425 Responses to START THE WEEK OPEN THREAD

  1. MartinW says:

    Yet another example this morning on the Today programme of bias by decibel – a favourite trick of the BBC – in order to make unfavoured speakers sound less authoritative. Graeme Macdonald, CE of JCB was on the programme expressing the view that leaving the EU would not make any difference to our trade. Of course, the BBC does not like this sort of thing said, though is forced to provide a semblance of balanced coverage of this issue. So why not turn the sound down to diminish the message? What a contrast with the interview with an MEP earlier in the programme, who wanted to stay in the EU, and whose voice was loudly broadcast.

       90 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Of course, by way of BBC balance, they can also obliterate the sound and even feed of favoured sons & daughters, but it tends only to be when they are imploding on air.

         43 likes

    • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

      Made this up. If you can’t get them on omission or intense questioning its the low decibel ! Pretty desperate . If you are really so keen to live in a run down little economy with no regard to human rights but a strong banking sector there are plenty of tax havens to choose from. And with global warming the weather between intense and destructive storms just gets warmer and warmer.

         5 likes

      • Geoff says:

        By Try this then ‘For BBCs Womens Hour Labours Defeat Never Happened’

        http://conservativewoman.co.uk/kathy-gyngell-for-wimmins-hour-labours-election-defeat-never-happened/

           38 likes

      • Merched Becca says:

        “Manonclaphamomnibus
        March 15, 2015 at 1:09 pm
        I contribute here because I am highly critical of BBC news….”
        Vote here https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/end-the-bbc-licence-fee

           35 likes

        • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

          No you contribute here because in someway it makes you feel good to be a member of a tribe which prides itself on being manipulated by an expensive website paid for by those that want to make billions from the sell off of BBC bandwidth. Since I have watched you and your kin sharpening stone tools around the fire I have been routininely amused by the general incapacity to even recognise the real issues of the day let alone begin to understand them. This is why this site merely adds noise rather than direction.
          As in the case of the election however it’s a great technique to steer the plebs in the direction of their masters! Keep up the good work.

             5 likes

          • Muckymanonabus says:

            ‘No I contribute here because in some way it makes me feel good to be a member of a tribe which prides itself on being manipulated by an multi billion £ corporation paid for by the poorest not wanting to go to prison and protected by me and my friends who want to keep making billions from stopping the sell off of BBC bandwidth’
            There fixed that for you !

               50 likes

          • D1004 says:

            Keep it up, you’ll make a playwright one day. “Power to the people ” I think he said ? Wasn’t it your mate Wolfie ?

               22 likes

          • Simon says:

            Manon – are you really a teacher at a Sixth Form College? Talk about tin foil hats

               24 likes

        • Roland Deschain says:

          One wonders if Manon realises that Merched is quoting Manon himself. The reply almost comes across as if Manon had forgotten he’d said that. Multiple personality disorder?

             38 likes

          • I Can See Clearly Now says:

            The reply almost comes across as if Manon had forgotten he’d said that. Multiple personality disorder?

            Well.. it wouldn’t really be a ‘forgot’ if this Manon is a different one from the one who made the original comment 😉

               22 likes

          • Guest Who says:

            Certainly schizophrenic.

            The other day I was on a thread where Sharoncrossthemersey was replying on ‘his’ behalf… only in the first person.

            Funny part it was to try and mock a line that was in fact a simply cut and post of a MOCO default line.

            But then, it was a different time.

            I blame the cuts.

               24 likes

            • Merched Becca says:

              Roland Deschain , Guest Who Etc, etc
              You have rumbled my ‘little game’!
              I have been posting that statement by ‘Manon a crapped out bus’ for a number of weeks. ‘He she or they’ have failed to notice that the ‘plebs’ have spotted it some time ago.

              ‘He she or they’ are not on this site to offer any criticism of Al Beeb, but to divert the points noted by viewers who have to pay tax (protection money) for a biased service. One has to ponder on what their motive is?
              Al Beeb is a service which should ‘stand on its own’ if it is as good as ‘he she or they’ says it is.
              ‘Pay by subscription’.
              Finally, ‘he she or they’, should really look up the meaning of ‘pleb’.

                 18 likes

              • Dysgwr_Cymraeg says:

                The motivation of it being a full time job perhaps?

                   3 likes

              • man_under_clapham_omnibus_soon_please says:

                ‘He she or they’
                I believe it is an it.
                I think it is a BeebBot a piece of rogue, out of control software; probably cut and pasted from the source code from the multi billion pound failed Identity Cards and NHS software Labour enriched us with.

                Containing the arrogance and conceit of those who know best with the ignorance and despair of the left, written into the code.

                This theory also accounts for its ability to operate 24/7.

                   3 likes

      • MartinW says:

        Quietening inconvenient opinions in this way has been apparent for many years. I just invite you to observe with an open mind.

           29 likes

        • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

          My mind it totally open. Just need some evidence of the claims being made instead of perpetual confirmation bias.

             2 likes

          • John Anderson says:

            Just go back on iPlayer and LISTEN to the damn broadcast – you can HEAR the evidence clearly. The JCB guy’s voice-level should have been turned up by the BBC sound engineers.

            Stick to the evidence, busboy – quit all the childish insults

               62 likes

            • I Can See Clearly Now says:

              The JCB guy’s voice-level should have been turned up by the BBC sound engineers.

              Indeed. How many technical people have a control at some point in the chain? Who knows? But I don’t believe for a minute that there is some high level conspiracy in the Beeb to do this; it is far more likely to be leftie technicians. Having said that; the management must be aware that it happens and choose to do nothing about it. It would only take ‘We can’t have this; any incident will be investigated; offenders will be sacked for incompetence’ to end it. But they don’t. Brillo called out the Labour Party for pulling the plug on car-crash interviews… but he never criticises the Beeb staff.

                 32 likes

              • pah says:

                Like the people doing the sub-titles then?

                There were plenty of examples on the Daily Politics of the sound and or picture vanishing during the election. I’m sure it was just co-incidence that it happened when the Labourites were being incoherant or the Tory was making a telling point. Yes, just a co-incidence.

                   18 likes

            • Guest Who says:

              It’s just possible, and I’m not trying to be funny hyuhrr, but MOCO may be only programmed to broadcast and not receive.

              The latter interferes with the generation of suppressive volume as denial of service.

              ps: As a bit of research I did a quick google, and this came up that has made a wet Monday a little bit brighter:

              http://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/w1a-bbcs-new-comedy-show-6863215

              Taffyism!

              Oddly, no BBC spokesboyo was available not to comment. In Welsh, either.

                 16 likes

            • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

              And this means something does it?

                 1 likes

            • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

              In order to verify your rather stupid claim you will first need to study a representative sample of All transmissions where there have been technical issues. Of those you will the have to segregate them into political transmissions. You will the have to create a null hypothesis that no bias has occurred. From that position you can then catogorise right and left wing transmission on which faults have occurred . If your study is sufficiently powered (ie type 2errors are low) then you might be onto something assuming the same operators are active during each transmission.Otherwise my friend you are simply pissing in the wind.
              I have seen howling bias on the BBC where Mellor was shut down by Dimbleby for saying that the Iraq war was responsibly for drummer Rigby’s death. There was absolutely no problem with the Mike. Just BBC right wing bias!

                 1 likes

      • I Can See Clearly Now says:

        If you are really so keen to live in a run down little economy with no regard to human rights but a strong banking sector…[blah, blah, blah…]

        Manon: I read your comment just after watching Harriet Harman make her big speech about the future of the Labour Party. After that experience, which cost me ten minutes I’ll never get back, it’s hard to take you seriously.

           41 likes

        • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

          Who the hell is Hariet Harman? Are you being serious?? I think the world has moved on a bit .try to keep up.

             1 likes

      • D1004 says:

        “Run down little economy”…….oh we have a lot of that around here in the Midlands Mr local Theatre critic with your nice cravat and glass of white wine. Tons of it, it is called being in the EU and having giant sheds everywhere to store all the cheap imports made in Poland and Rumania. And guess what ? They have the deliveries in trucks from those countries as well and the icing on the cake mr smartarse is the staff in these places are 80% East European on the warehouse floor. I know because I have seen it with my own eyes. Come and see the brilliant JCB plant next to the A51 at Uttoxeter with me and see real jobs filled by real local people paid a good wage. If Lord Bamford says we’ll be ok outside the EU, I’ll go with him not you, get back to your amateur theatricals where you belong.

           60 likes

        • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

          If you want to go with a guy calling himself Lord Bamford then go ahead and enjoy yourself! As for the North ,maybe you should look into its history and why it has collapsed economically. It certainly isn’t because of the fine people up there. Maybe you should ask yourself who is hiring the foreign Labour.
          The answer is your countrymen that’s who. It is hardly a coincidence that Thatcher was quite happy to destroy basic industries on which the North relied without supporting or replacing the same. Indeed the extent of her complete indifference was evidence by the fact she was quite happy to see Liverpool collapse. If you want to know why there is a north south divide then examine why Gemany is so strong relatively to every other part of Europe.The same mechanism is operating in the UK. It’ll take a lot more
          Than a few tractors to dig you lot out of that one. In the meantime give my regards to Lord Bamford!

             2 likes

          • I Can See Clearly Now says:

            If you want to go with a guy calling himself Lord Bamford then go ahead…

            If you’re white British, and Lord Bamford keeps employing you instead of replacing you with a cheap foreigner, then I guess you’re pretty indifferent to what he calls himself.

               4 likes

      • 60022Mallard says:

        “And with global warming the weather between intense and destructive storms just gets warmer and warmer.”

        That’s an interesting jumble of words!

        So, as there has not been any global warming for a decade and a half or more now, should it actually be samer and samer?

        Do degree holders start their sentences with a conjunction?

           30 likes

        • Angrymanupnorth says:

          Do degree holders start their sentences with a conjunction?

          Not too often. But sometimes we do. And it’s not a habit I’m too proud of. But Hey-ho. I’m not too sure whether MOCO’s ‘degree’ is a real one though. Probably ‘Journalism’, ‘Sociology’, meedja studies, or PPE from Oxbridge, that’s if he/they has/have one at all.

             18 likes

          • Rob in Cheshire says:

            In defence of Cambridge, only Oxford offers the bullshit PPE degree.

               3 likes

      • picky20 says:

        ‘no regard to human rights’ is it MOCO? You’re surely having a laugh! We English had all the rights we needed enshrined in our legal system from the magna carta – the only people I can see benefit from ECHR are troughing charlatan lawyers and rapists and murderers from 3rd world states who can claim ‘right to family life’ in UK because they have a cat! I’d be very glad to see the back of that gravy train and take my chances with English law.

           38 likes

        • Essex Man says:

          Maybe , we should put the Busman, in the Evil Harperson`s pink bus , together with Scott . They could go on Musical Theatre trips together , write reviews, & hold hands in the back stalls of some new production . I am sure they would get on like a house on fire .

