MONDAY OPEN THREAD…

Well folks, a new week dawns. And the BBC is meticulous as ever in making sure that EVERY Conservative announcement is balanced with a Labour statement. Hence Cameron’s “bonfire of regulations” for small business is balanced by Chukas “let’ set up a new quango”. Anyhoo, the day beckons me and I bid you adieu and leave this new open thread for you to complete!

Bookmark the permalink.

273 Responses to MONDAY OPEN THREAD…

  1. noggin says:

    Panto Nikki on 5live this morning … the wide ranging question – is offending ahem! religion ok? … (hint hint)
    a clue … very other caller is Muslim

    Why the question? aloha snackbar and surprise surprise
    M Nawaz tweeted an ahem “offensive” cartoon … and got death threats … who by?
    Now wants to get on the political gravy train … hey ho over 20,000 “offended” want to character assassinate him and get him dropped … who are these “offended”
    What erm “religion” are we talking about? any ideas?.

    Calling in to the BBC to ask the obvious questions? …
    asking why violence/threat/character assassination has been seen, to be the immediate retort? … the instant reply?
    Why the question title of the phone in itself is so ambiguous?
    What is less offensive than a cartoon, or any drawing, or even a teddy bear etc

    But sadly, the Al BBC inquisition as you contact “Your Call”, are not interested, they have an “orchestrated” comedian in house
    … once again … appalling BBC bias

       65 likes

    • stewart says:

      I wonder did that fearless defender of the secular faith ‘jesus flipflop’ ,who graced these pages so recently ,call in to defend Mr Nawaz ?
      Or is it only some religions that are to be ritually pilloried by the liberal inquisition while others ,well, not so much?

         37 likes

      • Jesus' Flip Flop says:

        I wasn’t listening, so no, I didn’t call in. I’m not in the habit of phoning radio stations anyway.

        But I would defend Mr Nawaz, and would pillory faith on an equal opportunity basis.

        You on the other hand seem to realise that its all bullshit but still defend the lying to children, and the centuries of persecution. Maybe its some kind of Stolkholm syndrome, or you’re just a pussy?

           8 likes

        • Mat says:

          Good then as an atheist i look forward to your mocking of all faith including the one actually killing and maiming today not just the historical ones !

             59 likes

          • Mohammed's Flip Flop says:

            I look forward to it too!

            Q: How does every Islamic joke start?
            A: By looking over your shoulder.

            Ahem, sorry.

               14 likes

        • stewart says:

          No I found the moral and intellectual courage to take my head out from underneath the blankets and face the bogyman
          You might try it some time, when you can get over your father issues .You might then realise what are lies and what are not.
          In the mean time carry on attacking those that will forgive you,if makes you feel heroic.
          I ,as have pointed out, am not a christian and do not turn the other cheek.

             24 likes

          • Milverton says:

            Mitch Benn’s contribution was typically smug and unpleasant. Essentially he works in the basis that his opinions are facts, and other peoples’ opinions are wrong.

               35 likes

            • Maturecheese says:

              Who was the gay atheist as he struck me as one who’s opinions cannot be challenged either with his gay is normal rhetoric. Annoyed me somewhat.

                 13 likes

              • Milverton says:

                That was a theatre bod. Gay as a tangerine. I don’t know if he rang in or was invited by Five Live, but he was useful for muddying the waters by including the Sikhs and the Christians.

                   20 likes

              • mark says:

                Mitch Benn and ilk are effectively Puritans. The same manner of justification.

                   4 likes

            • noggin says:

              More annoying, Panto s buddy that Mitch Benn business? and that bloody Muslim actor/comedian? … lamely trying a lorra lorra Panto palava.

              The original premise for the phone in?
              character assassination – threat of violence? … death threats?
              by one religion/ideology in particular?
              … a repeating and worrying phenomenon that elicited the question “is offending religion ok”

              I note one of the first callers, asked if he could “please comment in between
              those pair of” … (well I think when I listened back) … he called them “gentlemen”, he was told tersely by Campbell … No! (as the BBC microphone fairy then spirited him away).

                 7 likes

          • Mohammed's Flip Flop says:

            Sorry Stu, but you’d have to run that one past me again. I don’t get your point.

            I suspect you think you know what I think when you don’t. Maybe it’s ‘transference’?

            And my father was a virgin.

               1 likes

            • stewart says:

              “I suspect you think you know what I think.”
              Sorry for trespassing on your bourgeois fauxcialist prerogative but there’s no need for any preternatural ability your hold all the approved views.

                 0 likes

        • pah says:

          I don’t think he is a cat. Most cats I talk to are Meowists.

          I thank you.

             14 likes

    • Maturecheese says:

      I notice he started the program with an announcement that there was a 20000 signature petition to have Maajid Nawaz deselected from the Liberal party.

      I want to know why, and I e mailed this question to him to no avail, he didn’t mention the other petition (link below) that asks for this

      Give full support to LibDem PPC Maajid Nawaz and take disciplinary action against party member Mohammed Shafiq. I mean in the interests of balance you would think he would have mentioned the other petition wouldn’t you?

      https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/nick-clegg-give-full-support-to-libdem-ppc-maajid-nawaz-and-take-disciplinary-action-against-party-member-mohammed-shafiq

         21 likes

      • Milverton says:

        This was a triumph for Campbell, of course.

        The whole controversy had its roots in his Sunday morning show, and he can keep the whole thing bubbling nicely over on Five Live.

        In the meantime Nawaz and his family can live in fear of the nuts, while Gameshow can pontificate on it from on high.

        Hours of filler for his station, and as usual he can walk away with clean hands, whereas really, as the host of the show which first brought the image to the public attention he too should be receiving attention from the fruitcakes.

           31 likes

        • David Preiser (USA) says:

          It’s rather disgusting how Campbell can have behaved so disgracefully at times during that show (some things he got right, as he’s very experienced at moderating these things, but there were moments of shameful bias), and now gets to act all concerned and righteous about the anger he’s stirred up deliberately.

          Although I wonder if this result is what he intended. Usually the BBC doesn’t like to promote the idea that so many Mohammedans in Britain are ready to get violent at a moment’s notice. I’d say 20,000 signatures plus all those callers puts the lie to the BBC’s Tiny Minority™ Narrative.

             43 likes

  2. Thoughtful says:

    Scameron has now been in power for nearly 4 years, he came to power blustering about red tape, and the fact he’s still blustering about it having done absolutely nothing speaks volumes.

    Worse than that it isn’t red tape which is the problem, it’s the rapacious business rates and the stealth taxes.

    Today another one of the ‘local’ (a mile away now) pubs closed it’s doors. The reasons were the massive business rates, and the rising cost of utilities – mostly because of stealth taxes. On top of that is the increase in the Muslim population which doesn’t use pubs at all. A marginal business only needs to lose 10% of it’s catchment populace and that can spell the end.

    So as usual our politicians go rearranging the deck chairs while the ship is sinking, totally oblivious to the massive hole below the waterline, and the BBC looks on pontificating about how Labour would provide a load of extra deck chairs !

       72 likes

    • Aerfen says:

      I am convinced pubs are being deliberately killed because they provide a place where ethnic British people meet and chat and discuss politics, with their inhibitions about being PeeCee lowered by alcohol.

      The Elite want all political talk to be online where they can monitor it, and when it gets too dangerous it will be shut down, as in China.

         88 likes

      • Rueful Red says:

        It rather reminds me of the plot of GK Chesterton’s “The Flying Inn”
        From Wiki:

        “The Flying Inn is a novel first published in 1914 by G. K. Chesterton. It is set in a future England where the Temperance movement has allowed a bizarre form of “Progressive” Islam to dominate the political and social life of the country. Because of this, alcohol sales to the poor are effectively prohibited, while the rich can get alcoholic drinks “under a medical certificate”. The plot centres on the adventures of Humphrey Pump and Captain Patrick Dalroy, who roam the country in their cart with a barrel of rum in an attempt to evade Prohibition, exploiting loopholes in the law to temporarily prevent the police taking action against them. Eventually the heroes and their followers foil an attempted coup by an Islamic military force.

        The novel includes the poem, The Rolling English Road. The poem was first published under the title A Song of Temperance Reform in the New Witness in 1913.”

           29 likes

        • therealguyfaux says:

          GKC: “The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of Conservatives is to prevent mistakes from being corrected.”

             21 likes

        • Dave666 says:

          Refer to my many comments about alcohol on BBc Breakfast. There hasn’t been one for a while so another should be along soon. All the reports I’ve seen are negative. The ‘announcers’ normally tying the stories in to the costs on the “fee” NHS. The only exceptins I’ve seen was a story on a factory making high end gin and a bunch of rich kids drinking cocktails.

             4 likes

        • Aerfen says:

          I hadn’t heard of the book but just found this review comment:
          “The Flying Inn is an examination (and indictment) of authoritarianism and progressivism, and an expression of distrust for power in and of itself. Written on the eve of World War I (when the European empires’ chickens first came home to roost), …TFI proved even more prophetic than the former. Set in a UK besieged by theosophists, vegetarians, rabid xenophiles and other turn-of-the-century fruitcakes, TFI accurately presaged the modern, NuLab-dominated, post-British Britain we modern Americans have ironically (and hypocritically) come to pity.”

