467 Responses to Midweek 3 August 2022

  1. Sluff says:

    Weird goings on at the Commonwealth Games swimming, for which the BBC are giving blanket coverage.
    Watching the women’s disabled swimming.

    I couldn’t for the life of me work out what the disability of the winner was. Fully functioning arms and legs.

    My winner was the woman who finished about 10 seconds later in 7 th place. She only had half an arm. Stunning performance.

    Dear BBC, please don’t pretend there is a level playing field here.

       53 likes

    • Foscari says:

      Sluff -It’s great that most of the competitors at the BBC’S Caribbean games are having such a great time. But as you note the blanket
      coverage?
      I once asked Terry Jones what was his favourite sketch from Monty
      Python. He asked me what mine was. I retorted” The 100 meters for those with weak bladders. And when the gun starts the
      race ,you all run to the toilets. Terry Jones told me that they
      were in stitches when they did the swimming event for NON
      swimmers. And they all drowned !!
      It’s not quite like that at the Birmingham Caribbean games
      but some of the competitors , and I reiterate they are
      enjoying it come from places you only hear on POINTLESS.
      And are pointless answers!
      I have seen some personnel best times that my 15 year old
      grand-daughter has bettered and that’s for the MEN! But
      it’s all good fun. If not quite in the Monty Python category .
      But BLANKET coverage?

         13 likes

    • Wild Bill says:

      The usual reply is “there are some disabilities you cant see”, thats what they say that use supermarket disabled car parking and dance like Gazelles into the shop.

         15 likes

  2. Up2snuff says:

    I wonder if the BBC, along with other broadcasters and the print media, will overdo this Wimmins footie thing? There is said to be a public span of attention that lasts for about fifteen minutes.

       29 likes

    • Yasser Dasmibehbi says:

      Just a reminder that the Womens Rugby World Cup is coming up in October. England stand a good chance of winning that too.
      I’ll see if I can get to any of the games, but it is quite good watching on TV.

         10 likes

    • BRISSLES says:

      Up2 honeybun, there have been silly calls to have each of the footy winners have a Damehood bestowed upon them. So, there could be a situation where this team go on to win the World Cup. Then what ? Where do you go from a damehood ? Its all getting out of hand, we have reached the stage where anyone who wins anything in sport is automatically given a gong !

      I won the Stevenage Ladies Singles Darts final back sometime in the 80s’ and on the same night won the Mixed Doubles. All I got was a 6″ high plastic trophy and my name in tiny print in the local rag. Not fair.

         47 likes

      • Fedup2 says:

        Brissles old thing – are you peddling misinformation ?
        I’ve looked on the Stevenage Ladies Darts website for the winners from the 1980s but I don’t see you name …

        Perhaps stewgreen can do his fact check thing …..

        Why are people so uptight about wimmin footy players getting damehoods ? Give them all one – or maybe two – and another one if they ever win another match – and a statue – TV series – ice dancing – …..

        … bread and circuses ….

        With a bit of luck Sky will buy the rights and the insane enthusiasm displayed by the BBC will subside ….

           19 likes

        • Scroblene says:

          I came second in the Men’s Cakes at the village fete in 1966, and got two bob for my troubles…

          But I did get the ‘come-on’ from the lovely lady in the shop, who said ‘she wanted a bit’, so that was alright, wasn’t it!

             8 likes

        • BRISSLES says:

          Fed ! how could you doubt me ??? Tsk tsk ! ( I did play in the Super League for many years, and long before the event was televised I was pitched against Maureen Flowers (Eric Bristow’s girlfriend) at the British Open, she won, but I did take a leg off her !!)

             9 likes

          • Fedup2 says:

            Ok Brissles – sounds legit . I won a sandcastle competition at a pontine in Paignton ? In around 1970 – I was 36 at the time … or was it 6 ?

               6 likes

    • markh says:

      I was bored before it started. The BBC will kill anything stone dead.

         11 likes

  3. Sluff says:

    Do call centre workers in Sunderland earn the same as those in Southampton?

    Do sales people in Rochdale earn the same as those in Maidstone?

    Do accountants in Hull earn the same as those in Woking?

    No. Welcome to the real world.

    Why should teachers, nurses, council workers be any different?

    National pay levels for public sector workers has been an example of ‘levelling up’ writ large for decades. It’s why it’s hard to recruit teachers on the London fringe, because the same pay in, say, Huddersfield goes a heck of a lot further. Of course it’s not about the market but Trade Union power and national pay bargaining.

    A shame Truss is as bottleless as Boris.

       33 likes

    • Up2snuff says:

      Sluff, ah but, yes but, no but; in this day and age everyone has to have a prize otherwise their mentahhl elf may be damaged and they might develop chronic anxiety and stuff like.

         3 likes

    • G says:

      More importantly:

      ‘Do the refugees coming into the country via rubber boats earn the same benefits as those coming from Afghanistan’?

         4 likes

  4. Sluff says:

    On the subject of making excess profits without doing anything to deserve them…..

    No, not BP.

    Should royalty payments to Neil Diamond for’Sweet Caroline’ not be subject to a windfall tax?