             23 likes

        • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

          Sadly absolutely no evidence of that at all. In fact the human rights acts was penned by the British with the European court hardly making any difference to English Jurisprudence. You clearly know nothing about the realities of English and how it is practiced.

             2 likes

          • desperatedan says:

            we would hardly need one at all if it wasnt to control your european friends and their collaborators

               12 likes

      • marcmarc says:

        What a numpty!

           3 likes

  2. Geoff says:

    TV licence good value? let’s take a look at the bBCs premier channel tonight.

    8.00 EastEnders (diverse durge)
    8.30 Panorama (selective propaganda)
    9.00 New Tricks (2012 repeat)
    10.00 Biased and diverse news and sport
    10.30 Biased and diverse local news and sport
    10.45. Have I Got News For You (repeat – more right wing bashing)
    11.15 Graham Norton Show (repeat of our camp hosts Friday show)

    Good value? Pah!

       92 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Vital.
      Vital.
      Vital.
      Vital.
      Vital.

      Apparently.

         34 likes

      • Roland Deschain says:

        Well, in Scotland we haven’t got the selective propaganda of Panorama at 8:30. We’ve got BBC Scotland Investigates instead.

        “Fiona Walker meets some of the Scots struggling to get by on low pay. The programme investigates who is and who isn’t paying the living wage.”

           41 likes

        • I Can See Clearly Now says:

          Cameron went from wanting to negotiate away ‘freedom of movement’ to ‘in-work benefits’, but even that will be too much for the left. If immigrants are to lose top-up benefits for the first couple of years, we can expect the Beeb to start campaigning for the living-wage for all.

             32 likes

        • manonclaphamomnibus says:

          You are clearly in favour of people living in poverty then?

             1 likes

          • marcmarc says:

            You forgot to put relative in front of poverty.

               15 likes

            • johnnythefish says:

              Some of the best moments on TV in recent years were in the short series ‘The Class System and Me’ featuring our favourite working class hero, Lord Prescott.

              He visited a family in Rochdale who were on benefits but had a very comfortable lifestyle: nice shiny designer trainers for the kids, newish looking carpets and furniture, flat screen tv taking up most of one wall.

              The man of the house – mid thirties-ish – had aspirations to start his own business. Smiling benignly, Precott asks him what he had in mind ‘Oh, I dunno, something like window-cleaning’ he proudly proclaims, after some thought.

              Only temporarily phased, Prescott bounces back with ‘And how long have you been out of work?’

              ‘I’ve never worked’, comes the ideology-deflating reply. Prescott’s face was pure comedy gold. Shock, a dawning reality and defeat – all rolled into one.

                 21 likes

            • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

              Poverty in an advanced economy is deemed to be relative

                 1 likes

              • I Can See Clearly Now says:

                Poverty in an advanced economy is deemed to be relative

                Deemed? Huh? Not deemed by me or plenty like me who value common sense. Deemed by Gordon Brown, maybe, and look where we ended up with that Clampett. IIRC, Brown set the poverty level so high that the bone idle were assured of ending up with the same income as someone who works and pays taxes. That’s really sensible. Judging poverty on availability of food, clothing, a roof and education would make more sense than whinging about ‘mental health issues’ brought on by the absence of games consoles or expensive trainers.

                   11 likes

    • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

      You need to check out bbc2and 4 for the good stuff.bbc1 like itv and most of the other commercial channels are for the plebs!

         2 likes

      • Merched Becca says:

        Bus man, I have , that’s why I voted here …
        https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/end-the-bbc-licence-fee

           25 likes

        • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

          Sadly I am not swayed by someone who gets his world view from MTV.

             2 likes

          • Geoff says:

            And should we be swayed by one who gets his world view from the BBC and Guardian. Now that is laughable…

               61 likes

            • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

              Nope. You should analyse evidence and draw reasonable conclusions from it.

                 0 likes

              • Geoff says:

                Is that the best you can do after seven hours?

                   15 likes

              • St George says:

                didn’t deny Geoff.just changed the subject ….are you slowly beginning to realise that the general public who can read rejected you and your labour chum ….and anyway shouldn’t be changing your name to Manoglasgowomnibus now ..as you are surely off to live up there now to the new socialist mecca…new Cuba

                   5 likes

            • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

              Nope not from them either. You make a big mistake that anything you can’t understand is left wing. While you sharpen tools I look at evidence.may your moon God go with you!

                 0 likes

          • 60022Mallard says:

            Has the Manon shift changed between the diabolical grammar of the 9.10 posting and this one?

            If not, it must have taken some care to get 9.10 message laced with so many errors!

               21 likes

            • johnnythefish says:

              Sounds like Dez to me.

              Whoever, the powerless flailings and spittle-flecked rantings of the out-of-touch Left are an absolute joy to behold.

              Keep posting, Messrs Clap, you are the gift that keeps on giving.

                 22 likes

      • Merched Becca says:

        Bus man evidently, is not a ‘pleb’, but does he know what the definition of a Pleb is ?

           23 likes

        • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

          Well you won’t know that for sure.

             2 likes

          • D1004 says:

            His definition of a pleb is those poor saps who pay the council tax where he lives. To support the local luvvies in their council paid for theatre where they watch some wonderful work by Hull Truck about the horrors of life in a working class world. Only of interest to members of the local theatre society. “We are so caring about the poor” they cry as they walk out and get in their Beamers and pass the local homeless in the gutter on the way home. “Look we have brought all these deserving people from the world to live in the houses here ” . “Much nicer, the locals were so ghastly, best forgotten”.

               35 likes

      • Laska says:

        What is the “good stuff”? Well, here’s what I think would be interesting and relevant. We should have had in-depth analysis of the financial crash not just Peston and Miliband’s ex obfuscating the issue. We should have an in-depth look at freedom of the press not just little Nicki (who likes calling people “fascist”) creating noisy TV. We should have an examination of the NGO and charitable sector in the light of the policy – allowed after, I think, the 2003 Act – enabling them to campaign. I would suggest that the BBC should investigate patterns of crime and sexual predation without favour. Look at the EU beyond cheerleading. I would like some different “expert” political commentators beyond the stable of Old Labour retreads. Further, proper history and culture programmes without talking heads with a lack of authority in the field wandering in front of the camera. I could go on. The bottom line is that we have this large organisation that does hardly any investigative journalism. It seems as if they want to keep us ignorant.

           26 likes

  3. Thoughtful says:

    Len McClusky has waded into the Labour leadership debacle with words which are difficult for me at least to disagree with.

    Labour had to demonstrate it was “the voice of ordinary working people”

    “If they do that in a way that enthuses us, then I don’t believe that the mountain that is ahead of us is un-climbable. ”

    If Labour went back to its core values of speaking for working people, championed the needs and desires of the British worker then it would be next impossible for Cameron to oppose them.

    Instead Labour became bogged down with left wing fantasy land and oppression. Championing every foreigner, and blaming the white working class for even daring to breathe !
    They put up with it for quiet a long time under Blair, but eventually they decided the throw off the yoke and we all know the result.
    If Labour can distance itself from the ‘looney left’ then they might indeed have a chance, but they have such a hold on Labour now that it will take heroic effort from a leader to oust them.
    Can you imagine a time when a Labour leader had the balls to speak the truth and say that foreign workers were bad for Britain and we needed to limit immigration?

    Until that day comes Labour, I think will spend a lot of time in opposition

       51 likes

    • Geoff says:

      None of the crew standing for leader are either capable or can be trusted, even Burnham is now favouring a referendum, why TF didn’t he say before?

      Yet if Labour had won, he would have still been happy to push forward with Milibands left wing policies and compliant to continue swamping the country with foreigners.

      The MSM can take the rise out of Farage all they like, but never has a politician with so little mandate scared the establishment and achieved so much.

         67 likes

    • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

      Labour is finished unless they become Tories at least in the short term. In twenty years Labour will be the de facto party simply because of the huge notch that AI will carve out of middle class jobs.

         3 likes

      • Thoughtful says:

        20 for AI ? No! The processor companies (Intel & AMD) have been hamstrung by the Green lobby, so that instead of increasing processing power, they are concentrating research on reducing power consumption. Moores law which had previously applied has now become a casualty of Green idiocy.

        I don’t think Labour have to become Tories, in fact the opposite is true. They have to return to their original values which they have betrayed, and represent the working people, not the shirking people.
        I have just read a blog post by a Labour member supporting a benefit cheat (deliberate) who had come to the UK 20 years ago and claimed her husband had left her when he hadn’t. £100 000 later she was caught and prosecuted.
        Despite being in the UK for 20 years she couldn’t speak English, she didn’t get sent to prison, but reeived a suspended sentence, as might be expected in the two tier sentencing of British ‘Justice’ which gives ‘Asians’ lesser sentences than anyone else. According to our Labourite, it was all OK for her to have done this, because Amazon & others avoid paying their taxes.

        You can imagine how this plays with working people? They are incensed, and there’s no way they will vote for a party which sees them as a pocket they can dip their hands into for causes which are so obviously wrong.

        Until Labour can move away from the Politically Correct Progressives, it will never hold power again. That can only be a good thing.

           65 likes

        • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

          I think your find the current technology has its own limitations in respect of size and power consumption which is why technology has moved to multiprocessor platforms. That apart I was alluding to the developments in heuristics, machine learning and data mining, all of which will lead to a diminution of traditional middle class roles . I should imagine plumbers and anyone else that has a fiddly job where locality is key. Clever people will probably invent. The people in the middle will be redundant. Interesting politics will follow. As for your little story about scrounges that was very interesting but it is particularly relevant to anything. Benefit cheating isn’t particularly high,considerably less than tax evasion and such stories lead us to conclude what exactly.
          As for the Labour Party who cares. In my opinion they are about as relevant as the Liberals. They do have amusement appeal I suppose but being a Conservative party little traction.

             0 likes

    • Stuart B says:

      Am I mis-remembering, or was it not Mr McClusky who threw his weight behind Mr Rahman, the now ex-Mayor of Tower Hamlets? If this is not so, I apologise to him, but if it is so, does this not call for a rather circumspect attitude to anything he might say about democracy, representation and due processes?

         19 likes

    • desperatedan says:

      perhaps Len McClusky could take the lead and spend the unions money to do that and just that

         3 likes

  4. Old Goat says:

    Unilever very keen to make this a carbon-free world, and go to great and expensive lengths not to put CO2 in the atmosphere at Port Sunlight. The CEO is going to strut his stuff at Paris. Of course, this is music to the ears of one Roger Harrabin, who is still convinced that CO2 is evil, even though there isn’t a shred, or an iota of evidence to prove that it does the climate (and the planet) any harm, whatsoever. Indeed, in times of greater amounts of atmospheric CO2, all life thrived, and even now, with levels at a mere 400 ppm, the globe is slowly greening.

