START THE WEEK OPEN THREAD

Well then, one can argue as to whether Kim Kardashian’s posterior “broke the internet” but last week saw our server “break” and cause a lot of hassle. My thanks to Rob and Geoff for fixing things but as you can see some posts vanished along with the comment threads which is VERY annoying. Anyway, let’s hope for a pain free week. And whilst I am at it, I had asked you all if anyone fancied putting up some posts here to ease the strain on Rob and myself. If you would like to talk about this  then please email me.  The floor is yours….

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232 Responses to START THE WEEK OPEN THREAD

  1. deegee says:

    Fur seals have been caught engaging in an extreme form of sexual behaviour. Specifically, trying to have sex with penguins

    Obviously no one at the BBC has had a dog trying to hump their leg or they wouldn’t find it so surprising.

       21 likes

    • Roland Deschain says:

      Well it gives a whole new meaning to pulling the birds.

         19 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      ‘hasn’t come as a complete shock to the scientists that recorded it’

      Phew. But if one had sported a slightly racy shirt there may have been a fit of the vapours.

         23 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      As part of the million monkeys/typewriters theory, I suspect that we will be seeing more of such stories as the numbers of scientists seeking things to get funded for continues to increase despite these austere times, and the number of BBC ‘reporters’ with dead air to fill by sheer coincidence appears to be swelling daily too. The synergies served are clear.

         15 likes

    • johnnythefish says:

      As we know (because the BBC and ‘the world’s top climate scientists’ keep telling us) any reported phenomenon with ‘extreme’ and ‘science’ in it must be the result of ‘climate change’….

         14 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        Certainly the headlines are ablaze with ‘Unprecedented since the last time it happened’ headlines.

        I have sadly conceded that November is again proving wet and miserable enough to dust off the genny, pumps and SAD lamp. As I have tended to do every winter in the UK.

           12 likes

    • Merched Becca says:

      Global Warming – Simples!

         3 likes

    • DICK R says:

      Birds, I suspect , can move considerably quicker than the average seal !!!

         2 likes

  2. George R says:

    Two versions of this deportation:

    1.)

    “Canada to deport suspected jihad bomber of Paris synagogue”

    http://www.jihadwatch.org/2014/11/canada-to-deport-suspected-jihad-bomber-of-paris-synagogue

    2.)
    “Paris synagogue bomb: Canadian suspect extradited to France”

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-30063814

       22 likes

  3. George R says:

    Beeboids and the moral maze.

    “Media Monkey’s Diary:

    Michael Buerk, Robert Peston and Emily Maitlis”

    http://www.theguardian.com/media/mediamonkeyblog/2014/nov/16/michael-buerk-robert-peston-emily-maitlis

       9 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      ‘“Actually … most breakfast sequences … before I go on the Today programme … a quick shot … ” Pesto wryly offered by way of explanation.’

      I wonder if self-funded or from the house cabinet?:

      http://www.tradingaswdr.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/steady-drinkers.html

      On the other hand, remarkable restraint in my business is drinking outside of hours and on my own tab.

      Another BBC unique then?

      Those bubbly bottle-strewn carpets to celebrate favoured political victories don’t get coated that way cheap.

         11 likes

  4. Thatcher Revolutionary says:

    Channel 4’s ‘Alright In The 70’s’
    What a laugh watching these horrible lefty ‘comedians’ and washed-up actors/actresses watch vintage TV with their faux outrage and a look like someone just shat in their mouth.
    Best bit was when Wendy Craig in ‘Butterflies’ cried ‘ I WANT tO BE RAPED’……………written by uber lefty Carla Lane from the People’s Republic of Liverpool…………strangely they didn’t go ask her today what her thinking was…………………

       43 likes

    • Roland Deschain says:

      I gave that two minutes. I’d thought it might be an affectionate leg-pulling of how things were done in past years but it was all done in such a superior aren’t-we-so-much-better-than-these-people style that I feared for my television screen’s safety if I carried on watching.

      It was a bit rich of Matt Lucas to be presenting it. I’d imagine that in 40 years Little Britain and Come Fly With Me would be ripe for that sort of thing, albeit I thought the former was on occasion very funny.

         25 likes

      • A Teddy called Moh says:

        I couldn’t watch it. A load or ‘trendy’ left-wing comedians who weren’t even born in the 70s passing judgement.

        All it proved was how endemic PC has become and that these nonces need to grow up and get a backbone.

        I was a teenage in the 70’s and though it was a crap era and the clothes were sh!t at least people knew their place

           0 likes

    • David Brims says:

      Will Channel 4 do a programme about ” Alright in the 1570s”. If you were a vagrant caught begging in a village you were whipped and thrown out, if caught the second time you were hanged. Today the government are importing them from around the world and giving them council houses. Seems we don’t have common sense anymore.

         54 likes

      • Doublethinker says:

        Surely there is no need to bother with research or writing a script for the programme you suggest. All they need to do, is to send a film crew to any of a host of Muslim countries, and they will see far, far worse than the stuff you mention above, going on as part of the rich diversity of everyday life amongst the devout practitioners of the religion of peace.

           19 likes

    • pah says:

      meh.

      This is just context setting for further smear campaigns in the run up to the election.

      They did however miss by a mile in some of the cases they showed, especially with Benny Hill, who always had the tables turned on him.

      The Wendy Craig clip was a bit odd, especially as the writer is a renown femiNazi so I’m not sure what point they want people to fall for. NB notice that they cut short her own horror at her statement …

         18 likes

    • Pete B. says:

      I could only watch fifteen minutes of it. I thought it was going to be a fond look back on seventies television. I was wrong. Of course, I forgot it was on channel 4. Alarm bells should have rung when the anti-British Bill Odie appeared. As I recall, The Goodies wasn’t what you’d call politically correct. I actually recorded it, so I might watch the rest, but hit the mute button whenever the lefties appear.

         19 likes

  5. Alex says:

    I’m not a fan of David Cameron’s politics but I certainly don’t appreciate the sneering tone of Robinson’s article here:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30077447

    You’d never see such a facetious manner with Ed Miliband. Indeed, the BBC are practically selling Ed’s wares at present. Makes me sick. I was with a bunch of friends the other night, and we all agreed that why on earth are we paying for this left-wing drivel. Even some of my leftie friends agreed that no-one should be coerced into funding the BBC. Its standards have plummeted with Newsnight being an apt indicator of its recent slide into puerile metro-trendy elitist garbage.
    It no longer has any pretence of being impartial. Using thematic analysis, it would be good fun to conduct a comparative and quantitative survey into how the BBC reports both Labour and Tory stories. Statistics would no doubt prove a leftist bias.

       57 likes

    • #88 says:

      I hadn’t read that, but was aware of the difficulties facing the Eurozone, with Italy potentially going tits-up, the southern country slipping back into trouble, Japan sliding backwards and of course France and Germany avoiding recession by the skin of its teeth.

      I listened to Cameron’s warning and took his message at face value, a Prime Minister doing what he should…and in this case stating the bleeding obvious.

      But it wasn’t Toenails analysis that I was aware of, but, as usual, Labour’s Norman Smith who managed today to concoct the message that this was Cameron telling the public that the finances were not secure, the purpose of the message being ‘NOT TO VOTE LABOUR’.

      To contrive that was going some, and actually, given the by-election this week, he might have said UKIP rather than Labour, but that would have given UKIP some more publicity.

      And after Smith’s bit of creativity it was back tot the studio for a, ‘But Labour say’, moment. This time, Labour were saying that Cameron was ‘getting his excuses in early’….which brings us exactly back to Toenails piece.

      The choreography and messaging is beyond belief with the BBC ever more blatant in their support for a beleaguered Miliband.

         13 likes

  6. TrueToo says:

    The World Service couldn’t stop reporting on the savage beheading of the American aid worker yesterday. And over and over they identified him as, “Abdul Rachman Kassig, also known as Peter.

    That’s so typical of the dhimmis at the BBC. In fact he was known as Peter Kassig and was only known as Abdul Rachman by his torturers, in whose captivity he had apparently converted to Islam.

    It also, of course, shows gross disrespect to his family and friends. Not that that would bother the BBC once it’s in full submission mode to Islamic terrorists.

    It’s interesting to note that there was no video of Peter Kassig denouncing his own government. Could be that he refused to cooperate with his captors. I doubt the BBC would even speculate on the possibility of such anti-terrorist courage.

       65 likes

    • Framer says:

      It is not just the World Service. Whoever wrote this morning’s 8am Radio 4 news script had him as Abdul Rahman Kassig without even the ‘formerly known as Peter Kassig’ descriptor.
      Sick. Sick. Sick.
      The guy’s conversion was not freely made. He was a prisoner. To call him by this new name is to say he had a choice while a captive. His only choice was to make a desperate attempt to stave off beheading by converting. We will never know what he believed. He probably didn’t know himself.

         54 likes

      • TrueToo says:

        Yes, it really is sick. And I’m beginning to regard the BBC as incurable.

