MONDAY OPEN THREAD

OK folks, here is a new fracking approved Open Thread. Anyone spotted Barbara Plett crying about Ariel Sharon? Nope? What a shocker. The floors is yours….

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283 Responses to MONDAY OPEN THREAD

  1. George R says:

    Beeboids mass coverage of EGYPT referendum, but not E.U. referendum.

    Beeboids, such as Reynolds and Guerin, keen to pander to their Middle East Muslim audience, give their top world story to Egyptian politics, on a scale which the British people do not get their interest in an E.U. referendum treated by Beeboids.

    “Egypt holds vote on new constitution”

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25717066

    For INBBC’s Muslim Brotherthood Cairo Bureau:-
    ‘Jihadwatch’:-
    “Muslim Brotherhood cleric Qaradawi issues fatwa saying voting in Egypt referendum ‘is cooperating in a sin’ and ‘religiously forbidden'”

    http://www.jihadwatch.org/2014/01/muslim-brotherhood-cleric-qaradawi-issues-fatwa-saying-voting-in-egypt-referendum-is-cooperating-in-.html

       9 likes

    • George R says:

      The only spokesman allowed to comment on the Egyptian referendum on INBBC Radio 5 news at noon today was, of course, in line with INBBC politics, from the Muslim Brotherhood.

         8 likes

      • George R says:

        INBBC censors this: Muslim Brotherhood in London.

        “Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood open London office… above a disused kebab shop in Cricklewood”
        “Muslim Brotherhood in disarray after President Morsi forced from power.
        “Restrictions put on their operations in Egypt so they move to London.
        “A small flat above a disused kebab shop chosen to be headquarters.
        By JONATHAN WYNNE-JONES.

        Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2538755/Egypts-Muslim-Brotherhood-open-London-office-disused-kebab-shop-Cricklewood.html#ixzz2qNS6NrVi

           8 likes

        • Guest Who says:

          ‘“Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood open London office… above a disused kebab shop in Cricklewood”
          Not that one which got culturally creative with the recipe?

             6 likes

          • Old Timer says:

            But, but, but…. Aren’t they considered terrorists, especially in Egypt?
            So how come they are OK to come here and do their dirty business in our country?
            Especially when a couple of people (Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer) who try to help us see who the terrorists are and what their MO is and how a particular book encourages the terrorists, are not allowed even into this country.
            Either the government of this country are fools or I am now living in heaven servicing a hundred nubile virgins and I have a suspicion it is not the latter.

               9 likes

  2. Joshaw says:

    Upcoming BBC drama The Three Musketeers.

    What have they done to it? Are they gay?

    Should I watch it? If I do, will I get beyond 10 minutes before switching off?

       13 likes

    • Geoff says:

      Well at least they’ve resisted in casting Chiwetel Ejiofor as d’Artagnan. I have read that they are not sticking to the book to allow more scope for more than one series.

      This of course gives also gives them the opportunity to rewrite history …

         14 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Sounds like a worthy complement (successor?) to the awesome ‘Atlantis’.
      Bet the locations will be nice and the actors pretty.
      As well as the ladies.

         7 likes

  3. ember2013 says:

    I’ve just streamed the start of “Daily Politics.” Today it’s about Miliband’s article about Labour being the party of middle classes. With guest star Chris Mullins (Labour).

    At no point does the presenter ask that vital question: how would Labour solve the problems faced by the middle classes? It’s just a list of moans about current problems.

       13 likes

  4. Phobic-ist says:

    Hello everyone! Have to comment on the miserable leftist slop that is passing for the Jeremy Vine Show on R2 just now. God, do they dislike the middle class! A ‘skit’ of ‘David and Jane’ was just one massive sneer at people with any form of aspiration. Quite vile, really. Nothing changes at the bleeding Beeb, does it?

       23 likes

    • Geoff says:

      Lefty Beeboids are bad enough, but smug lefty Beeboid cyclists are even worse! take a look at the picture in this article, spot the smugness….

      http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2538377/Why-drivers-want-kill-Death-threats-Near-misses-A-run-Clarkson-Radio-2-host-scared-cyclist-JEREMY-VINE-terrors-faces-road.html

         13 likes

      • chrisH says:

        Jeremy Vine wonders why we want to knock the smug creep from his velocipede?
        And Justin Webb feels slightly hurt that he isn`t as clearly differentiated from Evan Davis as he`d like?
        Wish I had their problems…actually I don`t.
        If Vine doesn`t know why normal people hate him…someone play him one of his shows-maybe that one about the Cantonese lady being given the third degree about the Smiths?
        Last September I think-well worthy of a bent helmet…oo er!

           11 likes

        • Old Goat says:

          Oh, for the opportunity to knock Vine off his bike, and reverse back over him, just to make sure. Does he ever come to France, I wonder?

             8 likes

      • Doyle says:

        You’ve gotta love this bit.

