166 Responses to OPEN THREAD

  1. Martin says:

    Sky News

    Three Muslim men have been found guilty of stirring up hatred by handing out leaflets that said Islam “punished” homosexuals with the death penalty.

    ITN

    Three Muslim men have been found guilty of stirring up hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation after distributing a leaflet that said Islam called for homosexuals to be executed.

    The BBC

    Three men have been found guilty of a gay hate crime after handing out leaflets calling for homosexuals to be given the death sentence.

    Spot the odd one out, it ain’t hard. Why does the BBC not think that thier religion is anything to do with the crime?

       0 likes

    • Daniel Clucas says:

      I’m going to steal in before the cherry picking massive, the news channel had “3 muslim men” on their news banner.
      A massive surprise though to be honest, it jumped out of the screen at me πŸ˜€

         0 likes

      • Martin says:

        Daniel often the BBC TV news or radio ‘might’ mention it, but we’ve noticed over the years that the BBC online services NEVER bring up Muslim in a story in a negative way but they do if the story is ‘positive’ in the eyes of the BBC. You only have to look at the Muslims arrested for the grooming of white girls to see how the BBC hides being “men” or at worst “Asian men” as if somehow this is a thing based on race when it’s clearly an issue of Islam and how it sees white western girls as slags.

        We’ve also noted over the years the BBC will bring in Christian or Jew in the heading for a negative story.

           0 likes

        • Daniel Clucas says:

          I had to have a look at the online article, they managed the whole thing without mentioning the “M” word. They did manage one mention of the “I” word and the other “M” word.
          Dancing around it.

             0 likes

          • My Site (click to edit) says:

            Dancing around it.’

            Indeed.

            Too often it is the other way around, with a tucked away online piece being cited as atoning for broadcast failings to a vastly wider, and more impressionable audience.

            There will of course be some BS in justification about rules or getting stuff to fit, but it’s clear they are in a compliance funk and have no clue, mostly opting not to get in trouble with the powers that be as opposed to serving sensible journalism.

               0 likes

            • Millie Tant says:

              Ah, yes, the tucked-away-online ruse, Hidden in Berkshire, named after a case involving some Muslim women having a contretemps on a London bus, which had been relayed to the masses as a case of Muslim women being thrown off a bus (to the masses, for no reason other than being Muslim women). How a later version of the article ended up in Berkshire news has never been explained by any passing Beeboids.  

                 0 likes

        • Biodegradable says:

          I’ve often wondered why Israelis are called Jews by the BBC but Arabs are called “Palestinians”. Surely if you’re going to describe one side by its faith surely you should do the same for the others.

          It should be either “Israelis and Arabs” or “Jews and Muslims”.

             0 likes

          • Millie Tant says:

            Depends on context? Israel I suppose is thought of as a Jewish State (and Jewish can refer to a people or to a religion). I can see complications.  Israelis aren’t only Jews, are they? Can’t Arabs be Israeli? But in some contexts, presumably, the Beeboids might want to indicate Jews when they refer to Israeli.

               0 likes

        • ian says:

          Martin

          I think the beeb portrays white girls as slags too, no doubt to keep “Asian” (sic) viewers happy.

          And schools encourage them to be slags with all the supposed sex “education” stuff – some beeb-produced – no doubt for the same reason. 

          As for even 10 year olds being given the pill without parental knowlege…..

             0 likes

      • Demon1001 says:

        I saw that too Daniel, they even said “Muslim”.  Both my wife and I were very surprised.

           0 likes

    • Millie Tant says:

      Yes, indeed, especially when the religious basis was the whole point of the leaflets. Note also the sloppy glib sloganising phrasing of the Beeboid (gay hate) compared with the other broadcasters’ more formal language befitting a news report.

         0 likes

      • cjhartnett says:

        Horns of the bucking bronco for the BBC eh?
        It`s often been said that these two irreconcilable positions-either gay rights or sharia, in effect-cannot be squared-nor will they ever be, by the religion of peace!
        These men are only doing exactly what it says on the tin…and the usual ostrich head as the tumbleweed blows past is not an option in Derby today.
        If you make such stupid and ill-thought out laws “to be inclusive” as Labour did-don`t be surprised if it turns out to be a pile of crap.
        An axe is now at the root of the multikulti tree, and the Beeb/liberal elite have no-one to blame but themselves.

           0 likes

    • RCE says:

      To be fair R4 news at 6 last night used the M word, too.  My initial surprise and satsifaction was rapidly followed by a deflated feeling, it being a rum state of affairs when reporting of the truth is unexpected…

         0 likes

    • Alfie Pacino says:

      We really are living in times that Confusious would deem “interesting”.
      Since when did the following idiocy become prominent?
      http://islam-watch.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=901:cartoon-mania-again&catid=110:brokaan&Itemid=58#content&view=article&id=901:cartoon-mania-again&catid=110:brokaan&Itemid=58#comments

         0 likes

  2. Jeff Waters says:

    Megaupload file-sharing site shut down – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16642369

    Interesting that, of the 10 Editor’s Picks comments, only one criticised the alleged pirates.

    Jef

       0 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      To be slightly fair, lots of MU users were legitimate, and lots of people have now lost all their personal files – family photos, work projects, etc. – with no hope of retrieval.

         0 likes

  3. D B says:

    Further to the discussion about BBC and Twitter on the previous open thread (and with apologies to Monty Python)…


    I’m a lefty hack and I’m OK,
    I tweet all night and I tweet all day.

    (Chorus: She’s a lefty hack and she’s OK,
    She tweets all night and she tweets all day.)

    My left wing views infect the news,
    I work for the BBC.
    I like to read my Guardian
    Sitting on the lavat’ry

    (Her left wing views infect the news,
    She works for the BBC.
    She likes to read her Guardian
    Sitting on the lavat’ry

    She’s a lefty hack and she’s OK,
    She tweets all night and she tweets all day.)

    I hate Is-rael, the Daily Mail,
    Bankers and the G.O.P.
    I rant on global warming
    And fly to France to ski.

    (She hates Is-rael, the Daily Mail,
    Bankers and the G.O.P.
    She rants on global warming
    And flies to France to ski.

    She’s a lefty hack and she’s OK,
    She tweets all night and she tweets all day.)

    I like to tweet – I’m indiscreet
    With buddies in the chatt’ring class.
    The licence fee protects me,
    So you can kiss my arse.

    (She likes to tweet – she’s indiscreet
    With buddies in the chatt’ring class.
    The licence fee protects her,
    So you can kiss her arse.

    She’s a lefty hack and she’s OK,
    She tweets all night and she tweets all day)

       0 likes

    • Martin says:

      Like it πŸ™‚

         0 likes

    • cjhartnett says:

      Eurovision song contest entry here DB!
      I`m sure we could do a “My Lovely Horse” subtle change of tune and blag the copyright!

         0 likes

      • D B says:

        A subtle change of tune, yes please! I can’t get the Python version out of my head – if I don’t stop singing “I’m a lefty hack and I’m OK” to myself I think I may well go mad.

           0 likes

  4. hippiepooter says:

    I saw some blonde BBC 24 news presenter interview Nigel Farage this afternoon about the number of immigrants on the dole in Britain.  Julia someone I think it was.

    Patently BBC bent.

    She asked Mr Farage if he was against British citizens having the right to claim benefit in other European countries.

    Mr Farage explained that he had no problem whatsoever with comparable countries like France and Germany having these reciprical rights, but not countries such as new members of the EU en Eastern Europe whose economies aren’t comparable.

    The interviewer then said: “OK, I’m going to ask you the question a second time, do you object to British citizens being able to claim benefit in other European countries?”

    I was hoping Mr Farage was going to tear her a new one for trying to make out he hadn’t just answered the question, but instead he gave her a similar type answer in a different form.  No criticism of Mr Farage, wrestling with chimney sweeps live on air is a high risk strategy likely to backfire if you’r not mentally prepared for it.

    Nonetheless.  Appalling bias.  The lady couldn’t barely disguise her disdain for him at the end of the ‘interview’.  Disdain for expressing views that a good majority of the British people share over a massive immigrant population in our country when we are in a serious economic crisis and need to put our own first.

    She was drooling later on over President Obama’s singing.

       0 likes

    • Martin says:

      The obvious reply is to ask stupid beeboids if they have a problem with the BBC employing younger and prettier presenters from Poland or Romania on a fraction of the wages a beeboid is paid.

         0 likes

      • hippiepooter says:

        How very tempting that must be!

           0 likes

        • D B says:

          Hello. I am Nicolai Campbellovich. I will work for one twentieth wage of your currrent Breakfast presenter. Is easy.  American presidential election? “Hey, those Republicans are religious nutters or what?” Europe? “Hey, those Eurosceptics are xenophobic nutters or what?” Immigration? “Hey, those anti-immigration people are racist nutters or what?” I also do: “I took my dog for a walk”, “I went for a run”, and “What’s with all the litter?” Give me job please Mr Van Klaveren.

             0 likes

      • John Horne Tooke says:

        Yes – lets have this interviewer on the BBC. He is well spoken and polite and allows the person he is intervewing to get his message across without the constant interuptions and bullying tactics.

        We then can make our mind up about the issue. The Humphreys of this world bully and deride people in their “interviews” who do not take the BBCs view of the world, while allowing others to speak freely. Humphreys is seen as an asset to the BBC (by the BBC) to me he is an arrogant bully.

        I welcome people like Livingston to be allowed to put their point of view across uninterupted and this should be extended to everyone of all political colours. Only then can we make our minds up where to put the cross.

           0 likes

        • John Horne Tooke says:

          So sorry. This is the Policsh gentleman I refer to

             0 likes

          • hippiepooter says:

            I’ve lived in Spain for nearly 10 years and still lap up the fact that an interview is an interview not a partisan harangue if the views aren’t right.

               0 likes

    • grangebank says:

      Surely its a problem for those other EU (ropean) countries . If they want to dish out benefits , then they can take the consequences .
      Meanwhile , back in our own land and doing what`s right for ourselves with good governance , fairness and common sense ……

         0 likes

  5. Merlin says:

    Can anyone explain why it is that when a white British paedophile is caught and charged it is headline news (as it should rightly be) BUT when swathes of Muslims (who are gangraping white girls up and down the length of the UK) get caught and charged with the most appaling crimes against children it hardly makes it on to the website let alone making headline news? This is disgusting; the BBC care more about the concerns of ethnic minorities than they do about our children. SCUM!

       0 likes

  6. Martin says:

    I have noted that the usual lefty knobs are rather ‘quiet’ on the Twitter front regarding the Muslims who have been done for their gay hate crap.

    Two of my fav’s Dame Nikki and Richard Bacon haven’t tweeted a word, yet you can bet if it had been a couple of BNP loons found guilty of promoting ‘Moozlum’ hate they’d be retweeting everything going.

