Midweek Thread 11 March 2020

Budget Day . A golden opportunity for the Biased BBC to take the role of opposition desperately trying to undermine Brexit and a newly elected Government . Let’s see…

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377 Responses to Midweek Thread 11 March 2020

  1. Roland Deschain says:

    Apologies if already posted, but there’s a petition to hold a referendum over net zero that may be of interest to some here.

       13 likes

    • Up2snuff says:

      RD, no need to apologise. Please keep reminding folk about this. I have already signed.

         8 likes

    • Woolwich says:

      Signed.
      On confirming my email address via the link that gets generated, it’s suggested that I contact my local MP to tell them that I’ve done so.
      Given that “my” MP is the far left activist Kate Osborne, the woman who shared a “humorous” meme of Theresa May with a gun to her head, and is incumbent in the Jarrow seat purely and simply because she was parachuted in to replace a decent, long standing MP who was charged with sexual impropriety ( and it’s all gone very quiet on that front anyway), I’m sure you’ll all forgive me for not bothering to tell her.

         11 likes

  2. StewGreen says:

    This article by statisticians explains why it is wrong
    #1 to dismiss Coronavirus extreme scenarios
    #2 Expect the extreme scenarios to come true

    https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/science-and-technology/coronavirus-death-rate-risk-uk-usa-what-is

       11 likes

  3. StewGreen says:

    Prince Harry spoke with Russian hoaxers who pretended to be Greta Thunberg
    He fell for the prank and hit out at Donald Trump during two phone conversations
    Today, Piers Morgan said the the hoax call was ‘indicative of his kind of mindset’
    Piers Morgan has slammed Prince Harry over his ‘very woke’ hoax phone calls with Greta Thunberg which ‘revealed his us against the world attitude.’

    Harry – who thought he was talking to Greta Thunberg and her father Savante – claimed President Donald Trump had ‘blood on his hands’ and would be ‘outsmarted’ by the teenage environmental activist

    Harry claimed that Trump’s support of the coal industry was negatively impacting island nations that he and Meghan had visited.

    He later added: ‘Unfortunately the world is being led by some very sick people so the people like yourselves and younger generation are the ones that are going to make all the difference.’

    “the more we should knuckle down and try and make it happen”

    Remember Megan and Harry look down on Thomas Markle and told him not to talk to anyone cos media betray you.

    The six hundred comments run against them

    The Mail article carries adverts with the fake news smokey STEAM chimneys

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8099093/Piers-Morgan-slams-Prince-Harry-woke-hoax-Greta-Thunberg-phone-calls.html?ico=amp-comments-viewall#comments-8099093

       27 likes

  4. Up2snuff says:

    TWatO Watch #1 – A New Favourite?

    We are used to having Vasiliki Kourmouzi rolled out on the Radio4 airwaves to opine on all things governmental, especially economic items, but now David Gauke appears to have been added to the list. The Montacutie sort of implied that Mr Gauke was still an MP although now sitting as an Independent. I thought he had lost his seat at the last General Election after he left the Conservative Party and stood in his constituency as an Independent.

    Wiki (usual disclaimers, ie. could be wrong) has Gauke as the defeated, second place, man.

       16 likes

  5. StewGreen says:

    Moral Maze debate on Islamophobia tonight
    My notes are halfway down our previous page.

       11 likes

  6. StewGreen says:

    Times : Ministers reject independent panel on BBC funding.

    The BBC defenders ploy was to try to insist that an independent panel should decide, NOT the elected government.

       23 likes

  7. StewGreen says:

    Last night on BBC4 there was a repeat of the 2016 remake
    quote “I watched the BBC recreation of ‘Till Death Us Do Part’.
    A wooden performance.
    At no time was there any semblance of the late great Warren Mitchell’s Alf Garnett.
    I shan’t be watching any more of this “

       20 likes

  8. s.trubble says:

    Richard D.. re Gaelic nomenclature on polis cars and ambulances….in Brigadoon

    You’re spot on ….an egregious and patronising waste of money …

    Watching a learn Gaelic programme some years ago one clip featured a boat trip in the western isles………being Scotland it centred around the bar…………..

    pint of Lager

    and in subtitles

    pinnt laaga
    an a wee hauf

    Uisge

       14 likes

    • JimS says:

      Ditto Welsh.

      The English can cope with the French word café.

      The Welsh, up there with Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia, India, Ethiopia, Mexico, Peru, Honduras and Guatemala as growers of the brown bean had to invent…caffi.

      I bet any word not related to breeding sheep is a modern invention, the purpose of which is to create division where none existed before.

         14 likes

  9. digg says:

    Amid the screaming coming from the BBC about the victims of the Flu outbreak and who is to blame etc…

    They run another much quieter piece about another infection sweeping across the land which for some reason has always been very lightly reported…

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51804454

    Yep, it’s HIV and apparently the story is looking a bit more rosy… less men are being added to the list and even one man being the first ever to be “cured” out of the many, many thousands who have it or will get it.

    The story goes on to half suggest excitedly that future advances in treatment may even mean that unprotected sex between men will be absolutely fine in the future. (without a face mask or hand sanitiser!)

    It probably won’t make the 6 o’clock news but may offer some reassurance to a large percentage of male employees at the BBC.

    Maybe someone should stand outside and yell at them “have you been tested?” as they enter the building as we hear that this approach by journalists themselves to MP’s seems to be acceptable.

       37 likes

  10. vlad says:

    The beeb plugging their racist wet dream for all it’s worth, now under the guise of a ‘quiz’.

    ‘Quiz: How well do you know Noughts and Crosses?’

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zkw8kmn

    9b913aef984d615499128afd411b2494.png

    Sorry it’s so big.

       23 likes

    • Richard Pinder says:

      I note that the BBC’s racist wet dream has been constructed from simple minded plagiarism. Noughts & Crosses gets its plagiarism from (1) The Planet of the Apes (2) The British Empire (3) The Deep South (4) The European Union, and (5) The United Nations.

