39 Responses to Well It Made Me Smile

  1. DangerousBadger says:

    Well I got wimmins Hour, how long’s is that little gem gonna last?

    And yes they seem to feature another woman who has lived a comfortable western life (who’s probably a friend of a friend of the producer) with some slight wrinkle that is considered fascinating. And has written a story about her antecedents.

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  2. John says:

    I thought it was gonna be orla bin guerin.

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  3. beachhutman says:

    Monday – “Wimmins’ naughty bits, and we explain why all men are bastards”
    Tuesday – “Hideous diseases that wimmin might have caught in the middle ages if they were very very unlucky, and we explain why all men are bastards”
    Wednesday – “Can nettles prevent first menstruation? The danger lurking in your garden. And we explain why all men are bastards”
    Thursday – We dig out a biography of yet another ancient female author you never heard of, and explain why all men are bastards”
    Friday – “An interview with a very junior Lithuanian ex-minister who happens to be a woman, and we explain why all men are bastards”
    Weekend Women’s hour – “Excerpts from all the best explanations this week of why all men are bastards”

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  4. Epi-Me says:

    There was a time I would listen to womans hour, but that was years ago…
    Around the time that the classic serial became the continuing adventures of “vapid woman” or how the wife/girlfriend/mistress of a famous artist/writer was the actuall sensitive much put upon heart of anything good that the aforementioned artist/writer accomplished. Oh and the woman where always portraid as vapid PC middle class women.

    After that I stopped. I dont know any women as uninteresting as the women portraid in these things.

    Also I remeber a discussion on the sexist repesentation of cave people societies (her reasoning was all 20th centuary angst and no research), and an interview with Alice Walker in which she went unchalenged over her opinion on Louis of the “million man march” and anti semitist fame. Saying anything that brings black people together is a good thing…

    I just cant stomach all that hand wringing

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  5. terry johnson says:

    al-bbc online is wringing it’s hands in glee that a BNP activist has been convicted in Swansea of using “racial abuse”. al-beeb quote extensively from Swansea police who express the wish that people report witnessing any such abuse. Does that mean that the police will now arrest every muslim extremist who carries placards demanding the death of infidels ?
    I also searched al-bbc online for any mention of the 35,000 people who demonstrated against the Iranian regime in New York yesterday. No mention whatsoever, yet al-beeb were quick to report on some of the anti-Iraq war demos in the USA that attracted less than a few hundred people. So in the agenda-driven environment of al-bbc the news is either edited, slanted, misinterpreted or, in this case, completely ignored.

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  6. Allan@Aberdeen says:

    I read that item on the conviction of the BNP supporter for ‘racism’ in The Times. It is noteworthy that a) there was no ‘victim’, b) that the witness could not make out the words allgedly shouted (but the guy’s a member of the BNP anyway) and c) that the witness received an award for her actions BEFORE the trial of the accused.
    Compare this with the conduct of our authorities towards the muslims who harassed catholics going to Mass last week. The placards made clear the wishes of the demonstrators – death to the Pope and anyone else who opposes islam.

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  7. Fran says:

    Blatant, disgusting, disgraceful. The headline and first paragraph tells the BBC take on this story

    “Sulawesi militants face execution” http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5366226.stm

    Three Indonesian Christian militants facing execution for attacks against Muslims in 2000 have been visited by relatives for probably the last time. ”

    Those disgraceful, troublesome Christians, in such a powerful position in this area. “80% of residents are Muslim, while 17% are Christian” At the bottom of the piece is this throw-away line:

    “Rights groups have questioned the fairness of the three Christians’ trial, saying few others have been convicted over the violence that rocked Central Sulawesi from 1998 to 2001.”

    Only when you look at some other sources, like this one http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,20456749-5006506,00.html do you discover what the serious doubts about the fairness of the trial were.

    “Ms Cartron (Amnesty’s South East Asia researcher) noted that there were concerns about defence witness testimony being ignored by the court as well as the intimidation of the men’s lawyers, who endured death threats and a bomb being planted at one of their homes.”

    The BBC does manage to mention that “there have been sporadic attacks – including the beheading of three Christian schoolgirls by masked men last October.”