    So why should we even contemplate trying to reduce the gas? Not that we could make a ha’penceworth of difference to the changing climate, anyway.

    They are all up their own arses with this rubbish, and will not be convinced of anything other than what they believe (or rather what will affect their agenda, and consequent funding), even with contrary evidence staring them in their faces.

       56 likes

    • Thoughtful says:

      The CEO of Unilever has achieved some free high profile advertising courtesy of the BBC because he ticked some boxes, pushed some buttons.

         37 likes

      • Ian Rushlow says:

        Very commendable of Lever to take this, er, brave BBC-approved stand. I just hope their shareholders don’t lose out in any way. Would it be possible for the government to bung them a few billion to help them with their costs? I’m sure the taxpayer would be happy to help out. Or maybe the government could borrow some more money – need to make sure that the Foreign Aid programme isn’t impacted by this commendable green initiative (“green” as in the colour of dollars of course).

           20 likes

    • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

      Smoking that stuff doesn’t help either you or the environment you know. Clearly in your smoke filled euphoria you have evidence for your claims So let’s see some. And by the way fossil fuels and nukes arei more heavily subsidised than renewables. Maybe we can hear your views on the EDF nuke to be built ,not only the most expensive, but at huge expense to the tax payer.

         3 likes

      • Old Goat says:

        Still waiting for a driver, I see.

           26 likes

        • Rob in Cheshire says:

          No, he’s just bought a new carbon fibre folding city bike. So much lighter than that old titanium thing.

             0 likes

      • 60022Mallard says:

        Oh dear.

        Which Manon do we have on duty this morning?

        Capital letter mid sentence, arei, the old space comma no space again and nukes is not a word an elderly degree holder would use – very much a younger person’s word.

           22 likes

    • Stuart B says:

      We should all defer to Mr Harrabin, who has a degree in English I believe. I also had the honour of going to the same school as him, although regrettably it was a considerable time before, so I never got the opportunity to gently discuss some of his ‘interesting’ ideas with him.

         22 likes

      • manonclaphamomnibus says:

        Whats wrong with understanding the issues for yourself?

           2 likes

        • Stuart B says:

          I think you may be missing my point – such as it was. You can now ask me ‘Well, what was your point?’, and we can ascend into the turbulent layer. Or you could just leave it on your in-tray for the next one on duty.. (Sorry, couldn’t resist the paranoia joke!)

             6 likes

  5. AsISeeIt says:

    ‘…a good, late, end to the Scottish skiing season…’

    Carol Kirkwood, BBC : 18th May 2015

    And…

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-32589078

    ‘Blizzards and freezing temperatures returned to some of Scotland’s highest mountains at the weekend.’ (5th May 2015)

    ‘One forecaster joked of Sunday’s conditions: “It was one of the most uncomfortable days of the winter.”‘

    And Mr AsISeeIt joked of BBC reporting : “How about all this global warming, then?”

       38 likes

    • johnnythefish says:

      Whatever happened to ‘no more snow’?

      Oh, I remember now – that was going to be the result of The Phenomenon Formerly Known As Global Warming.

      Then it was known as ‘climate change’ and well, anything became possible – like loads more snow! Hell, yes!

         15 likes

  6. Manonclaphamomnibus says:

    So tell us what is it to do with global warming?

       2 likes

    • Old Goat says:

      Nothing, there is none. Do you pay your fares every day, or have you a season ticket? Or, perhaps, you don’t bother with either.

         40 likes

      • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

        Wrong again. The correct answer is no one ever said you wouldn’t see snow. Global warming affects climate not individual weather events. It’s fairly easy to understand as is the empirical evidence showing warming. I can imagine certain difficulties however if you think that the moon God controls your environment. Thankfully most people have moved on from that. Now back to your Flint tools!

           1 likes

        • 60022Mallard says:

          “And with global warming the weather between intense and destructive storms just gets warmer and warmer.”

          Now, who was it that posted the above jumble of words / ideas / theories earlier today?

          Why, none other than Manon.

          Compare and contrast with the 4.52 message above.

          Is it really the same person at the keyboard both times?

             14 likes

        • Andy S. says:

          The Met office some years ago advised the public to plant tropical varieties or drought resistant plants in their gardens because their will be no more frost, snow will be something that children in this country will never see again and there would be less rainfall due to increasing temperatures. Tell me Manon, where do you get your information that temperatures have been increasing? Even the IPPC have accepted there has been no increase in temperatures for the last 19 years.

             7 likes

  7. Geoff says:

    Radio 2 keeps advertising the bloody wankfest that is the Eurovision Song Contest, we even get at great cost a stand alone DAB Eurovision radio station for the weekend and the semi finals live on bBC3.

    In the true style of EU democracy the great (paying) British public don’t even get a say as to who represents us, just Auntie Beeb’s personal choice. The whole thing is a farce, Eastern Europeans get to vote for their neighbours and the tens of thousands here get to vote for their own country or one close (Doris and Bert down in Southern Spain couldn’t give a toss)

    Even if we were to somehow ressurect the Beatles in their 1964 prime to represent us, we still couldn’t win today, the majority of Europe hates us, just happy to take our £50m a day…..

    What could be better at representing the bBCs values than Eurovision? A farcical un democratic pro EU camp love in…

    Ah those heady days of 1976 when, with my Dad we proudly watched The Brotherhood of Man stick one on those beastly Europeans, something my Dad’s generation always liked to see….

       44 likes

    • Stuart B says:

      Maybe in the style of the great, but largely unnoticed, election day shutdown of E4, the BBC could shut down some of their channels for 24 hours, to encourage us all to vote for ‘our’ song! In fact, there are all sorts of other worthy reasons (apart from the obvious) that the BBC could extend these ‘nudge’ shutdowns – saving energy (go to bed early), encouraging musicianship (as in ‘we made our own entertainment in those days’), encouraging gardening (see today’s item on paved front gardens). A rolling calendar of shutdowns could include something for everyone, and bring solidarity to the nation once more.

         12 likes

    • Geyza says:

      In last year’s competition, there were two “juries” in the UK to decide who we apportioned our points to. There was the public poll and there was an expert’s poll stuffed full of PC politically correct luvvies.

      The public poll gave top points to the Polish entry, “We are Slavic” which consisted of the very busty women engaged in very suggestive actions with wooden laundry implements. The BBC Jury placed them last and promoted the bearded man in a dress to the top spot.

      It is not a song contest anymore, but a political contest.

         37 likes

      • johnnythefish says:

        So the BBC – sort of ‘out of touch’ with the British people?

        Reminds me of something. Now what was it….something recent, I think…

           11 likes

    • Essex Man says:

      Eurovision ,only for Scott & friends these days.

         15 likes

    • manonclaphamomnibus says:

      Yawn….

         1 likes

  8. David Brims says:

    The only place the Liebour party was successful was London, I wonder why that was ? a picture paints a thousand words.

       44 likes

    • Old Goat says:

      I’m so glad I abandoned this third world country some years ago – I didn’t live far from Wembley.

         41 likes

    • D1004 says:

      Our multi kulti capital. In 50 years this will be everywhere in our country unless we stop it now. Simple choice. Stop immigration ? We need to reverse immigration starting today.

         55 likes

      • I Can See Clearly Now says:

        It’s a lost cause. Half the country feels ‘enriched’; most of the rest have a vague sense that it’s a problem, but nothing is more important to them than ‘the economy’. So they leave it to Dave to ‘do something’. The extent to which Dave’s mates are content to pile up short term profits with disastrous consequences medium and long term never occurs to them. They trust ‘them that’s in authority’, the poor deluded fools.

           27 likes

        • David Brims says:

          Jules Verne wrote ” Paris in the 20th Century ” where society places value only on business and technology, a technologically advanced, but culturally backwards world. The Conservatives winning hasn’t changed anything, it’s just delayed the inevitable. At least steam loco Mallard is happy.

          en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_in_the_Twentieth_Century

             12 likes

      • Sharon on the Ferry says:

        So what are we gonna do with the ones already here boys?

           1 likes

        • johnnythefish says:

          You created the problem Shazza – y’ know, ‘Rubbing the Right’s nose in diversity’ and all that – so you sort it out.

             28 likes

  9. Will all end in tears says:

    Amazing isn’t it? The Conservative Party won a majority – the first for 23 years.

    And so the Beeb is concentrating on why they won and what they got right. Right?

    Nah! It’s all why Labour lost. What went wrong? How could the electorate be so daft?

    Dame Campbell on 5 Live this morning asks a caller: “Do you think this country is essentially socialist at heart”.

    You know, socialism “a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.”

    No, I don’t think so darling Nicky – and the results would suggest the same

       84 likes

    • David Brims says:

      ”Dame Campbell, darling Nicky”

      Nicki ‘the ego as landed’ Campbell did a programme last night on ITV in which he gushed about Broadway Show Tunes.

      Hmm…..

         34 likes

      • Umbongo says:

        I caught that programme last night. As I warned Mrs U before we started watching, there’ll be wonderful music but this will be all about Nicki. And so it proved. There were less than half a dozen songs featured with Nicki – in a display of world-class chutzpah – singing and sort-of playing piano and ukelele (not at the same time!) to illustrate what exactly? The man is both delusional (about his own talent) and tedious (he made a fascinating subject almost dull). I’m no fan of the BBC but its programmes on similar subjects are both well researched and presented by knowledgeable people who have a tinge of self-awareness.

           26 likes

        • David Brims says:

          Annie Lennox was also on it, another talentless self indulgent narcissistic egotist.

             24 likes

          • pah says:

            … self indulgent narcissistic egotist
            Without doubt but ‘talentless’? Really? Not a Eurythmics fan then?

            She’s well past her best but not ‘talentless.’

               15 likes

            • D1004 says:

              Another bloody jumper on the Punk bus. Owed everything to Sioixsie Sioux. Other famous climbers on the coat tails of other bigger talents were the useless Police( saw them as a support act in front of 20 people ) and the awful U2.
              At least U2 admit the debt they owe to the wonderful sublime Ian Curtis. Ian died on this day in 1980. Much missed, never forgotten RIP Ian.
              ‘Love will tear us apart’

                 7 likes

              • Geoff says:

                Saw the Police support XTC in 1979 and saw them again in 2007, brilliant musicians their sound owing more to Copeland than the pretentious Sting, the sum of their parts made them a great band.

                They made no secret that they weren’t punks.

                   6 likes

                • D1004 says:

                  Band wagon jumpers though eh ? The name, supporting punk bands, the look – marketable version of punk, not threatening. Old session and pub band players. There was dozens of similar around in 79/80. They got lucky, many didn’t. Give me the Television Personalities any day, ” Part Time Punks”

                     1 likes

                  • Geoff says:

                    ‘Lucky’ is being a bit disingenuous, unlike the others they were all great musicians and in Sting (at the time) a good song writer.

