489 Responses to Midweek 10th January 2024

  1. Thoughtful says:

    Officials probe electric double decker bus inferno after vehicle ‘exploded’ and burst into flames sparking rush hour chaos – as dramatic video shows firefighters battling to put blaze out

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12950765/London-electric-double-decker-bus-fire-Wimbledon.html

    79885065-12950765-image-m-156_1704966166924.jpg

       11 likes

  2. atlas_shrugged says:

    Starmer will likely impose new looting taxes on education of children:

    https://dailysceptic.org/2024/01/10/keir-starmers-claims-about-labours-private-schools-tax-hike-dont-add-up/

    Perhaps a more fair way would be to privatise all education.

       6 likes

  3. Dickie says:

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  4. Terminal Moraine says:

    BBC international home page:

    “Diversity, equity and inclusion policies have become the norm at many companies. As some notable corporate leaders reject the approach, is a DEI backlash brewing?” A go-to pundit says companies becoming critical of these policies has accelerated post-pandemic “amid a turbulent economic and political landscape” which the BBC says is “breeding these more extreme viewpoints”.

    Not toeing the DEI line = extreme views
    The pundit = Sankalp Chaturvedi, Imperial College

    Not what I would call impartial voices.

    https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20240110-us-business-leaders-are-pushing-back-against-years-of-corporate-diversity-efforts

       12 likes

  5. Terminal Moraine says:

    “Yorkshire: Azeem Rafiq says Colin Graves’ expected return has led to racist abuse”

    Another installment in the cricketing saga as Rafiq is now calling on the club’s sponsors to oppose Graves’ return as Yorkshire chairman as it ’empowers racists’. The BBC and Guardian are happy to give him more column inches to drag this one out.

    A reminder that Rafiq made anti-semitic comments in the past about another cricketer not paying for dinner because “he is a Jew”. But no need to bring that up ever again, unlike his previous employers who will be dragged over the coals ad nauseum with the BBC always ready with a hot rake.

    https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/67947223

       20 likes

    • Foscari says:

      Terminal- Mehdi Hasan on Question Time more than 10 years
      said that “Anti-Semitism was Muslims dirty little secret”. So
      you cannot blame Rafiq for being like he is. BUT what is the
      BBC’S excuse?

         10 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      Azeem Rafiq is complaining ?
      Yet in November 22, he’s supposed to have moved back to Pakistan
      where he was born & lived the first 10 years of his life

         8 likes

  6. Thoughtful says:

    This time tomorrow we might well be at war, hope you are prepared, hold onto your hats !

       5 likes

    • Emmanuel Goldstein says:

      The forces have been run down so much we can barely fight a war now.

      I wonder where we can find say 100,000 fighting age young men, eager to show how keen they are to become part of the UK family.
      What better way to show the Country you wish to live in that you will become a valued part of the community by signing up for say 6 years to fight for King and Country.

      Fighting age young men.
      100,000
      Currently not working.
      Hmmm.

         14 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Thoughtful … I’m always at war with some one …

         6 likes

    • Up2snuff says:

      Thoughtful, its a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world.

      I blame Lola.

         5 likes

  7. Thoughtful says:

    Hearing rumours of British special forces being in Gaza (neither confirm nor deny), but given the mood in Muslim areas if the British government were stupid enough to have done that (and they probably are) and it was confirmed, then we’d probably have a civil war.

       5 likes

  8. StewGreen says:

    ” jeremy Vine is suing Joey Barton for saying he pushed the covid jabs and flatly denying”
    This honestly edited video seems to show Jeremy Vine promoting the jibby

    BTW These days many people push trickly edited #FakeNews videos and hyperbole as if they are 77th trying to discredit the side they claim to endorsing it

       15 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      Joey Barton tweet the letter, then deleted the tweet as if he was afraid*
      But then hit back

      * Actually he had to delete the Tweet cos he’d d forgotten the letter had his home address on it

         14 likes

    • tomo says:

      Prime 77th Brigade territory

         3 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      OH i wasn’t aware that Vine had already put up a professionally edited video montage item saying Joey Barton is using TRICKLY edited videos against him
      … and caling it DISINFORMATION
      The Vine tweet called in Marriana Spring and Angela Epstein
      as if the BBC’s Verify service had helped Vine make the montage
      People mock him for asking for her backup ..what they call “The Mariana shield”

      https://twitter.com/theJeremyVine/status/1743638546437619753

      Trickly edited videos and hyperbole are bad
      but don’t mean you throw out legitimate ones.