      Example:

      Dawn of the Planet of the Apes:
      Ten years after the global pandemic of a deadly Simian Flu, the worldwide human population has been drastically reduced. Civilization is destroyed from the result of social collapse. The apes all bestowed with genetically enhanced intelligence by the virus take over.

      Dawn of Noughts & Crosses:
      Ten years after the global pandemic of the deadly Coronavirus, the worldwide Eurasian population has been drastically reduced. Civilization is destroyed from the result of social collapse. The Africans all bestowed with genetically enhanced intelligence by the virus take over.

         15 likes

      • Up2snuff says:

        RP, the Beeb did mention this a.m. that it was also a rip-off of Romeo and Juliet. The Beeboid didn’t explain, however, why the BBC like it so much. 😉

           11 likes

  11. G says:

    Well, its just been announced: The WHO has declared Covid-19 to be a Worldwide pandemic. Well, fancy that, who would have guessed.
    My faith in the common sense of officials whatever and wherever they hail from has always been low but within the last 3/4 years it has taken a dive. We now live in a World made up of total nonsense.

       32 likes

    • Thoughtful says:

      https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2020/3/9/21163412/who-coronavirus-covid19-pandemic-world-health-organization

      This might go some way to explaining what an outbreak, and epidemic, and a pandemic are, because the way the world responds to them is different.

      Very few viruses ever reach the stage of pandemic, and there is a reluctance to declare them as such, it indicates just how seriously the WHO are taking it, even if our government aren’t.

         5 likes

      • Up2snuff says:

        Thoughtful, I think HMG are taking Covid-19 seriously apart from that ‘sing Happy Birthday’ thing. Chris Witty (CMHO) appears to be handling it far better than Sally Davies (his predecessor) would have done, in my view.

        The folk that I think you should be criticising are the BBC. On R4, their questioning and enquiry on serious matters has been severely lacking.

           12 likes

        • Thoughtful says:

          Taking it seriously? Refusing to even test arrivals from China & Italy at let alone banning flights from high risk areas?

          Refusing to ban public gatherings such as sporting events because Boris bottled it again.

          Taking the usual socialist line of stopping people buying masks at market prices.

          I don’t think they can be described as taking it seriously at all.

             8 likes

          • Khaa2091 says:

            Fewer than 10% of cases will get picked up with temperature screening, assuming that the patient has not taken any paracetamol or ibuprofen in the preceding few hours.
            America, which has had widespread screening for the past week, has currently detected 1 positive who was high risk (and known to be such) anyway.
            How many negatives – with the disruption / queues / economic cost is it worth to pick up one person?
            Nobody knows what will happen, but 17000 people die a year from flu and I don’t see people having to provide evidence of immunisation to their work places.
            The government, and by extension the NHS, are taking this EXTREMELY seriously and everyone from the prime minister down is trying to balance unknowns to come up with a sensible plan.
            COI spent the weekend writing a COVID plan for my hospital department.

               16 likes

    • Beltane says:

      Added to by Mutti Merkel who adds her customary commonsense to the argument by forecasting a 70% virus hit. Sadly she means the whole nation.

         13 likes

    • johnthebridge says:

      Did Pete and Roger REALLY say that?

         0 likes

  12. Thoughtful says:

    Some new evidence of China falsifying Coronavirus figures, this time by a factor of 52 times !

       6 likes

  13. Fedup2 says:

    Good news for us

    ‘Press Gazette reader poll shows 47% favour BBC scrapping licence fee’

    Based on a survey size of a thousand site users – many on whom I might suspect to be BBC droids – so a good indication of lack of public support for the BBC . Kill the licence and sell it off

       29 likes

  14. thehoiman says:

    You would think a newspaper which begs for money from a readership of self-described philanthropists would have no trouble paying journalists.

       28 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Never a shortage of lefty journos – he ll get hired by the BBC – unless he is not biased enough of course. Looks like the NUJ isn’t upto much ….

         21 likes

    • Thatcherrevolutionary says:

      Good.

         4 likes

    • G.W.F. says:

      If Russell Jackson thinks many people at the Guardian do great work then he does not deserve to be paid.

         4 likes

  15. Guest Who says:

    Lovely to see so many kids back at the bbc.

       11 likes

  16. Guest Who says:

    Hiring borderline English as well as scientific illiterates is very bbc.

       15 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      Harra’s Twitter bio
      BBC Energy and Environment Analyst.
      Interested in risk, transport, cities.
      Hon Fellow of St Catharine’s Cambridge.
      Deniers call me Archbishop of Climate Change

      That is a little bit strange cos actually he is often referred to as Cardinal Harrabinbut NOT Archbishop

      Google shows only ONE independent use of the label
      \\ Roger Harrabin ..known as ‘The Archbishop of Climate Change’//
      7th of Feb, Daily Mail paragraph by Ephraim Hardcastle

      Google has 14 other webpages calling him CARDINAL H

      ES3N9biUwAEBo5x.jpg:small

         6 likes

      • BigBrotherCorporation says:

        “Some people call me the space cowboy, yeah
        Some call me the gangster of love
        Some people call me Maurice…”

        Personally, I prefer to call him the Harridan, or just feckwit…

        ‘Early life and career
        Harrabin was born and raised in Coventry, England where his father ran a building firm with his wife and brother.[2] He attended Stivichall Primary School and King Henry VIII School.[3] He then studied English at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge,[4] where he was president of the Junior Common Room. He started a college newspaper.

        He began his career on the Coventry Evening Telegraph. He developed a specialism reporting on the city’s ethnic minority population, who were previously largely ignored in the media.[citation needed] He won a prize in the British Press Awards in 1980 for a series of features tracing the roots of Coventry Asians back to Pakistan and India.