                       2 likes

                  • Thatcher Revolutionary says:

                    Walking down the Kings Road

                       0 likes

          • The Lord says:

            She was a lovely looking bit of crumpet though.
            Shame she bats for the other side and talks a load of bolox.

               1 likes

            • Demon says:

              “She was a lovely looking bit of crumpet though”

              No, surely not!!!

                 8 likes

            • Geoff says:

              Never!

              Saw her in her Tourist days on an old episode of TOTP the other day, even in her younger days she was as rough as old boots.

              Give me Viv Albertine, The Slits anytime!

                 6 likes

        • David Brims says:

          ”(he made a fascinating subject almost dull)”

          It’s a gift from God !!

             9 likes

    • Geyza says:

      lefties like to claim that the tories are not representitive since they only won 37% of the vote… Whilst conveniently ignoring that labour have not won more than 35.3% since 2005! Cameron won a larger share of the vote in both 2010 and 2015 than Blair won in 2005.

         35 likes

    • manonclaphamomnibus says:

      Sorry you just made all that up! In fact the conservatives just scraped through. The big deal is really the collapse of two historical parties which has changed the face of British politics. I am sure that as and when the Tories stick their legislation through the house the BBC will amply cover it as they are currently doing in relation to Scotland.

         2 likes

    • Rob in Cheshire says:

      Princess Nikki is genuinely confused, as she has never met anyone who voted Conservative. How on earth can they have won?

         5 likes

  10. Beltane says:

    Could BiBBC install some sort of bell-push? Something to press and stop that wretched bus?

       28 likes

    • johnnythefish says:

      Just ignore the daft twat(s). It’s like living through a Sysephean revolving door of a deja vu version of Groundhog Day.

         19 likes

      • manonclaphamomnibus says:

        That sounded almost intelligent for a fish. If only this site could change its tune from ‘wot I read in the Mail today’ and ‘ let’s make something up about the BBC because we are gormless twats’ we might all make progress.

           3 likes

        • Geoff says:

          Don’t be such an appendage, nothing here about the bBC is ‘made up’ its observation, you can agree or disagree with it, but of course with your Guardian inspired leftyism you’re blind to the bias.

          Wasn’t Scotty a theatre critic?

             23 likes

        • D1004 says:

          Now to me this sounds like old Chippy Minton, has he left Trumpton ? Did the prices of local windmills get too expensive for a working class lad such as he ? Has he become a bus ?

             9 likes

  11. Thoughtful says:

    I’m surprised that Alan hasn’t started a thread on the BBCs reaction to the death sentence on Islamic Terrorist murderer Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
    They seem absolutely aghast that the man has actually been found guilty and incapable of accepting his motivations.

    The Today program ran a whitewash on the family history, and what a hard time they had, although they were forced to admit that they lied to gain refugee status from Chechnya.

    It seems that the BBC line is that the two brothers planted the bomb because they felt ‘locked out of the American dream’. Most glaring was the absence of the words ‘Muslim’ and ‘Islam’ from their thoughts.

    This is typical of the left wing bias of the BBC who oppose anything which points the finger of blame at their favourite religion, and automatically oppose the death penalty, and anything American. I haven’t yet heard them describe the Jury as Racially or Islamophibically motivated, but I’m sure given time they’ll find someone who will.

       64 likes

    • D1004 says:

      Seem quite happy with the death penalty In Saudi, Iraq, IS and the rest. Didn’t see a lot of hang wringing about Muslim Indonesia shooting drug runners. Where were all the luvvies who howl about Guantanamo ? Was it because they knew they would not get anywhere or any free publicity for their chambers ?
      In another point the bbc today is only reporting the facts about local fishermen being told by the Indonesian authorities NOT to help or bring ashore migrants drifting off the coast.
      No big discussion on R5, VD is not sticking it to the ambassador about their behaviour is she ? All too difficult .

         41 likes

  12. G.W.F. says:

    I caught a discussion around 7am on Saturday, Radio 4. I have noticed how often a proposal is presented and the opposing view is described as emotional. I am aware that many scientists, especially psychologists, fail to distinguish between a moral objection and an emotional feeling, but one ought to expect the BBC to address this issue. But it does not when it supports the proposal.
    The discussion centred on a request to have life supporting pace-makers removed should the patient desire it. Naturally, the BBC is eager to push its case for accelerated death or euthanasia and every little helps. A legal expert came on and pointed, quite correctly, to a case where a patient had successfully had ventilation withdrawn on the grounds that she considered it to be an assault. Now this is legally and morally acceptable. But when the discussion turned to the medical staff whose opinion favoured continual ventilation they were dismissed as paternalistic and their moral objections described s emotional. My point is that, paternalism aside, doctors may very well have moral views, and the least we can do is recognise that their views on many things, from preservation of life, disagreement with voluntary abortion, have a moral, not merely an emotional basis. It seems that with issues regarding life and death the BBC decide which views are moral and which can be dismissed s emotional.

       22 likes

  13. I Can See Clearly Now says:


    Subtle work, as usual, from Peston. A lot of time spent giving a platform to the JCB owners in favour of ‘out’ – so that he comes across as ‘fair and balanced’ – but the killer punch at the end is that really big international businesses want to stay in. Mark Carney, no less, confirms it.

       36 likes

    • manonclaphamomnibus says:

      Yep we don’t want big business just tractors. I am definitely voting to leave.

         2 likes

      • I Can See Clearly Now says:

        So you approve of international capitalists importing cheap labour to drive down wages? Interesting; I thought you would be against that. Still; your mates working for the government will be OK, with their union muscle keeping their pay moving ever upwards. So the outgoings increase and the income decreases… I wonder how that will end up?

           15 likes

        • manonclaphamomnibus says:

          Unfortunately you make it all up. What does ‘I approve of big business ‘mean exactly? What someone came along and asked me to approve of big business or something? As to your other assumptions regarding political affiliations etc you are just making it all up.
          You clearly don’t understand what’s going on in the world and clearly don’t have a clue as to what the EU is all about.
          Firstly note that Europe committed suicide economically between world 1 and 2. Once there ,there was and is no way of going back. We are finished period. An initial realisation of this fact was the creation of the EEC as a bulwark against American capitalism in order to retain large European enterprises. This has now failed to the extent that The EU and the U.S. Are attempting to forge ever closer economic ties. Furthermore much of the decline of British manufacturing has been down to British manufacturing handing that task over to Asia. Moreover, the importance of the City, short term financial gain and the Empire has allowed British capital to be invested abroad instead of at home to fund British inventiveness. That’s why our experience as opposed to Germany has been so bad.
          When it comes to the size of businesses you will note that they generally get bigger and more dominant . In fact certain business have now gotten so big they have vertically integrated whole industries. You can buy Monsato seeds ,use a Monsant tractor on Monsanto land etc etc. Increasingly big business dominates the globe. You may have voted in the election but you know what ,big business doesn’t care because national governments aren’t that important and nor are the people they govern.
          If you think that leaving the EU somehow will turn the clock back then good luck but I wouldn’t bet on it!

             5 likes

          • desperatedan says:

            and what is your answer? you dont like anyone else ‘s solutions pray tell us what you manifesto is

               13 likes

            • Stewart says:

              His manifesto hasn’t changed since the Third International

                 13 likes

            • John Anderson says:

              Pray don’t ! You are boring enough already !

                 7 likes

              • desperatedan says:

                manon if “We are finished period” then wtf you doing wasting your time here, spreading your crap sorry wisdom, you should be in the wine bar crying in your spritzer leaving us poor saps to our blissful ignorance

                   12 likes

            • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

              There isn’t a manifesto. We are all ants going through the motions. The last election wasn’t about decisions .It was about who can hide us best from the inevitable. Someone else has a bigger kettle! That won’t affect the ones with Lear Jets only joe public.

                 1 likes

          • Demon says:

            “An initial realisation of this fact was the creation of the EEC as a bulwark against American capitalism”

            You are the re-writing history Manon. I claim etc. etc.

            The EEC was sod all to do with or against American capitalism. That is a complete new take on it, no doubt invented by the School of Common Purpose. Everybody sane knows that the EEC was invented to bring co-operation between France and Germany, and prevent a fourth war between them in less than 100 years.

            It’s as stupid as saying that the EU has kept peace in Europe (and you CP trolls have said that often enough.) The only war it prevented was between France and Germany (see above) and I suspect they had both lost their stomachs for another big fight anyway. NATO was the only thing that kept peace in Europe, and since its influence has waned war in Europe looks more likely. In fact the EU meddling in Ukraine has made war there more probable.

               24 likes

            • Merched Becca says:

              The Russians are already knocking at our door ie, their recent aerial and underwater activities in our territorial air space and waters. Add to that, the weakness of our armed forces due to the lack of spending on defence.
              I am afraid it is starting to look like 1939 all over again. Stuff the EU .

                 8 likes

  14. Phil Ford says:

    Watched an interesting documentary on BBC Four last night:

    ‘Easter Island: Mysteries of a Lost World’ (1.5hr).
    Dr Jago Cooper uses new scientific and archaeological evidence to argue that Easter Island’s demise was not solely due to its inhabitants’ wilful expense of its natural resources.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03srmm6/easter-island-mysteries-of-a-lost-world

    The show’s presenter, Jago Cooper, posited that the inhabitants of the Island did not, as is believed, ‘commit eco-cide’ by stripping the Island of all it’s natural resources, but instead were the victims of disease (from foreign explorers), slavery (from Peru and others) and were only partially responsible for the denuding of their homeland of its once-lush subtropical forests. He demonstrated that the islanders had in fact gone to great lengths to create a sustainable society on the Island, including several revolutionary agricultural methods and an almost unimaginable human effort to survive against increasingly worsening odds.

    The dreaded climate change meme never got invoked. I was shocked. All in all a thoughtful and interesting re-examination of Easter Island’s tragedy. Sometimes the BBC can do these things properly – looking at all the angles, asking all the difficult questions.

    Recommended viewing.

       33 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      In a similar vein, I watched ‘Shark’ on iPlayer.

      Best I can recall, no agenda and simply heaps of awesome photography.

      Once BBC Bristol Natural History gives the climate shoehorning the boot once Sir Dave’s Zimmer won’t make it up Mt. Kilimanjaro, I may subscribe once that option is offered.

         14 likes

    • John Anderson says:

      Yes, Phil – now THAT was what the BBC was largely about. Genuine information, education and entertainment. Not today’s mishmash of misinformation instead of plain facts, brainwashing instead of education, and unfunny or boring entertainment.

      I had the luck to get to Easter Island a few years ago – a wierd remote place, full of interest. But the BBC programme added to my info on the island, and was not the usual BBC preaching.

         20 likes

      • Vengeance is mine says:

        JA
        “Genuine information”

        Yes there is that on the BBC, but they do their best to make sure that the person giving the information is black or female, preferably both.

        The message on the Easter Island film was “The Europeans did it”, otherwise there would have been no film.

