231 Responses to START THE YEAR OPEN THREAD…

  1. Thoughtful says:

    For anyone whose interested, today is the perihelion – when the Earth is closest to the sun. Nice to have at the coldest part of Winter in the Northern hemisphere, unless you’re fond of hot summers and cold winters

       28 likes

  2. nogginator says:

    The Muslim who opened fire in Tel Aviv, murdering two people and injuring five more, was carrying a copy of the Qur’an. ”
    After the BBCs wilful ignorance of the obvious.
    “Video: Muslim murders two, wounds five in Tel Aviv bar … BBC says motive unclear”

    “Now, the international media, or at least the BBC, was already baffled as to this man’s motive… and this news will mystify them still more:
    “Why on earth would a man intent on mass murder be carrying a peaceful copy of the Religion of Peace’s peaceful scriptures? Why would he have a copy of the holy book that — as all Western leaders routinely assure us — has nothing, nothing whatsoever, to do with inciting those who believe in it to commit acts of violence and terrorism?
    … It is a mystery!
    Perhaps in the grinding poverty that no doubt drove him to this act, he was hoping to pawn this family heirloom copy of the Book of Peace for a few scraps of bread with which he could stave off his children’s starvation for a few more desperate hours. If only he had been given a job! If only he had been given some human dignity!
    Yes … that must been it : his carrying a copy of the Qur’an was a cry for help … a shout into the darkness”
    R Spencer
    http://www.jihadwatch.org/2016/01/tel-aviv-jihad-murderer-had-a-copy-of-the-quran-in-his-backpack

       89 likes

    • Grant says:

      Noggin, the BBC are not ignorant, in that sense, but they are big liars !

         50 likes

    • TrueToo says:

      Great post from Jihad Watch. The BBC and its fellow-travellers in the MSM need to be mocked day and night if they are ever to actually do their jobs. Right now they are a laughing stock.

      The BBC has a particular dilemma re the latest terrorist atrocities in Israel. Many of them, if not most, are committed not by Palestinians but by Israeli Arabs, who have full rights as Israeli citizens. And so the BBC cannot dig too deeply here in case, shock, horror, it uncovers the religious hatred that drives these Israeli Arabs to murder Jewish fellow-citizens. And if by accident it does stumble upon this hatred, it would then be faced with the appalling prospect of acknowledging that it is motivated by The Religion of Peace.

      And your average BBC hack would rather commit suicide than tell the truth about Islam.

         55 likes

      • Doublethinker says:

        Most European Muslims have full citizenship and the protection of the law but, just like in Israel, they are driven to kill not by oppression but by their ‘religion’. Cameron’s New year message of ‘loyalty’ is like firing a pea shooter at an oncoming Nazi tank

           52 likes

        • TrueToo says:

          So true. Unfortunately Cameron is incapable of learning the lessons Israel has had to learn throughout its history. The man is not too bright. He was visiting Turkey when the Israelis killed the eight “peace activists” on the Mavi Marmara ship, part of the flotilla bringing “aid” to Gaza. Cameron took the side of the Turks, ranting against Israel and sympathising with the poor Palestinians.

          Did I say he’s not too bright? Actually the man is a shmuck, unable to recognise his real enemies – and therefore unable to do anything about them.

             39 likes

  3. nogginator says:

    Look on the bright side, BBC News US page under ahem
    “From Our Experts” – San Bernardino shooting: Motive still unknown
    Police in California are continuing to investigate a mass shooting in which 14 were killed and 17 others injured.

       55 likes

    • Grant says:

      Noggin, yes . The BBC’s fake ignorance is wilful and criminal

         39 likes

    • The General says:

      Allahu Akbar……it’s all so puzzling.

         45 likes

    • NCBBC says:

      Police in California are continuing to investigate a mass shooting in which 14 were killed and 17 others injured.

      I was under the impression that Obama had already stated that it was Global Warming, particularly the AGW type, that causes Muslims to go berserk.

         48 likes

  4. Cassandra says:

    I think this sums up how the BBC reports anything to do with Muslims or Islam.

    imageedit_2871_5681986313.jpg

       95 likes

  5. Dave S says:

    The BBC parrots the UK’s government line on these incidents and no doubt it is deliberate. I tackled my Tory MP on these type of incidents and his reply was a masterpiece of inanity.
    There is no point in repeating it. Quite simply he and the entire liberal establishment will refuse to engage in debate and will lie and dissemble in order to avoid doing so.
    I have given up on him and his like. Events will ensure that they have to face reality sooner or later.
    The sufferers will be us the ordinary folk. We deserve better.
    On a related note I see that buffoon of a London mayor was encouraging people to get out and party in London over the New year. It shows defiance of the terrorist apparantly.
    It shows a degree of stupidity in my opinion. We are unarmed and vulnerable. The forces of law might be too late or unable to act in the event of an attack. Why would a prudent man put himself or his family at risk?
    This is the liberal delusion. Deny reality and then encourage stupidity. If it all goes wrong then we can emote and Twitter and leave flowers. This is an avoidance of responsibility by a useless governing class that will neither name it’s enemy nor really act against him and secure that safety of the land which is it’s prime duty.

       66 likes

  6. Thoughtful says:

    How the BBC can report on Islam without too much obvious bias:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-35213244

    Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr: Saudi Arabia executes top Shia cleric

    Oh dear Oh dear! Two factions of Islam at each others throats, but which side does the BBC favour? Well as you might expect, it can’t make up its corporate mind, nor can it bring itself to condemn the state sponsored murder of one of its citizens.
    Funny how it can manage to criticise every other country though !

    Makes me wonder if several of the BBC correspondents, or higher managers at the BBC are being given money. Also makes one wonder following the revelation the LSE was receiving substantial amounts from Libyan ex leaders son Saif al-Islam Ghaddafi just how much money is flowing into British universities, and what exactly that money is being used for.

       65 likes

    • Thoughtful says:

      Apparently one of the men sentenced to death (executed) was someone who had killed a BBC cameraman & injured Frank Gardiner, perhaps that also goes some way to explaining the BBCs ambivalence about the state murder ??

         29 likes

  7. Thoughtful says:

    Mention on iPM of the special relationship between Saudi and the West and the lack of condemnation from those leaders.

    The correspondent is careful to say that this is perceived in the region as a reliance of the West on Saudi oil, however we all know that this is not the case, and that there is so much oil sloshing around the world that Saudi is little more than just another player.
    The reality is much more likely that Western leaders – the ones who helped elect Saudi to the head of the UN Human Rights committee are in reality to deep into the Saudi pockets to dare voice dissent.

       34 likes

    • Rob in Cheshire says:

      Thoughtful:

      There has to be some reason for Merkel turning Germany into an islamic state. She isn’t stupid, so what can that reason possibly be?

         35 likes

      • Thoughtful says:

        There’s more to Merkel than that! What about “Islam is incompatible with Western values” to condemning Pegida within a few short weeks, and before she threw Germany’s gates open wide?

           31 likes

      • Grant says:

        Rob, Merkel “isn’t stupid “. I’ll take a raincheck on that one !

           25 likes

      • TrueToo says:

        I think the astute Pat Condell had it right when he said that Merkel is trying to get Germany to atone for WWII by committing suicide.

        I think it is fair to say that she is deeply ashamed of Germany’s role, specifically re the Holocaust.

           46 likes

        • Al Shubtill says:

          This is the one of the best articles I have read about Merkel, the gimmegrant crisis, its causes and possible consequences.

          http://www.amren.com/features/2016/01/white-renegade-of-the-year-2015/

             12 likes

          • TrueToo says:

            Yes, that’s a sober and educated assessment of the problem, and also well-written:

            Merkel grew up in East Germany and participated in Communist Party activities as a young woman. Occasionally there are mutterings that she is somehow dedicated to “destroying” Germany or is fulfilling some long-term scheme. This is unlikely. She is heaping up the funeral pyre for her own country for the most utterly banal reasons. Her belief that anyone can adapt to the European way of life, that national identity is an obstacle to be overcome, and that everyone is fundamentally the same are the common wisdom of educated Westerners. The profound tragedy of our times is that perfectly ordinary and well-meaning people are hastening the destruction of their own societies.

            Unfortunately it has attracted several really foul comments.

               10 likes

            • Al Shubtill says:

              I hardly ever bother to read the comments below an online article – it is the subject of the article or a liking of the author’s work which has drawn my attention, not what others choose to say about it or them.
              I can understand that when some visit American websites the level of freedom of expression of opinions either in the articles, or indeed the comments, is be something of a surprise to those more used to the restrictive freedom of speech we “enjoy’ here in the U.K.

              The constitutional right to free speech in the U.S. is to protect the right to speak and say things which are offensive (“foul”) to some who read them; without that it becomes: ‘I believe in free speech, but…’ the type of qualification to a “right” which means it no longer is one; and is so beloved of the Progressive elite here, when they are able to prevent what people say or write.

                 6 likes

              • TrueToo says:

                I agree with you re free speech. However, the old example of shouting “fire” in a crowded theatre when there’s no fire still applies. There are limits. If I had a blog, I wouldn’t want articles I wrote to be followed by comments by hate-filled anti-Semites with their heads full of foul conspiracy theories.

                   3 likes

        • Dave S says:

          This is almost certainly the reality. The Holocaust has all but destroyed Europe and in particular the European lands most implicated in it. Germany above all. Although the record of others is disgraceful .
          Germany was always at the heart of Europe and it’s culture and has not come to terms with what happened .I myself think it never will so Merkel’s actions become explicable.
          That said she has no right to destroy European culture and must be stopped. German guilt is not enough reason to destroy us all in Europe.

             29 likes

          • Al Shubtill says:

            This is an interesting short interview with Mark Steyn on the same subject.

               19 likes

          • TrueToo says:

            I agree with the general thrust of your comment but I can’t agree that the Holocaust all but destroyed Europe. Right after the war the allies airlifted aid to Berliners besieged by the Russians, large numbers of Nazi murderers were helped by the Vatican and others to escape to South America and elsewhere and the few who were sentenced to long jail terms at Nuremberg were released after serving a fraction of their sentences, and the allies helped rebuild Germany.

            Right up till the present there are Eastern European countries still sheltering their war criminals and refusing to hand them over for trial and the Swiss mostly refuse to part with plundered Jewish assets.

            Though Holocaust denial is illegal in Germany, Austria and Poland, and many other countries, most of the countries of Europe who were directly involved in the Holocaust did their utmost to erase it from their History.

               3 likes

            • Al Shubtill says:

              I completely disagree with anything which interferes with freedom of speech or of inquiry, which is what these “Holocaust denial” laws do on both counts; just because you disagree with what someone says or writes (unless it is slander or libel) you shouldn’t be able to shut down discussion or debate about it, in whole or in part – you should use your own freedom of speech to counter those with whom you disagree and win the argument.

              The fact is that laws such as these can actually hide the truth from being revealed to people; an example would be the Katyn Forest massacre of the Polish officer cadre. The Germans discovered thousands of bodies after their invasion and, correctly, blamed the Soviets who always denied it, until Gorbachev acknowledge it was the NKVD who had carried out the mass murder; however in France today, it remains illegal to write that in an article as it is forbidden to contradict the finding of the Nuremberg tribunal, which was that it was the Nazis who had done it.
              Laws such as those do no good to anyone, in my view.

                 10 likes

              • Grant says:

                Al, quite agree. These types of law are the thin end of the wedge. Next, Climate Change Denial !