        He joined the independent Thames TV News as a producer whilst also freelancing for several years as a Saturday sports sub-editor in Fleet Street on The News of the World and The Sunday Mirror. During a spell at BBC Radio London he revealed how the Metropolitan Police was training its riot control officers using Roman Army tactics.[citation needed]

        BBC career
        Harrabin joined BBC radio’s The World at One, where he won a succession of Media Natura Environment Awards for reports on issues related to the environment and development.[citation needed] He also won the One World Media award after revealing how changes in trade rules would affect sugar workers in Guyana, and a Sony Silver Award for reports on development dilemmas in Africa.[citation needed] He was shortlisted for Sony Reporter of the Year.[citation needed]

        The Today Programme created a roving role for him, and he spent a decade there travelling widely, reporting and organising series on issues like globalisation, health and the role of women.[5] He won an award for an investigation into flower-growing in Kenya which showed that multi-national companies tended to take better care of their workers than local firms.[citation needed] He won another award for a feature on child labour in Bangladesh which demonstrated that for many girls, work in a “sweatshop” was preferable to the other alternatives of prostitution or working as a domestic servant in the Persian Gulf.[citation needed]

        Environmental issues
        In 2004 the BBC created the role of Environment Analyst so Harrabin could work across all media. He did reports for Newsnight on uncertainty in climate forecasting and on geoengineering to combat climate change. He won the Media Natura Award for TV documentaries for Gas Muzzlers,[6] a film on green energy investment in President Bush’s America.

        In 2007 he shared the Media Natura TV News award for films on the Ten o’Clock News. One report from Bangladesh highlighted the need for climate adaptation – a topic little discussed at the time.[citation needed] Another report revealed how China was building two power stations a week.[7] A third demonstrated why the Chinese need to increase energy production to tackle poverty. It also traced a Chinese-made energy-saving product – dryerballs – and showed how some people in the West were blaming China for its emissions created during the manufacture of goods for export. Harrabin popularised discussion of these “embedded” emissions, and showed that there were problems in all methodologies comparing international greenhouse gas emissions.

        In September 2010 he presented Uncertain Climate, a highly praised[who?] two-part documentary on Radio 4, which examined media depictions of climate change.[8][9] He also reported for TV from a Chinese cave on how scientists are using stalagmites to decipher past monsoon patterns.[10] Later that year he completed a documentary outlining the difficulties faced by organisers and delegates at the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.[11] Harrabin was founder presenter of BBC Radio 4’s environment magazine “Costing the Earth” which was created to bring a lighter touch to environmental issues and to question environmental goals.[12]’

        All from Wiki (so it must be true)… to sum up, ‘Archbish’ Roge has absolutely no scientific qualifications, or credentials at all, has made a career of promoting BBC agendas, and really doesn’t have a clue what he’s talking about, and doesn’t care so long as it’s whatever’s in vogue today, but that’s not going to stop him from telling us all where we’re going wrong (and woe betide any who dare to disagree with the Archbish!).

           10 likes

    • Thatcherrevolutionary says:

      I look forward to the day when I hear ‘Net Zero’ from Harrabin.

         12 likes

  17. Jeff says:

    So (our former) Prince Harry has been duped by a couple of Russian pranksters.
    I’ve not heard the recording of their jape yet, but apparently they succeeded in imitating our beloved green goddess, Greta Thumbelina. I mean…these pranksters are two hairy arsed Ruskies. How the f…dickens are they supposed to have got her voice right?
    The lady newsreader, who had heard the recordings said “They did sound Russian, to me” Yeh…and male I’d have thought.
    And of course right on cue our PC prince delighted in dishing the dirt on Trump…well there’s a bleedin’ surprise. Trump’s a monster with blood on his hands and it’s down to environmental heroes like Greta, Harry and Meghan to save the planet…while they continue to clock up the air miles.
    What an absolute 22 carat plonker!
    I used to like Harry. He seemed a decent and genuine young man, but it’s got to be said, he’s as thick as pig slurry. In the brains department he’s like a cross between Trigger and Rodney.
    The sooner he pisses off with Princess Prissy back to Canada the better.
    And they can take Thumbelina with them…

       56 likes

    • digg says:

      I’m afraid our Harry is a doppelgänger for the majority of people in the UK under 35 and most slebs, no need to think just spew wokishness and you are in the in-crowd!

      I’d put money on him being on-stage with Stormzy at Glastonbury this year too!

         33 likes

    • G.W.F. says:

      Jeff

      This prince who blurts out his views to Russians posing as Gretas once had an important post in the armed forces. Let that sink in.

         30 likes

      • BRISSLES says:

        Well I think that Meghan has been drugging him since she met him. He has had a personality transplant, sports an angry yet vacant stare all the time, and has to be guided around by his arm by Mystic Meg or steered by her hand on his back when in public. He’s clearly not the sharpest tool in the box – which has already been said by those who know him well.

        Once the dust has settled and the Missus is flaunting herself around the studios for a starring role – (which its said she wants a big part but not one that is centre stage, as she realises she’s not a big enough name to carry a picture !), and Harry is babysitting at home, he’ll soon realise what he’s done. That marriage is well doomed.

           35 likes

        • Charlie Farley says:

          BRISSLES
          Totally agree with you…..she is a gold plated Narcissist ! . Having suffered myself from a woman like that he is in for rough time …….Thankfully Mrs Farley rescued me

             27 likes

          • Up2snuff says:

            You know what I think is cute about Harry & Meghan? When you see them together in profile, they have matching noses.

            Aawww!

            I will be glad when there is a spell of silence over that couple and they get some peace & quiet and we all get some peace and quiet from them.

               1 likes

      • Fedup2 says:

        Gwf
        I haven’t got time for the royals but it does seem a bit odd that Harry Windsor dumped his responsibilities as figureheads of regiments such as ( I think ) the Royal Marines – I’m sure his wife must be worth it …

           23 likes

  18. Thoughtful says:

    Today , the mortality rate in Italy has risen to 44% and even the MSM has taken notice.

    However as might be expected following the mission to deceive the public into not panicing they are telling people that the reason for the high mortality rate is that Italy has an unusually elderly population.

    If current mortality is maintained, then 3.1 million will die in Italy alone – shocking figures, and if this was reflected in the UK we’d be looking at 3.5 million, maybe more.

