158 Responses to Open Thread

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  1. chrisH says:
    September 2, 2012 at 11:53 am

    I love these Open Threads!
    Great fun trying to see connections between the seemingly-random acts of BBC bias…and can really send you round the garden in a wild goose chase at times.
    I`m not sure if it`s pointillism, Laura Ashley or William Morris-but the BBC don`t cease to give us their pastel backdrop of liberal patterns for each and any story.
    I find one recurring old pattern is the GOOD REBELLION-this would be filed under Strummer, Lennon and Marley..the BBC is too thick. lazy and privileged to look beyond homeopathic dilutions like Bragg, Liam and Greer.
    The GOOD rebellion would be the ANC, Che, punk, Mao, Occupy, Penney and Owen Jones….shades on, aerosol up in the air(oo er!), bandanna and wristband…Obama and Labour 4eva!
    The Bad rebellion would be Clint and Breivik..and those scabs in South Africa who don`t want the ANC to kill them.
    So a woman TUC leader-very Dame Brenda Dean-is a sister doing it for hereself…yet with taxpayers money, like the teaching unions running off to courts. Same courts that may eyt worry squatters or bogus students(boo…that`s the Man we need to stick it too!).
    As for the suddenly posthumous fame of Martini…a useful shroud to wave(file under Millie Dowler, as the BBC does).
    As for the likes of Rhodes Boyson-the bad rebellion, so no Last Word for him just yet. Guessing they`re trawling for a STOPP spokesman to shaft his memory still at the Beeb.
    And on the day, when Max Bygraves gets a nod…tiptoe through the tulips..through the landmines of Pakistan…for the World Service to be objective or accurate is a joy…but that`s for world consumption…any chance of the BBC stopping its relentless war against the British people, and starting to tell us about the kind of culture that seeks to stone a 6 year old girl with special needs then?…nah, “you may say I`m a dreamer maan!”
    Yet thanks to sites like this-I`m not the only one eh?

       14 likes

  2. Guest Who says:
    September 2, 2012 at 12:19 pm

    As I dedicate my weekend to improving my house (and hence, I hope, its value) so some public sector genius can one day pop over and impose further penalty charges for my labours to cover their pension shortfall, I happened to catch a R4 ‘discussion’ on the Poll Tax.
    Seems it was not a good thing for, amongst other things, trying to impose on an unwilling public charges for services based on desire and useage on a personal responsibility basis, as opposed to simply scooping up blanket moneies from everyone to re-distribute to those who produce least and demand most (most nosily) in return for responsibility free votes.

    Rather reminded me of another fee that operates pretty much the same way.

       15 likes

    • Reed says:
      September 2, 2012 at 9:09 pm

      …and, of course, none of those anti-Thatcher BBC lefties who took part in the poll tax protests/riots (Mark Steel) see any hypocrisy in maintaining well paid careers that are almost entirely funded by the same model – a compulsory, one size fits all tax.

      From each according to our unique way of funding, to each according to their willingness to adopt obligatory leftist assumptions.

         6 likes

  3. As I See It says:
    September 2, 2012 at 1:23 pm

    You know when someone is not out to make friends when : he criticises the Paralympics.

    Now here’s the thing. The way that the BBC cover these games are very much from the angle that the disabled are “SPECIAL!”

    The Beeb use all the lexicon of the left to tell us how this is a brave down-trodden minority, in need of funding, oppressed by the rest of us and excelling in spite of a pervading atmosphere of bigoted attitudes.

    Well disabled people are first and foremost – people. Not special – just ordinary people.

    So BBC please stop all your cultural marxist language and get over yourselves and all this minority obessessing condescension.

       9 likes

  4. As I See It says:
    September 2, 2012 at 2:17 pm

    Did I just glimpse the BBC future?

    Formula One in Belgium on the BBC. As Jake Humphrey and his sidekicks Eddie Jordan and that Scot with a square jaw fill in time before the race start by eulogising their employer we are told how this race is not about the corporates (booo!) but the real fans.

    There are many Germans and Dutch here in this multilingual part of the world and they all just love the BBC coverage.

    Up the EU and all that.

