ first loyalty is to:    
       
    1.) Islam and the Ummah;    
       
    2.) Their Islamic country of origin;    
       
    3.) Britain?    
       
       
    Before INBBC is closed down and abolished, it should employ British people to report on the West’s enemies in Islamic areas.    
       
    Beeboids must remember that they are not an extension of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

       0 likes

  20. Martin says:

    On a good note Fox News’s “The Five” has now been kept on full time, I relaly like it, it’s nice to see Liberals out numbered and Bob Beckel should be reason enough never to vote for a liberal.

       0 likes

    • Reed says:

      I quite like The Five – so much better than Glenn Beck’s repetitive and increasingly wacky ranting – I found him instantly dislikeable, though I’m sure others here might disagree. At least Bob Beckel seems like a good sport, unlike many others of his political persuasion.

         0 likes

      • Martin says:

        Yes Glenn Beck sort of lost it towards the end and with ‘The Five’ there’s always some totty.

           0 likes

      • George R says:

        Yes, I disagree: Glenn Beck is a real political talent. He gives intelligent commitment to Israel, and his critical analyses of e.g. ‘Arab Spring’ and Soros’s politics are fine. He is something of a lone voice on such issues in American media, and he is a natural political enemy for BBC and MSM.

        His bold launch of his own internet TV less than three weeks ago, looks promising, and is very cheap to subscribe to.

        And this Thurday GBTV is featuring a programme on the Muslim Brotherhood; here’s a trailer

        http://web.gbtv.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=19832975

           0 likes

        • Geyza says:

          I would have more respect for Glen Beck if he did not steal material from the Texan nut, Alex Jones, and then twist it to suit his political agenda.  If you want to know what Glen Beck is going to be ranting about in a few months, check out Prisonplanet and see what Jones is ranting about now.

             0 likes

          • Reed says:

            Alex Jones is indeed the nuttiest of all nutcases…and a bit thick too, but most conspiracy types are of lower intelligence.

               0 likes

        • David Preiser (USA) says:

          Fox News got rid of Beck because he went off half-cocked too many times and babbled about something based on his emotions rather than on facts.  Eventually it got too much for them, and even the other top-tier talking heads complained that it was hurting the network’s credibility.

             0 likes

  21. London Calling says:

    Poor Somali pirates are hard-done by being called to account for their vile trade:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15068088

    BBC worship Muslim african criminal scum. You would be forgiven they had an ulterior motive…something up their bottom?. Or their wallet courtesy of Bank of Sorros.

       0 likes

  22. hippiepooter says:

    Tune in to the 10 O Clock News and I see reliably bent Huw Edwards is covering the Tory Party Conference.  What a huge surprise, he makes a sneering remark to miscast Theresa May’s reference to an illegal immigrant being able to stay because he has a cat, and talking up a “spat” between two ministers.

    Odious little creep Edwards is.

       0 likes

    • hippiepooter says:

      I must remember not to eat before I watch the 10 O’ Clock News during the Tory Conference.  An endless ream of completely up their arse BBC political correspondents.

      One remembers a much better BBC in living memory.  One that made one proud to be British.

         0 likes

      • hippiepooter says:

        The Home Secretary’s claim that the BBC makes out is completely groundless:-

        http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1221353/Youve-got-cat-OK-stay-Britain-officials-tell-Bolivian-immigrant.html

           0 likes

        • Demon1001 says:

          So Red Ken Clarke and the BBC are telling lies are they?   Hmm, would never have thought that possible.

             0 likes

        • Dez says:

          “The Home Secretary’s claim that the BBC makes out is completely groundless…”

          Theresa May regurgitates a ridiculous story from the Daily Mail and your proof that it’s not ridiculous is a link to the ridiculous story she regurgitated from the Daily Mail?

          EPIC FAIL!

             0 likes

          • john says:

            Oh for God’s sake Dez !  Do us all a favour and enrol in an English Language Night Class for Beginner’s as soon as possible.

               0 likes

          • Teddy Bear says:

            You must have missed this expectoration then from The Guardian that was expectorated in the Guardian  😉   

            The immigration judge said: “The evidence concerning the joint acquisition of Maya (the cat) by the appellant and his partner reinforces my conclusion on the strength and quality of the family life that appellant and his partner enjoy.”  
             

            The judge added: “Canadian courts have moved away from the legal view that animals are merely chattels, to a recognition that they play an important role in the lives of their owners and that the loss of a pet has a significant emotional impact on its owner.”   

            You must be embarassed when you find it really is true about your loony left mindset.

               0 likes

            • Dez says:

              Nice try Teddy, however from the same story:

              “Although May promised the conference she was not making the story up, the judicial communications office, which represents senior judges, insisted the tale was not true and said it had told May’s department as much”

              “the cat had nothing to do with the decision…”

              “The home secretary later said she accepted the judges’ correction, but argued that she was not relying on that single case to justify her policy.”