       5 likes

    • The Old Bloke says:

      The mortality rate is close to 4.4% not 44%.

         14 likes

      • Thoughtful says:

        https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/italy/

        827 (44%)
        Deaths

        Not a pleasant number at all

           0 likes

        • Fedup2 says:

          Thoughtful – if your number is correct – a 44% mortality rate I think even the most incompetent government would have shut the country by now – on your number you are saying that around 30 million people could die in the UK .

          A number – 44% – that cannot be correct .

             15 likes

          • StewGreen says:

            I already explained yesterday
            The error is that this weeks deaths happened to this weeks patients
            but this weeks RECOVERED patients come from the patient group from 3 weeks ago.
            and since the patient base is growing week by week this weeks RECOVEREDs come from a much smaller pool than this weeks DEAD

               7 likes

            • Fedup2 says:

              Stew – yes – deja vu again . I’m ignoring direct fatality number regarding the Chinese bug on this site unless it relates to the BBC – some people like the absolute ‘we re all gonna die ‘ stuff ….
              But I refuse to see the end of the world – even though I’m a full on pessimist . Come summer it will be gone .

                 12 likes

    • Dave S says:

      You might be working on the total deaths as a % of those who have recovered. That does not take into account those who still are considered to have it. The Worldometer site is the reliable one.
      In general though your points are good. We here have not taken the measures we should have done. India has just basically shut it’s borders. That tells me something.

         18 likes

    • Up2snuff says:

      T, 66m x 20% = 13.2m x 44% = 5.8m. Reality is that our island status appears to be serving us well at present with this Covid-19. We appear to have a relatively low infection rate for a country where air travel is important. HMG’s response I think has been good and proportionate so far.

      You may wish to panic and see conspiracies everywhere. I would say that’s your choice but would urge you to keep calm, carry on, be sensible and careful out there. I hope you stay healthy from all germs as well as Covid-19 free.

         7 likes

  19. digg says:

    Might we be seeing a bit less Grime adoration from the BBC from now on?

    Solo 45 trial: Grime artist guilty of raping four women

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-51841177

       23 likes

  20. StewGreen says:

    Miriam has just been on Moral Maze
    60% of the time her response was “The is an imperinent question, I am not going to dignify it with a response … Muslims are the victims of the majority of hate crimes”

       19 likes

  21. Dover Sentry says:

    The BBC, the EU and the Home Office are mirrors of each other.

    Good luck Boris 🙂

       30 likes

  22. StewGreen says:

    These people think everyone else is the bigot

       20 likes

  23. Zelazek says:

    The Moral Maze. Good God, the awful Myriam Francois gave Tim Stanley a hard time, didn’t she? No-one can refuse to answer a question like a white female Muslim convert. But what really bothered me was this: There was an assumption round the table that there were terrible “Islamophobes” out there who hated Muslims out of ignorance and then there were decent Islamophilic people like the panellists who merely had the odd mild criticism about the religion who shouldn’t be tarred with the same brush. It didn’t wash with me. I think everyone who fears and hates Muslims does so because they know what Islam entails – its pious fiction of it being a religion of peace, that it has a clear doctrine of violence towards unbelievers which jihadis understand perfectly (but the liberal elite wish to obscure) and its ultimate aim to subdue the world and impose Islamic law upon all its inhabitants.

       52 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      Was it the first or second guy
      who said that what Treveor Phillips said would have been Islamophobic , but it wasn’t cos the context is that Trevor is good guy ??

      That seems to me the guy was making judgement on NOT that was said but WHO said it
      ie He is Pre-judging ..ie prejuduced
      ie if a REGULAR WHITE guy criticises Islam this is “Islamophobia”
      but if someone else criticises Islam this IS NOT “Islamophobia”

      So these guys are actually being RACIST themselves.

         34 likes

    • Beltane says:

      I suppose you could call it a sort of koranavirus.

         28 likes

  24. vlad says:

    ‘Will my Asian family accept my black boyfriend?’

    The burning question of our time…

    …in Beebland.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-51823799

    _111214734_tumelo_ithra976.jpg

       23 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      Sorry which advert are they from ?

         53 likes

    • JimS says:

      ‘Will my Asian family accept my black boyfriend?’

      No. I hope you haven’t got any brothers.

         28 likes

      • Fedup2 says:

        Jim
        I wonder when the Canning Town murders from last week will start being changed into ‘charged but cannot be named for legal reasons’ and it turns out to be a third world ‘dishonour ‘ job ?

        Although it Pakistani types killing other Pakistanis it doesn’t have the ‘traction ‘ of bad whitee …. racist ..’extreme right ‘ with a dozen race industry kidults pronouncing their anti British agenda on the BBC …

           24 likes

    • Dystopian says:

      The very fact that they are asking the question, to me, is an admission that the author belives that “Asians” are racists.
      Do they mean Chinese by the way or do they mean “will my muslim family accept my non muslim boyfriend”?

         14 likes

    • Rob in Cheshire says:

      ‘Will my Asian family accept my black boyfriend?’

      The answer to that question is no, they won’t. But remember, only white people are racists!

      Next!

         8 likes

  25. Celtic_Mist says:

    Biased BBC will now be scratching their heads on how to turn this against Trump.
    If it had have been Obama they would be weaponising it against the UK government..

       22 likes

    • Scroblene says:

      The ‘news’ about President Trump banning EU flights, broke while Dotun Adebayo was on Radio 5 Live. The responses had to come from those bastions of impartiality, Wapo and Huffpo, both explaining nothing but drivel!

      I will be fair to Dotun. I just cannot detect anything but impartiality on his programmes. Although the East Coast journos aren’t his choice, he has to listen to them like Rhod Sharpe used to (well, he does live there and they’re all old mates)!

      Dotun did also hold an interview with a guy from Bishopsgate Financial, which was getting a proper businessman’s view of the budget. The message was loud and clear, and they both made a good fist of the positive arguments for the latest budget. There was no leftie BBC bias, just real facts! Good!

