308 Responses to OPEN THREAD

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  1. Mavis Ramsbottom says:
    November 25, 2012 at 12:13 am

    Keith Richards: Culture Show…what the hell has he got to do with culture?

       1 likes

    • Jim Dandy says:
      November 25, 2012 at 8:30 am

      What has Keith Richards got to do with culture? Are you mad.

         2 likes

    • wallygreeninker says:
      November 25, 2012 at 9:07 am

      When talking of art and the like, ‘culture’ used to be synonymous with ‘high culture’: Dandy’s incomprehension of your remark indicates that it was before his time – or at least that Beeboids have difficulty getting their heads around such an idea.

         1 likes

      • Jim Dandy says:
        November 25, 2012 at 9:24 am

        No it doesn’t, in fact the opposite.

        Keith Richards.

        Keith.

        Keith and Mick.

        The Stones.

        Now that’s culture.

           0 likes

      • Guest Who says:
        November 25, 2012 at 10:38 am

        Here’s a Sunday miracle: I agree with Jim!
        ‘Culture’ involves every aspect of our existence, old and new, good and bad.
        The notion that it is the purview of those who only go to the Opera (or indeed are seduced back from it) is one I have found that exists more with those from more rarified quarters.
        Anyway, as with many words (like ‘sustainability’, ‘green’, ‘lessons have been learned’, ‘unacceptable’ and T/trust, it has been used and abused now to a point where it’s hard to find much value in it any more.
        When I hear ‘now that’s culture’ my first thought is usually the concluding scene from the movie Evolution, but this one was also a welcome reminder..

        Now… that’s culture!

           2 likes

  2. George R says:
    November 25, 2012 at 12:36 am

    ‘The Observer’:-

    “BBC had ‘complete control’ over Newsnight report, says the Bureau of Investigative Journalism.
    “BIJ report raises questions over BBC editorial controls.”

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/nov/25/bbc-newsnight-fiasco-bij?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Fmedia%2Frss+%28Media%29

    Email
    Jamie Doward

       2 likes

  3. George R says:
    November 25, 2012 at 1:07 am

    -from Peter Hitchens:-

    [Excerpt]:

    “As with the good and selfless foster parents, persecuted and insulted by snivelling, insolent officials because they belong to UKIP, the accuser cannot produce any evidence that the accused is a racial bigot.

    “That is because there isn’t any.

    “What the word means is ‘someone who doesn’t agree with the politically correct, multicultural consensus’.

    “What it also means is that the new establishment will not even argue with such people.

    “It will try to crush and silence them, by scaring them and smearing them, and lying that they are unreasoning bigots. In truth, many of the worst and most unreasoning bigots in this country are the Left themselves.

    “They hate anyone who dares to disagree with them, and their policies have led to deep and lasting ethnic divisions which could easily have been avoided.

    “They long ago stopped thinking, believing they were secure in power. But perhaps they have been too complacent. People are beginning to understand their lies, and they may not work much longer.”

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2237914/PETER-HITCHENS-If-zealots-truly-cared-equality-theyd-fight-female-dustmen.html

       4 likes

    • Reed says:
      November 25, 2012 at 3:11 am

      “In truth, many of the worst and most unreasoning bigots in this country are the Left themselves.”

      Absolutely!

         4 likes

  4. Reed says:
    November 25, 2012 at 3:26 am

    Well here’s a surprise – Gromit has called for ‘an urgent investigation’. I make that one per week for the last 2 years. This one is actually necessary, though I notice he doesn’t mention that Rotherham is a Labour council…

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ukip/9700447/Ed-Miliband-calls-for-investigation-over-UKIP-fostering-row-at-Rotherham-Council.html

    He’s a strange one, that Ed Miliband. Wonk with a conk.

       2 likes

  5. Reed says:
    November 25, 2012 at 4:05 am

    Though I’ve yet to watch it this series (weaned myself off the horrid thing at long last – feels good, you should try it), Question Time will be interesting this week. This UKIP/adoption story will almost certainly be one of the most likely questions to be asked. Knowing this, I wonder if they’ll invite a UKIP member on the programme to take these Rotherham bigots on? They’ll also be able to tackle the EU budget story.