              She was talking bollocks. Get over it and move on…

               

                 0 likes

              • Demon1001 says:

                Dez in denial of facts shocker.   You have been shown the evidence from two newspapers (I can understand your reluctance to believe anything the Guardian prints as it’s normally full of lies, but in this case it is backed up by another paper) but you still won’t accept it because it doesn’t fit your agenda.  You really are a beeboid.

                   0 likes

              • Geyza says:

                Dez your use of a guardian story to argue any point is equally as weak as using the fact that a story is in the Daily Mail to argue it is not true.

                Try looking up the original ruling.  You will find that the cat WAS a consideration in this case and the Daily Mail plyed that angle up, and the Guardian falsely pleyed it down. BOTH to suit their own political ends.

                The cold fact is, according to the ruling, the cat WAS a consideration and DID have baring on the case.

                   0 likes

              • matthew rowe says:

                Shouldn’t you be getting bitch slapped over at Bishop hill dez??

                   0 likes

            • David Preiser (USA) says:

              They went over this on Newsnight as well. Paxman took Dez’s position that May totally lied, and Damian Green read out that judge’s statement that the cat was a mitigating factor.  Paxman had to shut up and drop it.

                 0 likes

          • Geyza says:

            Dez, here is the relevent section of the actual court ruling:

            “The grant of reconsideration refers to the inappropriate weight placed on the appellant having to leave behind not only his partner but also their joint cat, [ ] ”

            So although this was not solely about a cat, the cat was used in the consideration of determining whether this Bolivian man should be granted leave to remain in the United Kingdom on Article 8 ECHR grounds, or be deported as the Home secretary wished.

            The Bolivian was granted leave to remain because his sharing ownership of a cat with his unmarried partner satisfied the judge that he had established a “family life”.

            The daily mail was reporting the truth.

            Dez, your claim in essense that this case is unsupportable solely on the grounds that the Daily Mail reported it is: EPIC FAIL!

               0 likes

            • Geyza says:

              Additionally the Judge added,
              “The Immigration Judge’s determination is upheld and the cat, [], need no longer fear having to adapt to Bolivian mice.”

              This is in the Judges ruling.  If this story about a appeal against a deportation ruling being based or part based on a cat is false, these reasons would not have been in the Judges ruling.

                 0 likes

              • Dez says:

                Geyza,

                Additionally the Judge added, “The Immigration Judge’s determination is upheld and the cat, need no longer fear having to adapt to Bolivian mice.”

                He made a joke (you think he was being serious? Really?).

                Nowhere in the Judge’s ruling does it say he was granted leave to remain “because he had a cat”, but because:

                “Enforcement action should not normally be initiated in the following circumstances: Where the subject has a genuine and subsisting relationship akin to marrige with a person who is present and settled here…”

                It was the Home Office that claimed that “inapproprirate weight [had been] placed on the appellant having to leave behind not only his partner but also their joint cat”

                So of course the Judge referred to that aspect of the case because it was part of the argument put forward by the government. An argument that was completely dismissed by the tribunal.

                Got it yet?

                http://ukhumanrightsblog.com/2011/10/04/cat-had-nothing-to-do-with-failure-to-deport-man/

                   0 likes

            • Dez says:

              Geyza,

              “So although this was not solely about a cat…”.

              And yet according to Theresa May it was solely about a cat.

                 0 likes

          • hippiepooter says:

            Scez, you always indulge in this bluff and bluster when you know you haven’t got a leg to stand on.

            FAIL!

               0 likes

      • Grant says:

        Hippie,
        Huw is one of these, silly, irritating nonentities who confirm some people’s stereotypes of the Welsh. 

           0 likes

        • hippiepooter says:

          As opposed to stereotypes about James Naughtie’s ‘fat Scottish arse’ being a formidable weapons shifting people from their seats? .. ??

             0 likes

    • John Horne Tooke says:

      It realy is unbelievable that cabinet ministers should have 2 opposing views in public.

      http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/feedarticle/9878834

      Does not say much for Camerons leadership.

         0 likes

  23. Jeremy Clarke says:

    And on Newsnight, Boris reduces Paxo to amused silence by suggesting he [Paxo] should run for the Conservative leadership.

    That was one of the most amusing political interviews I have ever witnessed – it was more of a comedy sketch. Just try and imagine Ed Miliband or any of the 600-odd political drones giving an interview like that…

    Watch it if you can.

       0 likes

    • Reed says:

      That’s round two then. Here’s round one from a couple of years ago. The best bits are towards the end :

         0 likes

    • dave s says:

      A long time since I have seen Paxman enjoying his job.

         0 likes

      • noggin says:

        you know i had to turn off.
        couldn t take, the excusery drivel,
        immigration, strong leadership direction, deportation.
        could have been the time, for squeezing something that might
        imitate an answer .

        not so, sheesh! and its thatchers boy dave today, a good hour of patronising, “we re all the same boat,(wheres the champers)”
        as i find a new way to talk down to you.
        don t fret dave, you george & mandy will soon be all be on the yacht together.