      By the way, who was the wizened old bloke standing up in the HoC after the superb budget, and whining in a failing voice about something called ‘austerity’? What on earth was he babbling on about? The confused mutterings of an old fellow, who’s spent all his life being paid eye-watering wages by you and me, and creating nothing, was an eyeopener – and all because the BBC gave him a platform to whinge from, as someone who thinks he actually is aware of what’s going on!

      It really was a comical show, and if there is ever a combatant and competent opposition in the offing – and ‘sources say’ that there won’t be for ages – , there has to be some sort of home for these old people with nowhere to sleep at nights, (and no seats on trains)!

         26 likes

      • JimS says:

        Dotun is so thick that he doesn’t understand how to play to the BBC agenda.

        Rhod Sharpe watched CNN and it gave him his programme for that evening.

           2 likes

    • JamesArthur says:

      Too late BBC R4 are currently slagging off POTUS for his travel ban…

      on the other hand they are moaning that the travel ban from Italy wasn’t put in soon enough..

      cake and eat it…Trump is going to be knocked for anything on BBC

         32 likes

      • fakenewswatcher says:

        James -Was that Justin Webb? He’s going to make maximum anti-Trump mileage out of ANY news item, so checking in with his European buddies was the strategy to go for. “Unfit to be President” was the prompt he was trying to get agreement for, and to give him credit – he has been trying that approach very hard for over 3 years.

           15 likes

  26. Guest Who says:

    Luckily the BBC knows which newspaper offers insights, and hence commentators, that get to the core of serious issues.

       16 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Yes Hep A B C and general clap on top of HIV and the Chinese bug – she / he would have to be worth it .

      My personal orgy organiser has emailed me to say the usual Thursday night bash is ‘ off’ so I spose I’ll be watching wolves ….

         17 likes

    • RobRoy says:

      “Should orgies keep going in the age of coronavirus?”

      Damn – there goes my plans for the weekends. Now we know it’s a crisis.

         14 likes

    • JimS says:

      Headlines in waiting:

      Does coronavirus target transgendered women most?

      Does coronavirus target BAME women most?

      Does coronavirus target gays most?

      Could coronavirus end ‘pale stale and male’?

      Questions are always speculative and never news.

         19 likes

  27. Guest Who says:

    Dr. Zurcher pronounces.

    Trying to be fair, one presumes this is a physiological insight rather than the more usual bbc policy view.

       25 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      His professional technique appears to be passing on other ‘news’ outlet’s stuff…

         1 likes

  28. Fedup2 says:

    Celtic
    I reckon Mr Trump is teasing the EU a bit . I wonder how the US – which has border control – will prevent a free for all of `EU types . Landing in UK and then booking an onward ticket ?

    If UK passports are given special treatment that would be a nice psychological hit for Brussels- it’s a game though because if the bug is going to spread as quickly as i think borders will be closed – except of course the UK …..

    As for the BBC using this against POTUS – the guardian is already going at him for justifying the Mexico wall even more . That rag says Mexican infection rates are low – as if Mexico is a country with a system that can count …..

    Personally I’m in favour of cursory health checks before people fly and cleaning airplanes but neither of these seem practical …I’d also relax the limit on liquids carried on planes a bit.

    ( edit update – it was early when the above was written so I realise the FAA and homeland insecurity have passanger manifests which includes whether you’ve got netflix or prime .

    So there’ll be plenty to emotional mainland Europeans having scenes at airports ..

       23 likes

  29. Guest Who says:

    The understatement here is rather deft. If likely to pass Bowen and Simpson by.

    https://bbcwatch.org/2020/03/12/hamas-announcement-puts-a-bbc-narrative-into-perspective/

    Maybe they will get cough on parts in ‘Saving Yasser Arafat’?

       12 likes

  30. Guest Who says:

    Have to love the media, especially the Mirror.

    In what way would locking a bunch of travel addicted senior beeboids in a recirculated air facility help?

    That said…

       37 likes

    • JamesArthur says:

      Maybe they could stay there and we just turn off cameras….

         25 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Guest -I wonder if the hierarchy of BBC drones will have their own bunker palaces – the maitless one would be based on one of Saddams underground palaces .

      Has the BBC stopped big weekly propaganda exercises like Question Time and all those ‘gigs’ where a bunch of numpties stand behind the speaker whooping and clapping in that imported American style ?

      I’m sending this from my bunker in New Zealand – my next door neighbour is that nice Tom hanks …

      There is an alarming lack of plague jokes at the moment ….. and the cruise ship I got here on was jolly ( this might be as much as a falsehood as the poster who keeps putting a 39 to 44 % mortality rate on this site )

         18 likes

      • Up2snuff says:

        Fed, listen again to the bit of TOADY immediately post-the 8.30 a.m. sport bulletin. Pure comedy. Even the accent and the ire was a bit comedic. Enjoy on BBC ‘Noises’ or Radio iPlayer.

           7 likes

        • Fedup2 says:

          Up2
          If you will give me a dispensation from my Lentern Retreat from the BBC I will have a listen but will feel guilty about increasing their Rajar? Figures by one ….I’ll get back to you

             7 likes

          • Up2snuff says:

            Bless you, my son, dispensation from your Lenten fast herewith! But if you wish to maintain it, I approve.

            OK, alternative cheer then from Matt in the Daily Telegraph.

            Interior, two people seated at a table, one asks the other “Can the £30billion for Coronavirus be passed from person to person?”

            🙂

            Matt is brilliant.

               10 likes

            • Fedup2 says:

              Up2 – l listened for the first time since Ash Wednesday – I’ve not missed it and have to admit I choked when our Justin introduced article 25 of the US constitution to get rid of POTUS . As for the frog – just another corrupt jobsworth gravy train lightweight .

              Two foreigners talking about the measures a head of state he is taking to protect his country – worth a try even if biology will beat it .

              I don’t know that I’ll ever go back to regularly listening to ‘toady ‘ – I listen to music instead. I’m also free of most other BBC output and it is far easier than I thought .