       0 likes

    • Reed says:

      Yes – or if it had been..say…Christians running a B&B getting in trouble, it would be a major ‘issue of the week’ for discussion on all the main news shows(Radio & TV) and be worthy of a main Question on Question Time, with the religion concerned being central (rightly so, if that is what is driving the opinions). Not that I’m in any way sympathetic to any kind of gay hate nastiness, but let’s have a consistent set of standards please, BBC. (some hope)

         0 likes

  7. joseph sanderson says:

    Arriving back at Charleroi airport after a couple of days in Poznan ( not a great place for entertainment, although the offices are brand new thanks to the largesse of the european taxpayer ), I decided to listen to Radio 4 for the journey back to Maastricht, unfortunately this was the same time that some woman with a strange voice (Sandy something) began some sort of comedy news quiz.

    My god!!, the first three questions were:

    A) Goves suggestion to give the Queen a new boat for her Diamond Jubilee, in which the comedians wrongly claimed he was asking for taxpayer money, and which the strange woman did not correct the unfunny comedians claims. 

    B) Health and Safety, in which one of the comedians claimed that the Tories object to  any safety regulations as the Toriesare the party of sickness and death.

    C) Then a dig at Clegg and something to do with shares.

    Before I was drowned in any more left-wing rhetoric I was stopped by the Belgian police for a check to see if I had all the correct safety equipment in my car, after showing them my fire extinguisher, safety kit, flourescent tops, spare wheel and warning sign, I was fined 250 euro for not having any proof of insurance, which when I got home I found was in my bloody hand luggage!.

    Ironically enough the point they stopped me on the E42 was next to a little town called Spy, after paying the fine via their credit card machine, I got back into the car to hear a breathless enviromental reporter discussing that Glynbourne opera festival is thanks to its new wind turbine now self sufficent for its energy needs, and according to the reporter the first festival in the UK doing something to combat climate change!!.

    This was too much for me, I turned the bloody radio off and drove back in a state of annoyance to the Dutch border where I managed to get flashed by a speed camera…

       0 likes

    • RGH says:

      That’s the Belgians for you. A cautionary tale. They’ve taken over from the Yugoslavs (Tito era) who would hang around near the borders, pull you out from a column of local traffic and charge you for speeding….cash only of course.

      Belgium has a rather large public deficit/debt. You’ve been revenued.

      The Glydbourne thingy.

      They are possibly self-sufficient….in theory.

      Given that  they pocket  26.7-34.5p per KWh generated in government subsidies, I daresay that they define self-sufficient as having nil net electric charges in that they cross subsidise their normal bill.

      Accountancy is wonderful….you can even claim you’re saving the planet.

      How cool is that!

      Shame it’s all BS, though.

         0 likes

      • Martin says:

        Shame the Belgiums never bothered to try and stop the Germans in their tanks the same way.

           0 likes

      • ian says:

        Belgium is just the EU in microcosm. An artificial state comprising two very different peoples, taxing everything that moves, going to the financial dogs, hysterical about seperatist movements, run by France and Germany, and pretending to share a common culture. 

        When it is finally dissolved into the fascist superstate of Europe, nobody will notice or care. It will be as much a non-event as the founding of the “Belgian resistance” in 1940.

           0 likes

        • joseph sanderson says:

          ian,

          Belgium is an excellent showcase for all that is wrong with the EU, it has a split personality with the Wallonian and Flemish areas, it has huge poverty issues in Wallonia with the main French speaking cities of Liege, Namur and Charleroi which all have massive muslim populations suffering from high unemployment, terrible infrastructure and high crime rates.

          You then contrast this with the Flemish regions which have low unemployment, good infrastructuure and low crime rates, it is no coincidence that the Flemish cities of Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent and Leuven are where support for a Flemish state are strongest.

          It is a pity that when the BBC reports from Belgium it seems to only report what is going on in Brussels which is a majority French speaking city, of course as any BBC reporter only speaks French they seem to naturally slant all reports of the two independence movements in favour of Wallonia.

          As a Dutch citizen we do not want to join with Flanders, and the French do not want to join with Wallonia, this means that the Flanders region will have to keep subsidisng the Wallonian region, and support the booming Muslim populations which are agitating for sharia law to be implemented in towns with muslim majorities.

          One final point, in the Flemish region you are by law forced to learn French and Dutch, in the Wallonian region you only have to learn French!!, this is just one of many discriminations the Flemish people have to endure, and this in a country where people of Flemish origins are still 65% of the population.

          You want to see how the UK will look in 30 years?, come to Belgium.

             0 likes

        • grangebank says:

          Belgium is actually four peoples ; Wallons (French speaking ), Flemish (A form of Dutch speaking like Afrikaans ), Brussels (French speakers who dont consider themselves Walloons ), and Eupen (German speakers ) .

             0 likes

          • john says:

            My thanks go out to crafting (not sure which of the four peoples) the most sumptuous beers available.
            The chocolates that Detective bloke likes aren’t bad either.

               0 likes

  8. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Remember the ATF Scandal, the Operation “Fast & Furious”, about which the BBC has been almost entirely silent, even with the Attorney General and others testifying before Congress, and plenty of discussion elsewhere?

    Now the head of the Criminal Division of the US Attorey’s Office in Arizona (the state is a focal point for the scandal) is about to appear before a Congressional hearing, and is pleading the Fifth.

    Remember, US Attorney General Eric Holder has already testified in front of Congress, as have other Obamessiah Administraiton officials. The letter from Patrick Cunningham’s lawyer pretty much says that they’ve misled or lied to Congress to make him the fall guy.


    Regrcttably, he now finds himself caugbt in the middle of a dispute between theLegislative Branch and the Executive Branch, with both, accordingto the allegatioos in yourletteq finding it convenient to make accusations that are inconsistentwith the documentary evidence and the public record.

    So a key US Justice Dept. official is now exercising his Fifth Amendment rights to protect himself from….or to protect others? Needless to say, this is highly unusual.

    BBC: We’re not interested in anything that makes the President look bad. All we care about is His re-election, and showing you how awful His opponennts are.

       0 likes

  9. As I See It says:

    Pleased to see BBC’s Jeremy Al-Bowen has got to Syria at last. Always nice to see him dancing with the rebels. Took him long enough though. Wonder if he will swap any anecdotes with the Free Syrian Army. ….’So Saif Ghadaffi said to me….what’s the matter, lads…?’

       0 likes

  10. Martin says:

    Jesus 5 bellies was on the BBc last night now she’s doing the sodding paper review.

    No one ever asks her if she’s paid back her expenses yet.

       0 likes

  11. Tom says:

    The ghastly Mister Black is at it again – this time it’s Nuclear Subsidies unlawful

    This guy has absolutely no shame and zero sense of irony – Time he got a P45

       0 likes

    • Peter Parker says:

      Actually – I like to see the greens attacking the nuclear industry for a number of reason:

      1) To be against both CO2 and nukes means you’re basically against all practical forms of energy production. So this exposes the greens as the anti-human, anti-development watermellons they are.

      2) The nuclear industry has been a bit too keen to jump on the CAGW bandwagon for my liking. Good to see them getting a taste of their own medicine.

      3) It’s a good reminder to politicians that their idiotic posturing about ‘saving the planet’ and their attempts to cripple the energy industry with green tape can back-fire badly and could lead to real energy shortages & blackouts.

         0 likes

    • Natsman says:

      Preferably the business end of a Walther P45…

         0 likes

      • Tom says:

        Well yes…. high velocity P45 then.

        Peter Parker has some valid points but for me at least, the serial unopposed spouting of undiluted propaganda has really got beyond the tiresome. Black is supposed to be a correspndent and in my not so humble opinion implies an element of reportage.

        Checking out Black’s bilge is a chore I deeply resent – but unfortunatly, he gets listened to and read and repeated and the lies get wings and I am deeply fed up with hearing the poison repeated to me as a BBC annointed truth.

        Just when you think the arse can’t get any lower – he proves you wrong.

           0 likes

  12. Reed says:

    The good news – Iran’s Press TV loses it’s UK licence, so poor old George won’t be beamed into our homes anymore(except via the internet). The potential bad news – He likes an audience, so I expect we’re likely to see much more of him on our own TV. I’m sure the BBC will find him some regular work.        
           
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/jan/20/iran-press-tv-loses-uk-licence?newsfeed=true  
        
       


       
       
    Hat-tip – http://vladtepesblog.com/

       0 likes

  13. My Site (click to edit) says:

    Drip… drip…

    My adventures with BBC complaints take an odd sidebar as most remain back-burnered, but another one has been taken to heart. I wonder if my meeting attrition with attrition is bearing fruit, as frustartion leads to possibly imprudent reaction…

    Dear Sir, 

    Thank you for your recent email. I take from it that you are not happy with our coverage, in particular, that of Paul Mason. 

    You may indeed take it that I have been less than impressed with several aspects of Newsnight’s programme coverage, and that has included recent pieces by your economics editor Mr. Mason, whose remit appears often to extend beyond economic commentary. And I have registered my dissatisfaction on a specific basis, point-by-point, via the mandated BBC complaint system. Hence I am intrigued to get this rather casual, defensively personal and vague-to-the-point-of-valueless reply, with no complaint listing number, or copy of the complaint you are attempting to address.
    In fact it all seems rather extraordinary. And certainly difficult to comprehend.
    It is rather difficult, however, to respond to your email given you cite no specific examples of bias,
    By virtue of your not taking the trouble to include the complaint, I’d say the difficulty remains mainly mine, caused by you. And as a licence fee payer and customer stakeholder, that seems altogether even less than satisfactory still.
    but rather a general assertion that you think Paul Mason is somehow bias in his reporting.
    If it is what I think it must be, I took issue with a BBC economics editor using the national broadcast airwaves to offer a personal interpretation on the actions of the British Prime Minister in ‘reporting’ a matter of ongoing negotiation with other national parties, referring to his rejection of unacceptable terms as ‘the UK throwing its toys out of the pram’ very specifically, and hence view the term ‘pure tribal opinion’ as clear enough in claiming clear bias.
    Subject: BBC Complaints – Case number CAS-xxx

    Complaint Summary: Pure tribal opinion
    Full Complaint: I am intrigued by the words of the BBC Economics Editor http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b019ch5b/Newsnight_05_01_2012/?t=4m35 We’ll let the extra context of a ‘right wing’ government pass for now, but I would like an explanation of ‘a country that threw its toys out of the pram’. That is a view, certainly but not one held by all, and an odd one for an impartial British broadcaster to use about the actions of a British Government and PM in handling its interests internationally. Please explain the thinking and ability to so express using the airwaves to 60M fellow Britons, some of whom may not agree with such analysis. Without context, ‘time was short’, ‘no space’ weasels, etc. For once.

       0 likes

    • My Site (click to edit) says:

      This was and remains a view not even shared by the majority of the British public, for whom the BBC too often claims to speak, not that it would have been any more appropriate had that been the case.
      Given Mr. Mason’s affiliations and record, to get to my ‘thinking’ that such a statement is anything other than biased, not somehow, and tell me that I am making a rather a general assertion, rather shows how you have decided to approach this. And I cannot see it as being productive or likely to end well. Certainly not in bringing this matter to a close, as you appear to think, or hope it will, with this response. In the cold light of the day after, on more sober reflection, I hope you may come to appreciate this.
      I’m afraid I don’t share your opinion on that. 

