Here is an Open Thread to see us all off into the wide blue yonder of the weekend. Detail the bias!

The BBC has released transcripts of the Pollard inquiry on Savile, but hasn’t made it easy for those trying to find out the details.

(above image via Lucy Manning)

BBC promotes its Linked Data initiative on its Internet blog. 2 days later: releases transcripts from Pollard inquiry in non-searchable PDFs

— Charles Arthur (@charlesarthur) February 22, 2013

Basically, BBC has put biggest obstacles it can in way of journalists wanting to get to rapidly get through the text of Pollard inquiry.

— Charles Arthur (@charlesarthur) February 22, 2013

The Telegraph and Guardian are liveblogging the release of the transcripts. Add your thoughts here.

“The worst thing would be if we ended up in three years with an acutely polarised social situation in a Western country, and the entire elite going: ‘Where the heck did this come from? Who is the bloke with a small moustache?’

You’ve got to arm yourself against these eventualities.”
Paul Mason, BBC
It must be with such a directive in mind that the BBC has set itself on a course of opposition to Authority, State regulation and administration, and civic order.

The BBC has stepped over the line and has joined forces with the Anarchists.

‘If they say I am a criminal then…I…will be one.’

‘I don’t care who you are….Your opinions matter.’

Those are two quotes which rounded off a BBC Storyville programme eulogising Anarchy:

How Hackers Changed the World: We Are Legion

This was more than a mere investigation or exposé, it was acclaiming, extolling, singing the praises of the hacker group Anonymous and associated like minded souls such as, naturally, Occupy…..for they are…

‘…contributing towards democracy around the world…..making a stand against censorship….it’s a very noble thing.’
Ironic from an organisation that does everything it can to limit free debate on immigration, Europe, Islam and Labour’s economic record.

The whole tone of the programme was one of subdued admiration and pleasure at their activities….an undertone of silent approval emanating from it.

Not  only did it signal approval and endorsement of their actions the programme acted as a recruiting sergeant for them encouraging others of a similar bent to take up arms, or at least a keyboard with a belligerent attitude.

Anonymous are well known for their cyber attacks on whomever they perceive to be the ‘enemy’ acting against their world view by adopting various measures to ridicule, close down or just cause as much inconvenience and cost as possible to, in order to advance their political agenda.

The BBC’s attitude here is in stark contrast to its position towards the hackers who obtained the CRU emails…the BBC denounced them as criminals who had stolen the emails and claimed they were committing an act of political sabotage against the Copenhagen Climate conference.

Even within the programme there is a change of tone when the ‘hacker’ turns out to be ‘The Man’….someone who wanted to take down ‘WikiLeaks’ by cyber attacks and sabotage, the same techniques used by Anonymous….suddenly such acts were ‘villainous’. (43 mins in…Aaron Barr from HBGary)

David (Preiser) posted this link:
On the media: The protesters toolkit – revolutionary apps    which shows how the BBC are involved quietly behind the scenes in activism, even anarchism.

We know Paul Mason has a soft spot for the anarchist from whom he has learnt a lot and that he freely admits he is “very enthusiastic about people challenging entrenched ideologies”:

‘I was inspired by an evening in the pub with the anarcho-squatters at London’s Really Free School. When I went to speak to them, I found a sign on their door saying “journalists f**k off” – they were pretty strict about enforcing it too. But they invited Mason to the pub. “Actually, they taught me a lot.” he says.
“The greatest source of hope for me is to see a generation rising who think all forms of hierarchical ideological activity are rubbish.

It seems that the BBC is out to encourage more such anarchy and protest and is here to help the budding anarchist to do so safely without fear of having his collar felt:

In association with BBC College of Journalism
Governments and security forces are becoming increasingly wise to the role of social media in organising and enhancing protest movements. As a result they are developing new ways to block, hack and track citizens tweets, Facebook and other social media tools in order to prevent unrest.
Protesters and citizen journalists the world over are able to stay one step ahead, however with the help of Open Source developed phone apps that allow them to communicate effectively without being tracked as easily.
Protestors can now safely share information without fear of identification.
But will apps really protect protesters, and are they any safer than traditional social media? What do mobile apps mean for citizen journalism? Join us at the Frontline Club for a lively debate about the latest technology for protesters and citizen journalists and how far technology could go in making protest safer and smarter.
Chaired by Rory Cellan-Jones, BBC’s technology correspondent and author of the blog, dot.rory. (@BBCRoryCJ)

