Friday 16 July 2010

Well I could be wrong but I am not terribly worked up about the iPhone barring it would appear to demonstrate how not to organise as somebody must have realised at some point that the design was flawed and testing failed.

The Americans are quite good at no blame culture so it is something of a surprise as you would assume key concerns would surface.

Are there lessons for government - perhaps when Tony Blair announced that he could not understand why the FSA would want to investigate "perfectly respectable banks" and took their teeth away it was not the most sound judgement?

Today I gather Goldman Sachs were fined $500 million - a fraction of their bonus total - "to settle civil fraud charges of misleading investors.

The charges concerned Goldman's marketing of mortgage investments as the US housing market faltered.

US finance watchdog the Securities and Exchange Commission said it was the biggest fine for a bank in its history."

So there would be clear and definite reason to look at the organisations and make sure that we "test" and get them under control.

That sum sounds like a lot but is it any more than an inconvenience to Goldmans.

The far right posters on this page usually try to present themselves as victims rather than supremacists as the likes of the Aryan Strike Force do.

But its odd as they go out of the way to disguise what they are (National Socialists) by using inferences to a poster like jaded_jean who stopped posting when the likes of programmes such as The Incredible Human Journey and Channel 4's Race and IQ emerged. The former series shows there is a wealth of evidence that all of the human races are very closely related because they are all descended from a very few women who walked out of Africa.

There is not even much divergence between those races and Africans.

The latter programme showed that in fact IQ is not a perfect indicator of intelligence and that in fact there is not any significant difference between the races when it comes to IQ. Those differences that do exist are due to environmental factors like educational availability and attitudes.

So returning to the "victims" who feel their "indigenous" culture is being damaged by a multi-cultural society fail to take what they allege they truly believe into a court or a scientific academy and prove their case.

As I have said many times the BNP, as an instance of a very similar intellectual posture, whine about the EHRC as a "sniveling quango" but that rage and bile does not translate into utilising their evidence and a QC in their ranks to take on and beat the EHRC over the legal requirement for non-racial membership. Because there is no evidence in their favour.

So returning to the "victims" - some of whom regard the Holocaust as "made up" - you should ask yourself if you took their combined efforts where they promote their cause on this page, indirectly, and then considered if they took a tenth of that effort to form a coherent case and took it off to court that would be far more efficient.

But they don't.

I seem to remember their icon, their jaded_jean, when asked why no war crimes trial had seen the alleged refutation of the Holocaust and why that poster could not be bothered to cite the "internet evidence" in court to aid fellow National Socialists in the dock the response was that the poster was not an expert witness.

But then that starts you down the maze of the cult like self deception as the far right proclaim that in fact all of the experts agree with them.

So basically my proposal is that the whiners should gather, elsewhere ideally, and coordinate their profound thoughts, and set out to win their case.

If they don't then you have to assume that their argument is in fact non-intellectual and is in effect a perverted tribal instinct at the grass roots managed by the amoral would be replacement monarchs at the top who use a magpie collection of ideological postures that use emotion rather than intellect to combine the weak minded in their quest for power.

Stand by for a thousand levels of indirection that bypass the simple fundamental question of why they don't openly try to win their argument on merit.

Its hard to be sympathetic to BP who have caused serious disruption and hardship to several states in the US and whose safety record is woeful and has not improved after previous safety failures.

Therefore I think Hayward should have resigned.

The smoke seems to indicate that behind the careful representations they were in fact implicitly lobbying for the release of al Megrahi.

For me that is where it gets complicated as Libya probably should have set out to refute the evidence against al Megrahi as I personally am very sceptical indeed that the discovered circuit board survived a powerful explosion and significant fall so that it could be identified.

As Newsnight showed the CIA found it and gave it to a poorly trained FBI officer. To me it does not ring true and they could not replicate its survival.

But then al Megrahi has not been cleared by a court and so for BP to lobby for his release without clearing his name is clearly highly unethical and undesirable.

How much did Labour know - well probably actually more than they have ever let on but then that is consistent with their attitude to National Interest when you consider renditions and torture.

The law had to be there for a purpose and if you bypass it for short term gain then the law is undermined.

In the US you have to hope that Obama will not allow his natural backing for Geithner to prevent the appointment of Elizabeth Warren to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

There are practical limits on what even a President can do but to my mind there are plenty of people who still think that the crash could happen again and the financial reforms don't go far enough.