                   5 likes

              • TrueToo says:

                just because you disagree with what someone says or writes (unless it is slander or libel) you shouldn’t be able to shut down discussion or debate about it…

                Holocaust denial is way more serious than slander or libel.

                I would like to debate this but I have to go and pay the bills.

                   1 likes

                • Andy S. says:

                  There’s too much evidence that the Nazis attempted the genocide of European Jews with the extermination camps and snapshots of atrocities taken by the offenders themselves and even logs of running totals of Jews exterminated in the various occupied countries and regions. To deny this evidence is foolhardy and those who break cover and attempt to deny the evidence of a state sponsored genocide show themselves to be incredibly ignorant, foolish and dangerously deluded. We shouldn’t ban them for spouting this obvious rubbish. Allow them to be open with their views and let the force of one’s argument carry the day. Show these people to be the morons they are. We should NEVER ban free speech, no matter how tasteless and abhorrent those views are ( unless of course it’s incitement to violent action against innocent people.)

                     7 likes

                  • TrueToo says:

                    Much Holocaust denial is not simply deluded but, with or without its flimsy disguise of historical research, is based on a deep hatred of Jews and serves to fuel that hatred.

                    As such it bears a direct relation to hate speech.

                    Should hate speech be allowed?

                       0 likes

                    • Grant says:

                      Andy S, Totally agree. If we start banning free speech, who is to decide what is banned and what is not ? It smacks of totalitarianism, which is surely what all decent people are against ?

                         3 likes

                    • Grant says:

                      Truetoo, I think that hate speech should not be illegal unless it is an incitement to commit crime. It is an incredibly complex area . If someone says they hate an individual should that be banned ? For example, I hate Barack Obama. Should I be banned from saying that ? I hate the BBC , should I be banned from saying that ? Hate speech relating to races or religions is often covered by existing laws although , in the UK , they are not applied even-handedly.

                         2 likes

                    • TrueToo says:

                      Grant, I don’t see a ‘reply’ tab below your last two comments.

                      Have a look at this report on Iran’s Holocaust denial conference. It’s quite a good example of how such denial can fuel hatred. It’s also an extraordinary and rare example of courage and honest reporting from the BBC:

                      http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6183061.stm

                         0 likes

                    • Grant says:

                      Truetoo, I can’t see a reply tab on your comment below either. I am not for a moment defending holocaust denial. The point I am trying to make is that any curtailment of free speech has to be very carefully considered. And who is to decide who can say what ? I might want to ban something that you would not want to ban. I believe that the dangers of banning free speech far outweigh the dangers of allowing it.

                         1 likes

  8. Grant says:

    Saudi Arabia celebrated the New Year by executing 47 people. Any condemnation from Cameron yet ?

       24 likes

    • Thoughtful says:

      It’s not the Muslim new year! This year their New year falls on 3rd October and will be 1438 AH, only, because Islam was revealed to Mohammed from God directly, and is of course perfect (after all if God made the world he surely knows how long it takes to go around the sun!). This date changes every year because Islam got the length of the year wrong !

      In addition the Earth is flat ! There’s a Fatwa on that you Khuffar, so you better not say otherwise, and the Sun goes around the Earth and sets in a Muddy Pool ! Mohammed knew this and claimed he himself had seen it !

         39 likes

      • The Highland Rebel says:

        The Muzz new year is determined by the phases of the Moon in reverence to their ‘god’ – the pagan Moon God al-Illa or shortened to Allah.
        Al-illa was known in Mesopotamia, Babylon and Sumer as Baal or as we call it satan.
        Yes, that satan that our so called ‘churches’ are defending, appeasing and bending their knee to as prophesied long ago in that old Jewish book.

           3 likes

      • DownBoy says:

        So if Mohammed flew on his winged horse as far as possible to the East or West, would he fall off the edge of the flat world? Why is there never an Islamic scholar around when you need one?

           5 likes

        • The Highland Rebel says:

          They say Moh the murderer was perfect so I take it they mean the Earth is perfectly flat.

             1 likes

      • Grant says:

        Thoughtful, But they know that it is our New Year ! That is the whole point !!!

           2 likes

    • TrueToo says:

      Apparently the official Saudi report stated that it had executed terrorists. I guess one has to see the funny side of that – terrorists executing terrorists.

         32 likes

    • nogginator says:

      Cameron is just a lying traitor, … why the British government agreed to “squalid” deals with Saudi Arabia, why he
      £100,000 on a trip to honour dead Saudi king, why did he launch secret diplomatic offensive with Saudi Arabia after ambassador planned a temporary “leave of absence etc etc
      Anyway … look how they pop up again here
      ” Army chiefs had to go against his (Obama s) Islamic fanatic arming ambitions
      http://www.lrb.co.uk/v38/n01/seymour-m-hersh/military-to-military
      Reports at the time also confirmed that top military officials were dead against air strikes in Syria
      “Now an explosive investigation by Seymour Hersh has revealed that the Pentagon was engaged in a secret revolt against the Obama White House.
      A highly classified DIA and Joint Chiefs of Staff report predicted that arming the rebels and toppling Assad would lead to the rise of ISIS … Plus, the Pentagon knew that Obama was arming Islamic extremists and that the so-called moderate Free Syrian Army had evaporated.
      But the Obama administration didn’t want to hear the truth and deliberately buried the report.
      So the Pentagon bypassed the White House entirely and handed intelligence on the same jihadists who Obama was arming, to Germany, Israel and Russia.
      This intel was then passed directly to Assad, who used it to turn the tide against the jihadists, almost certainly saving Syria from being completely taken over by the Islamic State.
      … The bottom line is that many of the top brass in the Pentagon knew Obama’s policy would lead to an even bigger disaster than we have now, and they took decisive action to derail it.”

      But this move was almost derailed itself … why? … by bloody Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the Turks, who gave ISIS jihadists modern weaponry in order to help overthrow Assad.

         22 likes

  9. Sluff says:

    Just watched ‘Celebrity Mastermind’ on bBBC1.
    The bBBC disability correspondent was a contestant, explaining that the role was to get disability stories onto the main news bulletins.
    The person spoke with a lisp and got only two general knowledge questions correct. You’d think such poor communication skills and education would disqualify a person from such a highly competitive job.
    But the person concerned is female and uses a wheelchair, so the bBBC PC boxes are ticked, ability clearly not being one of them.

       66 likes

    • Sluff says:

      Oops. Pressing wrong buttons like report comment and dont seem to have the edit option.
      So what i forgot to mention re my above post is that the answer to one of the questions the said disability correspondent passed was Simon Weston, the soldier errrr……badly disfigured (one may say disabled) in the Falklands War !!
      You can’t make it up.

         34 likes

    • GCooper says:

      Disability worship is a fetish on the Left. Small wonder the BBC is at the forefront of it.

         26 likes

  10. Oldspeaker says:

    I’m grateful to the BBC for highlighting euro culture that would otherwise have passed me by, thnks to Emma Simpsons article

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35105171

    I was insired to seek out this fruity piece of eurotrash, not for the serious minded and viewer discretion is advised, those Berliner’s eh, life is just a cabaret.

       3 likes

  11. Richard Pinder says:

    Thanks to a knowledgeable and intelligent candidate for the US presidency, I discovered that three times more British Muslims volunteer to fight for the Islamic State, than volunteer to fight for the British State.
    But this fact seems to make left-wing middle-class white people turn emotionally violent, in fact when John Culshaw predicted that this American Politician would be the next US President, the audience turned so nasty, I had to switch the radio off.

    Conclusion: Left-wing middle-class white people who vote Labour, do not like reality very much. Yet their version of reality, as presented by the BBC, is a mixture of a new form of western cultural imperialism, as regards homosexuality etc, and the Censorship of reality.

       61 likes

    • Richard Pinder says:

      I don’t think the BBC would allow Nigel Farage to edit Today.
      Never mind: Tune into LBC, Freeview Channel 732: 10am to 12 noon tomorrow Sunday the 3rd January. For more Reality than Editorial Censorship.

         26 likes

    • Jerrod says:

      > Thanks to a knowledgeable and intelligent candidate for the US presidency

      By your standards? Not a high bar. After all:

      > I discovered that three times more British Muslims volunteer to fight for the Islamic State, than volunteer to fight for the British State.

      You know, you could have just read the Telegraph back in February.

      Shame you had to wait until now, isn’t it?

      > in fact when John Culshaw predicted that this American Politician would be the next US President, the audience turned so nasty, I had to switch the radio off.

      Did he predict it? Were the audience nasty?

      Or did he make a comedy impression of a political figure, on a comedy show featuring impressions of topical figures, and people happened to laugh at the jokes?

      Can you really not tell the difference?

      > Conclusion: Left-wing middle-class white people who vote Labour, do not like reality very much.

      The same people who laugh at jokes at the expense of Labour politicians in the same programme. Jokes you conveniently ignore in your attempt to smear people – for what aim, exactly?

      After all, you are the man who claimed that the Glasgow bin lorry driver was a Muslim. Then, when that was disproved, claimed that his cab was populated by other Muslims, and that the convenient lack of any evidence to back up your fantasy was due to a DA-Notice suppressing any discussion of it. So the absence of any evidence to back up your claims could be conveniently explained away – rather than its absence being proof of your delusional mania, you found a way to weave it in to your inept claims.

      You’re a fantasist, Richard Pinder. You make up stuff to make yourself sound important. Heaven knows why, but ultimately it’s not very healthy, is it?

      Anybody that believes you – right wing, left wing, whatever – is doing themselves a disservice. It doesn’t matter whether they agree or disagree with the sentiments of what you come out with – either way, not dismissing your fantasies hurts them. It hurts the political position you claim to hold. And it hurts you.

         11 likes

      • Marvin says:

        “You’re a fantasist, Richard Pinder. You make up stuff to make yourself sound important. Heaven knows why, but ultimately it’s not very healthy, is it?”

        Whatever gave you that idea Jerrod?

        “Richard Pinder
        August 28, 2015 at 2:38 am
        I bet that by the end of the year, Cameron is assassinated by a pro British patriot, who then becomes a national hero and a martyr to British independence and sovereignty. The Queen has an opportunity to do her duty under her oath to her subjects. “

           9 likes

        • Jerrod says:

          He also said – and this is especially important, as he claims to be an expert on climate science – “Before 2011, apart from Piers Corbyn, we all thought water vapour was the main Greenhouse Gas“.

          Whereas if you look at any research paper discussing the climate prior to 2011, none of them talk about water vapour. Richard Pinder lies.

          Pinder thinks that talking like he’s intelligent is an adequate substitute for being intelligent. I’m all for people challenging science, but they need to do so from a firm footing, not by lying. He’s not the only one on this site who plays fast and loose with the facts when it comes to climate change on this site, but no-one does so quite so hilariously pompously.

             9 likes

          • Angrymanupnorth says:

            Well, this is a turn up for the books, Jerrod. Rather personal comments directed towards Richard Pinder. If you want to pull him up on facts, fair enough, but leave aside the personal abuse – he is, after all, not paid to propagandise or represent.

            Your comments are very interesting Jerrod, and being an intelligent chap, you would no doubt see the obvious problem that reveals itself from the ‘facts’ that you yourself point out.

            “….Whereas if you look at any research paper discussing the climate prior to 2011, none of them talk about water vapour. Richard Pinder lies….”

