171 Responses to OPEN THREAD

  1. Martin says:

    Tom Bradby’s report on ITV news was far more realistic of Red Ed highlighting Ed’s failings and personal opinion poll ratings, something James Landale ignored on the BBC report.

       0 likes

  2. Millie Tant says:

    Off topic:

    I was logged out this evening for some unknown reason and had difficulty logging back in. I selected My Google profile from the list but it wouldn’t authenticate for some reason. Anyway, after a lot of time spent to-ing and fro-ing I did get it to work. Does anyone understand this JS-Kit thing and how to use it to get back in? I don’t remember ever registering with it and it wouldn’t accept my username.

    Thanks.

       0 likes

    • Martin says:

      Don’t know but I’ve had it that when I come here for some reason I have to log back in.

         0 likes

  3. Jonathan S says:

    is anyone watching the shite now on BBC4 ‘The Men Who Built the Liners’ 

       0 likes

    • Natsman says:

      Yes – again.  God knows how many times it has been repeated, that and the other Liners programme the other night, and Indian Hill railways last night for the 300th time.

      But this one appears to be a vehicle for the reds, n’est pas?

         0 likes

  4. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Throwing money down the Green Toilet update: First Solar, one of the biggest solar power companies around and who were supposed to be doing this great big solar panel farm, has just laid off half their employees. Stock tanking, things looking really bad.

    Once this company goes bankrupt – and they probably will – that will be more than another $1 billion in guaranteed government loans thrown down the Green toilet, pushing the total waste of money by The Obamessiah and His activists on Green boondoggles to nearly $6 billion if we count the money coming from other Government sources.

    The co-founder, Michael Ahern, is a big Democrat donor. What a shock. Corporate Cronyism yet again. And Mark Mardell wants you to think it’s only extremist Republican rhetoric that the President’s economic policies are a disaster.

    BBC: ZZZzzzzzzz

       0 likes

  5. Jonathan S says:

    funny how the BBC’s corporate colours are red, and also black when the Tories are doing something which they don’t agree with…does this make sense????

       0 likes

  6. Jeff Waters says:

    Too ugly to lead? Radio 4 gaffe as Miliband quizzed whether his appearance might hurt his chances with voters
    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2084892/Radio-4-gaffe-Ed-Miliband-quizzed-appearance-hurt-chances-voters.html#ixzz1j8qHQk3F

       0 likes

    • My Site (click to edit) says:

      Churchill was no Brad Pitt.

      Maggie was no Angelina.

      Seemed not to matter on the substance of governance.

      Except, when it suits, to the most trivial of ‘views’ over news minds in the media infirmament… when it suits. And that varies a lot. Twitter was off the menu last week as it was not delivering the headlines the narrative required.

      The BBC is trying a daft combo of a) ditching Wallace whilst b) showing ‘balance’ by dissing a liability to the cause.

      Whatever they are up to they have long since ceased to report anything, or tried to be objective in how they do.

         0 likes

    • Roland Deschain says:

      I expect ugly people to be invited on to Radio 5 phone-ins this morning to express their disgust at this comparison.

         0 likes

  7. Deborah says:

    The weather forcast is for colder weather by the weekend – is that why we had the story today on Today about 65 types of flowers growing in Cardiff – evidence of global warming – have to get the story out whilst the weather is still mild – throw in that last year was the second warmest on record – do they really think people have such short memories?

       0 likes

  8. cjhartnett says:

    Burns Night is now a two week festival then?
    Why else has Naughtie caught the Midnight Flyer at the speed of a greased rat down a pipe to get “back home” to  see if the Scots are ready to pose at Stirling Castle with wee Alex?
    There is no debate to be had-it is either constitutionally legal or it is not. It is either IN our OUT…why allow Salmond to create a half pregnant condition where he gets all the baby showers and benefits…but no baby to have to take care of in return.
    It`s a breeze in a porridge bowl…yet the BBC rather hope that Cameron will be stripped of the tartan as they create a pastel equivalent in pinks, lilacs and lime green for the slime mould in Holyrood and Wood Lane.
    Loved the bit on Today when Salmond said that we , the folk of these isles; would not associate tthe word “wriggle” with “AlexSalmond”….
    Pretty high up my word association list Alex…alongside fat, tricky, slithery, Magrabhi, oily,smug…

       0 likes

  9. London Calling says:

    “Laugh I nearly paid my License Fee” Department, on the assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist:  
     
    bBC usual follow up trawl:

    Are you an Iranian scientist? Are you a scientist of Iranian descent? Are you concerned about the pitfalls of such a career?  
     