           17 likes

        • John Anderson says:

          I don’t quite agree V is M – the old idea is that Easter Island was denuded by trees by the Polynesian natives. The new theories spread the blame, and it was certainly the case that many natives were taken into effective slavery to work in the mines of Peru. And we know that disease followed the Europeans as they discovered the South Pacific islands. I saw the programme when it was first shown in 2014, found it absorbing and informative – not some sort of “Blame Whitey” job.

             8 likes

          • Vengeance is mine says:

            JA
            You had a holiday in Easter Island, if this ink looks green it is due to my envy.
            I also enjoyed the original broadcast.

            These new theories are provisional, and may be overturned by future work. I have not bothered to establish how widely accepted these theories are.

            I am suggesting that films like this are only made because of the nature of the “new” theories, they are exactly what the, self-flagellating BBC likes.

            Plenty of BBC programmes touch on the Atlantic slave trade. Not one of which describes, or attempts to quantify, the Arab/Berber (ie Islamic) involvement.
            Not one of which describes, or attempts to quantify, the black African involvement.
            Not one of which describes, or attempts to quantify, the Jewish involvement.

            No BBC programmes whatsoever on the extensive, and lengthy, Mediterranean slave trade. The Barbary Pirates (Islamic) raiding Europe and seizing millions of whites to enslave.

               15 likes

            • johnnythefish says:

              Whilst travelling round Corsica we came across a village not far from Calvi that has lain deserted ever since its entire population was taken ito slavery by the Barbary pirates.

              Some info here:

              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genoese_towers_in_Corsica

                 11 likes

            • johnnythefish says:

              Then there was the involvement of the – hush, now, BBC – ‘Religion of Peace’:

              During the 8th and 9th centuries of the Fatimid Caliphate, most of those enslaved were Saqaliba Europeans captured during wars and along European coastlines.[2][page needed] Historians estimate that between 650 and 1900, 10 to 18 million people were enslaved by Arab slave traders and taken from Europe, Asia and Africa across the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and Sahara desert.

              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_slave_trade

              As for the survival rate of those undergoing, how shall we put it – male genital mutilation – to re-train and pursue Hareme-related careers, don’t even go there BBC. What’s that? Oh, sorry – of course – you haven’t.

                 20 likes

            • Invicta 1066 says:

              More African slaves taken to Brazil by the Portuguese than by the British to N America, and 18 million taken by Muslims from 8th century right up to 1905 when the British navy put a stop (temporary) to it. Prior to African slaves being taken, the dominant tribes would raid and carry off the young females and children and kill the rest, then they found a profitable trade for their fellow human beings. Direct parallel with what is happening in the areas taken over by ISIS today.

                 11 likes

              • Merched Becca says:

                There are many descendants of slaves in the USA. How many of them are ‘mighty glad’ that they were not born or living in Africa of today. Or how many of them have emigrated back to their ‘ancestral homes’.

                   11 likes

    • johnnythefish says:

      The dreaded climate change meme never got invoked

      Wholly consistent with BBC 28gate-approved policy – it was well before man-made CO2 started to fry the planet (there was no ‘climate change’ prior to that, or not that we’re ever told by the BBC) so it didn’t merit a mention.

         13 likes

  15. Man_under_clapham_omnibus_soon_please says:

    Islamophibically – crikey.
    Nonpseudoproantiantiislamophobismistic – that’s me.

       16 likes

  16. Video Sentry says:

    The BBC: Does it employ any right of centre commentators and presenters?

    If the answer is No, then all it’s output must be considered Left of centre?

    It used to employ Jeremy Clarkson who could be considered right of centre. (But I often thought his comments were tongue in cheek and playing to the gallery).

    The comments from those of the left are certainly not tongue in cheek.

    ..

       32 likes

  17. david says:

    Have been travelling so late posting but could not believe last week that someone on BBC was suggesting we spend a day without shoes to feel what it is like to be an African without said shoes.
    1.The temperature in most of Africa is many degrees warmer than in UK
    2.Most tracks and unpaved roads are on laterite hardened -mud. Walking barefoot on such routes is not uncomfortable, the laterite breaking down into fine dust particles.
    3.The ethnic lady news-reader commented after the item that she would not fancy driving without shoes. Well, no dear, most locals do not have cars, there are no parking meters , sometimes not even coins.
    4.Thousands in Africa play football barefoot with a speed and acuity that would shame any person in UK playing on a cold muddy patch with boots -and even socks- on.
    A little more education would not go amiss if comparisons are to be valid

       38 likes

    • Ian Rushlow says:

      It gets worse. Some of them don’t even have iPads or access to over-priced coffee shops. Are their human rights being abused? BBC documentary about it NOW please.

         41 likes

    • Vengeance is mine says:

      Barefoot?
      Ray Mears can make shoes, out of almost anything he can find, with basic equipment.

      Remember the aid adverts with “give a man a fishing net and he can feed his family”
      Ray Mears can make fishing equipment, out of almost anything he can find, with basic equipment.

      We still have aid adverts with little black Sambo walking two thousand miles to a muddy waterhole.
      Ray Mears can construct a distillation plant, and water filters, with basic equipment.
      Ray Mears can also find water nearby.
      My Great Grandmother dug her own bloody wells.

      Western science, industry and technology, is free (unfortunately).
      Let the Africans get off their lazy bums and do it themselves.

         38 likes

  18. David Brims says:

    Nicki Campbell likes to use the C**T word, this isn’t an accident, it’s deliberate, then he puts on the phoney little Bo Peep ” Gosh !! did I swear ? ” routine, who’s he kidding ?

       25 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      CECUTT would eat any challenge for breakfast, but it is interesting how, along with much else, when the ‘slip of the tongue’ is more politically-oriented as party or person misnomer, on the BBC it is almost universally unidirectional.

      High level meetings in Frankie Howard (oo-er, missus, appropriately) to see if one can be arranged for Tristram when no one car… is listening.

      For balance.

         17 likes

  19. Guest Who says:

    Another BBC ‘Rapin’ in places we are happy to talk about’ story:

    BBC World News

    Indian sisters Aarti and Pooja made headlines last year for beating up three alleged molesters on a bus.
    Today, there is still no clarity on what happened:

    http://bbc.in/1FsqnGu

    And, again, it could be going better for the BBC in the comments.

    My country’s state media pissing off a billion folk elsewhere on a regular basis in our name being but one reason I want nothing to do with them.

    And as a metaphor for BBC ‘news’, running a story on this basis is quite special: ‘Today, there is still no clarity on what happened’.

    Maybe, and I’m not being funny hyuhrr, get the clarity by finding out smething tangible first… then report?

    As it stands, it seems an exercise in saying no one knows anything so matters get stirred up again and doubts simply get cast everywhere with little to no foundation. Wind-up? Cover-up? Balls-up? Wazzzzupppp! Who knows?

    Something is being alluded to, but is that really the BBC’s job?

    Or are there simply too many on the BBC payroll… everywhere… and they have to post something to keep the chekkie coming?

       6 likes

  20. D1004 says:

    Our old friend Medhi Hasan is telling the Guardianstia’s why Islam does not need a reformation
    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/17/islam-reformation-extremism-muslim-martin-luther-europe?CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2
    Expect him to be on VD, News 24, and the sofa with some drip any time soon.

       19 likes

    • Mark says:

      Islam doesn’t need a Reformation, it needs a New Testament which rejects all the calls to violence.

         9 likes

    • The School Cormorant says:

      Islam doesn’t need a Reformation, it needs eradicating.

         27 likes

    • dave s says:

      He was interesting and worth a read. Maybe he didn’t realise it but he was making the case for the non Islamic world being very wary of any contact with Islam.
      He is right about a Reformation. It can never happen with the Koran being regarded as the unchanging words of Allah. and the constant search for a pure Islam .The
      Wahibis and Isis followers reinforce this every day by their actions and statements.
      That being so it would mean that the centuries old conflict between the Christian based West and the Dar al Islam is incapable of resolution.
      Which leads to some pretty bleak conclusions. Reality again and I would not expect our leaders so mired in late 20th century liberalism to cope with them.

         15 likes

  21. Guest Who says:

    A cheeky ‘other news’ round-up, for lunch…

    http://tradingaswdr.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/going-through-proverbial.html

    The BBC has found a few more people in News paid above the roof of their grades

    Ah, well, like so much at the BBC, they really are only ‘guidelines’.

    Like expenses.

    http://tradingaswdr.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/cannes-do.html

    ‘Perhaps in some greater co-ordinating role, BBC Creative Director Alan Yentob turned up yesterday’

    Front seat of the minibus, surely?

    On on the subject of rules made to be broken…

    http://tradingaswdr.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/boneless-and-flame-grilled.html

    ‘The Trust has waived the condition …’

    Oddly, when mere mortals are dealing with the CECUTT or FOI, the BBC suddenly gets very rigid on not waiving… maybe to avoid drowning?

       8 likes

  22. I Can See Clearly Now says:

    ONE NEWS: Classic Beeb. Ethnic nurse with dodgy ‘qualifications’ has murdered a lot of patients. So pick an ethnic victim for prominent interview, in case the indigenous rabble get the ‘wrong’ impression.

       47 likes

    • desperatedan says:

      so can we finally get past the nhs is perfect and the immigrants are all angels keeping us alive?

      if you have ever been to north manchester general and been lucky enough to survive you know it needs radical reform

         21 likes

  23. Roland Deschain says:

    Guessing it’s a slow news day at the Beeb. Prominently on the News Page at the moment is the fascinating revelation that “Dolly Parton says ‘ay up me duck’ “.

       15 likes

  24. Geoff says:

    Apologies if this has been discussed before, but was away at the weekend. Whilst away on Friday I just caught the end of ‘Britiains Greatest Generation’ on bBC2. The program en-titled ‘Their Finest Hour’ looked at people from WW2 from The Merchant Navy to those on the home front.

    Before I go any further, I should add that I am grateful to those who did their bit in WW2 and we are all gratefully indebted to them, however this as bBC production couldn’t help but look for some diversity in WW2, but any youngster watching would have been left with the impression that Britain was as diverse in the 1940’s as it is today with some of the examples used, who must have been a tiny minority in the 40’s.

    Its always good to hear from all who experienced the war of which there are still many, but its the agenda that the bBC push by ‘massaging’ history with such programs that really gets my back up. It was the same in the week when bBC News described a 92 year woman as a WW2 Fighter Pilot (partially true) next they’ll be renaming Guy Gibson’s dog….

       55 likes

    • Doublethinker says:

      There was a time when the BBC would have made a sensible fist of this type of programme but no longer. They insist on preaching their gospel of multiculty PC on everything. I got fed up of this several years ago and so I just don’t watch anything like this any longer. I still have to pay for it though!

         27 likes

    • D1004 says:

      Tigger ! Walkies !

         12 likes

      • Geoff says:

        Silly me I thought it was Digger….