             11 likes

      • johnnythefish says:

        Good point, Arfen. An oft heard insult from the lefties when an opinion not of their liking gets aired is ‘sounds like a pub bore’. Pure Common Purpose stereotyping and oh so insidious – they are more skilful than we think at their censorship game.

           20 likes

        • Aerfen says:

          Yes they’re not really fans of pubs unless its an inner city pub preferably with a black landlord where you can smoke weed, and listen to music.

          Globalists don’t need to discuss politics because they all agree. That is how they like it – no dissenters.

             18 likes

          • Aerfen says:

            On the other hand overcrowded town centre bars where the young ethnic British plebs can get off their heads cheaply and hopefully die young of liver disease are more than welcome, not the same places Globalist youths like to be seen at of course, far too ‘chavvy’.

               12 likes

    • Frank Words says:

      The progressive (sic) elite has no time for the traditional pub. (1) They usually use wine bars (2) if they want a pint MP’s have subsidised bars in the Palace of Westminster (guess who subsidises it) (3) pubs are traditional so the elite have no feeling for them , for the elite don’t do tradition and history (1997 is Year Zero and all that).

         51 likes

      • johnnythefish says:

        4) Pubs are given a wide berth by their favoured religion.

           15 likes

        • Aerfen says:

          And pubs are not favoured by blacks either (the Globalists’ most cuddliest favourite ethnic group) since alcohol isn’t their drug of choice, and dancing is preferred over talking.

             11 likes

    • Thoughtful says:

      In my opinion Public houses are being closed deliberately by politicians in the pay of Middle Eastern Muslim oil Sheiks. This is part of an attack on alcohol on many fronts, including the minimum price per unit of alcohol. Once they have destroyed public houses they will begin to ban off sales too.
      In fact anything the Muslims ask them to do.

         45 likes

      • Geoff says:

        ‘They will begin to ban off sales too’

        You sure? That’ll jeopordise one hell of a lot of Muslim run 24 hour corner shops who conveniently work against their calling in supplying alcohol. In many cases its a large part of their turn over.

           34 likes

        • Thoughtful says:

          I don’t think the super rich Muslims in the Middle East care very much about Pakistanis full stop. In fact they are despised all over the Middle East in a way that would be completely illegal here.
          I wonder if you’ve heard the story of the Pakistani ‘beggar’ on the way to Mecca? That just reinforced a lot of ill will towards the Pakistanis.

          Many of them drink at home anyways and that is what the Saudi & Emirates ruling elite want to stop, their forbidden income from selling it is not a consideration.

             23 likes

        • Maturecheese says:

          Spot on, definitely the case in my village.

             9 likes

        • Scronker says:

          And break the law by selling alcoholic beverage to the underaged.

             11 likes

      • Aerfen says:

        I dont think this is anything to do with Muslims, they want to do it themselves.

        Pubs have got few friends among the elite, mostly working class ethnic Brits and people, more men than women, over fifty, both groups hated by Globalists out of class and age prejudice and for their traditionalist patriotic (“racist”?) views.

           10 likes

        • David Preiser (USA) says:

          The Beer Tax Escalator has been scrapped, though. There are some friends of pubs in government after all.

             0 likes

  3. Jimbob says:

    Compare and contrast the grilling faced by Cameron today with that faced by Ed Balls y/day.

    the position over the past few years can be summarised as follows

    The BBC lines of attack have been ;-

    2010 – 2012 – “tories are cutting too far, too fast and too deep”
    2013 – why don’t the Tories “have a plan for growth”
    2014 – this is he wrong sort of recovery, is not sustainable and is happening in London and the South East only.

       69 likes

    • Ken Hall says:

      2015 – I don’t care that this is a national recovery, we are not giving you credit for it.
      2016 – What an amazing recovery, we never had it so good under the new labour government
      2017 – It’s not really a downturn
      2018 – the recession is a hangover from the tory’s causing the economy to overheat.
      2019 – do we want to risk the economy to the tories

         17 likes

      • DownBoy says:

        2020 Is Ed Milliband really the most unpopular prime minister of all time and if so, what Murdoch paper can we blame and hound out of existence?

           4 likes

  4. Thoughtful says:

    http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/paedophiles-using-manchester-oldham-shisha-6595630

    Paedophiles are using shisha bars as child grooming dens, say police

    No prizes for guessing who these ‘paedophiles’ are, no Surprises that there’s nothing on the BBC website about this story either.

       52 likes

    • johnnythefish says:

      In fairness (sort of) I did see this covered by North West News many months ago. Our intrepid reporter accompanied a council official in Blackburn who was trying to get one of these places shut down via the smoking ban, but explained they couldn’t gain entry because they always found the doors locked.

      Erm, ever thought of getting Plod to bring round his Big Red Key? Not mentioned. Not asked. Let’s move on, done all we can here…….

         16 likes

      • Dave666 says:

        Yes I did see a “report” on this on North West. However since then nothing but well silence. Looks like it’s disappeared in smoke.

           7 likes

    • Aerfen says:

      Indeed when they mention the peados are targetting ‘vulnerable’ young people you know which ethnic group the perps are.

      While superficially appearing sympathetic to the victims, the emphasis on their ‘vulnerabilty’ is designed to encourage the view that these girls are from rough workign class background, and to reassure middle class families that their daughters will not be at risk. That’s OK then if its only working class slappers who will be pregnant by the time they are sixteen anyway!

      Any mention ever of the ‘vulnerability’ of the black teenage boys who are the victims of gun crime? Is there ever any hint that their families may not be caring for them adequately and that ‘social services have let them down’? OF course not, they were all going to be doctors, architects, graphic designers or premier league footballers for sure!

         15 likes

  5. Thoughtful says:

    http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/rochdale-deputy-mayor-farooq-ahmed-6595376

    Oh Dear this really is going to send the ‘diversity & PC department’ into a real Tizz !

    A deputy mayor is being investigated by police over claims he screamed homophobic abuse at a fellow councillor in the street.

    Farooq Ahmed, who is in charge of finance and deputy mayor at Rochdale council – is due to be questioned by officers.

    Witnesses described seeing him rowing with fellow Labour councillor Neil Emmott on Cheetham Street in Rochdale on Thursday afternoon.

    During the bust-up – seen by a number of passers by – Coun Ahmed is alleged to have hurled a homophobic insult at his colleague.

    So we have MUSLIM LABOUR, and GAY all in the same story ! No wonder the BBC are taking their time reporting this one!

    It is however so serious that the Liebour party are considering suspending him (for a second time) which should be quite a story given he’s a deputy Mayor !

       64 likes

    • Doublethinker says:

      Pity Mr Emmott isn’t a black revivalist Christian preacher. That really would have been fun to watch.

         27 likes

    • F*** the Beeb says:

      No doubt they’re waiting for a bigger story (to them) in the area occurs so they can report both at once and bury the Ahmed story under the other one. Either that or some editorial writer (Mark Easton?) is trying to work out how he can spin it positively or blame white people somehow.

         43 likes

      • Framer says:

        Mark Easton has really been earning his bread lately. About one story a month now as Home Editor. They vary between outright churnalism and musing on why the ethnic English get it so wrong on ‘migration’.

           9 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      ‘A deputy mayor is being investigated’

      The deputy mayor community must surely be living in fear by now and ‘TellDeputyMayorWatch’ issuing press releases as we speak.

      The BBC could always call their new mate Wayne Grills, though they would have to identify him in a bit more detail.

      That is, if they don’t claim they can’t find him, having sent a full TV crew there the other day ‘n all.

         16 likes

  6. Smell the glove says:

    don’t worry the deputy mayor also tripped a one legged Jamaican lesbian over and spat on her prone body . There

       12 likes

  7. Thoughtful says:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25268657

    Funny but at the same time the story of the criminal hate speech between two Labour party members ignored by the BBC, they manage to devote 12 minutes on TWATO to a Tory party spat which does not involve allegations of criminality in Thirsk & Malton

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25268657

       31 likes

  8. George R says:

    ‘Hacking’ trial:-

    Two reports –

    1.) ‘Daily Mail’-

    “Drama at hacking trial: Emotional Jude Law is handed note ‘revealing name of close member of HIS family who sold details of Sienna Miller’s affair with Daniel Craig to the News of the World'”

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2546603/Jude-Law-arrives-Old-Bailey-evidence-trial-former-News-World-bosses-accused-phone-hacking.html#ixzz2rbnqtRNn

    2.) BBC-NUJ-

    “Jude Law tells phone-hacking trial ‘press knew secret plans'”

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25910810

       26 likes

    • ember2013 says:

      Could anyone tell me why the Sunday Mirror editors from 2003 onwards aren’t in the dock?