            Now in my scale of priorities, Richard Pinder being a liar or not doesn’t register. However, whether ‘climate scientists’ are right about the consequences of the increase in CO2 on the earth’s surface temperature does register. You say that none of the papers prior to 2011 refer to water vapour (as the major greenhouse gas [including absorption within the radiation wavelength ranges of the CO2 molecule]). If we take you at your word, that water vapour is not ‘talked about’ in papers prior to 2011, then please explain given your ‘facts’:

            1. Water vapour approx 2-3% of earth’s atmosphere.
            2. CO2 approx 0.04% of earth’s atmosphere.
            3. Computer models upon which predictions of surface temperatures (proven now by history to be wrong) based on assumptions and variables prior to 2011.

            How could the computer models have been correct in 1997 if ‘water vapour’ wasn’t talked about?
            How could ‘climate scientists’ all be so demonstrably wrong, all overestimating temperature rises?

            Perhaps you could also answer:
            Are you sceptical about the veracity of AGW theory?
            Are you sceptical as to whether a 2 degree, 3 degree, 4 degree temperature rise would be a bad thing for life on earth?
            Do you think that the recent increase in vegetation on the planet is good or bad, and do you think it is related to the increase in CO2 concentration?
            Do you think that the implementation of the IPCC plan which will reduce the estimated temperature rise by approx. 0.02 degree C, at a cost of trillions of dollars to taxpayers is either sane or just?
            Do you think the ‘science is settled’?

               46 likes

            • Jerrod says:

              > Now in my scale of priorities, Richard Pinder being a liar or not doesn’t register

              Funny, that.

              Want to comment on his little DA-Notice conspiracy nonsense?

              Or are you too busy pretending you’re a scientist, too?

                 3 likes

              • johnnythefish says:

                Or are you too busy pretending you’re a scientist, too?

                Ah, the old ‘not a scientist’ argument (presumably you are?) – one the BBC likes to ignore when it brings on the likes of George Monbiot and Emma Thompson (to name but two) to spout their embarrassing, clapped out, unscientific mantras.

                Now having started the argument about water vapour, you should at least have the good grace to respond to Angryman’s points.

                   9 likes

              • Richard Pinder says:

                I cannot prove that a D-Notice with a super injunction exists, but I do remember being told that it did exist for this case, beyond that possible truth or lie, the only other facts that I was told about was that there where three other occupants of the Bin lorry, and I have not bothered to find out if this is a fact or not, or that they have been named, or not?

                But I can prove that you do not need to be a scientist, or Astronomer, to prove that the “Unified Theory of Climate“ by Ned Nikolov & Karl Zeller, 2011, exists as evidence against the man-made Global warming scam. Any misunderstanding of this Theory by an idiot like Jerrod, could be interpreted as a lie. But that would be because of confusion between this Theory and the Theory use in computer models.

                   2 likes

                • Marvin says:

                  “But I can prove that you do not need to be a scientist, or Astronomer, to prove that the “Unified Theory of Climate“ by Ned Nikolov & Karl Zeller, 2011, exists as evidence against the man-made Global warming scam.”

                  Here’s an opportunity for you to put your money where your mouth is Richard Pinder.
                  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-boslough/why-global-warming-bullie_b_8886968.html

                     1 likes

                  • Grant says:

                    Marvin, which temperature measurements are to be used for the bet ? He says that “everyone knows that global warming is real “. If that is the case, it certainly is a “sucker bet” !

                       2 likes

                    • Marvin says:

                      Read the article:
                      “The challenge will be settled using the NASA GISS mean global land surface temperatures for the conventional climate averaging period (defined by the World Meteorological Organization as 30 years) ending on December 31, 2016.”

                         1 likes

                    • Geyza says:

                      In response to Marvin, re: “The challenge will be settled using the NASA GISS mean global land surface temperatures for the conventional climate averaging period (defined by the World Meteorological Organization as 30 years) ending on December 31, 2016.”

                      That would be the record set of which 40% of their data is simply made up and applied in lieu of record returns from stations which no longer exist, in effect guesses for 40% of the world surface station temps. Guesses based upon an assumtion that the earth is warming in accordance to the average of the multiple global climate circulation models. The remaining record has been repeatedly adjusted, lowering earlier temperatures and increasing latter ones, thus increasing the amount of warming in the record significantly in excess of the actual temperatures as actually recorded by humans going out everyday in all weathers to faithfully record what the actual thermometers are measuring.

                      In short, the GISS record is a fraudulent, un-calibrated and false account of global temperatures and it cannot be relied upon to provide an accurate or honest record of actual global temperatures.

                      The best, empirical, calibrated and scientifically valid measurements we have of global temperatures are those collected by satellite observations. You know, the one which show no average increase in global temperatures at all for almost 20 years now.

                         5 likes

            • nogginator says:

              Jerrod …
              “Thanks to a knowledgeable and intelligent candidate for the US presidency
              By your standards? Not a high bar. After all:”
              😀 easy erm paper tiger? well you know Jerrod, some people are just not smart enough to comprehend how smart some are, a common flaw among keyboard ninja s.

              “Donald Trump graduated from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1968, with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and anthropology.
              Mensa doesn’t accept SAT scores from after 1994. However Mr Trump was a student at Wharton when it was possible to derive an accurate IQ core from known SAT scores. Given the usual requirements for admission to a top school like Wharton, I estimate that Mr. Trump has a 156 IQ at the minimum.
              The standard description of this level of intelligence is “Genius – Exception intellectual ability and capable of looking beyond known facts.” However, the percentile rating is more revealing than the raw score. A 156 IQ is at the 99.9905490555 percentile … That means that Donald Trump is smarter than 99.99 per cent of the people on planet earth. Not only does Trump qualify for membership in Mensa but he could join the Triple Nine Society.
              People with this kind of intellectual ability can do things with their minds that can’t even be described to ordinary people. Remember that quote from the above paragraph, “capable of looking beyond known facts?”
              These highly intelligent minds process and organize data into solutions and insights, and the individual person is not even consciously aware of the process.
              The cartoon light bulb that goes on over someone’s head happens to people like Mr. Trump on a regular basis. ”
              I would not be surprised if Mr Trump’s IQ (considering all of the relevant data) actually measures significantly higher than the minimum estimate mentioned above.
              Not a high bar, After all? … mind you Jerrod he does have terrible hair 😀 be content with that

                 17 likes

          • Number 7 says:

            “and this is especially important”

            Copyright – EdStone Milliband.

            Say’s it all really.

               11 likes

            • Number 7 says:

              Jerrod – is that a misspelling of the murderer of the first born?

              PS. “Whereas if you look at any research paper discussing the climate prior to 2011, none of them talk about water vapour. Richard Pinder lies.”

              Water vapour being an integral part of the “positive feedback” that the CAGW lie is based on, not to mention all the computer models that have been proved wrong.

              It is also an integral part of the IPCC studies.

              In terms of your Ad Homs directed at RP, I would not attempt to get into an argument on his area of study. I’ve got a BSc. Media Studies may improve your writing skills but, it would appear, not your reasoning.

                 19 likes

          • John Anderson says:

            jerrod

            Mr Pinder is not the only one on this site who “tells lies” about your crazy notions about Global Warming.

            There are quite a few of us who say that the whole GW hysteria is a scam. And we have probably read more about it than you have.

            PLUS – my impression is that you have nil training in science. Nil understanding of what is meant by terms such as reproducibility, scientific method, open publication of data.

            You are an ignoramus on this matter, young sir. Please stick to what you know about in some detail, don’t just parrot the BBC party line.

               37 likes

          • Andy S. says:

            Scott, I thought you’d been banned for causing trouble on this site. Now you creep back under a pseudonym and once more accuse correspondents of being liars and dredging up long forgotten posts in an attempt to corroborate your bigoted rants. Why don’t you go back to buttonholing so called celebs you find in Metropolitan wine bars and have your photo taken with them and posting them on your piss-poor, narcissistic website?

               4 likes

            • zero says:

              Andy S.

              Oh no! Someone said something you don’t like, and something you don’t remember! Oh you poor little flower. Here’s a kiss to make it better… x

                 1 likes

          • Richard Pinder says:

            The assumption of Positive feedback was essential for the BBC Climate Change religion, especially for the runaway Global warming loonies. That was based on water vapour assumptions, and an essential part of pumping up the Arrhenius method of calculating the Greenhouse effect in computer models, still used by the Met Office and the mainstream charlatans. But evidence for Negative feedback should have been a disastrous set back for the IPCC consensus, but was not reported by the BBC, as nothing seems to damage the warmist religion, not even evidence against water vapour.

            But its good news that Jerrod notices that water vapour was an assumption without evidence. The Astronomers that I knew at the time found that water vapour must be essential for Earth, if the only known formula, the Arrhenius formula, was to fit with the (non water vapour) calibration of carbon dioxide warming on Mars of 3 Kelvin. I also know that I have an IQ of 164, and that the only time that I ever guaranteed a win on a bet was when I used a sticky penny in a slot machine in a seaside amusement arcade in the 1960’s.

               4 likes

      • Dave S says:

        I notice this is a personal attack on a man whose power to influence is very limited indeed. I am sure the BBC regards this blog as beneath it’s notice.
        However the BBC is a very powerful organisation and I would like to hear a reasoned rebuttal of Honest Reporting’s award to the BBC as the most inacurate and biased news medium of 2015 in it’s reporting of matters to do with Israel.
        That is a serious charge by a serious organisation.

           21 likes

  12. seismicboy says:

    GCooper. The BBC has long been keen to show they are a horse for course broadcaster. They have a storage area at Broadcasting House of cryogenic frozen specialist ‘reporters’ which they can bring out at a moment’s notice to ‘cover’ any story just so they can be seen to have an empathy with the subject. I can’t wait for the first ‘gimp’ story so they can BRING OUT THE GIMP.

       17 likes

  13. AsISeeIt says:

    Phew, what a relief! “Temperatures are where they SHOULD be at this time of year”

    Naughty, naughty weather gods…. you know where temperatures should be – but what do you do…? You go and make it all so much warmer than BBC forcasers tell us it should be and get them into such a tizzy.

       25 likes

  14. Mustapha Sheikup al-Beebi says:

    Radio 4 “Profile” (7 to 7:15 pm today) about the new director of the British Museum, Hartwig Fischer.

    The BBC bias is relentless, shameless and across all platforms much of the time. Just have a listen on i-player to the bit towards the end about Dresden, PEGIDA, immigrants, other cultures, universalism in art, etc. They just have to get pro-immigrant propaganda in at any opportunity!

