THE DRUGS AREN’T WORKING

. I see the BBC has been running the story concerning five soldiers that have been dismissed from the Army after failing a drugs test. The soldiers are from the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, and their duties include guarding the Queen. An Army spokesman added: “Drug misuse in the armed forces will not be tolerated. “Positive rates in the Army over the last three years average around 0.8%, compared with over 7% in civilian workplace drug testing programmes in the UK.” Got me thinking what the drug misuse rate is amongst BBC presenters. Maybe ace reporter Jonny Dymond could do a special investigation on the topic or… might he turn his nose up at the prospect ?

TAX GRAB.

It’s clear that the BBC is sympathetic to those politicians who favour raiding the cash assets of the energy companies as a means to obtain cash to then bribe, sorry I mean help “poorer families” struggling to pay their bills. This article is typical of BBC bias. It starts by putting the case in favour of the alleged “windfall tax”. Then, it provides space for an opposing view. But it then carefully segues the recent profits of the energy companies with a poll from the Observer to suggest that the majority of the public favour this tax grab. All very subtle and all contrived to convey the idea that government raiding the profits of private business is an honourable and worthy course of action.

CHANNELING JOHNNY.

Well now, have you seen the main BBC news portal this morning? It looks like the BBC is sponsoring the Democratic convention based on the euphoria of the coverage afforded to the first day of the Obama love in. All the elements were on parade for the BBC to propagandise upon. We had the lovely Michelle – that most fragrant of delicate flowers who only recently became proud of her countey – giving her homely wisdom to the masses . Then we had Ted Kennedy – speaking almost from his death bed – and channelling JFK in the BBC’s eyes. Even better, we now have what is being presented as an assassination bid on Obama – more echoes of JFK. Can you imagine what it will be like on Thursday when the Chosen One descends to Earth and speaks to the people? Will the BBC be able to contain itself? Can’t wait to see the same surge of excitment from the rotten BBC when McCain’s moment comes….

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH.

I see that the BBC has flown James Naughtie all the way over to Denver (What about all those C02 emissions?) to cover the coronation of the Chosen One, Obama, at the DNC. The Today programme (7.09am) had a wonderful treat for us this morning when Naughtie interviewed Justin Webb on Obama’s chances and as you can imagine, a strong stomach was the order of the day just to get through this love-in. Justin was in good form, emoting about the “audacity” of the “mesmeric” young “black man” Obama and reminding us f the “staggeringly unpopular” President Bush. Surprised Justin didn’t have time to reflect on the “staggeringly unpopular” Democratic-controlled Congress but I suppose there is only so much time given to provide praise for the BBC-approved candidate. Looking forward to Michelle’s speech tonight and the BBC coverage to follow….

General BBC-related comment thread!

Please use this thread for comments about the BBC’s current programming and activities. This post will remain at or near the top of the blog – scroll down for new topic-specific posts. N.B. This is not an invitation for general off-topic comments, rants or chit-chat. Thoughtful comments are encouraged. Comments may also be moderated. Any suggestions for stories that you might like covered would be appreciated! It’s your space, use it wisely.

A silver haired boost for Obama?

Following DV’s post below, the topic of Joe Biden raises its head. The title above is borrowed from this BBC story (the question mark is added). In it they describe Biden as “a silver-haired veteran of American politics”.

This would be an unimpeachable description of Biden were it not for one little detail- it’s not real hair. Well, not as those unaffected by hair loss know it, anyway. I don’t know what conclusion to draw from this- we live in a world of appearances that are ever more manipulable, but it seems to me our cynicism about this has not caught up with the technology of appearance and that opinion-makers take advantage. Not that the BBC would cooperate in any of that. Oh no- they’re impartial don’t you know?

You can check out Biden a little more as nature made him here.

BIDEN FEVER

. You have to laugh at the sheer BIAS of it all. The single most important news in the world today for the BBC to run as its lead story is the selection by the Obamessiah of slow Joe Biden as his V-P running mate. Clearly they don’t buy the view expressed by John Adams that it “the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived!” The main BBC news spun this news as if it were of monumental significance and I look forward to seeing their news schedule being led by the announcement of McCain’s V-P selection, with appropriate fever. It is so obvious that the BBC wants Obama in the White House and it permeates their coverage. They wanted Kerry but were denied and now all their focus is on the Chosen One. You can tell how shocked they are that Obama’s poll numbers FELL after his European PR-fest so one can only speculate how the BBC will take an Obama defeat in November. I guess it will be used to insinuate that too many Americans are racist.

MURDERING AMERICANS?

If you had the misfortune to tune into the Today programme this morning at 7.12am, you would have found yourself treated to John Humphrys in full on anti-American military sneering mode.

The news item concerns a US air strike on the Taliban spawn that infest the Herat area of Afghanistan and which killed dozens of the Taliban. Or at least that’s what the US armed force say, but who believes them, right? Straightaway this is disputed by “tribal elders” (Taliban, natch) “locals” (Taliban) and the ubiquitous “Human Rights” activists. (Taliban apologists) Humphyrs line was to immediately weigh-in behind the idea that the US forces had killed many innocent civilians – again. He brought on Grace Ommer from Oxfam (An organisation hardly noted for balance..) and he then made the remarkable assertion that this “war, if war it is..” is going very badly? I wonder what he thinks it is? Is he there to editorialise on this and if so who is there to provide a balance? Humphrys tried to get Ommer to say the war was going badly wrong but in fairness even she figured that Oxfam are hardly in a position to judge. She merely pointed out that US actions against the Taliban made humanitarian work very difficult. She appeared to long for the good old days when the Taliban were in sole control of the country and Oxfam could operate with impunity.

This item fairly simmered with anti-US military hostility and it is an example of how the BBC does all it can to undermine the efforts of the US military everywhere they operate. You should give it a listen, it’s an example of the visceral bias that permeates the BBC.

When bad news is no news – part 2

Obviously the Beeb isn’t always the fastest with breaking news, but I really thought they might have had the edge with this story. Digby Jones, the trade minister in Brown’s Government of all talents, is to quit – as he told, er, the BBC. (What’s the expression about rodents and ships again?)

Twelve hours later, though, and still no sign of this on the BBC website’s politics page – or anywhere else for that matter. Oh well, perhaps it’s just not a very interestingstory.

TWO SNIDE.

Happened to tune into BBC Radio 2 this morning and caught Simon Mayo having a good old snigger about that fact that John McCain was apparently unsure as to how many properties he actually owned. Simon appeared to be reading from a transcript of McCain’s response to a journalist who had asked him how many houses he had. Simple Simon mocked McCain for something going on for a couple of minutes. Funny thing is when Obama suggested there were 57 States – can’t recall Simon using that as a platform for his humour? Can you? Even on Radio 2, the left wing bias can’t stop from exuding. I like Terry Wogan – think he has a good sense of humour – but Mayo shows a disturbing lack of balance –left, left, left.