           46 likes

      • TrueToo says:

        Hmmmm, Frank Gardner has just firmly called him Peter Kassig while also castigating IS. Could be a small revolt in BBC ranks. Then again he was a victim of Islamic terror and is paralysed as a result.

           34 likes

        • Rob in Cheshire says:

          Well Frank knows a bit about sudden “conversions” to Islam in the face of imminent death.

             26 likes

          • TrueToo says:

            True. Though he told them he was a Muslim they still shot him. He sounded quite angry on Outside Source today, even using a word like sick to describe IS’s actions.

            One of his superiors at the BBC will no doubt soon be asking him to calm down.

            Can’t have a BBC reporter expressing genuine revulsion at Islamic terror. It’s just not done.

               9 likes

      • Maturecheese says:

        I agree and here is a copy of the complaint I sent to them about this.

        In your coverage of the brutal murder of Peter Kassig you refer to the poor man by his Islamic name. I feel this is extremely sickening when, as you are no doubt aware, he converted to Islam whilst a captive of the animals that murdered him. I would have thought that it is highly likely the conversion to Islam was coerced and as far as he was concerned an attempt to save his life. So to use that name and give some kind of credence to the very Religion he was killed in the name of is sick to say the least and all too typical of the BBC these days. I fully expect a reply from you with ‘Islam is a Religion of peace’ babble in it somewhere. I am convinced that most of you at the BBC don’t realise how out of touch with public opinion you really are.

           50 likes

    • TrueToo says:

      And they are on the same theme right now with Outside Source. The name Abdul Rachman has apparently now become fact at the dhimmi World Service. They have even omitted the also known as Peter bit.

         32 likes

    • deegee says:

      Kassig’s parents insist that his conversion to Islam was a spritual journey that began before his capture. How American captive Peter Kassig converted to Islam in ISIS captivity and now prays five times a day under the new name Abdul-Rahman

      Until and if the parents change that claim, which may have been a reasonable lie to make while their son was still alive, we need to accept that.

         7 likes

      • Rob in Cheshire says:

        Yes, and his mother wore a modest Muslim headscarf in her interviews too, And guess what? It didn’t change a thing. IS murdered him, like they were always going to. That’s what they do. Apparently it’s all written in some sort of book that has nothing to do with “real” Islam, as interpreted by David al Cameron (pbuh), the noted Islamic scholar.

           43 likes

      • Maturecheese says:

        Oh dear, looks like ive jumped in without all the facts with my complaint to the beeb. oh well C’est la vie and anyway the beeb does that often enough

           6 likes

        • Rob in Cheshire says:

          As far as I know, his parents are not Muslims, they were just behaving like dhimmis in a futile attempt to curry favour from IS. It was never going to work, you stand more chance of persuading a hungry tiger not to eat you.

             18 likes

      • TrueToo says:

        deegee, it could be a fair point, except that it’s hard to imagine a spiritual journey occurring before conversion.

           2 likes

    • Alan Larocka says:

      Why is Peter Kassig referred to by his post-conversion muslim name, yet the filth that murdered Lee Rigby are always referred to by their pre-conversion non-muslim names?

         12 likes

    • A Teddy called Moh says:

      I bet Peter Adbul wish he had stayed a Christian . I wonder if he has a light bulb moment similar to that naive Alan Henning must have had when he was taken away and looked back at those who came with him either looking at the sandals or waving?

      I wonder if he ever asked why the ambulance was called Aaifa Siddiqui and who she was?

         0 likes

  7. Colonel Blimp says:

    this has amused me – YouGov (run by Labourite Peter Kellner, husband of the EU’s unelected – by anyone ever – foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton) has opened its profiling tool. If one looks at the politics of people who listen to Radio 4, what does one find?

    https://yougov.co.uk/profiler#/BBC_Radio_4/demographics

    Hard left politics, most likely to work in government jobs or charity

       43 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      ‘Hard left politics, most likely to work in government jobs or charity’

      May well explain this…

      ‘Monthly spare £: £1000 or more’

      Which is nice.

         23 likes

      • Ken says:

        I do not fit into any of their demographics. I must be too diverse for them, seeing as diversity excludes any difference from their centrally prescribed “acceptable thought” list…

        I searched the brand for xhamster and it didn’t have a clue. So I tried FetLife…. Again, nothing. kink.com? Nope.

        They do not cater to my lifestyle at all in this branding thing.

           16 likes

        • Banquosghost says:

          From a report last year, the year before? Those sites are more likely accessed from the Commons.

             5 likes

        • A Teddy called Moh says:

          Xhamster my favourite bestiality site. Nothing gets me horny as hamster sex

             0 likes

    • dave s says:

      No surprises then. It has been the prosperity of the last 50 plus years that has allowed this useless class to thrive. Apart from education which they have wrecked they really do not do very much.
      Sometimes I woukd welcome a real economic collapse. We would all suffer but this class, being useless , would suffer the most.
      I meet them frequently . They look different. Weak and lacking backbone without any character in their faces. . Fortunately I have none as friends.

         42 likes

    • Roland Deschain says:

      Top facebook pages:
      Radio 4
      38 Degrees
      The Guardian
      Upworthy
      The Archers
      Private Eye
      Bring Back British Rail
      Billy Bragg
      Leonard Cohen
      The Labour Party

         18 likes

    • GCooper says:

      Yes, because R4 has drive the rest of us away. Deliberately.

         14 likes

    • Dave says:

      That’s actually quite an interesting diversion. Ignore the political results – look at the sample sizes for how they skew the figures:

      Daily Telegraph – Sample Size : 6773
      The Guardian – Sample size : 9373
      The Daily Mail – Sample Size : 10712

      So that’s almost as many Guardian readers as readers of the best selling newspaper in the country. Remember that next time they talk about representative polling.

         17 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        Speaking for the nation – Apparently.

        “I don’t let my family eat junk food”

        The image of a Tesco Pepperoni Pizza being swept from the table looms large… ‘How many times do I have to tell you: Waitrose organic or nothing!!!’

           12 likes

    • johnnythefish says:

      Love the politics ‘meter’ – as far over to the left as it will go.

         10 likes

    • Essex Man says:

      Check out ,what they like to eat , I have never tried any of those dishes ,& some look .Yuk . Says it all, won`t be trying sheeps yogurt either .

         5 likes

    • JimS says:

      Compare with Aldi. Sensible chap but isn’t the graphic a bit ‘northernist’?

         2 likes

      • flexdream says:

        I must live on another planet. My Aldi is packed mostly with 20 & 30 somethings, not a flat cap in sight.

           3 likes

        • JoShaw says:

          I grew up with people who looked a bit like that. The main difference is that their trousers were not worn at half mast and they wouldn’t have been seen dead in loafers. You can’t run from the police in loafers.

          Hobnail boots, maybe. Good down t’ mine, and ideal for kicking immigrants.

             1 likes

  8. stewgreen says:

    Feminist Activists are likely to soon wage war against Radio 4 due to something very strange on Today prog this morning
    During the week Woman’s hour presented Julien Blanc the Pick up artist lecturer as absolute evil and the case was very convincing. – Yet today at 8.45am when John Humphries interviewed Radio 5 Men’s Hour’s Tim Samuels who actually has spent a lot of time with Julien Blanc due to having made a documentary with a segment about him last year for American TV .. the accusations angle was played down. The honest and credible Tim basically said “in the whole time I was with him I didn’t see such violence ..rather I saw a guy who was incredibly charming and did manage to hell a lot of shy guys to get confident about talking to women. I met those guys myself ..and in the street women seemed to love Blanc.. I guess $3,000 for the message ‘don’t be shy’ is very expensive “..
    ..Tim must know about the violence accusations, but chose not to even address that issue directly and just talked about what he’d seen. So of course the item staggered feminist activists.
    The documentary was a pilot : The Hunt for Real Men aired June 27 2014 “Journalist Tim Samuels traces the evolving idealization of men, from how they were perceived in the past to how males are viewed today.”

       15 likes

  9. Charlatans says:

    Sunday Morning Live – Ebola – Band Aid.

    Very strange rant by Liberian lady, a Phd researcher at School of Oriental Studies, who went off on one about Band Aid being insulting to Africa.

    See from 26.30 mins:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04sncx3/sunday-morning-live-series-5-episode-18

    Esther Rantzen, who was visibly getting angry with Band Aid criticism, basically told the Liberian that maybe her country could cope but the neighbours, (in Seirra Leone etc), might appreciate the help.

    Could not make head or tail of what point the Liberian was making. Just seemed an angry young woman who had massive chip on her shoulder and was possibly the wrong choice for Show!

       26 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      ‘Just seemed an angry young woman who had massive chip on her shoulder…’

      There seem a fair number, and with fast-track access to most BBC outrage outlets if a few qualifying criteria are met.

      It’s possible the vetting slipped up due to sheer numbers being invited on and punted out, and her on the face of it ticking all manner of boxes.

      It does not quite seem to have sunk in to the BBC’s producers that some may not be as on-narrative as their needs require.

         16 likes

  10. deegee says:

    #BBCTrending is becoming very interesting, occassionally spilling the beans, as they did with Gaza casualty stats.