       36 likes

  15. Philip_2 says:

    Well, what a surprise this Saturday morning ( BBC R4 Today headlines ). The BBC reported its website hacked (naming BBC iPlayer) had been hacked by an Islamic group claiming to be from the US. This was New Years Eve. What joy! Although they tried to make it sound that it was a ‘test’ by an anti -Islamic group it could just have been equally our MI5 firing a ‘warning shot- over the bows of good ship ‘BBC Bollocks’ on continuing pro-Islam rhetoric. It’s not the first time the BBC has been served with with ‘DoS’ server attack – remember when Clarkson was sacked from Top Gear was very, very similar BBC melt down online attack. The BBC Today said that ‘The BBC had refused to comment on the attack’. I have no-doubt only a complete Denial of Electricity would actually stop the BBC from transmitting it’s usual pro Islamic apologists to the World on New Year. Still made agood start to my Saturday to hear that the BBC actually admits to a slight problem on the airwaves. Well done MI5 (I do hope it was MI5 and not some ISIS hacker complaining about lack of BBC World Services in Syrian). We know which side the BBC supports!
    http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology-science/technology/bbc-cyber-attack-website-iplayer-7097490

       25 likes

  16. chrisH says:

    Last year we called it “virtue signalling”…I think we can call it “flying your kite” this year.
    For one Andrew Hussey-professional scouser, Sartre/Left Bank lefty suckup who fuses Plastic Bertrand with Kissing the Pink to show he`s a right rad prof, yeh?..has just scorned the current French need for “pain”…bread heads maan!
    He blames Lagarde and Sarko for turning their heads…working for the yankee dollar as opposed to living off the CAP like all true Euros on the lam.
    He even plays a quote from David Brent-can`t imagine he saw it as anything other than the black beret philosophy of OUR greatest living business guru, humour not exactly what the looby left are known for.
    Of course Lagarde and Sarkozy are “Americanisng the culture”…as as a social services prof in Paris, this is la news mauviases.
    Only a Hussey would get a gig like this-it`s as if Hollande and Mitterand were helpless victims of Thatch…
    So then- let Andrew fly his rainbow warrior kite by the wind turbines,,,plenty at the BBC will have loved his call to arms….the Good Rebellion gets yet ANOTHER airing , and there`ll be canapes and top Tuscan flowing in the mews yards of Highgate and Islington tonight.
    Remind me again-two days in….why do we pay for this Socialist slurry…and who commissions zombie scouse lefties to make such crap…hospital radio without the good food supplied?
    The BBC?…more like Echo and All the Muslim Bunnymen…and way too much kissing of each other pinkies at Pravda House…
    “Archive On Four” if you`re arsed…

       15 likes

    • chrisH says:

      Noted that the BBC gave themselves over fifteen minutes to ruminate over the execution of a Shia Muslim in Sunnis Saudi Arabia on the Gavin Esler show now on BBC24.
      Surely the BBC should shut down at the epilogue at 11.55 or so-after giving thanks to God for providing them those subsidised bars, endless coffees and segways….and finish the broadcasting with a special prayer each night to the docile taxpayers who still fund their lunacies and idiocies.
      I say this because they`re clearly up all night on the coffees and snorties…why else would this non-story take up fifteen minutes of our time…if not to fuel a few internecine civil wars between Regents Park and Queensway over here?
      No other possible reason-the two rats in Allahs sack can eat each other out there in their sandpits…but there`s no reason for the BBC to egg it up.
      At least Al Jaz and RT have “skin in the game”-so I`ll trust THEIR free output..not the “fascinating musings” of client sock puppets like Bowen, Johnson and Gardiner-serial liars and fantasists, forever Shaitans little helpers in their Djinn Palaces.
      The BBC continue to roll out the Persian carpets for the coming caliphate- and hacking them for being in the company of Islamic State is a correct call.

      Next up on the Beeb?…more tests for 11 year olds…and who else would the BBC invite in but ex Labour stooge turned trendy head of some academy…Francis Gilbert…with, no doubt-fellow Blair monkey turned trendy head Peter Hyman…to follow up on the message.(no need to actually learn how to teach and lead anymore in a London comp-just tell them the BBC or Blair is your reference!)
      The message _very Waters/always Gilmour.
      “Oi teacher, leave those kids alone”…unless it`s for Jim`ll Fix It or It`s a Knockout.
      Meanwhile-like Dimbly…it`ll be Eton for THEIR kids-just use the local comp for the gutteral cockney chorus…how BBC!
      Shut the BBC down from midnight to 4pm next day-could save a fortune, save energy, help Gaia and stop the traitors musing and fantasising about being Abduls drug mule…loose talk costs lives Gavin.
      Between Sunni and Shia?…just fund the loser until it flips-then do the same again…Islam needs removing, until it looks like it`s open to improving….

         6 likes

      • Grant says:

        I think the BBC need to tackle the question of why, if Islam is ROP, so many muslims are killing each other ? It doesn’t seem to happen with any other religion.

           13 likes

        • DownBoy says:

          Those ba***rds Sykes and Picot caused these peace loving peaceniks from the religion of peace to put down their koran peace manuals and kill each other. Whitey’s fault.

             9 likes

  17. Alex says:

    I note in this pathetic piece the vile Independent state at the bottom of the report that ‘This article will be updated as more information becomes available’ – Well, we’re all still waiting.

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/french-soldiers-open-fire-on-car-attempting-to-ram-mosque-a6793131.html

       21 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      From the comments, the Indy rather out on a limb here.

      Perhaps explaining why, like the BBC, they will probably run out of space, time and ecitorial integrity as the story evolves in ways the narrative is not configured to accommodate.

         13 likes

    • Andy S. says:

      According to Breitbart the perpetrator is a Muslim of Tunisian descent.

         4 likes

  18. Dover Sentry says:

    BBC 24 News:

    “”UK should ‘degender’ passports, says Maria Miller””

    “”Maria Miller, chair of the Commons Women and Equalities committee, said a person’s sex was “not relevant” on official documents, and it created an “unconscious bias” in job applications””

    “”Gender details on passports also do not assist with identification, she added””

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35214487

    Degender. What is this word??

    ..

       50 likes

    • wronged says:

      Maria Millier, the former culture MP who intentionally abused her office and stole public funds (from me) via expenses. Firstly why did she not go to jail, and secondly why should I trust the word of a thief?

         56 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        There will of course soon be issues on how to allocate which jail the Right Member is sent to.

           28 likes

    • Dave S says:

      One of the cultural marxists least attractive traits is inventing ugly words. This is a new low if that is really possible. Apart from deploring it’s ugliness I have nothing to say.
      Reality is going to deal with these people and their quaint obsessions.
      Look on it as part of life’s show and move on to more interesting thoughts.

         27 likes

    • deegee says:

      I always thought that one of the major purposes of a passport is to identify the carrier. That’s why passports the world over carry a photograph of that person. Granted, for a small minority distinguishing the sex of the holder can be difficult but for most of us male/female is clear.

         12 likes

  19. Mr.Golightly says:

    I was idly listening to Talk Sport this evening (it’s preferable to most BBC sport output) when I heard someone called Bethany Shiner on the “news” going on about potential criminal acts carried out by members of our Army in Iraq. A quick search reveals her to be daughter of Phil Shiner, and Bethany is a chip off the old block –

    “Bethany Shiner, 23, the daughter of high-profile human rights lawyer Phil Shiner, is launching proceedings against Sir Paul after being confined on Thursday in Trafalgar Square.” http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11993581

    https://www.justgiving.com/publicinterestlawyers (that went well!)

    5Live now giving it top story. The criminalisation and subsequent demoralisation of the men and women supposed to protect us, whether Police or Army, as they fear arrest themselves or allegations of “war crimes”, leaves us in a parlous state. It is being aided and abetted by human rights lawyers like the Shiner family.

       62 likes

  20. GCooper says:

    It will be interesting to see how the comrades report this story:

    Farage survives ASSASSINATION attempt: Ukip leader lost control of Volvo when wheel fell off on motorway and narrowly escaped death… police confirm sabotage

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3382294/Nigel-Farage-s-car-wheels-sabotaged-assassination-attempt-Ukip-leader-lost-control-Volvo-wheel-fell-motorway-police-confirm

    I can hardly wait for The Now Show.

       55 likes

    • Demon says:

      And was that aeroplane crash he was in during an election campaign an accident or…..?

         14 likes

    • TrueToo says:

      According to the Mail report the attempted murder (for that is surely what it was) happened in October. Anyway, it’s a grim thing to happen to a decent, courageous guy who has the interest of Britain at heart.

      Surprising that he didn’t want it investigated.

         19 likes

      • Grant says:

        Nigel has had a pretty rough time with cancer, aeroplane crash and now this “sabotage”. But I guess he can cope with it. Unlike Cameron, Nigel has balls !

           18 likes

  21. AsISeeIt says:

    Re the BBC online “hacking” story.

    Earlier this evening I saw a rather awkward chat between News Channel’s Martine Croxall and some BBC tech bod who “had spent 5 hours in Twitter exchange with a group claiming to have taken down BBC services” – as you do.

    Said BBC bod flies the kite that this was some American group who are aiming to hack ISIS on line but took out the Beeb by mistake – insert biased al-BBC joke here.

    Anyway, he goes on to say the group were testing their server (bit of tech-speak that might fool granddad there).

    Wait for this…. “earlier they took down the web-site of Donald Trump and when I challenged them to prove it they threated to do it again”

    Our Maxine (bless her) responded “You better stop talking to them before that happens”

    There followed a very awkward moment of silence in the studio which (although I hate them all on principle) had me rushing behind my sofa for their sakes like only Dr Who used to make me do.

    Sometimes the BBC makes me feel a little like Peter Tatchell – I wish everyone could just ‘come out’ – they’d feel so much better. All this pretence of balance must make them so sad. Go on Beeboids… come out! Tell the world you hate Donald Trump, Nigel Farage, Britain, the US and all things conservative.

       46 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      The BBC’s efforts not to inform or educate on what actually happened with a rather major story is proving entertaining at least.

      Maybe some enterprising soul can pop in an FOI on the ease of bringing down the state broadcaster, if only to be told it is none of the nation’s business?

         14 likes

  22. Guest Who says:

    Seems the BBC is starting the year as it has always carried on…

    http://bbcwatch.org/2016/01/03/bbc-news-ignores-gaza-missile-attacks-bbc-arabic-reports-israeli-response/

    Rather odd that the BBC’s lack of space and time for editorial integrity seems to operate on a Benjamin Button basis.

       20 likes

  23. thirdoption says:

    Several people posting on this site are supporters/employees of the BBC.

    Would they be good enough to give their views on the BBC’s decision to employ a convicted rapist, criminal and heroin addict as a judge on “The Voice”……Boy George.

    How can our globally respected, world class broadcaster justify giving large amounts of tax-payers money to this man/woman/transvestite/shim?

       44 likes

    • wronged says:

      Exactly right Thirdoption,

      Just contrast the hypocrisy of the AlBeeb feminazi reaction to Boy George as opposed to Ched Evans! I seem to remember them saying rape is rape.

         33 likes

  24. Mice Height says:

    Not BBC, but may be of interest to people here.
    This Twitter post is from the UN’s ‘Special Representative on Migration’
    https://mobile.twitter.com/PDSutherlandUN/status/683364450800386048

       4 likes

  25. Wild says:

    The fact that he was a coke head heroin addict convicted of imprisoning and assaulting a male prostitute does not count, it is only if at an after broadcast party he described a black tennis player as having hair like a golliwog that he would be sacked.

       42 likes

    • wronged says:

      Boy George is a typical alBeeb role model for our youngsters to admire!

         31 likes

      • GCooper says:

        Yes, wasn’t Angus Deayton sacked for lesser offences?

        A little consistency from the BBC wouldn’t go amiss.

        Sorry… I must have slipped into another dimension for a moment there…

           20 likes

        • Guest Who says:

          It was a different time.

          Not as different as when Uncle Jimmy was fixing it in the BBC carpark, but the BBC, management and staff ‘dip in’ (as it were) to smith or not, or get outraged, or not, and a highly variable basis.

          Just look at the various reports they commissioned… oh… sorry… most seem to have suddenly become exempt from public view too.

             15 likes

        • Geoff says:

          Richard Bacon was sacked from Blue Peter for similar, yet unlike Deayton somehow he managed to worm his way back into the BBC and carve himself a good career, of course his politics have nothing to do with it.