       24 likes

  5. taffman says:

    “Channel Migrants: New daily high for 2022 set on Monday”
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-62392898
    Its endless now !
    There will be a huge cost to the hard working people in Great Britain.
    Any Tories here ? Because you need to know that they are a joke .
    Please reflect on the comments you made about UKIP, The Brexit Party and The Reform Party.
    I think the Tories will loose the next general Election because they have neglected the ‘Red Wall’ that ‘lent them their votes’.
    https://www.reformparty.uk
    https://www.ukip.org

       32 likes

    • taffman says:

      “The Twelve Mile Line”

         25 likes

      • MarkyMark says:

        Theresa May The Secretary of State for the Home Department 12:37 pm, 20th April 2016
        The first priority of government is the safety and security of its citizens, and the Government have always made the integrity of the UK border a priority. We will never compromise on keeping the people of this country safe from terrorism, criminality and illegal immigration.

        https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2016-04-20a.923.2

           6 likes

        • tarien says:

          Then action has to be taken Marky to halt all immigration n o matter where from-it appears accodring to official information that there will many thousands of immigrants some say refugees coming from the Middle East, namely Afgahanistan, Pakistan and every other starn and from other areas of Africa to land on our shores-where shall they be housed was a question, where indeed. Some say we owe these people? Do we? No we don’t. If as no doubt most will be followers of Islam, certainly their ideology and indeed their culture is far removed from ours. An influx of the size indicated will being about real national trouble that could develop to where the authorities would definitely not want. It is a madness situation.

             10 likes

      • MarkyMark says:

        mobile-poster.jpg

        https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/08/10/world/europe/spain-beach-migrants-video.html

        Watch: Sunbathers Look On as
        Migrants Arrive on Spanish Beach
        By MEGAN SPECIA AUG. 10, 2017

           4 likes

    • MarkyMark says:

      Jack Straw: Labour made mistake letting Poles in early
      Former home secretary says number and impact of migrants from eastern Europe far exceeded predictions

      https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/nov/13/jack-straw-labour-mistake-poles

      “Thorough research by the Home Office suggested that the impact of this benevolence would in any event be ‘relatively small, at between 5,000 and 13,000 immigrants per year up to 2010’. “Events proved these forecasts worthless. Net migration reached close to a quarter of a million at its peak in 2010.

         5 likes

  6. taffman says:

    “Taiwan: Nancy Pelosi trip labelled as ‘extremely dangerous’ by Beijing”
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-62398029
    Its getting close to ‘Show time’ in about an hour . ‘High Noon’ in effect, China humiliated?

       15 likes

    • MarkyMark says:

      Within an hour of Ms Pelosi’s arrival, China announced that the People’s Liberation Army will conduct a series of live-fire military drills in the air and at sea around Taiwan later this week – warning ships and aircraft not to enter the affected areas.

         4 likes

  7. StewGreen says:

    The next panic pandemic ?

       11 likes

  8. taffman says:

    Where’s maxincony, our special BBC correspondent ?
    Has anyone seen him ?

       12 likes

  9. tomo says:

    interesting – wonder if / when BBC will report on the assorted court cases running wrt virus in the USA…

       15 likes

  10. StewGreen says:

    Radio4 Twitter choosing to promote a show from 2017
    Is that cos the person is black ?

       8 likes

  11. StewGreen says:

    Something coming up about a foreign doctor being deported at Edinburgh
    The foreigners pay to medical degrees in the UK, then think they will be guaranteed a job here
    but after graduation some don’t get a job, and the rules are that you have to leave.
    Hi friend’s story is that he has a job lined up starting tmw but the Scottish NHS has not done his work visa in time.

       9 likes

  12. StewGreen says:

    Radio 4

       26 likes

  13. SpinningReith says:

    Haven’t seen mention of this here, apologies if it has.
    Interesting discussion (GBNews, Tues evening) between Matthew Goodwin and Sir Nigel.
    Research confirms what all here know about the MSM, especially the BBC.
    https://thecritic.co.uk/the-great-awokening-of-british-media/

       24 likes

  14. Fedup2 says:

    Today
    Kansas has voted in favour of baby killing . -I think …

    This means – according to the BBC – that the Supreme Court was wrong and there is no support for banning baby killing.

    Will this false interpretation of the ruling be reversed ? Has any one from the BBC read the judgement ?

       17 likes

  15. AsISeeIt says:

    Despite Lionesses’ victory
    A single white noise of indistiguishable sloganeering edition

    Honestly, after all the fuss of the last few days, one envisaged our national press would play keepie uppie with the women’s football story on their frontpages for at least another day or two. But there it is – gone.

    The cross of St George is unceremoniously run down from the Daily Express masthead, to be replaced oncemore with the old yellow and blue of Ukraine.

    Tell a lie. Although today the BBC online newspaper line up favours the lefty titles pumping out their big oil profits headlines, the left-leaning ‘i’ – formerly a BBC favourite for top spot – alone among the national titles, still headlines its frontpage with the Lionesses.

    Celebration has inevitably turned to complaint. Victory to victimhood: So much for the legacy (‘i’)

    The Guardian soon lose their transient passing interest in sport. They’ve bigger bugbears to bash: John Harris on 10 ways that Brexit has ruined Britain – I’ve a distinct recollection that Guardianistas tended to believe Britain to be a racist, misogynist, homophobic hell hole way before we left the EU – but hey-ho.

    Matt is away (Telegraph) – the mice will play.

    Like the angry mama taking up her rolling pin to chastise the mouse chasing cat in old time Tom & Jerry cartoons, the ladies footie trophy was always going to become a big stick with which to bash the patriarchy: Department of Education refuses to give girls equal football in PE, despite Lionesses’ victory (‘i’)

    Here’s a tip for Rishi Sunak to grab some cheap popularity and refill his very empty treasury coffers… promise a windfall tax on the oil giants… and while he’s at it put a levy on media use of the word “despite

    That particular prepositional expression could be taxed at a basic flat rate, whilst the word “crisis” ought to cost journalists a top rate super tax, plus an additional escalator element for any new novel usage: School uniform crisis (Daily Mirror) – in mitigation Mirror lawyers and accountants might plead confusion between journalism and advertising copy: ASDA Better Starts. George at ASDA – appears to be the cliché copy culprit.