I would hope that a coalition government with the National Interest at heart, rather than greed and a perverted view of credit fools gold, will not make the same mistakes over here.

OK I am a Lib Dem voter but on the Labour leadership candidates Abbott is right when quoted as saying:

-------------------------------
Mrs Abbott said her four opponents were either close to Tony Blair or Gordon Brown but were now distancing themselves from infighting and key policies like the Iraq invasion.

She branded the four former cabinet ministers "geeky young men in suits".
-------------------------------

But when she goes on to say:

"I am talking about moving the party to where ordinary Labour supporters are. Ordinary Labour supporters are in a place where they want to see a party which they think is speaking for them and not the very wealthy."

then she has not really said why New Labour was refuted.

More to the point she is talking about factional interests that has led to such bad governance for such a long time and a future Labour government, should the country ever be cursed again, would be as tribal as in the past.

Its a pity that the Labour leadership is not like US primaries where anybody can vote because I would hope for an Abbott win.

Ed Balls versus Andrew Neill last night on the Labour n'Tory show was quite good as the former kept saying four separate quotes about his character were made up so I doubt when push comes to shove that he will win.

Burnham is like a poor double glazing salesman and Miliband Major and Minor may still be the favourites.

DOUBLE GLAZED ANDY (#5)

The harsh light of ambition, and fear of the next word (in case it comes back to haunt him) shines out of Andy's 'double-glazed' eyes.

Last night, on Question Time, he managed to join consensus vilification of Mr Moat with 'understanding' of the mentally disturbed - ALL IN ONE SENTENCE!

He is yet another proof of the poor calibre that get elevated under the Westminster Ethos.

Until Westminster goes, with all its terrible baggage, we are stuffed.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

two firms BP and Goldman. One has an oil spill the other part of something that brought the financial collapse of the west that has cost the public trillions. One has billions to pay the other 500m [tiger woods wife got more than that]. It must be God's work.

curious how the only person charged in the westminster expenses is non white? Funny handshakes allround?

...An unsuccessful parliamentary candidate in Cheltenham at the 1992 general election, Lord Taylor - then John Taylor - was subjected to racist abuse by members of his own constituency party.

Some even urged people not to vote for him.

Lord Taylor said: "The Tories appear to have taken a step back into the dark ages."

https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1304393.stm

the dark ages have never gone away?

#6

Stuffed anyway, Singie, you've 'worked' ever so hard for it..

This side of the Earth is moving well on
Away from the Sun until the morn

ALL THINGS ARE RELATIVE (#8)

But it helps to have the right relatives.

PS I was pulled @7 for mentioning the war - it killed a few more than the Ripper!

#6 barriesingleton

"Until Westminster goes, with all its terrible baggage, we are stuffed. "

But then you replace Westminster with what? Get your pal jaded_jean in and bring in the terrible baggage of National Socialism?

Fortunately you are a voice in the wilderness that nobody wants to hear anyway.

WELL SAID GANGO FONE! - A WILDERNESS INDEED! (#13)

A wilderness left behind by successive British 'governments' purporting to be both capitalist and socialist, and then Blair/Brown inbetweeno-don'tknoworcarist. And you are so right!!! I AM a voice that nobody wants to hear - the jumped-up 'somebodies' that now 'run' this country have their juvenile fingers in their childish ears going: "na na na-na naaa - can't hear you". Conversely, in Newbury during the election, the disenfranchised nobodies went out of their way to come over and tell me they could hear me - and thanked me for speaking out.

You are more astute than I thought Gango. And the country needs Stutes.

turdTeen Unlucky for some

I am A NObody thats likes 2 hear Barrie, We dont allways C aye 2 eye
but his Comments make me think

I do Miss JJ

Joined Ann ONlinesite 2day

I am glad moat blew his brains out

Brains? what brains

Had A Right Result the Tax Personages wont be sending me anymore tax returns.

is it my birthday

re I phone's mine has frozen, ah Joy, go away I am watching the Golf

I will closely watch the results of the USA Senate investigation of the UK decision to release a mass murderer/terrorist. If the UK let this bad guy loose to allow BP to get an oil contract then then the American public will have a hard time forgiving the British.

Just watched 'Eastenders' tonight followed by 'My Family' (yes; I was extremely bored).

Eastenders ended tonight with two gays walking off Albert Square (one of them a Muslim, the other a white male)...hand in hand.

Almost straight after this I started to watch My Family (created by Fred Barron) which was about The Family's son coming out and telling them he's gay!