              It truly is alien to me now …

                 12 likes

              • Scroblene says:

                Mrs O’Blene and I occasionally watch the 6pm news as some sort of penance – we usually have a tincture about then, and as the fire is lit and well away, we enjoy a laugh and the odd moan now and again.

                The bad bit is when the South Eastern news comes on and we get all the ‘victims’, losers, saddos etc, and by 6:30pm, it’s time for a refill…

                   7 likes

                • Up2snuff says:

                  Scrobie, I do hope the tincture dulled the pain of having to watch BBC TV.

                  Am so glad the Snuffy household is free of telly and Covid-19 so far. Hope you stay healthy. Think one of my nightmares is that in a decade or three, Snuffy may be parked by the rels in a home somewhere and forced to watch daytime TV.

                     1 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        Live from the bbc bunker.

        #CCBGB

           9 likes

        • G says:

          GW,
          “…….if you want to share your experience…..”
          No doubt prompted by the question: ‘Are the Government doing enough?’

             5 likes

          • JamesArthur says:

            G
            Why does anyone want to hear another whinger on the radio?

            I have just finished my isolation and got a negative test..no need for extra toilet paper – and I am self employed..so no income..
            But what is the point in whining…and you can be sure nobody who calls in will say it was great..
            It will be – Govt not doing enough – as you said G

               5 likes

  31. G says:

    One item on Toady earlier concerned a, “Report” from some outfit I have never heard of before. ‘Not another, “Report” from some ‘O’ level student’ I hear you say. No, seriously, the report (no mention on the BBC News website I can find), tells anyone interested that the building and financing of coal fired power stations should halt forthwith as solar/wind is much cheaper.
    I don’t think of myself as an idiot but the immediate question comes to mind, dear BBC, what happens when the wind ceases to blow and, (where!) ‘the Sun don’t shine’? Perhaps the ‘news’ item was conveyed just to keep the subject on the boil and to avoid any obvious questions from the public which the ‘O’ level authors may have overlooked in their haste to get their ‘assignment’ marked.

       24 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Currently on FB the bbc is gushing over a ‘solar powered petrol station’ (me either).

      Luckily, it is scheduled to open in summer.

      Plan your trip (sing) accordingly.

         15 likes

  32. Up2snuff says:

    TOADY Watch #1 – Bruno makes himself look stupid

    How hard did the programme have to search to find a Frenchman (of Italian extraction? – judging by the accent) to rubbish US President Trump and his ban on flights to the US from Europe, excluding the UK? Bruno Bannell (Bunel?) duly obliged the BBC but made himself look like a complete and total numpty.

    No mention that WHO have said the European centre of the Covid-19 outbreak is in Italy. No mention that air travel traffic to and from Italy from the USA, especially New York, is normally very high.

    A wonderful comedic moment, providing several good laughs.

       23 likes

    • fakenewswatcher says:

      The key numbers are the cases per million inhabitants in each country. On that number, the UK has about one tenth of the infections of many European states: Italy, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway have about ten times the UK infection rate, Germany, France and Spain 5x-8x the UK infection rate.
      Trump was being logical, trust TOADY to make anti-Trump mileage out of this.
      One could almost say that TOADY are VIRULently anti-Trump, as is much of the beeb.

         26 likes

  33. Dover Sentry says:

    BBC Online News:

    “Young teetotallers help ‘nolo’ beer sales to rocket”

    “Research firm Kantar found that two-fifths of British people aged 18-24 do not drink or are trying to moderate their alcohol consumption.”

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51833135

    BBC Agendas and agendas.

    The photo shows three women of the snowflake variety and only one is white. Two are black. There is a black male in the background. BBC utopia. No white males and the rest women.

    No mention of London where Islam predominates and alcohol is not welcome. Another BBC utopia. Could this be why the BBC are anti-alcohol???

       27 likes

  34. Guest Who says:

    Brave.

       5 likes

  35. Doublethinker says:

    I used to think that back in the migrant crisis of 2015 those who advocated Europe opening its borders to the invasion knew that this would disrupt Europe and start its long decline. I rejected the idea that they were too stupid to realise the long term consequences of allowing a few million Muslim men into the continent.
    Five years later I am revising that view after reading readers comments in the Times under stories about the Greek border crisis with Turkey. There is a fair proportion that ask the type of question ‘ why do these migrants want to come to Europe but reject European values and refuse to integrate?’ . It’s as though these folks have just realised that these migrants aren’t like us , don’t want to be like us and never will be like us but still want to be in our countries , but the readers haven’t yet worked out why! To still think like this in 2020 displays extreme stupidity but I suppose that it is a sign of progress that even retarded liberals are finally realising that mass migration of Muslim hordes might not be a wholly good thing.
    The problem is though that the ‘ opinion formers ‘ , all liberals , BBC staff, Times reporters etc, aren’t stupid and I think that they know exactly what the outcome of mass migration will be but that they strongly desire such an outcome. Shutting down the BBC and is a necessary first step towards preserving our country as we know it. The government must act.

       49 likes

    • Up2snuff says:

      Double, when Fed and I were swapping posts about Lionel Shriver and her left/right/centre-wing political status at the weekend, I nearly used the phrase of her – and should have – that Melanie Phillips uses to describe herself: ‘a Liberal mugged by reality’.

      I like that phrase – ‘a Liberal mugged by reality’.

         18 likes

      • Doublethinker says:

        Yes it sums up the situation that liberals increasingly find themselves in. Unfortunately these dummies are taking the rest of us down with them.

           6 likes

      • Fedup2 says:

        They are just dumb and have a light grasp on reality . Why would an 18 year old Muslim boy want to come to the land of the infidel ?
        They can have all worlds . They can pretend to be good muzzies praying 10 times a day and ‘ networking ‘ at the local mosque . And then there’s the ‘good things’ which appeal to 18 year old boys .

        I’ve tried to read their book but it’s to hateful for me and live in a world surrounded by them .