    Syrian ‘hero boy’ video faked by Norwegian director

    I wonder if the BBC will ever admit the al Durah video was a fake?

    BTW the BBC did dismiss a complaint about their reporting about al Durrah, in 2010, but their grounds were that publishing the video and the story were not an incitement to violence not that the incident had been staged.

       19 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Been a while since I read a Trust publication. What a puff-packed piece of nonsense, designed to hide the fact that it’s the BBC overseeing the BBC using the BBC’s own rules. No amount of the BBC deploying how impartial the BBc thinks the BBC is in a BBC publication will get around that.

      ‘…grounds were that publishing the video and the story were not an incitement to violence not that the incident had been staged’

      BBC Watch near daily catches the BBC out shaping the narrative with inaccuracy or unsubstantiated claim left or put in, and often vital context left out.

      If read by those not minded to question confirmed prejudices or simply looking for any excuse to kick off, that is clearly propaganda designed to incite.

      The BBC is unfit for purpose.

      The semantic gymnastics of a near inevitable Trust dismissal never cease to amaze.

         16 likes

      • johnnythefish says:

        It doesn’t even enforce its own rules. Its insistence that on the likes of Twitter staff should not show personal bias is flouted by Donnison et al time and again. Maybe at some point the BBC will drag itself into the 20th century and introduce staff disciplinary procedures. On the other hand that bloke running the chippy round the corner could be Elvis…

           14 likes

  11. George R says:

    Two versions of Islamic State jihadist:

    1.) Pamela Geller-

    “’Moderate’ British medical student the now devout ‘Jihadi John’ in beheading”
    video – See more at: http://pamelageller.com/2014/11/moderate-british-medical-student-the-now-devout-jihadi-john-in-beheading-video.html/#sthash.5RAtodSm.dpuf

    2.) INBBC-

    “Nasser Muthana father not sure if son in ‘Jihadi John’ photo”

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-30078201

       14 likes

  12. Alex says:

    How many hundreds of thousands of these scum infest our streets? And why do the likes of the BBC keep calling him ‘Jihadi John’?

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-state/11235489/Jihadi-John-suspect-filmed-during-2011-London-riots.html

    London’s east end is probably full of these types; indeed, Isis flags were spotted around the east end. But the left, spearheaded by the BBC, continue to cover it up with claims such as ‘Islam is a religion of peace’ and ‘It’s only a tiny minority’ and so on. I think we have a serious problem on our hands and it’s only a matter of time before another terrorist atrocity takes place.

       51 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      ‘only a matter of time before another terrorist atrocity takes place’

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-30076721

      ‘”Jihadi John” – threatened “to bring slaughter to the streets of Britain and the West” and is the “most explicit” threat yet.

      Well, we can’t say we have not been warned. Job done on the terror front there, one and all.

      Thing is, with the entire MSM trotting this out as an IS-propagandist’s wet dream coverage, I can’t help but think old JJ and those quoting him are a wee bit behind the curve as the streets of Britain already have seen such slaughter before.

      Maybe JJ simply only subscribes to the local community living in fear coverage in his hood, so what his BFF’s get up to, often, elsewhere, doesn’t count?

         13 likes

      • Llareggub says:

        Another terrorist attack predicted. Cameron and May will be handing out cash to appease moderate muslims and restricting political organizations which oppose them.

           17 likes

    • Doublethinker says:

      I agree with you but I think things are already critical. The politicians don’t know how to handle the brewing crisis and so keep on making concession after concession to Islam in a effort to keep a lid on things. None of these concessions would be made to other groups.
      The BBC is a major player in this duping of the British people and has connived with Labour over the lunatic policy of mass immigration for years. The country had very little to gain from mass immigration, even under the most optimistic scenario , but it did and does, have a very great deal to lose if the social engineering experiment goes wrong, as it certainly looks as though it might in the case of Muslim immigrants. A simple risk/benefit analysis would have shown anyone that this was a not a good idea. Labour should be held to account for this, but the BBC keeps on covering up for them.
      Islam and Western values just don’t mix and we may well see the tragic consequences of this on our streets up and down the country. Unless of course we all covert to the religion of peace without a struggle, because we can be certain that Muslims won’t accept Western values in a population where their numbers and influence becomes ever greater. I wonder what will happen to the trendy lefties and the BBC when that happens?

         38 likes

      • Steve Jones says:

        Doublethinker,
        Your comment,’I wonder what will happen to the trendy lefties and the BBC when that happens?’ is a question that has always puzzled me about the BBC’s appeasement of the RoP. Surely, the BBC must realise that the majority of its diverse presentership would not be tolerated under a RoP regime. Strange that they would be so pro their own demise.

           13 likes

    • Thatcher Revolutionary says:

      Until you call your enemy by it’s name then you can never win.

         4 likes

  13. David Brims says:

    It was Children in Need the other night, I haven’t watched this crap since the 1980s, it’s the same old same old, D list ”celebrities” doing ‘zany and wacky’ things for charity, like sitting in a bath of baked beans for 24 hours ( groan ) either that it’s custard. Mind numbingly tiresome.

    I noted that the BBC has released a nude Eastenders calendar for this childrens event, is this appropriate ? It doesn’t surprise me since the BBC is full of pedo’s, it’s Pedo Central.

    http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/eastenders-naked-calendar-jacqueline-jossa-4621843

       27 likes

    • Ken says:

      Except they can’t even do that right. You see more flesh on any beach or in any town centre on a Friday night. Nude calendar? As if! Breach of trades descriptions act, surely.

         9 likes

    • amimissingsomething says:

      What? No Effnicks?

      Unless the Mail photo misrepresents the contents?

         8 likes

  14. barry says:

    Keith Harding was active in the Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE), according to documents seen by the BBC.

    A former chairman of the British Horological Institute, he appeared alongside Jimmy Savile in a Christmas edition of the BBC’s Jim’ll Fix It.
    A man who appeared on the Christmas 1980 episode as a boy has told BBC News the feature was “set up” by the production team, who approached the family and asked for a letter to Savile to be written.
    So Jim and the BBC fixed it for him. You can’t believe anything you see on the BBC

       31 likes

  15. Deborah says:

    Not BBC bias as such but more attitude of mind with the politically correct.

    It is very sad that 5 young people from one school have died in a car accident. But the Headteacher (I think of her as a Headmistress but of course it isn’t appropriate to say that) was on the Today programme this morning (Monday) explaining all the processes she has put in place to support the other children at the school; special assemblies, counselling etc etc. Now sadly in my youth, like I guess many who read this site, I knew several young people who died in car accidents, from illness and when at university there were several who died in a caving accident. Of course the closer one was to the people the longer it took to get over the tragedies, but we did. There was no need for vast sums to be spent at public expense to help us through. But listening to Today it is obvious that both the Head and Sarah Montague thought this spending of taxpayers’ money necessary. Group Think.

       56 likes

    • Geoff says:

      Thought it was just me, we also hear that ex pupils and staff have been returning and laying flowers. Maybe I’m a hard b’stard but I really don’t get it, same as these ghost bikes and flowers near the site of a road crash. Culturally its not British, maybe that is the reason why this now happens, what happened to the stiff upper lip?

      We lost two kids from our class in a motorbike accident, there one day gone the next, hardly anything said in class, we just got on with it. My Mum lost her best mate, she went to call for her for school only to find her house bombed out, school continued as if nothing had happened….

         42 likes

      • Ken says:

        They like to think that the best way to deal with such tragedies is to pander to the worst and weakest emotions such events trigger. They could not be more wrong. They are probably causeing far more emotional problems down the line for those kids.

           28 likes

        • pah says:

          No, they don’t.

          They have no interest in the suffering or otherwise of others. It’s about getting more state paid jobs for their own kind.

             15 likes

      • MartinW says:

        The response from the Headmistress was completely ‘over the top’. Whilst listening to her, a thought came uncharitably to my mind that she was actually enjoying piling on the empathy and being the centre of attention. I heard little real caring but only relentless tick-boxing of the PC ‘tragedy’ check-sheet. By far the best response for the children in her class and for the rest of the school would have been five minutes to reflect on the incident, then resume the normal routine. Still, that was the old way of doing it, when we showed common sense and real understanding.

           34 likes

        • Guest Who says:

          As a parent of teens I certainly registered the news, but then moved on as beyond a tragedy it was sadly just one of those awful things that can and do happen.

          So I have not sought or been exposed to what seems the new ‘business of grief’ industry that seems to have sprung up, pushed in no small measure by too many media outlets with too many people on staff and not enough to fill the 24/7 media maw.

          Hence the death watch outside the hospital of any vaguely well known octogenarian, and the entire media pack descending upon ‘communities in mourning’. Or serried rows of near and far rellies lined up behind a spokesperson at a table reading out something they likely had no hand in writing.

          It is possible this lady has had no other option. Four, young, from a small group cranks the process to eleven, and if the news day is slow, it will be propelled up the schedule.