    They might call Reach plc stablemate the Daily Express as witness exhibit ‘A’ against Rishi’s rapacious HMRC, where the ad-work seems to borrow from both charity blurb and the Beeb: Join our campaign to help children in need. ASDA Better Starts. George at ASDA

    Better Starts sounds a lot like Sure Start which is a government programme for poor kids – which Labour were always banging on about the Tories de-funding.

    What a world: where State Initiatives, Campaign Journalism and Corporate Advertising meld together as one into a single white noise of indistiguishable sloganeering. Tony Blair and Klaus Schwab would be so proud.

    Despite the crisis of the apparent press favourite Tory candidate U-turning at the first whiff of opposition to her admittedly half-baked campaign commitments – suggesting her resolve – like her promises – are as easily broken as pie crust… the Daily Mail doubles down for Liz Truss: She has the boldness, vision and strength of conviction… sorry, I just spluttered my cornflakes down my shirt at the sheer comedy of it all. I just couldn’t go on with transposing such baseless highfalutin hagiographic twaddle hereabouts.

    The left are of course quick to pounce on the easily wrong-footed brittle Liz: Tory contest reignites after Liz Truss U-turn on cutting public sector pay (‘i’); Truss feels heat after U-turn over £9bn in cuts (Guardian) – feels heat… careful ladies… a form of segueway there back to the coronaphobic ‘i’ newspaper: New Covid symptoms include hot flushes

    Officially the true voting intentions of Tory members may be at risk: Hacking warning delays Tory vote (Telegraph) – but the formerly patriotic Times – apparently likewise in the tank for Truss – can whip up a survey result at the drop of a hat: 60% of Tory membership prefer Truss for next PM – why bother with all the bother of a vote?

    Likewise again, the Express pins their colours to the Truss mast: Truss: only I can deliver growth Britain needs

    Here’s your subject for discussion today: Is the Financial Times either left-leaning – and therefore happy to snark at Liz Truss (as they would any conservative) and her self-induced woes, or does it believe Rishi to be the more globalist in outlook and policy and therefore supports him?

    Sunak bouyed after Truss ditches plan to cut public sector pay in poorer areas (FT) poorer areas…? Does the pink financially aware one mean to refer to regions with a lower cost of living (crisis)?

    What WAS she thinking?

    As Chris Tarrant used to say on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire: You can use a life-line… ask the audience, go 50-50, or phone a friend?

    The context is different but women are involved, so one imagines perhaps Penny Mordaunt on the blower to Liz Truss…

    I rang Coleen and said: What the f*** is this? Says Becky Vardy (Sun)

       22 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Asiseeit
      I wonder if any msm has linked the two -er- football tart wives to the England girl footy team yet? Or posh? There’s got to be money there …. Also ‘other half’s ‘….

      But the thing about school uniform problems – maybe there’d need to be school uniform banks with food banks and energy banks – dishing out tokens for pre pay meters … I’m still waiting for the ‘energy furlough ‘ from rishi the lefty ….

         11 likes

  16. G says:

    Steady on BBC !
    Only two days ago I caught the BBC’s interview with a Minister who told the listeners that the new PM needs to start putting money aside and start planning for new reservoirs…………..

    Meanwhile:

    “WARNING
    Flood alerts icon
    Flood alerts in force for Wales
    Natural Resources Wales

    Updated: 07:31 (UTC+1) on Wed 3 Aug 2022”

    Its this, “Climate Change” sending them doolally.

       16 likes

  17. Guest Who says:

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1649651/france-axes-tv-licence-cost-of-living-crisis-uk-british-nationals-pay-update

    That is very French of France.

    These now unfunded French parasite media employees… paid how? By France?

       10 likes

  18. Sluff says:

    Call me heartless but another failure of the BBC to join the dots.

    They have been plugging the ‘human interest’ story for days about the little boy who is brain dead and the doctors want to turn off his life support. The parents don’t want this and are going to astonishing legal lengths to prevent it (as an aside, who is paying for this?). Meanwhile he is kept alive (and we all know who is paying for this).

    Also meanwhile……..the BBC continually delight in reporting about NHS waiting lists, especially when there are queues of ambulances outside A and E and grannies on hospital trolleys in corridors, because there are no beds available on the wards.

    Could the two situations be linked? What about it, BBC?

       21 likes

    • AsISeeIt says:

      And, speaking of the preciousness of young lives – try to square this circle: our BBC’s obvious delight in: Kansas abortion vote: Major victory for pro-choice groups

         18 likes

    • G.W.F. says:

      The BBC like most of the media are peddling misinformation about the case of the parents fighting to maintain ventilation of their little boy. If tests for brainstem death were carried out, following appropriates exclusions and pre-conditions, and the tests revealed irreversible loss of brainstem activity, there would be no argument and ventilation could be discontinued. In this case complications prevent adequate testing of brainstem function, so the child is legally alive. The doctors want to discontinue therapy they regard as futile so that the child will die. The parents want him to be kept alive. Hence the battle with the law.
      Most of the media, and BBC, are pro-euthanasia. And also pro-counselling of people in order to obtain acceptance of the doctor’s decisions. Watch out for a flood of interviews with experts on counselling suggesting programmes aimed at persuading relatives to comply.