    Good luck to them, I’m sure – don’t have to pay the licence fee though, do they?

       5 likes

  5. noggin says:
    September 2, 2012 at 7:47 pm

    still no “m” word folks … mind you … there could be only one despicable cult responsible really.
    Pakistan ‘Koran plot’ imam remanded in blasphemy case
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19454739

    ” Imam Chishti had told them: “You know this is the only way to expel the Christians from this area” uh – oh!
    Khalid Jadoon, a prayer leader cleric who had put some pages of the Quran among the burnt papers to strengthen the case against a Christian girl. these disgusting laws are often used to settle perceived personal vendettas
    This girl of 11-years, who is mentally challenged, can’t read or write will either be found guilty of the charge of blasphemy, or she will probably be murdered by a pious Muslim, who is duty bound to avenge the will of allah? …

    Just when you thought you couldn’t possibly be more sick, of the sickening ideology Islam …. once again there are no depths of inhuman, evil behaviour, it won t go to.
    this is a so called cleric? – if anyone, ever, calls this a religion in my presence again ………

    “Suffer not, the little children come to me, do not hinder them, for all the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these”

       12 likes

  6. Deborah says:
    September 2, 2012 at 9:00 pm

    Can I scream? Just been watching Countryfile. You know, the programme that gets to be less and less about the countryside. Spent time in suburbia looking for hedgehogs, then the blonde bimbo looking at the interior of a small country house and then an item about how the seas around the UK are getting warmer. I am not sure how many times it was repeated during the short piece, including that it was man made, rapid etc etc. My husband walked out of the room but someone had to look at the weather for the week ahead for what used to be ‘farmers and growers’ but now more suited to towns and sports events.

       10 likes

  7. Restoring Britain says:
    September 2, 2012 at 9:53 pm

    Those heartless b*stard Republicans eh?

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19418900

    Despicable, disgusting low life, party of the rich and priveliged causing all kinds of problems for the homeless.

    Oh! but what’s this little bit tucked away:

    About half those people told surveyors they became homeless for financial reasons – including the area’s high unemployment and real estate prices. Only 7% cited drugs or alcohol.

    Understandably most of the wretched souls are seriously down on luck. Whilst the displacement isn’t ideal, maybe the real shame is not the RNC but the economic circumstances that found them on the street.

    If the mayor of Tampa were a Republican you can bet our old friend Daniel Nasaw would have pointed out his or her hand in their demise. But seeing as they’ve had a Democrat mayor since at least 2003 we won’t be hearing much of that will we?

    Nor do I suspect that anyone from the Beeb will head to Charlotte NC to point out how the Democrats will also be “sidelining” the homeless:

    http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/08/28/3483125/agencies-create-plan-for-families.html

    and also this isn’t a new phenomena:

    http://charlotte.news14.com/content/top_stories/662950/homeless-services-network-aims-to-keep-homeless-off-the-streets-during-dnc

       3 likes

  8. hippiepooter says:
    September 3, 2012 at 7:33 am

    Here in Spain 5Live isn’t available on iplayer during the Paralympics, so one is consigned to ‘Radio Leftopath: the Voice of Sanctimony’. Otherwise known as the TODAY programme.

    Normally one loves hearing the gentle lilt of a Welsh accent, or the soft burr of a Scottish one, but all that hearing Humphrys and Naughtie makes one want to do is heave.

       6 likes

  9. As I See It says:
    September 3, 2012 at 8:27 am

    The BBC are running a trailer for a new season of John Pienaar’s show Pienaar’s Politics.

    “Banks and Bankers are the subject…. and the new word is ‘Banksters’… and I must admit, I like it!”

    Well John, I must admit, you always sound to me as if you are from the left and a leftist – and the old word for this is biased!

       6 likes

  10. As I See It says:
    September 3, 2012 at 9:08 am

    Sometimes Auntie inadvertently gives us a disturbing flash of her underdrawers.

    The BBC 5 Live Gamesmakers, including Chef de Mission, Nicky Campbell, get into a humdinger of an off-message tangle this morning.