         11 likes

  9. tomo says:

    Despite following Tucker Carlson I rarely if ever see his team’s posts on my Twitter …

       14 likes

  10. Thoughtful says:

    Biden about to make a statement later this evening, about the start of WWIII
    A prelude to suspending the November elections and stopping Trump from winning.

       14 likes

  11. Fedup2 says:

    Just started my holiday in the Yemen Hilton .. I’ve asked for room service which doesn’t include cruise missiles …

       13 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      It’s a Hooout

      I hear the fireworks displays are good

         7 likes

    • BRISSLES says:

      Wow Fed ! 6’5, airline pilot, George Clooney lookalike and now a Yemini holiday, when will Hollywood come calling ? Is there a book in the pipeline ? ?

         9 likes

  12. Thoughtful says:

       3 likes

  13. tomo says:

    well gosh …. will you look at that !

    BBC Verify porcine air force taxiing out?

       13 likes

  14. Thoughtful says:

    Nothing like the element of surprise in war, with the inept Marxist Tories announcing what they are going to do, and seeing as Iran is backing the Houthis, and also Hamas.

    Iran and Hamas have deep tunnels and shelters, so they’ve probably made sure that the Houthis have them too, and if they’ve all disappeared into rat holes then no amount of airstrikes is going to touch them. The only way is going to be boots on the ground, and the US cannot do that especially in an election year (unless it’s suspended).

    People are openly pointing out that given the invading army of young men, we will probably be seeing Yemeni flags in the morning and our cities will come very dangerous places to be.

       10 likes

  15. Dickie says:

    Judging Freedom – Judge Andrew Napolitano

       1 likes

  16. JohnC says:

    HEADLINE NEWS EVERYBODY:

    Royal Marine Mark Ormrod’s stolen prosthetic legs found
    https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-67942831

    You can stop looking for them now. They were found in an alley.

    Well done Liz : still not getting the best jobs, but better than drinking coffee and chatting all day.
    1574853499625?e=2147483647&v=beta&t=cs-dTkZ9FIySTCiw_baTu4QsO6vkRxv9695JGpY5mwU

       14 likes

  17. Zephir says:

    The apparent “right” of children to be adults before they become adults is evolution going backards

       12 likes

    • Zephir says:

      that should be “backwards”

         4 likes

    • BRISSLES says:

      The pressure that kids are under today by their peers, I’m glad I was still in ankle socks at 15 and under the impression you coukd get pregnant just by kissing a boy !! also the lads weren’t half as beefy as now either – certainly at 16 they didn’t look as old as darts wonder Luke Littler.

         20 likes

  18. JohnC says:

    Israel officials support Gaza destruction, court hears
    https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67942983

    ‘Israel’s plan to “destroy” Gaza comes from “the highest level of state”, the UN’s top court has heard.’

    What a damning statement – but doesn’t include who said it ??.

    Ahh keep reading and you discover it was South Africa. And how would they know that ?.

    South Africa. That leading beacon of freedom and justice. With the huge amount of violence and murder in their own country, on Earth would they be so incensed about Gaza that they have gone to the ‘UN’s top court’ ?.

    Has there ever been a more obvious put-up job than this ?. The whole point is so people like the BBC can run headlines like I just mentioned. It’s so blatantly corrupt, South Africa is the best the UN could find who would do it.

    Welcome to the Brave New World. The ideologically driven Leftist Nazis have taken over all the major institutions and they are getting increasingly desperate. We all know how that ends …

    In another example of what a complete showboating farce this is, lets see another:

    ‘In 2022, the court ordered Russia to “immediately suspend military operations” in Ukraine, an order that was ignored.’

       25 likes

  19. taffman says:

    Kicking off time ………..!
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-us-canada-67952029

       5 likes

    • JohnC says:

      The BBC really want us to know:

      ‘A Houthi official warned the US and UK would “pay a heavy price” for this “blatant aggression”‘

      Because they tell us 3 times in the article !.

      The BBc are never shy about giving a soapbox to Muslim terrorists.

         26 likes

      • digg says:

        The BBC would be much happier if the UK and US took no notice of innocent civilian shipping being attacked in International waters by these deranged animals.

        I say blast them to smithereens!

           11 likes

  20. tomo says:

       18 likes

  21. tomo says:

       6 likes

  22. JohnC says:

    Can Nikki Haley really stop Donald Trump in 2024?
    https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67948573

    Any sane person would expect this article to consist of a single word: NO.

    But the BBC demonstrate the most extreme of wishful thinking with lines like ‘her long-shot bid could become a real threat.’.

    ‘could’ again BBC. Interchangeable with ‘won’t’ in this case.

    And followed by a lengthy promotional piece which money simply could not buy. Well, her money anyway. OUR money managed it though.