    No, I am concerned about the consequences for the rest of the world of the work of Iranian nuclear scientists (notice how the bBC omit the all-important “nuclear” qualifier. Iranian scientists studying the reproductive cycle of molluscs are in no danger I suspect.  
     
    Are you a member of Al Queda? Are you concerned about the pitfalls of such a career? The bBC wants to hear from you (as do all Western security services) 

       0 likes

  10. noggin says:

    5live s, V (not super intellectual) Dreary-byshire, was living up to her moniker, again today.

    As the ridiculous “thought police” agenda on race hate gets even more absurd, … apparently,( some/how many? nobody knows), Notts fans at a match, against Leicester, shouted,”you used to be english not anymore” .

    Well this has El Beeb/VD wetting her pants, as they are to be investigated
    for possible race hatred, by the police? .. i know …  you couldn t make it up.

    So follows, extended interview … police, etc etc, (yawn) …
    laughably it is an actual statement of  fact, as the club does have new thai owners, :-D, plus the uncomfortable fact of an enormous indian/pakistani
    community, well ………. and???

    Saying your not english? racist? … were fans refering to thai owners? …
    which?, who? how many? nobody knows.

    Oh the slippery “thought police” slope, of snivelling pc and unworkable
    nonsense, of the maccy pher report eh!

    Now real news required … did you jet up to Salford today?, did you cost us again today?.
    erm radio,(not even TV) presenter, not on radio 1, 2, 3, or even 4, yep! we would like to know?

       0 likes

    • As I See It says:

      BBC 5 Live – that awkward mix of sport and lefty opinion.

      Was Ms Derbyshire actually in attendance at the Salford branch today, or was she hiding away in a cupboard somewhere in west London with the Happy Mondays on her Ipod playing quietly in the background?

         0 likes

  11. George R says:

    A delicate subject, which BBC-NUJ has avoided for 5 days.

    On 6 January, ‘Daily Mail’ has this report:

    “Mother drowns baby daughter in bucket while boyfriend watches live on Skype ”

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2083006/Yasmin-Chaudhry-drowns-baby-daughter-bucket-boyfriend-watches-Skype.html#ixzz1ih379w1N

    Today, five days later, BBC-NUJ presents its first report on this case.

    I wonder why BBC-NUJ is so reticent to report it, and why it reports it in such a limited way….

    “Norway police interview UK man over Skype child death”

    (Is he a ‘UK man’, or is he a Muslim from elsewhere?

    BBC-NUJ, rather superfluously, describes the 20-month old daughter who was drowned in the bucket as a ‘litte girl’, in its opening paragraph.)

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16505785

       0 likes

  12. London Calling says:

    bBC worked out this wheeze a long time ago. The ‘from” attribute invariably refers to last known place of residence. The 21/7/05 failed London bombers were from various parts of England according to the bBC, – 
     
     “In earlier evidence Mr Ibrahim, of Stoke Newington in north London, said he had planned to cause panic with realistic but fake bombs but had no intention to hurt anyone” 
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6484317.stm 
     
    Its that Stoke Newington Liberation Front again. 
     
    The rest were from or of other parts of London and Birmingham. Better known as Somalia and Eritrea, which are now effectively parts of London as there are now more former residents here than there.

       0 likes

  13. As I See It says:

    I don’t claim to be an expert on post-communist Hungarian politics – so I might perhaps turn to the BBC for some guidance?

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16446682

    ‘Hugarians despair of political class’

    ‘Half of the population believed that only the socialists could be trusted to run the country’s affairs competently. They despised the current Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, as a populist demagogue.’

    Ok, maybe that is a plausible summary.

    ‘The confrontation, which spilled into the street, echoed the stand-off between George W Bush and Al Gore of 2000, and left many Hungarian friends and family, who found themselves on opposite sides of the political divide, no longer on speaking terms.’

    Now I smell BBC bias. Is that the best available political analogy or is the Beeb reporter playing to an anti-Bush agenda which is irrelevant to this tiny central european country?

    Also Newsniffer reveals an amusing biased BBC edit.

    http://www.newssniffer.co.uk/articles/477090/diff/1/2

    ‘Meanwhile, just like Greece, the government tried to play games with its borrowing statistics’.

    Normal lefty service has been resumed.

       0 likes

    • My Site (click to edit) says:

      ‘Meanwhile, just like Greece, the government tried to play games with its borrowing statistics’.

      Interesting. Just last week, on Newsnight, that well known balanced edotor and economics guru Paul Mason was all atwitter about the antics of a a certian ‘right wing’ government, before moving on to those of another closer to ‘home’… not in a very objective way either.