        The biggest danger is not road layout but road users. The hostility of some drivers is mind-boggling.
        Take the day I got caught on Marble Arch by a car that had roared through a light just as it turned red.
        The man ripped through the air inches from me and caused serious panic, so I thought I would gently let him know that he would soon hurt someone.
        I caught up with his car at the next traffic light. I try to be polite at all times, calling other road users ‘sir’ and ‘madam’ so they know I am not one of those expletive-spewing Lycra louts. It is always possible they might be a Radio 2 listener, after all.
        So I knocked gently on the man’s passenger-side window and said: ‘Sir, just to let you know, you nearly killed me back there.’
        The driver, an unshaven man Mediterranean-looking man in a pale suit, leant over and bared his teeth, hissing in broken English: ‘I. WANT. TO. KILL. YOU.’

        Priceless! Oh, the irony of Jezza nearly being run over by the very people he and the BBC campaign for entry for. Here’s the thing Jezza, they bring their lunatic driving with them, you’d know that if you weren’t such a div. Also, addressing people sir and madam is likely to get an idiot like you shot, because the average London mong won’t know if you’re taking the piss or not, not that I’d be bothered. Actually, I know exactly how he feels but for different reasons … I’d like to kill you for ruining my beautiful country, he on the other hand wants to kill you for a much more simple reason … you got in his way.

           7 likes

  5. Dave s says:

    Middle class to the core the average liberal beeboid despises, as is required of a pod, his or her’s upbringing and country.
    That is why they all try to speak as they do. No final consonant etc. Gonna and so on.
    They really do need to stand back and take a long look at themselves.
    Identical views ,identical prejudices, identical clothes, identical tastes.
    They could make a start by taking the Daily Mail. I can well imagine the horrified screams from the massed pods as a beeboid reads the Mail with his coffee or whatever they call it. .

       9 likes

  6. Thoughtful says:

    Well here’s the two fingered salute of a response from the BBC over Nelson Mandela’s excessive coverage.

    We’re sorry to hear you were dissatisfied with our previous reply.
    We believe we have outlined the editorial reasons for the widespread coverage of Nelson Mandela’s death. With regard to the specific point about weather coverage, the Director of BBC News, James Harding, has explained what had been reported and apologised if viewers or listeners felt this did not inform them fully at the time. We feel we have explained the position as clearly as we could and do not have more to add.
    We do appreciate that you feel strongly enough to raise further points, but we do not believe this has suggested potential breaches of BBC standards or other significant issues and so will not respond to further correspondence about this.

       20 likes

  7. chrisH says:

    24 hours in the life of the BBC.
    Today on “You and Yours”(Me and Mine-so hands off!), poor Winnie is fretting about the High St, lack of small businesses etc…do phone in and tell us love!
    The same show yesterday was gunning for Middlesbroughs taxi drivers for having to charge disabled passengers more to go in the adapted, ramped taxis that they have bought especially for them.
    The complaining spokesman for them was a Muslim who was charged more for his taxi from Kent to Sussex/Surrey that he`d have liked!…a problem many of us surely can relate to!
    Note no Muslim taxi firm rolling in there eh?
    The show wanted these taxidisablist fascists off the streets, licenses removed, ECHR, UN , EU diktats used and enforced-or the bloody drivers can dig deep and shut the F888 Up! Nazis!
    The previous piece concerned us all needing to get a 4D(don`t ask!) telly at the Trafford Centre-Panasonic got eh free plug for these-only £3000, technological must-have ,,,but only once the BBC have worked out how to make the programmes to “enhance our televisual experieces” to go with them!
    And none of that green landfill crap over analogue eh? Bollox to the digital scams, the built-in obsolescence bull, and don`t go near the scandals of money shovelled away in the BBC Digital omnishambles of last summer! Does not compute!
    Trafford Centre Hi-Tech unnecessary crap? `Boro taxis serving the disability agenda at no cost to themselves?…yet today, it`s pity the poor shopkeepers again?
    Same show different shit Sherlock!
    Oh, and a dance on Arik Sharons grave en passant on telly(mere 2D)…and to think they names their Godawful internal puffpiece to themselves after him too!
    Scott?…Dez?…Albaman?…can you see what I`ve done there-feel free to correct me!

       10 likes

    • Thoughtful says:

      It’s a 4K Tele! and the BBC haven’t yet managed to get into broadcasting 1080P yet, only managing 720Pfor their HD.
      That horrible company Sony (may Anonymous hack them into bankruptcy!) set some ridiculous copy protect with HD and HDMI which has damaged the whole industry with unnecessary and OTT copy protection.

      With the Trafford Centre don’t forget it’s owned and operated by Peel holdings, the same people who the BBC rent Media City from and donators to the Liebour party.
      Not going to be taking a swipe at them now are they?