      The jury heard Evans had pleaded guilty to hacking at the Sunday Mirror between 2003 and 2005 and at the News of the World up to 2010. He also pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office between 2005 and 2010.

      ????

         41 likes

  9. John Alexander says:

    The BBC report on the Andrew Woodhouse acqittal is a laugh. Woodhouse was tried for GBH for breaking the legs of a thief. The journo can’t help repeating over and over again the injuries of the thief and finishes his sad little article by quoting the CPS to the effect that they will respect the verdict. I guess that was code for “we shouldn’t.

    By contrast there’s this from a blogger who’s never gonna get an invite to Beeb Central called: “If There’s Hope It Lies With The Proles” at:

    http://john-moloney.blogspot.com/2014/01/if-theres-hope-it-lies-in-proles.html

       30 likes

    • DownBoy says:

      I hope Mr Woodhouse gets a lot of business now. This is the most heartening and uplifting verdict since Mark Duggan.

         4 likes

  10. Sir Arthur Strebe-Grebling says:

    A second BBC executive has been accused of bullying staff. A grievance procedure is understood to have found that Mark Sandell, a senior editor and the partner of Victoria Derbyshire, a Radio 5 Live presenter, has a “case to answer” in respect of allegations by one of his staff.

    Separate claims made by the female staff member against Mr Sandell for sexual harassment and expenses irregularities have been dismissed, The Times understands, although she is appealing against this. Mr Sandell denies the accusations.

    The allegations emerged days after the BBC was criticised for a fudge after failing to sack a senior news executive accused of bullying staff at Radio 1. Rod McKenzie, who ran the Newsbeat youth news service, was moved to another job after a disciplinary process triggered by multiple complaints. He denied any wrongdoing and has reportedly insisted that his conduct was “entirely in keeping with a pressurised news environment”.

    Mr Sandell remains editor of the BBC’s World Have Your Say programme while the disciplinary processes continue. He was married to Fi Glover, a BBC presenter, for two years before starting a relationship with Ms Derbyshire in about 2003.
    http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/medianews/article3987040.ece

       22 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      Mark Sandell, in his own tweets:

      Restructuring the management wouldn’t have prevented this any more than it would have prevented him from doing whatever it is he’s accused of now. The root cause of all these ills is the personnel, not management structure.

         36 likes

  11. Nick Darlington says:

    Anyone see Countryfile last night? Tom Heap has certainly taken over the ‘woe is me’ ‘we’re all doomed’ ‘how can we save the world’ mantle from John Craven hasn’t he? Now the centuries old upland farming is at fault. If managed properly our wild uplands can be carbon sinks (every home should have one) and barriers to flooding. He managed to find an RSPB man who thoroughly disapproves of sheep grazing which among other things remove ground cover for some birds (no mention of nasty wind turbines killing lots of his birds of course). Then along comes our warmist friend George Monbiot described as an ‘environmentalist and author’ – no mention of his BBC employment history or Guardian connections of course. Anyway good old George is in agreement with our RSPB man and an advocate of ‘re-wilding ‘ the planet. Expecting climate change to be at fault for the current flooding of the Somerset Levels etc I was absolutely amazed to be told that is is the sheep’s fault. They are trampling the surface of the land and preventing the rainwater from being absorbed. Oh dear – the poor sheep had better watch out, especially with George living in Wales he must have quite a lot as neighbours.

       49 likes

  12. Thoughtful says:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25917895

    Yet another BBC presenter on paedophilia charges

       7 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      ITV, not BBC.

         7 likes

      • Thoughtful says:

        My apologies, I did look this up prior to posting and it did say he had worked for the BBC, however the internet being what it is, is not always right !

           8 likes

        • Guest Who says:

          At least corrected promptly and acknowledged promptly as well, in an ‘unevolved’ story state.
          Speaking of the BBC SOP, it is interesting still what they see fit to cover and what not, or slowly, or in more or less detail, shorter or longer, when it comes to errant media staff activity.

             8 likes

  13. Thoughtful says:

    So the Somerset levels are flooded and it’s all a catastrophe with the BBC blaming two of it’s favourite things – Coalition cuts to the environment agency and you guessed it – Climate Change !

    They seem to forget that Somerset gained it’s name because of flooding. It derives from Sumorsaete, meaning land of the summer people, the reason being that the land was unusable in winter because of flooding.

    More than two centuries on the land is still flooding, but instead of looking to history, it’s just so fashionable to blame what has always happen on a mythical belief!

    Looking on the superstition of climate change and the way that modern people are prepared to ascribe all kinds of beliefs examples and truths to it, it is easy to see how primitive religions developed.

    It appears that we have not progressed as far as some people thought over the last three thousand years!

       41 likes

    • Thoughtful says:

      ‘More than two centuries ‘

      Should have read more than two millennia ! Probably more than three !

         11 likes

    • Geoff says:

      I was born and brought up in Somerset, it was folklore that the levels were under water many years ago, and they often flooded back then. I would wager that those complaining are home-counties types who have moved down there and buying up the housing stock, in the picturesque villages.

      Always one to jump on the AGW bandwagon the local BBC Points West 5 minute bulletin last night strangely thought it more important and gave more time to the complete non-story of a local UKIP MEP who was not attending Brussels as often as he could. It seems only an anti UKIP story can trump a global warming story!

         31 likes

      • You Whatt!!!! says:

        “the levels were under water many years ago, and they often flooded back then.”

        How does something that is already underwater manage to flood!!!

        You have to love the “folklore” that passes for fact on this blog.

           5 likes

        • Geoff says:

          I mean’t when I was a kid clever clogs…

             16 likes

          • Mat says:

            lol Geoff don’t fret everyone normal person on here got it except ‘you Tw-hat’ who seems to be another chorus girl wannabe !

               14 likes

        • johnnythefish says:

          Great contribution, You What!!!!

          Now your thoughts the cause of the floods. (Bit of help for you: ‘thoughts’ are those things that sometimes come into your head from time to time as ideas, images, arguments or memories – yes, even a head as empty as yours.)

             18 likes

        • Aerfen says:

          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Channel_floods,_1607

          On 30 January 1607, floods resulted in the drowning of an estimated 2,000 or more people, with houses and villages swept away, an estimated 200 square miles (51,800 ha) of farmland inundated and livestock destroyed…
          The coasts of Devon and the Somerset Levels as far inland as Glastonbury Tor, 14 miles (23 km) from the coast, were also affected. The sea wall at Burnham-on-Sea gave way,[3] and the water flowed over the low lying levels and moors. Thirty villages in Somerset were affected

          Seems that old ‘folklore’ wasn’t wrong.

          Also see:
          http://stazjia.squidoo.com/somerset_levels

          Situated in the county of Somerset to the south west of Bristol and Bath, the Levels and Moorland were once covered by sea which retreated 6000 years ago. Gradually peat and clay were laid down and then man arrived and has had the greatest impact on the landscape since earliest times to the present day.

          Gradually, the local residents learned to manage the water allowing the Levels to be farmed and the floods controlled – at least some of the time.

             9 likes

          • Aerfen says:

            And Natural England describing key characteristics of the area:

            Raised rivers and levées, with main roads and causeways flanked by houses. Flooding in winter over large areas.

            Hmm. Those old peasants knew what they were talking about.

               7 likes

          • Andy S. says:

            That Glastonbury Tor mention reminds me of the legend of King Arthur. After he died his body was carried off in a boat to the Isle of Avalon. Now many experts in the Arthurian legends say that Avalon was in fact Glastonbury Tor because back in the early Medieval times it was surrounded by a huge lake
            created when the land flooded.

            They always say that there are some elements of fact in the old legends.

               9 likes

          • Joshaw says:

            I heard somewhere that Dutch expertise was brought in a few hundred years ago.

            Cooperation without the EU!

               3 likes

          • johnnythefish says:

            You what!!!!

            You where????

               3 likes

    • Framer says:

      Is that why they is called ‘Levels’?

         2 likes

  14. stuart says:

    the bbc journalists have been up to there old tricks again this weekend by using the word far right to smear the good people of ukraine who just want to change there corrupt stalinist putin backed communist goverment,when its egytians,libyans or syrians who want to change there goverment they are called freedom fighters and patriots,but for some strange reason in ukraine the revolutionarys who are trying to topple this vicious soviet backed stalinist regime have all of a sudden being labelled as far right by not only the pro russia journalists working for rt on freeview but the lefty biased bbc journalists as well. i am just waiting now for jeremy bowen now to turn up in ukraine to do a stitch up job on the protesters and revolutionarys by trying to paint them all as far right thugs and hooligans which they are not.

       18 likes

    • Leha says:

      trouble is the EU commisars have been in there stirring up the shit for weeks.

      who the fek would want to join the EUSSR anyhow?…..

         24 likes

      • onlyne says:

        Was in the Ukraine 4 months ago. Over and over over we heard how they had had enough of Communism (and how they still hated the German’s for what happened there in WWII) They were ordinardy people, who justed wanted their government to listen to what they said. Much like the UK in some ways, but with more guts.