           0 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      Half of last night’s installment was spent trying to get people to talk about someone else becoming party leader.  After that ridiculous non-interview with Boris, Paxman then did a panel discussion with two female MPs plus some woman from the Guardian in front of an audience made up entirely of Conservative Party women. Paxman tried to undermine Cameron again and again.  Very little policy discussion found its way through.

      Newsnight definitely had an agenda to follow to prepare the audience for today’s Cameron speech.

         0 likes

  24. Chris says:

    Anybody see ‘Young Voters’ Question Time’?

    Bacon was bloody useless, constantly spitting the word ‘Tory’ or ‘Conservative’ and interrupting him and the few right-wing questioners, and the audience was made up of typically trendy wanker student liberals.

       0 likes

    • Demon1001 says:

      I think it’s a disgrace that Bacon was promted to chairing this programme immediately after recommending a sick, foul-mouthed left-wing American “comedian” and his rant against Sarah Palin and his desire to murder Downs Syndrome babies at birth.  He should have been sacked not promoted.

         0 likes

      • David Preiser (USA) says:

        I think Bacon was promted to chairing this programme because of the outcry from people the BBC hates immediately after he recommended a sick, foul-mouthed left-wing American “comedian” and his rant against Sarah Palin and his desire to murder Downs Syndrome babies at birth.

        There, fixed that for you.

           0 likes

    • Reed says:

      If the regular version of QT is hard to sit through, the yoof version is seriously next level in it’s infuriating trendiness. Awful.

         0 likes

    • Grant says:

      I watched the first 10 minutes then switched off. It was the first time I have ever encountered Richard Bacon.  Even by Beeboid starndards , he was revolting.  I guess he was the right person for the job as he seems to have a mental age of about 14. Where do the BBC find these prats ?

         0 likes

      • noggin says:

        the last time i saw an el beeb photo of him, on iplayer, it looked like he was still  wearing (trying to fit into) his school blazer…
        ….how very apt, an arrogant, infantile, mummies boy ready to spit the dummy out,
        hmmm ideal el beeb presenter.

           0 likes

      • Millie Tant says:

        “…mental age of about 14”.  That sums it up. I have long argued that the Beeboid Corporation embodies the spirit of Fourteen-Year-Old Boy. Hence the juvenile unfunny “comedians”; the Beeboid adolescent desire to shock, to be outrageous;  the adoption of causes and leaping on band wagons with the zeal of the unformed, immature youngster; the childish, embarrassing adoration of certain public figures; the infuriating  noise, drumming and babble that infects every programme; the need to create drama and sensation so as to feel important and in the thick of it; the creation of a cartoonish polarised world that barely scratches the surface of the awkward, complicated business of politics and life.

           0 likes

  25. Reed says:

    Bizarre contribution of the day – some sock puppet called Carrie Williams just commented on a two year old thread??????? 
     
    http://biasedbbc.tv/2009/10/lapel-badges-of-phil-jupitus-aged-47-14.html

    All together now…..

       0 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      Another brave drive-by insult by someone unable to engage in debate.

         0 likes

    • Grant says:

      Reed,
      It is bizarre. How would Carrie have picked up on this old thread ?  Weird !

         0 likes

      • Reed says:

        One can only assume she’s a slightly obsessed fan of his – trawling through years of tweets. Strange, anyway.

           0 likes

      • NotaSheep says:

        But it gave me the opportunity to go back and answer some asinine remarks made by some lefty idiots.

           0 likes

  26. It's all too much says:

    from the Mail

    “The BBC projects an image of  Britain which is unrecognisable to most of its inhabitants. Its news bulletins and dramas are all refracted through the prism of diversity, multi-culturalism and political dogma.”

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2043482/Whatever-BBC-say-Britain-mainly-white-Christian-straight.html

       0 likes

    • Margo Ryor says:

      The only BBC show I watch regularly is Doctor Who but I haven’t been able to help noticing that Who-Britain seems to be evenly divided between blacks and whites with a high percentage of mixed marriages and of course open homosexuals. Religion is conspicuous by its absence.

         0 likes

      • David Preiser (USA) says:

        There was a Muslim female doctor in the God Complex episode from a couple weeks ago. The Doctor, enthusiastically: “Oh, you’re a Muslim!”  Muslim, smiling, but with a touch of sarcasm, “Don’t be frightened!”.  The Doctor, in on the joke, smiled back.  They just can’t help themselves with the social engineering attempts.

           0 likes

        • Margo Ryor says:

          Haven’t seen God Complex yet. But I was forgetting the Church Militant. I have no particular problem with the Clerics but was more than an little offended by the Headless Monks – anti-faith or just anti-catholic?

             0 likes

      • dave s says:

        Thw Who Britain is the ideal world of the Beeboids. That it bears no relation to reality is irrelevant.
        They have long since indulged themselves in a fictional view of Britain and England in particular. Representing nobody but themselves at our expense.

           0 likes

        • David Preiser (USA) says:

          I thought the episode itself was okay, even though it was kind of a rehash of a story idea that was done years ago.  Universal David Walliams didn’t annoy too much, either.