      Especially as, yet again, I have a BBC employee explaining to a BBC customer that there is no problem purely because you don’t happen to believe there is one.
      You obviously take a keen interest in our programme so I take heart from the fact we might reward your with a rewarding viewing experience in the future. 

      I have no idea what this sentence means, or is meant to convey. I note this email was sent from your iPhone. Perhaps in future, if seeking to address such issues seriously, you might wish to take some more time, and use a means of communication less prone to writing incomprehensibly in such a manner.
      I do take a very serious interest in the output of the BBC in its entirety, and on matters of news or current affairs in particular how matters of accuracy and impartiality are handled. This is a multi-billion media organisation piping out hugely influential content, 24/7, that impacts a great deal on public perception and how policy is conducted in the UK. I am also compelled to pay for it, with no option to decline based on clear failure in promised delivery. 
      The only avenue I do seem to have to express reservations is the clearly risible BBC complaints system, which staff evidently appear to view as a Friday evening pub game to interpret and abuse, too often arrogantly. All much in the same way the privilege of being a uniquely funded, unaccountable broadcaster is now also destroying the BBC’s position of public trust and its professional credibility.
      Now, as I clearly cannot expect any sense from you, please advise how I may escalate this through the BBC complaints system properly beyond your pay grade, certainly now adding my dissatisfaction with your handling of this to the original complaint.

      Best wishes, 

      xx
      Programme Producer
      BBC Newsnight 

      Sent from my iPhone


         0 likes

      • My Site (click to edit) says:

        This is what ‘we’ are up against.
        Individuals… and the country.
        Yet another public sector complaint system designed purely for the process of solely acknowledging the complaint for the record, but then making the only result intended… to get it to go away with no other action.
        The public has but one avenue of complaint. Once it enters the BBC ‘system’, it becomes a fragmented, incoherent mess of different individuals , departments and hence, self-evidently, responses that are nigh on impossible to track or progress. This is clearly deliberate.
        I take this very seriously.
        The BBC, evidently, does not.  Which for an organisation dealing in education and information, so vastly funded and so unaccountable, with a £4Bpa PR budget, and an avowed mission to sway public opinion with it, is a concern. 
        Not sure what his game is, or even if it is sanctioned by his employers, if not those who pay his salary. He does seem a senior member of programming staff.
        As with other such attempts to dismiss factual, argued, complaints with airy, opinionated dismissals, I feel disinclined to let this pass.
        Merely in passing, I note this recent exchange from the tweet stream of Mr. Mason..

        andyburnhammp Andy Burnham @paulmasonnews@andyburnhammp that incensed nurse was my wife!” < Brilliant – at least that proves I didn’t make it up!

        So… a Labour Minister and BBC editor are joshing away, purely coincidentally, about the latter’s wife somehow getting in on the social commentary act with the former. I knew there was a sense of ‘family’ between them, but after hackgate thought the BBC/Labour position was that any similarity to the mob was the province of those they don’t approve of.

           0 likes

    • Millie Tant says:

      The stupidity of these Beeboids is astounding.

         0 likes

      • My Site (click to edit) says:

        Just checked my mail.

        There would appear to have been a misunderstanding, whereby the producer in question was not apprised of the totaliity of my complaint by an assistant.

        To be fair, he has acknowledged that, and offered a profuse apology, whilst asking for time to now reply in full.

        I am minded to accept the reason, if perhaps wondering if all who get on the wrong end of a sharp retort are offered such consideration. Hence I will await the fuller reply, as that is what was aked for.

        I will also remain cautious however, as these things have before proven more tactics in delay and eventual dropping, but at the very least benefit of the doubt can lead to productive dialogue.

        We’ll see.

        It may also have helped mind, on the sincerity front, if he had managed to get my name right. A flustered person last night, and still, I’d hazard.

           0 likes

        • Millie Tant says:

          It will be interesting to see if he can manage the word biased as well:

          …but rather a general assertion that you think Paul Mason is somehow bias in his reporting.

             0 likes

          • My Site (click to edit) says:

            I am all for the benefit of the doubt, but he has a heck of a job to get out of the hole dug.

            The more I think about it, the more I am affronted that this was a total abuse of procedure topped off by a huge knee jerk outside of any glimmer of sesnibel protocol, revealing a nasty mindset in the BBC complaints system wher eit is toyed with more in the abuse than in any attampt at addressing concerns.

            I followed procedure. This was then ‘sampled’ on whim from a pool that is apparently free to access by all and sundry to play with. They… incorrectly.. through they had a sloppy whinge and decided to mock it.

            And it has backfired. Big time.

            His explanation will be of great interest.

               0 likes

            • My Site (click to edit) says:

              I also note that the much defended Mr. Mason’s latest blog posting, on the BBC’s much defended blog network has, on a rare outing, managed 33 comments before being closed after 2 days.

              http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16613193

              I hark back to a comment from the BBC’s finest ‘explaining’ their policy:

              ‘As to your remarks about comments, there are no set durations for comments threads to be left open. It varies with the story as has been explained. Adverse comments being made about the BBC would never be a reason for us to close a thread.’

              Uh-huh. 33 out of 25,000,000 (60 if you take the ppoulation). Way to ‘represent’ the UK. 

                 0 likes

  14. noggin says:

    ATTN. ALL B.BBC readers, 7. 50am BBC1
    if anyone can catch newswatch, on iplayer, or later on news chnl do so.
      
    The bbc is … alarmist … needlessly so, on science biased issues, particulary climate science totally biased, pushes propaganda, seems to have an agenda, on things like MMR etc etc etc, (rubs eyes!) …  no surprise to us eh!
    but newswatch? … whats happened to the usual sopfest?

    It gets better, out wheels bbc head of science, to inform us that its best to be generalist?? … or a correspondent on science? … after all a particle physicist, wouldn t know anything about, embryology would he? (unbelievably he seems to be infering best not to be a scientist at all πŸ™‚    ).
    Then to cap it all sagely states, he has a GCSE in Geography or something????, (mrs noggin spits out the tea! … i had just brought in).

    definitely a MUST SEE.

       0 likes

    • My Site (click to edit) says:

      Speaking of a bunch our tourists flying around on jollies…

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b019lwxx/Newswatch_20_01_2012/

      Ceri Roberts had/has a point. Jackals. Via Twitter.

      ‘A review of the BBC Trust, however, had another view’. Unique.

      What is the point of Newswatch, other than to tick an early morning box that they have devoted 10 mins out of 10080 to dismissing any critique of their output as ‘getting it about right’… with no ideas shut off, and an open door. He’d ‘like to think’. Uh-huh. Patronising tosh from a sanctimonious twerp trotting out the same old… over and over.

      http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/jan/16/bbc-david-shukman-science-editor

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2012/science-editor.html

      ps: Technical question: How come a degree in Geography, which I would consider a science, is a BA?

         0 likes

      • RGH says:

        Geography is a ‘portmanteau’ subject in which the ‘science’ plays a subsidiary role. It really means a bit of this and a bit of that…it’s not politics, economics, sociology, agriculture, town planning, …a bit of everything. The hard science has long since deserted this junked up Victorian school subject.

        Hence BA. You’ve got to put it somewhere.

           0 likes

  15. My Site (click to edit) says:

    Always good value, this long-standing, and almost dormant thread on The Editors has picked up..

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2011/12/its_become_a_tradition_on.html

       0 likes

  16. George R says:

    “Woman’s Hour psychologist who made false claim in custody battle is found guilty of misconduct.  

    “Dr Ruth Coppard has featured as an expert on Radio 4 show Woman’s Hour.


    ” She now faces being suspended or struck off. “  
     
    By Chris Brooke  
     
     
    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2089445/BBC-psychologist-tried-block-fathers-custody-bid-falsely-claiming-autistic-guilty-misconduct.html#ixzz1k5NY29io

       0 likes

  17. George R says:

    BBC-NUJ propagandises for ‘Occupy’ in schools now:  
     
    “Occupy protest movement to go into schools.”  
     
    By Hannah Richardson BBC News education reporter .  
     
    (-her account is more like propaganda.)  
     
     
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-16650613
     
     
     
    BBC-NUJ has no criticism of ‘Occupy’.  
     
     
    Alternative:  
     
    “Who owns OWS?”  
     
     
     (2 pages, Dec  2011)  
     
    http://frontpagemag.com/2011/12/29/who-owns-ows/2/  
     
     
     

       0 likes

    • George R says:

      The following is still very relevant-    
         
         
      Brendan O’Neill:    
         
      ” How protest became a prisoner of the media.    
            
      “Once, radicals used the media to try to spread their ideas.  
          
      In 2011, the media class used radicals to spread its ideas.”    
           
      http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php/site/article/11932/

         0 likes

    • Craig says:

      Yes, Hannah Richardson’s article does read like propaganda.  

      It’s entirely one-sided. We hear from Occupy ‘protestor’ Jamie Kelsey Fry (in favour) and from the teacher who invited the Occupy movement into his school (in favour). She only mentions support for the scheme:  

      The camp’s “Tent City University” has won support from numerous high-profile speakers and academics.  

      In contrast, Sarah Harris in the BBC’s least favourite paper, the Daily Mail, gives supporters of the scheme the lion’s share of the article – including Mr Kelsey-Fry, the same teacher and a supportive head-teacher. Unlike the BBC reporter, though, she does what a fair reporter ought to do and includes the opposing point of view as well:  

      Critics have attacked the move, warning head teachers it is ‘dangerous’. It is feared that protesters could use the opportunity to indoctrinate youngsters and gain fresh recruits.  

      The Mail reporter also gives a sceptical voice (Chris McGovern, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education) a say.   

      The BBC’s Hannah Richardson has form. She’s the reporter Toby Young busted for a “grossly misleading, anti-free schools article”.

         0 likes

  18. cjhartnett says:

    Just heard “Excess Baggage”…not a programme I normally bother with, but they were to discuss the “West Bank/Occupied territories” tourist experience!
    John Mc Carthy is responsible for the show-and haveing been chained to a Beirut radiator for a few years, you might have thought he`d have learned something.
    Not at all-for this is the BBC.
    The whole show was a charity, refugee camp plug as well as Ramallah book festivals and touring clown workshops from Edinburgh Uni etc.
    Absolutely no context for walls, no history about why Abrahams tomb was partitioned(we don`t want to go there!)…and reminded me of the useless “Crusades” Palpuff!
    The Beeb just churn this stuff up-and send it down the pipe!
    That this is NOT meant to be a commercial for Palestinian grievances-just a travel show-no longer means a thing to the Beeb. Perpetually on message and chipping away with no history…just wristbands, patronisisng privilege.
    Why won`t the BBC ask Brian Keenan to do this show-seems to have been made of sterner stuff than McCarthy…is Stockholm Syndrome enough to get him his blue badge?