          Although Chris Evans misdemeanour’s are in no way comparable to those of Deayton and Bacon he went on a bender walked out on the BBC and was sacked. Yet the BBC welcome him back and place him on the nations most listened to breakfast show and once favourite TV show Top Gear as well as the One Show. The fact he once supported Ken Livingston for mayor of London, does give us an indication of his political stance…

             27 likes

          • Save Our Sense says:

            Don’t forget Craig Charles photographed smoking crack in a cab yet now he’s THE funk ‘n soul man on BBC6 Music. Crack FFS – and they sacked Clarkson for a spot of playfighting whereby nobody was seriously injured…

               17 likes

      • nogginator says:

        Crosser, is the new tranny is the new gay, is the new black, is the new, etc … is the BBC “trending”?
        All comes down to “offence”, once you let in the “feelings” industry, allow it to trump fact and common sense, the “end is nigh” for freedom of speech/expression.
        Through abject cowardice, and imbecilic politicians this has happened due to Islam …
        all the rest of the morons gladly follow on, back in the day anyone calling for death to Salman Rushdie
        should have been in prison, or protesting Ray Honeyford as a racist, immediately cautioned,
        Cat Stevens sacked and reprimanded
        … it didn t happen.

           10 likes

  26. AsISeeIt says:

    “Let’s move on, because I think we’re all in agreement, there”

    Gavin Esler chairs the Sunday newspaper review on BBC News Channel – but what is the point of the item when three smug lefty journos simply nod and tut in unison and predictably together as one harp on the mantras “Tory Cuts” “Climate Change” and “Back Bench Tory Eurosceptics”

    Calling all Licence Payers, our leaders and betters have considered all the issues and are now in complete agreement – that’s what the BBC Newspaper Review tells us.

    Oh and by the way, I’m damned sure today’s message from Labour Party HQ to all supporters : “Tory Cuts = Floods” and of course it’s Climate Change too (shout out to the Greens and Liberals). Well and good for the planet, man, but doesn’t “unprecedented” let the civil servants and Cameron off the hook?

    Gavin’s journos manage to nicely nuance the point and let both EU and London policies off the hook but keep the Tories and top fat cat bureaucrats on it : “Unprecedented but not unpredictable” (Is that faint sound I sense I hear somewhere in the bowls of the building a boffin at the Beeb testing the applause and laughter track for next season’s HIGNFY?)

    One of Gavin’s journos mused “We’ve only just started naming the storms and now already we’re up to ‘F'” Really! With that kind of insight words fail. Why on earth do these numpties think the Met office wanted to start naming pressure features – for Climate Change propaganda of course!

    Only on one minor aspect of a news story did Gavin’s guest journos break from their leftist line. The report about 11-year-olds not knowning their times tables. Even here the leftist teacher unions catch a free pass from a Washington Post journo apparently more preoccupied with her own hair (she continuously stroked it through the paper review) – “I know teachers are under pressure, perhaps it’s the teaching methods they are using?”

    I used to call him ‘Nice Guy Gavin’ because he seemed the one member of the BBC lefty mafia who could so pleasantly wave his little red book with such a winning smile – now I think I’ll call him Gavin ‘nifty lefty nuance’ Esler

       28 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      “what is the point of the item when three smug lefty journos simply nod and tut in unison’

      The whole point of ‘unique funding’, I’d hazard.

      Try getting an explanation of guest choices out of them, too, given unique exemption clauses.

         10 likes

  27. Gunner says:

    I am back down my rabbit hole in WIA land, and Happy New Year to all. While I was out, an angry soul name ‘Jerrod ‘ shoved a rude note under my door. It seems he/she was a bit cross with my views concerning those remarkable drama kings and queens in the W1A palace. ‘Jerrod’ thought the awards handed out last year by BAFTA was proof of their omnipotence, and got even more cross when some of you gently pointed out that BAFTA membership is not even remotely a representative sample of the British viewing public.

    In fact my own views on Beeb drama were based not on any personal preferences, but on the solid foundation of BARB viewing figures. On Saturday evenings the average TV audience is estimated at around 26.4 million ( with seasonal variations). To make it into the BARB top 350 programmes annually, a broadcaster needs to score around 8 million viewers, and while it is true that a few BBC drama products do consistently score at that level, many do not. One recent example would be BBC1’s “Cuffs”: The first episode, broadcast on 28 October, had an estimated 5.5 million viewers, by the eighth and final episode on 16 December that audience had steadily declined to 3.16 million. Even one of BBC1’s “blue ribbon “ products EastEnders has seen a significant (over 50%) fall in viewing numbers over the past 15 years from 17 million to around 8 million now.

    The Beeb is coy about its spend on drama productions but there are external estimates in the region of £300-400 million per annum. Their openly expressed intention is to use drama as “ a powerful mechanism for development” which is to say in plain language to mould social and political opinion according to a Beeb view of the way the world should be. Julian Felllowes, creator of Downton Abbey recently had the following to say on this: “The great thing about making Downton Abbey with ITV was that they just let us get on with it. The BBC wouldn’t have done that….They are not happy with dramas that that do not reflect their own political and philosophical viewpoint……they do not seem to see their obligation to reflect the differing viewpoints of the entire population, only the viewpoints of the group of the population of which they approve.” And reason enough why the TV tax must end.

       55 likes

    • GCooper says:

      The BBC simply could not have made a programme as socially complex as Downton. The last time it tried, with a remake of Upstairs Downstairs, it was as if the Islington chapter of the SWP had declared a temporary truce with members of the Tottenham branch of Shining Path and drawn up a checklist of socialist memes each episode had to hammer home.

         36 likes

    • Flexdream says:

      The American Emmys also like Downton Abbey

         7 likes

    • Stella2 says:

      Very interesting, Gunner. Not so long ago, the “powerful mechanism for development” in drama came up in a conversation I had with a long-time film producer – not that it was referred to as such. I can’t give his name or any of his work because it was a private conversation, but he has been involved with some very successful British films.

      He had recently had a meeting with the BBC drama dept to try to interest them an idea he and his partners have had for an historical drama. He was not only disappointed afterwards, he was baffled. Why was the BBC so completely indifferent to his project? The big stumbling block, apparently, was that the drama was not about “ordinary people” that everyone could identify with. It was, actually, but it also had some characters who were aristocratic – like, er, Downton Abbey, in fact – but even that didn’t cut it. My acquaintance grumbled a bit about how young and useless those who rejected it were. But his main objection was that they were indifferent to the concept of drama, art and story for the sake of great entertainment, and entirely preoccupied with jamming together a jigsaw of politically correct scenes, virtue signalling and the whole kit and caboodle of their nonsense. Though he didn’t quite put it that way, of course.

      At this point I suggested, diffidently, because I think he might be a bit of leftie by necessity in his line of work, that we shouldn’t close our eyes to the fact that the political agenda has crept into everything at the BBC, and to no one’s benefit but their own. ‘Do you really think so?’ he asked. ‘It’s something to think about,’ I replied.

      There we have it, a glimpse into dark side: the drama is secondary to the politics. Quite honestly, they are on the road to modern Brechtian pieces. (Has anyone actually ever enjoyed watching a polemic play except mad politicians?) Perhaps we should pitch The Good Gangster of Tottenham 1985 and see where we get to.

         11 likes

      • GCooper says:

        A very interesting and wholly believable post, Stella2.

        Quite how you tackle a hydra like this is anyone’s guess. The problem is that the BBC is now so stuffed with cultural Marxists that unless you replaced entire departments, you wouldn’t make very much progress. And even if you did, recruiting replacements would be exceptionally difficult as the sort of people who would be capable of doing the job are likely to have been moulded in the same fashion.

        We can see the results with BBC radio ‘comedy’ which is almost entirely humourless polemic, ditto radio drama, ditto BBC TV drama.

        Reluctantly, I have come to the conclusion that the only thing to do is close the entire organisation down and let commercial channels, now emboldened thanks to the success of HBO and the like, do what they can to fill the gap.

        It’s not as if we have anything left to lose, after all.

           10 likes

        • Stella2 says:

          Well, I’ve just watched War and Peace on BBC1. Very beautifully photographed, with some good and some not-so-good performances. The dialogue and modern mannerisms of the younger women seemed a bit off to me, but I am quite picky about that. But it did make me wonder about our discussion above.

          My friend was told to forget aristos, but clearly here we have a series all about aristos (though, so far, all on message with Pierre). So maybe what the drama dept meant was that they had enough aristos in dramas for a couple of years. An ambitious version of a sweeping classic has to be a fine thing so long as it’s not completely subverted.

          And then I thought, no. Actually this is all part of the problem that you raise, GCooper. Those of us free-thinkers always think we must be fair and give the benefit of the doubt, because we are evolved enough to know that nothing is black and white, and the most creative solutions to issues come from examining them from all angles. But this is precisely what the Cultural Marxists refuse to do. In their blinkered eyes, they are right and we are wrong. Any divergent views are rubbished or ignored. All they want to do is hold a mirror up to themselves.

          Much of the time I share your despair that it can’t be changed because their grip is too tight now. But then I talk to my student son and his friends, and realise that they are no one’s fools. They see what goes on – the way they have to write essays slanted to the left-wing views of tutors to get the highest marks. (Stalin would have been so proud.) They don’t believe the creed, but they are utterly pragmatic about it. I also think that ideas inevitably gain and lose momentum, if only because the rising generation kicks against the established views. Who knows what might happen in ten years? Internet broadcasting might make the BBC’s politicking look like as relevant as a washboard and mangle. There might even be real comedy shows, or at least ones in which lesser wits know they only have to shout the names Corbyn and Balls to raise a laugh.

             5 likes

  28. Geoff says:

    The BBC is no stranger to ex jailbirds, they often use the ex Mrs Huhne (Vicky Price/Vasiliki Kourmouzi) for her lefty feminist views on QT and Newsnight etc. Its strange Jim Davidson, although accused, never faced a court case, yet despite being popular on the BBC presenting The Generation Game and Big Break he has never found his way back on to the BBC….

    They would describe Boy George as a ‘national treasure’ so thats ‘s OK. Also don’t forget that this new series of the Voice employs arch feminist Paloma Faith.

       39 likes

    • Grant says:

      Geoff, I don’t see much of Jeffrey Archer or Jonathan Aitken on BBC. Can’t think why.

         16 likes

      • Demon says:

        They also had to find a way of banning Carole Thatcher as she was proved popular by winning I’m a Celebrity. An overblown issue of a nothing remark said in private was what they had been waiting for. What do these banned people have in common? They’re all C___________s. (Fill in the blanks yourselves).

           32 likes

        • Grant says:

          Demon, Beeboids really are so childish, they are pathetic.

             10 likes

        • Guest Who says:

          Seems a self-designated debating sensei is out and about sharing wisdom… maybe he’d like to chip in on such variability in BBC standards, even internally?

             7 likes

      • Essexman says:

        Hear them on LBC, now & again, both Lord Archer & Jonathan Atkin.

           4 likes

    • AsISeeIt says:

      ‘Also don’t forget that this new series of the Voice employs arch feminist Paloma Faith. ‘

      Our Paloma is no stranger to the BBC – for this arch feminist I recall there was one woman she doesn’t like to see doing a top job rather well – remember the classic Jubilee coverage ‘Royal Sickbag’ moment? That was our Paloma.

      I quite enjoy some of her music – but let artist’s music speak for itself – don’t ask her for her opinion on the constitution.