             0 likes

    • Margo Ryor says:

      P.S. Lusting after John Barrowman doesn’t make you Gay – it just means you have a pulse. On the other hand if you’re male you have a chance with him, if you’re female you got to be content with just looking.

         0 likes

  27. My Site (click to edit) says:

    Outside a very sycophantic, deluded or over-committed bubble, the new, improved BBC blog systen is considered pretty much as dire as it gets.

    But It does still provide great moments.

    I had to laugh at the ‘most liked’ here:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15150162

    2. smartIgnoramus 
    3RD OCTOBER 2011 – 11:10

    Dear Stephanie, Thank you, once again, for an independent, unbiased and intelligent article intended quietly to inform rather than to create headlines. I wish your colleagues were of a similar mind.
    I expect you will get the usual anti-Coalition / anti-capitalism bleatings, but I trust you will ignore them all, and continue your excellent work.
    Your standards are what makes the BBC great.

    I wonder if it was shunted round the office intranet like those ‘sponsor me’ emails, and that last clinched it?

       0 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      I must say I find it nauseating to hear Flanders say that the UK is the envy of the free world.  (See what I did there?)

      One supposes that this is an apology of sorts from “Two Eds” about her biased bitching when Osborne said that Britain was a financial safe haven.  Baby steps!

         0 likes

  28. Peter Dayson-Smith says:

    Interesting to see that Jeremy Vine will be covering Theresa May and “catgate” this morning. Don’t recall him covering the young lad (Rory Weal?) who spoke at the Labour conference last week claiming poverty who turned out to be full of shit.

       0 likes

    • My Site (click to edit) says:

      Ah, but… when ‘they’ say ‘we want [to tell you] your views’, it has to be appreciated that in reflecting the UK public, the BBC mirror is pretty much nailed to their eyeballs.

      And even if a counter thread develops, the edit suite is there to intercept.

      Staffed by cuties like that peroxide sink who was not an Osbourne fan.

         0 likes

  29. cjhartnett says:

    I do wonder how old that cat is that is exercising Theresa May and Ken Clarke?
    The Today Programme named her as Maia.
    Did the BBC have legal permission to name the vulnerable ward of court in an asylum case?
    Got to be an open and shut case for the animal rights lot…if only they`d scoot off out of Huntingdon Life Sciences car park, and do something useful!
    I do hope that this poor cats life(indeed any of its nine!) is not further blighted by the shameless naming.
    That`ll be £500 smackers to you Carla!

       0 likes

    • Grant says:

      Surely the answer is to deport the wretched moggy too.  Or would its “cat’s rights ”  be infringed ?  This country is one big lunatic asylum.  

         0 likes

  30. My Site (click to edit) says:

    If Mr. Littejohn is gulity of untruths (if he is; there may be context missing going on current practice), if inaccurate he needs to be called on it, and if unrepentant held to account.

    DavidACGregory David Gregory Littlejohn repeats lie that BBC abolished AD, BC. Says UK obeys 10 commandments. Although in Richard’s case not No9 “bearing false witness”

    Now, when the BBC does the same… what happens?

       0 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      The BBC sure as hell doesn’t respect the commandment regarding adultery.  DG ought to get out of that glass house before throwing the stone back at Littlejohn.

         0 likes

    • John Horne Tooke says:

      I expect more people read Littlejohn , than the so called scientist Gregory.

      At least Littlejohns wages are not paid by the taxpayer unlike Gregory. Well I suppose the BBC is a kind of refuge for the untalented.

      P.S I’m still waiting for the names of the 2,000 scientists who say we are causing global warming.

         0 likes

  31. My Site (click to edit) says:

    DavidACGregory David Gregory So interesting stuff at BBC social media away day yesterday. Thorniest issue the blurring of public/private persona on Twitter. Thoughts?
    Ironically, one issue is BBC staff using BBC decorated twitter pages to post personal thoughts, and then blocking licence fee payers who may disagree with their public funded away-day honed advocacy.
    Thoughts?

       0 likes

    • My Site (click to edit) says:

      BenJourno Ben James  by BBC_WHYSHeading for #bbcwssocialmedia social media session for@BBC_WHYS: any comments on how BBC uses social media / ideas on how we cld do better?
      It may help, with such as ‘The Editors’ for instance, to switch off the ‘broadcast only’ button when posting such things on interactive media.
      Otherwise it looks more like a box-tick con to pull the woll over the eyes of toothless quangos who don’t tray far beyond their comfy bunker.

         0 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      It’s a bit hypocritical for the BBC to strongly encourage their employees to use Twitter et al. (including spending license fee cash on training courses), in order to build a better rapport with their audience, and then act all surprised when people think they’re doing it in their capacity as BBC employees.

         0 likes

    • Jeremy Clarke says:

      DavidACGregory David Gregory So interesting stuff at BBC social media away day yesterday. Thorniest issue the blurring of public/private persona on Twitter. Thoughts?