What you won’t be surprised to read is that this is also in association with the Guardian in its  ‘Guardian Project’:

About the Guardian Project
Secure Mobile Apps and Open-Source Code for a Better Tomorrow

While smartphones have been heralded as the coming of the next generation of communication and collaboration, they are a step backwards when it comes to personal security, anonymity and privacy. The Guardian Project aims to create easy to use apps, open-source software libraries and operating system modifications, and customized mobile devices that can be used and deployed around the world, by any person looking to protect their communications and personal data from unjust intrusion and monitoring.

It is not an oddity that the BBC is so in love with such figures and organisations such as Occupy and Anonymous.

They give them endless favourable coverage because their causes align with the BBC’s own world view.

How do other groups fare who do not similarly align with the BBC’s opinions?  The BBC is after all impartial, fair and unbiased and should reflect all persuasions in its coverage.

That does not happen.  Climate change sceptics, protesters against mass immigration, people who doubt the wisdom of being so closely tied to Europe, Jews, Tories and UKIP have no chance of getting a fair hearing from the BBC or a fair opportunity to state their own case.

It is not just the BBC that acts in such a way, it happens in Germany also.

Der Spiegel reports on the German Far Right’s attempt to circumvent such censorship by adopting the methods of the Left in protesting, activism and presentation:

‘Right-wing extremists in Germany are copying the methods of the leftist protest culture. Wearing masks like those of activists with the group “Anonymous,” they are organizing flash mobs and posting rousing videos online to attract young new supporters.’

This video shows a Far Right group  that has taken on the mantle of the left‘s ‘Anonymous’ protesters and wrapped it up in a polished video.

If the Far Right start to hide their ulterior motives as the Left do and present themselves as reasoned and peaceful protesters will they get a voice on the BBC as the Far Left and Muslim extremists do or does the BBC’s activism and belief in giving voice to the people whatever their opinion only extend to those it approves of?

Would the BBC be so enamoured of Anonymous if they came after the BBC and closed their operations down…after all the BBC is ‘The Establishment’ when all is said and done?

David Cameron attacks BBC over ‘stupid’ Eastleigh by-election coverage

David Cameron has attacked the BBC over its coverage of the Eastleigh by-election, accusing the corporation of acting “stupidly” following claims that the Tories have attempted to “hide away” their candidate.

Any chance the BBC took the opportunity to game the Tories and make the most of a chance to make their candidate look either evasive or uncaring?

If such a ploy could be proven it would be hugely damaging to the BBC if found guilty of interfering in an election by attempting to alter people’s perceptions of a candidate for the worse.

Maria Hutchings ‘famously’  made comments about state schools and said she would send her son to a private school to ensure he got the best education.

Nothing wrong with that.

Unless you are on the Left such as Brian Reade in the Mirror:

School snob Maria Hutchings shows the Tories just will not learn

My god-daughter Ellen will soon qualify to be an ­orthopaedic surgeon.

Ellen’s dad is an electrician, she went to a Liverpool state secondary and Leeds University.

Just one example of many who didn’t need a public school and Oxbridge ­education to become an expert clinician.

Why point that out?  At any other time the Left, with the BBC providing the platform more often than not, berates private schools and the ‘unfair advantages’ they give to pupils educated there.

But now they are telling us how fantastic State schools are….educating children to become surgeons no less.

He wasn’t so pleased with State schools not so long ago:

Eastender Tony and charity school boarder Paul, drifted into typical working-class jobs of taxi driving and bricklaying.

Although both are happy and fulfilled, compare their fate to Kensington prep-school boys Andrew and John, who predicted when they were seven, that they would go to a top public school, then Oxbridge, then into law.

Every prediction came true to the letter, with one becoming a wealthy law firm partner, the other an even wealthier QC.

Andrew’s kids went to public school, two of John’s oldest friends became Cabinet ministers. The cycle of privilege continues.