         17 likes

      • Rob in Cheshire says:

        Paloma is the bimbo who opened a concert in Gibraltar with “Hello Spain!”. No-one’s that stupid.

        You don’t have to be anti-British to work at the BBC, but it helps.

           28 likes

        • Guest Who says:

          Maybe she could hook up in acceptably diverse style with David Lammy and they could do a couples mash-up of The Voice meets Mastermind.. ‘Her Master’s Voice’? They’d so kill it.

             7 likes

  29. ObiWan says:

    The sneers from such as Jerrod who pop in here to deliver a few drive-by ad homs is laughable. When he’s projecting his doubtless impeccable knowledge of all things climate change-related he’s possibly veering into parody. Here’s a reasoned, sourced, factual account of why there has now been no scientifically significant warming for eighteen years and nine months. This not guesswork, or speculation or supposition or even prediction: this is a scientifically verifiable fact.

    The Global Warming Pause Explained

    Jerrod: do you dispute this? If so, why and by what evidence? After watching this – and digesting its evidence-based content – why do you think the BBC persist in their pretence that CAGW is a real thing, really happening? Can you explain the scientific basis upon which the BBC continues to propagandise on behalf of a phenomenon (CAGW) we know for a verifiable scientific fact to not be happening at all..?

       24 likes

  30. Leha says:

    Had a WTF? thought this morning on 2016.

    Clinton in the Whitehouse
    Remain in the EUSSR
    SNP Retain power in Holyrood
    bBC continues to expand its tentacles.

    pleassssse NOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooo!

    pass the feckin ammo…..

       24 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Clinton in the Whitehouse

      Which one? Bit of a blow, either way.

         15 likes

    • Essexman says:

      SNP in Holyrood, good for England, bring it on , only 2 parties can govern the “People’s Socialist Republic ” SNP or Labour. It keeps the English on their toes, reminding them of how bad a Labourite /SNP government would be in England.

         11 likes

  31. Beltane says:

    Having spent 2015 diligently pursuing their climate change, Islamic ROP and savage cuts agendas, our noble and impartial broadcaster added the fruitful themes of the Labour election win, Corbyn’s statesmanship, undeniable benefits of EU membership, justifications for losing another hatful of major sports’ coverage, the irrelevance of UKIP and the admirable credibility of the SNP.
    Now, on a more in-house note, the edifice attempts to establish its 2016 credentials by having us believe that viewing figures for ‘Sherlock’ topped the holiday period ratings and exceeded ‘Downton Abbey’ by some 2 million.
    Really? Jolly well done! You continue to amaze.

       25 likes

    • Thoughtful says:

      The BBC really is having to scrape British history to produce anything close to popular, because people want to escape the sheer horror of the world the Fascist Left and the EU have created for them.

      How ironic it is that a man who is clearly insane or playing to his potential employers should be selected to play the most intelligent detective in literary history !

      Today though, on the news the BBC have been referring to Corbyn reshuffle as getting rid of the more moderate voices such as Angela Eagle and Hilary Benn.

         19 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        The BBC does seem to like ‘shaping’ things, don’t they?:

        http://isthebbcbiased.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/the-monotheist-bbc.html

           8 likes

        • 60022Mallard says:

          So Julian Fellowes sees the BBC as a Labour supporting organisation, as do most contributors on here.

             20 likes

          • GCooper says:

            For the sake of accuracy, if the Mail is to be believed, Fellowes went out of his way to say he didn’t specifically see the BBC as Labour supporting.

            Here’s the quote:

            “Insisting he did not want to ‘label’ the broadcaster Left-wing, he added: ‘They’re just more interventionist. They seem to live in a rather Seventies bubble. They do not seem to see their obligation to reflect the differing viewpoints of the entire population, only the viewpoints of the group of the population of which they approve.

            ‘I am not sure that is completely just, given that the Corporation is funded by public money. I would not wish to see the BBC become a Tory supporting organisation instead of a Labour one, but I do think they should find a more polytheistic position.’

            http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/event/article-3377501/Downton-Abbey-creator-Julian-Fellowes-wealth-Belgravia-app.html

            I think everyone here would understand what he meant and most would probably agree.

               22 likes

            • Beltane says:

              A moot enough point GC, but it rather depends on how you interpret the meaning, or perhaps significance, of ‘instead’.

                 6 likes

              • GCooper says:

                Good catch!

                   2 likes

                • 60022Mallard says:

                  “A more polytheistic position” would also seem to imply he believes they have a more monotheistic position now!

                     3 likes

                  • GCooper says:

                    I suspect he was trying to distinguish between a cultural prejudice and a more overtly political one.

                    I would also bet that he was trying not to burn too many bridges!

                       10 likes

      • GCooper says:

        It’s coming to something when people like Benn and Eagle are regarded as ‘more moderate’!

        I suppose it’s true – but only in the sense that Ceausescu was ‘more moderate’ than Mao!

           17 likes

  32. AsISeeIt says:

    In rather whimsical mood at my local supermarket recently I noted the section labelled “World Food”

    Being of a contrarian mind, for a moment I contemplated the apparent and self-supposed opposite category of ‘out of this world food’ and imagined myself eagerly queuing for a basket of some of that extraordinary produce.

    My thoughts soon returned to earth with the realisation that the previously neutral, descriptive, and useful words ‘overseas’ and ‘foreign’ had somehow been outlawed with the imposition of PC culture.

    But if we supposed for sake of argument that the capitalistic corporation running the supermarket were truly following all modern internationalist marxian principles (as if) they would surely refrain from any form of segregation by origin of foodstuffs?

    No , what is going on here is that our mega-grocer is positively marketing these “World Foods” to us as special, vibrant, diverse etc. The supposed opposite category of produce intended to spring to the mind of the shopper is therefore not some version of my extraterrestrial musings but rather more along the lines of bland, pedestrian, ordinary, dull ,stodgy… god forbid…. ‘British’

    But wait a minute, there’s a paradox here. Wasn’t the very naissance of the hated colonial system the enterprising endeavour of a few westerners to reach out to far-flung locations in order to obtain a quantity of these spicy delicacies? Was that not a good thing? There’s so very many contradictions on the left.

       18 likes

    • hadda says:

      Compare and contrast also the importation of large numbers of people from the other side of the world to do jobs that the locals refuse to do in order to boost the economy 200 years ago and today.

         7 likes

  33. Owen Morgan says:

    I was just looking at a beebyanka website piece, entitled “Will China’s new law tackle terror?”, by one Raffaello Pantucci, of the Royal United Services Institute. In the final paragraph, he plaintively preaches:

    “[China] needs to find a way to not only disrupt terror networks but to understand why people are drawn to terror in the first place and how it can address the issue.”

    Significantly, the sole reference in the whole article to the word “muslim” is in the preceding paragraph and isn’t even used in the context of China, so Raffaello, or his editor, is being very coy about the blindingly obvious islamic connection common to virtually every terrorist worldwide. If you can’t be honest about the nature of the problem, it rather stands to reason that you aren’t going to come up with any useful solutions and, sure enough, the article doesn’t.

       17 likes

  34. chrisH says:

    Anyone remember Iain Lee?
    The Three Counties Twerking Berk who was fired for shafting Christians live on his show a few months back?
    Well–he was on Channel 5 yesterday morning-on the sofa, a yoof show of course..and the poor overgrown toddler is a walking basket case!
    The guy clearly needs Jesus-God-ANYTHING but that cocktail of pills he`s on, that duvet he hides in for days at a time-and that craving for attention and fame that fuels his sad, morbidly depressed life…without the rewarding mania and comedy that would otherwise make it seem worth the candle.
    The bloke is in bad way…and now I do wonder about the BBC using these fragile casualties of drugs, celebrity and media whoredom for “entertainment purposes”.
    A dancing bear in an open-necked shirt is STILL a performing creature, the result of abusive grooming and made an exhibit at a freak show…and sending him out of Lutons Polyclinic and onto the circus of ex hacks and kiddie presenters of Channel 5 is real dereliction of duty.
    Don`t the BBC KNOW of Occupational Health or Duty of Care to employees?…for Gods sake, they tell us enough of others failing to protect staff.
    Lee should never have been given a job….as much a crash victim as Lubitz or Harry Clarke, but the BBC avoid the blame.
    I`

       15 likes

    • hadda says:

      He’s also done at least two stints as host of 4 Extra’s ‘Comedy Club’ since his sacking. He’s a gibbering idiot with a face only a fist could love.

         20 likes

  35. Guest Who says:

    The big news from the last year, apparently…

    BBC Radio 4
    1 hr ·
    John McDonnell explained what made Jeremy Corbyn decide to run for leadership of his party. ‪#‎BBCmoments‬

    “…So then we turned to Jeremy”
    A reflection on one of the big moments of 2015, with Becky Milligan on PM.

    BBC.IN

    One comment so far. From a fan. That is, one not in the BBC. Supposedly.

       10 likes

  36. chrisH says:

    Anyone remember Iain Lee?
    The Three Counties Twerking Berk who was fired for shafting Christians live on his show a few months back?
    Well–he was on Channel 5 yesterday morning-on the sofa, a yoof show of course..and the poor overgrown toddler is a walking basket case!
    The guy clearly needs Jesus-God-ANYTHING but that cocktail of pills he`s on, that duvet he hides in for days at a time-and that craving for attention and fame that fuels his sad, morbidly depressed life…without the rewarding mania and comedy that would otherwise make it seem worth the candle.
    The bloke is in bad way…and now I do wonder about the BBC using these fragile casualties of drugs, celebrity and media whoredom for “entertainment purposes”.
    A dancing bear in an open-necked shirt is STILL a performing creature, the result of abusive grooming and made an exhibit at a freak show…and sending him out of Lutons Polyclinic and onto the circus of ex hacks and kiddie presenters of Channel 5 is real dereliction of duty.
    Don`t the BBC KNOW of Occupational Health or Duty of Care to employees?…for Gods sake, they tell us enough of others failing to protect staff.
    Lee should never have been given a job….as much a crash victim as Lubitz or Harry Clarke, but the BBC avoid the blame.
    I`d pray for the poor soul if he wanted it-as it is, he`ll maybe have to learn the hard way that God is Lord-Jesus is just who He says He is…and Lees crash and burn is a product of amoral media scum like the BBC who “employ” his likes for as long as they can whip a controversy from him or Daisy, Terry or Magenta…dead man walking I fear if he`s not allowed to blather somewhere safer than a BBC studio in daytime.
    Now wonder the BBC are obsessed re their mental health-using kids, abuse victims as little Munchie Hausens by poxy.
    The BBC seem to be too careless in the community for my liking-and their employees need filtering before getting jobs…Lee is a walking doctors note.

       6 likes

  37. chrisH says:

    Heard the BBCs Foreign Correspondents yesterday comment on the coming elections in the USA.
    Apparently it`l be “Hillary” versus Rubio…as long as Trump is kept out of it.
    My problem?…why is Hillary on first name terms…whereas her opponents are surnames only?
    They never call Mrs Thatcher Margaret…or ever MRS Thatcher-always her surname only!
    And-wouldn`t you think that the BBC would “rejoice” in that Clinton surname, given that-like Blair he won some elections on it?
    But no-Hillary it is, not even MRS Clinton…for that would upset Sandi and Claire I guess!
    In short-partial sly bias from the Beeb…and we`d best get used to it, but do keep a check on it-their bias is so obvious, and this “how we name things” matters-as we see with IS/Da`esh…militants v terrorists v jihadists…and all the other occasions when the BBC hope to turn our minds to Marylebone jelly by insinuation.