      1) Try and avoid Twitter Tourette’s (e.g. “Why can’t George Osborne fuck off?”);

      2) Try and avoid politically partisan comments (e.g. “Why can’t Boris Johnson fuck off?”);

      3) Read something other than The Guardian, New Statesman or The Independent (or, if you are lucky enough to be Katty Kay, the New York Times). There are lots of good writers out there who are not Polly Toynbee, George Monbiot or Bob Fisk;

      4) Twitter is a public forum so maybe, just maybe, it would be judicious to keep your opinions on controversial issues to yourself. It’s really quite easy;

      5) Er, avoid Twitter?

      This post has taken me five minutes to write – does it really take an entire day to explain ‘social media’ to BBC employees?

         0 likes

  32. My Site (click to edit) says:

    theJeremyVine Jeremy Vine Well done for getting to @BBCRadio2 bro … @RealTimVine

    Remember, it’s what you know… not who.

       0 likes

  33. George R says:

    IRAN.

    Hey INBBC, do you now recognise that the Islamic Republic of IRAN is Britain’s No 1 enemy, after all?

    “BBC news chief seeks government action over Iranian ‘intimidation’.

    Peter Horrocks says Tehran has intensified blocking of Persian TV channel, and arrested staff’s relatives and friends”

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/oct/05/bbc-global-news-chief-iran

    And, INBBC, which nation has been most alert to the active military and political threat from the Iran regime?

    -That’s right: our ally ISRAEL.

    Get your political basics right for once, INBBC:

    support ISRAEL, oppose IRAN regime.

    BOYCOTT Iran regime;

    CLOSE DOWN Iran regime’s ‘PRESS TV’ 24/7 political propaganda operation on Sky satellite against the West from studios in Ealing, London.

       0 likes

    • My Site (click to edit) says:

      mediaguardian Media Guardian BBC news chief seeks government action over Iranian ‘intimidation’gu.com/p/32cne/tf
      Guessing the whole crane lark might in future see a bit more attention paid by our objective national mediium too, especially when ‘discussing’ what regimes get up to.

         0 likes

  34. Umbongo says:

    Concerning the “anti-capitalism” demos in NYC, I was genuinely surprised that on Today this morning William Cohan was brought on and immediately proceeded to rubbish the previous Laura Trevelyan interpretation (per the usual “protest from the left=always good” BBC narrative).  Furthermore he wasn’t interrupted but allowed to develop his argument.  
     
    Maybe the Today editors thought that if Cohan was given enough rope he’d hang the Republicans – particularly the Tea Party – and praise Obama.  He didn’t and instead gave both the Bush and Obama administrations and the Fed a kicking for throwing trillions down the “save the banks” toilet for not much in return.  He was scathing too about the union involvement and the idea – put about by BBC apparatchiks (and, I believe the US MSM) – that these demos were in some way “spontaneous”.  Cohan opined that had the police dealt rather more sensibly with the original demo this thing would have died a natural death (before the BBC could big it up presumably).

       0 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      How remarkably different the BBC’s coverage of this is from their treatment of Tea Party protests.  It’s difficult to think of a more clear example of the bias inherent at the BBC.

      Thank goodness LSE grad Justin Webb is doing the interview.  He’s an expert on the US and educated about economics, right?  How nice of him to suggest that this is a Democrat version of the Tea Party.  Except no racists here, right, Justin?

      Although I have to say I enjoed Cohan going seriously off Narrative they expected from a Goldman Sachs basher.  Guess which Presidential candidate those people backed in 2008.

      But Cohan misses a huge point here.  He criticizes the protesters for being clueless and uninformed, saying they have no idea what Wall Street does, or how the financial crisis actually happened.  The thing is, they don’t have to.  They have a built-in mass propaganda machine in the US media, spread internationally by the lapdogs at the BBC.

      Mark my words: this is going to get dangerous and violent.  After all, they’re of the Left.

         0 likes

  35. Louis Robinson says:

    Dear Mark mardell,

    Three weeks ago I informed you here that there was a scandal brewing about the “fast and furious” operation. It seems AG Holder is now being involved. When are you going to mention this inportant issue on the BBC? Perhaps you can get some information from Fox News…

    http://www.google.com/search?aq=f&gcx=c&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=fast+and+furious#gcx=c&q=fast+and+furious&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbo=u&tbm=nws&source=og&sa=N&tab=wn&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=7fde18d

    or if that is beneath you try CBS News

    http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31727_162-20115038-10391695.html

    or the New York Post

    http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/furious_revelation_OhK6TBqPlEpRglHjsSbiBI?utm_campaign=Post10&utm_source=Post10Alpha

    or – what’s the point. There are no none so blind as thsoe who WILL NOT SEE.

       0 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      The US President editor won’t report it until reality forces him to do so.  Then it will be yet another US issue that seems to have appeared “out of nowhere”.