    As usual, the truth for ALL these agenda articles is in what the BBC don’t tell us. She is on 11% and Trump is on 60%. And Trumps support is rising as well – so she is only taking votes from the other no-hopers.

    Let’s see who the BBC employed to write this fantasy-land, desperate anti-Trump piece in disguise:
    1553647501298?e=2147483647&v=beta&t=mFlqI9F7Lr72aE_NIIMkWjWu0FsRJwpbNpe_8dZ3JL0
    No surprise there then.

       23 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Given the publicised bbc aim to advance only diverse types, how is it most of these less than bright young things are pink, dentally well brushed, blonde and/or ok to look at?

      They all applied to Labour first, but, well… optics?

      #backendofbusism is a scourge.

         14 likes

      • Peter Grimes says:

        Well she’s easier on the eye facially than Our Marianna of the Rack but I won’t switch my allegiance until I see a bit more of Holly…please.

           13 likes

    • tomo says:

      Dickie

      inappropriate metaphor there from Larry Johnston I reckon.

      “Are UK and USA armed forces adequate to fight a war in the Middle East?” would work better…

         4 likes

      • Dickie says:

        Well, I didn’t write the article🙂

           2 likes

        • Guest Who says:

          Well, there’s a thing.

          https://x.com/paulmasonnews/status/1745711830733849085?
          Rubbish Jeremy. The strikes were a last resort after terrorists repeatedly attacked working class seafarers. Do the right thing and support those risking their lives to keep civilian ships safe from terrorism 👇🏽

          Comes to something when the ex BBC Newsnight Anger and Protest Editor highlights (in several pithy counter tweets) the utter facile, knee jerk of the political, activist, ngo and fellow media classes.

          The likes of Femi and Spaghetti Monsta leap straight to their default subversive wails, just as they did post Oct 6, pretending the aggressors hadn’t fired first with the intent of taking innocent life.

          Joined in complement by the Labour Islam cabal. And that Moran idiot.

          I have had it with these oxygen thief brain donors getting air time. And the pasty white Tarquins and Emilys handing them the mic.

             17 likes

        • tomo says:

          If the Ivans send the IRG some modern air defence missiles for “testing”… and sea skimming missiles seem likely to appear from Iranian domestic factories.

          The US+UK, the west (or indeed the Russians) are not the sole possessors of high tech weaponry – and I have a suspicion that’s going to get rubbed in…

             6 likes

          • Fedup2 says:

            So we now have two disruptions to oil / gas supply – North Africa and Russia – with wars in both regions .
            Surely the need for energy independence is more important to national security than the green crap fetish …

               17 likes

  23. StewGreen says:

    Long parody video about BBC agenda pushing

       14 likes

  24. MarkyMark says:

    The Great Leap Forward was an economic and social campaign within the People’s Republic of China (PRC) from 1958 to 1962, led by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Party Chairman Mao Zedong launched the campaign to reconstruct the country from an agrarian economy into an industrialized society through the formation of people’s communes. Mao decreed that efforts to multiply grain yields and bring industry to the countryside should be increased. Local officials were fearful of Anti-Rightist Campaigns and they competed to fulfill or over-fulfill quotas which were based on Mao’s exaggerated claims, collecting non-existent “surpluses” and leaving farmers to starve to death. Higher officials did not dare to report the economic disaster which was being caused by these policies, and national officials, blaming bad weather for the decline in food output, took little or no action. Millions of people died in China during the Great Leap, with estimates ranging from 15 to 55 million, making the Great Chinese Famine the largest or second-largest[1] famine in human history.[2][3][4]

    ** you haven’t seen anything yet

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

       8 likes

  25. Flotsam says:

    The BBC are staffed by Russian/Marxist agents, they are pulling the strings.

       10 likes

  26. AsISeeIt says:

    Our reasonably balanced geeky-looking chap BBC political editor Chris Mason (give him his due) remarks: For Rishi Sunak, strikes against the Houthi rebels mark a landmark moment of his premiership – but let’s remind ourselves that it is a policy choice for the UK to play sidekick to the US in attempting to police the world.

    And bear in mind that the very reason that our Rishi, Brahmin class, Green Card in his back pocket, seat-warmer for Starmer, former office boy at Goldman Sachs, was parachuted – unelected – into Number 10 – was to front up the globalist corporate crony regime.

    Britain to increase Ukraine support to £2.5bn, Rishi Sunak announces (BBC) – how about we spend that cash on de-globalising our economy? Do some ‘in-sourcing’ of our supply chains for a change?