         8 likes

  19. Doublethinker says:

    Douglas Murray is an associate editor of the Spectator and frequently contributes to the magazine and its TV channel and pod casts. The Spectator is often a mouthpiece forthe globalist right and needs to be treated with caution.
    In his latest offering Douglas says that he is worried that the political right in America is beginning to fight the culture war with the same ferocity and low blows that the left are.
    He acknowledges that the left have been fighting this way for years with little or no opposition but thinks it will a bad move if the right use similar tactics. On the other hand he strongly believes that the left must be opposed in the culture war and of course he makes the case brilliantly in his book The War on the West. But He seems to think that the right can win this war by presenting the facts in a gentlemanly way and the left will then engage in discussion and cave in when confronted by the truth and logic of the right’s position.
    Of course he abhors Trump and his gang of uncouth street fighters who take the left on blow for blow. In many ways Douglas reminds me of Neville Chamberlain thinking that he could reason with Hitler and that by treating the Nazi’s as reasonable people he would be able to curb their worst excesses.
    If the right follows Douglas and sticks with the Marquis of Queensbury rules the left will win the culture war hands down. We need as many Trumps as we can find and take the battle to the enemy .

       36 likes

    • tomo says:

      Doublethinker

      I feel you are correct about Douglas Murray – his analysis and reporting are pretty good imho – but his strategy / tactics for challenging the power grab antics are lame in the extreme.

      The opposition (I can’t bring myself to call them lefty) are firmly in the “might is right” camp and are using the powers of the state to impose on us in many capricious and arbitrary ways.

      We see antics from the groups notionally in power which if the boot were on the other foot would have them howling about all sorts. At the present moment a level playing field would be a welcome thing?

      “The Swamp” is a real thing and they will sacrifice you and yours and pretty much anything else to hang on to what they think they’ve got.

      Meanwhile the footsoldiers prance around with impunity – yes – I know it’s America – but I feel it’s a case of ‘they sneeze’ etcetera….

         29 likes

      • MarkyMark says:

        Words, punctuation and pauses (Obama pauses a lot) have a price … Barack Obama’s $400,000 speaking fees reveal what few want to admit {theguardian may2017}

        https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/may/01/barack-obama-speaking-fees-economic-racial-justice

        “The reason many of us have been critical of Barack Obama’s outrageous $400,000 speaking fee is that it robs us of a fantasy: that sooner or later, the first black president was going to use his considerable powers, in or out of office, to help the economic ravages of the poor, who are disproportionately black.

        That Obama’s project was or ever would be racial and economic justice was always a dream – and the sooner we let go of this and recognize Obama for who he is and what he does, the better we’ll all be.

        Some people who disagree with me believe I am racist … I fantasized that he’d join us on the front lines of marches, battle for the salvation of Obamacare in ingenious ways, and maybe turn up at a Black Lives Matter event. But this was all a fantasy. …”

        . . . . . .

        Barack Obama delivers veiled but withering rebuke of Donald Trump {guardian 19oct2017}
        “Back in the public fray at a rally in Virginia, the former president delivered his views on the current political climate in his strongest terms yet”

        – How much was Obama paid to appear? Did the Guardian ask? $400,000?

        https://biasedbbc.org/blog/2017/10/20/weekend-open-thread-166/#comment-875009

           7 likes

        • FrankZ says:

          ” But this was all a fantasy. …”

          This line reminded me of a brilliant short spoof of Adam Curtis’ documentaries, called “The Loving Trap”.

          Only 3 mins long. Well worth watching, if you never have.

          2 “fantasy” cues here:-

             2 likes

  20. Guest Who says:

    BBC News

    They were usually short in stature, all had a tendency to buck teeth, and most of them married their siblings.

    ***
    No word from the Mayor of London, oddly.

       7 likes

  21. richard D says:

    And, on the ‘Today’ programme this morning, the BBC continues with its unswerving support of the Biden administration and Democrat ‘leaders’.

    In fact, it may well have been the arch-beeboid herself, Mishal, who eulogised Nancy Pelosi’s rejuvenation on her trip to Taiwan with the revelation that she has probably been ’empowered’ by the prospect of her possible retirement after the mid-term elections in the US later this year.

    Rougfhly translated for those who might be a tad sceptical, what the beeboid really means is that, the way things are going in the US, Nancy Pelosi will be unceremoniously booted out of her position as Speaker of the House of Representatives after the mid-terms.

    Of course, the MSM will have forgotten by then her “if you want to read this bill, you’ll have to vote for it”, her disgusting behaviour at the then President Trump’s ‘State of the Union’ speech (followed by her indignation that someone might dish out the same sort of treatment to Joe Biden during the same speech a couple of years later), her insider dealing along with her husband, and her suspiciously well-timed departure from the US as her husband is arraigned for drunk driving….. amongst all of her other ‘achievements’.

       26 likes

  22. Sluff says:

    On Toady around 0730 I awoke to a montage of sound bites from the Lionesses win on Sunday.

    ‘Oh no, it’s Wednesday and they’re still at it’ I was about to say to Mrs S.

    But the montage ended with something like ‘The BBC is for you’. It was PR as news.

    And laughably, they claim they do not advertise.
    Maybe they don’t, because really we should call it brainwashing.

    The Biased BraInwashing Corporation.
    It’s got a ring to it.

       18 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Was it an ident featuring SurLenny, Gary LindaHood, Femi and Dr. Shola?

      BBC FU indeed.

      Emma Barnett gone full Liz Warren yet? Or still on the %ages?

         5 likes

    • Wild Bill says:

      I have noticed how bBC tv has a lot of ads for i player etc these days.

         5 likes

  23. Guest Who says:

    Comments are… mixed.

