This is actually quite a funny BBCOnline article; intentionally so. I could vividly put myself into James Reynolds’ shoes as he described being asked by a University tutor to write his own reference for a summer job. First of all he was hesitant, and then he settled down and got on with it enthusiastically, making his case apparently invincible. So far, so nostalgic for oddball academics; but that’s what Reynolds … Continue reading →

– due to family events over Easter I’m behind on the mail at the moment. At the moment the comments boxes will get you on this page quicker. Yet another reason to take a look at the comments lies in the fact that, over the last few weeks, some indefatigable defenders of the BBC have engaged in debate with the equally indefatigable anti-beebniks that make up our regular audience. UPDATE: … Continue reading →

comparing the grilling of the acting Israeli ambassador to the UK to the slight warming of the Palestinian chief negotiator when both appeared on Today this morning. Also, check out the two posts below about the methodology of the BBC poll that put “the power of the US and large corporations” as the biggest threat to the world. In particular, I questioned the methodology – which wasn’t revealed in the … Continue reading →

Come back, Lord Reith, all is forgiven. Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.

sez Beeb. It is good of the BBC to call attention to the obvious, but they did manage to miss Bush’s apology. UPDATE: Fred Barnes and T. Bevan explain why Bush has self-important media elites climbing the walls. Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.

writes: One story prominently featured over the Easter holiday weekend was the leftie march to Aldermaston, including various puff-pieces in advance (i.e. advertising for fellow-travellers). Monday’s ‘News front page’ featured two links to stories about this relative non-event. The same story is highlighted a day later on the UK news page: Joy as nuclear marchers hit base Deep joy indeed. The story, by Hannah Bayman, features interviews with various protestors, … Continue reading →

– it’s like the normal missionary position, except you approach it from the left. When the corporation that spent a reported £2M on Popetown (an everyday story about corrupt Catholic cardinals and a mad Pope ) and the presenter Gavin Esler (author and presenter of The New Jerusalem, a hymn to the welfare state in Britain) decide to discuss the subject of Christian missionaries, the outcome is decidedly predictable. So … Continue reading →

First we got the bomb, and that was good ‘Cause we love peace and motherhood Then Russia got the bomb, but that’s okay ‘Cause the balance of power’s maintained that way – so sung the American satirist Tom Lehrer.But the Beeb tells it differently. Michael Gill writes: I visited the following URL: “Still fighting the bomb, 50 years on.” (Typical output from the Beeb) From that page, I followed the … Continue reading →

That’s just my little joke. Scott Burgess quotes a BBC report which is slightly less alarming. Slightly. Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.

Ceefax is a bit of a poor relation nowadays. Even so they ought not to let this through: yesterday’s page 120, headed “Algeria’s leader wins landslide” said, Mr Bouteflika is credited with taming an Islamic insurgency which has claimed some 100,000 lives in two years. No dout the insurgents themselves claim to be the true representatives of Islam. But there is no reason for the BBC to underwrite this claim. … Continue reading →