          Faced with a squad of ‘how is everyone coping?’ remoras, about all anyone can do is feed them and wait until they tire and slink away. Equally ‘dealing’ with such things now has a full industry primed to move in, needed or wanted or not, and failing to ensure they are all called and lauded would simply provide them with a ‘questions are being asked’ whinge opportunity that will be gladly snapped up by the aforementioned morbo-media if there’s chance of dragging things out further.

          Like too much, it’s all now so established I can’t see getting back to your much more sincere and sensible line will ever happen.

             19 likes

        • johnnythefish says:

          There now seems to be little scope amongst the public sector set for coming to terms with death by grieving quietly and privately with the support of your family – it all has to be state-sponsored.

             11 likes

        • London Calling says:

          I think the new kid on the block is some version of the pernicious lawyers invention “duty of care”. You get called in by the boss to be fired, but are offered an hour of counselling to help you cope with it. Counselling seems to be the standard answer to show that you have done everything possible “to support” people through this difficult time. It’s since spread everywhere. Victims of crime are offered counselling, rather than police concentrate resources on catching criminals, which is more expensive. You no longer have police, you have social workers instead.

             0 likes

    • Old Goat says:

      Strangely, I was thinking exactly the same thing. I knew of several deaths of children in my secondary school during the four years that I attended, plus a fatal accident involving a teacher on his way to school on his motorcycle.

      They were sad events at the time, but life carried on. We didn’t have mawkish assemblies, no organised grieving sessions, there were no counsellors to comfort us, no sickly groupthink, nothing. We got on with it. And we became stronger for it.

         25 likes

      • RJ says:

        Everything changed after Tony Blair found a way to exploit the “People’s Princess” car crash.

        The Royal Family were attacked relentlessly for their traditional “stiff upper lip” response, so the lesson was emote in all directions to avoid media criticism.

           44 likes

        • stewart says:

          See the excelent Theodore Dalrymples’s
          ‘Spoilt Rotten: The Toxic Cult of Sentimentality’
          Still avialable second hand from well know internet book seller for less than £10 – Glad I bought my Hard back copy when I did.

             13 likes

          • Steve Jones says:

            Excellent recommendation thanks; the Kindle version is £3.

            Another thing that has irked me for some time is the modern funeral. People urged to dress in bright colours and enjoy themselves. This is all well and good but when does the grieving actually occur? This kind of funeral merely delays it and, more than likely, ensures that the necessary support group of close friends and family has dispersed before the realisation hits.

               11 likes

            • pah says:

              But you don’t need your friends in a time of woe you silly man! You should pop along to your local council where a trained chimpanzee grief councillor will make you think your rates have been well spent.

              The State will always be the only family you need. You know that don’t you? Auntie Beeb will show you the way if not.

                 3 likes

    • Phil Ford says:

      Yep, I was listening to that report this morning, too, Deborah. I was thinking pretty much the same thing as you. It’s just another symptom of the culture we live in today where everyone, even those on the absolute periphery of a tragic event, are somehow ‘victims’ or ‘survivors’ – all in need of teams of ‘counsellors’ and ‘specialists’, etc.

      Baffling.

         21 likes

  16. Sinniberg says:

    I know this news broke over the weekend but I wanted to leave a thought about it.

    The BBC have finally taken the multicultural knife to the last pillar of the true British Broadcasting Corporation.

    That little, lonely pillar on a Sunday evening which reflected the true British people and Britain’s true heritage.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30070899

    RIP Songs Of Praise.

       32 likes

    • Phil Ford says:

      “…The BBC’s head of religion and ethics, Aaqil Ahmed…”

      It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy, isn’t it? I think we all know where this one is heading…

         24 likes

    • johnnythefish says:

      ‘In contrast, increased immigration – for example from Eastern Europe – has led to the growth of younger congregations, such as those at Catholic churches and at Pentecostal and black majority churches.

      The new format will welcome in something about people living out that faith, day to day, week to week, not just on a Sunday”

      Reverend Arun Arora Church of England director of communications

      Mr Ahmed said: “At the heart of this, really, is the fact that Christianity has changed in Britain.”

      It certainly has, but at whose bequest? Did we get a say in that?

      And could this be the thin end of the wedge (saw a few of those during the reign of terror 1997-2010)? How long before the mosque (suitably sanitised) becomes the Beeb’s venue of choice with a suitable bit of re-branding – ‘Singalong-an-Imam’ anybody? What a ‘fun’ way to get us all acclimatised to the calling to prayer which will become a feature of every neighbourhood up and down the country sooner than we realise…

         14 likes

      • Steve Jones says:

        Although the holy days are different, I am sure the BBC will manage to engineer a scheduling clash allowing it to shunt Songs of Praise out of the way.

           5 likes

      • Rob in Cheshire says:

        A bit hard to have a Muslim Songs of Praise. They don’t have hymns do they? I suppose you could have a Muezzin’s Wail of Praise, that will be they way to go. President Obama reckons the Call to Prayer is one of the nicest sounds in the world, and we all know the BBC think the sun shines out of his arse.

           5 likes

        • Dave says:

          Songs of Praise will henceforth be replaced by the Call to Prayer 5 times daily, to ensure all good Muslims pay the licence fee.

             3 likes

    • Cull the Badgers says:

      The BBC’s view of itself is that at all times and in all arenas it must be seen as ‘progressive’. It will indulge any idea, trend or demand which challenges or wishes to change existing tradition or behaviour in England (particularly). It will not attempt to defend any long established values or belief – everything must be challenged. Such a defence would be abhorrent, they would be considered as ‘reactionary’, and with their Leftist leanings and teachings such an accusation would be a grave insult.

      Expect no change from within the BBC. Change must be imposed. Small change is not sufficient; the BBC is like a worm, if only a small section is cut off, it will grow back into its original size and shape.

         2 likes

  17. Guest Who says:

    And in other news…

    http://www.tradingaswdr.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/tearing-things-up.html

    Him being Beebophilic on the whole, interesting how the whole issue is being gently steered towards a ‘right wing’ plot basis, and not the BBC Emperor striding buck naked for so long even the most forgiving fans have noticed.

    http://tradingaswdr.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/lovable.html?

    Jolyon, you card. No, really, pick ’em up as you leave. Can’t have staff teasing when the ‘tell it often enough’ mantra pervades the internal systems too.

    Speaking of saying and doing one thing (whilst maybe another is actually happening):

    http://www.tradingaswdr.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/re-calc.html

    ‘“At the BBC, we often tried to produce the same information in two different ways to try and appeal to internal and external audiences differently”

    Can’t you feel the trust and transparency ooze from every pore and strand of DNA?

    No? This may suggest why.

       12 likes

    • johnnythefish says:

      ‘Meanwhile, at an HR conference last week, she opined that the way forward for personnel is to get inside employees’ brains.

      “I would like us to know more about neuroscience, to become experts. If you went to an engineer you’d expect them to have an absolute intimate working knowledge of that engine.

      “Aren’t we the engineers of people? Isn’t that what we do? Aren’t we supposed to know this stuff rather than going on gut feel? Are we not actually better than that? I think we should be trained in at least some of the basics.”

      And we thought the likes of ‘1984’ and ‘Brave New World’ were a bit scary.

         8 likes

  18. Koais says:

    Why does hardly anyone, by comparison, comment on your subjects, and instead pontificate by the hundreds on the inane Open Thread? Maybe you need to revise your site.

       4 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Even by zero-relevance drive-by sniping standards, this one is a peach.

      Maybe the BBC ‘About the BBC’ comment template should be followed? This one a firm fave:

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/aboutthebbc/posts/helen-boaden-director-of-bbc-news-at-the-lse

      That got 2. One, the first, modded. The second pointing out the irony of that given the topic.

      Then it closed.

         23 likes

      • johnnythefish says:

        ‘Today they’re hosting the second annual ‘Value of Journalism’ conference, on the theme ‘media and power’. Helen Boaden gave the keynote address – about ‘holding power to account’ – and then joined a Q&A hosted by Krishnan Guru-Murthy from Channel 4 News.’

        Ha ha ha ha, oh stop it, oh please – no more.

           38 likes

        • Ken says:

          It appears from my position, well away from political troughs or ivory towers, that the BBC is much more guilty of corruptly propping up by leading and manipulating public opinion, the powerful in this country. So far as I can tell, the only people holding the powerful to account at all, is UKIP.

             33 likes

          • johnnythefish says:

            Exactly, Ken. Our treasured national broadcaster, funded by a compulsory poll tax guaranteeing a £4bn p.a. income and which controls 70% of the country’s news output really, really can’t see the irony, can it?

            Orwell continues to drill his way to Australia.

               27 likes

    • johnnythefish says:

      ‘…..and instead pontificate by the hundreds on the inane Open Thread?’

      Wow. What a devastating argument. How can b-BBC possibly survive after that….?

         36 likes

    • JimS says:

      It is very simple.

      There are dozens of examples of BBC bias on each of the BBC’s channels every day. A few of them are picked up and exposed by the resident posters. They shouldn’t really need much in the way of comment if well-founded, short of valid criticism or perhaps to point out that the same bias is to be found on other channels, the ‘drip, drip’ technique.