       0 likes

    • 1327 says:

      cjhartnett – I caught this show to but rather than yell at the radio as I usually do I just laughed , as at times it sounded like a Monty Python sketch taking the p*ss out of middle class pretentiousness. Like you I noticed the lack of recent history when it came to Abrahams tomb. But the best bit was about how friendly everyone was in the refugee camps followed by a very gentle warning that you had better go on an “official” tour and not just turn up as then things (that weren’t specified) might just happen. 

         0 likes

  19. My Site (click to edit) says:

    http://www.thepoke.co.uk/2012/01/15/awkward-weather-report/

    Erring on ‘Will’ being a BBC producer.

       0 likes

  20. Martin says:

    Regarding Shuckman and his ‘Geography degree’ I don’t think Geography is a science, if he thinks that then he’s an idiot.

    Geology is a science, but if Shuckman did Geography as he stated that is a humanities subject for the most part, there might be a little bit of science in there, but mostly it’s geo-political crap. In fact when I did Geography as school it was taught by the ‘humanities’ staff and in the humanities department and there was no science in it.

       0 likes

    • My Site (click to edit) says:

      I had a wee search around, and it can actually be either a BA or BSc, and often both. 

      Rather key is the course emphasis.

      One involves facts much more, and the other rather airy-fairy areas that expalins which side of the divide our hero actual falls upon.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography (ironically)

      http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Geography_Degree

      http://www.independent.co.uk/student/into-university/az-degrees/geography-756191.html

         0 likes

      • Martin says:

        I’m always dubious of these BSc courses that are not based on a high level of science, you’re right that there are elements of geography that might have a scientific base but the subject itself is too wet and useless to be a real science.

           0 likes

      • noggin says:

        oh come πŸ˜€
        on just ask, him if Jerusalem is a city in Palestine, you ll know then, if he got it from the King Fahad Academy ?
        … ie equivalent to a CSE grade 4. (if allah wills).

        http://youtu.be/0sBIrr4a6MQ

           0 likes

    • John Horne Tooke says:

      If he studied Human Geography then this is a “social science”. The word “science” has in recent times come to be used for almost anything. Like the word operative it is usually meaningless, but that is what the left do to language, they debase it . 
       
      If however he means Physical geography then this is a science subject, but it is such a wide area of study and could cover quite a number of disciplines.

      Yet, as we know real scientists do not renain long at the BBC only activists would want to be involved in BBC “science” 
       
      After all the good Dr Gregory is a scientist but only one who uses the post-scientific method where the evidence is “altered” to fit the theory and not the pre-AGW accepted practice. 
       
      “When it comes to science, thou shalt ban the verb ‘to believe’ out of thy vocabulary.” ~ Churchill

         0 likes

  21. Louis Robinson says:

    Here’s a stunner from the BBC’s webpage “South Carolina primary: Gingrich surge troubles Romney”

    “The economy is the top issue in this election, as President Obama seeks a second term amid voter frustration at the pace of recovery from the recession that began in 2007 during the tenure of George W Bush and ended in 2009.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16663326

    Blame Bush and bless Obama in one paragraph!

       0 likes

    • Millie Tant says:

      Hahahahahahahahaha! That is just so blatant, it’s unbelievable. I had to laugh.

         0 likes

      • Louis Robinson says:

        We also have cconfirmation that the recession ended in 2009. Well, that’s a relief.

           0 likes

        • TomR says:

          Of course, the recession ended when The Great Democratic One came into power (unless they need to justify one of his more socialist policies or unconstitutional power grabs, in which case he’s just dealing with Bush’s problems).

             0 likes

  22. Millie Tant says:

    Last Saturday I was surprised to find that Simon Heffer is presenting a series of programmes on Radio 3:

    15:0017:00Saturday ClassicsSimon Heffer’s British Music, Episode 22/4. Simon Heffer with music by Patrick Hadley, Alan Rawsthorne, Britten, Bax, Holst, Delius.

    Listen Live

    Tonight’s Opera live from the Met looks like an oddity but it has some music by Handel (always fine by me) and Placido Domingo:

    The Enchanted Island (Music by Handel, Rameau and Vivaldi)
    The Live from the Met season continues with the world première of The Enchanted Island, a contemporary revival of the 18th century musical pastiche by the British librettist Jeremy Sams in collaboration with the Baroque music expert William Christie. Inspired by two Shakespeare plays, the story finds the four lovers from A Midsummer Night’s Dream landed on an island where Sycorax and Prospero from The Tempest are embroiled in a supernatural battle. This modern Baroque fantasy features arias by various composers including Handel, Rameau and Vivaldi.
    Presented by Margaret Juntwait with guest commentator Ira Siff
    Prospero…..David Daniels (countertenor)
    Sycorax…..Joyce DiDonato (mezzo-soprano)
    Ariel…..Danielle de Niese (soprano)
    Neptune…..Placido Domingo (tenor)
    Caliban…..Luca Pisaroni (baritone)
    Miranda…..Lisette Oropesa (soprano)
    Ferdinand…..Anthony Roth Constanzo (countertenor)
    Helena…..Layla Claire (soprano)
    Hermia…..Elizabeth DeShong (mezzo-soprano)
    Demetrius…..Paul Appleby (tenor)
    Lysander…..Elliot Madore (baritone)
    New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus
    Conductor…..William Christie.

       0 likes

  23. cjhartnett says:

    Heard Ed Stourton on “The World at One” yesterday.
    He had Richard Branson on to talk about his ideas re getting youngsters to get a start-up loan for business ideas, as opposed to those “uni” courses that lead up to the doors of Poundland.
    Now I`d have thought that Branson might know something about this topic-he employs 60,000 people after all.
    But-he`s not a lecturer in Business Studies at Readin` Uni is he?
    Ed was therefore more than happy to hear the pooh-poohing faint dismissal of Bransons scheme(it won`t deal with all the youth unemployment will it?) by our Uni monkey on perpetual tenure.

    Only at the BBC would a Branson be treated as something on the bottom of your shoe…now if he`s REALLY done well, he`d be supping brown drink out of a polystyrere cup in Reading now wouldn`t he?
    And real talent chews the cud and mooches to no great effect Friday lunchtimes at the BBC doesn`t it?

       0 likes

  24. David Preiser (USA) says:

    The BBC has published a Democrat/White House lie about Mitt Romney’s taxes. Sure, many in the mainstream US media are pushing the same lie to attack Romney’s wealth and continue the lifespan of the Occupiers’ 1%er meme, but that’s hardly an excuse for the BBC to reprint falsehoods.

    The lie:

    Mr Romney has been on damage-limitation mode this week since revealing he pays a tax rate of about 15%, well below what most Americans pay, and after it emerged he has millions of dollars offshore in the Cayman Islands.

    The facts: Romney’s annual earnings mostly come from investment – capital gains – not wage income. Capital gains are taxed – by law – at 15%. Regular wage income is taxed at various rates. Romney basically hasn’t taken a wage since leaving office years ago. He took no salary running the Salt Lake City Olympics, and hasn’t had a job since. The only income he’s earned by doing something is from speaking engagements and maybe a bit of book royalties. That income is taxed at whatever the progressive rate would be. It’s not all of his taxable income, but different income is taxed at different rates. It’s the law, and it’s not evasion. The “what most Americans pay” bit in the BBC line refers to wage income, but that’s not what the vast majority of Romney’s money is. So this is a lie.

    Romney’s investement and equity is mostly in Bain Capital. This company moves its money around, and the federal law is that you can put a certain amount of pre-tax income into an IRA account. In fact, the money isn’t just in the Caymans, it’s in Ireland and Hong Kong. And Deleware. Oops. BBC totally misleading there.

    Romney isn’t hiding his money. The money he’s invested is placed elsewhere, by the corporation. He’s obeying the law. What’s funny is that if he was really trying to hide his money as the BBC alleges, his current investment strategy isn’t really all that great.

    In any case, if you want to be a redistributionist and complain that US tax laws protect the wealthy, are unfair, blah, blah, fine. But that’s a different argument. What I’m talking about here is what Romney is actually doing versus what the BBC is telling you. Romney’s tax percentage is around 15 because his earnings are mostly from capital gains, which are taxed at 15%. Except the BBC is telling you he’s hiding money from wage income and so cheating in a way that “most Americans” can’t.

    This is a lie. I realize, of course, that US tax laws are convoluted and far too complicated for a media studies or English literature gradutate to undertand. I don’t like them either, which is why I supported Herman Cain’s flat tax idea. That’s really the only way to end all loopholes or other means of avoidance. But the far Left hates that because they want only to bleed the rich. So we’ll probably never get one. But as the law stands now, Romeny is not only doing nothing wrong, he’s not even doing it as cleverly as he could.

    But this is no excuse for the BBC to reprint a lie. If the 55 Beeboids working in the US are good only for reprinting stuff from Left-wing media sources or the White House, then I submit to you that they are all worthless. Once again, the rule is clear: don’t trust the BBC on US issues.

       0 likes

  25. David Preiser (USA) says:

    In Mark Mardell’s latest blog post from the campaign trail, he says that a senior politician in Britian would be “questioned” if he was a Mormon.

    Mitt Romney is a Mormon. In Britain, a senior politician who believed new prophecies were handed down and written on gold tablets in the 19th century, that native Americans are a lost tribe of Israel and that Jesus travelled to America would indeed be questioned.

    Since when is it kosher for a BBC employee to openly state that someone’s religious beliefs are questionable? Oh, right, it’s okay when BBC North America editors do it. After all, Justin Webb was allowed to suggest that Sarah Palin was unfit for office because of what he thought were her religious beliefs.

    In any case, if it’s true that a Mormon politician in Britian would be openly questioned, then I’d like to know why a Muslim wouldn’t be.

    What the US President editor says about there being a sentiment among many Christians that the Mormon religion isn’t proper Christianity is true, it’s interesting how he glosses over what’s really the key point of this whole thing:

    He makes it clear this is not something that makes it impossible to vote for the former governor.

    “Should Mitt Romney be the candidate who is selected to run against President Obama, and there is no other candidate, then I would have no problem voting for Mitt Romney, because of the direction our president is taking our country in.” he says. “I believe we cannot endure four more years of that.”

    Next time you hear Mardell or some other dopey Beeboid telling you that too many Republican Christians won’t vote for candidate Romney in November because he’s a Mormon, remember this.

    Also, even if Gingrich squeaks out some kind of win in South Carolina, it doesn’t mean that Romney is finished. He cleaned up in New Hampshire, which Mardell causally forgets to mention, so focused is he on the Iowa Narrative. And I don’t see Gingrich winning the day on “Super Tuesday” in March, when several states go to the polls at the same time. Before that there’s Florida and places like Colorado, Minnesota, and Michigan. April and May will be the biggest months for primaries, and it’s hard to see Romney really tanking before then. Anyone who thinks Gingrich is going to win the big states like New York and California needs their head examined.

       0 likes

    • Martin says:

      Let’s be correct fat shit Mardell knows a UK politicians would be ‘questioned’ but not if he or she were a Muslim.

      What Romney believes is all cobblers to me but so is the bollocks out of the Koran.

