Classic BBC Cringe

The BBC’s Wendy Urquhart enters the realms of “beyond parody” in this butt-clenchingly PC report about the anniversary of the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands (or “the Falkland Islands or Las Malvinas” as they are apparently known when they’re not simply “Las Malvinas”) : A solemn day in Argentina. Thousands gather to pay their respects, but the issue of sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, or Las Malvinas, is clearly … Continue reading

Keep Trying

Instead of blogging the emotive language used in the BBC’s report of the Israeli retaliation to heightened attacks from Gaza, I’m going to discuss the embarrassing exposure of Jeremy “I’ll have to take your first answer” Paxman’s pissmronouncing stumbling incompetence as per the Telegraph. Well, not discuss, just mention. Hats off to Alexander Guttenplan. The many fascinating ways the news about Gaza has been phrased this morning shows how difficult … Continue reading

BLACKWASH….

Richard Black has filed his take on the Parliamentary “investigation” into the Climategate emails. Naturally, he thinks it’s a wonderful outcome showing the integrity of the climate change community. As a sop, he mentions a couple of important sceptics and that they are not happy with the “whitewash” conclusion. But there’s no doubt who’s side he’s on: in parts of the opinion spectrum, anything that did not result in mass … Continue reading

Question Time 1st April 2010

Question Time this week comes from Stevenage, which is twinned with Shymkent in Kazakhstan, and location of The Pied Piper which is the only pub in the world to be opened by Her Majesty the Queen. Stevenage is represented for Labour by Daphne Barbara Follett, who is standing down at this election after overclaiming the highest amount of expenses of any MP in the country. On the panel is ex-postman … Continue reading

REWARDING GUILE?

I note that The Time has exposed more BBC duplicity… A BBC executive who is paid almost £200,000 a year to award bonuses to senior managers tried to manipulate salary information to hide the number of staff earning more than £100,000.   Robert Johnston, who is “reward director”, asked staff responsible for releasing the data to the public to “deliberately disguise” the number of managers on six-figure salaries, according to e-mails … Continue reading

AN OBJECTIVE OBSERVER?

Have you ever wondered why Roger Harrabin, the BBC’s environmental analyst, is such a fanatical warmist, to the extent that he faithfully reports every utterance of warmist zealots? Could part of the reason be financial? He is registered with this speaker agency and demands fees of between £5,000 and £10,000 to chair sessions at plush conferences on climate change themes. He modestly describes himself as follows: Roger Harrabin, the BBC’s … Continue reading