    But this ensures a satisfying mud wrestle for two old past it ex Beeboids to enjoy a ratings boost.

       16 likes

  24. tomo says:

       19 likes

    • MarkyMark says:

      The United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal was a major political scandal that emerged in 2009, concerning expenses claims made by members of the British Parliament in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords over the previous years.[1] The disclosure of widespread misuse of allowances and expenses permitted to Members of Parliament (MPs) aroused widespread anger among the UK public and resulted in a large number of resignations, sackings, de-selections and retirement announcements together with public apologies and the repayment of expenses. Several members or former members of both the House of Commons, and members of the House of Lords, were prosecuted and sentenced to terms of imprisonment.

      A February 2008 Freedom of Information Act request for the release of details of MPs’ expenses claims was allowed by an Information Tribunal but challenged by the House of Commons Authorities on the grounds that it was “unlawfully intrusive”.[2]

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_parliamentary_expenses_scandal

         8 likes

      • tomo says:

        Some associates and I had a FoI refused by The Environment Agency in part on the proffered grounds that ” disclosure might expose officials to criminal prosecution”

        Been to the Information Commissioner – and they censured the EA over withholding information… – nobody got their ass in a sling though….

           8 likes

  25. MarkyMark says:

    A February 2008 Freedom of Information Act request for the release of details of MPs’ expenses claims was allowed by an Information Tribunal but challenged by the House of Commons Authorities on the grounds that it was “unlawfully intrusive”.[2]
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_parliamentary_expenses_scandal

    but challenged by the House of Commons Authorities on the grounds that it was “unlawfully intrusive”.

    but challenged by the House of Commons Authorities on the grounds that it was “unlawfully intrusive”.

    but challenged by the House of Commons Authorities on the grounds that it was “unlawfully intrusive”.

    Corruption exposed.

       5 likes

  26. Beltane says:

    GCHQ warn potential voters in the Conservative leadership ballot that their votes might be hacked, with the implication that the result could be artificially or even adversely affected.

    They don’t say who or what might do the hacking, but it’s certainly interesting to find that such outside influences could affect UK election results, however parochial.

    Evidently can’t happen in the USA, though.

       23 likes

    • G says:

      Belthane. Yes, I heard that on our Worlds Most Trusted earlier. I sensed irritation that GCHQ was involved to thwart potential hackers and those involved were accepting GCHQ advice. BBC: ‘Why are they doing this’ BBC floats the concept appearing to prefer the risk of hacking. Do the BBC know something (or have connections) we dont…….

         8 likes

    • tomo says:

      LinkedIn sent me a notification this morning – inviting me to follow Rishi Sunak

         5 likes

  27. G says:

    I see our, “Worlds Most Trusted Broadcaster” has initiated two new campaigns . Earlier this week we had the, female footballer stars who only earn a fraction of the male level of pay. During the night, 0300 World Service news, the BBC pushed the concept that it was wrong that amongst all songwriters, only 1% were female. I look forward to watching how the BBC develop the antidote to these perceived, ‘wrongs’.

       14 likes

    • MarkyMark says:

      BBC bans white people from applying for £18,000 trainee job on Springwatch and The One Show
      BBC is advertising a one-year trainee production management role in Glasgow
      The position is ‘only open to black, Asian and ethnically diverse candidates’
      Positive discrimination is illegal but ‘positive action’ is allowed for trainee roles

         28 likes

    • Ian Rushlow says:

      I am surprised that it is as high as 1%. I understand that a dusky lady called Beyonce is considered to be one of the most popular female performers and is intimately involved in the writing of her material. Fortunately, I have never heard this lady ‘sing’, but Matt Walsh helpfully reads the lyrics from one of her lastest creations:

         8 likes

  28. theisland says:

    https://stevelawsreport.co.uk/home-office-cover-up/

    Following an FOI request, The Home Office is refusing to disclose the number of illegal immigrants arriving via the Channel Tunnel.

    … we have decided that this information is exempt from disclosure under section 31 of the FOIA. It is not in the public interest to disclose the specific content relating to operationally sensitive law enforcement information.

    Steve claims A source from within the Channel Tunnel said:
    “There are always illegal immigrants being found in the back of lorries and vans. They are hardly ever reported on and I don’t think the people of England understand how many actually arrive through the tunnel.”
    He then went on to say that if he went public with this information he would most certainly lose his job so I have kept his identity anonymous.

       21 likes

    • tomo says:

      The Home Office are routinely awkward about volunteering info – last year I asked about vehicle crime categories (specific offense codes) in a geographical area and they bluntly refused citing sweeping general exemptions – they didn’t even try to make me pay ££££ – to rub salt in they also volunteered that they held the info.

         10 likes

      • G says:

        Tomo, could it just be that they do not have the information and/or aware that what they give could be drastically wrong because no one enforces any subsidiary requirement ?

        I’ve referred to it many times before: symptomatic of the break down in law and order.

           7 likes

        • tomo says:

          G

          the Home Office / MOJ *categorically* have the information – and the tone of the response was essentially ‘we hold the information you requested but we have arbitrary/discretionary FoI exemptions and no – we’re not going to tell you – because we choose to’

          An acquaintance’s son has recently joined MoJ and has related to his dad that there is a v.noticeable + definite culture of information suppression to the public space inside that public body.

             6 likes

    • MarkyMark says:

      Home Office loses track of more than 600000 people who …https://www.independent.co.uk › UK › Home News
      29 Mar 2018 — Home Office loses track of more than 600,000 people who should have left country, finds immigration watchdog. UK border checks branded ‘ …
      You’ve visited this page many times. Last visit: 22/07/22

         7 likes

  29. MarkyMark says:

    How Nancy Pelosi rose to the top – and stayed there
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-asia-62377353

    rose to the top

       4 likes

  30. MarkyMark says:

    ‘I was chased by skinheads when I arrived in Leicester’
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-62306155
    …..