    They always seem able to get an appearance from Galloway whenever there’s an opportunity for him to bemoan Israel/American Imperialism – or Shami to talk up the ECHR when another of their decisions has lumped us with another scumbag terrorism inciter.

    We shall wait and see…

       2 likes

  6. Reed says:
    November 25, 2012 at 4:44 am

    Listen to this Beebiod on the Today programme doing his best to remove the Labour party from the issue altogether, as to link the party would be ‘playing politics’.

    As soon as Farage mentions the word Labour, in he jumps…

    “We should stress here, it is interesting, is it not…”

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9700001/Foster-parents-stigmatised-and-slandered-for-being-members-of-Ukip.html

    Yes, it is interesting, is it not, that yet another BBC employee is ‘being ̶p̶a̶r̶t̶i̶a̶l̶ fair’ to Labour in a way that very rarely seems to be applied to Toriez.

    For the BBC (who don’t want issues to be politicised)…
    Three words…Tory. Thatcher. Paedophile. (to be repeated often)
    One final word…Bastards.

       2 likes

  7. Reed says:
    November 25, 2012 at 6:12 am

    Hell’s bells, someone call the NUJ – look what they’ve gone and done…

    “Police described the suspect as a black male with afro hair wearing a dark grey top and black baggy jeans.”

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-20481004

    It’s so rare for the BBC that it positively jumped out of the screen. If he’s ever caught, named, prosecuted and found guilty, expect the willingness to add personal descriptions to disappear quickly.
    Hopefully he’ll be caught, sounds terrible.

       2 likes

  8. Reed says:
    November 25, 2012 at 6:22 am

    Now, of course, this is absolutely heartbreaking, but why does the BBC almost never run articles that portray the human tragedy of Israeli families suffering similar grief in such intimate detail.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20466027

       1 likes

  9. Backwoodsman says:
    November 25, 2012 at 6:26 am

    Anyone explain why R2 are advertising a station awayday jolly to Burma ?
    Ok, I know its going to have some cringeworthy content along the lines of following in the obamasiahs’ footprints, but R2, WTF ?
    Also there will be the tricky problem of those nasty racist Buddhist priests, leading the protests against muzbot immigrants.

       4 likes

  10. wallygreeninker says:
    November 25, 2012 at 8:49 am

    Listening to R4 Sunday this morning I heard a comment, re ordaining female bishops, along the lines of ‘Why should the CoE allow the conservative evangelicals hold it back’. Like every right thinking person in the UK, including the audience of this week’s Question Time , who were almost wild in their cheering of its protagonists, the people in the studio believed having women bishops was the only, the right and the inevitable course of action for the Church. If you look at the introduction to this short piece on Christian evangelicals, you will find some interesting statistics about a Church whose attendances are shrinking so quickly, it’s in danger of dying out.

    http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/2012/07/24/conservative-evangelicals-on-the-rise-in-the-church-of-england-2/

       0 likes

  11. George R says:
    November 25, 2012 at 9:40 am

    More on Labour Council Rotherham, and on Social Services’ enforced prohibition of foster parents who are UKIP.

    “FURY AT CHILD BAN ON UKIP PARENTS”

    http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/360345?

       1 likes

  12. George R says:
    November 25, 2012 at 10:02 am

    A Modest Proposal for BBC-NUJ.

    The politics of :
    1.) Rotherham Labour Council,
    2.) BBC-NUJ.

    Has BBC-NUJ missed a political trick in not copying Rotherham Labour Council more closely in the implementation of political policy?

    1.) Rotherham Labour Council appears to officially prohibit people from being foster parents who do not ‘advocate multiculturalism’, so much so that fostered children are removed from any such foster parents.

    2.) Similarly, why doesn’t BBC-NUJ officially prohibit people who do not ‘advocate multiculturalism’ from appearing on any BBC-NUJ programme?

    And if any such political miscreants get through the net, then BBC-NUJ must removed such views by retrospective censorship.

    Isn’t BBC well on the way to doing this on the issue of ‘climate’?

       1 likes

  13. As I See It says:
    November 25, 2012 at 10:25 am

    It is a long time since BBC TV brought us Test Match cricket.
    Perhaps the new DG might consider putting it on an on screen channel called the BBC TV Asian Network (with sub-titles for us indigenous English speakers)? Just kidding.