         5 likes

  8. Dysgwr_Cymraeg says:

    Bbc news at one, Norman- but labour say-Smith has just spent 5 minutes giving a party political broadcast on behalf of the Labour Party, and all in response to being asked to comment on the 2% inflation figure.
    You just couldn’t bloody well make it up.
    Who TF thinks that Milipedes article in one of the daily papers matters in the least .

       16 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      So in the always unique world of the BBC, their pension investments can go up as well as up, no matter what?
      Even if they decide to plough it all into some half-baked set of mates’ funds that go belly up, everyone else still gets to make up the difference? Compelled by law by the state of the day who considers them too dangerous to let fail?
      No wonder the commentariat is impressed.
      It will be interesting at what point the public twigs that most of what they are charged is actually going nowhere near actual programming, but to prop up an insane 20,000 strong ponzi scheme to keep a bunch of unemployables off the books and in clover for the rest of their un-natural…

         12 likes

    • Rabbitrabbitrabbit says:

      Read the comments on that article about the Beeb pension deficit on the DT website.
      It seems like more and more people are thinking like Biased BBC readers these days.
      Maybe we’re winning?

         12 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        Too much to hope for a quantum leap, but this one does rather move into areas that all who work for a living, and save for when they are no longer able to, can get their heads round, financially, fairness-wise and also service delivery.
        Being compelled by law to keep a bunch of overpaid civil servants in comfort in return for a repeat of the Eastenders Xmas special 2013 may sink in as an essential service that could be done without.
        And as each one goes off grid, the BBC’s evident reaction is to load the shoring-up on those remaining rather than looking internally.
        Not sure that one will prove a winning formula.

           8 likes

  9. George R says:

    Will BBC-NUJ be able to report fairly on its brothers’ and sisters’ activities in UNITE trade union? :-

    ” Shoot down these flying pickets ”

    By RICHARD LITTLEJOHN.

    [Excerpt]:-

    “In the latest case, a joinery company boss in North Yorkshire has found himself and his family on the receiving end of Unite’s bully-boy tactics. Pickets descended on the home of Matthew Ingle, in a small village near Skipton.
    They carried banners, sounded horns and sirens and bad-mouthed Mr Ingle to his neighbours.
    “The union followed this up in thoroughly modern fashion by issuing threats on the internet.”

    [Excerpt]:-

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2538879/RICHARD-LITTLEJOHN-Shoot-flying-pickets.html#ixzz2qNZ2Z5dZ

       12 likes

    • Andy S. says:

      The Protection From Harassment Act has sections in it that fit the antics of Unite perfectly. If I was on the receiving end of this kind of harassment I would be on the phone to Plod immediately telling them I was alarmed and intimidated by the behaviour of the union bully boys. It would be enough to get them warned off or even locked up. I would even complain about Lenin McCluskey and his henchmen for ordering this kind of harassment.

         8 likes

      • Andy S. says:

        By the way, there is nothing in the Act – unless the last Labour government quietly amended it – that excludes unions from engaging in harassment of an individual or his family.

           4 likes

  10. Thoughtful says:

    The ‘Acts of Union’ series with professor Linda Colley continues with it’s far left agenda. I don’t know what it is about Lesbians and Left wing women, but both seem to cultivate a look peculiar to their preferences. You can spot either a mile away!

    “Disparities between the North and the South in terms of wealth and living standards seem to go back at least to medieval times. A tendency to caricature and “other” the North also goes back centuries. Last year, a peer caused uproar in the House of Lords when he suggested that fracking – forcing open rocks so as to extract oil and gas – should be avoided in “sensitive” environments such as Sussex, and implemented instead in “desolate areas” like the English North-East. There are ample precedents for this kind of metropolitan mental distancing. Told that his army regiment was transferring from Brighton on the south coast, to Manchester, the London-born Regency dandy known as Beau Brummell protested only half-jokingly that he had not reckoned on having to serve abroad.”

       7 likes

  11. bogtrott says:

    DLT Trial…
    The court was told the alleged incident was “actually cut from what was broadcast”.
    Another dagger in the chest of dear old Auntie I hope….

       15 likes

    • Geoff says:

      Something not quite right there, I thought that many 70’s episodes were wiped, yet here we have a clip from the cutting room floor still surviving? Somebody keep it for insurance?

      Reading the court reports it seems his alleged MO and predilections share a lot of similarities with Savile.

         4 likes

      • David Preiser (USA) says:

        This says the clip shown in court was of the broadcast version, and the accuser said the incident had been cut out before broadcast. I don’t think they’re showing the redacted bit.

        However, what this does mean (if they can prove it, I guess) is that the BBC knew of the assault and tolerated it, knowing it was inappropriate. They then continued what can be seen only as an unspoken internal policy to continue abetting sexual harassment. It was indeed a different time. Now they all just have sex with each other.

