Author Archives: David Vance

SHIVER ME TIMBERS…

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Here’s a quite astonishing instance of BBC advocacy for that well known oppressed minority group – Somali pirates. Yes, only the BBC would spend our cash worrying about these brigands will be treated in US prisons!

Federal prison is a frightening, perilous environment of intrigue, violent gangs, terrible food and severe isolation, even for the most hardened criminal. For men from a faraway land with little or no English-language skills and no prior familiarity with American culture, it will be especially hard, say lawyers for the men, and experts in psychology and the criminal justice system.

I suppose piracy is a noble and ancient tradition that we in the West need to try better to understand?

Hat-tip  to Trevor!

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FOX ON THE RUN…

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It’s a question of priority, isn’t it? On the same day that dozens are killed in Egypt; that the huge Belgium bank Dexia becomes the latest multi billion casualty of the Euro-zone crisis; that Obama’s stormtroopers occupy Wall Street whilst defecating on Police Cars- what better story to LEAD the news with than Liam Fox and his “working relationship” with Adam Werritty? There was a an interview between John Humphrys and Conservative MP Greg Hands at 8.10am and the sneering tone adopted by the BBC interviewer was all too evident. Nick Robinson was also invited to join in the Fox hunt. It is obvious the BBC are delighting in this story since it is another win/win for them. They use it to imply Tory Sleaze is still there (despite any evidence) and hope that Cameron might move to get rid of the Thatcher endorsed Fox.

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WHY IS ROBERT PESTON SUCCESSFUL?

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Biased BBC reader Alan asks the question; “Why is Robert Peston so successful?”

“It’s because he is so supremely interesting and stupendously intelligent. Or so so he tells us.

In the Sunday Times Peston says he is setting up an organisation to provide inspirational speakers to schools…great thinkers from the worlds of business, politics, sports and journalism amongst others.

He is annoyed that it is public schools such as Eton that seem to get the most speakers….’To my amazement these incredibly confident kids implied that they were doing me a favour by inviting me (to speak)….they took it for granted that the most interesting and brainy people (er like himself?) would talk to them.’

Peston has created ‘Speakers for Schools’ to get more speakers into state schools….oh and with the evil Tories putting up the price of further education and mass unemployment this is ‘more important than ever.’

Seems a harmless enough story with a well meaning Peston……only who decides who the speakers are….do they have to be ‘on message’….and what is that message….say for example on climate change?

Consider how many other organisations the BBC is closely involved with which push a message.

The CMEP (Cambridge Media Environment Programme) co-run by Roger Harrabin or the Science Media Centre….also part run by BBC staff….or Futerra or the New Economics Foundation…or indeed the
UEA and the Tyndall Research Centre.

Organisations that aim to channel information to other media organisations, politicians and businesses about climate change and its presentation. They seek to become the main sources for that information.

Is that really OK or slightly sinister? If the main source for information about climate change comes from a pro climate change body that can hardly be good. The BBC is in effect taking control of not only its own output and what appears in it about climate change but is also able to control and influence what other media organisations and politicians broadcast or decide.

 Here is what the BBC’s favourite ‘communications agency’, Futerra, tells then about presentation:

‘Forget the climate change detractors. Those who deny climate change science are irritating, but
unimportant. The argument is not about if we should deal with climate change, but how we should deal with climate change. Create a trusted, credible, recognised voice on climate change. We need trusted organisations and individuals that the media can call upon to explain the implications of climate change to the
UK public.’

The BBC does block dissenting voices…especially ones that are popular and credible…such as David Bellamy….but is happy to have David Attenborough promote AGW.

The BBC has decided the issues surrounding climate change are no longer in doubt….it is merely a matter of presentation. The problem is that the public, the vast majority of which do not believe in AGW, are ‘sceptical’ because they are too stupid, ignorant and confused as Harrabin helpfully points out…..

‘Private Virtue, Public Good
Roger Harrabin
Published 15 May 2006

Facing up to climate change is often framed by government as an issue of personal responsibility. What if the public rejects this view, asks Roger Harrabin Who should take action to stop climate change – the government or the public? What if we took public opinion at face value? What if people are genuinely confused by the baffling notion that emissions from their central heating may be contributing to the drought in East Africa?  So as No 10 longs for public consensus on climate change and detects signs of growing voter concern, public ignorance and confusion still abound. And there is no sign that the scientific debate is about to stop. This is not an equation we can expect the public to master on its own.’

What other organisations does the BBC run to promote its political and social ends? Its ‘Real world Brainstorm’ conferences in which it aims to get other organisations to work together with a certain ‘vision’?

Of course there is John Humphrys and his part ownership of the polling company ‘YouGuv’….who knows what other activities BBC employees get up to when not doing the day job. And not forgetting the World Service which openly admits it aims to influence politics and societies.

Somewhat beyond the remit of informing, educating and entertaining us.”

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THERE’S ALWAYS THE SUN…

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Had to laugh at this item (7.17am) on Today this morning.  It suggest the RADICAL news that the big orange thing in the sky – the Sun – might actually affect weather on the Earth. I know, I know, who would have figured that one, huh? Anyway, our dear friend Richard Black was on hand to quickly point out that whilst the Sun may help us predict UK winters, this has no effect in any way on the very real danger of …Man Made Global Warming. (Actually, he’s right in one way, since AGW doesn’t exist, nothing can have an impact on it!) It was the speed of his comment that was entertaining, he was clearly determined that no one out there might have a second or two to conclude that it is the Sun, that vast body at the heart of our Solar System, that is the major determinant of our planet’s weather. And that might unravel the hysterical but lucrative fantasy of AGW.