           17 likes

        • feargal the cat says:

          If Ukraine intend to escape communism, I would advise them to give the EUSSR a swerve!

             24 likes

    • Ken Hall says:

      The problem for Ukraine is that Kiev is not representitive of the rest of the country. Kiev is a metropolitan City which is much more western than most of the rest of the country, which is overwhelmingly dependent upon exports to Russia for economic survival.

      If Ukraine suddenly became an EU state, the country would become bankrupt overnight and the rest of us would be expected to bail them out. Most of the geographic area of Ukraine wants to retain the links to Russia. Most of Kiev, does not.

         9 likes

  15. Chilli says:

    Uh oh, according too BBC news, twelve “men” have been arrested in Newcastle on conspiracy to commit rape charges. Interesting that the Police press release seems more concerned to repeatedly emphasize the point that the suspects “came from a number of ‘communites’ ” rather than show any concern for the victims. And no mention of which ‘community’ the victims came from. No prizes for guessing either.

       51 likes

    • Buggy says:

      Twelve men and, in an exciting new twist, two women as well. Whether they’re sapphic ROP’ers or previous victims recruiting their replacements only time will tell.

      What an excitingly diverse country we live in nowadays. Lucky us.

         32 likes

      • DownBoy says:

        Anybody else sick of ‘Communities’ plural – I thought we were living in a UNITED kingdom.

           6 likes

  16. AsISeeIt says:

    Two BBC vignettes

    ONE: The Daily Politics and oddly dressed Jo Coburn invites unelected National Treasure Joan Bakewell to generally bum up whatever Labour are saying this week. Joan Bakewell was once described as ‘the thinking man’s crumpet’. (Make that a long toasting fork for me should she appear as my fireside snack). Her specialist subject on the well thumbed BBC roladex is “feminism” – appearance fee for Ms Bakewell. Apparently the Lord Rennard (foxy old lord) Scandal will have (and I quote) the most important resonances for ‘every shop gel’ (according to our posh Bakewell).

    TWO: The Sunday Politics and scubbing-pad-coiffured Andrew Neil is linked with elected MP ‘Whiggish Tory’ Jacob Rees Mogg by the medium of Skype or somesuch. Now I take my hat off to brillo (and I wish he wouldn’t) for a BBC man he is very fair. He dishes it out left and right in a way that makes him look like King Solomon in comparison with the likes of leftie heros Paxman and Marr. And as for Kirsty Wark well she reminds me of nothing so much as Judge Nutmeg. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Judge_Nutmeg Now Brillo spots Mr Rees Mogg’s mantleclock is five english minutes slow by GMT. Our Honourable Member explains that he simply stopped his timepiece in order not to subject his interlocutor to the impeding hourly chimes. Brillo joshes that even such a high Tory as he can’t hope to ‘stop the clock’.

    Two BBC vignettes. You might say that two rather quaint old fashioned English elitists were featured. Both, I would say, showed some traits that were humorously out of date. However, one, the ‘progressive’ was lauded and encouraged in her views. The second, the ‘conservative’ was mocked.

       22 likes

    • chrisH says:

      Judge Nutmeg!
      Brilliant-surely a whole BBC dynasty of Nutmegs and Cinnamons are loose round the BBC.
      Lionel?…Liar for short!

         8 likes

    • Buggy says:

      Bakewell has a weekly blather (usually unreadable) in the Telegraph these days, so having her on probably shows up in BBC figures as “+1 RWDB” and thus counts towards their claims of balance.

         10 likes

      • Joshaw says:

        Not that the DT is up to much these days. Seems to have an army of 17 year old journalists who never leave the office.

           6 likes

  17. onlyne says:

    Ah, h9w sweet. The BBC Home Page website “Features” contains an article entitled “Exiled in London – what do imigrants miss about home”. How about an item asking Londoner’s who have moved out what they miss?

       32 likes

  18. ember2013 says:

    From this science piece, on early Europeans, you get the sense that the science journalist feels a sense of relief:

    Genetic tests reveal that a hunter-gatherer who lived 7,000 years ago had the unusual combination of dark skin and hair and blue eyes.
    It has surprised scientists, who thought that the early inhabitants of Europe were fair.

    UAF punch the air!
    Why would they think they were fair-haired? And if scientists discover when and where blond haired people began to breed in large numbers will BBC science be so quick to report?

       12 likes

    • Buggy says:

      Still nasty caucasoids though if they’ve blue eyes.

      Nothing to do with the ancestral Bugs who, AFAIK, were having a merry time in the Asian wastes at this point. And were far handsomer than this mock up also, natch. 😉

         4 likes

    • pah says:

      I don’t think in this context ‘fair’ means hair colour but skin colour. In that context the Celts are fair of skin.

      IIRC the Celts replaced/conquered the Iberian originating indigenous population, the ‘beaker folk’ in the British Isles around 2000BC (and possibly remembered them as the Fir Bolg.) The Beakers were ‘dark skinned’ but in context that means light brown, like a sun tan, not Negroid or SE Asian. There are still echoes of them in rural populations, especially in Ireland and Cornwall.

      It is possible that there were blond Celts but I’ve always thought the blond gene came to England with the Saxons and later Nordic groups. Funnily enough the BBC site says that the current racial mix already existed in pre-Roman times but I suppose that’s just Norman wishful thinking.

         5 likes

  19. Lynette says:

    Today was International Holocaust Memorial Day and BBC Radio 4 this morning gave it a token mention- a survivor had one of the briefest of interviews I’ve heard . Did the BBC cover this subject anywhere else ? Here the BBC interviewer then said “we could talk to you for ages but we haven’t got the time” Well they should have made time on this day! just to give such an extremely short interview was an insult to the purpose of this day.

       27 likes

    • chrisH says:

      As opposed to Mudtop Macca hollering in LA with the two drones from Nirvana, and Ringo too.
      Real news from the BBC!…the BBC is one long dangleberry hanging down from Maccas bottom.
      He`s SIR Paul now, you plebs!
      Yoko may prove to be right about him…she was the more talented fifth Beatle…even SHE didn`t give us Frogs Chorus or Pipes of Piss!

         8 likes

  20. Dave666 says:

    North West Tonight jump on the withdrawal of licence for fracking. I imagine that brightened their day up as the message from them is firmly anti-fracking, even as mentioned before their “exclusive” poll came out with the majority in favour. They even have an exclusive report (yawn). “Announcer” starts off interview with “how much of a set back is that for you?” (Yawn).

       14 likes

    • George R says:

      From what I can see, BBC-NUJ North-West (broadcast, of course, from Media City, Salford, Manchester) puts out one-sided propaganda for:

      (a) Islamic interests;

      (b) anti-shale gas interests.

         18 likes

  21. bob says:

    @sirus,looks to me like that lot from benefits street on channel 4 was having a day out lol

       5 likes

  22. AsISeeIt says:

    I note that the Police tipped the wink to the local council ‘a week ago’

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-25915972

    ‘Fifteen arrested over conspiracy to rape in Newcastle’

    And I see Labour ‘Council leader Nick Forbes’

    http://www.nickforbes.org.uk/

    has two highlighted his two priorities…

    http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/newcastle-city-council-leader-speaks-6597878

    ‘Our involvement is two fold, potentially that the victims are now safe from any further harm and secondly to reassure the communities in the city’

    Well that’s as maybe. let’s hope that the cops priority is still nicking the villains.

    Nick is at pains to point out…

    “There is absolutely nothing to suggest the alleged offenders are from any one community – they are from a range of backgrounds, range of communities and range of areas of the city…”

    Well, we will see in due course.

       21 likes

    • chrisH says:

      Wy aye man!
      Poor sods have Sting and Jimmy Nail squauking around New Yorks East Coast doing a pantomine about the ending of the shipyards.
      Small wonder then that all these stottie-chomping, chubby barcodes in sleeveless Toon shirts up at the Gallowgate would be doing such things.
      As opposed to the kebab pumping, kiddies home knowing taxi drivers and booze bankers who seem always to have access to a Koran when the court appearances come due.
      Islam?…gannin doon reet crap?…away man…nah!

         9 likes

    • CCE says:

      “Well, we will see in due course. ”

      Unlikely to have any examination of this by the BBC in the event that it doesn’t turn out to be a ‘collective effort’ of various communities. On the other hand, if it is, then expect a Panorama special.

         6 likes

  23. JimS says:

    BBC Radio 4 Analysis tells us that the Church of England needs to catch up with ‘modern day morals’.
    Next week: “Islam and its need to join the 8th Century” (well we can’t do ‘too much, too fast’ can we? As Ed Balls would confirm).

       34 likes

    • chrisH says:

      Heard this handwringing piece of cud.
      Nice to know that the liberal elite and Ernie( the slowest Ulsterman in the West) have come to a measured view on Christianity.
      God WILL be pleased.
      In the meantime, there are whole no-go areas for the police these days-where Sharia is being enforced,, and the Muslim supremacists get bankrolled from one of Prince Charles streams of warm wetness as they do the nasties to women, white kids, gays and Jews.
      But our beard stroking ponderers in chambers and BBC Green Rooms won`t know about that-Mile End is not only a measurement these days, but the Brussels Eurostar won`t be stopping there anyway…so let`s try and get Qatada back.
      He left his Bic razor and beard dye behind in the rush-shame on you whitey trash!