    Now when one of the BBC plaster saints (Paralympians) is caught cheating, has a sweary hissy fit, or otherwise throws a wobbly, then the Beeb tend to run the story as his ‘apology’ for said misbehaviour.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/disability-sport/19462059

    “Oscar Pistorius has apologised for the timing of his comments following his loss in the final of the Paralympic T44 200m.

    The South African criticised the International Paralympic Committee, saying gold medallist Alan Oliveira’s artificial legs were too long. ”

    On comes BBC favourite Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson to give the approved line on all this.

    A couple of snippets from her CV….

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanni_Grey-Thompson

    “In preparation for her retirement from the track, she expanded her television presenting career on BBC Wales and S4C, as well as BBC One.

    Chair of the Tony Blair Sports Foundation.

    In July 2011 Grey-Thompson was announced as the President of the Leadership 20:20 Commission, the Commission on the future leadership of Civil Society”

    I’m no expert on such things but I think that this organisation is, in fact Common Purpose?

    http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/leadership2020

    “Remit

    The Commission believes that civil society needs bold leaders to give direction and drive change, and that bold leadership can change the world and civil society for the better. The Commission looked into four areas;

    Identifying pathways into civil society leadership
    Attracting and retaining the most influential leaders
    Connecting and growing emerging leaders and
    Addressing the challenges future leaders will face.”

    Nicky Campbell asks ‘is the British Paralympics organisation the best funded?’

    Tanni can’t tell a lie, but she prevaricates a little along the lines of . ‘Well in terms of day to day funding, yes’.

    But being something of an elitist she can’t help but add ‘But the South Africans, for example, give a $15,000 bonus to their gold medalist’.

    Nicky (God bless him) sinks her boat with the observation : No wonder Pistorius threw a wobbly.

    Ouch!

    Never mind we are soon told that the Twitterati are baying for the Beeb to concentrate on the positive “Your focus is all wrong” the anonymous Twitterer says.

    Normal Service Will Be Resumed

       2 likes

    • Guest Who says:
      September 3, 2012 at 9:33 am

      So far the PC-commentariat has got in a right old tangle, which has been rather spectacular.
      Saw some gobs for hire this morning go down the ‘unfair handicapping’ route before coming to a screeching halt at their careers getting sunk with one misplaced phrase.
      So far I am intrigued as to why there’s all this excitement at a Brazilian on blades coming from way behind sprinting past a South African on blades when he wasn’t meant to, yet when a Brit did it the other day all seemed well.
      As far as I can gather it’s all about money now. Gold means cash, and cash means gold, be it training for 4 years in California or getting better Zeebedee springs.
      For the life of me I can’t fathom how you compare some guy who trains after work on what he can afford to eat at Tescos with anyone tuned in mind and body with the best science can provide, any more than a bloke with two legs, two blades, one leg & a blade, etc, running the same circuit.
      Once money got in the mix, on top of ‘national support’ (ie: more money on another basis), the notion of sport as I used to understand it rather went out the window and into the sponsors’ marketing plans and media monopolies scheduling wet dreams.
      Our Oscar has rather opened a Pandora’s Box, and the likes of our Tanni and her ‘selective’ views has proven one of the less savoury contents to pop out, as it were.

         1 likes

  11. lillian says:
    September 5, 2012 at 10:28 am

    The BBC’s coverage of the Government’s reshuffle has been sheer propaganda. Their take on it is that this is not a big deal, is purely a PR exercise and will not make a difference to the country at all. They also took great pleasure in announcing that George Osbourne was booed at the Paralympics. Of course, the BBC’s stance on benefits to the disabled being taken away unfairly, is patently untrue, what is true is that the cheats who are taking money they are not entitled to are the ones who are taking money AWAY from the disabled. The left and the BBC need to demonise someone and why not blame the taxpayer for being reluctant to pay out to benefit cheats.
    Today on the BBC were two organisations talking about child poverty and one was Save the Children who now says the U.K. is a child poverty risk country as many children go without a hot meal every day. After, obviously some intervention by the Government the BBC ‘mentioned’ that every child is entitled to a free school meal every day – not what they wanted to hear but once again a biased and disengenuous viewpoint from the biased BBC.
    Truly upside down thinking from the left and the BBC again.

       0 likes

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