    Africa’s week in pictures: 5-11 January 2024… A strawberry farmer shows off his produce in northern Egypt on Monday. (BBC)

    UK prepares air strikes on Yemen rebels to protect food shipping (‘i’)

    Strikes against Houthi rebel sites in Yemen are “necessary and proportionate” to protect the global shipping in the Red Sea, Rishi Sunak has said. (BBC)

    How about new and prospective Nato members Finland and Sweden start to pull their weight? Or closer to the region long-standing half-hearted member Turkey?

    Talking of duff policy choices with adverse outcomes further down the line: Life expectancy falls… to its 2010 level after a drop in the covid pandemic (FT) – quick Googly amateur fact check, I’m no Marianna, fronting up the BBC on fact checking…

    Average age of those who had died with COVID-19 You asked. ​Can I please have the average age of deaths on Coronavirus please. We said. Thank you for your enquiry… (ONS) – actually, no, I asked for average age specifically of those who died OF Covid, but hey ho…

    Turns out the official published median numbers are identical for OF and WITH – and both rather high in years: Male 81, Female 85, Persons 83 (ONS)

    I’m no statistician but those numbers don’t strike me as THE go-to cause for any significant drop in general life expectancy – there may well of late of course be a statistical drop – which one might conveniently blame on the koof – you decide – but I’m doing my usual editorial correction: Life expectancy falls… to its 2010 level after a drop in the covid pandemic Lockdowns

    It’s not the coughing, it’s the coffin, they carry you off in…

    More to the point, a case in point: Ex-England boss tells of his cancer ordeal… SVEN I have a year to live.. at best… (Daily Star); Sven-Göran Eriksson… the 75-year-old who managed England for five years… (Telegraph)

    That was the Swede who managed England, somewhat unsucessfully, for 5 years and we’ve heard from the Indian who will later this year have managed Britain for 5 minutes – later we hear from the wife of the Pakistani who’s managing Scotland

    But there you are gentlemen – and ladies – don’t go getting all coronaphobic, like that coronaphobic left-leaning ‘i’ newspaper: All the essential coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic from inews.co.uk, with the latest news, analysis and in-depth features on coronavirus; Spain brings back mandatory masks in some settings as Covid and flu cases soar, raising questions over whether the UK should do the same; Lifestye: Covid is everywhere, and I’m wearing a mask again – why is that so weird? (‘i’ news)

    Better advice would be to get yourself checked for cancer – if you have any worries at all. Your GP may be difficult to see – but push it – it’s your right.

    How’s that Net Zero working out for yer?

    Hertz to sell 20,000 electric cars as drivers prefer petrol (FT)

    Calm down dear

    Television It’s a fair cop Female detectives are taking over TV drama (‘i’) – harmless entertainment and box-ticking escapism…

    Gun cops in crisis… Special Investigation (The Sun) – real life – and death policing concerns there.

    You take the low road, I’ll take the high road and Hamas will be in Scotland before you

    Scottish leader’s wife: let my family from Gaza stay… Nadia El-Nakla… “The Ukrainian resettlement programme saved so many lives. Gazans should also have that opportunity… (Guardian)

    They used to say: Go West, young man” is a phrase, the origin of which is often credited to the American author and newspaper editor Horace Greeley concerning America’s expansion westward, related to the concept of Manifest destiny. No one has yet proven who first used this phrase in print. (thank you Wiki)

    Go north, young Gazan… young Indian… young Chinaman…

    York university lowers academic bar for higher-paying overseas students (FT)

    And finally…

    UK economic growth rebounds in November (BBC)

    One in 3 believe in mermaids (Daily Star)

       10 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      I wonder what the average age of those dying’ unexpectedly ‘might be ? I’m thinking it’s tricky to measure – Also – I wonder if it is the same in similar countries ?

         8 likes

      • tomo says:

        “I’m thinking it’s tricky to measure”

        Previous experience seems to indicate that measurement will be trumped by reaching down inside underwear and simply pulling something, anything out of backsides ?

           5 likes

    • MarkyMark says:

      Video: Mermaids chief executive resigns as the transgender charity faces watchdog probe after offering chest-flattening binders to girls as young as 13 against their parents’ wishes

      https://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-1884354/Video-Mermaids-aims-tell-people-trans-kids-know-are.html

         9 likes

    • Thatcherrevolutionary says:

      “Turns out the official published median numbers are identical for OF and WITH – and both rather high in years: Male 81, Female 85, Persons 83 (ONS)”

      Here in Scotland that’s improvement!

         8 likes

  27. tomo says:

    Tucker on point

       11 likes

  28. tomo says:

       10 likes

    • MarkyMark says:

      BBC TV License paid “Jim’ll Fix IT” to FIX IT!