      The Open Thread, in contrast is what it says. The resident writers can’t pick up on every example of bias so it is up to others to fill that gap, if they so choose.

      The Open Thread is what we make it. If it is ‘inane’ whose fault is that?

         29 likes

  19. johnnythefish says:

    This morning’s Today programme:

    ‘Who do you think is the country’s most influential black person?’

    Who do you think gives a flying futon outside of your liberal left North London chattering class bubble?

       56 likes

    • RJ says:

      Winston McKenzie.

      If only to wind up the BBC.

         19 likes

      • JoShaw says:

        Had to google this gentleman.

        Snappy dresser!

        200px-Winston_McKenzie_cropped.jpg

           11 likes

        • David Brims says:

          They do wear very loud colours, reds, greens and yellows while Europeans dress in more muted colours, blacks, greys, blues. I saw one the other day ambling down the street, doing the welfare shuffle, wearing a yellow and black striped jumper, he looked like a bumble bee.

          This Winston fellow stands out like a lighthouse, you can’t fail to miss it. I don’t know why he didn’t go the whole hog and wear a Cab Calloway Zoot suit.

          gianni-seeingthings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/fashion-friday-zoot-suits.html

             7 likes

    • RoomsterMole says:

      TODAY R4 Business slot at 07:17 am.
      I think the question was: “Who is the country’s most influential black woman?”
      It was a rhetorical one, as we were then introduced to the lady. The interviewer lobbed her the easy and sadly predictable questions about her rise to power in the face of implied resistance from white males. He ended with a discussion of the gender and ethnicity of FTSE 100 board members, hailing the current figure of 25% females as great progress, but berated these companies for the absence of any black females.
      She opposed the offer of positive discrimination (wouldn’t fall for that sucker punch), and mentioned that the old boy network was a barrier and that perhaps head-hunters were also to blame. The BBC man ended the piece with an exhortation to all the head-hunters listening out there to get working to find her a job on a FTSE 100 board. Was she paying for this free recruitment service? Probably 2 or 3 minutes on prime time national radio must cost a bit?

         24 likes

  20. Guest Who says:

    http://order-order.com/2014/11/17/you-present-nothing-jon-snow/

    Someone earlier mentioned Kissinger’s comment on the Iran Iraq war.

    At least Miriam and the Spry Girls can feel less discriminated against.

    I wonder if Jon ever had a tie that may have wound them up though?

       9 likes

  21. JimS says:

    Well worth a listen, if only to understand the aspirations of our ‘New Britons’, Analysis – Conservative Muslims, Liberal Britain.

    However, a warning, this programme contains indigenous idiots that think it is wonderful that we don’t all think and behave the same way and that ‘diversity’ needs to be celebrated!

    As someone else has suggested, it is time that the Department of Culture, Media and Sport produced a guide for us muppets telling us which aspects of ‘diversity’ are ‘acceptable’ in Clegg’s ‘Modern Britain’, a U-guide for the 21st Century. Sort of hijab, = good; sexy lady T-shirt = bad; fascist, bigotted, racist Daily Mail-reader (adj.) = good; nigger, paki, spastic, handicapped (adj.) = bad. “PC Speak For Dhimmis” maybe?

       14 likes

    • Ken says:

      I think I understand “diversity” now. It is a racially and religiously discriminatory construct, whereby traditional far right conservative views are only allowed if you have dark skin and are Muslim and can claim that they are cultural beliefs, in killing homosexuals, opressing women, etc… If you are white, then you must abhor such beliefs, but only if held by non-Muslims.

      Have I got that about right? In which case, it is utter lunacy.

         47 likes

      • JoShaw says:

        “Have I got that about right? In which case, it is utter lunacy.”

        It depends on what your objective is. If your aim is to subvert the culture of the host country, it actually makes a lot of sense.

           17 likes

      • David Brims says:

        The correct spelling for diversity is die-versity for the indigenous inhabitants.

           11 likes

      • flexdream says:

        You’re part right. ‘Diversity’ means ‘uniformity’. In the Trojan Horse reporting a well meaning but confused cleric described an area as one of the most diverse in the country because it had one of the highest proportions of Muslims in it with them being the majority I think.

           14 likes

    • David Brims says:

      I find that phrase ” New” Britons quite detestable, invaders and parasites more like.

         20 likes

      • Llareggub says:

        I prefer ‘settlers’ as it captures the charges of country stealing which the left are always up in arms about

           15 likes

  22. Guest Who says:

    Every so often, no matter how tight the wagons are circled, one gets through….

    http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/press-gazette-appeal-info-chief-forces-bbc-admit-three-senior-journalists-were-appointed-without

    Seems the BBC exclusion ‘for the purposes of not making the BBc look like a collection of overpaid, rule-breaking, one-rule-for-them raging hypocrites’ did not apply in this case.

    Nice to see Hugs, of quite mirthful recent ‘holding power to account’ fame, gets another ironic mention.

       12 likes

  23. Teddy Bear says:

    Just when you think it can’t get any worse the BBC shows that there are no depths to which they can’t sink.

    A child abuser and member of the Paedophile Information Exchange was asked to appear on a Jim’ll Fix It Christmas special in a ‘set up’ engineered by Jimmy Savile’s closest aides, it emerged today.

    Antiques expert Keith Harding, who had been convicted of child sex offences in the 1950s and later restored artefacts for royalty, was asked on the show in 1980 to help a 13-year-old girl.

    But her brother, Dean, now in his forties, says that his sister was asked by the Jim’ll Fix it production team to write a letter asking for her music box to be repaired – so Harding could do it.

    Note the BBC reply to this coming to light:
    In a statement, the BBC said: ‘Today’s BBC has appropriate safeguards in place to protect children and young people.

    ‘Dame Janet Smith is making an impartial and independent investigation into the historical culture and practices of the BBC, which will identify lessons to be learned from the Savile period.’

    We’ve already see how the ‘impartial and independent investigation’ conducted by Pollard was nothing more than a scandalous cover-up. Since Janet Smith and Pollard were both picked by the BBC, it hardly makes them impartial or independent. It should be the police who are investigating the goings on inside the BBC in light of these scandals.

    Leading antiques expert who was invited to appear on BBC’s Jim’ll Fix It’s Christmas special in a ‘set-up’ by producers was a convicted child abuser

       16 likes

  24. Englands Dreaming says:

    Just listening to the news on the World Service, with a piece on Women Bishops. Some women, didnt catch her name, from the CoE, was interviewed and when on the subject of sexuality and the problems this presents for the Anglican Church in Africa, claimed (completely unchallenged) that Gay relationships existed quite openly and happily before the Anglican Church was set up in Africa and that current African homophobia is a direct result of colonial imperialism.

    Of course, its all our fault.

       35 likes

    • lojolondon says:

      Really? I wonder how she knows that? I can’t offhand think of any part of Africa where homosexuality is widely accepted, even in those countries where it is legal. My point is that many colonies were run by Portuguese, German, French, Belgian, etc. – how can we blame Anglicans in the other 75% of Africa??

         20 likes

  25. Llareggub says:

    Radical darlings to who hope to push Labour leftwards hold a conference. Nothing new here with their support for the EU, the NHS, Unilateral Disarmament and anti Jew ( ahem anti Israel ) motions. However, Guido notes their debate on Isis where support for this unifying movement is considered. The loony left are supported by Ken Livingstone and Diane Abbott, and number 2000. BBC will love this UKIP of the left.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29799731

    http://order-order.com/2014/11/17/watch-left-unity-debates-backing-isis-jihadis-a-stabilising-force-with-progressive-potential/

       13 likes

    • johnnythefish says:

      ‘“The Caliphate represents an alternative political vision that is gathering support amongst Muslims across the Muslim world because… it stands for replacing the brutal regimes in which they live with a political system based on Islam that sets up an accountable executive, an organised judiciary, representative consultation, inal motions and amendments for the rule of law and citizenship; such a state could only be a stabilising force for the region and the European Left has to acknowledge and accept the widespread call for a Caliphate among Muslims as valid and an authentic expression of their emancipatory, anti-imperialist aspirations.”

      And they call UKIP fruitcakes?

         29 likes

    • Barlicker says:

      Left Unity is a “recently formed left-wing party” says the BBC. No it isn’t, it’s an extreme FAR-LEFT party.

         4 likes

  26. stuart says:

    see the bbc and gobby racheal burden,nicky campbell and co must think we are a bunch of buck idiots here,jihadi john heh,the head cutting sunni muslim savage coward that we imported to iraq and syria is still a militant to the bbc and for some strange reason he has a christian name called john,why are they calling him john i ask.why not call this retard jihadi abdul or jihad mohammedi the muslim terrorist from london,the bbc and other media outlets insult the christian world by describing to this guy as john.he is not christian nor is he a nice miltant,say it as it is bbc,this guy is a muslim terrorist from a muslim family with a muslim name.no more jihadi john ok.as for peter kassig,converting to islam does not save your bacon here with these racist isis fascist lot as sadly he found out the hard way,but i strongly suspect he converted to islam hoping he would be spared.these isis racists will never spare no white westerner simple as that.