        Will they get to a number able to control cities ? Yes it’s not far off . Control of the media is happening very quickly with no signs of any criticism of Islam and the overt suppression of protests and news about their rape gangs busily carrying on the hobby of raping white infidel girls who I guess they see as only ‘meat’ .

        The best thing is not being dependant on North African rubbish pretending to be civilised because of the likes of shale gas and alt energy sources .

           16 likes

  36. theisland says:

    Have we [properly] left yet?
    or rather
    Why haven’t we properly left yet?

       8 likes

  37. theisland says:

    I wonder how much ‘coverage’ this will get.

       21 likes

  38. Jeff says:

    I’ve been quite bemused at some of the reactions that seem to be following the corona virus. I visited my local Co-Op yesterday and it had been completely stripped of toilet paper. If ever you want to sell anything in this country suggest there might be a shortage…and you’ll create one.
    The media reaction to Donald Trump has been as we might expect. When he seemed quite relaxed about the virus the talking heads were telling us he was like Nero fiddling while Rome burned. “What’s he doing?” they screeched. “Thousands will perish”.
    Now that he’s banned all flights from mainland Europe I’ve noticed the very same people are telling us he’s over reacted. “He’s lost his marbles. He’ll crash the economy”.
    In essence, if Trump says white they say black.
    Anyway, personally, it won’t make much difference to me.
    I’m a self isolating miserable old git at the best of time, so…
    I’ve got my books, a few bottle of milk, a couple of loaves and a freezer stocked with home grown veg’.
    However, there is one rather delicate aspect I’d like to run past you . It’s not easy to talk about, but…
    Do you have any spare bog paper?

       35 likes

    • Beltane says:

      I hear the best readily available source, in large sheet form but easily cut to size, can be found in uncirculated bundles of 100 at railway stations the day after the issue date.
      This date can be found to the right of the word Guardian, at the top of the page.

         23 likes

    • Dystopian says:

      Jeff, we can do better than bog roll. At last we can put to good use all those “TV Licensing (no) authority” empty threatograms!

      Also,
      “ In essence, if Trump says white they say black.”

      Yes and if Trump says black they say “racist!”

         16 likes

  39. BRISSLES says:

    Bloody public, sodding media, mad politicians. Sick at the lot of ’em !

    Every aspect of life, and the cry goes up “woz the guverment doing about it ?” Jesus H C, its become worse over the years, – I’m stuck on a cruise ship when are the government bringing us home ? – my home is flooded, the government has forgotten us. — I’m shivering a bit and coughing a lot, why cant the government do something about it.

    The public are prats and refuse to take responsibility or use common sense, the media creates panic fuelling debates, and the government just do what is feasibly possible because they are not miracle workers.

       36 likes

    • Beltane says:

      We are simply enjoying the longer-term results of the Welfare State, a concept which seems – if accidentally – designed to nullify what was once quaintly known as ‘moral fibre’.

         15 likes

    • JamesArthur says:

      Brissles – can we start a petition to ban the phrase 🙂 “woz the guverment doing about it”

      I will sign it..agree completely – it is as though nobody has any self responsibility..and the media just feed it.

      we would be F+++ed if WW2 started now.

         15 likes

  40. Guest Who says:

    The hilariously misnamed ‘Media Masters’ podcast usually has to mix in a Beeboid every third go, and this one is a gem:

    Chris Mason
    Journalist and presenter, BBC

    Chris Mason is a BBC journalist and presenter. Over the last 15 years, he has developed an increasing profile as an expert on all matters Westminster. He also hosts the Radio 4 show ‘Any Questions?’ and co-presents Newscast, the televised podcast which started life in 2017 as Brexitcast. In this in-depth interview, Chris recalls the ‘imposter syndrome’ he experienced during his first presenting role on BBC Breakfast, describes the experience of going viral after admitting on air that he didn’t have “the foggiest idea” what was going to happen during Brexit – and takes us through his appointment and first few months as host of ‘Any Questions’.

    He is ‘expert’ at very little, and a serial blocker, so his ‘increasing profile’ is bubble bound.

       15 likes

  41. Emmanuel Goldstein says:

    Yesterday the b of e put interest rates down to 0.25% which means you get almost no interest on your savings (unless you have a huge sum. A £million will give you £2500 after a year)

    A blow for pensioners, many of whom rely on savings interest to top up the low state pension, especially those of us on the second class pension of around £125 per week as opposed to the newer one which is somewhere around £40 more per week.

    So then.
    Was there anything in the budget for pensioners.
    I don’t know the answer as I only heard a couple of the headlining bits.
    Anyone on here know of anything in the budget concerning pensioners?

       10 likes

    • BRISSLES says:

      No, Emm, but perhaps us oldies had better keep our heads below the parapet, or we may have our ‘triple lock’ taken away !! better to keep schtum and melt into the wallpaper.

         8 likes

      • Up2snuff says:

        Rishi’s Big Spend may push up inflation. That would benefit OAPs (am an apprentice OAP) – up to a point – next December when Pension rate is decided. However, it might push up unemployment and I’m anti-unemployment as well as anti-inflation.

           1 likes

  42. fakenewswatcher says:

    This is how it’s done:
    The German security apparatus (Bundesverfassungsschutz) was apparently going to ‘watch’ the AfD, at the behest of Merkel.
    However, some months ago its boss, one Hans-Georg Maassen, expressed his opposition to such surveillance of a legitimate party, saying there were no grounds for it.
    He was fired by Merkel and replaced with a Socialist (SPD).
    Now the way is open for the Merkel regime to claim that there are grounds for ‘watching’ the AfD, as advised by the security service. Bet it goes ahead.
    I would say there is a case for debating who is more totalitarian: Xi Jinping or Angela Merkel?

       21 likes

    • Up2snuff says:

      fnw, funny how those two episodes of Mutti with the shakes have been completely forgotten by the BBC.

         7 likes

  43. Dystopian says:

    Conspiracy theory.

    Covid19 deliberate to kill off “old Brexit voters” and reduce pension costs to the state.

    Also look how everyone has stopped talking about Brexit. An excuse to “delay”?