I suppose the Left are right…just look at the BBC this week, R4 is plastered with the works of George Orwell…an Old Etonian.  Clearly he only managed that sort of pre-eminence because of the school he went to and the fawning deference paid to him by the BBC lickspittles.

The day started with a surprise...the BBC giving plenty of coverage to the suggestion by what started off as the ‘independent think tank’ Reform that prisons are being run better by private companies than the public sector.

Presumably the ‘Reform’ policy institute caught the BBC napping….because it was only later in the day that ‘Reform’ suddenly became a ‘centre right think tank’…meaning everyone can relax….you can ignore this research…the Public Sector is Great.

Private companies are better at running prisons than the public sector, a study by a centre-right think tank says.

I was on the BBC this morning discussing what is termed the call “from MP’s” to “name and shame” those companies who are not paying the requisite amount of tax. I HAD wanted to bring up Margaret Hodge’s personal experience of minimising her tax affairs via the Stemcor company in which she has a “tiny” amount of shares (£1.8m) but was warned off the issue as the famously litigious Hodge might have chosen to take action against the BBC.  I respected the wish of the BBC on this occasion but it annoys me that they treat Hodge as some sort of crusader (Oops, that might offend a particular group) for fairness and “justice” when in fact she is a bully and a hypocrite and they KNOW it. I was not going to attack Hodge for tax avoidance but rather congratulate her since we should all be making every effort to starve the beast –  the State – of OUR cash.

Wednesday arrives and so does a new Open Thread. Over to you folks…

This item by Mark Easton has got the attention of quite a few readers I can see. This is quite a neat dissection of it by a B-BBC reader…

“An article on the BBC website today by Mark Easton entitled ‘Why have the white British left London?’. Few of the glaringly obvious reasons are discussed; rather, it is all presented as something normal and natural. In fact, it’s largely down to those cheeky Cockney types having bettered themselves and retired to Southend and Clacton. Or as Easton summarises it: “It is a story of aspiration. It is a story of success.”

Occasionally, though, the truth seeps through and has to be managed. He states: “Some white British may have moved because their neighbourhood has been culturally transformed, the tea rooms and restaurants replaced by takeaway chicken shops and halal supermarkets serving the new arrivals.” Interesting use of the phrase ‘culturally transformed’ – or what other people might call ethnic cleansing. Ethnic cleansing does not just mean men turning up with guns to force people out of the homes; it also means cultural transformation of neighbourhoods, as well as economic transformation as governments bring in low paid workers from overseas to make the place not viable for the locals.

Also notice how he refers to halal supermarkets for the new arrivals. What can he mean? Are Hindus from India, Catholics from Poland, Buddhists from Sri Lanka etc all clamouring for halal supermarkets? What Easton is basically saying is that when it comes to replacing a population, one type of migrant is preferred to all others. Just setting your expectations, you see!”

Think it might have been more apt had he signed off Allahu Akhbar, me old china.

A peaceful UAF protest

A lot of people don’t like the French National Party leader, Marine Le Pen and her policies.  They would like to prevent any of her policies being heard in public.  Perhaps some like the BBC’s Jeremy Hardy would take the extreme position of advocating shooting BNP members and their ilk in the back of the neck.

Who is the extremist?

Le Pen is speaking today at the Cambridge Union debating society about the future of the European Union and French politics.

Nicky Campbell has decided that this is an opportune moment to run a phone-in asking ‘Do extremists deserve free speech?’

Odd what gets the BBC fella’s excited.   Harry’s Place has been having a long running commentary on the speakers that grace the hallowed portals of the East London Mosque but the BBC has not shown the slightest interest.  In fact the BBC thinks the ELM is a fine, upstanding and moderate example of Islamic tolerance and inter faith dialogue.

By coincidence the top story today on Harry’s Place is from another student union:

“Homosexuals would be executed”

Lucy Lips, February 19th 2013, 2:45 pm

Student Rights has obtained a video showing a speaker at the Manchester University “Global Aspirations of Women Society” endorsing the execution of gay people:

Student Colin Cortbus attended a meeting at the Students’ Union last Wednesday 13th February organised by the Global Aspi­rations of Women society. He asked the chairperson of the meeting if “in the Islamic society in which you strive for” they would “feel comfortable, personally and morally, to kill a gay man?”