         0 likes

  14. George R says:

    On BBC-NUJ’s political chum:

    “The Guardian: smug, arrogant and subject to special treatment”

    http://www.thecommentator.com/article/789/the_guardian_smug_arrogant_and_subject_to_special_treatment

       0 likes

  15. Nigel Holland says:

    In this article why is the assumption MOSAD are responsible?

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16501566

    Aren’t the Saudis as likely culprits?

       0 likes

    • My Site (click to edit) says:

      the work of the Zionists [Israelis],” deputy Tehran governor Safarali Baratloo said.’

      ‘Sources who say’, plus helpful additions.

      Now, when other governments in that neck of the woods make ‘claims’ that may or may not be true, which impartial media outfit falls overself to ensure this is ‘reported in ways that shape the narrative?

         0 likes

      • My Site (click to edit) says:

        I have written to the BBC to ask for clarification of:

        a) who added the [Israelis] to the term Zionists and, 

        b) if them, why, and

        c) to ask if, whoever did make the conflation, how accurate it is.

        The reply will be of interest, especially in a febrile period where making generic statements can land one in hot water, and any medium would also probably wish not to be seen to be stirring up things even more than they are by others already. Objectively speaking. That would rather place said medium in the propagandist camp.

        I have taken a page capture in case the story gets ‘evolved’ and no mention of the previous copy is made… but not a stealth edit… oh, no.

           0 likes

        • Biodegradable says:

          Well done, I’d like to hear their response. I’m a Zionist but I’m not Israeli.

          Iranian officials usually refer to Israel as “the Zionist Entity”.

             0 likes

          • My Site (click to edit) says:

            Iranian officials usually refer to Israel as “the Zionist Entity”.

            We’ll see on the reply.

            What anyone calls anything is one thing. What the BBC is in relaying such a quote plus ‘extras’, especially if less than faithful or indeed in any way accurate, for any other reason, is quite another.

            By my understanding, an Israeli could be a Zionist, but all Israelis are not and would not claim to be.

            Therefore that is quite a statement to either allow through if simply quoting, or, worse, for a UK ‘news’ medium to introduce.

            Like covering a country fair and saying the entertainment was ‘the work of Morris dancers [English]’. Only, maybe, a bit more serious on the ‘quick, claim context, or Alzheimers, or we’re unique.. or invoke FoI exemptions’ front.

               0 likes

            • Biodegradable says:

              If it was the BBC adding “Zionists [Israelis]“, which it probably was, it’s unacceptable. It’s as good as excusing Iran’s antisemitism by inferring that they (the Iranians) don’t have a problem with all Jews, only Zionists [Israelis]“.

                 0 likes

    • ltwf1964 says:

      Saudi Arabia

      that’s exactly what i thought as well

      the saudis and the persians HATE each other

         0 likes

  16. noggin says:

    New trailer for an coming bbc Crusades doc, promising 😀  ta ra!

    the TRUTH hmmm ….

    will that be arab muslim truth, or the actual factual truth? …

    can you even remember that ? el beeb.

     

    remember the last stab at truth, from the islamic broadcasting corp

     

    Did King David’s Empire Exist? did he united the tribes of Israel?, did he really rule over a vast Israelite kingdom? Did he even exist?

     Hmmm not really a vote of confidence eh!

     

    Compare that to their gaulling, simpering, obfuscated, propaganda fest, Mohamhed documentary.

     

     

    Just think of all, the destruction/erasing of any thing non islam still!, even today in every crapistan islamic backwater, denied objective education, & that vaccum filled, with a “house of cards” history.

     
    G Orwells prophetic words,  
    The past was erased, … that erasure was forgotten, as the lie itself…… became truth

    will  I be expectantly dismayed

       0 likes

    • My Site (click to edit) says:

      Truth, especially in history, used to belong to the victor.

      Now, it appears, £4Bpa can buy a version of it easily enough for a few.

      Even when losers.

         0 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      Here we go again: the Muslims were gentle, peaceful, egalitarian, non-violent, and it was the nasty overly-religious Crusader brutes who had no right to interfere in the Holy Land, and ruined everything and showed Saladin how to behead people and butcher innocent civilians, which never, ever happened before the ugly Christians got them mad.

      Let me know if they mention that the First Crusade spent some time killing Jews in the Rhineland before heading over to Jerusalem. Probably not relevant to the agenda, though.

         0 likes

      • noggin says:

        Well if it doesn t start damn close to this … might be time for the off switch.  
        A smidgen of fact.  
         
