‘What the Islamic State and the 1915 Ottoman Turks have in common is a cruelty based on ideology – even theology – rather than race hatred, although that is not far away.’     Now most people probably don’t agree with Robert Fisk’s take on things but he has bitten the bullet and gone against the grain of his usual fare….   The Christian tragedy in the Middle East … Continue reading →

This should tide you over until the next open thread appears…..

      David Cameron  has been photographed feeding a lamb….an orphaned lamb…sweet, as Jeremy Clarkson would say.     The BBC has decided there is something decidedly of the ‘Dark Arts’ about all this and sent in intrepid reporter, John Humphrys, to investigate the important issues surrounding this breaking news. Apparently this is ‘the new reality’ of politics with politicians kissing babies and doing photo ops…never been done before … Continue reading →

      ‘But he also told her that the story chimes with what he has been told by senior SNP figures – that it suits their wider purpose to have a Tory Prime Minister because it rallies support for independence.’   The Telegraph released a leaked memo that said the SNP’s leader wanted Cameron for PM….to howls of denial all round. The memo had a fair bit in it and ended … Continue reading →

  There is going to be a teacher shortage…the problem is a result of government failure to recruit more teachers in light of a baby boom, as the BBC put it on the radio. Others might categorize the problem as having too many pupils due to the flood of immigrants coming to this country rather than too few teachers….just as the ‘housing problem’ is not one of too few houses … Continue reading →

A guest Contribution by Graeme Thompson who posts as hippiepooter! Check out the BBC landing page for Easter Day (@ 09:35):- Just one incidental mention of Easter. On it’s UK News site (@ 09:47):- Just one secondary mention. Well, at least its Easter Day headlines do not relate Easter to Islam as Alan has highlighted here and here. Unless of course, one takes into account that the Easter Day Messages … Continue reading →

  The Guardian provides a perfect illustration of just how the truth is being twisted in the propaganda war in the run up to the election…one would have hoped for better from the über ethical Guardian… The rise of DIY dentistry: Britons doing their own fillings to avoid NHS bill In a country that prides itself on free healthcare, DIY dentistry is an almost Victorian notion of hardship. But poverty … Continue reading →

    From the Telegraph…. Did BBC help win Labour the 1964 election by cancelling Steptoe and Son? When Harold Wilson learned that the BBC planned to broadcast an episode of Steptoe and Son on the night of the 1964 general election, he sensed disaster. The Labour leader feared that working class voters would stay at home to watch the comedy, which in those days drew audiences of 26 million, … Continue reading →

      A government minister, one of Asian background, Sajid Javid, tells us that ‘Muslim communities in parts of Britain have a ‘cultural’ problem that allows women to be viewed as commodities.’ He tells us…. “If we are to learn proper lessons from this, we have to look at the cultural side of some communities in Britain and see why it is that in some communities there are men … Continue reading →

  The Sturgeon caviar turns out to be more cod’s roe, or is it cods wallop, as Sturgeon is revealed to be a secret Tory….or so the Telegraph tells us… Nicola Sturgeon secretly backs David Cameron “she’d rather see David Cameron remain as PM (and didn’t see Ed Miliband as PM material)” The BBC seems rather put out and counters with the denial… Nicola Sturgeon denies ‘preferring Cameron’   Naughtie … Continue reading →