    Ahmadis suffer vicious persecution around the world. The main source of fuel for that persecution is in Pakistan, but what happens in Pakistan does not stay in Pakistan.

    I know that from my experience in the Yorkshire market town of Batley. In August 1985, when I was 11 years old, my parents organised an inter-faith meeting in the town hall. It was interrupted and disturbed when, according to West Yorkshire police, more than 1,000 extremists, led by Pakistani hate preachers funded by the Pakistani state, were bused in from around the country. The mob brutally attacked my English mother and my father, a dermatologist; my eldest brother and I; and a Welsh Ahmadi schoolteacher who was with us. My first cousin, a GP, was by chance driving through the market town that day. He saw the mob and saw his family and friends being attacked, so he stopped. He was recognised, pulled from his vehicle and savagely beaten up.

    https://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2020-03-12a.177.0&s=islam+batley#g195.0

       7 likes

  31. MarkyMark says:

    Tensions are running high between ethnic Serbs and the Albanian-led government in Kosovo, south-east Europe.

    Protesters have blockaded roads and reportedly fired guns after being made to put Kosovan-issued number plates on their cars.

    There are fears violence between ethnic Serbs and ethnic Albanians could flare up again, 23 years after the Kosovo war.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/62382069

       8 likes

    • tomo says:

      all armed to the f-ing teeth

      but

      Follow the money – what’s the motivation there ?

      – not seen a “what you need to know” from the BBC web monkeys yet.

         4 likes

  32. Flotsam says:

    On elections and who can vote in them. I had reason to go through some electoral registers while trying to locate a relative a while ago. I can honestly say that I found a lot of inconsistencies. There seems to be very little oversight of who goes in the register as a potential elector. What about foreign people? Who can vote? There’s very little guidance

    What annoys me is that the register is in fact used for many other purposes other than elections. The full register is open to the scumbag credit reference agencies. What do they pay for the privilege? Do people realise that the Government, Police and HMRC use the credit reference agencies?

       12 likes

    • MarkyMark says:

      A February 2008 Freedom of Information Act request for the release of details of MPs’ expenses claims was allowed by an Information Tribunal but challenged by the House of Commons Authorities on the grounds that it was “unlawfully intrusive”.[2]

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_parliamentary_expenses_scandal

      but challenged by the House of Commons Authorities on the grounds that it was “unlawfully intrusive”

         2 likes

    • G says:

      Flotsam

      My Lithuanian neighbours have never registered despite the registration form warning that a fine could be imposed. Local Registrar not interested. So the corollary is, any and all stats following will be wrong.

         13 likes

      • Flotsam says:

        I’m not sure in what circumstances EU citizens are allowed to vote in UK elections. Were/are British citizens allowed to vote in EU countries?
        It seems an abomination to me that foreign Nationals are allowed to vote in our elections.
        The basic point though is that lots of people are registered and either aren’t entitled or don’t exist at all, there’s virtually no checking going on.

           12 likes

        • Doublethinker says:

          Foreign nationals can vote in local elections but not in Westminster elections.

             1 likes

  33. G says:

    According to our ‘Worlds Most Trusted’ broadcaster, the plea has gone out to local authorities to provide more permanent accommodation for Afghan Refs – 10,000 of them – currently at £1 million of a day in hotels and similar accom. They particularly need 4 bed accommodation, presumably for the wive(s) and multiple children thereof. Sounds like a good idea after all, when they move out of hotels and the like, it will release more room for the dinghy arrivals. Makes unbelievable good sense to me………………
    After all, I’m as brain dead as the best of them in Government.

       31 likes

    • Eddy Booth says:

      The 100,000+ Ukrainian arrivals must has been the final straw, with even traditionally undesirable regional towns / areas now feeling the acute accommodation shortage too.
      No doubt a bad recession will come, with house prices still rising somehow.

         18 likes

    • andyjsnape says:

      Hello G

      Strange we usually only see in the news men from war torn France arriving, if they require 4 beds etc… then if at the moment apprx 650 arrive with no women and children, they follow – the figures are actually far higher 🙁

      What is going on in this country! Nothing other than keep using RNLI as a ferry service

         11 likes

  34. MarkyMark says:

    On 26 March 2013 the Daily Mirror reported that Miliband would be announcing the following day that he intended to resign as an MP and leave politics altogether. He announced that he was taking up the post of head of the International Rescue Committee in New York, for which his remuneration would be £300,000 ($450,000) a year. It was reported that his total IRC remuneration for 2019 was c. $1 million.[5][67][68][69]

    Miliband became the president and CEO of the International Rescue Committee on 1 September 2013. At the IRC, Miliband has been overseeing humanitarian aid and development programs in 40 countries, a global staff of 12,000 and 1,300 volunteers, and an annual budget of $450 million.[70] Near the top of the IRC, Miliband again installed his former Special Political Advisor from London, Madlin Sadler. She became the aid agency’s Chief of Staff.[71]

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Miliband#:~:text=He%20announced%20that%20he%20was,%241%20million.

       5 likes

  35. Fedup2 says:

    Not really the BBC

    An economic outfit has echoed the doom and gloom I am for ever pumping out here with a calculation. That inflation rates will hit 17% by year end and stay that way through 2023 – with interest rates being’ hiked ‘to all of 3% .