         0 likes

  36. George R says:

    “Vatican attacks BBC’s ‘senseless hypocrisy'”

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/8808388/Vatican-attacks-BBCs-senseless-hypocrisy.html

    When INBBC’s head of religion, Muslim Aaqil Ahmed, uses the word ‘we’,  in that report, is he referring to INBBC or to Muslims?

    If he is referring to Muslims, then today’s date from Mecca is:

    Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 8, 1432

    Maybe INBBC will start putting this Islamic calendar up on its sites ‘so as not to offend Muslims’.

       0 likes

    • John Horne Tooke says:

      But its not happening Gregory has spoken and he believes Global Warming is caused by a tiny amount of carbon dioxide so he must be a very sensible scientist.

         0 likes

  37. My Site (click to edit) says:

    Why it is worth complaining, and when credit for a proper response is due, I will be happy to so acknowedge…

    ‘Please accept out apologies for this mistake – it was caused a simple publishing error that was then compounded by poor communication. 

    On 27 September, Nick’s blog was received by two teams who both simultaneously published it without consulting one another. When the
    error was noticed, the technical teams were asked to take down one version – the version that had not been promoted and therefore did not have comments on it. However, the wrong version was taken down in error, meaning that the story you commented on was no longer visible. This could not be reinstated, nor could the comments.

    Please be assured that there was nothing malicious in the decision to remove your comment – this was a simple mistake. We value contributions from our audience and realise that episodes like this do little to
    encourage people to return. This is unacceptable and your comments have
    been passed on to the relevant teams.’ 

    By its tone I believe it to be sincere, and, possibly, there will be more attention paid to the investment piad by those who contribute.

       0 likes

    • My Site (click to edit) says:

      I’ll credit this ‘un, too…


      theJeremyVine Jeremy Vine Comment of Day @BBCRadio2: “My sister has bought a flatscreen TV as big as her living room wall on credit card, but cannot pay her mortgage”
      Shame the rest of the BBC has not done the math.

         0 likes

      • Barry says:

        In this country we do maths.

           0 likes

        • My Site (click to edit) says:

          In this country, I have never heard that expression used. Bets I can tell, It orginated in the US, Hence the more famaiiar usage I am happy to adopt.

          But thanks for the heads up, dude.

          Always good on a blog with global contributors on BBC bias to have the spelling checked as a nationalistic priority.

             0 likes

          • My Site (click to edit) says:

            There you go…’bets’ & ‘famailar’… as they (well not here, obviously) say, knock yourself out.

               0 likes

  38. deegee says:

    Blink and you might miss it.
    Nobel win for crystal discovery

    Just in case you skimmed the article and didn’t notice.

    Daniel Shechtman

    Born: 1941, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Affiliation at the time of the award:Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

    BTW the Nobel Prize organisation correctly credited the photograph to Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

    BTW Judging purely by names Jews won at least part of every science prize.

    Apparently Palestinians are livid. “Not only do they steal our water and build settlements but they claim our Nobel Prizes. Schectman was born in Tel Aviv, which we all know is an illegal settlement outside Jaffa but they claim him as Israeli. He was born in 1941 so he is a Palestinian”.

    Moves are underway to compensate the Palestinians with a Nobel Prize for contributions to delivery methods for comburent materials if they can find a means of overcoming the limitation to living recipients. The precedent of deceased albeit Jewish Ralph Steinman may provide a way. 

       0 likes

    • sue says:

      Yes, have you seen this?
      Of course Islamic artists knew about this phenomenon all along. The BBC and the Guardian thoughtfully point this out, just in case anyone might get the wrong idea. 🙁

         0 likes

  39. Millie Tant says:

    This disgraceful episode re that young American Knox woman took place on Channel 5 but the smug,  arrogant smartarse involved (Matthew Wright) is a part-time Beeboid:

    Wright was a contributor to Phil Collins: A Life Less Ordinary, a BBC documentary made in 2002 which charted the life and career of the Genesis star and solo artist.
    Wright presented Radio 2‘s arts and culture show The Weekender until July 2008. He also presents BBC1 current affairs series Inside Out London.[4]

    Chat show host Matthew Wright refused to apologise today after hosting a TV debate entitled ‘Foxy Knoxy: Would Ya?’.
    The former journalist sparked criticism on Twitter after discussing with panellists how Amanda Knox was ‘undeniably fit and loves wild sex’.
    In a preview blurb for this morning’s episode of The Wright Stuff, the Channel 5 website said: ‘So if you were a guy who’d met her in a bar and she invited you back to hers, would you go?

    Crass and insensitive: Viewers of The Wright Stuff were stunned when presenter Matthew Wright asked them to vote on whether they would ‘take home’ Amanda Knox in light of her acquittal for murder

    The discussion was conducted between Matthew Wright and a panel of Kelly Hoppen, Christopher Biggins and Liz McClaron
    ‘I’m being quite serious. Or would something in your brain make you think twice?’