           5 likes

  12. Daniel says:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25735532

    They can barely contain themselves; breaking news that an Israeli Defence Minister has, apparently, insulted John Kerry. I didn’t know it was possible to make him more of a joke than he already is, but there you go…

       10 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Interesting how such ‘news’ works now;
      US lashes ‘Israel comment’ on Kerry

      US condemns as “offensive” reported comments by Israeli defence minister about Kerry Mid-East initiative

      More to follow.
      So currently unspecified ‘reported comments’ are dubbed ‘offensive’ by ‘the US’, and this is elevated in a rushed out piece to ‘lashes’.
      Then there is… ‘more to follow’.
      What? Feet were stamped? Toys hurled from prams?
      It’s a masterpiece of knowing nothing and promptly confirming it in print.

         11 likes

      • Andy S. says:

        It’s a common practice of the Obama administration to try and close down a legitimate criticism or argument by calling it “offensive”. Even the One himself used the word against Mitt Romney in one of their debates when he accused Obama of lying about calling the Benghazi attack as “terrorism” and using the video criticising Mohammed as the excuse for the attack.

           9 likes

      • David Preiser (USA) says:

        I loved the Nobel jibe. The BBC has occasionally breathlessly reported on how hard Kerry has been working on securing a peace deal in the region which all BBC journalists are convinced is the source of nearly all the world’s troubles. But they always made it out to be a case of trying to get both sides to talk, rather than what’s apparently really been going on.

        Many worldly, jaded Beeboids will understand that in reality the goal for the President and Kerry is to be able to claim they got an agreement – of some kind, any kind – and started the talks again. It’s so pathetic that we’re now in a place where even pretending to start talks again is considered a triumph and worthy of plaudits.

        If the BBC wasn’t so institutionally anti-Israel, we might hear more of the perspective that one side actually doesn’t want a Two-State solution at all, rather than this ongoing kabuki dance crap. No, I’m sorry, that’s offensive to kabuki theater. At least that has some cultural value.

           9 likes

  13. ember2013 says:

    This isn’t specific to the BBC – why the focus recently on 30 year old documents regarding “previously secret papers”?
    During the Thatcher years.

    I don’t recall a similar interest from 2006-2009 regarding such papers under Callaghan.

       10 likes

    • Robin says:

      Because Beeboids and the liberal/ left think Mrs Thatcher is so evil that they are looking for evidence that she messed about with the laws of gravity , and THATS why they fell over after drinking cases of champagne .

         18 likes

  14. flexdream says:

    Regarding the BBC bias as seen I think by most here. Has anyone any recommendations on how best to co-ordinate and organise counteracting it? Maybe some groups are already active?

       5 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      flexdream, that depends on what you mean by “counteracting”.

         2 likes

      • flexdream says:

        Thanks David, I’m open to what’s available, I don’t want anyone reinventing the wheel. I’ll give one example though, the Question Time audiences are so laughably and blatantly unrepresentative that it’s obvious that the BBC is condoning or colluding in left wing efforts to pack the audience. Is anyone encouraging and informing moderate people on how to get in the audience? Anyone watching the last QT in London would have thought UKIIP might be 1-2% in the polls, Labour 60-80%. Increasingly I think people here recognise the limitations as well as the value of this blog in challenging BBC bias.

           14 likes

        • David Preiser (USA) says:

          The London audience demographic is probably a bad example (the claim is that the audience reflects the local demographic, not the national mood), but I see what you mean. We know from both the official statement and the experiences of a few people here that there is a definite tendency to direct both the audience makeup and the questions allowed through. They can claim to be as diligent as they like to make sure an audience reflects whatever polls they have for the host area, so much that even Delingpole is convinced of their impartiality, but the interpretation of whatever data they use is subjective. The production team has admitted to reaching out on occasion to recruit people they know to be on one side of an issue if they feel the need to paint the proper picture.

          Then there’s the question of, er, the questions. At least three people here have in the past related their personal experience of being told that their question was not wanted and to have a rethink. It was either “That’s a topic for a different show” or “We’ve done it already”, sort of thing. In other words, it didn’t fit the agenda they had set for the show.

          The official statement is that the production team wants to make sure the questions reflect the top issues of the day/week. I say that can be equally capricious, especially since we know the BBC itself tries to set the news agenda, and in a certain direction on certain issues. In other words, if the QT production team is using the BBC News agenda of the day (whether it comes from Today or some editorial meeting or James Harding looking at sheep entrails is beside the point here), well then it’s biased before it begins, and the claim that the audience chooses the topics and agenda is, shall we say, compromised.

          How to counter this? I guess a good first step after getting the word out would be to nail down some strategies people could use to make sure they get in and are not rejected because of their views on an irrelevant issue or because they submitted a question that obviously contains an unapproved thought. Then work on getting in with numbers.