       20 likes

    • IsItMe? says:

      If you are a victim, the media will use your muslim name – e.g. Abdul-Rahman Kassig.
      If you are an evil, sadistic murderer, then a non-Muslim name should be used wherever feasible – e.g. “Jihadi John”;, Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale rather than Mujahid Abu Hamza and Ismail Ibn Abdullah, etc

         30 likes

  27. noggin says:

    Muslim Charities:
    A Suspect Sector?
    Claystone Report ….

    only 55? 😀 “No sh-t Sherlock”
    anyone would think funding jihadis was in Islam … oops!

    “One of the five pillars of Islam is the requirement that every Muslims contribute to the Islamic charity (alms) tax or Zakat.
    So Zakat – reason No 6

    6. … Fi sabi `Lillah. Those who are fighting in the Cause of Allah, e.g., the Mujahideen.”

    “Charities suspected of Muslim extremist links
    The Charity Commission has put 55 unnamed groups on a watchlist without their knowledge in the past two years.
    It has also emerged that nearly four out of ten formal inquiries recently begun by the regulator are into Muslim-linked charities controlling tens of millions of pounds. ”
    This apparently includes the Alan Henning charity
    … anyway that’s the Times
    Charity Commission ‘targets’ Muslim orgs – report —
    RT UK
    Charity Commission: British charities investigated for terror
    Telegraph
    Charities investigated for radicalisation and extremist links
    Independent
    British Muslim charities on watch list over fears
    Mail

    … Put Islamic Charities Investigated BBC, in BBC news you get something from 2006! … in Google you get something from 2003

    Why? …
    Its obviously front page news

       15 likes

  28. Dave666 says:

    I found out why we had no TV from yesterday afternoon until this morning. Highlander, our Maine Coon decided to unplug the ariel lead from the wall socket. It wasn’t until I decided to check the obvious that I realised what he’d done. Point is I didn’t miss the TV and despite paying for it I wouldn’t have watched anything on BBc anyway.

       13 likes

  29. Fred Stubber says:

    The reporting of tragic accidents
    The dreadful road accident near Doncaster in which 5 teenagers were killed is of course very sad and a cause of genuine grief for those who were close to the deceased. But why does TV news milk these tragedies to the point where it makes an obscene spectacle out of what should be private grief? In this case I have the impression that when the TV crew descended on the school some of the girls decided that the best way to get on TV was to feign tearful hysteria. And how come when a school pupil dies the head teacher always gives such a glowing eulogy? These kids were ‘special’, ‘stars’, ‘the best’, ‘beautiful’, ‘mature’, and so on. It’s always the same, even when the deceased is clearly a retarded hell-child. I look forward to the day when a head has the courage to say, “Well quite frankly we’re well rid of the little scrotes. They constantly disrupted the work of other, better, students, they set fire to the library last term, and only the other day one of them had a shit in the staffroom kettle.”

       24 likes

  30. Geoff says:

    The One Show discussing mathematics in school manages to find a primary school not only a with Muslim Headteacher but also a seemingly 100% Muslim school roll and all to discuss quote ‘The British fear of maths’

    You couldn’t make it up…

       48 likes

    • dave s says:

      The BBC back in it’s comfort zone. After the trouble they had with Remembrance Day.
      The BBC is just so predictable.

         25 likes

  31. flexdream says:

    Is there a new BBC style guide? Two men suspected of grooming in Birmingham described as of ‘Pakistani heritage’. Better than the usual ‘Asian men’ but probably still unfair on Pakistani Christians, assuming that is that it’s the usual suspects involved.

       23 likes

    • JohnOfEnfield says:

      I think you’ll find that most of the Christians in Pakistan have been heavily persecuted, some even killed. So “Pakistani Heritage” is quite a good fit with “Muslim”.

         13 likes

      • flexdream says:

        You are right about the persecution, what with church bombings and trumped up blasphemy charges getting Christians sentenced to death, but there still are Pakistani Christians, and Pakistani heritage Christians, the best known probably being Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali.

           11 likes

        • stewart says:

          Bishop of Rochester if I remember rightly- I also remember that he spoke openly about the dangers of Islam which is probably why he is no longer a Bishop

             14 likes

          • JoShaw says:

            Exactly. He actually knew what he was talking about. And resigned.

            I’m not an expert on bishops but I have the impression that they don’t resign very often.

            Was he pushed?

            Is the Pope a …… etc

               9 likes

  32. flexdream says:

    BBC R4 PM programme lead headline was announced as something like ‘Ed Milliband has accused the Prime Minister etc. etc.’ So the focus in the lead was not on Wavey Davey’s statement but on Red Ed’s critique. Who writes this PR guff, the BBC or the Labour Party?

       26 likes

  33. thoughtful says:

    News is bad for you – and giving up reading it will make you happier

    News is bad for your health. It leads to fear and aggression, and hinders your creativity and ability to think deeply. The solution? Stop consuming it altogether.

    http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/apr/12/news-is-bad-rolf-dobelli

    Seems like the BBC haven’t been listening to their print arms advice!

       13 likes

  34. George R says:

    Pamela Geller on not understanding the nature of the Islamic jihad enemy-

    “Obama: Islamic State’s ‘actions represent no faith, least of all the Muslim faith which Abdul-Rahman adopted as his own'”
    – See more at: http://pamelageller.com/2014/11/obama-islamic-states-actions-represent-no-faith-least-of-all-the-muslim-faith-which-abdul-rahman-adopted-as-his-own.html/#sthash.N7DXJEg4.dpuf

    Of course, INBBC goes along with Obama’s deception.

    And INBBC wrongly uses Mr Kassig’s Islamic name, when he ‘converted’ under extreme duress-

    “Abdul-Rahman Kassig killing is pure evil, says Obama”

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-30076629

    As Daniel Greenfiels points out (above)-
    “The interesting media phenomenon is that Westerners who convert to Islam and become terrorists are almost never referred to by their Muslim names. Meanwhile Kassig who was killed by Muslims is. ”
    – See more at: http://pamelageller.com/2014/11/obama-islamic-states-actions-represent-no-faith-least-of-all-the-muslim-faith-which-abdul-rahman-adopted-as-his-own.html/#sthash.N7DXJEg4.m2BIIjEc.dpuf

       13 likes

    • thoughtful says:

      Unfortunately it’s a double edged sword, and the argument although it might appear to Greenfiels straightforward is far from it.

      Jihadis often adopt new names as Adebolajo did following the murder of Lee Rigby. These names are often used to inspire other Jihadis and to glorify what they have done.
      So Adebolajo chose the name Mujahid Abu Hamza translated as “The Noble Lion of Jihad”.
      Now Westerners almost certainly do not understand the meaning of the words, but fewer still understand the significance of these to other Muslims, especially those wanting to undertake Jihad themselves.

      Do you seriously want these names to be broadcast? Not the given name, but one which incites further violence and potential terrorism?

         10 likes

      • Will Jones says:

        Thoughtful, Is this justification something you know the BBC is using or are you just speculating on what could possibly be a reason for something that seems somewhat agenda driven.

        In the past, BBC has not seemed to shrink from putting things out that would cause jihadis to “lock and load”. Oftimes it didn’t even have to be true. Photo shopped pictures and fake attrocities come to mind.

        With a decent broadcaster I would be prepared to accept the logical, innocent explanation but this is the BBC we are talking about.

           15 likes

        • Guest Who says:

          I have my doubts too.

          For a broadcaster who plasters a motivation- understanding piece in guise of diet tips from cannibals to suddenly get sensitive to playing down the propaganda value of terrorist names seems a stretch.

          As we discovered last night, the BBC shapes its message according to audience and needs of the narrative.

             6 likes

  35. pounce says:

    Further to George R who posted today at 11:23 am regards how the bBC are reporting on the Welsh beheading Islamic militant Terrorist . The bBC are now reporting this, about their follower of the relgion of peace:
    Nasser Muthana’s father denies son is in beheading video
    Yup according to the bBC it can only be lies about this evil twat,The thing is everybody else is reporting that the father has disowned his sons and that they should pay the price:
    Guardian:
    He said he would not make excuses for his son. “He is a grown man and he must face up to what he has done. What they [Isis] are doing is inhuman, this is not the son I brought up. He has been got at – he has changed.”
    Daily Mail
    ‘They are my sons and they are gone and I don’t want them back. No father wants to disown their children but I have no choice. That is the way it is.’
    RT
    ‘He must fear Allah now’: UK father says son features in ISIS execution film
    The bBC, the apologist for Islamic terrorism paid for by you.

       31 likes

  36. thoughtful says:

    Just as it looked like Ed Milliband was going to lose the election and the Tories might achieve something which could be regarded as success Cameron has pulled a rabbit out of the hat, something the BBC oddly haven’t reported on.

    Just as winter begins to set in and at the coming Rochester & Strood by election the flood waters are already beginning to rise in Somerset again.

    There’s a reason for that. The Tory greed mongers have failed to do anything at all to shore up the flood defences to dredge waterways or improve drainage, all in spite of lefty Daves promises to spend what ever it takes.