Surely more than a coincidence?

#15

What is it that you miss about JJ?
His "afiliation' with Stalinist and Hitler like tendencies and 'desire' to control if not the whole world then all the females to 'prove" he's the 'best'?

Personally, once I've seen through his sick psyche, I don't miss him at all though, alas, he's still 'acting' / prancing around under different guises. If only those who care about humanity and normality realised this!!!!

mim

YES (#20)

You have been born in interesting times DJ.

run...run..I think she's gonna blow again.....

20
little house on the estate

soaps have a formula. if their plotlines reflected the news it wouldn't fit the cultural bias agenda.

night john boy.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

I did clock the afghan squaddie that got the good news

Quadrouple amputations 1st one 2 survive the process?

sureley he could come over hear and get some legs and arms, yes you can call me shirley, I am not Armless or Legless, mines a double be carefull of mines IED's

Jonathon Ross' last show...first on...Four 'Puffs' and a Piano!

(...and just to sum up the Beebs PC credentials, the correct spelling of the word Puff does not pass the auto profanity filter)

#20 You weren't watching Mahlers 8th from the Proms, DJ! Shame! ; )

Oh dear, and where will the cuts start?!

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/7895750/Licence-fee-for-wasteful-BBC-will-be-cut.html

Perhaps that awful red line I kept following around the studio the other night, it was certainly sending my temperature up. Or perhaps the terrible new version of the News webpage that everyone hates!

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

Len Freeman.

re al-Megrahi.

just to say that Christine Grahame (MSP) demonstrated that is possible to be a politician AND to have a backbone.

thank you, Ms Grahame, for mentioning the 'elephant in the room' -- the 290 civilians killed in 1988 by the US Navy 'in error'.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

Its not really that long ago and still pretty fresh in my memory that Megrahi was released on compassionate grounds in exchange for dropping his pending appeal. No doubt the truth that Megrahi was framed for the Lockerbie bombing, ( showed a photo of him to the key witness before he identified Megrahi ) would have come out. Obviously one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in legal history all stitched up by the CIA for political gain and no chance of a true fair trial at the time.

Do the US really believe that the general public are so stupid as to fall for the BP lobbying story, although I suspect that many will have forgotten the controversy surrounding Megrahi's conviction. It is said that smoking cannabis can protect against prostrate cancer, I presume that its legal in Libya, and perhaps he has spent the last few months stoned out of his head which may have arrested the progression of the disease or even cured it to some extent. I hope Megrahi lives as long as he can, but nothing can compensate for the massive international injustice against this innocent man.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

With the last Cockney yet living, and the last taboo-word still proscribed on the Beeb, is it safe to be called Jeremy Hunt?

#22 barrie

...should I to be grateful?

#8 JC

Firms ordered to pay almost £10m over Buncefield blast
https://bbc.kongjiang.org/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-10660356

'Total were fined £3.6m with £2.6m costs'

Total is France's biggest company....they're even bigger than BP. I should know, I used to work for them!

I have never worked for a company that was so adept at creating a facade of caring for safety!

PURE IRONY - PURE GOLD (#31)

Yes - well done Christine Grahame. If he was guilty it was compassion, and if innocent A BIT LATE!

Lockerbie has that Dr Kelly feel about it. Private Eye did a very good 'special' on it. And don't you just love the spectacle of America getting on their righteous high horse to berate UK (their partner in deviousness) over OIL - of all things.

Has Tony been awarded any gold medals and shedloads of money lately? Perhaps Gaddafi is good for one.

Just a point about the Apple i-phone problem, it would appear that the research boffins are so far up in the technical clouds that they have forgotten the basics. To get something as simple as placing the Ariel so that its obscured by your natural ( right handed ) holding phone left hand wrong is just flawed basic design. Then the " there was an old woman who swallowed a fly " engineering starts with a free plastic frame to remove the Ariel from your hand starts. Its obvious that the basic design is flawed unless you are left handed, and perhaps the boffin who designed it was left handed also. Perhaps all right handed i-phone customers should take it back and ask for their money back, except that I suspect that most of the people who bought it got it to be on the alleged cutting edge of trendy technological development. All those concentrated microwaves can't be doing your hand any good if you are not at the same time attempting to boil your brain.

Such is science these days, loads of useless technology out there which falls down on the basics. I seem to manage OK with no mobile phone at all, still using a 1979 Sony ( pre Alan Sugar junk ) radio in the kitchen. Our late 1960s fridge is a bit of a cheat since it was stored for 20 years, but no point getting a new one as we would be lucky if it lasted five years.