        For at least two decades, Muslim armies were conquering more Christian land and increasingly terrorizing and persecuting Christians  
        The Fatimid caliph al-Hakim had recently desecrated and destroyed a number of important churches—such as the Church of St. Mark in Egypt and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.  
        He decreed several, even more oppressive than usual, decrees against Christians and Jews, with murderous retribution should pilgrims even attempt to travel to Jerusalem.  
        Because it is in this backdrop that then Pope,  Urban called for the Crusade.  
        There  are those who argue that Islam was somewhat fragmented at that time, ie thus no threat, & to that spurious charge 😀  
        It is patently obvious to everyone that  islam then …  just as today,  
        is NEVER fragmented when it comes to christians/jews, and their ideological drive to subdugate them. 

        I wonder who they ll dig up T Ali ?,(after his laughable stint, on the cresent & the  cross), or the living end. dribbling apologists from the Mohamhed doc?
        doc?

           0 likes

  17. George R says:

    NIGERIA: INBBC sanitises Islamic jihad Boko Haram (again), in empathetic ‘report’.    
       
    (This INBBC report is anonymous, so it is not clear whether it emanated from INBBC World Service, or the predominantly Muslim staffed INBBC Hausa service, or a press agency.) 
     
     
       
     http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16510929
     
       
    But the INBBC propaganda line of denial continues to be:    
       
    – the conflict is not caused by the violence, mass murders and persecution of Christians by Islamic jihad Boko Haram.    
       
    INBBC refuses to analyse the mass murder of Christian Biafrans by jihadists in the 1960s, refuses to analyse Islamic imperial violent conquest of Nigeria over centuries, and censors contemporary jihad violence e.g.    
       
    Nigeria: Jihad against beer parlors (again).




    Nigeria: Boko Haram jihadists kill 2 more Christians.

       0 likes

  18. My Site (click to edit) says:

    http://wallblog.co.uk/2012/01/11/social-media-is-no-substitute-for-journalism-says-cnn/

    Probably not going to be covered by a certain over-funded medium that likes shiny new toys.

    Though a source close to them may tweet it enough so they stand a chance of having learned about it.

       0 likes

  19. George R says:

    Jihadists: SOMALIA and BRITAIN.

    Is INBBC deliberately censoring the reporting of connections between such Islamic jihadists?

    “Converts to Islam aiding al Shabaab”http://www.newenglishreview.org/blog_display.cfm/blog_id/39948Also:Kenya braces for possible jihadist attack; seven Westerners deported in past 2 weeks after trying to contact al-ShabaabAnd:

    Nairobi, 1998 –

    1998 Nairobi truck bomb attack.  – Age of Terror – BBC (Peter Taylor)






       0 likes

  20. RGH says:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16515914

    See the BBC has fallen hook, line and sinker in this hagiography of a Communist spy who was responsible as a double agent for the killing of British agents in the Soviet Union. Straight from Novosti and Pravda.

    Bad enough that they sanitise the murder and duplicity of an enemy of our country and our Allies post.war. Omission again. Usual sloppy, unresearched journalism which dishonours our people who died for our freedom.

    “He also managed to infiltrate British intelligence, exposing a network of secret agents in the USSR.
    Vartanian did so by getting accepted on a British training course for spies in Tehran.”

    “Codenamed Amir, his task was to root out German and British spies.”

    As a result, British-trained spies sent to the USSR were either captured or recruited as double agents.

    The BBC omits the killing and torture that followed capture.

    The man was a rat. And the BBC prints the whole fiction from Pravda. No caveats, nothing.

    The Tehran Plot story is a fiction. Stalin thought it up to impress his guests at the 1943 Tehran Conference (Roosevelt and Churchill).

    Roosevelt mentions that Stalin told him about a ‘plot’. Churchill doesn’t mention it.

    What Churchill does mention is a proposal by Stalin.

    In regard to the future treatment of Germany, MARSHAL STALIN developed the thesis that he had previously expressed, namely, that really effective measures to control Germany must be evolved, other-wise Germany would rise again within 15 or 20 years to plunge the world into another war. He said that two conditions must be met:
    (1) At least 50,000 and perhaps 100,000 of the German Commanding Staff must be physically liquidated.

    (2) The victorious Allies must retain possession of the important strategic points in the world so that if Germany moved a muscle she could be rapidly stopped.
    MARSHAL STALIN added that similar strong points now in the hands of Japan should remain in the hands of the Allies.

    THE PRIME MINISTER took strong exception to what he termed the cold blooded execution of soldiers who fought for their country. He said that war criminals must pay for their crimes and individuals who had committed barbarous acts, and in accordance with the Moscow Document, which he himself had written, they must stand trial at the places where the crimes were committed. He objected vigorously, however, to executions for political purposes.

    http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=906

                                                                                                         


       0 likes