“Absolutely” came the response. The speakers added later that homosexuality was an “atrocity, because it goes against what God says”.

That’s of particular interest…Campbell did raise the subject of Qaradawi and his attitude towards Jewish people……but he made no mention of his attitude towards gay people…that being…the only question to be asked is not whether to kill them, but how to kill them…..‘While such punishments may seem cruel, they have been suggested to maintain the purity of the Islamic society and to keep it clean of perverted elements.’

Qaradawi is one of Islam’s moderate and highly respected scholars: “He is a moderate scholar who contributed to combating extremism in Islamic thoughts.”

Interesting that Peter Tatchell has a definition of Qaradawi’s views:

‘Qaradawi preaches a right-wing agenda of misogyny, anti-Semitism and homophobia.’

Many would say that such views were in fact from mainstream Islam…and we need to talk….‘What is going on in these mosques and madrasas? When is someone going to get 18th century on Islam’s mediaeval ass?‘

And yet the Unite Against Fascism spokesman on Campbell’s show had no problem with Qaradawi.….saying he was only interested in combating Fascists…extremist (not Fascist) Muslims were OK by him.

Campbell made no mention of Islam in relation to Qaradawi…it was as if these were purely Qaradawi’s own beliefs, dreamt up in  a cave somewhere after years communing with the voices in his head.

Campbell made no mention of the death threats to MP Sadiq Khan for voting in favour of gay marriage….an odd omission as it is so high profile and of relevance surely?

He did however speak with undue deference to someone named ‘Ali’.

Vive La Deference!  They make a desert and call it peace.

What did Campbell say?

He did in fact make one allusion to Muslims…he said Muslim extremists were only ‘people who call themselves Muslims’.….no Muslim can be ‘extreme’ in the BBC ‘style guide’…..’The styleguide for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) represents wisdom surrounding the use of English in written and spoken communication.’

What other ‘wisdom’ did Campbell’s bright little brain come up with?  Always thinking that boy!

Oh yes……UKIP…aren’t they just the same as Le Pen’s National Front…after all they want to ban Halal meat and the Burkha just as they do?

Never mind that the Burkha has already been banned in France by, presumably, the non-extremist French government.

And the RSPCA in this country, amongst others, want to ban Halal meat.   Are they classed by Campbell alongside a ‘Nationalist’ party?

Any other BBC targets that Campbell could  traduce?

One more…..

Campbell asks should climate change deniers be given the right of free speech.

Funnily enough we already know the BBC’s answer to that one.

So that’s a fair old list….Qaradawi, who wants to kill Jews and homosexuals, is put into the same category as Marine Le Pen, UKIP, Climate sceptics…and the RSPCA.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the largest broadcasting organization in the world. Its mission is to enrich people’s lives with programmes that inform, educate and entertain.

The BBC continues its barrage of ‘educational’ programmes on global warming for the allegedly hard of thinking among us…. ‘Expedition to the End of the World’

Not much subtlety there…much like the BBC’s title ‘Fighting The War’ for a series on the Iraq War…which had the sole purpose of painting the war in the worst light possible.

Its latest effort is a gloomy, doom laden offering capturing the thoughts and insights of a group of scientists and artists who venture into the frozen wilderness of the fjords of Greenland…or as the BBC puts it:

‘As the boat slips further away civilisation, the crew have a disturbing encounter which underlines the destructive impact of mankind.’

It’s possibly just one of God’s little  jokes that the ship they sail into the fjords on can’t get back out because of an unusually large amount of sea ice.

These two quotes give you a feel for what’s in store:

‘Actually it’s life that controls earth’s geological machinery…when I figured that out I was overwhelmed.  Living organisms are the main machinery in how the earth works and we’re part of the living organism.  We’re the dominant ones right now.’

In other words mankind is in control…and making a bad job of it.

‘Mass extinction has happened before in the earth’s history….it’s frightening that we’re in the midst of mass extinction right now and it’s a shame that we are the ones causing it.’

Having said that, they think we are doomed but are quite  phlegmatic about it…‘We’re doomed…So what?….we adapt or we are extinct…and mankind is only a short blip in the earth’s history anyway’  they suggest.

But then they are Scandanavian.