         14 likes

  24. Sir Arthur Strebe-Grebling says:

    For the last two months, the bBBC was non-stop Nelson Mandela. But you’ll search the bBBC ‘news’ website in vain to try to find today’s story: Money for Mandela funeral ‘embezzled’.
    An inquiry was under way in South Africa last night amid suspicions that funds earmarked for Nelson Mandela’s funeral may have been embezzled by corrupt government officials.

    The ruling African National Congress, which Mr Mandela led to power in 1994, pledged to investigate claims that 5.9 million rand (£322,000) was siphoned off for political campaigning through a transport company with close links to a government official. The money was meant to be spent on transporting mourners to the former President’s memorial services at various locations around the country. Allegedly, not all of it went on transport, with some spent on printing ANC T-shirts.

       26 likes

    • Buggy says:

      Jeepers ! Does that mean they’ll have to dig him up again ? I sense another Beeboid holiday works outing to South Africa in the offing !

         16 likes

    • chrisH says:

      And how much did that bloody old fools funeral cost the Aids victims and Battered Womens Refuge Centres?
      Money could surely have been spent better on THEM, as opposed to jazzhands sign language fantasists in new suits!
      AND-how much did the gilded truffle hounds of the BBC/Channel 4 take out of the country, and fritter over there in Mandela tat and drugs, prozzies etc.
      Let`s hope Balliband will reintroduce exchange controls if the liberal media shoehorn the slime mould into power in 2015…just the price of two rent boys a week with one gram of coke up the fundiment to be allowed to leave the country.

         6 likes

  25. Sir Arthur Strebe-Grebling says:

    This opinion poll explains much of the bBBC’s bias on religion, following their rule #1 to support Labour. Analysing voting preferences by their declared religion, Anglicans and Jews were more likely to favour Conservatives, while Muslims ‘tended strongly’ to support Labour.
    http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/politics/article3986982.ece

       24 likes

    • Lobster says:

      Muslims “tended strongly” to support Labour – yes especially in the postal vote department.

         32 likes

  26. Llareggub says:

    It is probably a spoof story but the underlying message from reports of a ship load of cannibal rats heading our way has a profound meaning, which in some ways – as the post from Daniel Greenfield suggests – is so relevant to the BBC in multicultural Britain
    http://europe.cnn.com/2014/01/24/tech/web/apparently-this-matters-lyubov-orlova-ghost-ship/index.html?hpt=ieu_c2

    And now Greenfield

    http://sultanknish.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/the-ghost-rat-cannibal-ship-will-enrich.html

       13 likes

    • Buggy says:

      It would be just terrible if the S.S. Saucy Cannibal Rat should somehow make its way through the Irish Sea, round the top of Wales and then float down the Mersey and into the Manchester Ship Canal before making landfall at, let’s say, Salford Quays, wouldn’t it ?

         16 likes

    • ember2013 says:

      So this is what’s left of the Ship of Fools?

         10 likes

    • chrisH says:

      Ta Llaregub!
      What a parable from sultanknish!

         7 likes

  27. brett says:

    Look east up to their old tricks again. Peterborough and Millton Keynes fastest growing cities in uk. All good for businesses , nothing to do with the “new” people that live in these cities and breed like wildfire. Ten years until we are the minority I’d guess.

       21 likes

  28. Arthur Penney says:

    Revised title from Politicalbetting.com – duly acknowledged.


    Time for the BBC to push the panic button? LAB share down 4 and lead just 1pc in latest ComRes phone poll for the Indy

    TBH I suspect much of the change is due to methodology – but again we have Labour Down, Tories the same , UKIP up.

       15 likes

  29. Fred Bloggs says:

    11pm news: states that the RBS losses are due to decisions taken during the financial crisis. NO THEY WERE NOT, they were bad decisions taken by Browns banker Goodwin, way before while Brown was encouraging Goodwin to be as large as possible. Another Labour fuck up, that will not be refereed to.

       31 likes

  30. Fred Bloggs says:

    The Independent has a poll that shows that Labour has slumped to only a 1% lead. Are the bBC reporting it, are they !&£$.

       30 likes

    • Fred Bloggs says:

      Still have not seen any mention of the poll. Could they have made a mistake and missed it, with that number of staff surely not.

         5 likes

  31. Reed says:

    BBC embroiled in further scandal as executive ‘filmed Dutch child abuse movies’

    DETECTIVES are investigating claims that a retired BBC ­executive abused young boys at his home in Amsterdam.

    He is said to have owned a three-storey property near the city centre in the Eighties. Boys from British care homes were allegedly ferried there to take part in sex films.

    Police have been told that the BBC employee was involved in the abuse and played a key role in ­distributing the films.

    The news comes as Dutch police prepare to re-open an investigation into child sex, which may ­be broadened to include British paedophiles operating in the Netherlands.

    A whistleblower tipped off the BBC Investigations Unit two weeks ago about the man, who has since retired from the Corporation.

    The information was passed to the Metropolitan Police’s Operation Yewtree, the unit set up in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal to look into historic sex crimes.

    Although the Sunday Express knows both the identity of the alleged abuser and his former address in Amsterdam, we have decided not to print the details to avoid jeopardising any police investigation. Scotland Yard refused to comment but the BBC last night confirmed it had alerted the Met.

    A spokesman said: “Where allegations of criminal wrongdoing are received by the BBC, we pass them on to the police. We cannot comment on individual cases.”

    http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/456106/BBC-embroiled-in-further-scandal-as-executive-filmed-Dutch-child-abuse-movies

    Is the BBC merely a covert paedophile network?

       21 likes

    • DICK R says:

      Nothing ever comes of these ‘ investigations’ it will wither away like all the rest.

         9 likes

    • Ken Hall says:

      Yes it would appear that it is

         5 likes

    • Philip says:

      Jimmy Saville was well connected at the BBC, his former BBC Radio 1 (Chris Denning) controller was convicted of sex crimes ‘extradited’ to Croatia and re-arrested on his return back to the UK for involvement in paedophilia (see previous link: http://biasedbbc.tv/quotes-of-shame/ going back to 1980’s abuses. Even abusing his (then) step son. Perverts all. The BBC corrupts everyone and everything it touches. Operation Yewtree was supposed to have finished investigations (publically). So there is more to ‘come out’ as the BBC so often state themselves.

         7 likes

  32. TPO says:

    What the BBC will tell you:

    “US ‘cocaine congressman’ resigns
    A Florida Republican congressman who pleaded guilty to cocaine possession”

    That is the lead on their US/Canada page. Straight in there with the “republican” bit.

    What the BBC won’t tell you:

    “Filmmaker prosecution revives accusations of conservative targeting.
    In a case that riled conservative filmmakers and producers, federal prosecutors last week announced campaign finance charges against Dinesh D’Souza, the documentarian behind an anti-President Obama film released during the 2012 presidential campaign.”

    http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/01/27/filmmaker-prosecution-revives-accusations-conservative-targeting/

    I doubt f the BBC has given ore than a cursory nod to the flagrant abuses by the US IRS in its targeting of anyone remotely conservative or critical of Obama.
    And they most certainly won’t tell you this:

    “Covert cronies? Obama’s attorney general appoints Obama donor to investigate Obama’s IRS”

    http://dailycaller.com/2014/01/08/covert-cronies-obamas-attorney-general-appoints-obama-donor-to-investigate-obamas-irs/

       14 likes

  33. Daniel says:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-25917646

    apparently, learning to read properly might discourage kids from learning to read… based not even on any kind of study, but the opinion of an academic at Durham. Reported as fact by the BBC…

       15 likes

    • Pounce says:

      Yeah I noticed that, one person (who was a primary school teacher) and he is deemed the be all and end all of education according to the bBC. But I did note this report of child abuse from that bBC article:
      But Dr Davis, a former primary school teacher, says in his pamphlet a small minority begin school able to read and understand sentences, while a larger group are able to recognise some words.
      ‘Form of abuse’
      He argues those well on their way to reading could be put off by reading books featuring only words for which they have been taught the phonetic rules in class.He says: “To subject either the fully fledged readers, or those who are well on their way, to a rigid diet of intensive phonics is an affront to their emerging identities as persons.

      “To require this of students who have already gained some maturity in the rich and nourishing human activity of reading is almost a form of abuse.”

      Well, I suppose the bBC knows all there is too know about….Child abuse.

         18 likes

      • chrisH says:

        Jimmy Savile reading scheme beckons
        1. Jimmy Parx his LuvBug at Wudlayne
        2. Jimmy wuns 4 cheridee
        3. Jimmy gets his gong out
        4. Jimmy gets his tribeauts from his BBC minders and smothers blanket.
        5. Jimmy gets a re-edit, after due process-and everyones got well clear of the graveside!
        6. The Ghost of James Savile of Wood Lane leaves trails all over the BBC, and his dabs throughout the system…help!