         6 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Hey one evil organisation fighting with another one ….
      Maybe Vennels can get a job at the BBC …

         9 likes

      • Beltane says:

        BBC in distraction-mode, regurgitating 2015 Panoramas and providing details of the PO being beastly, telling Bashirish lies even.
        Not, I’m sure, in any way to prevent unfortunate comparisons with the way the Post Office and Capita operate their ‘debt collection’ systems.

           4 likes

  29. tomo says:

    Fire-Shot-Capture-149-Sunak-allows-Labour-to-meet-civil-servants-to-prepare-for-possible-el-www-theg.png

       9 likes

    • AsISeeIt says:

      I’m sure former cvil servant now Labour Chief of Staff Sue ‘Partygate’ Gray can tell the Labour leader all he needs to know.

         14 likes

  30. Guest Who says:

    I am pondering cycles.

    Not the Vile kind, as he has rendered the fashion for operating these a form of almost justifiable homcide just for being a twat.

    Nor the news one, though related, and now shorter than a mayfly orgasm.

    No, the political kind.

    https://melaniephillips.substack.com/p/the-deepening-anti-israel-chill-from?

    Where a week was once a long time, four months must be akin to the period the dogs think I am away when I pop out to buy milk.

    Gone is the era of hundred years wars, grand armies, folk in uniforms, rules, accepting defeat… or… accepting it is a dirty business. Hell, even. And can take some tough calls and digging in for the long haul.

    No. Now it is all to be done and dusted by week’s end, and heaven forfend drags out long enough for the original outbreak to be lost in the mists of selective outrage.

    So, from Washington the Westminster, the wonks ‘advising’ Baby Sniffers and Porcine Todger fashionistas get to look at various trusted sources of what their mates want, and panic.

    Which is how we get to the guys who slaughtered their parents get to keep the kids because Gaza has more journalists than The BBC has verify ‘reporters’ in one cubicle. And the Hooties are only trying to kill Filipinos because they are upset about the former going less well than planned, so how dare you try and do anything about it…

    A world run by Dr. Shola, JezBo and Corbyn with added weeping by Hummer and Moron from the cheap seats is going to descend very quickly into worse than the anarchy already allowed on the streets of London.

       13 likes

    • Thoughtful says:

      The cycles are still there and are being worked out by people like Dr Charles Nenner who makes a living out of predicting the future economic / important events using these.

      He’s done a few YouTube interviews and he must be reasonable accurate or the big US banks wouldn’t use his predictions.

      He reckons we are late for another large war and that it is inevitable.

      Gerald Celente of the Trends Journal has also been using cycles to predict what is going to happen, although he was pretty senior in the political elites and knows the way they work.

         4 likes

  31. Thoughtful says:

    I’ve had a disturbing election leaflet dropped this morning. It’s from an independent, a Muslim whose only concerns is the failure of Labour to solely promote Muslim interests, named as Kashmir & Palestine.

    It’s a direct attack on Labour, and doesn’t mention any of the other parties.

    This is the kind of reaction I feared. I know there are people on here who don’t care and believe the business of killing as many Gazans as possible needs to be paramount, but I can see the consequences.

    I can also see world history and the events which grow from small regional conflicts into much larger ones.

    We can all agree we have a bunch of greedy corrupt warmongers in America, and puppet governments in Europe who will be only too happy to sacrifice our lives for their enrichment. They are openly planning for a large scale war which they know they cannot win, but because they can suspend democracy and then remain in power they don’t care about.

    What happens in the Middle East is going to have an effect on our lives in Britain, whether thats £5 a litre fuel or much more expensive food, as a minimum.

    It’s only going to take one tanker attacked in the Persian gulf for the price of oil to rocket upwards.

    It could all have been avoided, but it seems the elites are determined to do away with us instead.

       8 likes

    • tomo says:

      GET FRACKING

         16 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Well at least if the war comes soon we will lose it because everything has gone to Ukraine …. And a total military of what ? 100 000 – including 10 000 diversity advisors ….

         8 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      I seldom write in response to other posters, mainly because there is seldom need in sensible debate, but on occasion I feel disturbed when rolled in to all encompassing claims without basis or permission.

      I don’t ‘know’ anyone here, but bar a couple prone to over passionate hyperbole I can’t think of many who don’t care about innocent collateral consequences to old men provoking a war by instructing faith corrupted atrocities and then letting the media take over.

      Hostages remain in custody; missiles of zero accuracy continue to be fired.

      In war you continue until the other side stops. If they started it the surrender is usually required to be unconditional. Not just allowing them a few pops on occasion afterwards to keep things feisty. Turning the other cheek results in a blue, cold cheek on a corpse.