             6 likes

    • F*** the Beeb says:

      The only way that could ever be effective is via government petition, and even that won’t help since Labour ignored over 250,000 demanding we stay out of Iraq and the coalition ignored over 500,000 demanding more transparent peer review of the NHS reforms before they could be passed into law. More than that though, I don’t know if it’s that effective in getting the maximum amount of replies anyway. I’ve seen a few petitions and the most signatures on any of them was only about 300. This isn’t because only 300 people have a problem with the BBC. In fact, some of the signatures were claiming it was RIGHT-leaning and should be privatised/had its charter reviewed for that reason to make it impartial again. The evidence doesn’t back them up at all, obviously, but it just shows that even contributors to centre or right-leaning sites detailing/criticising the BBC aren’t the whole, and there’s certainly far more than the couple of hundred that signed the petition.

      The good news at least is that Sky News is on Freeview, much to the BBC’s chagrin I imagine. So they don’t hold as much of a monopoly on people’s beliefs as they once did. But we need a proper impartial broadcaster to emerge, one with entirely objective news broadcasts reviewed and sponsored by people of all political sides instead of the lefty love-in the BBC has become.

         8 likes

    • Richard Pinder says:

      Always waiting for news from the angry Mensa members, but it looks likely that the BBC will only be able to obtain licence money from left-wing people by a voluntary arrangement after 2016.

      But in the mean time, I have been told that everyone should send stuff to the nice people at the Media, Culture and Sport Select Committee.

         5 likes

      • TigerOC says:

        Wish this were true. Turning BBC to subscription only would be any UK governments biggest embarrassing moment.
        Every Govt has held this foul organisation up as an icon of the very best Britain has to offer. The gold standard of broadcast and journalism and the envy of the World like the NHS.

        However the Jimmy Savil axe hangs precariously above. If those on trial for kiddy fiddling publicly are found guilty and it is proved that such practices were common place and it was obvious to even the most junior staffers then there will be very serious questions to answer.

        If the BBC and its staff are perceived to have been involved in organized child abuse they will be shut down.

           5 likes

  15. chrisH says:

    Was it BBC News 24-or was it Channel 4 News-that had the pouting Liberal “journaliste” Agnes Poirot(or such) on last night to tell us that Hollande was quite right not to pander to the tabloids in giving us any unpleasantness re his “liaisons d`affaires”…or was it “d`etat”? Oh those “Francaises romantiques des coeurs etc”.
    Well our liberal equivalent here was more than hapopy with the answers…rally round the wagon, merely Mitterand without the Vichy links etc, etc.
    Blow me if old Agnes with the Eiffel Tower behind her new washed hair, isn`t chewing the croissant with the PM show as I drive home.
    Deffo the BBC/Channel 4 go-to gal to snow over Hollandes deceit, incompetence. malice, and driving one of his ladies to a breakdown(and no wimmins group, no Vicky, no Jenni to speak out for her).
    Hollande was, after all Ed Milibands shining hope-sadly, his purple helmet has reduced him to Arthur from On the Buses!
    Vive Les Socialistes!…”Hollande is awwight”-so it`ll be Agnes and Campbells etc until the rest of us leave him en paix.
    Ouanqueres toutes!

       10 likes

  16. flexdream says:

    I used to wonder if Channel 4 was more left wing than the BBC, but after plodgate and Benefits Street I now think that it’s just more willing to investigate and report rather than censor and comment. I think it’s not more or less left wing, it just does a better job of investigation and reporting.

       10 likes

    • Alex says:

      I’m not so sure. The Channel 4 team and especially Mat Frei and middle class prat, Jon Snow, consistently show a blatant bias in favour of Labour and Islam which is quite simply atrocious. But, yes, their investigations are definitely above the standard of the BBC’s.

         9 likes

      • DownBoy says:

        They were highlighting atrocities in CAR whilst the bbc were in the middle of their mandasms in Jo’burg.

           7 likes

        • flexdream says:

          Alex and DownBoy
          I completely agree with both of you. Channel 4 is biased, but at least it does proper investigations, and I well recall while the BBC elite decamped to South Africa for Mandela’s funeral, they couldn’t spare anyone to cover the appalling fighting in the CAR. On a comparative shoestring Channel 4 reported what was happening. I’m not a fan of some of Channel 4’s causes or Jon Snow (for example his closed mind toward Tommy Robinson) but I think it’s harder hitting news reporting than the BBC. I can’t recall a single BBC expose of a scandal or digging into the truth about a story.

             11 likes

  17. Alex says:

    Increasingly crappy standards, appalling Left-wing bias and now we have to plug a shortfall in the BBC’s pension scheme.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/10570964/BBC-to-pump-740m-of-licence-fee-payers-cash-into-pension-scheme-deficit.html

       11 likes

  18. Guest Who says:

    I’m guessing the BBC blew their wad (financially, but given the extent and tonality, in every other way too) on this one, and hence seem to feel it’s the flagship for every evening FaceBook post so far this week.
    What’s interesting is what they seem to think will impress their audience…
    BBC World News
    Dubai’s ruler stops noisy planes to conduct exclusive BBC interview.