#20 DJ re Eastenders/My Family and other misrepresentations of society

It seems that the policy of most TV channels is to compete in presenting the steamiest soaps and melodramas, incorporating all the most controversial and degrading trends in society in order to boost ratings of the viewing masses. BBC’s policy seems now to be to Titillate, Desecrate and Deform society.

I frequently upset my teenage daughter by switching channels if I think that pre-threshold programmes such as Eastenders and Waterloo Road are degrading and sending out the wrong messages. Last week I was horrified to find that BBC’s new drama ‘Dive’, which I was looking forward to, was not about my favourite teenage sport, but mainly about drugs and sex between teenagers on the pier.

To give credit where it is due, I have to praise BBC for their coverage each year of the Proms, and tonight’s First Night was elevating and inspiring. It clearly indicates one aspect of our culture that has not become swamped and submerged: as usual the Royal Albert Hall was packed to capacity and almost the entire audience, orchestra and massed choirs were clearly of one ethnic group.

Naturally I imply no reference to IQ or genetic differences.

#31 and #36 Yes, pure irony...and rank US neocon hypocrisy!

#31...well noted.

Remember, don't just take the propaganda proffered by the free-market, liberal anarchist loving meedja that is News International and the BBC.

GREAT POSTING GUYS (You know who you are.)

I couldn't possibly comment.

Was it just me or was Bolton just allowed to to rant without basis or real challange in the Megrahi section tonight? Why wasnt he asked why the US is pursuing this issue NOW rather than months ago, and where the basis is for the congress claim that BP contribted to the decision to release him? Well done to Christine Grahame holding her own and pointing out the major hypocricy of Bolton's assertion that oil could be involved, even if it were true ( and we are yet to see why the US thinks so)

#38 IIG

Thank you for that post.

I am very concerned that some of my previous posts may have been misconstrued as they may have appeared to be mono-themed. Of course, they were not!

Things have been getting out of hand on this blogsite lately. I am partly to blame.

Just for the record...I wouldn't care if either of my two sons (or indeed both) turned out to be gay. I would love them irrespective of their sexual orientation.
...and for the sake of one certain poster on here...the reason being that I would always love them is because, in my heart, I would know that it's just a genetic predisposition to be gay.

We all should love those that we nurture, as they are a result of love and nature. We are what we are.

...and another thing for the record.

I do not think that Jews are evil or bad.

In fact, I think thay are probably the most fantastic race to have inhabited this planet. They are generally extremely clever and hard working.

However, as one certain poster on here used to comment, their genetic history makes them a truly fascinating population to study and understand. Nobody on here wants them to be persecuted or annihiliated. They just want them to be understood for their differences. Every person and race of people are subject to PD's and differences. It would just be helpful to understand them and their effects on society as a whole. If one such ethnic group were to have a such a trait or characteristic, its impact on society as a whole should be understood and assessed. If one particular ethnic group were to, say, have a group survival strategy that was to outcompete a host group for natural resources...then that should be understood as such a trait/strategy.
As it could be to the detriment of the society as a whole. It maybe (and probably is) a subconscious group strategy that is being employed.

This whole subject needs to be discussed in a ratiional way without ad hominem rhetoric.

...and it has to happen soon!

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

I'm off to bed now...good night to all!

As one late Irish, finger challenged, comedian used to say... 'may your God go with you'.

Good night!

Brightyangting

The Earth keeps turning
I'm facing the dawn
The Sun's breaking through
Looking like Rose wine
Preparing to cross the sky on its daily line,


Warming our shoulders, heads, faces and hearts

#45. Continuation

I shall think of you hoping you are fine@@@@

mim

Jeremy

Following our last meeting at the Tate, I've been 'seaming' all the threads that seemed to have been spun out of our exchange, both in front of the public and afterwards at the table while you were signing copies of your most interesting and stimulating, in my view, book on Victorian paintings.

National Treasurers, eh????

Monika

#44

Which finger are you talking about, DJ?? And which/whose god?
Please do tell us. I'm sure it'll be fascinating to learn.

mim

As may be widely known, or perhaps not, I do frequently browse through Paxo"s Google image stream. It's months ago now, nbut after one Newsnight the number of pages got extended well beyond 49 where they 'normally' end. Does any blogger know why?