           7 likes

    • DICK R says:

      Learning to read! can’t have that ,it’s middle class and elitist !

         14 likes

  34. Pounce says:

    Anybody read this bBC article about the financial meltdown just before World War 1 kicked off?
    World War One’s financial crisis – parallels with 2008
    Queues in the City, banks raising cash in a hurry from the authorities and a rush to obtain gold – sounds like September and October 2008? No, this was late July and early August 1914. Even before a shot had been fired by a British soldier, markets were gripped by fears of the consequences of war. It is a story which in the 100 years since the outbreak of World War One has not been widely chronicled.

    Late July early August, well the shot (and grenade attack) which started all of the above happened on the 28th June 1914, before July and early August. The imperial Austrian Empire laid down 10 concessions from Serbia of which it agreed to all but one (The basing of Austrian police in Serbia) Meanwhile Russia and Germany moved their troops ready for war (As did Austria) and it was those troop movements (And the mindset behind them) which panicked the banking sector. But for some reason the bBC doesn’t mention that, instead they talk about bad bankers…
    Remind me again what Milliband and Balls are currently saying , how Labour wants to allow 16 year olds the vote and does anybody else see a plan of action by the bBC in which to brainwash our children to vote…Labour.

       17 likes

    • Maturecheese says:

      16 year olds voting is absolutely ludicrous. It is obvious that at that age they are blank canvases ready to be painted red.

         19 likes

      • chrisH says:

        And already prepared with that pastel lime covering that schools, cBBC, Guardians, probation officers and 24/7 duty solicitors have all been paid to slosh all over these canvases.
        BBC and Guardian send the slurry to schools, the teachers and family support socials workers paid tuition fees to be hollowed out of brain, principle or spines-and the sponges absorb Blairs laundry smells and suck it up.
        To be offered up on a sponge to the nearest suicide victim or anybody “unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time” by the time THEIR vulnerable clients come wilding, steaming or tombstoning through.
        It`ll be all the fault of the police orTory cuts, and mean more jobs/quotes on the BBC.
        Worracircus!
        Tomorrow belongs to them…and we all slept throughout most of it too!

           8 likes

        • DownBoy says:

          Although amusingly it seems that Alex Salmond’s big ruse of getting 16 year-olds to vote in the referendum is backfiring as a substantial majority are pro – Union.

             2 likes

  35. CCE says:

    The BBC and strong economic growth, all they can think of is…….

    “That’s still well below the 3.4% before the financial crisis”

    Everything was better under labour……..

       26 likes

    • Pah says:

      One of the things (amongst many) that used to piss me off when Gibbo Gordon was in office was that the BBC used to go along with his claim that the UK was experiencing the longest period of economic growth in history. What they didn’t say was that from 1997 to 2008 UK growth was declining. We had the longest period of declining growth in history under Brown …

         3 likes

  36. Tom Atkinsi says:

    ….the BBC and strong economic growth?
    Na some old leftie called Pete Sega has died.

       24 likes

    • Old Goat says:

      They have to get their priorities in some semblance of order. I sincerely hope that there won’t be a prolonged Seeger-fest a la Mandela

         13 likes

      • Frank Words says:

        At the very least the BBC could get Billy Bragg to come on the Andrew Marr Show and sing
        “Where have all the flowers gone…”

           14 likes

        • chrisH says:

          Well we all know where PAUL Flowers went!
          To the very top of the Labour Party via the Co-Op, the Third way Quangos of Blairs creation..and a Methodist Church who follows Wesley Brown, seeing as the Wesleys are too dull and difficult for them all these days.
          You need only follow the Mails story, and the Crystal Method Actor that is Flowers to see where all the Flowers ahve gone…rent boys, top hotels, limos, drug dens, then a Banking Conference, chillouts with Milliballs and than back to the rent boys with the best crack…oo er!
          He wrote one great song, Peggy also wrote one good `un….Dick Gaughan recorded them.
          And that`s all we need to know of Stinky Pete!

             16 likes

    • Rueful Red says:

      Justin Webb at 6:50 prefaced the announcement of the death of Pete Seeger with the words “Sad news”. While resenting the fact that Webbo had taken it upon himself to tell me how to feel about the news, I made a bet with myself that this would be a prominent story. By the 8am bulletin it had become lead item, as prominent as it gets.

      One remembers Seeger of course – he used to write the sort of tripe sung by Paedo, Phile and Mary in the early 60s. He was in fact an up-market Stalinist who made a packet by ripping off a penniless black South African called Solomon Linda over the tune of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” . Mark Steyn has the story here:

      http://www.steynonline.com/6003/the-lion-sleeps-tonight

      Somehow I don’t think the Beeb will be mentioning Seeger’s theft, but we can still rejoice that there’s a new face in Hell this morning.

         20 likes

      • johnnythefish says:

        7am news: ‘Former communist who became a victim of the McCarthy enquiry’.

        Er – yes. And?

           15 likes

        • DICK R says:

          There is no such thing as a FORMER communist

             21 likes

          • chrisH says:

            Thanks Rueful Red for giving us the Mark Steyn history of Seegers rip off from the land of Nelson Mandela.
            Great stuff-and no, it won`t be going into Last Word…all we`ll get is the “We Shall Overcome/Springsteen schmuck” as per.
            Wonder if they`ll mention his efforts to electrocute Bob Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival?…lethal force indeed, and he showed himself to be the small-minded rentalefty so beloved of the East Coast socialites…or socialists as they liked to think.
            Blame that lot of Red nappy flops for the Occupy Generation of hypocrites and nobrainards we now have.

               14 likes

          • stewart says:

            Oh I don’t know, I consider myself a ‘Recovering Marxist’

               2 likes

            • John Standley says:

              And I’m a recovering Lib-Dem.

                 2 likes

              • DownBoy says:

                Jane Hill on the beeb told us that Pete Seeger was a victim of the macarthyite witchunt due to his polkitical views. Hello?? He WAS a Communist and at the time our liberties and way of life were under threat from Uncle Joe Stalin. Not sure what the politburo’s views were on lesbian newsreaders was but I can take a guess.

                   7 likes

                • DownBoy says:

                  political

                     1 likes

                • pah says:

                  There was a priceless moment on Zoe Wannamaker’s ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ episode. She was moaning about how Daddy was treated so shabbily by those nasty McCarthyites and then 2 seconds later was trilling what a staunch lefty her dad was.

                     8 likes

  37. Pounce says:

    I see the bBC continues its anti British message to those it wants to vote labour next time round:
    Spending on monarchy up by £900,000 to £33.3m

    But hang on what’s this hidden away in the midst of everything:
    The estate, which includes property across the UK, increased its profits by 5% to £252.6m in 2012-13.

    All that money is handed over to the British government and the Queen gets £33Million back. Can you imagine any MP doing likewise? But to the bBC and its leftwing ilk this is a crimee and so the queen must go. I’m sure all those 16 year olds Labour want to be given the vote will only agree.

    The bBC, the traitors within our midst

       28 likes

    • Pounce says:

      BTW if the bBC would like to see the UK save a bit of money, how about we get rid of Foreign Aid to people who hate us, who want to do nothing more than kill us and whom we hand over £12 billion a year to . At least the Queen is British (To you left wing twats who claim she is German, she was born here, to parents and Grand parents who were also born in the Uk.) Last I looked £12 billion is a lot more than 33Million

         38 likes

      • ember2013 says:

        I remember a report from a couple of years ago saying translators cost the NHS £20m. There’s something we could save on.

        That report on the monarchy is telling us the Royals had to use £1m of their own reserves last year. We are meant to be disgusted that they saved for a rainy day.

           19 likes

    • Joshaw says:

      Much talk about the condition of the Royal Palaces (which would have to be maintained regardless). It made me wonder how many civil service offices have buckets to collect water from leaking roofs.

      There’s a brand new state school not far from where I’m sitting. It replaced a dull but perfectly serviceable building not far away. A neighbour of ours teaches there and said “An architect designed building where more than 50% of the kids can’t spell “architect””.

         15 likes

  38. Peter Grimes says:

    Currently on Al JaBeeBa’s 9.30 news they are focussing on the small decline in building rather than the overall positive GDP figure. Typical!!

       16 likes

    • will says:

      The pre-release article on the BBC website finished with a puff for Brown, telling us that the expected 1.9% GDP growth in 2013 was well below the 3.4% growth in 2007.
      Well –
      1.with 0.8% (Q3) & 0.7%(Q4) the annual rate is not well below 3.4%, and
      2. We were at the peak of the pre-bust Brown boom in 2007

         20 likes

      • will says:

        and the first reaction from BBC “Business” correspondent is

        UK GROWTH 09:43: BBC News Channel

        The BBC’s Ben Thompson points out that the economy is still 1.3% smaller than it was before the recession despite this morning’s positive figures.