       31 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      “Hillary on first name terms…whereas her opponents are surnames only?”
      Em, that’s not not bias just practical.
      Say “Clinton” and it could be mistaken for BILL Clinton.
      It is custom to use the most distinct part of someones name espcially if one part is common. or long
      eg for Tories you get Boris, but Cameron (Instead of Johnson and David)

      I heard the prog and they were careful not to show their bias to the end when the mentioned fracking (mistakenly saying fracking for oil)

         0 likes

  38. chrisH says:

    Lots of travel for the BBC this year then?
    Euro 2016, elections in the USA for two biggies.
    Any chance of us scuppering the Snows, Krishnans, Shearers and Snows from all that free travel at our expense?
    Haven`t we got enough local newshounds and emigres over there who`l do the job so much cheaper…and be kinder to Gaias rough hands in the process?
    We don`t need Dimblys or Snow jobs on the lam at our expense-that`s what Skype and conference calls were made for.
    Ground the Media Plain Stupids…wing the buggers, or get Lubitzs prescription and offer it to airline pilots who`ve just come off the Lampadusa liners…there is no reason why Snow should get a freebie to shop in DC at our expense during Winterval-and Dimblys major and minor can fund their own crap for the Eton Rifler…we shouldn`t …Gaia BEGS for them to piss off…she told me so!
    Let the campaign start here, This is what a Feminist in a Fat retardent wrist band might look like, after a fire at the Dhaka factory…off to run round Camilla Batmanghedghli now…any sponsors?

       17 likes

  39. Thoughtful says:

    After yesterdays head scratching – don’t really know which position to take BBC output, over the murders by the Saudi government, Iran, justifiably outraged is definitely in the BBCs sights as ‘having engineered’ protests outside the Saudi embassy in Tehran.
    It seems that the RoP is only acceptable when it’s the Sunni branch and positively not the Shiite one. Again there is no logical explanation for this, other than the usual one of Sunni oil money buying influence.

       15 likes

  40. GCooper says:

    Yesterday, when I reposted the Mail’s scoop on the attempted assassination of Nigel Farage, I wondered how the BBC would treat this very important story.

    The answer, it appears, is that the BBC has chosen to ignore it.

    How different, had Nick Clegg or Nicola Sturgeon been at the wheel!

    So much for our ‘world class’ broadcaster, then.

       44 likes

    • Al Shubtill says:

      I thought exactly the same GC; also, can you imagine the response if it had happened to Diane Abbott or the Khan chap running for Mayor of London?

         29 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      ‘The answer, it appears, is that the BBC has chosen to ignore it”

      Could be worse; they could go back to making stuff up. Again.

      http://bbcwatch.org/2016/01/03/bbc-world-service-newshour-reports-a-book-ban-that-does-not-exist/

      Again, one might make comparisons with other aspiring pedagogic and/or misinformation entities who when they ban stuff immediately pop behind a ‘purposes of’ exemption they clearly would not allow others to use to avoid further challenge.

         10 likes

    • Save Our Sense says:

      An assassination attempt on the leader of the UK’s third biggest political party (by votes at the last GE) and our national broadcaster chooses to ignore it, while gleefully trumpeting absolutely any story whatsoever on Islam or IS and thus fuelling their barbaric cause.

      Treasonous traitors the lot of ’em and an absolute disgrace to this country.

         23 likes

  41. G.W.F. says:

    A major crime has been committed in the US against the ROP and has yet to be reported by the BBC.
    Inevitable backlash expected as white and far right extremists cower in fear.

    A bacon slice tied to the door of a Mosque. FBI on the case and a $5000 reward offered.
    http://pamelageller.com/2016/01/fbi-offers-5000-reward-after-bacon-found-at-las-vegas-mosque.html/

    " rel="nofollow ugc">http://pamelagellercom.c.presscdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/bacon-mosque.jpgbacon-mosque.jpg

       27 likes

  42. Wild says:

    The attempted assassination of a well known British politician is hardly a news story. Not in comparison with the story that shadow culture secretary Michael Dugher has rejected claims that Jeremy Corbyn is planning to carry out a reshuffle of his shadow cabinet.

       30 likes

    • zero says:

      “The attempted assassination of a well known British politician…”

      Yeah, right. Unfortunately, Farage has a history of making hyperbolic claims which, upon closer inspection, evaporate into thin air.

      http://bit.ly/1PFZAda

         3 likes

      • GCooper says:

        First, the story was corroborated by the Belgian police.

        Second, if Breitbart is correct (and they have an inside line with UKIP via Raheem Kassam) UKIP is ‘furious’ that the story was leaked.

        Third, it is still worthy of news coverage, even if it wasn’t true – arguably, more so.

           14 likes

        • Grant says:

          GC , and you can be damn sure that if the BBC had evidence that it was not true it would be headline news for weeks on end. Maybe they are working on it now !

             12 likes

        • zero says:

          “First, the story was corroborated by the Belgian police”

          Where? There are no quotes from the Belgian Police in the Mail article; only Farage’s account of what the Police said.

          “Second, if Breitbart is correct (and they have an inside line with UKIP via Raheem Kassam) UKIP is ‘furious’ that the story was leaked.”

          There’s no love lost between Kassam & UKIP; he left the party 7 months ago.

             2 likes

          • GCooper says:

            The following lines from the story might help:

            “When the police arrived at the scene, they told him that the nuts on all of the wheels had been deliberately unscrewed, The Mail on Sunday has established.”

            http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3382294/Nigel-Farage-s-car-wheels-sabotaged-assassination-attempt-Ukip-leader-lost-control-Volvo-wheel-fell-motorway-police-confirm-foul-play.html

            Meanwhile, Raheem Kassam left his paid role with UKIP to work for Breitbart – since when he has amply demonstrated that he has extremely good inside sources within the party, as you would know. If you read it.

            Please try harder.

               12 likes

            • zero says:

              “The Mail on Sunday has established” is not the same as; “Corroborated by the Belgian police”. It’s collection of words designed to give that impression without actually saying so.

              Also notable, is that nowhere in the whole of the Mail on Sunday report does Farage say that he thinks the nuts on his wheels were deliberately loosened, or that he was the victim of an attempted “assassination”.

              Although again, it’s written in such a way as to give the impression that he did without actually saying so.

              The whole story is nothing more than tabloid spin from start to finish.

                 3 likes

              • Guest Who says:

                Rather depends which tabloid that gets read, one supposes…

                http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jan/03/nigel-farage-says-police-told-him-car-accident-was-foul-play

                It all seems rather rum but then most that reaches our screens via a press release or ‘source who says’ is.

                The whole thing is strange, but no more than a possible attempt to assault a major political leader being treated by many media as ‘not news’ or a joke from the get-go. Imagine if he’d heard sniper fire as he dashed from the helo?

                For now I merely continue to wonder why there is still so much debate raging, whilst no one from the news media seems to have tried or been able to get anything confirmed or denied from the people quoted.

                   4 likes

  43. Sir_Arthur_Strebe-Grebling says:

    Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has announced that all primary schoolchildren will have to learn their multiplication tables, now dumbed down to be called ‘times tables’. The bBBC website report is reasonably balanced – perhaps they have some naive interns working the holiday weekend? – but News 24 has been in full leftie mode, first giving a platform tointerviewing a looney lecturer, who failed the question of 11×12, thinking it was 111, saying it was unfair to make children learn anything. Then, an hour later, their speed-dial had got hold of the Marxist NUT head Christine Blower, and gave her plenty of time to say exactly the same drivel, that it should be up to teachers to decide what the kids are taught. Or usually, not taught.
    It’s thanks to ‘teachers’ like these, given lots of airtime by the bBBC, that this country’s educational standards have been driven to an all-time low.

       37 likes

    • wronged says:

      With over 400,000 state teachers employed in England alone only 19 teachers have been officially sacked in the last 20 years. Incredible I know but true all the same.
      So the assumption is that there are hardly any bad teachers, it is a job for life. Inspections are in nearly all cases providing advance notice to schools and not ‘on the spot’. Difficult children asked to take the day off.

      Nowhere for difficult disruptive children to go except to another neighbouring school.

      Weak management permeates schools with pupils knowing that they have complete power.

      Educationally we are in a mess. Principle sufferers of past recent educational policy have been the white working class child.

         31 likes

      • wronged says:

        One further point is that teacher training is of a shockingly poor standard, again however poor these lecturers are at the job they too have a job for life. They are invariably failed teachers themselves.

        I am an ex Head, retired.

           32 likes

        • Grant says:

          I am shocked,shocked to learn that by age 11 they do not aready know their multiplication tables.

             24 likes

          • Larry Dart says:

            Quite.
            We were taught our times tables by the age of eight and that was at a State junior school in the early 60’s in a pit village in the NE.

               18 likes

            • taffman says:

              Larry
              Same here in the far west!

                 6 likes

              • taffman says:

                Despite the millions of pounds spent on our ‘progressive’ education , there are thousands of kids in India being taught in mud huts who leave with better maths and English skills.
                British Education has gone down hill and down the pan in the last forty years with the advent of ‘liberal’ teachers. Now the government is beginning to take heed. British Industry has been aware of it for a long time .

                   12 likes

                • Grant says:

                  taffman, it is the same in Gambia. The kids’ literacy and numeracy skills are far higher than in UK, and the schools have almost no resourses. Blackboard and chalk !

                     11 likes

              • Larry Dart says:

                And probably the same all over the country at the time.
                I had a wonderful education both at junior school and later at grammar school without the teaching staff having to mollycoddle me. I suppose expectations were higher back then.

                   5 likes

              • Kennedy says:

                And in Ireland! (That was a reply to Taffman)

                   1 likes

            • richard D says:

              Basic numeracy and literacy/communication skills (i.e. not the constant use of ‘LOL’, ‘like’ and and their ilk) are fundamentals in education, and for years the UK has been falling backward in these areas.
              This obviously flies in the face of the apparent improvements in our education system, with so many people now achieving previously unthinkable levels of ‘A’ level passes, attending university, graduating and attaining really highly-skilled jobs (because we apparently no longer need or want our pupils to go into anything less after they leave.)

              And the reality is, of course, that we’re kidding ourselves. Not that long ago, I read a report that some 75% of all university bursars in England (and it wasn’t just these ‘universities’ which were once vocational colleges) were running remedial numeracy and literacy courses in their establishments, because students were incapable of coping with a University environment. I’m not talking about the gap between school and university teaching/learning methods – they were receiving fundamental skills training which they should have had way back in their education – but strangely, these students were attaining school grades commensurate with starting undergraduate courses.

              We are just deluding ourselves.

                 13 likes

              • BRISSLES says:

                I shuddered when I learnt that the son of a friend of mine was teaching physics in a secondary school – despite not being university or teacher training educated ! Apparently he got good GCS results in the subject and progressed from teaching assistant to permanent teacher status when vacancies couldn’t be filled ! I seriously couldn’t understand how this could happen, but its true, and appears to be not unusual.

                   7 likes

                • taffman says:

                  BRISSLES – Its Simple !
                  There are plenty of graduates with degrees in ‘soft’ subjects such as Sports Science, Media Studies, Literature, Drama , and Theology etc, but there’s a shortage of people with degrees in Physics, Maths, Chemistry and Engineering or any ‘hard’ subjects.
                  Its being going on for years since Blair came to office . All school leavers were encouraged to go ‘Uni’ instead of the real world of work.