    The BBC has conducted a rare interview with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum at his desert residence.

    @BBCJonSopel explains how, during the interview with Sheikh Mohammed, planes in the sky were halted in order for the interview to take place.

    Subscribe to the official BBC NEWS channel on Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/bbcnews
    So far… not so much.
    In fact most comments seem as impressed with the BBC’s venture into despot colonic entry interview practices as one is sure most passengers in stacked aircraft were so’s HRH could get a good soundbite from the BBC sycophant squad.

       5 likes

    • TigerOC says:

      This is the joker that conned billions out of many with smoke and mirror stories of opulence, sun, sea and sand. Thousands of ordinary contractors forced to flee the mayhem because it is a crime to be insolvent in UAE. Except if you are the man himself owing others US$120bn and have no way of repaying the debt.

         4 likes

  19. tipple says:

    Why aren’t you talking about the BBC pension deficit?

       3 likes

  20. chrisH says:

    At least Stephanie Flanders pension is now the sump for JP Morgan to chuck their dollars down.
    Just saw her on Channel 4 News-ohm, and how Jon Snow and Cathy Newman fawned at one of their own…one who flew to even more money than Channel 4 pays its ciphers.
    And-had I any shares in JP Morgan?…I`d have watched in dismay, seeing as this dull woman brings absolutely nothing to the table…the Tories get Tango`d as all BBC liberals are expected to do, but she really knows nothing about the Bank, the inflation rate and what it means.
    But she DID know Labours pitch on all this-and spout it she did.
    Deep speaks unto deep…Snow sniffs Flanders old socks and she feigns surprise that he remembers to darn them.
    Hopeless-but we pay both for Snows jollies, and for Stephs taxi and pension pot no doubt.
    One crowded bubble in luvvieland isn`t it?

       7 likes

  21. Daniel says:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25729750

    Now that the voyage of fools getting stuck in the Antarctic has stopped getting coverage; feel free to peruse the latest piece of climate propaganda whereby the Pine Island Glacier is apparently in irreversible retreat…

    what happened last time they started predicting things with GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out) models?

       11 likes

  22. Deborah says:

    10pm news on BBC 1, does the BBC understand the difference between the rate of inflation going down or prices going down? I don’t think Hugh Pym does. All those vox pops asking people in Manchester whether they had noticed that inflation was down to 2% for one month did’t really hold much surprise but it sure suited Labour’s narrative.

       9 likes

  23. Teddy Bear says:

    ‘Carnival princess was groped by star DJ Dave Lee Travis at hospital radio launch after being told

    *Former Radio 1 DJ faces 14 charges dating between 1976 and 2008

    *One assault is alleged to have taken place while ‘opportunistic’ Travis was opening a hospital radio station

    *Allegedly molested teenager after giving her a lift in his yellow Pontiac

    *Jury hears Travis touched 15-year-old’s breast at Showaddywaddy concert

    *When Travis, 68, was playing an ‘evil wizard’ in a pantomime he ‘attacked a theatre worker but stopped when a Chuckle Brother walked past’

    *DJ ‘groped student he’d told to keep watch and called her “securi-titty”‘

    *One victim allegedly shouted ‘Don’t touch me, you’re a pervert!’ after growing sick of his sexual advances

    For those who followed the Savile scandal and BBC cover-up there will be elements of deja-vu. Only difference is that this time the accused is alive, though for the time being he denies any wrongdoings.
    Interesting that the independent victims from around the country describe such a similar behaviour by Travis.
    Also as there was with Savile, there is apparently also a video showing Travis assaulting a girl on camera, so no question that the BBC weren’t aware of it, but chose to look the other way.

    Isn’t it interesting just how rife are these goings on within the BBC that have come to light with numerous ‘celebrities’, yet quite rare within the independent channels.
    This fact alone says so much about the BBC, and why they should be have their funding stopped – COMPLETELY.

       8 likes

  24. Dave666 says:

    Just got home in time to see a North West tonight reporter in a hospital. Surprise there are hardly any members of the public waiting around- WHOOPS!

       4 likes

  25. thoughtful says:

    Funny but when you look back on News items or older programs, how much more clear the bias is. Take for example this debate between Harry Cole and Samira Shackle over the racist tweet of Dianne Abbott. Note the way she frequently silences Cole over Shackle and prompts her to say what she wants to hear:

       3 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Frankly for an aptly ‘think/don’t think’ littered topic, none of ’em – host, Coles, Shackle and certianly Abbott – came out of it well.
      I saw it more as a ratings-driven wind up given the two no mark gobs for hire solicited to ‘debate’ wot they fink, clearly on the basis that they were from clear extremes to provide heat but little light.
      It’s a pity Mr. Coles’ brain has more to say than his mouth can accommodate, as he did have a few good factual points in his ramble. The excuse that twitter did not have enough space was already daft as she’d ploughed on anyway, and clearly did have further opportunity for context that was not used. The BBC has similar issues with faux ‘no space for accuracy’ in its evolving twitter obsession, so no surprise the host was nowhere near that one.
      As to Ms. Shackle, it was unclear what her abilities were or are other than being a mantra-intoning default DoA… Defender of Abbott. She thinks.