           11 likes

        • Mark says:

          Re the remake of The Dam Busters:
          That reminds me, we haven’t heard much from that narcisisstic, overstuffed, pompous, “national treasure” Stephen Fry.

             17 likes

          • johnnythefish says:

            The camera briefly homed in on him performing an opportunistic piece of OTT exhibitionism when Norwich scored their third on Saturday. Less footie fan celebration, more like an audition for the Stiffkey Morris and Maypole Dancing Troupe. Never seen anything like it at a football match.

               12 likes

          • D1004 says:

            Probably enjoying an extended honeymoon with his new, virile, young, husband…….no it doesn’t paint a nice picture in my mind either. Does he have a Holliday home in Stiffkey ? I do hope not I take frequent holidays in North Norfolk, I don’t want to come across that pair in a pub.

               10 likes

  25. CranbrookPhil says:

    The BBC must be a bit under the weather today. After the usual tedium & predictability of the Today programme I was pleasantly surprised to hear a voice of sanity & reason in Steve Hilton on Start The Week. Of course they had to counter this with that old fool Stigletz & his tired old claptrap. But Hilton was given a decent amount of air-time. What’s gone wrong?

       12 likes

  26. Ed Stone says:

    I would be interested in an analysis of the colour balance of BBC ‘election logos’. I don’t know what the design brief is, but I might have assumed that it was for equal prominence to red and blue, with a bit less yellow and some slight representation of the other parties. I’m not convinced that these logos aren’t usually red-biased, and that there isn’t an element of red ‘on top’ i.e. red overlaid onto blue rather than the other way round e.g. the 2005 logo is very unbalanced in favour of red. In the 2010 logo, red is both the most prominent colour and the ‘winner’. There are other ways that the logo could be biased: use a brighter shade of red than blue even if the areas are technically the same (e.g. this year’s logo had the blue in ‘shadow’ in the cut-open 3D thing, while the red was ‘in the light’ and against a darker shadow which made it look even brighter). Maybe it’s nothing, but someone designs these things, and they seem to make certain choices, to me…

       14 likes

    • manonclaphamomnibus says:

      What an interesting idea! Maybe we could also check whether there is a correlation between blonde haired weather forecasters and snow. I have a blue TV. Does this mean the programs I Am watching are biased to the right? Perhaps if
      I tip it slightly to the left,and maybe hold it there with a nail, I will get a picture that is more politically neutral. Any technical people here I wonder.

         5 likes

    • deegee says:

      Sometimes the simplest answers are the best ones. The graphic artist used the whole visual spectrum (think rainbow). One of the psychological reaction to colour is the illusion that warm colours (reds) advance towards the viewer while cool colours (blues) recede. There are many articles on the web about these effects. How Colors Advance and Recede in Art.

      The BBC is quite capable of manipulating all the tricks of marketing to advance its agenda but I don’t think this was one of them.
      banner_news_large.png

         4 likes

  27. Geoff says:

    For anyone who hasn’t found it, Jon Gaunt is now doing a daily Podcast (link below). As an ex bBC employee he has some good inside information and is also a UKIP member. Worth a listen and a refreshing change from bBC tripe.

    You can also download for free from Itunes.

    http://www.jongaunt.co.uk/

       18 likes

  28. The Lord says:

    Apropos of nothing, I can’t help noticing that on right-leaning sites (or normal, as I’d call them) anyone is free to comment, including those that oppose the consensus. Anyone here who has tried to post on a left-leaning site will know the courtesy isn’t reciprocated. Deletions, suspensions and bans being the norm on those champions of free speech.
    I expect it sounds a bit silly but I’m quite proud to be, by association, on the fair and just side of the equation.
    Of course, for all I know, dozens of clear thinking, eloquent left wingers might be having their voice denied here and similar places and they just let the odd ‘berk on a bus’ type post for comedic purposes.
    Hats off to Bunny & Harriet for some brilliant irony but you just can’t beat the real thing for laughs, imo.

       25 likes

  29. manonclaphamomnibus says:

    Sadly it all sounds silly. If you declare you are right wing and you believe this to be normal you have immediately forfeited any right to judge bias. You appear also to think there is an equation which again further emphasises your pendantry.
    If you chose to examine things as they are instead of how you would like them to be you might make progress.
    Rather than slagging off people who don’t have agendas you should take a leaf out of my book and check for evidence. That way you don’t have to be on any side of anybody else’s equation!

       5 likes

    • John Anderson says:

      Busboy – you have been more boring than ever today.

         35 likes

      • johnnythefish says:

        After a couple of weeks convalescing he’s/they’re back with the same old arrogant, ill-informed, out-of-touch, leftist shite. They don’t seem to quite grasp that defending the BBC whilst spouting socialist propaganda might actually be counter-productive to the Corporation’s cause.

        It’s like listening to an interminable audition for The News Quiz.

           28 likes

      • Scott was at least provocative, consistent and argued imaginatively. Manon has non of the qualities.

           17 likes

        • i say, i have to agree with your description of good old Scott, that boy certainly was full of spunk. Manon on the other hand, appears to be quite spunkless and he just doesnt add any gaiety to the debate like Scott did, but as ive said, Scott is full of spunk.

          Manon, i think you need to get spunked up old chap

             14 likes

          • D1004 says:

            You know it took me till the end of your letter until
            The penny dropped. To quote the late Dick Emery
            “Oh, you are awful, but I like you !”
            I must be getting old.

               8 likes

    • Merched Becca says:

      https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/end-the-bbc-licence-fee
      The numbers are growing ‘manon’ and you are helping .

         8 likes

    • disgusted of essex says:

      Surely it works both ways – for instance if you declare yourself 100% Marxist and you believe it to be right then you forfeit your right to judge bias and also any claims of sanity into the bargain.

      http://json.27332.jsonp.club/dopeyjim.27332717.html

         13 likes

    • desperatedan says:

      and what is your answer? you dont like anyone else ‘s solutions pray tell us what your manifesto is, educate us!

         9 likes

    • Richard Pinder says:

      The Equation for the Manonclaphamomnibus moron: If being Libertarian is right-wing, and being Socialist is left-wing. Therefore being right-wing is morally superior to being left-wing because Socialism needs and preserves poverty to survive. But Socialism is also associated with censorship and mass murder, especially National Socialism, Soviet Socialism and the wishful thoughts spouted by BBC pundits.

         14 likes

    • Andy S. says:

      I believe in small government, low taxes, freedom of action and speech (including the right to insult and offend) so long as one doesn’t incite violence or have a seriously adverse effect on other people’s freedoms, keeping the government out of the lives of the people, and a belief in real democracy and equality – not the liberal idea of equality, some groups having more equality than others, but GENUINE equality . That makes me a right winger and proud of it! It’s the narrow minded, intolerant, coercive and oppressive ideology of so called liberal/leftists that Manon displays which SHOULD be vilified, challenged and criticised at every opportunity. DON’T ALLOW THEM TO CREATE THE NARRATIVE! Do not be ashamed to have right wing opinions.

         8 likes

  30. johnnythefish says:

    The secret to making any of our BBC-supporting AGW alarmists suddenly stop posting is to raise the thorny old issue of the BBC lying through its teeth over 28gate.

    Done it loads of times with 100% success rate.

       25 likes

  31. Donbob says:

    I have just been watching BBC’s London local news and could not help noticing the BBC bint holding the microphone was grinning like an idiot, and nodding like someone in the terminal phase of Parkinson’s disease. The cause of this rapture ? yet another multi-culti celebration with a tortured analogy between many plants in a garden, and diversity (that WORD) in the East End of London. The reporter even signed off from Popular (sic). You couldn’t make it up!!

       35 likes

    • johnnythefish says:

      Ah, sounds like the ‘community cohesion’ garden featured in scaled-down form on BBC2’s coverage of the Chelsea Flower show last night. It incorporates ‘Islamic themes’ – just to show the ‘gardening community’ are really serious about being cohesive with Islam. The full monty will cover one acre in, as you say, Poplar. Looking at the design, the cost must be eye-watering. Who’s paying? No idea, wasn’t even mentioned. No mention either, by the way, of any other religion in this project, or race for that matter.

      I’m a bit mystified by all this talk of Islam and cohesion. Is there some kind of problem we need to be told about?

         17 likes

      • outsider says:

        No, no you’re entirely mistaken. Nothing to see here. If anything, it’s the most peaceful religion of them all.

        Just take a wander up Whitechapel High St, and you’ll see for yourself how thoroughly tolerant and welcoming are the followers.

           8 likes

  32. chrisH says:

    Dozed along at 5.15 on the PM show while Carolyn Quinn, some ex-Unite poppet(a new MP) and some trustie toody for Labour( a nomark called Woodcock)blathered on randomly and aimlessly about union funding/influence of said zombie party.
    FIFTEEN minutes this too-and not a word of it made sense.
    Only noted that the whole “Humpty Dumpty” role of the BBC was evident-skate over bloc votes, tell me that influence is not policy massaging…eh?…what?…
    Absolute social therapy for the Red Lefties in meltdown…it`s not the BBCs job to give the red-rotten cabbages any steers or help.
    We voted them gone-so pack it in BBC.

       32 likes

    • GCooper says:

      It’s as if the entire BBC news department has suffered some kind of collective mental breakdown. Like you, I endured as much of PM as I could, then switched off. Every time I turn on a R4 news programme it is obsessing (and that is what it is) is with Labour’s failure to win the election.

      As far as I’m concerned, it is incontrovertible evidence of the utter bias of BBC news.

         44 likes

  33. Stuart B says:

    I am catching up with last night’s first part of ‘The Detectives’.
    I must congratulate the Great British Bake-off team for taking on this challenge. They have brought all their successful techniques – emotive background music, close-up shots of people ‘affected’ by the cakes collapsing emotional issues involved in dealing with crime, special grainy/colourised atmosphere shots..
    Thank goodness there’s one team that aren’t afraid to tell us in no uncertain terms who the baddies are, right from the beginning, before we even get to the evidence-gathering, which is thankfully all designed to confirm their initial beliefs. I half expected Mel and Sue to pop out of the woodwork and give a group hug to the investigators, the victims or indeed, even the perpetrators.
    I have just finished reading Paul Britton’s excellent book ‘The Jigsaw Man’. Sad contrast with gutter coverage here.

       10 likes

  34. johnnythefish says:

    John Donnelly on PM earlier, giving us his unbiased view on what life is like for an Ethiopian Jew in Israel.

    Started off by painting a bit of a picture – a favourite agenda-setting technique of the BBC’s – the vivid reds on his pallette giving clues to the finished composition.

    A young Ethiopian boy, newly arrived, sits down on the steps as he disembarks from the plane and starts to play his flute in gratitude for his new found freedom. ‘You wonder how such a small child can even lift an instrument of that size’* he marvels, breathlessly (sound of flute music, suitably haunting). ‘But he is hassled by officials to move along, presumably because he is holding the other passengers up. A taste of the assimilation problems to come’. Yes, of course, John – we all know it’s a human right for any kid to hold up a disembarcation whilst they pick out a tune on an instrument of their choice. Or is it only ethnic ones? How do you connect an ‘assimilation’ problem with this little incident, John?