      And horrible though they inevitably are, I can and have seen the consequences of not drawing a line, and what caving to bullies leads to. Worse. Always.

      Islamic parties in the UK supported by ideologically corrupt media have taken the massive holes lurking untested over centuries by common sense and agreement in democratic process, and driven an overloaded untaxed, uninsured Nissan with eight passengers through them. And have been allowed to by all legacy parties, bar a couple crying ignored in the wilderness.

      I only agree to what I get to debate, though I certainly concede all politicians are greedy, thick, short sighted and now universally unutterably stupid. They have all played, been played and allowed themselves to be played.

      However, caving to folk shooting at you, as with allowing waving placards making threats, needs nipping in the bud, if such a phrase is now as redundant as closing a door after a horse has bolted.

      But having been played, if a few of the numpties in charge are drawing a line to stop the creeping death by a thousand community leaders’ votes relying on folks’ poor memories, then I’ll back that for now.

         14 likes

      • Thoughtful says:

        Here’s how I understand the current situation to be. Hamas are a ‘terrorist’ organisation, but not in any sense most people would understand.
        They are to my mind having had their structure described to me, more akin to the Mafia, Sinaloa, or the Ecadorian cartels currently waging war against the government.
        I was surprised to learn that Hamas is highly active in central and south America, it kind of fights a war against Israel but it knows it’s never going to win so normally it doesn’t try too hard.

        The fighters lower down the ranks are a different breed though, and they don’t care if they live or die when it comes to fighting Israelis. They have taken many IDF lives in the fighting and the IDF do care if they live or die, in fact they are probably as risk averse as the USA are.

        Now Israel has another problem with Hezbollah in the North and they have been pulling soldiers and armour out of Gaza to send to the Northern border. Hospitals have been put on emergency alert and Israeli citizens who are not a part of the military have been given small arms in much the same way Ukrainians were.

        The other issue here is the amount of Western arms which have found their way into the hands of Israels enemies from Ukraine. The levels of greed and stupidity by the Biden (mal)administration is quite off the chart.
        So now there are N-Laws and Javelin missiles in the hands of the people who ought not to have them, and they have already destroyed several Merkava tanks.
        Worse they now know how to overwhelm the Israeli missile defence shield, and they are much better trained than they have ever been before.

        “However, caving to folk shooting at you, as with allowing waving placards making threats, needs nipping in the bud”

        In most other conflicts this holds true, because as in Ukraine and Russia both parties want peace. They want peace on their terms of course, but they want peace.

        The enemies of Israel do not want peace. There is no “nipping Islamic Jihad” in the bud and there is no stopping crazy old men with long beards trying to force the coming of their Mahdi.

        They will if allowed destroy the state of Israel and kill every non Muslim in it, but they aren’t going to stop there, as they will be allowed to enter Europe by smooth brained liberals who can’t see the danger even as their own throats are slit.

        There’s another issue though, and that is that the people of Iran don’t like their own leaders and would love to see the back of them, but that doesn’t suit the Americans. They need a bogey man so they can divide and rule, and supply weapons into countries like Saudi Israel and Oman.

        Imagine if instead they worked to overthrow the Ayatollahs and we had peace in that region, oil prices would fall like a stone as would gas – great for us the populace, not so great for the elites though.

        It puts me in mind of 1984 Oceania has always been at war with ……..

        none of the superstates are a true threat to each other, as they all must exist in a state of permanent limited war to survive. By harnessing the hysteria of war and demand for self-sacrifice, each of the nations declare war not on each other but on their own populace, who are kept ignorant, on the brink of starvation, and overworked. Permanent limited war also allows for The Party to divert attention away from domestic concerns and their failures. Instead of promises of an “easy, safe life”

        https://www.panarchy.org/orwell/war.1949.html

           2 likes

        • Guest Who says:

          The Mafia were pretty scummy, if my film-based history is any judge. Folk in mincers, families threatened…

          But it was also, iirc… ‘nothing personal’, and ‘just business’.. with the odd vendetta lobbed in.

          And they seemed to either give few figs for PR in any form, unless there was no such thing as bad. Hard to see St. Valentines going down well even in Harvard cafes.

          So deliberately prodding an invitation for troop winnowing, with no obvious tangible gain bar JezBo and Hummer getting more airtime suggests the two are a bit different.

          And if what it is doing in Gaza is a kind of but not too hard war… I would not like to see the full monty.

          So I kinda, sort a see what you are getting at, and agree with some, but as this is BBBC first and foremost I can’t endorse W1A getting away with reframing Houthie and the Blowhards firing at who they fancy first and get thumped for it as anything other than fifth column stirring to ensure another Manchester is poorly guarded against and a repeat ensured.