And why is it usually 49 and not 50, for example?

mim

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

In pursuit of 'Alegria'

Achievable at long last?
Methinks that yes, though not a patchy task.

mim

#48 Mim, DJ is talking about a very funny Irish comedian, Dave Allen, he probably wouldn't get away with his brand of humour these days, not PC enough. But very very funny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxo81Ok9Urk

See what you think. ; )

My gut feeling about Megrahi, was he was someone who sat in an office. A Libyan politico came along and said oh you can take the rap for blowing up the plane, we'll pay you handsomely and look after your family.

It never quite seem to fit, and I don't suppose we'll ever know who did do it. A lot of the victims relatives didn't feel we was guilty either.

SOAPS

I often wonder what would happen if the whole lot were removed from the TV. How would people live, would they actually make their own minds up, instead of expecting to live as they do in Eastenders or Coronation st. I wonder what accents would develope, instead of estuary english, or is that saarrff london.

p.s. I haven't watched a soap in 15 years

Is the peculiar moderators behaviour and non exclusion of malevolent/mad posters is probably part of the strategy to erode the value of the BBC in the public's eye?
As is the inflated salaries of just a few of its high profile employees and then the publication of these. It is making the public hate the BBC!

Same strategy used to get rid of the House of Lords?

COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION

Baroness Prosser backs Limited Ed Miliband for Labour Leader 'because we need a good communicator'. Oh no - not again.

Blair was unthinkingly called a 'good communicator', yet the only time his words were sort of true, was when he told us he couldn't tell us anything!

Actors are communicators: they learn a script written by a cunning manipulator of words (such as Shakespeare) and deliver it with false emotion and fake body language, to enthral the common people. Oh no - hang on a minute - isn't that politicians?

Read a transcript - even of Churchill, on occasion - politicians DO NOT COMMUNICATE. Politicians MANIPULATE through performance art.

You might expect lady P to know that already. Will you tell her or shall I?

#55

Are you sure you're not talking out of jealousy and spite, tabblerabble?

Ecolozzy

I'll have a look at the comedian when I have access to u-tube and let you know what I think.

Re: soaps

I haven"t watched a tv soap for years neither nor I am in any rush to do so soon with so many interesting books to read and exciting music to listen to before being fit enough to go to Queen's for some gliding, twirling and waving my arms/hands around.

mim

libya

funny how every major disaster for the uk has Tony Blair somewhere in it?


Apple

is a religion for those with low self esteem?

BP and MI6 Mail on Sunday Article

https://www.nlpwessex.org/docs/mailmi6azer12-5-07googlecache.htm

#58 update

I've now watched it, Ecolizzy. Made me laugh - it's so logical, especially from the perspective of a 4-year old, but how about the 'finger challenged' and why are you responding back rather than DJ? Are you in his service or something? Has he promised you anything for it? If so, what, if I may ask?

mim

WORKING WOMEN (#60 link)

The British desire to see women employed, in all possible positions, is underlined by our determination to get girls into school in Afghanistan. When we have installed Western Values, in place of oppression, their girls will, like those referred to in Jaunty's link, grow up to be fully employed.

Lucky Afghanistan. Proud squaddies, who are bringing this bounty.

#61 Ah, darling mim, I just thought I'd answer as I knew who DJ meant. He was a very popular comedian a while back. I don't know DJ, never met, I just knew the answer and thought you'd find him funny, as you must understand the catholic faith very well. Have a look at other film of him on Youtube, it'll make you laugh.

If you look carefully, the index finger on his left hand is half missing, some accident at some time, can't remember what, he often joked about it.

62

..[Lord]Browne faced charges of perjury for lying to the court over how he met Chevalier. Browne in a deposition to the court initially said the pair had met when they were both exercising in Battersea Park. Browne later admitted this was a lie. He acknowledged that he had actually met Chevalier via a commercial gay escort website, Suited and Booted.[2][11] However, Mr Justice Eady, the presiding judge in the case, said he decided not to refer the matter to the Attorney General with regard to possible perjury charges, as disclosure in the judgement of Lord Browne's behaviour was "probably sufficient punishment"...

The Mail on Sunday said it would make its evidence available to the attorney general, Lord Goldsmith. "Jeffrey Archer and Jonathan Aitken went to prison for lying to the courts," a spokesman said.

https://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/may/02/media.pressandpublishing

..Former BP chief executive Lord Browne has been appointed to oversee moves to make Whitehall "more businesslike".