    However lefty Dave has a trick up his sleeve. He knows he can’t cash in on his Saudi reward money while he’s still in office, so he has to come up with a mind numbingly stupid stunt to ensure he doesn’t get re elected, and what a corker he’s thought up !

    Instead of what you might expect, and actually spending come money on flood defences here, lefty Dave has decided to earmark £600 million – which he claims we can’t afford, for flood defences in other countries !

    There are currently 20 flood alerts in place in Britain, how would you feel if you were flooded, to know Cameron had not bothered to take any action in the UK because of ‘Austerity Cuts’ but could manage to find £600 million to squander overseas?

    And this hot on the heels of Osborne’s great deal to pay the EU everything they demanded of us, and Camerons refusal to allow parliament a proper debate & vote on the European arrest warrant.

    But then again I’ve been saying for a long time, he doesn’t want to be re-elected when there’s far too much money to be made out of politics.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2837047/As-Somerset-faces-new-floods-set-pay-600m-World-flood-defences-Tory-MPs-fury-new-aid-giveaway.html

    Needless to say it isn’t being covered by the BBC

       19 likes

    • #88 says:

      ‘…The Tory greed mongers have failed to do anything at all to shore up the flood defences to dredge waterways or improve drainage, all in spite of lefty Daves promises to spend what ever it takes.’

      Yes they have.

      http://www.itv.com/news/west/story/2014-03-31/dredging-starts-in-somerset/

      There might be warnings in place, but at this stage, that’s what they are – warnings. And money is being spent. Despite flooding on the Levels and the high profile flooding on the Thames, the incidence of severe flooding is far less than only a few (Labour) years back.

         0 likes

  37. Alex says:

    This is unbelievable. Labour tried to cover it up and the BBC doing their bit to keep ethnicity out of the equation:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-30083835

       14 likes

  38. Guest Who says:

    Having seen it across twitter, and who thought responsible in most, the BBC seems to have again opted for the odd phrasing that an inanimate object has again gone on the rampage in Israel.

    Nothing yet on Facebook, which for the BBC could be a mercy as so far their twitter followers seem to think it’ s a good thing, and in ways who would get ‘those who like to report’ excited anywhere but the BBC.

    Meanwhile Today is covering Charles Manson’s happy news. Seems almost apt.

       8 likes

  39. noggin says:

    BBC breakfast, BBC R4 at it again ….
    10 killed/injured in an atrocious attack on a Synagogue in Jerusalem, in WHAT ISRAELI S ARE CALLING a terrorist act?
    So its not Islamic terror then, so it must be the TINY MINORITY of extremists?
    Is that like the SO CALLED Islamic state, non muslims that keep mass murdering Europeans and Americans?.

    LIARS AND TRAITORS
    SCRAP THE BBC

       32 likes

    • noggin says:

      And in other news, authorities are shocked to report that child gang rape oops …
      “EXPLOITATION” of girls,
      children who are systematically sexually abused, oops … “TRAFFIKED”,
      by 100% Islamic, oops sorry …
      “MEN LARGELY OF PAKISTANI BACKROUND”,
      all over Britains towns and cities, oops ..
      “NOT ONLY IN ROTHERHAM”
      … LIARS
      SCRAP THE BBC!

         27 likes

      • Umbongo says:

        Yes the “M” word is conspicuously absent from reportage on IS, organised grooming/rapine in Rotherham (and elsewhere) and electoral/political corruption in areas of substantial immigrant settlement from the sub-continent. However, although the deliberate refusal by the political class (together with its reps in government and its broadcasting mouthpiece) to lay blame where it obviously exists is both predictable and deplorable, I don’t think anyone over the age of 6 is fooled by the nonsense proclaiming the benignity of Islam. All the denial of the obvious does is stoke the fires of anger even more.

           10 likes

  40. But Labour says... says:

    Another new day, another new Labour party political broadcast from the BBC Breakfast show. This time time it’s about Yvette Cooper making a speech later on today promising 1000 more border officers. Then followed a full 2 minute BBC spokesman to BBC anchorman piece which simply advertised everything about the speech and pushed Labour’s planned policy. There was absolutely NO balance and in the piece I saw at 07:09 to 07:12, there was not a single word of “But the Tories say”. Admittedly they did use the phrase in the 30 second headline re-cap around 7:30 but it was not in the main piece where we should have had a Tory/Govt MP, Minister or spokesman questioning Labour’s figures. So, no balance presented to the viewer at all. (Not that I am surprised of course).

    BBC News needs to be sued for misrepresentation as advertising an event that hasn’t actually happened yet IS NOT ACTUALLY NEWS.

    Also, no mention of Ed Miliband being humiliated by Mylene Klass on ITV’s Agenda. If it had been Nigel Farage or Dave Cameron, of course they would have mentioned it, and probably even stumped up a payment to ITV for the chance to show a clip.

    http://order-order.com/2014/11/18/watch-myleene-klass-demolishes-ed-miliband-on-mansion-tax/

       24 likes

  41. Dysgwr_Cymraeg says:

    Bbc breakfast runs big this morning with Greg Dyke’s demand the FIFA report on corruption in awarding the World Cup to Qatar.
    Great idea, release the report in full, along with…errrr..BALEN?

       12 likes

  42. George R says:

    Jihadists in Jerusalem.

    For INBBC:-

    “Jihadists seek suicide fighters to ‘liberate Jerusalem.’
    A social media campaign called ‘recruitment for Al-Aqsa’ is offering $2,500 in cash and publicity to volunteers.”

    http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/1.626803

       7 likes

    • George R says:

      Pamela Geller-

      “Jihadists Open Fire on Jerusalem Synagogue, 5 Dead, 9 Injured”

      Excerpt:-
      “And the world says nothing. Worse they secretly sanction it. The EU secretly applauds as it draws up its own version of the Nuremberg laws (Kristallnacht 2014). The world would shiver and shake if the kufar opened fire on a mosque in Mecca. The bigotry and racism is astonishing.”

      – See more at: http://pamelageller.com/2014/11/muslim-open-fire-in-jerusalem-synagogue-5-dead-9-injured.html/#sthash.m8x1h0W6.dpuf

         11 likes

    • Deborah says:

      Although I only heard the headline story about the killings in the synagogue on the Today programme, I guess they did not report what the Telegraph is reporting ie
      “Palestinian radio reports described the attackers as “martyrs” and the Islamist group Hamas praised the attack. Loudspeakers at mosques in Gaza called out congratulations.”
      http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/11237316/Jerusalem-attack.html

         10 likes

      • Umbongo says:

        No, the official Palestinian reactions as reported in the Telegraph were not mentioned. However, the BBC reporter speaking from Jerusalem, rather than just reporting the bare facts of the incident, gave immediate “context” implying that these were not just “ordinary” murders but were a predictable (and thus acceptable?) product of Palestinian faux-outrage about East Jerusalem. Please understand; looked at in that way it’s the Jews Israelis who are the real villains here.

           13 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Two and a half grand?

      Defo Ed can tax that.

         2 likes

  43. TrueToo says:

    Here’s the World Service:

    Palestinians armed with guns, knives and axes have killed 4 worshippers in a synagogue in Jerusalem. Several other Israelis have been seriously injured in the attack. The two assailants, cousins from occupied east Jerusalem, have been shot dead by police.

    It’s now apparently become compulsory among World Service propagandists to refer to east Jerusalem as occupied whenever they mention it. Same with the West Bank.

    Anything to portray the Palestinians as justified in their ‘resistance’ to ‘occupation.’

       13 likes

  44. AsISeeIt says:

    BBC : Is violence more common in same-sex relationships?

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-29994648

    [I don’t know. It hadn’t really crossed my mind to ask]

    A study in the US suggests that same-sex relationships suffer higher levels of domestic violence than heterosexual ones.

    [Ooops. Goes a bit against your equalities agenda doesn’t it, BBC?]

    Why is this, and how are Americans dealing with the problem?

    [I don’t know, but I sense the BBC are about to tell me what to think]

    “We found evidence that supports the minority stress model – the idea that being part of a minority creates additional stress”

    [Oh, that’ll be it, then. And – unless I’m much mistaken – there’s usually a BBC call to arms on the Left]

    So far it’s liberal states like Massachusetts that have done most to support gay victims of domestic violence.

    [And there it is. If only the whole world were more Left-Liberal in outlook, oh how happy the BBC would be]

       8 likes

    • deegee says:

      Could it be that in same-sex relationships the size and strength difference is smaller than in most heterosexual relationships so the don’t hit someone smaller than yourself rule that most of us learn in childhood doesn’t apply? Similarly the don’t hit a woman rule is made superfluous?

         7 likes

    • Roland Deschain says:

      I see it’s “the LGBTQ community” now.

      I’m sure it was just LGBT last month. And just LGB some time previously. Do they add a letter every few weeks, when some group complains they’re not quite feeling the inclusivity?

         4 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        “I’ll have a vowel please Rachel” could bring the whole edifice crashing down, especially if they inadvertently spell something ‘ist’ in Klingon and offend a whoooole new grouping.