    Another minute or so on Ethiopians getting picked on by police ‘Because of their skin colour’, liberally daubed with references to blacks killed by cops in America – again, we’re left in no doubt it’s just because of their colour – and the ‘off’ switch has yet another encounter with the clunking fist.

    Pure student union agitprop sold as ‘The world’s finest investigative reporting’. But to the casual listener driving along with a car full of kids, how much of a subliminal effect does it have because it’s the ‘broadcaster they can trust?’

    *Quotes have been paraphrased.

       21 likes

    • David Brims says:

      ”(sound of flute music, suitably haunting)”

      Was it this piece ? either that its Samuel Barber Adagio for Strings, they should trademark it.

         2 likes

    • GCooper says:

      Yes, that was a piece of shoddy stereotyping, even for Donelley and the BBC. The gratuitous references to the USA were particularly revealing.

      Agenda? What agenda?

         16 likes

    • deegee says:

      To be fair. Some of the Ethiopian crowd were strongly influenced by the recent events in America. It may have contributed to copy-cat violence. Some younger Israeli Ethiopians have adopted the Gangsta culture despite it being foreign to both Africa and Israel.

         6 likes

  35. Philip says:

    I’ve just been reading this (below link) regarding the BBC mindset and promotion cultural values of an aggressor (Islamic) over and above our own English values. ‘See mass migration for what it is – invasion’. An essay by Robert Henderson… ‘The promotion of mass immigration is a particularly deep treason, because unlike an invasion by military force the legions of the immigrant army are disparate and cannot be readily expelled. Where mass immigration is deliberately promoted by a government, as happened under Blair according to ex-No 10 advisor Andrew Neather, to deliberately change the nature of a society (in Neather’s words, “to rub the Right’s nose in diversity and render their arguments out of date”) it is the most contemptible of treasons’ As if there was any doubt that ‘BBC = Treason’ and that only the consequences become ‘TV news’ when it’s’ a clear failure of EU elites to come to terms with unworkable policies that the BBC still promote despite two elections (General and European elections) against this madness they have.

    http://www.th-eu-nit.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48894:see-mass-migration-for-what-it-is–invasion-an-essay-by-robert-henderson&catid=62:immigrationemmigration

       24 likes

    • Merched Becca says:

      In 1797, 1400 French troops landed in West Wales – ‘The Last Invasion of Great Britain’. It caused ‘a run on the pound’ then.
      How many hostile aliens are invading every day under the guise of Immigrants/migrants, added to the thousand traitors that are returning from Syria.
      I hope Mr Cameron has been attending to the defence of the realm.

         30 likes

    • dave s says:

      Now that essay would never see the light of day on the BBC and the liberal media. Far too close to reality.

         15 likes

    • Manonclaphamomnibus says:

      You mention English values.Maybe you can define them for everybody.

         1 likes

      • Wild says:

        Why would he want to define Englishness? It is like trying to define beauty. If I could nor define beauty that would not mean that it does not exist. My definition of what is is to be Englishman would be, to be something short of God but still better than being German.

           16 likes

        • johnnythefish says:

          Britishness, it is often suggested, is ultimately about shared values of tolerance, respect and fair play, a belief in freedom and democracy.

          This has always struck me as pretty insulting to our friends and relations beyond these shores. Such principles matter enormously, of course, but to claim an international patent on virtue might be seen as a little smug.

          No prizes for guessing – Mark fucking Easton.

          Worraleftietwatonabbcbus.

          http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17218635

             8 likes

      • David Brims says:

        ”You mention English values.Maybe you can define them for everybody.”

        A Cultural Marxist technique, ” English is a social construct, it doesn’t exist,” narrative, nice one.

        If that’s the case I suppose Africans and muslims don’t exist either.

           17 likes

      • Al Shubtill says:

        “…ordinary morality, standards of decency, sportsmanship, politeness, respect for the law, the law itself, family values, politics, education and religion, the very character of the British.” George MacDonald Fraser.
        These same values apply equally to the English.

           6 likes

      • Stuart B says:

        This commenter is a robot psychologist that someone periodically lets loose here for a bit of fun. I knew I recognised the style. It was some daft experiment a few years ago, allegedly to demonstrate the shallowness of psychotherapy..

        ‘You say you’re feeling anxious. Perhaps you can give me some of the details? I notice you said earlier that you felt like murdering your partner – nothing to do with that, is it?’

        Of course, a bit of aggression has been injected here – more fun, but (marginally) less like a therapist – unless he’s late for his bus.

           5 likes

      • MikeB says:

        If you need a definition of hunger, you are not and have never been hungry. If you need a definition of pain, you are not and have never been in pain…..
        Not sure where this quote came from – but I’m sure you can complete it.

           1 likes

  36. Richard Pinder says:

    http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/05/18/the-unspeakable-bbc-parks-its-tanks-on-my-lawn/

    Christopher Monckton seems to know more than me, but I do know that Whittingdale has been well informed by his fellow Mensa members about the Climate Science issues censored by the BBC, since March 2014.
    Its too early for the new Secretary of State to act, and I think he is planning to set up a new review process which would prepare to act on the evidence provided about the breaches of the BBC Charter. The BBC‘s censorship policy on climate science, scientists and scientific debate, as well as what Monckton is providing, and the breach of Charter over the 28 “best scientific experts” excuse, used to fob of better qualified experts than that seminar made up of environmental activists without a single causational or attributional climate scientist present.
    I am sure that Climate science is going to be the issue that destroys the BBC’s right to have its Charter renewed, and force the BBC into the free market. But this is an issue that the BBC would be desperate to keep CENSORED, to the END.

       28 likes

    • Tony E says:

      A government that installed Amber Rudd as Environment Sec, is not going to rock the boat re the BBC and climate change.

         12 likes

      • johnnythefish says:

        Excellent point, Tony, and one we all tend to forget. Cameron is not dim so he must be aware of the extreme eco-socialist agenda behind ‘climate change’ yet he appears to back it to the hilt. Any hopes of him treating it as ‘that green crap’ seemed to vanish with Rudd’s appointment. If we continue to replace our fossil fuel sources of energy with ‘renewables’ at the current rate (and all the signs are the process is likely to be accelerated) there is going to be only one outcome – economic and social chaos.

           13 likes

      • I Can See Clearly Now says:

        A government that installed Amber Rudd as Environment Sec, is not going to rock the boat re the BBC and climate change.

        I’d go further and suggest that Cameron is not going to rock any boats. His style is to identify a concern and make a few trivial cosmetic changes to gain popularity, while not upsetting the establishment. The lefties and the Beeb exhibit no fear for the BBC at all. In fact, they have a new wheeze of portraying the perfectly legal practice of only viewing catch-up TV as a ‘loophole’ that has to be closed. As for the new minister:

        ‘… far from going to war on the BBC, as both friends and enemies of Auntie predicted he would, John Whittingdale, not withstanding his background as a former PPS to Margaret Thatcher, is pretty supportive of the BBC. Whilst he sees issues with the licence fee in the longer term, he views it as the best way of funding the BBC for the next decade at least.’

        TV licence loophole exploited by viewers – and the BBC’s critics

           10 likes

  37. GCooper says:

    While most of the mugs who foot the bill for it are asleep, the BBC’s ‘World Service’ goes about its work, spreading cultural (and formal) Marxism around the globe.

    It does it under the falsest of flags, too. Take ‘Business Matters’ for example. I’ve mentioned this programme before. It’s hard to imagine anything less likely to be of interest to somebody in business as it meanders from Leftie talking point to Leftie talking point, desperately trying to find an even remotely business angle for this week’s dose of tripe.

    This morning’s episode took the biscuit. It was from Gaza – which it proudly revealed was ‘the world’s largest prison’. You can guess the rest.

    This, following a ‘news’ update which revealed that climate astrologers, who were telling us last week that there had been ‘no pause’ in ‘global warming’, have now found where it has all gone.

    The BBC’s ability to act like a parody of itself knows no bounds.

    Tear it down. It is broken beyond repair.

       39 likes

    • 60022Mallard says:

      I believe the Israeli “settlers” in Gaza set up quite a thriving line in fruit and vegetable production, the infrastructure for which they presumably had to leave behind.

      Anyone know what happened to it?

      Are the “prisoners” growing their own food?

      Do I recall on here someone posting some views of markets in Gaza which did not quite seem to chime with the everything is terrible view.

      Is the number of children being born into this “hell hole” still high and presumably then starving to death.

      What is life there really like?

      When are the next free and fair elections so that people who just want to get on with their lives can vote Hamas out of power and live peacefully with their neighbour?

         11 likes

      • GCooper says:

        All these questions and more were… of course, completely neglected by the World Service programme in question, in favour of naked propaganda in support of the ‘downtrodden’ Palestinians.

        The worst of it was the ‘musician’ from the ‘rock band’ who couldn’t get a gig in Gaza. From the absolute racket he was making, he couldn’t get a gig anywhere else, either!

        Business content of use and interest to listeners around the world? Zero. Brownie points among polytechnic lecturers oranising boycott Israeli campaigns? Maximum!

           13 likes

      • G.W.F. says:

        Not starving to death in Gaza, on the contrary there is an obesity crisis there. Palestinians are the 8th most obese population in the world according to the WHO and numerous studies. It seems that the Israeli settlers are either force feeding them or over feeding them.

        http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v27/n1/full/0802160a.html

        Click to access fin2794.pdf

           8 likes

  38. D1004 says:

    Add Aylesbury to the list of pedophile gang towns.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-32781942
    Straight reporting, also notice not only Muslims this time, a few Sikhs as well.

       22 likes

    • outsider says:

      Equal opportunities even extend to race-related noncing in this country.

         9 likes

  39. Jerry Owen says:

    Listening to ‘five live’ yesterday I came to the conclusion it should be called ‘labour live’ but of course that would be an oxymoron.
    The morning was devoted to labour and how they can come back.
    There were no’ tricky questions or critical probing by the presenters at all.. imagine if it were UKIP!
    For all the huffing and puffing labour is in dire straights, it’s message was not wanted by the electorate, labours loss was UKIP’s gain, ie immigration. This was not raised once yesterday and unless they address the issues they are doomed to history.
    The second part of the morning was about ‘call me Dave’ and his seven day plan for the NHS.
    They wheeled out doctor after doctor after doctor none of whom were supportive of his plans and indeed they were doomed to failure. Again another example of left wing naval gazing closed mind delusion, polls show some %70 of the public are happy with the NHS, their message in the election was again of no importance to most people. They are stuck in a class war against the tories, a class war that the rest of us know doesn’t exist one that many people like myself having once believed in now accept that the class system is very much dying and upward mobility is achievable with working and diligence.
    listening to the radio yesterday I think I gained some comfort in knowing that labour as well as the rest of the media live in a place so far detached form where I live in civvy street there really is no way back for them for the foreseeable future.