         0 likes

      • David Preiser (USA) says:

        That’s the point, Martin. Mardell doesn’t seem to object that a Mormon would be singled out due to religious belief, even helpfully spelling out the beliefs. He wouldn’t dare write that a Muslim politician would be questioned because Mohammed dictated a Koran which is full of mistaken bits of the Christian and Jewish texts and claimed that he flew to heaven and back on a winged horse.

        Which is more fantastical, Mark? If I were Mormon, I’d write a very angry complaint to the BBC about this.

           0 likes

    • John Horne Tooke says:

      Why should he be “questioned” – Did he hide the fact that he was a Mormon? Did the people who voted for him do so knowing him to be a Mormon.?

      Mardell should ask himself why it is OK be to represented by only agressive secularists and not Mormons who have been elected by the will of the people. Mardell is another idiot BBC “reporter” who has not grasped what democracy means.

         0 likes

      • David Preiser (USA) says:

        It seems to be a requirement for the job of BBC North America editor that one feels that certain religious beliefs disqualify people from holding high public office. And it’s clearly acceptable according to BBC editorial and impartiality standards to say so out loud.

           0 likes

      • My Site (click to edit) says:

        Mardell is another idiot BBC “reporter” who has not grasped what democracy means.’

        Hence elevation to editorial responsibility.

        Have to say I pay only passing interest to the US political scene as the entire MSM here is risible in its reporting (hence so valuing the insights of David P over ‘The Tub’ fantasy filing) as to make informed opinion near impossible.

        I was however intrigued by the SKY report on Newt Gingrich’s good results yesterday. What stood out for me was the notion that people not only felt he was a strong counter to Obama, but more a spirited bulwark against the attempted over-control of politics there by the media.

           0 likes

  26. RGH says:

    BBC fail.

    Today’s African Proverb

    A brave man dies once – a coward a thousand times
    Sent by Network Africa analyst Daud Aweis Somalia
    Righthand column:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/africa/

    Well, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery…but the bard got there first Mr Daud Aweis

    Shakespeare.
    Julius Caesar, Act II, Scene 2, line 32:

    Cowards die many times before their deaths;
    The valiant never taste of death but once.
    Of all the wonders that I yet have heard,
    It seems to me most strange that men should fear;
    Seeing that death, a necessary end,
    Will come when it will come.

       0 likes

  27. Corran Horn says:

    You have to love the Beeb and their rampant hatred of Margaret Thatcher.

    On their most popular stories we have the headline “Drag artist mistaken for Thatcher”, with the articels headline being Internet users mistake drag queen for Margaret Thatcher”.

    Apparently the whole thing has been caused by the release of the Iron Lady, witch has raised visitors to his web site 20-fold. 

    Now I have to ask how is this news worthy? To me it appears as just a Beeb excuse to try and say Lady Thatcher looks like a man in drag?

    No wonder they can’t report any actual news, when they fill their web site with this dross.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-16476009

       0 likes

    • My Site (click to edit) says:

      By Peter CoulterBBC News

      Mr Coulter should consider his position.

      The ‘BBC News’ appellation is, of course, already a joke.

         0 likes

    • cjhartnett says:

      I`m guessing that we needed to know that this buttplug of an item might cover their arses regarding not promoting Canal Street enough up there in Manchester.
      It would not be too hard to find out which clubs the Salford Sisters in “Commissioning” are visiting this month on the basis of the genesis of this “story”.
      Now if I wanted to find out a little more about Muslim paedophile rings up in Liverpool, or about how a “Jesus n Mo” cartoon at UCL causes troubles for the rest of us…safe to say that the Beeb will choose to blow the tumbleweed from view…
      “Is it pink tape or velvet ropes that we use to cordon off the areas where the civilians should not stick their hooked noses, luvvie?”

         0 likes

  28. Jonathan S says:

    Things that will never be seen again on the BBC….the original unedited versions of Tom and Jerry

       0 likes

  29. Jonathan S says:

    I’ve often wondered if you apply for a job at the BBC, you have to be either:

    1) a gay socialist

    or

    2) a straight socialist

    or

    3) both

       0 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      Just socialist. Going through one of the degree programs at feeder schools helps.

         0 likes

    • Demon1001 says:

      Agree with David P, however I would add that being gay would give extra employability points.  The other requirements include not bothering to think for yourself and being able to instinctively peddle the left-wing mantras with conviction.

         0 likes

  30. Cassandra King says:

    Desperate and blatant lying by a politician? Where is the multi billion pound BBC? If it were Bush trying to lie and cheat the BBC would be sending in the reporters like an invading army, they would be cpoying whole reports from hufpo and the gaurdian and it would be front page news for weeks. It is Obama doing the lying so the BBC is covering up for him.

    Obama’s Misleading Green-Jobs Ad: Taking Credit for Imaginary Jobs

    There are only 140,000 jobs in the whole renewable-energy sector, but in a new ad, Obama is taking credit for a “clean energy industry” that has “2.7 million jobs.” Obama inflated the number of “clean-energy” jobs by adding people who have nothing to do with clean-energy, like “trash collectors” and bureaucrats. By inflating the total, Obama was able to paper over his complete failure to live up to his utterly unrealistic campaign promise “to create 5 million new green jobs.” Most of America’s existing green jobs predate the Obama Administration, which did not create them: “from 2003-2010, the rate of growth for clean jobs was 3.4 percent.”

    Indeed, the Obama Administration used federal green-jobs money to outsource American jobs to countries like China: “Despite all the talk of green jobs, the overwhelming majority of stimulus money spent on wind power has gone to foreign companies, according to a new report by the Investigative Reporting Workshop” at American University. “79 percent” of all green-jobs funding “went to companies based overseas,” with the largest payment going to a bankrupt Australian company. “Most of the jobs are going overseas,” said Russ Choma at the Investigative Reporting Workshop.

    Meanwhile, America actually lost jobs in wind-manufacturing: “Even with the infusion of so much stimulus money, a recent report by American Wind Energy Association showed a drop in U.S. wind manufacturing jobs last year.” (CBS News recently reported that there are 11 more companies, in addition to Solyndra, that are embroiled in financial trouble after receiving billions of dollars in taxpayer money; five have already filed for bankruptcy).

    Obama’s mythical green-jobs are like other imaginary jobs he claimed to have created with the $800 billion stimulus package. The Obama Administration took credit for jobs created in 440 non-existent Congressional districts, such as Arizona’s 15th and 86th districts (Arizona only had 8 Congressional districts, as ABC News noted with amusement). The Washington Examiner noted that at least “75,000 jobs” Obama has claimed credit for are “clearly imaginary” or “highly doubtful.” Readers can view its interactive map of “Inflated Jobs by State.”

    The Obama Administration claimed that the stimulus package would keep unemployment from ever rising above 8 percent, but it peaked at over 10 percent. Obama claimed the stimulus was needed to prevent an “irreversible decline,” but the Congressional Budget Office admits that the stimulus package will shrink the economy “in the long run.”

    Obama’s green-jobs pledge isn’t his only broken promise. Obama campaigned in 2008 on a promise of a “net spending cut,” but soon after taking office, he proposed budgets that would add $4.8 trillion to the national debt.

    SOURCE (See the original for links)

       0 likes

  31. ltwf1964 says:

    couple of real good ones on the bbc views channel

    “right winger”  Newt Gingrich wins vote in S.Carolina,announces autocue beeboid,followed by a talking head(presumably “left leaning” but not specified who thinks that Gingrich is the confusion candidate for a confused electorate,and that he is the candidate Obama wants standing against him

    then we have a freerange camp beeboid opinig from the scene of the dog attack on the young girl

    the dog owner is “white” apparently……course he is

    if he was black or someone wearing a burka or a beard to his knees,we would be left to ponder for ourselves who he or she might be

    nice bit of subtle racism there beeboid

       0 likes

    • cjhartnett says:

      Well spotted.
      Cartainly Ed Stourton seemed very worried about Newt, as he told us all what would be coming up on his 1pm sobfest.
      I`ve never heard a black armband speak before-but it would certainly sound like poor Ed(what is it with that name?)
      If the BBC hate and fear him-he`s our guy probably…and surely his sexual past ought to play well with the BBC-who hate the boring conforming sexual beige types like us.
      As to the racism-I noted the suspect in the awful murder of an old couple in Birmingham was referred to as a “Lithuanian”.
      Is this relevant?…and if so, why do the Khans, Alis etc never get referred to by their national background…inevitably British by assumption.
      Must be a convoluted Dulux chart they`ve got up on their Board of Many Colours in the editing suite at the BBC( and NO…it can never be a whiteboard ever again!)

         0 likes

      • John Anderson says:

        So now the front-runner in the Republican race looks to be Newt Gingrich,  after a stomping win in South Carolina and Romney’s figures already slipping badly in Florida.  The BBC has a lot of catching up to do,  having kept people in the dark about most of the candidates except when there was an opportunity to slag them off.

        When will the BBC quit with the negatives about Repub. candidates (which they never applied to Obama or Clinton or Kerry) ?   How about telling us that Newt’s success has been based largely on :

        1   Accusing elitist media – to their shocked faces – of being left-biased,  out of step with most mainstream US opinion.   Really slapping down debate “moderators” who frame their questions in a biased manner,  who try to import charges of racism whenever Obama is attacked,  who continue their bigoted attacks on Christianity

        2   referring to his record of balancing the budget for every year he was Speaker- a postive attribute which the BBC fails to mention even though fiscal survival is the key to America’s future

        3   fierce attacks on Obama,  the Food Stamp President – telling people straight that he is a dangerous radical – that the choice in November will lie between a candidate who bases his views on the Founders,  and a follower of Saul Alinsky who wants the US to become a European-style social welfare state

        All these issues are red rags to a bull to the warped BBC groupthink.  Stir in Newt’s conversion to climate scepticism and we have the perfect target for BBC scorn. 

        McCain and especially Palin were treated very badly by the BBC last time round – with little response from the Republican campaign.  If Gingrich is the candidate – the BBC might get a real pasting from him and his campaign if they pull the same biased nonsense again.  I can just see Newt telling some BBC clown to butt out – to go learn some US history,  go get his facts straight.

           0 likes

        • cjhartnett says:

          Hope a Craig will take apart the reporting of Newt Gingrich`s victory in South Carolina.
          Never heard such language-Newt apparently “rampaged” to victory, “snarling pit bull”, “hostile”,” conservative”,”evangelical”…all those words the BBC WOULD use about anyone to the right of Ken Clarke.
          Orwell thankfully taught us about all this-guessing that Stourton etc have long given up doing other than reading out what International Socialism tells them.
          That was Hitlers failing you see…he was only National Socialist and therefore not ambitious enough for the BBC.

             0 likes

      • David Preiser (USA) says:

        Going by the evidence of the BBC style guide, the dog owner should have been described as “Eurasian”. Double standards again, Beeboids.