           2 likes

  45. noggin says:

    BBC R4 and BBC news,
    IEP global terrorism index
    report, 10, 000 terrorist attacks, 18 000 deaths
    The BBCs report bleats on,
    its mainly in 5 countries,
    Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Pakistan and Nigeria,
    and , 4 organisational causes, Al Qaida, Boko Haram
    Taliban and ISIS …..
    organisational causes?

    all looks pretty erm … Islamic … to me

       10 likes

    • flexdream says:

      I don’t see what the Religion of Peace(c) could have to do with it. Much more likely it’s because of the West interfering/not interfering – I forget which but it’s one or the other.

         1 likes

  46. George R says:

    INBBC and Justice.

    Will INBBC give as much scrutiny to case A.), as to case B.) ?

    Case A.)-

    “UK: Four Brits Jailed Sentenced 3 Years for Leaving a Bag in Mosque Parking Lot
    with a Pig’s Head”
    – See more at: http://pamelageller.com/2014/11/uk-four-jailed-sentenced-3-years-for-leaving-a-bag-in-mosque-parking-lot-with-a-pigs-head.html/#sthash.HITEbS8F.dpuf

    Case B.)-

    “Alleged extremist stripped of citizenship appeals to Supreme Court”

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30091265

       9 likes

    • Roland Deschain says:

      Jail for that?? 😯

      I think most of us could agree that the four concerned were idiots, but clearly the tales we hear of overcrowded prisons can’t be true if they’re locking people up for that.

      Interesting that only the Mirror has reported this, as far as I can tell, with the rest of the media keeping quiet. Truly, the Monty Python sketch on defending yourself against fresh fruit becomes closer to reality by the day.

         10 likes

    • flexdream says:

      The sentences total nearly 3 years, but it’s still a ridiculous over reaction. Four guys now with criminal records. Expense is no object for the State in dealing with the ‘backlash’.

         5 likes

      • Llareggub says:

        It is time that Cameron and May resigned and collected their Saudi money and thereby allowed Britain to reinstate the distinction between political objectives and justice.

           3 likes

  47. deegee says:

    The Jerusalem synagogue attack (such a dangerous building deserves its own thread. However until that happens:

    Analysis by Kevin Connolly, BBC News, Jerusalem
    Jerusalem has been a place of division fiercely contested by rival religious traditions for many hundreds of years. Actually no. Mostly a status quo was achieved for most of that time. That status quo was destroyed when the Jordanians invaded in 1948 and expelled the Jews who were a majority in Jerusalem since the 19th century and destroyed almost all of the synagogues in what the BBC calls occupied East Jerusalem.

    In the last few weeks tensions have risen sharply – largely as the result of the revival of an ancient dispute over rights of worship at a site within the walls of the Old City. Wrong again. The majority Jewish tradition is for the Jews not to access the Temple Mount for fear of treading on the Holy of Holies in the temple that once stood there.

    Muslims call the site al-Haram al-Sharif and believe it is the place where the Prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven – to Jews it is Temple Mount and marks the place where the sacred temples of their faith stood in ancient times. The identity of the temple as the site of Mohammed’s ride owes more to the Damascus-based Umayyad dynasty’s (661-750) rivalry with Arabia than the Mohammed story. There were no mosques in Jerusalem at the time of his death so how could there be a Furthest Mosque.
    Anyone wishing to familiarise themselves with the history of the claim should read Daniel Pipes The Muslim Claim to Jerusalem

    By a long-standing tradition, Muslims alone have the right to pray at the site although people of other faiths may visit. IOW The Muslims were always violent in protecting their conquests.

    The issue is of such sensitivity that even when Israel captured the Old City of Jerusalem during the war of 1967 it handed control of the compound back to an Islamic religious authority which continues to administer it to this day. Moshe Dayan, then Defence Minister allowed the existing Jordanian controlled Waqf to retain control against the advice of his generals and without consulting the Knesset. It will be interesting when and if the Palestinians ever somehow acquire jesualem if the Jordanians will cede control to the Palestinians. I doubt it.
    ———————————————————————————-
    From the main article.
    Hamas and another militant group, Islamic Jihad, praised the attack. Israel has designated both groups as terrorist organisations. This implies only Israel considers them terrorists. Hamas or its military wing is designated as a terrorist organization by Australia, Canada, Egypt, the European Union, Israel, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and is banned in Jordan. Palestinian Islamic Jihad has been labelled a terrorist organisation by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The BBC is substantially misleading.

    Synagogue.png

       10 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      ‘The Jerusalem synagogue attack (such a dangerous building deserves its own thread.’

      So to ‘Christine II – When Vans Go Bad’, the BBC adds ‘Nightmare On Elm Street III – More Dodgy Architecture’ after its awesome sequel with ‘Nairobi Shopping Malls To Avoid’.

      This 3rd-inanimate entity reporting could catch on.

      Meanwhile, for banwagoneering Flokkers who seek to close down any who host overly-robust commentary, FaceBook awaits…

      BBC News shared a link.
      Three wounded in Jerusalem attack
      Three wounded in “terrorist attack” on Jerusalem synagogue, two attackers killed, say police
      BBC.CO.UK

      It’s possibly they were/are a wee bit behind the curve and popped the “quotes” around the wrong bit, but their audience certainly has the priorities sorted…

      Dave Bosley Why do you never mention the murders of Palestinians that happen every week, like the children that are intentionally run over by illegal Israeli settlers? Why do you not report those incidents as “terrorist attacks”?…
      Like · Reply · 89

      It’s a top comment, despite being a bit shaky on who does what more often. Guessing he actually does get most of his education and information from Jezza, Babs, Orla, Wyre, Jon & Alice.

      Then there are such as these, all still in place:

      Adnan Hussain The jewhadists deserve everything they get.

      Guessing Adnan will be the first rushing to the BBC if the Israelis see the rather clear authority sanction (from overt praise to running pre-prepared propaganda posters and cartoons within minutes) could be deemed a breach of the ceasefire. Which the BBC will promptly and faithfully ‘report’ as when hostilities recommenced.

      And the BBC seriously doesn’t think it is complicit in driving this whole charade forward?

         8 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      There’s going to be some interesting ‘analysis’ on this one too:

      http://order-order.com/2014/11/18/shapps-slaps-down-warsi-over-israel-intimidation-comment/

      Especially as the Baroness, along with Russell Brand, has been a useful one-degree of separation speaker-to-the-BBC-nation go-to gob on matters of diverse integration.

      Or they may steer well clear and hope it goes away.

      Certainly ‘they wuz asking for it’ as a notion may not play well in precedent with other fondly promoted BBC memes.

      I for one can’t wait to see who says what is nothing to do with whom this time as the establishment scrambles on this effort.

         9 likes

    • flexdream says:

      BBC R4 radio news this am referred to the site as al-Haram al-Sharif and said it was known to the Jews as Temple Mount – implying that we and everyone else but the Jews refer to it as al-Haram al-Sharif.
      Wrong – I’m not Jewish but al-Haram al-Sharif means nothing to me, whereas Temple Mount does.
      At least the BBC is giving this attack prominent coverage.

         10 likes

  48. Odo Saunders says:

    This morning BBC Five Live’s Breakfast programme aired an item regarding the recent murder (or killing in the parlance of the Orghanisation) of four Israelis in a synagogue. The lead interv iewer was Rachel Burden, who immediately tried to justify the event by referring to the death of a Palestinian bus driver. The representative of the Israeli Government stated that the death of the bus driver was as a result of suicide, and although Burden tried to bluster her way out of this particular argument, she was unable to produce any concrete evidence for the fact that he may have been murdered. What shocked me was that a so-called journalist like Burden should ever be tempted to use such an argument in order to distort and justify such a brutal event. The Israeli spokesman remined Burden and Campbell that Israel is the only Middle East country that currently attempts to maintain the ruke of law, to which Burden and Campbell had no answer! The BBC is clearly prepared to go to any lengths in order to promote its version of the current news. The Organisation cannot be relied upon to provide an impartial presentation of events in the Middle East. When will the great British public wake up and on a collective basis refuse to pay the absurd licence fee? I immediately turned over to the relative sanity of Classic FM, which is a useful antitode to the lunacies of the BBC!

       20 likes

    • uncle bup says:

      How dare you accuse Rachel Boredom of being a journalist. Nothing but a jumped-up secretary who has no knowledge of news and politics and no interest in acquiring any despite presenting a programme that majors on these subjects.. But in the BBC, meh, good enough.

      I have heard her presenting sorry reading out loud the news on 5 Live. Clearly trying to set herself up for a move to television. She can trample over the corpses of Shelagh Fogerty, and Victoria Dreadfulshire on the way.

      She’ll discover along with her colleagues that 5Live is the runt of the litter, the last to the trough, the red-lined sink estate.

      If you were any good you wouldn’t be there in the first place – eh eh eh Adrian Chiles.

         8 likes

    • Simon says:

      I’d like to see Ms Burden try to express her feminists rights in the middle of the Gaza Strip and not be skinned alive. Israel are the good guys in the Middle East but as usual the inverted morals of the left paint the picture the wrong way round

         10 likes