    I bet the BBC will be annoyed though if there aren’t as many male, pale and stales to force the over 75 license fee upon to.

       15 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Dyst
      Perhaps you should have prefixed your comment with ‘ mad ‘.
      We re yet to see the profile of those who will get the bug and those who will be killed by it .

      But the idea that the state would follow prevention options aimed at killing a particular group for political reasons smacks of madness and might be better on a website which discusses such madness as opposed to one about the bias of the BBC .
      I’m moderating so need to read this crazy stuff . Please ( everyone ) don’t turn this site into Twitter

         9 likes

      • Dystopian says:

        Yes, Fed, I’m sorry, perhaps I should have elaborated or worded that differently to include that this was something I heard being suggested by a.n.other and I suspect slightly tongue in cheek.
        However, I do feel your remarks are a little unfair as not all posts on this site are exclusively about the BBC and their undeniable bias, and often go off on a tangent not entirely related to such.

           7 likes

        • Fedup2 says:

          Dyst
          I know that subject matter often strays away from the cursed BBC but my personal worry is that the subject of the bug itself becomes the main thing as opposed to the BBC treatment of it .

          As you might have seen some people have been going full doom and gloom with comments about 39 /44% mortality levels in Italy thus projecting a Black Death type effect on the whole world ( apart from Singapore ) .
          I’m now going to disengage from the subject and can’t say much about direct BBC output as I am avoiding with extreme prejudice .

          I see that QT is still going ahead which seems pretty insane in itself . I’ll be catching any key comments here or on twitter – but I’m cutting out looking at that because it is declining further

          As for the idea about a systematic attempt to cull the over 60s …. I’m sad to say I have direct experience of the machinations of central government and was shocked by the lack of competence or even common sense by some of the people running it – and that was maybe 10 plus years ago so I’m sure the quality has only gone one way . I’m proud to say I wasn’t a civil servant .

          Therefore to think that anyone could plan and carry out such a policy would be way beyond them however much they desired it – my god they can’t even to elderly social care – dispite the Dilnott report and multiple other inquiries.

          It’s sad that the 15 minute visits to the elderly is potentially the ideal way to transfer the bug but this would be ‘cock up ‘ rather that ‘conspiracy ‘.
          So I’ll put up the threads but not really engage until after Easter …..

             6 likes

  44. Dystopian says:

    On Talk Radio , they are reporting that Ireland is to close all schools. They are anticipating that Boris might announce similar measures.
    Well that will certainly wreck the economy and then the BBC can blame Brexit.
    A health worker came on and said that she will not be able to work on the front line if she has to stay home and look after the kids.
    A good example of how the government don’t see the bigger picture.

       11 likes

    • Up2snuff says:

      Dyst, I had one of those early morning thoughts that if EU Negotiations go badly, the EU will offer extension or cancellation. Boris will look at his support and realises that it’s now No Deal and he quickly slides the £39/£40+ bn off the table and walks away. I hope.

      First thing that happens: the BBC, the Remainers, Rejoiners and the usual suspects all claim that if we do that the world will end, we will then all starve to death and we will have no cars, no travel, no factories & businesses exporting, nuffink.

      Next thing that happens is that 80%-85% of the population say “We’ve seen off Coronavirus, we’ll manage this OK.” and the moaning Minnies will get drowned out by an increasing swell of public opinion.

      Then, about a year from today everyone will be wondering what all the fuss was about.

      Well, it could happen. Maybe. Perhaps.

         15 likes

  45. Dystopian says:

    A better idea (than closing schools) would be to close our borders.

       29 likes

  46. NISA says:

    BBC reporters are easily puzzled it seems. This mornings news report on Trump banning flights from some European countries had the reporter saying it was not clear why the UK was exempted. So he couldn’t understand the ban related to the borderless Schengen area with its resultant high rate of Kung Flu infection.
    UK 6.8 cases per m
    Italy 206
    Norway 127
    Denmark 106
    Switzerland 100
    Spain 63
    etc etc

       20 likes

    • NISA says:

      US at 4 cases per million so if Trump has been slow to react (as suggested by various BBC guests) he is perhaps not too late

         13 likes

  47. Guest Who says:

    https://order-order.com/2020/03/12/tony-hall-challenged-bbc-wokeness/

    Ironic that someone the epitome of narcoleptic doziness ends up fielding this.

    How much is this clown paid just to intone BBC #GIARhead mantras endlessly?

       9 likes

  48. Guest Who says:

    One of Jezz or Simpo’s ringers?

       13 likes

  49. yohodi says:

    This information is out there if anyone wants to find it..Simple google search.. cut and paste..Journalism BBC?..my arse..
    THE CITY OF Prato, in the hills of Tuscany, is as Italian as the region’s Chianti. It is also the heart of the fashion industry, where fine fabrics are made for brands such as Gucci and Armani. “Made in Italy” is still a label proudly displayed. But many of Prato’s factories are now owned, and staffed, by Chinese.
    Many Italians in Northern Italy sold their leather goods and textiles companies to China. Italy then allowed 100,000 Chinese from Wuhan/Wenzhou to move to Italy to work in these factories, with direct Wuhan flights. Result: Northern Italy is Europe’s hotspot for Wuhan Coronavirus. (Possibly)

       21 likes

    • JamesArthur says:

      Yohodi

      I agree – we have useless journalists feeding the fire without a brain – correlation not causation

      My simple view is to ask what other factors might be at play…well what do China , Italy, Spain France Korea have in common? They are either dense living conditions and/or have a very small cultural personal space and often hug and kiss when meeting….Not very British..

      I am friends with a group that all tested with C-19 and all of them say it wasn’t too bad..like a cold or weak flu…

      Why doesn’t the media now start interviewing them to get some perspective…. instead of moaning about the Government..The BBC are really ramping it up…blame the Government..Boris bad..

      They keep assuming that other countries have it right and we are wrong..typical BBC…..

         2 likes

  50. Guest Who says:

    What exactly is going on in those bbc bunkers?

       4 likes