    It says that although 80% of mortgages are fixed there will be millions of fixed periods ending next year with people experiencing higher repayments .

    Well I think they NIE something or other is not pessimistic enough .

    You an feel the recession in your local supermarket and petrol station –
    I believe there is a huge – huge – disconnect between economic reality and the stats – things are out of control>

    politicians / the Bank of England and too slow to react to what is happening and the recession will turn into a 2023 / 2024 depression if not careful . All those job vacancies will disappear up themselves as the service sector dies with discretionary spending ending for a lot of people ….

    Anyway – the second thing pre occupying me – is that if Biden /Obama doesn’t start WW3 in the Pacific and it doesn’t go nuclear in Eastern `Europe – what will be the relationship with Putin / Russia when Ukraine is resolved ? Eg absorbed by the Russian Empire ? Will he keep going ? Or try to ‘make nice ‘ with civilisation .
    In his shoes – as long as he has the domestic support and no one kills him – I think he’ll look for another target …..
    A permanently hot Cold War – and severely suffering western economies – us – aided and abetted by Green Loons …

    Plan for the worst

    … contrary views welcome …

    .. will the Monetary committee finally hit the .5% interest rate rise tomorrow ?

    The BBC – of course – will expect any government to pick up the tab – but the borrowed money is already gone on the Chinese virus ….

       11 likes

  36. G.W.F. says:

    BBC reports.
    Ballot papers for the Conservative leadership election have been delayed in being sent out over security fears.

    The party said it had changed its plans for the contest, which will decide the next prime minister, after consulting with security agency GCHQ.
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-62402642
    ———————————————–
    Are these the early signs of the post election society as seen in America? I wonder who the elites have chosen for Tory Leadership.

       13 likes

  37. Fedup2 says:

    Back to Kansas
    It will be interesting to see the voter turn out for the baby killing law .
    The outcome accords with the view of the Supreme Court that voters in States should decide – not the Federales ….

    When pro life voters in other states see what’s happening maybe other vote outcomes will be difference .

    I wonder if Biden software was used again?

       11 likes

  38. StewGreen says:

    Local news is leading with the wind turbine fire in Hull
    a solitary turbine on an industrial site recently sold to Cargill by Croda International

    Out now but they’ll have to take the turbine down
    The whole generator bit at the back got destroyed
    bits of turbine edging on the ground too

       11 likes

  39. BRISSLES says:

    I know our language is constantly changing, but I’m hearing the phrase “push back” an awful lot lately. Where did that come from ?
    Michelle Dewbury uses the term constantly, and appears to mean “I’m challenging you” or “this is my opposing comment”. Why not just say “well, my reply to that is…..”

    We used to say “get in touch with”, and now its “reaching out”.. FFS.

       22 likes

    • andyjsnape says:

      “reaching out” makes me cringe, probably invented by the likes of the bbc 🙂

         9 likes

    • FrankZ says:

      “Speaking to…” a subject rather than “Speaking about…” it.

      A particular favourite of hopeless Karine Jean-Pierre, the current White House Press Secretary.

         5 likes

    • FrankZ says:

      “Vulnerable”. FFS. The Stella Creasy “concerned and caring” face. Eyebrows raised in the middle, with that look of pained compassion. She thinks we don’t realise.

         4 likes

  40. Fedup2 says:

    So….
    Traction …..
    Family members ….
    Heritage
    Hosted
    Season
    Baked in
    Situated
    Curated
    Meme

       6 likes

    • BRISSLES says:

      I still don’t know what a ‘meme’ is, and is it pronounced me-me or meam or mem ?

      And after reading this, I’m still completely baffled…….

      ” unit of cultural information spread by imitation “……… eh ????

         7 likes

    • Greencoat says:

      Gifted
      Impacted

      Grrrr!

         4 likes

  41. Foscari says:

    I wonder if the BBC will edit previous taking the subjugating
    knee prostrating ritual for the BLM anarchist Marxist organization
    on to their clips of Premier League matches. Now
    that the Premiership are cutting down on this absurd gesture ?
    Apparently BIG BROTHER in the diversity department at the BBC
    is in mourning over the decision.
    What with Sports association’s barring transgender “chancers”
    competing in women sports. I hope BIG BROTHER is not getting
    into a suicidal state. Let alone with the English ladies football
    team playing with eleven whities.

       12 likes

  42. Terminal Moraine says:

    BBC covered the initial report in March where 7 people were attacked in Sweden. But no report on the trial a couple of weeks ago, which resulted in a life sentence for attempted murder for Afghan asylum seeker Tamin Sultani. Nothing on ITV / Sky / Channel 4 either.

    “Sultani used a kitchen knife that he had picked up at his apartment ‘because he was so upset’ about something blasphemous done to his god ‘and wanted to kill that person.’”

    https://news.yahoo.com/afghani-man-gets-life-march-125246956.html

       14 likes

    • MarkyMark says:

      COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A 22-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker was convicted Wednesday of attempted murder and sentenced to life imprisonment for a knife attack that injured seven people in a southern Swedish town earlier this year.

      Tamin Sultani was shot by police and arrested after an 18-minute rampage on March 3. Investigators who dismissed terrorism as a motive charged him with seven cases of attempted murder.

      The Eksjo District Court said Sultani will be deported after serving his time. He has said he wanted to go back to Afghanistan.