    Well, gosh, I wondered who those masked men could possibly have been. So I looked up the Scottie and found out! I’ll give you three guesses which word the BBC left out of their report. http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=700152006

    The use of the Indonesian justice system against Christians is becoming commonplace, and the intimidation of judges, witnesses and juries by Islamic mobs is routine. http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/CWN/072905indonesia.aspx

    But you’d never know this from the cowardly, traitorous BBC.

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  8. Pete_London says:

    Fran

    You just have to stop paying that money to them. You know you wanna.

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  9. Fran says:

    You’re probably right, Pete ..

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  10. Kulibar Tree says:

    Woman Sour. Woman’s Hour.

    I just got the joke.

    Der.

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  11. Anon says:

    Fran I thought you didn’t trust groups like amnesty international, I mean they are quite critical of Israel for example. I have seen them dismissed as being biased on this blog before as well, perhaps you disagree with those sentiments ?

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  12. Fran says:

    Anon

    Have we met? I don’t recall having any correspondence with you about Amnesty International?

    Troll off.

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  13. Fran says:

    I thought BBBC readers might enjoy a recent small triumph over the BBC anti-Israel propaganda machine.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/news/2006/09/13/36329.shtml

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  14. J.G. says:

    Fran

    From the complaint ruling

    “Further action
    BBC News will ensure that its reports for religious programmes from Israel and the Palestinian Territories receive the same rigorous editorial oversight in the Jerusalem Bureau as reports for news programmes.”

    lol

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  15. Fran says:

    Well, I said it was a SMALL victory ….

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  16. Bryan says:

    Fran,

    I dunno about that. It seems to me that to get the BBC to admit that much is a major triumph.

    I like your Troll off.

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  17. Oscar says:

    Fran

    I agree with Bryan I think this is a major triumph. Complaining to al beeb is a very tough call indeed (we know all their dirty little tricks don’t we?, and getting them to concede they got this wrong (qualified as it is) is quite an achievement. Congratulations.

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  18. will says:

    terry johnson:
    Does that mean that the police will now arrest every muslim extremist who carries placards demanding the death of infidels ?

    Police patrol next to crowds of folk chanting death to whoever, but do nothing.

    But given the right circumstances an off duty policeman can be moved to act.

    An off duty officer, Chief Inspector Eoin Jenkins, said Hutton had revved the engine of his Lotus Esprit near two Muslims last year.

    Jail Time for Revving Engine in a Racist Manner

    http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/13/1347.asp

    Via

    http://atangledweb.typepad.com/

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  19. Patrick says:

    Fran | 21.09.06 – 10:01 pm |

    I think you are being a bit unfair on the BBC.

    No news organization has done as much as the BBC to report the murder of the three Christian girls.

    It was well covered in the news. Newsnight did a film about it.

    http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/news_syndication/article_051220indonesia.shtml

    And you didn’t need to to wait until 10 May 2006 edition of the Scottie to discover the religion of the perps.. the BBC put them well in the frame in this story back in October 2005

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4387604.stm

    My wife has been very active campaigning for the release of the three Christians facing execution through our local church group. So, to a lesser degree, have I. We can’t see anything wrong, innaccurate or biased in the story you link to.

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  20. Fran says:

    Patrick

    This story was new to me – I didn’t have any background to go on, which you clearly have. Had I only read the BBC website version, I would have thought this was an open and shut case of Christians raising up mobs to attack Muslims, and causing hundreds of deaths.

    Although the Beeb story mentioned that the men had insisted they were innocent, it was only when I had read almost to the end that I learned that there were serious questions about fairness of their trial.

    Compare this with some of the other non-Indonesian coverage of the story, such as the one I linked to, and I think you’ll find that the questions about the trial – the linkage with the conviction of Muslims for the Bali bombing, the intimidation of judges and witnesses both in and out of court, etc, receive much more detailed coverage, and significantly influenced the focus of the story.

    By labelling the three men as militants in the headline, and failing to report the reasons why Amnesty, for example, thought the trial unfair, the BBC made this story into one about execution of Christian militants rather than the possible unjust execution of 3 innocent Christians in order to appease radical Indonesian Islamists who are waging a war of attrition against the Indonesian Christian community.