        Bring back Brown!!!

           24 likes

        • chrisH says:

          Ben Thompson-any credentials to spout so?
          Or just a public sector chocolate fountain like all those BBC science correspondents, environmental ones and-of course-those business squits who barely can fing Fortnum and Masons unless nanny wrote it on their lunch pails way back.
          Humphrys-business grillings-what gives you Hunph as a business failure to enquire of any market trader, let alone a Carney or a Leahy?

             2 likes

    • John Wood says:

      Heard the news at 11.00

      As expected
      Statement from BBC of fact
      Soundbite from Vince (he who must be loved) Cable
      Soundbite from Ed Balls mentioning ‘cost of living’

      Not disappointed. I could make a good living making wagers on any BBC radio news.

      I mean do they have humans there or is it just a computer generated algorithm?

         18 likes

  39. johnnythefish says:

    Does anyone know what that drug’s called that you give to Rotweilers to make them behave like lovesick poodles?

    It’s just that I suspect the editor of Newsnight gave Paxman a dose of it last night just before he interviewed Balls.

       21 likes

    • Mat says:

      May not be drugs as I always had the suspicion if Poxman ever had to kneel before balls he would turn !!

         12 likes

      • chrisH says:

        Only caught the last bit.
        Crap-Paxman doing pantomine gestures back at Balls as he is wont to do in the Commons.
        And THIS is the level of scrutiny we`re getting of our political scum…in my lifetime I recall Brian Walden and Robin Day doing some basic homework to hold their interviewees to some kind of public account.
        Which is why we got the intellects of Thatcher.Lawson, Healey and Foot…didn`t have to agree with them all the time, but they had brains and principles, track records and the like , that any BBC journalist would have had to deal with in order to justify a spot on the telly.
        Compare all THAT with the drug-addled multimedia tarts and toffs we`re getting these days…Maitlis?Wark? Snow? Naughtie?
        I myself would sack the lot of them and let Michael Parkinson organise something better for the next generation…he at least did his homework on his guests, and didn`t think himself the unelected spokesman for Brand Russell Generation!

           24 likes

  40. Maturecheese says:

    business-25926648

    But governor Mark Carney has said the rate is unlikely to rise any time soon, despite the sharp drop in UK unemployment last week to a rate of 7.1%, close to the level at which it had said it would consider cutting interest rates.

    Note the mistake, It should say ‘consider raising interest rates’ not cutting. Sloppyness yet again by the highly respected and trusted BBC.

       12 likes

  41. Ben says:

    Sunday Mirror ‘carried out phone hacking on grand scale’
    I just searched Google News for the BBC story covering this admission of phone hacking by a journalist at the Mirror.

    Curiously there only seems to be a single story

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25917344

    It is also interesting the way the BBC structures the story.

    Evans said he told Mr Coulson at an informal job interview in a hotel how he could do “stuff with phones” to land cheap exclusives. “Andy knew what the context of it was,” he said.

    One way to bring in exclusive stories cheaply was to listen to someone’s voicemails and work out who they were having a relationship with, he said. That would “shift units from supermarket shelves”, Evans said.

    The way this reads to me it is intended to be ambiguous who actually made the comment about cheap exclusives. When reading the Telegraph article it is obvious that Evans made the statement, but in the BBC article you are left with the distinct impression that Coulson made the statement.
    From the Telegraph:
    He rebuffed two approaches from the News of the World, but on a third occasion he met the editor, Andy Coulson, with whom he discussed phone hacking as a method of getting stories.
    He said: “I said I had been breaking big exclusive stories cheaply which was the ‘kerching’ moment. Big exclusive stories cheaply equals job.

    Also from the BBC article, some background on Evans:
    The jury heard Evans, who is appearing as a prosecution witness, had pleaded guilty to hacking at the Sunday Mirror between 2003 and 2005 and at the News of the World up to 2010. He also pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office between 2005 and 2010.
    The impression is that Evans conviction is old news. No mention of this important snippet (from the Telegraph):
    It can be reported for the first time that Evans, who also worked at the News of the World, pleaded guilty last year to phone hacking at the Sunday Mirror.
    He is the first person to plead guilty to phone hacking at any newspaper other than the News of the World.

    Another example of poor quality journalism at best, and deliberately subterfuge at worst IMV.

       31 likes

    • chrisH says:

      How is Piers Morgan getting away with this?
      Is it only because he tried to smear the British troops in 2004 with that staged photo of “abuse” of Iraqi prisoners?
      Then got rumbled and sacked by the Mirror.
      Only to emerge Stateside as a gun control windup limey-with no further questions to answer.
      Anybody would think that the BBC would rather we all focus on the Murdoch clans…for Piers was a quisling traitor who is now a martyr for the likes of Assange and Snowden/Manning HawHaws in our BBC and Guardian dens.
      Morgan hates the USA, but lives there as a liberal shill-he tried to get our soldiers long before a Blackman fell before their treacherous wheels…small wonder then that Morgan and his phone-hacking knowledge isn`t being tested in court as yet.
      And no speculation from the BBC either-he`s one of theirs.

         12 likes

      • stewart says:

        “How is Piers Morgan getting away with this?”
        A good question often asked in our household
        Morgan should never have allowed to walk away with any sort of career in the media after that disgrace .
        It wasn’t an off hand comment in the BBC staff canteen or the exposure of some celebs sordid tryst, but the publishing of faked pictures that could ( and possibly did ) have cost the lives of British soldiers and Iraqi’s.

        But for the liberal inquisition and its BBC hosted court of auto-de-fa it is a thing of little consequence

        I my self never tire of revisiting his crime on any forum where his name comes up (most especially American ones)

           6 likes

        • Dysgwr_Cymraeg says:

          Must be some kind of teflon coating: what with his Viglen shares, as tipped by the City Slickers, who of course took the rap.
          You just couldn’t make it up.

             3 likes

  42. SilentMajority says:

    Paxo kicked off the BBC Great War marathon last night. A bit light on the lead-up to the war, and a bit too much grimacing into the camera, but quite interesting. Not sure why old film of white folks enlisting and empire troops playing their (valuable, it must be said) part in the conflict was interspersed with modern film of muticultural London. Not accidental I’m sure, but too subtle for me!
    I wonder how the Beeb will deal with the Armenian genocide?

       26 likes

    • Dave s says:

      We were a different people then. Liberalism had not wreaked havoc with this country and love of the land had not become something to be sneered at by metropolitans.
      It was like looking at the last of old England and very sad. It was particularly interesting for me as my father’s family lived in Great Leighs ( featured in the programme) for centuries and the wonderful church is very much part of old England as were the people of that part of the world.
      As for the Armenians. It never happened. Turkey is being groomed for the EU and such things are better not mentioned.

         22 likes

    • stewart says:

      I thought it was generally pretty poor regardless of its political bias (or lack off). It seemed like Paxman’s unsubstantiated opinions of a series of radon events with very little analysis or context
      While it avoided some of the ‘oh what a lovely war’ cliches ,there were still enough to get the ministry of truth’s ‘allowed’ stamp.
      An example would be the extended piece about the level of volunteering , a thing so alien today.
      Much made of some self serving politician,who lacked only the waxed mustachio to go with his silk hat, but nothing said about the role of the church,the suffragette movement or the trade unions.
      And on the German shelling of coastal towns , nothing on the who how and why the Germans pursued such a seemingly pointless act.
      On the ‘Belgium atrocities’ , were told ‘all a fantasy of the jingoist gutter press’ except then rather quietly ‘yes they did murder women and children in cold blood’. And,bye the way ,the ‘crucified soldier’ has been established as fact C4 [again] did a very interesting documentary about it some time ago. Who it was, why it happen and how it came to be cast as myth.

      If Paxman was supposed to lend some gravitas to this banal sub ‘time team’ offering , he failed.

         6 likes

  43. John Wood says:

    Can anyone spot the flaw in this.

    1) Nation’s Standard of Literacy has fallen
    2) We must get more kids to start learning phonics
    3) In the past far more children learn’t through look-say

    NO one on Radio 5 Live did this morning.

    (Phonics works well for boys 7+ or girls 5+ i.e. when the girls start school – which is one reason why girls outperform boys and so many boys become disaffected – there are other reasons of course e.g. lack of male teachers and a teaching syllabus overwhelmingly designed for a female mind)

       17 likes

    • Philip says:

      I hate phonetics (and so do most teachers who have to teach it) it was introduced by (yes) Ed Balls as Education minister whilst at the DCSF. I means that children (the majority) cannot now spell properly but can listen to ‘uver kidz two see wat it zounds like und ooh can spell anywayze’? It is learning English as a ‘foreign’ language and that is precisley why Labour introduced it (at the same time as actively encouraging immigration whilst denying it). Bring back Treason.

         26 likes

    • John Standley says:

      The flaw? Learn’t!

         2 likes

  44. BongoBongoMan says:

    BBC News website (Conservative press office) is at it again!
    Headline:

    UK economic growth best since 2007

       8 likes

    • johnnythefish says:

      2007? Hmmm, let’s see – that would be when ‘growth’ meant creating tens of thousands of public sector jobs, wouldn’t it?