    Mind you, I see that Andy Marr was giving another left-hander some useful practice in the nets this morning. Loads of easy slow stuff for David Miliband. Marr found him ‘very pasionate and eloquent’ (just watch where he puts his hands Dave – they have a life of their own).

    Aye, he may be a bit Wonkie-like bah he’s a canny lad is wah Dav’ie!
    Wae’aye Miliband. Haway the Tories, an’ oop wah Dav’ie!
    (Sorry I don’t know what realeased the inner Geordie there. Yes I do it was when Andrew Marr refered to ‘your own community of South Sheilds).

    Well some may still think of Miliband Major as an honorary Geordie but the BBC have their eye on higher things. My flesh began to creep as Miliband assured us that ‘regional government is coming into fashion’ (He means supra-national government – such as the EU) Marr purrs at this and our future is set: BBC- EU forever.

       1 likes

  14. George R says:
    November 25, 2012 at 10:44 am

    The ‘advocate ‘multiculturalism’ diktat goes deeper into British society-

    “UKIP leader’s fury after member is banned by Barnardo’s from caring for children.
    “District nurse said charity told her it would ‘not be appropriate’.
    “New scandal follows revelation of UKIP parents banned from fostering.

    By BRENDAN CARLIN, JO MACFARLANE and ROSS SLATER.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2238037/UKIP-leader-fury-member-banned-Barnardos-caring-children.html

       1 likes

  15. Fred Bloggs says:
    November 25, 2012 at 11:19 am

    Looked for news about the involvement of ‘Common Purpose’ in Rotherham. Joyce Thacker is supposed to be a leading exponent of this organisation. No mention by bBC about this shadowy organisation.

       1 likes

  16. deegee says:
    November 25, 2012 at 11:22 am

    If I was a Hamas public diplomacy guru how would I direct the BBC to ‘position’ the war between Israel and Gaza? I would tell them to focus on Israel kills babies. Taking bets now on how long Losing Omar – Gaza baby ‘only knew how to smile’ remains linked to the Home Page of BBC news.

    I would tell the journalists, not that Donnison needs directing, to keep it as gruesome as possible but at the same time as personal. Make sure that everyone identifies.

    The UN, that is UNWRA dominated entirely by Hamas, claims that preliminary investigation shows that 103 of the 158 people killed in Gaza were civilians. Of those, 30 were children – 12 of whom were under the age of 10. Under no account mention that, even in the unlikely event of this ration being correct, the 2:1 civilian to casualty ration is remarkably low for modern warfare. In Iraq the ration is 10:1.

    Jihad Misharawi, a BBC Arabic journalist who lives in Gaza, carries the body of his 11-month old son, Omar, through al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City. I would subtly suggest the child died because Israel targeted the father. In the BBC universe there are no accidents, misses, military targets deliberately placed where civilians are in jeopardy or top military officials living close by or even in the same building. Under no account mention that Hamas spokesman urged Palestinian civilians to Ignore IDF warnings

    At the same time I would direct that although more than 1,400 rockets were launched from Gaza I would make sure that the BBC never actually witnessed and reports on one of them. Although even UN figures show one third were combatants and the IDF claims that a remarkable 30 of them were top ranking Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists (sorry militants) I would direct that their deaths be from a media black hole. Dead babies, yes. Dead military commanders with families applauding their demise as shahids, no.

    Omar was not a terrorist as if anyone thought so but Ahmed Jabari, Hab’s Hassan Us Msamch, Ahmed Abu Jalal, Khaled Shaer, Osama Kadi, Muhammad Kalb and Ramz Harb were. Ignore them.

    The death of a child, any child is a tragedy. Concentrating reporting on their demise is propaganda.

    Mission accomplished, BBC. Reported exactly as Hamas would have wanted.

       1 likes

    • Guest Who says:
      November 25, 2012 at 11:59 am

      ‘I would tell them to focus on Israel kills babies.’
      http://bbcwatch.org/2012/11/25/bbcs-jon-donnison-displays-a-professional-and-ethical-conflict-of-interests/
      As you point out, this manual seems to have been learned by heart.
      ‘Let us be quite clear: this is war pornography. Its use is designed specifically to shock audiences into oblivion regarding the circumstances and facts and it aims to solicit purely emotional reactions of anger and disgust at the suggested perpetrator.’