       37 likes

  40. Guest Who says:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-32790862?OCID=fbasia

    “Abbott rejects amnesties for Australian ex-militants”

    (‘Ex-militant’ has a cosier ring than ‘Skills transferring Islamic Killer, true)

    That should be offset nicely by a few ‘fears for’ headlines closer to home.

       19 likes

  41. Guest Who says:

    Risked HIGNFY last night.

    Wish I hadn’t.

    It was a tad more equal opportunity than usual, but really the Labour implosion was a bit too noticeable to miss.

    But heavens Pesto was bad. He oscillated between almost wetting himself at dire jokes to dissing folk on a very personal basis.

    The American comedian said one thing, and the now obligatory blonde female comedian appeared more concerned with formulating political strategy.

    Paul Merton is just ‘there’ now, just.

    But the highlight was Ian Hislop’s repeated defence of his mealtick… The BBC.

    His logic was… is… the BBC may be a propagandist, but it is a crap propagandist, because the blatant propaganda failed to swing the result they all wanted?

    Impressive logic, there.

       35 likes

  42. Doublethinker says:

    I read in the newspaper this morning that yet another Muslim rape gang were in the dock, this time in Buckinghamshire. I have lost count of the number of these gangs that have been active. Of course that is only the ones that the authorities have allowed us to know about. How many others are there were a blind eye has been turned? Why hasn’t there been a full scale inquiry into these gangs and how such outrages can be prevented? What has happened to those officials who aided and abetted the Rotherham gang?
    I have looked on the BBC website but can’t see any mention of this case! I suppose that Aunty knows best and in the interests of community cohesion has decided to suppress the story. Surely this deliberate censorship goes right to the heart of why the BBC needs to be closed down. It cannot be healthy in a democracy for the news agenda of the country to be set by the small group of like minded people who run BBC News. We need as much plurality as possible and the sheer size of the BBC prevents this.

       36 likes

    • AsISeeIt says:

      ‘BBC website but can’t see any mention’

      Before a friend of the BBC clocks on to say nur-nur, nur-nur-nur here’s a link

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-32781942

      ‘The 11 on trial are accused of being AMONG the men who abused the schoolgirls.’

      (My emphasis)

         15 likes

      • Ron Todd says:

        Watching BBC documentary about Greater Manchester Police rape unit. Given their proximity to Rotherham and Rochdale you can guess how surprised I was that all of the rapists or alleged rapist featured were white men. Only kidding it was the BBC of course all the bad people featured were white.

           0 likes

    • noggin says:

      Nazir Afzal – ex chief prosecutor has been all over the media re the Filipino nurse … BBC, Ch4, Sky.
      Yet … Re – Islamic child gang rapes?, est up to a million victims,
      Dozens of Muslims gangs convicted, 100s of Islamic Somali, Bangladeshi, Afghan Turk, Pakis etc, convicted, tip of the iceberg … industrial scale, and still ongoing?.

      When story was highlighted … first nothing then, Nazir Afzal: ‘There is no religious basis for the abuse in Rotherham’

         31 likes

    • outsider says:

      South-asian and east-african heritage CSA gangs in the UK are not just an appalling indictment of the bbc, but of the entire state itself. The latter has done even more to facilitate it than the former.

      The reason for the cover-up is that these outrageous crimes were fundamentally related to the state’s ruthless pursuit of mass immigration which of course lacked a democratic mandate.

      Now that that policy has had such manifestly catastrophic consequences, there is no appetite to address the horrors we are witnessing in the proper fashion.

         5 likes

  43. Thoughtful says:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05v7tp4

    Call You and Yours: Is the BBC licence fee worth it to you?

    Radio 4 12:15 Today

    I imagine that the callers selected will be only those the BBC wants to air.

       17 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Well worth listening to to find out.

      The BBC may choose to reflect on why many may feel their commitment to conflict of interest programming and default ‘get it about right’ self delusion will see those they invite, what they are asked and how the answers get edited erring on the predictable.

         8 likes

    • Thoughtful says:

      Well, I called in and got to speak to an operator who didn’t share my point of view, and rather than listen, cut me off !

      Typical of the BBC

         13 likes

  44. AsISeeIt says:

    Clooney Tunes and Hanna-Obama

    I was very pleased to hear from the BBC this morning that Barack Obama now has his very own Twitter account.

    So imagine my delight when I was informed what it was that Michelle had first Tweeted to him!

    I guess they must have at least two kitchens over there in the US White House and the Obamas must often be busy in different ones – so this new fangled means of communication is going to come in handy.

    I must say having had my appetite for international issues suitably whetted I was then able to better appreciate George Clooney’s insights into the thorny and highly complex Syrian question (and this isn’t just what he has picked up from his missus – oh no, he was originally against the Iraq war and that’s why he was ‘villified’, he tells us).

    There was me thinking bad reviews were the worst thing an actor could suffer.

    These Clooney interview clips came care of the BBC Asian Network, mind you. So that’s what this mysterious shadow BBC network does. I know there’s some channel for the Welsh and the kids have a channel…. and the teenagers, of course.

    Not much mention of what the new movie he is supposed to be promoting in the interview. Well, this was the BBC News channel, they can leave all the movie chat to the Mark Kermode slot.

    Our George must be a good bloke if he’s against that Iraq war (grrr) so perhaps we’ll give his movie a look?

    And what a bloody good bloke he must be – he now has at least ‘100 Lebanese relatives’.

    Shame on those thinking his wife was just a beard – actually he’s married into dozens of them.

       15 likes

  45. Invicta 1066 says:

    R4 Monday 11.30, a programme about some poor asylum seekers. Actually from 2012 the Cameroon Olympic boxing team who walked out of the Olympic village and ”disappeared” Then claimed asylum on the grounds as they had run away it would be dangerous for them to return to Cameroon! Of course they went through all the appeals and stayed!
    Programme then focussed on one boxer who was dispersed to Sheffield. Very sympathetic, not his fault when he lost his benefits for failing to look for work and couldn’t pay the rent, he thought going to the boxing gym was looking for work. Of course he now has a girlfriend.
    Whenever there is a item on BBC about migrants and asylum seekers or about benefit cuts the BBC will always find some positive example, perhaps a single working mum struggling to support her family (never any mention of the dad)s) or a migrant with a job.
    Why not programmes about criminals rapists murderers, violent robbers, fraudsters or the workshy with stats about unemployment in the Somali, Pakistani and other asylum and migrant communities?

       32 likes

    • +james says:

      Funny the BBC have never had a documentary about the poor people who they have thrown into the debtors prison for non payment of the TV Licence.

      Cameron should decriminalise the TV Licence. The crime rate would drop by over 10%. Cameron could boast that and the BBC would have to suck it up.

         27 likes

    • outsider says:

      Because to deal in facts in relation to mass immigration is to make oneself persona non grata amongst the power-exercising classes on this fair old isle.

         9 likes

      • outsider says:

        ..and the reason for that is power likes profits and its power consolidated. Mass immigration serves those interests just nicely.

           5 likes

    • chrisH says:

      Or indeed what about a programme about spongers, dole cheats, health fakirs and all those benefits fiddlers that comprise a large minority( and who knows, it may yet be more than that?) of the “Employment Deficient Family/Community”.
      Seems that all Channel 4 and the BBC have to interview are genuine cases, good actors who can fake the symptoms.
      They certainly NEVER give airtime on their news bulletins to the gobby shysters who openly cheat the working taxpaper, year in and year out.
      They`re easy enough to find, and just LOVE the cameras-so why don`t the bBC or Cheannle 4 ever ask THEM about why they`re lardy arsewipes, taking the mickey-let alone how they manage to steal or cheat to get their booze and drugs?
      Or is that all exactly the WRONG way to see this “contextualised and nuanced issue” as far as the lazy lying liberal left are concerned?
      They seem to want to mock us all with their contempt for what we all know to be true…far easier to blame the Thotch I s`pose.

         5 likes

  46. Phil Ford says:

    Had the sad misfortune to watch the latest HIGNFY last night on the BBC, with the wretched Robert ‘The Pest’ Peston presenting. It was, as you might reasonably expect, low on ‘comedy’ high on anti-UKIP, anti-Tory propaganda, and positively overflowing with (very) thinly-concealed pro-Labour bias.

    At one point Hislop went to great pains to mock those who accuse the BBC of left-wing bias, to the obvious pleasure of the standard-issue BBC studio audience of bussed-in Socialist Worker staffers.

    All topped-off nicely by Peston flashing up a caption that read:

    ‘John Whittingdale is a ****’.

    I kid you not.

    In a way I’m kinda cool with the BBC behaving in this way. It’s like watching someone slowly, carefully crucify themselves. Grimly fascinating, in that slow car crash kind of way. You wonder why they do it and then you remember that they simply don’t think anyone can touch them.

       47 likes

    • Video Sentry says:

      I saw that too. Is the BBC on self-destruct?

      Even outside the left wing politics, there was little that was funny.

      The show has gone way over it’s sell by date.

      ..

         26 likes

    • johnnythefish says:

      It’s great entertainment to watch them carry on digging, blissfully ignorant in their self-righteous lefty bubble world, with the likes of Mr Clap and Chippy standing by periodically to hand them a bigger spade.

         14 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Peston was dire; like a hyper toddler who has learned a naughty word and hasn’t been told to stop using it. A few times I thought Paul Merton was going to offer him his glass of water to take a moment.

      ‘At one point Hislop went to great pains to mock those who accuse the BBC of left-wing bias’

      It was forced, and idiotic. To invoke Godwin, it was like saying Goebbels couldn’t possibly have been cranking out propaganda and the rest of the team stuffing critics elsewhere from the 30’s to the end, as things didn’t necessarily progress in their favour in the Berlin 1945 leadership debates.

      ‘to the obvious pleasure of the standard-issue BBC studio audience’

      There are clearly folk there, but I seldom sense the level of laugh is not enhanced to a significant level.

      The NaughtieMarr caption was a new one to me. Interesting they appear to think JW will be more forgiving of that than the state media Press Office immediately hitting the archives to undermine a newly-elected government minister.

         11 likes

      • Rob in Cheshire says:

        ‘At one point Hislop went to great pains to mock those who accuse the BBC of left-wing bias’

        It’s amazing what a few hundred grand a year can do to change someone’s opinion.

           13 likes

  47. Geoff says:

    The true story behind the BBC go-to gal whenever TV and radio producers are looking for a gob-on-a-stick to rant about the ‘Tory cuts’

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-3087063/RICHARD-LITTLEJOHN-old-GP-think-daughter-s-scaremongering.html

    https://twitter.com/TaleahPrince/status/600582627591073792

       23 likes