         2 likes

  26. OldBloke says:

    A further link to Mr Joe Smith (see my posts above) that will raise more than one eyebrow for many on here:
    Consultant to BBC Vision and News on climate change: advisor on editorial and strategy in relation to climate change 2004 – , including co-programming internal communications event featuring Al Gore, and others, and advisor to production teams for Live Earth 7/7/07; BBC Comedy climate change project 2005 – 2007 and BBC Wales project 2009.

       5 likes

  27. OldBloke says:

    AND THIS IS FINALLY (for tonight):
    https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/dr_joe_smith

    For the record, I’m not anyone listed in any of the postings.

       4 likes

  28. Sir Arthur Strebe-Grebling says:

    The bBBC must be having frantic editorial meetings about how can they spin/ bury tonight’s story from The Independent, that thousands of Muslims are illegally having their female babies aborted.
    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/the-lost-girls-illegal-abortion-widely-used-by-some-uk-ethnic-groups-to-avoid-daughters-has-reduced-female-population-by-between-1500-and-4700-9059790.html
    Of course, The Independent tiptoes around it, referring to ‘some UK ethnic groups’ and ‘notably for mothers who were born in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan’.

       8 likes

  29. Dave says:

    “Bedfordshire PCC Olly Martins receives written warning”

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-25728143
    So A PCC has been disclosing confidential information.

    Strangely, the lengthy article makes no mention of what political party he represents. i wonder which party he belongs too….

       8 likes

    • Charlatans says:

      OMG – would you believe it Olly Matins is an elected Socialist Labour Police Commissioner misbehaving – BBC bias by omission. Please if there is a God and responsible Government take away the right of this broadcaster to tax us for so much to provide public broadcasting, as it clearly fails its remit to do so in an unbiased manner. Am sending a complaint in today.

      If one cannot get
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olly_Martins

         7 likes

  30. The Troll says:

    Sorry to interrupt, but does anyone know what happened to Davids other site.

    It seems that A Tangled Web no longer exists?

    Does anyone have news on this?

       0 likes

  31. hugh says:

    The latest edition of Sherlock – His Last Vow -has a subliminal anti-Tory message (as did the first in series about Boris or the Mayor of London). As the heroes enter a news organisation, a picture and headline flashes on a TV screen” MP Jon Garvie Arrested on Charges of Corruption”) – he has Blue Tie. And yet all six mps convicted of corruption in expenses scandal were Labour.

       8 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Now you’ve done it.
      After a protracted dry spell, along with salacious socialist sexcapades, Sherlock has proven surer ground to allow the Flokkers opportunity to creep out of the bunker.
      If they do, I’d be interested in their thoughts on their hero’s summary execution (of a not very nice, unarmed and clearly so man, whose crimes seemed more white collar in nature) policy, and subsequent not bothering with legal process at all.
      Guessing in fiction, as in fact, juries are only to be relied upon if it can be ensured they provide the ‘correct’ result to suit the narrative.

         2 likes

  32. Pounce says:

    According to the bBC this is £12,000 well spent:
    _72277738_4558cd71-9e2c-4470-828c-ecd438841984.jpg
    Anybody else Diane Abbott is f-ing ugly.

       7 likes

    • LurkerDroneNumber141 says:

      I am waiting for Buggy to comment on this one, though I hear that his ardour for Ms Abbott has diminished recently.

         3 likes

      • Buggy says:

        As detailed on another thread, some while ago I made a polite approach to the MP for Hackney North here, suggesting some fun things that we might do together. She responded in a way I felt impolite, viz: getting me banned from Hackney, Stoke Newington and sundry similar plague spots in that giant sucking hole 40 miles north west of here. Especially rude IMHO since I’d specifically offered to sort out the baler twine and Swarfega myself for our evening of fun and games. A bit tub of Swarf, too. Expensive.

        Anyhoo, this ingratitude cooled my ardour for Abbott in a hurry as you might expect, and I am now more than willing to join in any and all bagging on Lady Lard Arse, consumer of more calories than many countries, possessor of a backside visible from space etc etc.

        As to this ‘vanity portrait’ (ha! ha!), I can’t really put it better than this comment from Guido’s:

        “oldboy says:
        January 13, 2014 at 4:18 pm
        When they dig up a skeleton in a bog or find one during excavations for a new tube line the media always seem to want to reconstruct the face. That’s what this looks like. The best guess at what some dead bloke looked at when he was alive.