    Wright began the segment by pointing out that Amanda Knox had been cleared of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher, before insisting that she is ‘foxy as hell’.But he defended his actions after the discussion was branded crass and abysmal by bloggers.
    He said: ‘I thought it would be interesting to find out if mud sticks, or whether an innocent young woman could now go out and behave in a perfectly normal way.’
    But viewers of the show, aired at 9.15am just 12 hours after the 24-year-old American was freed, slammed the discussion and bombarded the Channel’s official message board with complaints.
    Michele Morrison, of Glasgow, wrote: ‘So distasteful!!!!!so many other ways this story could be discussed
    ‘The whole world is engrossed on this story.

    ‘I feel sorry for the families or friends listening to rubbish

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2045151/Amanda-Knox-verdict-Matthew-Wright-refuses-apologise-crass-live-debate.html#ixzz1Zusrjspz

       0 likes

  40. D B says:

    Staggering to see the number of BBC tweeters – and I’m just talking about the official ones who are allowed to have “BBC” in their Twitter names, never mind the wider mass of employees – all of them making identical observations during Cameron’s speech.

    Most of these spare parts would’ve been better employed back at their BBC bases painting walls, weeding the surrounds, or cleaning toilets – the sort of work small businesses are forced to find for their employees during desperate times.

       0 likes

  41. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Remember last month when Mark Mardell was telling you that the President’s Jobs Plan For Us was going to be a tough sell because it was “ideologically objectionable to most Republicans”?

    Well, the Democrat-led Senate has put in on the back burner, in favor of an idiotic attempt at a currency and trade war with China. Can’t blame the Republicans for that.  So His Jobs Plan For Us is dead in the water already, because it’s such a joke that even Harry Reid isn’t interested.  Worse, not a single Democrat Senator or Rep. has dared co-sponsor it, which is the only way it actually gets moving.  But Mardell is totally silent.

    Instead, the US President editor continues to talk down the various Republican challengers to the President.

       0 likes

  42. cjhartnett says:

    Seems like Alan Johnson left his dog-eared economics primer there in the Today studio then.
    Why else would “wor” Justin Webb be able to note that Cameron could not please the likes of Sainsburys by talking of “paying off the credit cards”…for you can`t spend AND save at one and the same time.
    Unless of course if you borrow, tax and spend-then borrow again…which is all Labour have done, will do and always will do as long as there`s a dead rose where a brain used to be.
    So Today get the boss of Sainsburys in…and Webb really wanted the bonus croissant for getting the “we`re heading for a recession” soundbite for the 9am bulletins.
    Sadly, Justin King was not biting…but still Cameron can`t be right for wanting us to save when you at Sainsburys are offering such tempting offers eh?…Justin left the ring a bit sad I think…no soundbite and no skewer of the Tories to place before Naughties slippers…poor Justin!

       0 likes

    • Billy-no-mates says:

      The debate is still on. There seems to be a mass “leftie” outrage after Camerons speech that how dare he say people should stop spending. John Pinhead Pienaar (R5) said “if we all stopped spending the economy would collapse”. Of course it would John but thats not what Cameron said and thats not what would happen anyway so why are you scaremongering! – Oh yeah – BBC Chief Political Correspondent. It quite surreal at the moment the leftie media seems to be talking to some uneducated dumb public more or less saying yes I know you have no money but now’s the time to borrow more and then spend it on crap you don’t really need. I suppose that is the Ed Balls narrative staight from the Viv Nicholson school of economics who coincidentally is now in government funded care.

         0 likes

      • cjhartnett says:

        All that the BBC do is to furnish as gory a soundbite to send a shiver down the spines of the Guardianistas…and if we , the little people: get to smell the fear-then all right and dandy!
        Whether it`s the economy or the climate….if there IS no real issue then the BBC will create one. This enables them to tell their media chums that they are “key players” and “agenda setters”. only the stiffs “do journalism” and stick to facts and fair narrative.
        If YouGov can confirm that squauks from the parrot cage followed on from Montagues hectoring, hounding and then hankie waving to Balls-then presumably she gets her peanuts shelled by Boaden herself!
        These clowns create their own news and then frighten themselves into seeking soundbites to back up their confections of stories.
        Can`t really think of the last time that the BBC were balanced and truthful…Michelle Obamas expenses as she trailed Africa won`t be the one either!
        Pleased that Primal Scream join the Smiths, Paul Weller etc in not wanting royalties from the Tories for playing their …er “music”!
        If that upsets the spoiled lefties in the powder rooms, then lets have more please…Bragg should clear the room fast enough…he always clears Tolpuddle and therefore spreads the mass exodus before lights-on time!
        Now HE could be the cruise entertainment round the Somali coast when Rainbow Warrior next goes there….anyone know any sea shanties for him to strangle?

           0 likes

  43. George R says:

    “Political correctness continues to stifle debate on multiculturalism ” 
     
    By Abhijit Pandya  
     

     
    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2044748/Political-correctness-continues-stifle-debate-regarding-impact-multiculturalism.html#ixzz1ZvPW8aZD


    Does that apply to BBC-NUJ too?