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Conservatives everywhere!

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A protester stands near a line of fire during clashes in Cairo
It’s come as a shock to the BBC that things are not working out the way they assumed they would in Egypt. The Arab Spring looks more and more like the Islamic uprising some of us pointed out at the time. Obviously Christianity cannot co-exist with the rampant intolerance of Islam and Egypt’s Coptic Christians know all about this, having been at the receiving end of things. So, they take to the streets to protest and that raises issues for the BBC. You see some street protest is good, but not all. This morning, I heard the BBC refer to the conflict as being between Coptic Christians and “Conservative Islamists”! Then, when it came to the street fighting in “Freedom Square” we were informed that “Conservative elements” in the Army were responsible. So, in a neat euphemistic move, Radical Islam and at a totalitarian military are erased from the crime scene whilst Conservative is moved up to the frontline. Jeremy Al Bowen was on hand to provide his famous impartial reporting on the issue so we can rest assured that the picture painted by the BBC is everything we might expect.

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BACON SANDWICH?

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This is a guest post by Biased BBC contributor Graeme Thompson aka Hippiepooter.
“B-BBC regularsmay be aware that I think BBCRadio Five Live is excellent.  Commentsand digs here made against 5Live presenters leave me baffled and confused.
As far as I’m concerned it has some superb presenters,strongly committed to impartiality.
I get a smidgen that Shelagh Fogarty is a bit of aconservative but may be wrong.  Veryimpartial.  Great pleasure to tune in to.
Nicky Campbell, an outstanding broadcaster who’ll go down asone of the BBC’s all timegreats.  Generally a bit of a leftie butstrongly committed to impartiality.
Peter Allen, ‘left wind’ as opposed to left wing.  He tends to blow with the gusts of BBC left wing bias if they whip up too much of agale for him.  His wit and congenialitymore than make up for the few times this occurs though.
All in all, I’d say R5L presenters do Britain proud.
Apart from Richard Bacon.
It seems that the afternoon slot on 5Live is reserved forbiased lefties.  It’s as if some sort oftrade off has been made with the BBC’sGramscian left.  I think it was SybilRuscoe who I once heard interview Charlton Heston and comment afterwards howshe liked him, but “it’s a pity he’s right wing”.  Then we had Simon Mayo.  And now, Richard Bacon keeping the traditionalive.
A good enough broadcaster I’d argue, he has enough talentfor his job, but when push comes to shove, a Labour lackey through andthrough.  Worse; a Brownite lackey, andoutside of the BNP and ‘Respect’,it’s hard to get nastier than that.
He didn’t cover the Labour conference as a Labour supporterbut he has covered the Tory conference as one. Tone and comment made this evident, but then he surpassed himself onThursday when he informed us (01:56:46):-
“Like the cat in Dick Whittington, Theresa May’s moggy isnot just helping humans its entirelyfictional”.
The DailyMail has gone to the trouble of reading the Court transcripts and come to avery different conclusion.  I think anyfair-minded person – and the BBCdoes have a duty to be fair-minded – would take the view that while Theresa Mayoverstated the matter, her comment was grounded in fact.
Facts and fairness don’t matter to Mr Bacon.  Smearing Tory Government Ministers does.
This latest example of egregious bias from him comes in thewake of him referring listeners with a snicker to go to youtube to listen to anAmerican ‘comedian’ savagelymock Sarah Palin over her Downs Syndrome son Trig.
This time, if his R5L bosses do nothing more than issueanother insincere apology on his behalf they may start to lose publicconfidence.
Take a listen to the very end of Bacon’s programme to findout just how much contempt he has for his duty to impartiality.  Accompanied by the usual schoolboy snicker ofcourse.”

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BC/AD

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I know this one has been running for a while now but I just wanted to mark it out here on B-BBC. It concerns the BBC’s suggestion that religiously “neutral” terms should be used instead of “BC” and “AD” during discussions of history on air.

“The semi-official newspaper of the Holy See, L’Osservatore Romano, described the guidance from the BBC’s ethics advisers as “enormous nonsense” and accused the broadcaster of “senseless hypocrisy”. 

The guidelines suggested that the modern phrases “the common era” and “before the common era” should be considered as potential replacements for Anno Domini and Before Christ to avoid offending non-Christians. 

Some of the corporation’s highest profile presenters reacted with dismay and promised to ignore the idea. 

The row erupted last month after the guidance emerged on the religion pages of the BBC website, which stated: “As the BBC is committed to impartiality it is appropriate that we use terms that do not offend or alienate non-Christians. In line with modern practice, BCE/CE (Before Common Era/Common Era) are used as a religiously neutral alternative to BC/AD.”

The truth is that the BBC has a real problem with any aspect of Christianity that intrudes into their secular uber alles narrative. They may be celebrating 50 years of Songs of Praise but the State Broadcaster has done everything it can to chisel out all the value and virtue in the Christianity it broadcasts leaving it as a whited sepulchre. That it would seek to remove Anno Domini and Before Christ seems easily understood.

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JEW VERSUS JEW

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I was shocked. The BBC were actually running a sympathetic story about Jews being attacked. But, hang on, turns out the attackers were...other Jews. Kevin Connolly treated us to the story of how groups of ultra-orthodox Jews have been shouting and abusing children and their mothers on their way to a girl’s school in Jerusalem. Of course there is never an excuse for any such behaviour but I have been wondering why our Kevin has been so reluctant to provide us with gripping stories about how Palestinians abuse children by inculcating the merits of self detonation and killing Jews?

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