    In the light of this, the BBC’s omission of the background of the men who murdered the 3 Christian schoolgirls – radical islamists with links to Al Qaeda groups – even though you point out that the BBC KNEW this – reinforces my assertion that the BBC has presented this story in a biased way, and one which is significantly different to the other western news outlets which I looked at yesterday.

    I think this is wrong.

    BTW good for your wife. Heaven knows Christians in Indonesia need all the support they can get – viz the story about the 3 Indonesian teachers.

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  21. Patrick says:

    It seems they executed the three Chritians yesterday.

    May they rest in peace.

    ttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5368922.stm

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  22. Patrick says:

    and worse:

    Palu (AsiaNews) • Indonesian authorities have denied the three Catholic men sentenced to death the right to attend mass one last time before they are executed tonight by a firing squad. The Prosecutor’s Office in Palu has decided that Fabianus Tibo, Marinus Riwu and Dominggus da Silva cannot receive the “spiritual guidance” hitherto provided by Fr Jimmy Tumbelaka in Petobo Prison, this according to Father Tumbelaka himself, who is also parish priest at Poso’s Saint Therese Parish church. The clergyman added that the prosecutor also banned a chapel of rest in Palu St Mary’s Cathedral for the three men as they had requested.

    “I am deeply disappointed that the Prosecutor’s Office rejected their demand to be confessed and receive the Sacraments one last time,” he said.

    The negative decision violates Indonesian law which grants death row convicts the right to have their last wishes properly addressed.

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  23. Patrick says:

    ….sorry I didn’t mean denying them their last wishes was worse than killing them…….I meant…..’and more bad news’.

    Hope the BBC doesn’t blame the Pope’s lecture.

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  24. Fran says:

    Patrick

    It’s very dreadful. I just watched a (non-BBC) TV item about this, and the emphasis was on the insistence by the men that they were innocent, and the injustice of their execution – which is the angle that just about all the western media outlets have taken.

    I really don’t think the BBC piece I criticised does that at all – which is why I had a go at it.

    As you say, may they rest in peace.

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  25. John Black says:

    There may be trouble ahead

    http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1878361,00.html

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  26. Susan says:

    My goodness, musn’t rev your motor anywhere near a Muslim! They are s-o-o-o senthitive you know. Not like us toughie infidels who are expected to take mass murder on the subway (and blatant public bragging about it later) in stride.

    I can’t believe the stuff I read about the British police and the “racism” laws. “Racism” has truly become a powerful instrument of Orwellianism.

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  27. Anonymous says:

    When I rev my engine, roll down the window and hose them down with an M-60, then they are allowed to be offended.

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  28. terry johnson says:

    Meanwhile al-beeb’s hacks in the US seem as clueless or biased as their comrades in the UK. Under the headline “Congress underscores Bush’s weakness” ,al-beeb hack Richard Greene (who he ?) does a hatchet job on President Bush and predicts a Democrat landslide in November’s mid-term elections. Trouble is Comrade Greene seems to have completely missed out the opinion polls that show the Republicans bouncing back to get level with the Dems AND he ignores the polls that show Bush’s popularity at an eighteen month high. All the political blogs (left & right) I’ve read from the States have commented on the Republican comeback and the Dems sudden discomfort with current events. Even the last minute accomodation between Bush and two Republican rebels over the “Geneva Convention bill” has actually strengthened Bush’s hand and exposed the Dems weakness on dealing with the War On Terror. How Greene has misread the situation is anyone’s guess – is his report just plain ignorance (which al-Beeb do well) or more left-wing wishful thinking (which al-beeb do even better) ? Either way , it’s shoddy reporting and not the kind of informed reporting that a news organization with a budget of taxpoayer’s billions should be delivering. Nil points for al-beeb yet again.

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  29. beachhutman says:

    Just posted.