       0 likes

  44. John Horne Tooke says:

    “I don’t often do this but Im naming and shaming #RoyalGardenHotel Kensington as the most wheelchair unfriendly 5star hotel I’ve encountered.”
    https://twitter.com/#!/FrankRGardner

    I wish I could afford to name and shame that 5 star hotel too.

    Lucky they had a sale on at only £322 per room, instead of the usual £422.

    I wonder if it comes out of the licence fee?

    http://www.royalgardenhotel.co.uk/

       0 likes

  45. John Horne Tooke says:

    “A training course has introduced me to the concept of fuskering. Could be useful in future! Thanks @pauliemyers (I think)”
    https://twitter.com/#!/marcsettle

    I wonder if the BBC are now teaching the unethical practice of fuskering.

    http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-view-private-photobucket-photos-and-videos-by-using-fuskering-software-427005/

       0 likes

  46. John Anderson says:

    Sarah Palin has just annopunced that she is not running for the Republican nomination.   Folks at the BBC will have been salivating on the attacks they could mount on her if she ran – somebody just shot their fox.

    Meanwhile the signs increase that Obama is going down the tubes.  Why isn’t Mardell reporting how desperate, how dire Obama’s situation has become ?

    http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/nilegardiner/100107980/us-elections-2012-why-barack-obama-appears-to-be-heading-for-a-heavy-defeat/

    http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/09/29/krauthammer_warns_obama_will_suffer_landslide_election.html

    And the BBC will NOT tell us how inane most of the Wall Street protestors are :

    http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/10/05/coulter_on_wall_street_protests_this_is_always_the_beginning_of_totalitarianism.html

       0 likes

    • My Site (click to edit) says:

      I suspect Sarah Palin being quite happy where she is will not stall the derangement much. She still rpresents something the BBC seems uncomfortable with, and hence will need demonising as long as she gets headlines..

      Meanwhile, in a morning of interesting news, there is one positive in that Kebin Maguire may not be gracing our screens from daqwn to dusk on the Breakfast, DP or Newsnight sofas, and will have to brief ‘guests’ on what is to be discussed, and what not, from his nook in the BBC green rooms.

      But one is sure, as a thorough  media monopoly dedicated to the truth, one is sure our national treasure will get verfy interested in the powerful edtorial role played by the flamboyant Ms. Sly Baily as she handles what are, for now, simply allegations.,

      Or maybe, in a unique twist, they will deem this ungallant this time?

      Wrong kind of media on the line?

         0 likes

    • John Anderson says:

      At about 2.30am the World Service presenter described Palin as having failed in the 2008 debates (Palin wiped the floor with Joe Biden!),  was a quitter (she resigned as Alaska Governor for perfectly understandable reasons) and had recently been damaged by lurid stories about her private life (the infamous Joe McGinness email showed the world that his book was based on a series of stuff he knew was false).

      The presenter was interviewing a guy called Robert Traynham.  It turns out Traynham is a long-term Democrat,  having served Clinton and worked for the Dems in Congress.   I suppose there were no Republicans to interview,  it was 9.30 Eastern Standard Time so they all had taken early nights ?

      Classy,  BBC.   No bias there.

         0 likes

  47. David Preiser (USA) says:

    What a shock:

    “Millionaire David Cameron wants you to pay off your credit card – are you going to obey the Prime Minister?” asked one local BBC radio station phone-in this morning.

    Bias?  What bias?

       0 likes

    • My Site (click to edit) says:

      Hypocrisy? What hypocrisy?

      Worth reposting:

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/newsnight/fromthewebteam/2011/10/tuesday_4_october_2011.html?postId=110463104#comment_110463104

      ‘Today’s BBC theme so far is that David Cameron is a millionaire and is therefore unqualified to hold any opinion about domestic economics, or indeed about any sort of economics, because he has not personally experienced ‘poverty’.
      I would like to point out that all of your presenters and most of the Shadow Cabinet are also millionaires and so by this logic are equally unable to empathise with anyone is not a millionaire.’

         0 likes

      • My Site (click to edit) says:

        Very few people have experienced real poverty in this country for some decades now. Unless of course you count those poor downtrodden treasures of diversity who have to go without the very latest BlackBerry. 

           0 likes

      • Millie Tant says:

        In any case, it is not just millionaires. MPs are borne along on the safe gravy train of generous salary, expenses, allowances and housing costs gifted by the taxpayer to keep them aloft. None of them work for minimum wage, national average wage or live on a part-time wage, although Dennis Skinner used to advocate MPs taking the average wage in their constituency and may have taken it himself, if the system permitted that. I am not sure that it did.

           0 likes

  48. Gerald says:

    I trust in looking for the 2000 to reduce its staff by, readership of the Guardian will make them a prime candidate. That could reduce the political imbalance of the staff from about 10 to 1 to 9.75 to 1!

       0 likes

  49. Martin says:

    So it’s being reported by Sky that the Mirror were into hacking as well, including david Beckham, Ulrika Johnson etc.

    Anyone want to take a bet that over at the BBC/Guardian it will remain unreported?

       0 likes