Category Archives: half the truth

HOMS REDUX

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The BBC has been replete with reports on the situation in the Syrian town of Homs. However a Biased BBC reader suggests that we are not quite getting the full picture from the State Broadcaster;

“You will be aware of the BBC reporting on the Syrian government attacks on Homs and the killing of innocent civilians, however there seems to be no mention of the “freedom fighters” who are forcing civilians to remain in the town to act as human shields (just like the failure to report the use of civilians as shields in Gaza) nor of the wave of kidnappings that Christians in the town are now subject to (presumably from the same islamist “freedom fighters) see the information of this reported by the Barnabus Fund (extract below):

“The situation in the besieged city of Homs, Syria, is horrifying and becoming unbearable for Christians who are caught in the battleground. Many thousands are trapped in the city though others have managed to flee to the surrounding villages. Families are in desperate need of food and basics; prices have rocketed, supplies are running low, and it is often too dangerous to go out in search of food. More than 200 Christians have been killed, and the community has been beset by kidnappings. Two bombs were discovered in a church yard in Homs, although thankfully they did not explode. Christians were even blocked from leaving Homs by anti-government forces who were keeping them there as “human shields” in a bid to protect the areas they were controlling.”


Odd how the BBC seem to have missed this aspect, isn’t it? What with all that world class journalism, you might have thought someone would have thought the above worthy of comment? No?

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THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON

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I always like it when light is cast into darkness. Biased BBC’s Alan picks up on this interesting detail not mentioned by the BBC;

“Enver Solomon fromthe ‘Children’s Society’ has been all over the BBC today. It might be nice to know that the Children’s Society’ full name is the ‘Churchof England Children’s Society’ and that it is essentially controlled by thevery same Bishops who are opposing the government’s welfare policy.

‘Church of England Children’s Society(A company limited by guarantee). Also known as The Children’s Society.PresidentsThe Most Reverend and Right Hon the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Dr RowanWilliamsThe Most Reverend and Right Hon the Lord Archbishop of York Dr John SentamuVice-PresidentsBishops of the Church of EnglandTrustee BoardChairThe Rt Rev’d Tim Thornton, Bishop of Truro (appointed September 2010)’

Whilst the charity does a vast amount of good for children across Britain itscurrent theme that families must have £30,000 net income in benefits is clearlyat odds not only with reality but its own actions. The charity has 728 employees…..do they all get, regardless of whether theyare full time or part time, at least £30,000 net income? If not are their children now living in poverty as Enver Solomon tells us theyshould be below that income level?

It’s interesting that the Charity is not above making its own cost savings tosuit the economic climate….

‘Efficiencies within the charity have helped to create a stable financialfoundation.’

It would seem that whilst it seeks to protect children pensioners are not solucky:

Pension Fund
The Children’s Society operates a defined benefit
scheme that closed to new staff in 2003.
New staff enter a defined contribution scheme.

To maintain this focus, expenditure across our other areas of charitable activity was reduced by £0.2m from last year’s level.

The charity also paid out over £1 million to cover redundancies….sopresumably the children of those ex employees aren’t quite that important.

The total staff pay costs are £27 million…presumably the many charity shopworkers do not get any where near £30,000…..(37,000 x 728 = 27million)…..so somebody must be getting some very high wages at the top of thecharity.
http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/Accounts/Ends24/0000221124_ac_20110331_e_c.pdf

It would be nice firstly if the BBC would give us the full information aboutwhat are clearly charity pressure groups lobbying for their own favouredpolicies…and second that such charities put their money where their mouthsare….when the pay their lowliest staff member £30,000 net per annum I mightlisten.

Sort of connected is the BBC’s insistence on telling us of the ‘respected’or ‘leading’ think tank IPPR…..no ‘warning’ that it is a left wing,essentially Labour affiliated, pressure group…..and Nicky Campbell’scontinued categorising of government cuts as ‘Tory cuts’.

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