          A few targeted efforts on old men pulling strings appeals, but first you need to get the noisy section of the home crowd sorted first.

             1 likes

          • Thoughtful says:

            Ah, I wasn’t meaning the current position which they must have known would result after October 7th but which was not of their choosing.

            From the Gazan perspective they might well appear like Pablo Escobar, who did a lot of charity work in certain villages. Same with Al Capone, and apparantly he is the reason for expiry dates on milk after a girl drank some off milk and became very ill. Capone campaigned for the BBE codes (another useless but interesting fact!)

            It seems Hamas is split with the upper echelons running a crime syndicate, and the lower half being out and out terrorists.

            What should happen to the bad guys doesn’t always happen, because we have more and more to take account of a wider world and the consequences which would follow.
            Back in the day this wasn’t an issue because the USA post Glasnost was far too powerful for anyone else to challenge, now that is no longer the case, and there’s an awful lot of countries with axes to grind.

            Whilst I don’t in any way side with the Houthis you have to admire the kind of aggression a small group of tribal loons have to not give two f**** about challenging the most powerful nation on Earth and refusing to back down. It’s like seeing Peter Dinklage challenge Mike Tyson – it should be obvious what going to happen but they go for it anyway. Once Britons were like that when Raleigh took on the Spanish Galleons. An English Admiral was hanged for failing to persue the French navy through a reef when he didn’t have a map but the French did!

               0 likes

  32. Beltane says:

    Jeremy Bowen seems to find his intense admiration of the Houthi rebels difficult to mask, or perhaps as such a revered fount of knowledge he feels the need to be ‘impartial’ no longer applies.

       20 likes

  33. Foscari says:

    Have the BBC announced yet when the first marches in
    support of the Houthis is taking place in London ?
    Does anybody know where I can get a Houthi banner
    from? Apparently ones has an interesting message on it.
    ” God is greatest, Death to America, Death to Israel, A Curse upon the Jews, Victory to Islam.
    Maybe I could get a selfie with Jeremy Bowen if he follows
    the march.Or even Jeremy Corbyn. I think one
    with Owen Jones would be my favourite.

       16 likes

  34. Fedup2 says:

    Listened to world at one and the BBC is not just supporting Islamic Hamas terrorists but also Islamic Houthi terrorists . Jon Druggie Diamond interviewed a couple of Islamic terrorists who should whey up the target list for the next time …

    No mention of HMS useless – non aircraft carriers taking part in our new war …

       9 likes

  35. Dickie says:

    Wonder if all those missiles fired into Yemen are environmentally friendly:

    https://dailysceptic.org/2024/01/12/green-billionaires-fund-influential-new-labour-net-zero-group/

       5 likes

  36. MarkyMark says:

    Britain to increase Ukraine support to £2.5bn, Rishi Sunak announces
    Published
    41 minutes ago

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-67954152

    ……………………….

    2.5 bn

    ………………………
    Ukrainian town names street after ‘hero’ Boris Johnson
    The road near Odesa to be named after Britain’s PM is a country lane with overgrown vegetation

    Sam Hancock
    Monday 25 April 2022

       5 likes

  37. vlad says:

    Islam being a Religion of War, for years muslims have been merrily massacring each other in Yemen, Sudan, Palestine and elsewhere in the Middle East. Libtards in the media and elsewhere couldn’t give a damn.

    Only when Israel or Western nations get involved is there kneejerk, worldwide condemnation and calls for peace talks, restraint etc.

       17 likes

    • MarkyMark says:

      That Mishal Husain’s interview with James Cleverly should become “news” illustrates the kid‑glove treatment the BBC usually gives government ministers (‘Cool, calm, precise’: how Mishal Husain became the interviewer politicians dread, 6 January). That kind of questioning should be the norm, not the exception.
      Chris Donnison
      Sheffield

      Every decibel and pause is audible in Mishal Husain’s unpicking of unscrupulous characters. Such a joy in these times.
      Jane Thompson
      Hull

         8 likes

      • Fedup2 says:

        Looks like some people don’t listen to comrade Robinson and his ‘ style ‘ of non interview – some might say …

           4 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        Cleverly likely deserved it.

        The BBC tears into any Blue Labour whether they do or not.

        Fine. Cave, argue or resign.

        As with faith based howling at ideological foes, the problem to ‘democracy’ comes when a £5B propaganda machine only does it one way.