           0 likes

    • Dez says:

      ltwf1964,

      the dog owner is “white” apparently……course he is  
      if he was black or someone wearing a burka or a beard to his knees,we would be left to ponder for ourselves who he or she might be

      Yeah, right…

      The suspect was described as black
      http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-16618443

      Sussex Police said the suspect was described as black
      http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-16406857

      The first man was described as black… The second suspect is black
      http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-16125092

      The suspect is described as black
      http://www.bbc.co.uk/search/news/?q=black%20suspect

      The suspect was described as black
      http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-15981691

      The suspect is described as Asian
      http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-16012978

      The suspect is an Asian male
      http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15179425

      The suspect, who is Asian
      http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14960382

      The suspects are all described as Asian
      http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-14904050

      The suspect is described as Asian
      http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-14108170

      nice bit of subtle racism there beeboid

      Interesting. I wonder would you describe calling people “dune coons” to be ‘subtle’ or ‘blatant’ racism ltwf?

         0 likes

  32. ltwf1964 says:

    Dateline London was a real shocker yesterday

    Bug eyed jew hater Abdel Bari Atwan wasn’t on it!!!

       0 likes

  33. john says:

    Having just listened to R4’s Desert Island Discs with Vikram Seth in super-duper stereo, I let the channel continue to the mid-day news for the headlines.
    Imagine my horror when the audio clip they used with Nick Clegg talking about benefits was coming out of my left hand speaker , as soon as he ended a sentance, from the right hand speaker there was a “Rhaaaarrrr”.
    I presume this was lifted from to-day’s Andrew Marr show and not Crufts.

       0 likes

  34. Jeff Waters says:

    Opposition grows to benefit capI was expecting to read about a growing opposition to the benefits cap; a serious revolt in the Lords, perhaps.  That is, after all, kind of what the headline implies…
    Instead, the article merely tells us that Paddy ‘Pantsadown’ Ashdown is going to vote against the bill, and it’s fleshed out by quotes from people who are for and against the bill…Why is this misleading headline currently sat at the very top of the BBC news website, in big letters, as if it were telling us something important? 

    Jeff

       0 likes

    • Barry says:

      Unfortunately, Sky has had Ashdown on all day. He must be cheap and readily available because I can’t think of any other reason for listening to him. Failed former leader of an insignificant party.

         0 likes

  35. George R says:

    ‘Mail on Sunday’ has this about a UK Muslim pilot, BBC-NUJU doesn’t:

    ”Pilot with terror links deemed a security risk accuses airline of racism after losing his job”

    [Opening excerpt]:

    “A British airline pilot arrested over an alleged terrorist plot is claiming racial and religious discrimination after losing his job.

    “The pilot, a Muslim, was judged a security risk because of his close links to two alleged extremists suspected of ‘planning to use an aircraft as part of a hostile or terrorist act’.

    “Because of draconian reporting restrictions imposed last week by an employment tribunal, the man cannot be identified and neither can his employer.
    “Despite this, a well-known British carrier said in a letter that the pilot was ‘in a position to cause considerable harm’ and added that it was in the ‘national interest’ to ensure he never flew commercial aircraft again.”

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2089987/Pilot-terror-links-deemed-security-risk-accuses-airline-racism-losing-job.html#ixzz1kBy1ukhy

       0 likes

  36. sue says:

    Last week, as I sat transfixed by the Sunday programme, radio 4, unbeknownst to me Craig was ensconced beside his radio at the opposite end of the country, listening to the very same thing. Simultaneously we both felt compelled to transcribe certain parts of the programme. Individually we may have been more gripped by some items than others, and needless to say I was most concerned with Trevor Barnes’s report concerning the plight of Christians in Nablus.

    Last week this report was linked to a pastoral visit by a gaggle of Liverpudlian Bishops. The trip was intended to show solidarity with the beleaguered Palestinian Christians, with the handy bonus of unfettered airtime to have another bash at Israel.
    Trevor Barnes, author of religiously-themed educational books, lost no time. He even managed to insert a gratuitous reference to Israel’s perceived malevolence into his introduction .
    “Welcome to Nablus, just over an hour’s drive from Jerusalem, Israeli checkpoints and travel restrictions permitting, and home to some seven hundred Palestinian Christians out of a population of a hundred and fifty thousand.”

    Several insinuations later we are introduced to Ann Cadre, the Muslim deputy governor of Nablus. She aired her grievances:
    “It’s very important (the bishops’ trip) because they can witness the real situation in which the Palestinians are living in these territories, they can ‘lay our messages to the officials, to the international officials and also to our officials […. ] our land and we still believe that we have the right to live here with dignity with freedom, and I believe that to be eyewitnesses, to meet people and to understand their situation is very good”
    Her rant was so emotional that she almost forgot that it was about Palestinian Christians.

    This week, we were treated to more, but by now the Bishops are old hat. Their trip is chip paper. Now we get down to examining whose fault it is that the Christians are leaving in droves. What do you know, It’s Israel’s fault.
      
    William Crawley kicks off. Trevor Barnes has just returned (what, again?) from his jaunt to Nablus, to find out about more bad things the Israelis are doing.
    Father Jonny Abu Halil from last week is still going on and on about the dwindling number of Christians in the area, which he dutifully puts down to the Israelis.
    Muslim deputy governor Ann Cadre is still going on and on about the Israeli occupation, checkpoints and land-grabbing, and is given more airtime to promote the Israel-bashing agenda we heard all about last time. The only light in this dismal tunnel is Danny Ayalon, whose attractive voice I feel is heard all too infrequently on the BBC.
    Trevor Barnes introduces him with the obligatory “Israel says” which immediately casts doubt upon the sincerity of what the mellifluous-toned deputy foreign minister is about to say.

    Trevor returns to a familiar theme. Here we go. Olive groves, settlers, concrete, fig trees, grape vines, the apartheid wall separating farmers from their inalienable right to live the noble medieval lifestyle of their idyllic past, ad infinitum, and all because of the Jews.
    cont

       0 likes

  37. sue says:

    Cont/
    “Rather than citing the Arab Spring as one of the reasons for the Christian exodus, ought not the Israeli government to be examining its own policies, in particular in places like Beit Jala, (an Arab Christian town in the Bethlehem Governorate of the West Bank) that of building a security barrier on Palestinian Land?” asks clever Trevor.”
    At last Danny Ayalon has a chance to say something interesting.
    The security barrier is just that, he explains, half knowing he’s on a losing wicket. “It saved thousands of lives,” he adds. Then:
    “When Bethlehem was under Jewish control, Bethlehem was a lively Christian town.. Since we left according to the interim Oslo agreement in 1995, unfortunately the Christians have been driven out by those Palestinians who, gladly of course, accuse Israel.”

    Good stuff. But Trevor pooh-poohs this to give the Palis the last word on the issue..
    “While the Israeli government defends their policies on the grounds of security, the Palestinians claim this is a smokescreen for the illegal appropriation of Their Land. And on this, as on so many other issues, there is no meeting of minds.”

    Just before the end something extremely interesting lurks beneath the Israel-bashing blanket:
    “Some  Christians also feel intimidated by the extremist ideologies of some of their Muslim neighbours”

    What was that, you said Trev, old chap?

    “Especially in Gaza, where Christians number less that 1% of a population being increasingly radicalised. As a result Bahij Mansour, the Druze director of the religion department of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says it’s wrong to blame the Israelis for the current conditions that are forcing many Christians to leave the West bank.”

    Bahij Mansour:
    “You have to understand. The Oslo agreement gave the Palestinians areas to control. They are responsible, and that’s their decision. Who lives in the West Bank belongs to the Palestinian Authority. They are responsible for their jobs, economically, culture, education, everything.”

    So. At last the truth peeps out. Now, if that bit had been at the head of the report rather than at the end, the whole item would have taken on quite a different slant. It would have had the proper emphasis, and people like myself would have less to complain about. Simples.

    I’ll leave the rest of the programme to others. Choose from:

    Boko Haram. The violent Islamist group that has been causing mayhem in Nigeria, not to be confused with Procol Harum, whose racist record “Whiter Shade of Pale” was a hit in  1967. Only joking. It probably wasn’t racist, as nobody actually knows what it meant.
    These Bokos are not representative of the true Islam, by the way. They’re ideologically nearer the bad Alky-Edies.

    Don’t forget the Haj! Only Muslims can enter here, but luckily for non Muslims they too can see forbidden sights, if they go to the Haj exhibition at the BM! It could change your life!

       0 likes

    • cjhartnett says:

      My heart sinks!
      Liverpool bishops-do tell me that James Jones wasn`t heading them up!
      Ever since Heseltine gave them their tree lined boulevards and a garden festival(now a garden Centre,if that!), the clergy of Liverpool would probably only say one thing about Palestine…and it would not be enquiring about the health of Ken Bigley either.
      Thanks for listening for us though Sue…the glimpses of the show you got up to listen to are par for the BBCs “religious affairs directorate”.
      I heard Excess Baggage featuring “the West Bank/Occupied Territories” yesterday and am still spitting feathers about it. John McCarthy presumably learned nothing about Islam in the car boot, so-along with Johnson,Gardner etc-the Beeb seems to enjoy its status as bridging Mecca with Stockholm.
      Has Mark Regev etc given up on the BBC…because we need SOMEONE to blast them out of the water re use of language and inciting anti-Semitic strife?

         0 likes

  38. Biodegradable says:

    More Israel bashing today. This time it involves Israel’s theft of everybody’s water. No mention of the fact that Israel obtains a large percentage of its water from desalination plants, or the hi-tech irrigation systems developed by Israel that are used all over the world.

    No mention either of those hi-tech greenhouse that Israel left in Gaza when they evacuated everybody, that the Palestinians promptly trashed.

    Growing the world’s most expensive lemons

    From the BBC, the world’s most expensive lemon!

       0 likes

    • sue says:

      Poor old Kevin. Feeling guilty about being forced to live in Israel.
       “Deprived of its artificial life support system it might not thrive – but it’ll do it good to learn to fend for itself.”
      Supposed to be a metaphor about wicked, water-thieving Israel – but equally a metaphor for the parasitic lifestyle of a BBC reporter who thrives on biting the hand that (over)feeds him.

      Kevin, here’s a suggestion. Why not put your money where your mouth is and ditch the artificial life support system? Fend for yourself – and go and live in Gaza πŸ˜‰ .

         0 likes

      • pounce_uk says:

        Let me get this straight, a bBC lefty reporter spends £400 on a lemon tree for his balcony while bitching about the lot of the people who live in the West Bank. He would have made more impact if he had writtenn how he had bought £400 of water for an arab family out of his own pocket, but then leftwiing arseholes never ever put their hand in their pocket in which to help others, no to them other people should do that. Also that french report, it wasn’t about Israel but about water shortages around the world, maybe that explains why it is over 300 pages deep. Also I worked out that for the statement “45000 Israelis use more water than 2.5 Million Arabs”then using the Israeli average water consumption of 137 litres (and adding 13) then for 45000 to use more water than 2.5 people equates to 2.6 litres a day each. Seeing as the average in the WB is 73 litres a day  somebody is telling porkies.

           0 likes

    • matthew says:

      Shocking bit of propaganda this lemon of a story.

