Sunday Open Thread

7 Responses to Sunday Open Thread

1. Englands Dreaming says:

   January 17, 2016 at 6:59 pm

   Whilst having a bath yesterday I was listening to the World Service and caught the second half of Global Business about the economic impact on Germany of the migrants. It was so rose tinted and one sided I decided to listen to the whole pod cast, see below.

   http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03dzchl#play

   We are given interviews from companies providing services for “refugees” who unsurprisingly thought all the new arrivals a great idea and these were given as examples of the economic growth the migrants will bring. If I ran a company charging 70euro an hour for translation services then of course I will think the migrant crisis is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

   An economist tells us that the 1st year cost of 1m migrants will be about 20bn euros and that Germany can afford that and represents “only” 0.6% of economic output and is a useful fiscal boost for the country. Mmm, normally (except in a dictatorship) if a Government was to spend so much money there would be some public debate about the pro and cons. To put this is some sought of prospective I calculate it is something like half the annual defence budget. And what happens if this year Germany has another 1m migrants? Is the cost then still insignificant, especially if the German export engine starts to stall further? No such questions were asked. But we are told that there is a strong economic case for open door immigration, tune in for part 2.

   All forecasts about the economic “benefits” of the 1m plus migrants should be taken with a great deal of caution. This is a completely new situation and we have nothing to compare with it. It is interesting to have a look what the people were previously being told, in September it was thought the cost might be 10bn euros, but what’s another 10bn here or there to mighty Germany? Ask the Greeks perhaps.

   And we were given what I would say were pretty close to downright lies: We were told that there is a “bedrock of support” among the German people for the migrants (but latest ZDF poll shows a majority saying Germany cannot handle the influx) and that the anti-migrant demonstrations after Cologne were matched by rival larger number pro migrant ones, is that true? The popular press, Bild, etc are “staunchly” on the side of the Government as they know the economic benefits all these new arrivals bring!

   It is clear to me if not to the BBC that the German people will not accept tens of billions of euros being dished out to migrants for much longer.

      25 likes
2. G.W.F. says:

   January 17, 2016 at 7:02 pm

   What is happening in Germany? Not much recently from the BBC. Germany has always welcomed migrants is the latest tune – Italians and pasta. A country of immigration says BBC echoing the words of Professor Dr. Alexander Kritikos. Meanwhile, there is Pegida, and these youngsters from We are the border, Wir sind die Grenze, making a bit of a scary presence. It looks to me as if it is going to turn very bad very soon.

   Back in the UK, Unite the Union are providing anarchists and Antifa street thugs with coach transport to provide a counter demonstration in Dover to combat protesters against migration. Hurry, they say, space on the buses if filling up.

   http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35131925

      16 likes
3. embolden says:

   January 17, 2016 at 7:10 pm

   Stark contrast in news values this Sunday evening at 18.00

   BBC news top stories in order…
   1 The thoughts of chairman Corbyn on disarming the submarine service and reducing it to a job creation scheme for Unite members.
   2. Obamas diplomatic triumph ( the Iranians have already defaulted by testing a ballistic missile ) but the agreement went ahead anyway so an “Iranian American” journalist could be freed. The Christian minister also freed got airbrushed out of course.
   3. More protection for the environment around Britains coasts.
   4. Wayne Rooney scored a goal.

   Meanwhile flicking on to Sky I found more thoughts of Corbyn, something about “back channels” to negotiate with IS and the need to look for the strengths as well as weaknesses in IS, oh and and we need a friendly chat with Argentina about the Falkland Islands. (What’s to talk about? They want ’em, we’ve got ’em, the residents are content……end of.)

   Imagine my surprise to turn to Qatars propaganda channel, Al Jazeera to find….IS massacring hundreds and taking scores of hostages in Deir a Zor, IS getting a good kicking in Iraq, dozens killed, the hunt for terrorists in Burkina Faso following the terrorist attack on hotels and coffee shops, Sunni v. Shia war in Yemen and impending famine in Ethiopia.
   But NO MENTION of Jeremy Corbyn…..call themselves a news channel?…..pah!

   Hope no one minds the duplication on to the new thread.

      31 likes
4. G.W.F. says:

   January 17, 2016 at 7:38 pm

   It should be very clear where our Prime Minister stands in relation to the BBC and the ‘far left’. He is in there with Corbyn, Livingstone etc. Make no mistake. Cameron appears to stand alongside Azad Ali, a suspended civil servant after supporting a fellow muslim who declared it was his religious duty to kill British soldiers.

   From the UAF Facebook page and Wikipedia entry.

   About Unite Against Fascism
   Organization

   ‘UAF members outside the BBC Television Centre protesting against the appearance of BNP leader Nick Griffin on Question Time.
   Unite Against Fascism (UAF) is an anti-fascist pressure group in the United Kingdom, with support from politicians of the three largest political parties in the House of Commons, including the current Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron and the late Labour politician Tony Benn. It describes itself as a national campaign with the aim of alerting British society to a perceived threat of fascism and the far right — in particular the British National Party (BNP) — gaining a foothold at local, national and European elections, arguing that “there is a real danger that the BNP could get a significant platform in elected institutions.”

   As of 2014, its honorary presidents are Doreen Lawrence, Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon and Ken Livingstone. Its joint secretaries are Weyman Bennett of the Socialist Workers Party and the Anti-Nazi League, and Sabby Dhalu, formerly of the National Assembly Against Racism (NAAR). One of the UAF vice-chairs is Azad Ali, who in 2009 was suspended as a civil servant in the Treasury after he wrote approvingly on his blog of an Islamic militant who said that as a Muslim he is religiously obliged to kill British soldiers in Iraq.’

   Good to see where Dave stands.

      32 likes
5. rockefella says:

   January 17, 2016 at 7:41 pm

   Laughably tuned in to Sunday Politics hoping Andrew Neil would press Salmond on the implications of the oil price. At the end of the piece, he introduced the topic in a deliberately convoluted question. Salmond filibustered as only he can, completely avoided the issue – and oh “thats all we have time for”! Come on Andrew – you are our last hope …..

      26 likes
   • Beltane says:

     January 17, 2016 at 8:17 pm

     And yet Andrew found time to comment on the scenic backdrop to Wee Eck’s interview. I’m surprised the quick witted little chap didn’t think to claim the bridge behind him was proof of scots engineering, capable of withstanding the savage Toory floods.

        23 likes
   • ThomasR says:

     January 18, 2016 at 3:20 pm

     Mr.Salmond has his own slot on LBC now. There was an attempt to pin him down on the potential loss to the Scottish economy if Trident was withdrawn. Classically, he derided this stating that increased public sector “investment” could mitigate this many times over. “This is the land of Adam Smuth” remember, you can harvest from the money tree year on year.

        7 likes