        Should be behind glass at Cheddar Gorge visitor centre.”

        Some extra fun here. And at the HuffPo, too ! :

        https://twitter.com/HuffPostUK/status/422754956743938048/photo/1

           6 likes

        • LurkerDroneNumber141 says:

          The comment was worth waiting for!

             3 likes

          • Buggy says:

            You’re most welcome. The truly frightful thing about that portrait is that the she-thing is possibly posing ‘as nature intended’. :-0

            Thank the Lord it’not full-length. 🙂

               2 likes

            • LurkerDroneNumber141 says:

              There isn’t enough brown oil paint in the world for a full length portrait.

                 2 likes

              • Buggy says:

                As others have pointed out, she’s significantly ‘lighter’ here than in reality. Which is kinda weird considering just how much she likes to wave the ‘Mama Africa’ baton.

                   2 likes

      • Buggy says:

        What a very sinister looking minkey. Bloody glad I don’t currently live in North Sulawesi with the concomitant risk of running into one of those buggers every time I popped out for a pint of milk.

        Still, as the caption puts it :“…… the macaques were more than happy to work it for the camera – hanging from trees, posing with fruit, and even inspecting the lense to help take pictures of themselves.” which means that they’re contributing more to the world than Abbott ever will.

           3 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      I merely report, hewing close to the line, letting the chips fall where they may…
      http://www.maxfarquar.com/2014/01/mp-portraits-sold/
      It is perhaps a matter of some relief than the technique/medium adopted was not that here:
      http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/226000.stm
      Importing artist materials of this nature into this country by barge may have raised questions as one doubts UK local suppliers would cover the demand.

         0 likes

  33. Dave 666 says:

    The sun starts to rise on another day. BBc Breakfast carries on as usual. Monkeys at a zoo have been stopped being fed bananas. Because they are too Sugary. They also jump on the ‘criticism’ of the channel 4 benefit street. Well I worked front line in DHSS for 18 years, and what I saw didn’t surprise me much considering it’s the TV and will focus on certain things.

       8 likes

  34. AsISeeIt says:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-25740109

    ‘Renowned Argentine poet Juan Gelman, 83, dies in Mexico’

    Sorry, I’ve never heard of him.

    ‘Mr Gelman, a left-wing activist and a guerrilla in Argentina in the 1960s and 1970s….’

    Oh, I see. Obviously a BBC hero.

       11 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      “To the Grief Jumbo, Bat-comrades…. Acapulco calls and is nice this time of year. Make it a fortnight and we can probably call in on a few suppliers or interview some hapless locals on how they feel about Las Malvinas”

         5 likes

  35. Thoughtful says:

    “Why are some scenes in 12 Years a Slave so hard to watch? ”

    Because you’re a self loathing leftie with a guilt complex about something perpetrated by someone else hundreds of years ago.

    The question should have been asked ‘Why do I feel responsible for what happened and how can I best attack & bully those people who do not share my guilt & self loathing’?

       15 likes

  36. LurkerDroneNumber141 says:

    Radio 4, via bbc website “BBC Business Live”

    GAY-FRIENDLY EMPLOYERS
    0706: Radio 4 Where’s the best place to work if you’re gay? There are a few surprises on the list. Simon Feeke, of the gay rights group Stonewall, tells Radio 4 the Ministry of Defence gets their “most improved” award for establishing strong leadership internally and helping gay and lesbian staff with career development. The NHS and Accenture are also high on the list of friendly places to work.

    Er…..I’m am genuinely baffled. What the fuck do your sexual preferences have to do with your (non-media) job? How on earth can your spare time sexual activity have any bearing on your work at the MOD or NHS.
    Are employers now obliged or encouraged to provide cottaging facilities? Free lubricants?
    Unless the BBC actually asked these questions, this story is just a BBC media centric agenda promoting pile of shite.

       8 likes

    • LurkerDroneNumber141 says:

      This is important stuff because a little bit further down the page we have:

      WAKE UP TO MONEY
      Via Twitter Adam Parsons Business Correspondent tweets: “Congratulations to Gentoo – named on Wake up to Money as Britain’s best employer for gay and bisexual workers”

         3 likes

    • Roland Deschain says:

      In the interests of balance, I look forward to a survey of the best place for heterosexuals to work being featured on the BBC. In a similarly approving manner, of course.

         6 likes

      • LurkerDroneNumber141 says:

        Well Jimmy Savile, DLT and many other current and former employees would vote for the BBC itself, I imagine.

           5 likes

        • Thoughtful says:

          I was left open mouthed last night as the BBC news channel announced in sombre tones that three celebrities had been in court today for sexual offences – including the actor Bill Roache who plays Ken Barlow in the soap ‘Coronation Street’.

          So they feel it necessary to mention the man with the least accusations against him, perhaps because he works for a rival channel ?

             2 likes

        • Buggy says:

          🙂

             2 likes