    “Dear WH,

    Over the years I have heard UMPTEEN WH discussions on rape prosecutions. Again, this weekend, the unopposed thesis was that a case is only “successful” if it results in a conviction. It never seems to even occur to protagonists that “success” may be an aquittal of an innocent person. This view of the justice system, that only one outcome is acceptable, if applied in other cases would bring HOWLS of anger from all quarters. Including the proponents of what appears to be automatic conviction of all men accused of this crime.

    It would be good occasionally to hear the presenter reminding her guests that an aquittal is not automatically the wrong outcome.”

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  30. Fran says:

    Anyone who heard John Humphrys on Friday’s Today Programme (8.10am) allowing the singularly discourteous man who told the Home Sec. he had no right to go to a “muslim area” just enough rope to hang himself, knows that this was the Beeb at its finest.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/friday.shtml

    And if you weren’t convinced, just look who’s cross with the Beeb over it!

    http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=United+Kingdom+%26+Europe&month=September2006&file=World_News200609238954.xml

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  31. Rob says:

    Someone give Barbara Plett a hankie:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5374160.stm

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  32. Alan Man says:

    “Anyone who heard John Humphrys on Friday’s Today Programme (8.10am) allowing the singularly discourteous man who told the Home Sec. he had no right to go to a “muslim area” just enough rope to hang himself, knows that this was the Beeb at its finest.”

    How do the views of MCB essentially differ from the views expressed by the protester that interrupted Home secretary’s speech?

    Wasn’t it, in fact, Mohammed Abdul-Bari, the chairman of MCB, that blamed British foreign policy for the attempted terrorist attacks and “muslim anger”?

    The only difference between the Abu Izzayyeen and Mr. Abdul-Bari is the fact that the latter is more slick in presenting his equally intolerant views.

    BBC screwed up, which means that Mr. Abdul-Bari is the man to be interviewed next time.

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  33. Susan says:

    Rob, LOL. Yes, I’m sure teary Babs can hardly restrain herself.

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  34. ? says:

    ‘When I rev my engine, roll down the window and hose them down with an M-60, then they are allowed to be offended.’

    Ah, the voice of reason. What’s not to like? Take your pick from this, or maybe
    beachhutman’s side-splitting comment about some raido show or other, a great defence of the BNP and people who put racism in ‘quotes’

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  35. Jack Hughes says:

    Lighten up a bit, Mr “?”

    Revving up your engine is a bit loutish, but its not really a police matter. Not like threatening to behead people, or plant bombs or that kind of thing.

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  36. ? says:

    Er, assuming an M60 means the same wherever it is that you live, Mr Hughes, it is indeed a police matter

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  37. paulc says:

    ?
    If
    ?

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  38. Simpson John says:

    The MCB obviously didnt listen to the programme. There was an interview later with a panel of young Muslims. All of whom disagreed with the guest and disagreed with the decision to broadcast it, as did emails from lsiteners. Izzadeen was challenged repeatedly, including being asked (repeatedly) why if he didnt like the UK, he didnt leave?
    He made pretty clear himself that he wasnt representative of the majority.

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  39. Fran says:

    John simpson

    “The MCB obviously didnt listen to the programme.”

    What makes you say this? This http:// http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com…00609238954.xml suggests that someone from the MCB was listening. Unless its spokesmen were complaining in the dark.

    Also, of the several emails which were read out by John Humphreys at 8.30am on Friday morning only one or two complained at the decision to broadcast the interview. Most correspondents disagreed with Izzadeen and several congratulated the BBC for giving people the opportunity to hear what some British Islamists really want to do in the UK.

    I’m sure you’re right in saying that Izzadeen’s views don’t represent a majority Muslim view. But if the recent Channel 4 poll which Humphrys quoted in the piece is to be believed, about 25% of them thought the 7/7 suicide bombings were justified. therefore, Izzadeen may be representing the views of a substantial minority of British Muslims – tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands of them. When one considers that Muslim men below 24 years are twice as likely to support the suicide bombers, then it seems all the more important that the British public should know what they are up against.

    Such hatred of the UK and its values sounds like a real threat to me, John. Although the panel you heard might have been made up of Muslims who think Izzadeen is extreme, it’s clear that you don’t have to search too hard for those who agree with him.

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