         6 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      Terminal Moraine In March ?
      I think you are mixing something up
      the link you gave was to an event in March 2021 IN SWEDEN
      and the link you gave was to trial in July 2021
      The name end with M : “Tamim Sultani”
      The Mail reported it then
      https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9788075/Afghan-asylum-seeker-jailed-life-Sweden-stabbing-seven-people-blasphemous-act.html

      Some Swedish lone wolf attacks do turn out to be whities
      3 weeks ago “A July 6 stabbing attack in Sweden that killed Ing-Marie Wiselgren, psychiatric coordinator for Sweden’s municipalities & regions, now being treated as a terrorist attack.
      Attacker Theodor Engström has “links” to neo-Nazi group Nordic Resistance Movement.”

      “links to” can be a spin word

         2 likes

      • Terminal Moraine says:

        Yes the attack was Sweden (AP correspondent was based in Denmark) — but I got the year wrong. No follow up on the trial though from the usual suspects.

           1 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      2022 attacks : BBC’s @maddysavage
      tweeted Mar 27
      Sweden is looking for answers, after two teachers were killed in the country’s fourth school attack in just over a year.
      My latest for @BBCWorld
      https://bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60867754

      “The trial will take place from 20 July in Malmö.”
      He’s not been named

         5 likes

  43. Terminal Moraine says:

    On the home page—

    “Rapper Pa Salieu says he has been removed from the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony after failing a background check. The artist was convicted in March of possessing a bottle as an offensive weapon during a brawl which saw his friend stabbed to death. He is currently awaiting sentence.”

    It turns out he’s also the winner of the BBC Music’s Sound of 2021, which had them gushing… ‘Britain’s most exciting musical talent… fresh voice… smart wordplay… unique perspective… stories of violence, exclusion and racism…’

    Pesky background checks shouldn’t be a barrier to such enriching culture, hey BBC?

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-62401973

       16 likes

  44. MarkyMark says:

    As Men on Strike demonstrates, men aren’t dropping out because they are stuck in arrested development. They are instead acting rationally in response to the lack of incentives society offers them to be responsible fathers, husbands and providers. In addition, men are going on strike, either consciously or unconsciously, because they do not want to be injured by the myriad of laws, attitudes and hostility against them for the crime of happening to be male in the twenty-first century. Men are starting to fight back against the backlash. Men on Strike explains their battle cry.

       9 likes

  45. MarkyMark says:

    Rwanda Learning for All Programme

    Project budget £96,351,378

    https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/projects/GB-1-204463/summary

    Description
    Improved learning outcomes and more equitable access to primary and secondary education for boys and girls in Rwanda

    Poor white children fall further behind: Benefits culture is blamed for failures at school
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2409433/Poor-white-children-fall-Benefits-culture-blamed-failures-school.html

       2 likes

  46. MarkyMark says:

    Dutch FGMC Enhancement Project
    MannionDaniels

    This proposed project on civil society support to end FGM/C is centred around the following objectives: 1) Strengthen the capacity and effectiveness of grassroots and civil society organisations working on FGM/C; 2) Create stronger and more inclusive movements to eradicate FGM/C; 3) Contribute to the global knowledge base of FGM/C; 4) Transform social norms surrounding knowledge, attitudes, and practices of FGM/C; 5) Contribute to reductions in FGM/C prevalence

    https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/search

    Project identifier:
    GB-COH-04105827-MFTDCN001

    Start Date:
    2019-12-01

    Activity Status:
    Implementation

    Total Budget:
    €4,000,000

    Location: Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, The Gambia

    https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/projects/GB-COH-04105827-MFTDCN001/summary

       1 likes

  47. MarkyMark says:

    Mr Sunak, the outsider in the race to replace Boris Johnson, will use a speech today to attack “woke nonsense” that is infecting British society.

    Addressing supporters in West Sussex, he is expected to outline his plan to make sure “mothers” and “women” are not erased from public life.

    He will also spell out how a Sunak-led Government will shield children from inappropriate material at school and protect freedom of speech.

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1648204/rishi-sunak-britain-tory-leadership-Boris-Johnson

    ………………

    Teacher ‘still in hiding’ after showing class cartoon of Prophet Muhammed
    Comment
    author image
    Jen Mills
    Friday 18 Jun 2021 7:02 pm
    https://metro.co.uk/2021/06/18/teacher-still-in-hiding-after-showing-class-cartoon-of-prophet-muhammed-14795857/

       6 likes

    • tarien says:

      But surely this individual is one of the biggest Woke’rs-I mean who ears a pair of £600 shoes to visit a building site? Sunak is of Indian origin and therefore in my mind should certainly not be the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. It does not matter that he was born in the UK, my wife was born in Singapore but did not make her a Malay, her parents were Scottish and therefore British, meaning of Britain, but Sunak is not of Britain he is of India-think it best he goes back to India to help his poor fellow members.

         6 likes

  48. MarkyMark says:

    It added that “the prospect of Xi Jinping’s government having access to personal data on our children’s phones ought to be a cause for major concern,” and urged the account to be suspended until “credible assurances can be given that no data whatsoever can be transferred to China.”

    https://www.thenational.scot/news/20597644.uk-parliament-tiktok-account-suspended-concerns-links-china/

       0 likes

  49. MarkyMark says:

    “By making it clear that sex means biological sex in the Equality Act, Rishi will reassure service providers that they can and should provide women’s sports, and women’s services – from showers and changing rooms to women’s refuges – simply on the basis of sex.

    “There has been too much misinformation about the 2010 Equality Act.”

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1648204/rishi-sunak-britain-tory-leadership-Boris-Johnson

       2 likes

  50. MarkyMark says:

    “those who play with fire will not come to a good end, and those who offend China will be punished”.

    “The United States is violating China’s sovereignty under the guise of so-called democracy,” he added.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-62405680

       2 likes