      There I am, reading BBC News online, there are three apparent ‘lifetyle’ articles to the right.

      We have:


      Unwelcome noise

      Honking horns. Other people’s music. Turn down, or tune out?’

      Ok, clear what that’s about, not interested, move on.


      In pictures

      Celebrations begin on eve of Chinese New Year’

      Likewise, not interesting
      And then:


      Lemon dilemma

      Growing the world’s most expensive citrus fruit’

      Ah, this is more like it. I am a bit of a foodie, and a story about artisan lemons will be just up my street.

      So click, start reading, and what’s this?

      I’ve been tricked into reading anti-Israel propaganda?

      With an extra helping of liberal hand-wringing (while not actually doing anything differently) and environmentalist nonsense on the top?

      Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo…………

      ‘every time I hear the muted sloshing of another carefully calibrated dose, the desert around us feels a little drier.’
      ‘A French parliamentary report, for example, recently concluded that the 450,000 Israeli settlers who live on the West Bank of the River Jordan, in defiance of international opinion, use more water than the 2.3 million Palestinians whose home it is.’
      ‘The fairness – or lack of fairness – with which resources are shared is important, of course.’

      ‘ it’s clear that there was a lot more to the Jordan back then. That is partly because these days Israel pumps water out of the Sea of Galilee to feed its national supply system’

         0 likes

      • Biodegradable says:

        With an extra helping of liberal hand-wringing (while not actually doing anything differently)

        That really sums them up!

           0 likes

    • RGH says:

      Guilty about his balcony lemon slurping water.  It cost him a lot of dosh. And its fate….to be abandoned in the desert…to fend for itself. A vegetable scapegoat…cast out to carry away the Beeboid sin.

      Gosh, that lemon tree  is  the transferred self-loathing of the Beeboid.

      The article is pure  Beeboid…unrealistic, uninformative and slanted.

      Just google on ‘water supply in Israel’ to find out what the real situation is and what has been, is and will be done.

      Bit like kicking the cat.

      “When I was just a lad of ten, my father said to me,
      “Come here and take a lesson from the lovely lemon tree.”
      “Don’t put your faith in love, my boy”, my father said to me,
      “I fear you’ll find that love is like the lovely lemon tree.”

      Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
      but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.
      Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
      but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.”

         0 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      Gosh, Kevin “Teabagger” Connolly sure lives in a nice apartment complex. A lawn with sprinklers? That’s a lot nicer than any place any of my teachers lived when I went to school there. Ah, but they didn’t have the generous salaries of a Beeboid.

      Still, one has to wonder, and I’m being very serious here: did Connolly spend all that money simply to create this story? It’s pretty obvious that he did. And was it his own cash or did he expnese it for the story? If it’s the latter – which is pretty disgraceful on its own – did your license fee pay for this little hit piece or was it paid by Worldwide cash?

         0 likes

  39. Biodegradable says:

    Here’s plenty of news that the eco-friendly, hand-wringing liberal BBC could be reporting, but of course they won’t:

    Genetically Modified Plants To Resist Intense Drought
    Israeli agro-biotechnology company, Rosetta Green, has developed a new technology to develop plants that are better able to withstand prolonged periods of severe drought. The company aims to develop new plant varieties resistant to harsh climatic condition, maintaining an increased yield.

    New Transportable Desalination System To Produce Drinking Water
    A new cheaper method for producing drinking water from sea water has been unveiled in Israel. IDE Technologies’ transportable desalination system uses traditional reverse osmosis technology but without the need for chemicals.

    The unit, the first of its kind, is housed in a standard, 12-meter-long skid-mounted container and can produce between 500 to 10,000 cubic meters of water per day, depending on the water type, the company said.

    That would be enough for a hotel or small village in remote areas or disaster sites that lost water supplies, said Fredi Lokiec, IDE‘s executive vice president for special projects.

    Desalination Plant Could Turn Israel Into Water Exporter
    Israel’s ADL, a subsidiary of state-owned Mekorot, will build and operate the plant in the coastal city of Ashdod for 25 years, supplying 100 million cubic metres of desalinated water annually, the Finance Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

    Israel is two-thirds arid and to avoid further depleting its fresh water sources it has become a world leader in desalination and wastewater recycling.

    The new Ashdod plant will join four other desalination facilities that to provide, by the end of 2013, 85 percent of the country’s household water consumption.

    “In the coming years we will be able to return water to nature and even sell water to our neighbors,” said Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau.

    Plenty more here:
    http://nocamels.com/

    and here:
    http://verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com/

    for example:
    Funding PA agriculture.  The Civil Administration for Judea and Samaria has approved a plan to improve Palestinian Arab farming, supplying the necessary pesticides to agricultural areas in the Palestinian Authority.http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/HumanitarianAid/Palestinians/Agricultural_aid_Palestinians_9-Jan-2012.htm
    Please don’t tell me a BBC correspondent living in Jerusalem doesn’t know about any of this. If they really don’t they should be sacked!

       0 likes

    • RGH says:

      So depressed by that darn lemon singlehandly ‘making the desert drier’, Connolley forgot to mention this as well…..to top up the Dead Sea (so-called because it naturally is!). 

      In May 2009 at the World Economic Forum, Jordan announced its plans to construct the “Jordan National Red Sea Development Project” (JRSP). This is a plan to convey seawater from the Red Sea near Aqaba to the Dead Sea. Water would be desalinated along the route to provide fresh water to Jordan, with the brine discharge sent to the Dead Sea for replenishment. As of 2009, the project is in its early phases of planning, with developer and financier selection to be completed by year’s end. The project is anticipated to begin detailed design in early 2010, with water delivery by 2017. Israel has expressed its support and will likely benefit from some of the water delivery to its Negev region.

      But all this civil engineering is all too ‘boring’, Beeboids hate straying off narrative when in Israel.

         0 likes

  40. John Anderson says:

    I have had Radio 4 on un the background for much of the day.  As well as the God-Awful Sunday programme that Craig dissects so well,  we had Cameron’s Big Society ideas being sneered at by the ever-present Steve Richards of the Independent – replete with input by Shirley Williams and Our Polly.  Is it correct and proper for the BBC to have this sort of analysis led by an opponent.

    Just now we had a half-hour bleat about California’s 3-strikes-and-you-get-life law – which was approved by the California electorate after a private initiative led by a man whose daughter was brutally murdered by a serial offender.   The first 2 strikes have to concern very serious offences.   So the guy is obviously a bad hat.   Crime has been drastically reduced in California since the law was introduced.  At $30,000 a year to keep serious criminals off the streets – what other option is there.

    The “reporter” ?   Why – Gary Younge of the bloody Guardian.  Whinging on about how hard things are in South Central LA – who made it hard,  who collapsed their community into drugs and gangs ?

    I can’t remember people like Simon Heffer or Richard Littlejohn being given half-hour programmes to “review” ie attack Labour policies.   Must have missed them.

       0 likes

    • John Anderson says:

      That’s the Gary Younge whose Guardian piece on 20 January daid that nothing much was changed by the South Carolina debates.   Nothing much ?  – Romney slipped from a 10 or more point lead to a 12 point loss.

      The merits of Gingrich v Romney don’t matter.  What matters is that Younge seems to be a piss-poor reporter on the US scene.  Totally off-beam.   Haven’t we already got a couple of dozen piss-poor BBC reporters in the US ?    Why does the BBC have to pay someone from the Guardian for a half-hour US programme (fee of $20,000 plus exes for researching and presenting ?) when the output of the BBC staffers seems so low ?

         0 likes

    • cjhartnett says:

      Well spoken John.
      Yet , in the cause of “balance”-the BBC often use Jackie Ashley for one of their other impartial gobslots called “The Week in Westminster”.
      It was on yesterday. I wasn`t listening, but I know what they would have said-one thing was about “Labour versus the Unions” and another was about letting Scotland continue to screw us over, yet keep their 50+ MPs on the gravy train.
      Something about trendy Twitter MPs.
      Her “hubby” Andrew Marr could only purr at Labours issues getting aired at public expense….and he`ll have the baton once again for the perpetulal creep through the institutions, as Gramsci suggested.

         0 likes

  41. As I See It says:

    News broadcasters have always had a penchant for dangerous dogs stories.

    Just me, or was there something a little odd in the tone of the BBC radio newsreader this morning who described the dog as ‘black and white’ and the owner as ‘white’?

    A tone that seemed to say : low-life white scum. A tone that betrayed a certain prejudice? Just as well, (how shall we put this?)  the boot were not on the other foot.

       0 likes

  42. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Now that Mark Mardell’s opinion that Romney is the inevitable nominee and that it was a waste of time looking for a better candidate has been called into question, he’s acting as if that was “the story” as opposed to his opinion. We know it’s his opinion because he’s been reporting the entire time as if the “not-Mitt” stuff has just been a sideshow all along.

    But what’s missing from Mardell’s post, and pretty much all BBC reporting, is exactly why Gingrich has hung around, risen in the polls, and now actually won a primary. It’s not so much that he’s a “proper conservative” or has the right religious values or that everyone accepts his swinging sexual lifestyle: it’s that he’s the only candidate who attacks the left-wing media.

    We all know that the mainstream US media was in the tank for The Obamessiah in 2008, and that they will be again. Most of the Republican debates have been moderated by Left-wing media figures, and each time they’ve been clearly acting as advocates against the candidates rather than objective seekers of answers. Gingrich is basically the only one who’s called them out each time. He got a massive increase in groundtroops in South Carolina after the last debate in which he turned the issue of ABC’s attempt to destory him with an interview of his second ex-wife into an attack on the Left-wing media.

    Sure, Romney’s former liberal positions on some social issues has hurt him, and his less-than-fiery demeanor doesn’t always sell well, especially in the South. But half the story about Gingrich all along has been his fight against the Fifth Column. A very large percentage of US voters are unhappy with the bias in the mainstream media. But the BBC totally ignores this vital issue. It’s possible that the Beeboids don’t even think there’s a problem with Left-wing media bias in the US, so obsessed are they with Fox News. I’m sure they’re aware of the perception that the rest of the US media is biased to the Left, but you can bet that they dismiss it much the same way that defenders of the defensible dismiss us here.

    They can’t touch it, of course, because that would bring up a discussion about the BBC’s own Left-wing bias. So you’re left with half the story because the BBC is intellectually and philosophically unable to tell you about it.

       0 likes

  43. Martin says:

    Gabby Giffords has decided to stand down to spend more time on her recovery. So how does the BBC spin this? Why it decides to dig up all that old crap about the Tea Party being nasty people and printing up targets on Giffords district.

    None of which had anything to do with the shooting, so why does the BBC bother bringing it up then?

       0 likes

    • John Horne Tooke says:

      None of which had anything to do with the shooting, so why does the BBC bother bringing it up then?”

      We know why and so does the BBC.

         0 likes

  44. As I See It says:

    BBC coverage of US politics is only instructive to the extent that it shows what the Beeboids might do with British politics if the gloves were off.