           6 likes

        • Fedup2 says:

          Oh yes – cleverley – like all blue labour creatures -deserve the full treatment – but there needs to be equal mistreatment of all politicians – but you can hear the difference when an approved one turns up …

          … meanwhile – being now outside the UK I thought I’d catch the 4pm news.. with led with a dead female DJ … afterward – by accident was a programme about dead people … it led with a bbc hero – the Iranian Batman woman who stole all that public money – you’d never have known it of course – stick up a statue – but theyd need a big lump of stone ….

             6 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Meanwhile in the HoL…

      https://x.com/SayeedaWarsi/status/1745755511021064326?s=20

      This diversity lark has really paid off.

         4 likes

  38. vlad says:

    BBC up to its usual tricks.
    Jeremy Bowen on the Hootie Tooties in Yemen: “Some critics of the American and British support for Israel say that an immediate ceasefire in Gaza would be a much better way to stop the Houthi attacks than bombing them.”

    Mmm, I wonder who those critics Of America and Britain might be? Certain BBC International Editors, perhaps? And Hamas, of course.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-67955729

       16 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      That is very JezBo; very BBC.

      “The US and British attacks on the Houthis in Yemen are not just….”

      Interesting opening line and break.

         11 likes

  39. Guest Who says:

    I never took Hasan for being stupid, but…

    https://x.com/mehdirhasan/status/1745607928122421692?s=20
    Do a poll of Americans tonight. Ask them if they know:
    1) who the Houthis are,
    2) where they live,
    3) why we are bombing them, and
    4) whether the president has the authority, under the constitution, to bomb them.
    Go!

       5 likes

  40. Guest Who says:

    Meanwhile Mucho Simpo defends his pension further…

    https://x.com/JohnSimpsonNews/status/1745766150208725486?s=20I
    promise you none of this true, Andy. The BBC always has to fend off government pressures, and it will have problems under Labour, if they’re elected (remember Blair and Campbell). As for presenters with former Tory links, it’s absolutely false to accuse them of bias – think of Nick Robinson and Boris Johnson.

    ..if badly.

       6 likes

  41. Guest Who says:

    10 comments. 2 per hour.

    https://x.com/BBCr4today/status/1745763018942611760?s=20
    Which party does Lord Gus O’Donnell think will win the election?
    The former Cabinet Secretary gives his take to Amol and Nick on The Today Podcast.

       6 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Plus an irrelevance who protects her tweets.

      https://x.com/LaylaMoran/status/1745735446376673695?s=20
      I and @LibDems remain concerned about Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
      That makes it all the more important to ensure MPs aren’t silenced on the issue of military action.
      📻 I spoke to @BBCr4today this morning about recalling Parliament for a retrospective vote and debate.

      Perfect BBC fare.

         7 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      I wonder if anyone listens to those desperate two and their desperate ‘podcast ‘ which is advertised on the bbc about every 10 minutes ….
      As for lord gus – just another far lefty with snout in the trough …

         3 likes

  42. MarkyMark says:

    “It would also mark clear parallels with the 1970s, when two separate geopolitical energy shocks from the Arab-Israeli War and the Iranian Revolution led to prolonged inflation over several years.

    So action taken to protect the world economy, is even on that basis alone, not without its risks.”

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67957739

       5 likes

  43. Guest Who says:

    https://x.com/SkyNews/status/1745820203626217764?s=20
    US protesters have rallied in New York and Washington DC to call for an end to the attacks on Yemen.
    US and Britain launched strikes on Houthi military targets in Yemen following the Iran-backed group’s attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

    Order is restored. Why is the response before the cause?

       11 likes

    • Terminal Moraine says:

      Met police says ‘pirate’ has a number of meanings and is context-dependent.

      Captain Pugwash is advising.

         12 likes

  44. Guest Who says:

    Musk has his work cut out.

    https://x.com/clim8resistance/status/1745848704618094695?s=20

    The left was always going to screw it up for their purposes eventually.

       7 likes

  45. Guest Who says:

    Here’s how I understand The BBC does ‘reporting’ now.

    https://x.com/BBCWorld/status/1745848795491959223?s=20
    Why are Houthis attacking Red Sea ships?

    1) Ignore the fact that armed, dangerous, primed and directed Islamists are trying to kill innocent seamen on unarmed ships, and have been for days.

    2) Rephrase things as best you can to make it seem like they are the victims and good guys here.

    3) Get Simpo to tell JezBo The BBC is trusted and impartial.

    4) Invite as many Muslim Labour MPs on panels as can fit.

    5) Tell ECU to prime a blow off template.

       15 likes

  46. tomo says:

    GDp99l-UWUAAhoar.jpg

       9 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Won’t be hearing from Eddie for a while…. Although I suspect the sub postmaster horror is about to get filed and a new game gets played by the msm – maybe it’s the Iran war game …

         4 likes