      I guess now what you get to ‘believe’ is based on where you source your information.
      And it helps if, then, the edit suite is guided by PR should a few kinks in the matrix spoil the narrative…
      ‘Interestingly the spelling of his name has changed from “Jihad” to “Jehad”.’
      Jon Donnison, or JD, could as easily be morphed into all manner of other incarnations if one was so minded.
      Propaganda can be effective in starting wars, and keeping them going… it seldom ends them, or well for those involved.

         0 likes

  17. deegee says:
    November 25, 2012 at 11:45 am

    Gaza crisis: The legal position of Israel and Hamas
    Interesting but missing at least three important issues.

    It concerns almost exclusively with the legal responsibility of a state i.e. Israel but nothing with the legal responsibility of a non state actor. International law can’t possibly mean that states are limited but non states can essentially do whatever they want.

    The second thing while it goes into depth with the legal problems of Israel when making an attack with the possibility that civilians (how defined?) may be hurt Verdirame somehow misses that every attack coming from Gaza is targeted against civilians.

    The third point is not discussed at all. The Palestinians claim that their war is to reverse the consequences of 1948. When they talk about Palestinians kicked out of their homes they are not refering to Rafiah or Khan Yunis but Ramla and Haifa. What is the legality of that?

       0 likes

  18. Jeff Waters says:
    November 25, 2012 at 11:49 am

    Open threads are great, but it would be good to have more of them, as few people seem to view posts once a thread has about 280 messages, judging by the dwindling number of likes! 🙂

    Jeff

       5 likes

    • Old Goat says:
      November 25, 2012 at 12:04 pm

      I agree. The pages take ages to load, and I tend to go to the bottom (newest), and work backwards until I get fed up.

         2 likes

      • Old Goat says:
        November 25, 2012 at 12:06 pm

        How about a daily Open Thread? We wouldn’t have to wait for a new one to dive in and post about something we’ve just heard, or trawl back through the last one and add something at the bottom, which may not be read.

           1 likes

        • deegee says:
          November 25, 2012 at 2:15 pm

          The problem with daily is that time zones vary and it will be a waste of time to post towards the end of the day because potential replies will turn into pumpkins.

             0 likes

  19. George R says:
    November 25, 2012 at 12:03 pm

    “Rotherham’s ‘political commissars’ reinforce the need for a free press.”

    By David Blackburn.

    [Excerpt]:-

    “‘Clearly she has morphed somewhere in her career from social worker to political commissar.’

    “These are the words of Minette Marrin, writing of the social worker at the centre of the fostering scandal at Rotherham Council in the Sunday Times. Marrin’s article unpicks Rotherham Council’s position, turns it over and concludes that:

    ‘[The] thoughtless, obstinate political correctness of the Joyce Thacker (Rotherham’s senior social worker) variety is rampant throughout social services. Many of them are highly politicised in plain party-political terms as well. It’s a national disgrace and a national disaster. In adoption, for instance, it is such misguided attitudes that make it so very difficult for a child in need to find adoptive parents.’”

    http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2012/11/rotherhams-political-commissars-reinforce-the-need-for-a-free-press/?

       0 likes

  20. Dave666 says:
    November 25, 2012 at 12:29 pm

    The “big” question. Should parliment force C of E to have woman Bishops? Sorry I watched 2 seconds of this and turned it over – Perhaps they could have a islam should have woman priests? Or do they already?

       1 likes

  21. chrisH says:
    November 25, 2012 at 12:55 pm

    Well well!
    Just heard Naughtie blast Thacker out of the water on some Today interview recently.
    Along with Phil Williams on 5Live…maybe the Labour Party have had a word or something, for these were not the interviews I`d have expected of Hatties Patsies who would rarely bite the multikulti pillow like Phil and Jim.
    Maybe we ought to let Naughtie go to India again-a rare piece of proper questioning by the Today Toadies.
    In case I never get to say it again-well done Jim!

       2 likes

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