    They have been obviously and consistently pro-Democrat with their propaganda for years now. There is no question that they have won the hearts and minds of Brits. The man in the street may be a little vague as to which are the Republicans and which are Democrats over the pond – but mention a Beeb buzz word like Palin, Obama or Bush and they know just how to react.

    They have been conditioned to either spit or go all gooey-eyed.

    Frightening.

       0 likes

  45. George R says:

    No doubt, BBC-NUJ feels political sympathy for the arsonist; and after all, it’s not as though BBC-NUJ has to pay for a replacement van:-   
     
     
    “Jail for 23-year-old dad who torched BBC van during August riots in Salford.”



    http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1471554_jail-for-23-year-old-dad-who-torched-bbc-van-during-august-riots-in-salford

       0 likes

    • cjhartnett says:

      Think we`ve got our misunderstood pavement artist here.
      More critic than criminal, incoherent with rage that global warming was not being given due prominence in the media.
      Prison solves nothing-what good does it do for him to be locked up and away from auditioning for “Points of View”.
      I feel his pain-release the Wythenshawe One!
      (I`ll not ask how he got across to Salford…joint enterprise/pleading the 5th!)

         0 likes

  46. RGH says:

    Same old pattern….again the BBC omits a detail..

    BBC account:

    A boy is seriously ill in hospital after being shot in the back in the Westbourne Park area of west London.
    The 16-year-old was found near the junction of St Lukes Road and Tavistock Crescent after the emergency services were called at 00:35 GMT.
    Police have said his injuries were not thought to be life-threatening.
    Metropolitan Police officers said a firearm had been found near the scene. No-one has yet been arrested over the shooting.
    A Met spokesman said CCTV footage was being sought and residents were being spoken to as part of the investigation.
    Officers have appealed for anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious to come forward.

    Not a BBC account:

    “A teenager is in a “serious” condition in hospital after he was shot in the back in the street in the early hours.
    Police said they were called at 12.35am on Sunday morning to an incident in Westbourne Park, west London.
    They found a 16-year-old boy at the junction of St Luke’s Road and Tavistock Crescent, suffering from a gunshot wound.
    Scotland Yard said officers from the Trident shootings team, which investigates gun crime in the black community, were appealing for help from anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious or anyone who may have information concerning the incident.
    Anyone with information is asked to call the Trident team on 020 8785 8580 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 to remain anonymous.”

       0 likes

    • cjhartnett says:

      This level of Chinese whispers  is very Kremlin isn`t it?
      Euphemisms and buzzwords to let those in the know read between the lines and check the entrails.
      It`s as if the truth is not enough-or a bit scary.
      If only the BBC dare give us the truth, we could draw our own conclusions…but being “there to enforce social cohesion”, I`ll not hold my breath!
      In this spirit,I recommend “Feedback”…just back apparently.
      1. They don`t like Richard Madeley(is he a Tory?…Jewish?)-first five minutes were spent slating him, when I hadn`t known he was a problem.
      2. Miranda Sawyer and Gillian Reynolds were brought in to beg the BBC Trust to fight the cuts…how else will we get local campaigning groups mobilised?
      A strange mixture of agitprop, bile-and all under the guise of progressive, tasteful radio.
      Ugh!

         0 likes

  47. Martin says:

    Didn’t take Jeremy Bowen long to come out in support of Assad did it? How come the BBC is the only broadcaster that seems to stick up for murdering dictators?

       0 likes

  48. Martin says:

    The BBC news was in full attack and lie mode. No one will be made homeless by restricting people to 26K housing benefit, being as most of the people on this are not in jobs they will have no problems moving.

    As for the bollocks about their kids and school, I wonder how many of these twats actually send their kids to school in the first place?

    Not only that, but kids move schools all the time, it’s not hardship.

    The BBC also tell other lies, the 26K is NOT the average UK wage, because that 26K is after tax, so to get 26K you’d need to earn at least 35-40K.

    Most people on average wages can’t afford to live in London so why should dross?

       0 likes

    • Millie Tant says:

      And furthermore, if the government is paying some people £35 000 + so that they can live in London, doesn’t it have an obligation to pay the same to anyone else who would fancy a house in a posh London neighbourhood and the life of leisure to go with it? It’s equality, human rights an’ all that, innit? πŸ˜‰

         0 likes

    • Dez says:

      Martin,

      “The BBC also tell other lies, the 26K is NOT the average UK wage, because that 26K is after tax, so to get 26K you’d need to earn at least 35-40K.”

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16669850
      “£26,000 a year – equivalent to the average wage earned by working households after tax

      “dross”

      Blimey, you really are a sad little man – and you know it πŸ˜‰

         0 likes

      • Martin says:

        Dez, not in a good mood? Boyfriend dumped you?

           0 likes

      • Span Ows says:

        Dez, judging by many many of the 1500 comments under that article that say THE SAME thing as Martin we can only presume that there was a stealth edit with this information. 

           0 likes

    • My Site (click to edit) says:

      The BBC news was in full attack and lie mode. ‘

      It may be worth a complaint in challenge on the reporting factual basis.

      It will be intertesting to see if the reply that comes back mirrors that here by not actually addressing the point.

      Which is the truly sad part.

         0 likes

  49. Jeff Waters says:

    On Sunday, I wrote at about 1pm that the main headline on the BBC news website was Opposition grows to benefit cap.

    At the time of writing (2am on Monday), it still is.

    Has the opposition grown further since 1pm on Sunday?  Nope. 
    The most important thing that’s happening in the world is still that a minor political leader from the early 90s is going to oppose the benefit cap.

    To call that growing opposition and to make it a lead headline is a desperate attempt to big up an utterly trivial story…

    Jeff

       0 likes

    • Jeff Waters says:

      The latest main headline: Lords bid for welfare concessions

      This headline is misleading.  The House of Lords isn’t bidding for welfare concessions, but merely Church of England bishops and Liberal Democrat peers…

      The BBC aren’t even trying to be subtle about their position on this issue.  And let’s get real – Very, very few people actually need £26K from the state per year.  OK, families with 10 kids may suffer, but should the state be saying to people ‘Have as many kids as you want.  There will be a big cheque waiting for you if can’t afford to raise them from your private earnings.’?

      The main victims of this benefit cut will be people who find they can no longer afford to live in Kensington.  My heart bleeds.  And if they think that they’ll struggle to make ends meet on £26K, they should come and live in my neck of the woods.  They’d live like kings and be the envy of most working people in the area!

      Jeff

         0 likes

      • My Site (click to edit) says:

        The latest main headline: Lords bid for welfare concessions  
         
        This headline is misleading.  The House of Lords isn’t bidding for welfare concessions’

        Another worthy of challenge to explain.

        Which will be, on past evidence, that they have only so much space to get things to ‘fit’, so they have write stuff that ‘fits’ as opposed to being accurate.

        Hardly news, though.

           0 likes

    • Roland Deschain says:

      Evan Davis, interviewing Ian Duncan Smith on Today this morning regarding the benefits cap, would not let go about the effect it would have on “poverty”.

      I’m sorry, but to suggest that anyone earning the equivalent of £35,000 before tax could in any way be in poverty is to demean the very word itself and the suffering of those who really do experience it.

         0 likes

    • cjhartnett says:

      Paddy Ashdown to give “Opposition” its proper name eh?
      Now a few excitable bishops have joined “the hunt”(is that legal?), so we now are in the process of seeing a “movement”.
      And once they leave the BBC studios and go home…it will be a “nationwide campaign”.
      All it needs is one of them to get Isle of Man ferry and we`ve got an “international worldwide campaign”.
      Pathetic shit stirring from the BBC…funny when the “undemocratic, unelected” likes of Prescott and Ashdown are seen as popular tribunes of the ordinary civilian.
      “Queueing up for the House of Lords…is that Billy Bragg busking by “m` noble friends”? 

         0 likes

    • As I See It says:

      Flagrant lefty propaganda from the BBC on the benefits cap. A clapped out pants down Liberal and a couple of fools in frocks and it’s a ‘controversy’ worthy of the top of the Beeb 10 o’clock News.

      Interesting to note that the official opposition (Labour) are keeping their heads down on this issue. Is this some innovative news management system cooked up by the BBC and their cringing Labour allies?

         0 likes

  50. My Site (click to edit) says:

    Avant la deluge..

    Just watched the SKY paper review. Typical set-up. Suited bloke of varying hues. Inevitable very comfy Islington luvvie peroxide sink mewling on ‘issues’ opposite.

    As the sign-off, she trots out a story (in the DM, so it must be true… this time… by the flexible affiliations of a cherry vulture) that ‘right-wingers’ are negative whilst left-wingers are creative free sprits without a negative, nagging, constraining, finger-waving thought in their heads. Uh-huh.

    Anyway, she trills ‘It has been proven… by scientists’.

    SKY Breakfast is as wet as it gets at best, but I rather dread what the BBC, especially give its new commtiment to ‘science’ ‘reporting’ (well, PR on ‘research’ or ‘polls’ that suit), will make of this one.

       0 likes

    • jarwill101 says:

        ‘Ooh, you’re so negative!’ It’s a tired old leftist ploy to equate rational common sense with ‘negativity’. Like fantasist children they have a pathological aversion to the truth, & prefer to hide in their rainbow bedrooms, lying & spinning, rather than take a long hard look at the consequences of their utopian policies. We’ve heard it from Toynbee that those on the left are nicer & smarter, just altogether so much more progressive, darling. Really? Livingstone? Abbott? Harman? Straw? Brown? Simon Hughes? Andrew ‘The Stamper’ Marr? Paul Mason? Now cast a scientific eye over the bleak landscape that these nice, clever, positive people, have progressed us into. There’s much to be said for ‘negativity’.

         0 likes

      • My Site (click to edit) says:

        If one was so minded, it may be fun to hit the archives and list a screed of rather evident examples of views or reporting from the darlings of the left that may not, as such, be deemed too positive. 

        No time. As, I suspect are most making new things to genrate income, as opposed to those in the commenting industries who mainly exist to try and prevent that, or at least make it harder. Uniquely paid for by…?

           0 likes

      • Reed says:

        Yes, quite.    
           
        Creatives, free spirits, so-called Progressives :    
        Those who epsouse emotive value judgements based upon wishful thinking regardless of what is possible in the real world. “We care so much about and fairer and more just world – our detractors are so cold and heartless“.    
           
        Those “Negatives” :    
        Those who question the above with rational, empirical observations and facts based on results in the real world. “It might sound wonderful to some on paper, but in practice it’s just not working“.    
           
        Facts trump opinions.    
        Rational arguments beat emotional ones.

           0 likes

        • jarwill101 says:

            What could be more creative than creating, & sustaining, a prosperous, monocultural, law-abiding, strongly moral, cohesive society, in which children are properly educated, people take responsibility for their actions, & people are valued on their character, not their membership of some ‘oppressed’ minority group? Or is that ‘negativity’? The so-called ‘creatives’, by a combination of idiocy & wickedness, have delivered us into a seething quagmire: the wanton destruction of a relatively stable society, in favour of a Hobbesian nightmare. How nice. How clever. How progressive. How traitorous.

             0 likes