                     6 likes

              • BBC delenda est says:

                rD
                No-one on BBBC is deluded or deceived by the educational “achievements” under the NUT or other lefty union interested in only indoctrination.

                When I passed my 11+ about 12% of the population went to university.
                Following a process of separating the wheat from the chaff.
                The 11+ being the first of the winnowing processes.
                Then there was the discarding of those whose ‘O’ level results were unsatisfactory.
                Followed by discarding those whose ‘A’ level results were unsatisfactory.
                Finally, some university applicants were rejected by the university.

                In the last half century either :-
                a) The population has experienced an unprecedented, and unexplained, increase in intelligence.
                or
                b) Teachers have been able to inculcate hitherto unparalleled amounts of information into UK children.
                or
                c) There has been massive, Marxist inspired, grade inflation.

                Silk purse, Sow’s ear.

                   12 likes

            • thirdoption says:

              I had to be able to recite my multiplication tables backwards, non-stop, all day whilst doing a 16 hour shift down the pit….and I was only three years old.

                 2 likes

            • Geyza says:

              In the small village school (combined infant & Junior school) I was educated at in the 1970s, I was expected to know all the multiplication tables up to 12 x 12 by the time I was seven. We were quized every day on them. At the all-male state Junior school I moved to when I was eight, we were doing long division and long multiplication and memorizing the 13 and 14 times table too. I was no more than an average pupil at that school, this was not considered pressured or stressfull, but simply, thought of as what school was for.

              Any educator in any capacity whom appears to believe that expecting 11 year olds to know their multiplication tables by the time they are eleven is “too arduous” deserves to be sacked.

                 5 likes

  44. Grant says:

    Songs of Praise has a piece now about the forthcoming “Father Brown” series being presented by Ann Widdicombe. Leaving aside the catholic connection, Ann seems to one Tory the BBC like. I wonder why ? Something about the night ?

       11 likes

  45. Grant says:

    BBC Website refers to Jihadi John as ” British IS propagandist “. And that’s it.

       16 likes

    • taffman says:

      Surely he was a traitor?
      Has Al Beeb already airbrushed that term out of the English language because it is ‘Non PC’ ?

         7 likes

      • Grant says:

        taffman, they omitted to mention that he also had a habit of beheading people. I suppose that is propaganda of a sort but they make it sound as he just sat in a radio station broadcasting !

           6 likes

  46. Guest Who says:

    I do like a good transcript, and as ever ITTB has come up trumps:

    http://isthebbcbiased.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/absurdist-antisemitic-tragicomedy-with.html

    Plus I cannot but admire just how fair the two site gurus are in trying to see the other side’s case.

    ‘I didn’t think Simon Lederman was sympathetic in the slightest. He was just out of his depth’

    Around which it all hinges.

    What is the point, and value, and justification for a force funded broadcaster if they are continually out of their depth. And… seem to have an odd knack of really getting dragged into the mire when dealing with those who they think should not be denied a platform?

    All it needs in Ian Katz to pop at the end of Newswatch and apologise for them not covering the outbreak of WW3 as they ‘ran out of time’. Again.

    “Now, after the skateboarding turtle, in the studio we have Ken Livingstone, George Galloway and Jenny Tongue, Mehdi Hasan and a lovely young man Gavin and Evan gave a lift to coming back from Calais, to talk about anything that catches their fancy. Sure, Sal, just pop your rucksack over there”.

       12 likes

  47. popeye says:

    Radio 4 Pick of the Week with Liz Barclay: – “And now from iplayer , Desert Island Disc with my all time favourite politician, Tony Benn”. Of course he is dear, you wouldn’t be working with the Beeb if he wasn’t

       29 likes

  48. deegee says:

    Starting the year as they ended it — with half a story
    Israelis charged over fatal West Bank family arson attack
    The BBC would never write a similar piece of the trial of Palestinians by the Authority for killing an Israeli family if for no other reason that one has never happened.

    Amiram Ben-Oliel, 21, has been charged with murder, and a second suspect, a youth, as an accessory to murder. Had this been a Palestinian the BBC would have interviewed his family and accompanied it with a photograph of grieving mother denying her son could be involved and the accused as a butter-would-not-melt-in-his mouth teen.

    The killing of Saad and Riham Dawabsha and their 18-month-old son, Ali, in the village of Duma last July sparked international condemnation.. It also sparked condemnation in Israel going up to the President and the Prime Minister. Moderate, democratic Mahmud Abbas has never condemned an attack unreservedly except in terms of the wrong timing or not helping the Palestinians’ case.

    According to the indictment, Mr Ben-Oliel carried out the attack in retaliation for the killing of an Israeli settler in a drive-by shooting one month before the Duma attack. Didn’t the victim have a name or details? Does living in the wrong place justify murder? Did the BBC report the attack?

    Saad’s brother Naser was unconvinced by Israel’s commitment to the prosecution.

    The Dawabsha family were asleep when their home was attacked
    “We have no trust in the Israeli judiciary. They would not have launched an investigation were it not for the international pressure on them,” he said.
    Reported without reply from any Israeli. PM Netanyahu made this statement the following day after the attack, “This is a terror attack in every respect. The State of Israel deals forcefully with terror, regardless of who the perpetrators are.” It was reported by the BBC although predictably within the body of a report about how furious the Palestinians were.

    It also prompted the Israeli government to approve the use of administrative detention – a procedure under which a military court can order suspects to be detained indefinitely without charge or trial – for suspected Jewish terrorists. Wouldn’t the BBC have fudged the ‘T’ word — militants. perhaps?

    The arson case has been cited as a factor in a spate of attacks by Palestinians on Israelis across Israel and the occupied West Bank. Has it? I don’t recall. Most captured attackers blame the presumed (and false) attacks on Al Aqsa.

    An the last sentence: Lawyers for some of those detained over the arson attack allege their clients were tortured to extract confessions but this has been denied by the Israeli authorities. Surely that is news hidden in plain sight. Under the inverted pyramid theory that every journalist is taught the further down the page it is printed the less important is the content and the more likely to be edited out for space considerations.

       11 likes

  49. Flexdream says:

    Funny how the BBC can push a story to the top of the headlines, then silently quickly drop it.
    Whatever became of the Incredible Non-flying Muslims? Remember them?

       17 likes

    • richard D says:

      It is a key part of the BBC agenda. Absolutely blast a story into prominence with little or no fact-checking or data-sourcing, find someone who is not ‘on-side’ with your agenda, to either blame, or create the impression of being to blame, and blaze off with another weakly-put-together story the following day………and absolutely never back-check on anything unless new ‘information’ comes to light, apparently supporting the BBC’s view of the story.

      I recall this tactic used to great effect by the BBC and Messrs Blair, Brown, et. al., just after their 1979 election victory. For around 100 days or so, it seemed, the then Labour government came out with a new ‘policy’ almost each and every day, which was picked up and promoted by the BBC, and despite there being little or no actual details presented with these policies, they were used by the BBC to lionise the new Labour government, and to lambast/embarrass the then Conservative opposition, who, of course, without any facts to back up these daily pronouncements, had little they could say.

      Of course, this just went on and on, and at no time during that first Blair-led government did the BBC – our very expensive, unbiased, news provider – ever did go back and examine just how many (in reality, just how few) of these pronouncements ever came to be presented for debate in Parliament, let alone came to fruition. This, of course, provided a picture of a Labour Government, competently in control of events, busy doing lots of things, and bursting with new ideas.

      Of course, it all started unravelling after the first couple of years of fiscal prudence by Mr Brown (i.e. when he was following exactly the financial polices of his Conservative predecessor), after he started out on a spending binge whose effects we are still feeling today. But the BBC was then so dazzled and convinced of the ‘dynamism’ and ‘vitality’ of said Messrs Blair and Brown, that they failed to actually follow stuff up – like Mr Brown’s ‘No more Boom and Bust’ where massive increases in public sector employment and spending were touted as ‘economic growth’ rather than the ‘debt growth’ that they really were.

      Now, of course, we are seeing the reverse implementation of such ‘crowd-moaning’ used to attack a government which the BBC just hates. It has been noticeable over the past few months now, that NHS pressure groups (including the fancily-named and disguised Unions, ‘think tanks, and eruditely-named ‘bodies of opinon’) have been arriving on the BBC’s doorstep in a suspiciously orderly and evenly-spaced manner, almost on a daily basis, and each blaming the current government for all their ills – conveniently missing out on any blame of bloated NHS management boards and committees, few of whose Chief Execs or Financial Execs could apparently run a whelk-stall within a budget, and all in the belief that there really is a money forest out there, but the nasty Tory party is hiding it and using it for is own benefit.

      As I said at the start of this post – it’s all part of the BBC agenda of mis-information.

         21 likes

      • Essexman says:

        Think you meant 1997 , the year zero . If it had been 1979 , the BBC would of been in meltdown , the blessed Maggie`s, election victory year .

           5 likes

        • richard D says:

          Yup, you’re right, Essexman. A little finger trouble, I am afraid. Thanks for spotting/correcting.

             3 likes

  50. logiebored says:

    Someone called Mukul Devichand, who is, apparently, Editor of Trending for BBC Online, has revisited the Charlie Hebdo hashtag and found the mass murder of cartoonists as something to be questioned for its resonance and pertinence a year on, after ‘two brothers stormed the offices of Charlie Hebdo’. Two brothers eh? How familial.
    So the Je suis Charlie hashtag took off, but, and I quote…

    ‘The first thing to happen – and quickly – was that many declared they felt alienated by “Je Suis Charlie” because, despite the horrific events, they still disagreed with the magazine’s editorial line. Those cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed for example, didn’t just offend Islamists – they were criticised by many others as racist.
    Within just a day of the January attacks, a counter-hashtag peaked – “Je Ne Suis Pas Charlie” or “I am not Charlie” – driven by users from France and the West but also popular in the Middle East, Latin America and Pakistan.
    The day after that, another – much bigger – hashtag peaked on Twitter, “Je suis Ahmed,” which used the name of a policeman, Ahmed Merabet, who was killed in the attacks and was a practicing Muslim.
    “Je Suis Charlie attributed some kind of nobility to the content of the newspaper, which I couldn’t really agree with,” says Dyab Abou Jahjah, a Belgian writer who tweeted that tag. “My problem with them is that they publish racial stereotypes of Muslims.” ‘

    Ah, those racist dead cartoonists. Didn’t take long to get there. Anyway, onward Mukul goes and writes of the difficulties of the magazine to continue, especially with armed guards etc etc.
    Then we have the latest atrocity, which is described thus by Mr. Devichand…

    ‘After a plane full of Russian holidaymakers crashed, an incident that was initially linked to so-called Islamic State in Egypt, Charlie Hebdo published a picture of a skull with a caption many Russians found in bad taste: “The dangers of low cost Russian flights.” It’s one of several of the magazine’s cartoons that thousands of people online rushed to condemn, after the attacks on the paper.’

    Yes everybody, that Russian plane just ‘crashed’, and more importantly, Charlie Hebdo made a disgusting sick joke about it.
    Ultimately, Devichand sums up thus…

    ‘The disenchantment for some with Charlie Hebdo perhaps tells us something about the problem with all symbols, and especially with the simple, catchy phrases of social media – they are never quite nuanced enough to include everyone. ‘

    You see, you silly satirists, don’t go getting yourself murdered, and then have someone remember you with a symbol or hashtag. The people you upset, and who kill you, won’t feel included, and neither will their despicable apologists in the media.

       20 likes