      Not that you’d know that from Paxo’s cosy chat – sorry, interview – with Balls last night the prime objective of which was to elicit the right soundbite that the BBC could repeat ad nauseam on news programmes today i.e. one where, although he continued to spout lies, wasn’t quite as incoherent, stuttering and economically illiterate as the rest of the shite he was spewing.

      Worth remembering all this should Osborne end up in opposition next year.

         13 likes

    • Ken Hall says:

      So you can come on here and announce ONE item which reluctantly has to announce good economic news (as there is plenty of that about) which still pours scorn on parts of it, and claim that this Solitary item, conspicuous by how rare such items are, and claim that this makes the BBC somehow a tory mouthpiece??? So in your delusional world, the only way the BBC can be impartial is to never ever report any economic good news at all?

      Thank you for proving how baised the BBC is in favour of labour.

         7 likes

    • johnnythefish says:

      Ah, bongobongolandman, the BBC website. You don’t listen to Radio 4, I take it? Otherwise you might point out to me any coverage of the growth figures that doesn’t either include a ‘Labour says…’ (usually followed by ‘the cost of living crisis’ mantra) or some other confected rebuttal of it possibly being good news, often featuring a speed-dial compliant leftist commentator e.g. Jonathan Portas.

      Or maybe if you watch the tee-vee you might like to inform us at what point last night did Paxman skewer Balls on his wrecking of the economy? Or even nailed him on the biggest con and conceit of all – ‘ending boom and bust’?

      ‘Conservative press office’? My arse.

         17 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      Somebody is defining bias as the BBC reporting something he doesn’t like……

         6 likes

  45. johnnythefish says:

    The BBC falling over themselves to rubbish demands from locals in the Somerset levels for river dredging to be resumed, through their cosied-up ecomates at that overstuffed, overstaffed quango the Environment Agency. ‘River dredging wouldn’t have made much difference’.

    Nah, all climate change and extreme weather innit? Stuff you humans, you locals who’ve lived in the area all your lives – you know nuffink. Let’s build a 31 million quid bird sanctuary down the road instead….

       32 likes

    • Mr Kendal Mint Cake says:

      Well said johnnythefish, my family have lived in Somerset for generations and know that the levels often flood. However, since the Environment Agency stopped dredging the rivers, the flooding has been catastrophic. This folly is a political decision, and to dredge the rivers now would be to admit they were wrong, and would mean huge compensation payouts. Some moron from Points West was trying to tell a local resident that in the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t that bad, how the resident didn’t drown the prat, I’ll never know.

         17 likes

      • chrisH says:

        And was that the voice of “Lord Chris Smith” I heard getting a gentle rubdown from the BBC this morning-him being the figurehead at the Environment Agency?
        Same Chris Smith who was the darling Labour Cabinet Minister for Arts and other fripperies in the salad days of the first Reich of Blairs Labour?
        He was of course luvved up by all the liberal arty Labour and media types-because he “came out as gay” before the rest of them, as a Labour MP!
        No criticisms allowed of any pink mafia, especaially when they`ve done nothing but be the rainbow ribbon for the Socialist Pirate Ship.
        Smith obviously failed in all he did as a politico, so crept off to the Lords and became Head of the Arts Council as I recall.
        But that Woolsack and pension needed a fillip-so now he`s with us all as head of the Environment Agency.
        Man won`t have dredged a river in his life, but if you want a pair of spectacles on a fawn…he`s the man to be photographed with.
        None of that icky stuff mind…free the birds, save the fox…gays and pink Labour time servers in secluded shelters until they peg out!
        And maybe a line of thought that links the Arts to having some ability to prevent Somersets flooding could be drawn…I myself can`t see his fitness to do any such job….but the Labour gargoyles like a pink ribbon for MayDay.
        No wonder the BBC didn`t ask him anything technical…we all know what he means by the Tone River or the Parrett!…Blair and the the BBC in that order.
        F888Off BBC!…and plant Lord Chris Smiff somewhere shady…near Ron Davies Glade on Clapham Common svp.

           13 likes

        • Deborah says:

          Heard Smith say that with the present weather the Environment Agency had saved 1million homes from being flooded. Marvellous work if it is true, but which bean counter at EA is doing this sterling work and how had they reached this figure? But being the Today programme and an ex Labour minister, Chris Smith’s figures were taken at face value.

             15 likes

        • pah says:

          Smith is emblematic of a serious issue within government. There are still bucket loads of labour placement ‘running’ government offices. Naturally when it comes to enforcing Tory policy they all meekly comply …

             4 likes

        • Old Goat says:

          Funny the way all these know-nothing peers either have their fingers in the pies, or are ‘in charge of’ (or both) such things as “environment”, “Science” and all things “climate change”. They spout a lot, know very little, and take the money. Then, when there is a danger of their being held accountable, they either disappear and leave an underling to pick up the pieces, or waffle.

          The sage BBC laps it up, all the time.

             1 likes

  46. Guest Who says:

    OTish, but in the spirit of balance I was intrigued just how far the descriptive of ‘men’ has travelled beyond the BBC these days.
    The Straits Times (@STcom)
    Australian man charged over genital mutilation of nine-month-old daughter bit.ly/1f8tFg2
    It may be they were/are only as good as the police reports, but if the Singapore ST is erring this way in reporting, news of actual value from anywhere may be a rare thing. If he turns out to be called Bruce I will be surprised.

       11 likes

  47. Guest Who says:

    In other news…
    http://tradingaswdr.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/voting-rights.html
    ‘This avoids any dangerous stuff, like licence-fee payers voting direct’
    On the whole I very much value this chap’s insights, links and, often, irreverent tone about his (ex-, I think) masters. But sometimes he does let the years within the bubble shine forth. Often one feels those at, or identifying closely with the public sector state media monopoly can forget who it is actually employs them.
    http://tradingaswdr.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/stokers.html
    ‘On the fourth occasion, I cancelled my membership.’
    Well, at least he was not forced to pay by threat of fine or prison.
    ‘..far too many other media organisations have lifted the story without seeking context’
    Again, the DM and others are no angels and need holding professionally to account. However, in the spirit of #2wrongs currently being championed by such as Mr. Hound and his blizkrieg-following camp kapos, the BBC is hardly innocent of rushing to judge, and without context. It just seems to depend who is under the spotlight. Explicable on a variety of levels. Professionally excusable… no.

       3 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      Judging from his output over the past few months, WDR seems to be in the Jeremy Paxman camp: the “biddable types” are ruining the National Treasure, and removing the bureaucracy and burdensome rules, slimming the bloated management, and pouring more money back into journalism will fix everything.

      He may be happy to defend his friend Sandell’s reputation as a producer and programmer, but one has to wonder if he would equally try to claim that his friend isn’t a Left-wing ideologue.

         5 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        His loyalties are clear and I admire him for them.
        I also like that he can, at least, acknowledge and even share clear fallings off rails. Often.
        Possibly down to his ‘ex’ status and comfort in knowing that index-linked, can only go up as well as UP pension is secure even if he personally moons Lords Tone and Pang as they skulk out of the next PAC disaster.
        Like anyone he has his mates and skews, and who is to deny him that (well, a few Flokkers may be getting seconded if he goes off piste too often)?
        But his main value is in those facts Rufe is so passionate about, unless they are of a type they don’t like. Only the BBC and its drones could conjure the notion of ‘bad facts’.
        But yes he is vested in the entity steaming on with only a few deckchairs being moved to make the view better, and anything he shares needs to be weighed on those terms.
        Certainly a bridge still stuffed with captains and first to ninety-seventh officers all still determined to ram every iceberg will change little.

           2 likes

  48. George R says:

    Nigeria:

    Islamic jihadists murder 74 people.

    To criticise such Islamic jihadist barbarity is not being ‘islamophobic’ but is being necessarily in opposition to such Islam-motivated mass murder.

    Even INBBC’s final words of its report are that:

    “UN figures suggest more than 1,200 people have been killed in Islamist-related violence.”

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25916810

    Pamela Geller-

    “Jihadists kill 52 people, raze more than 300 homes, bomb village in north-east Nigeria”

    Read more: http://pamelageller.com/2014/01/jihadists-killi-52-people-raze-300-homes-bomb-village-north-east-nigeria.html/#ixzz2rhfpKRNd
    Follow us: @Atlasshrugs on Twitter | pamelageller on Facebook

       8 likes

  49. LurkerDroneNumber141 says:

    Death of left wing folk singer is the third most important thing in the world at this moment, according to BBC news website. Yet strangely, as I type, this story is absolutely nowhere to be found on the most read stories list. Odd.
    It is, however, “most shared”, so we can rest easy that this is important news to Twitter users.

       20 likes

    • Mike says:

      I get the impression that the “shared” classification is what they want us to care about and the “Read” is what we actually care about. When they realise that they may divert some of their resources from this site to theirs

         9 likes