He will be the government's "lead non-executive director", working with cabinet ministers to appoint people to improve efficiency in each department.

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said Lord Browne's experience would be of "real benefit"...

https://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/may/02/media.pressandpublishing

why do some get 4 years for perjury and others not?

Did anyone see the Zac Goldsmith interview on Fridays Channel 4 news. If it isn't on 4 OD it will still be around for years.

It made Paxo's and Robin Day's standoffs look completely minor.

https://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jul/17/zac-goldsmith-versus-jon-snow

Half a news programme of siege mentality. Brilliant

64

second link should be

https://bbc.kongjiang.org/www.bbc.co.uk/news/10467532

#63

Thank you for your reply, Ecolizzy.

I'm particularly sensitive to finger pointers with a mostachio 'don juan' I used to know identifying with despots like Hitler and Stalin competing desperately, it seems, with Paxo whose photo I have kept for just over 20 years on which he features sitting in a studio smiling with his left indicator pointed in gesticulation. You can imagine, I hope, which one I'm much keener on***********

mim

Ecolizzy

A couple more things. You've suggested I watch D Allan and I have. I wonder whether you know Nina Simone's songs and may I suggest you listen to her singing 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood'. It seems to express quite a bit of what I've been going through myself. I do think she was absolutely brilliant combining her classical piano playing in her youth while dreaming of becoming a virtuoso on the instrument and jazz & blues. I also love her timbre of voice and her sensitivity of different moods and emotions, as well as rhythmicality. She couldn't become virtuoso on the piano as the blacks were not considered equal to whites and she spent quite a lot of time of her life fighting for civil rights for the blacks, paying quite often a high price for her determination, etc.

mim

P.S. By the way, have you ever met Jeremy Paxman in person, Ecolizzy?

Barrie? Pulled? Must have been on the money......I got pulled two days ago but I think I got away with it...nearly...

WHAT BENEFIT A MAN (Zacgate)

What benefit a man if he obey the election expenditure rules, but buys lies with his permitted allowance, with which to persuade voters to vote for him? Well - as I posted before - he benefits because the Electoral Commission are NOT CONCERNED WITH LIAR FLYERS. Did Zac use Tory, standard-issue, Liar Flyers in his campaign? That's OK.

Some countries are born to be a joke, some achieve joke-status, and Britain, it seems, is determined to thrust joke-status UPON HERSELF.

Oh - it's all going awfully well.

JUSTICE EASY (#64)

Not exactly a man of the people (Justice Eady) is he!

Mind you, I am having no luck contacting Helena Kennedy QC - the people's HUMAN RIGHTS CHAMP. I want her view of 'liar flyers' aka 'false instruments' used to alter voting patterns, in contravention of the Representation of the People Act. Perhaps she's busy.

WHAT IS A NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS PROGRAMME TO DO? (#69)

The entire Lockerbie deceit - the 9/11 deceit - the Blair gamut of deceit - the current face-saving Afghanistan deceit - the pan-world banking deceit - New Labour government-by-default deceit - the oil-leak deceit (where must we drill instead?) etc etc.

How could the BBC tackle that lot with candour? Look what happened when they put a toe in the water over Kelly.

No - best they stick to theatrical jousting in the son-et-lumiere studio, making sure they never break out into the real world.

Buy the Blogdog a nice new collar.

On that basis - it's all going awfully well.

#70 and 72 Brilliant posts Barrie, especially 70 very witty.

#68 No mim never met Jez, I'm not into celebrity worship, I just want them to do their job properly!

Yes I've been listening to Nina since the '60s, yup she's very good and I like her. I've always been a blues and jazz fan, never seen her live though. Yes I know that song, and understand what you mean. Do you know "Strange Fruit" she did that back in 1965 but I still think Billie Holiday sings it the best.

Do you know of Jeff Buckley, sadly deceased, he was a great Nina fan as well, covered several songs of hers. Have a google you'll find him.

Sorry for being off topic to other posters!

#74

Thank you so much,Ecolizzy, for your comprehensive answer.

Re: Nina's 'Strange Fruit'- yes, i do have it on one of her LP records. Shattering what humsn beings are capable of doing to their contemporaries, whatever the reason for their 'actions'. I also hafe Billie Holiday but she doesn't 'speak' to me like Nina does. I shall check up on Jeff Buckley. I haven't heard of him.

Re: Jeremy

Don't the so called 'celebs' belong to the human race, Lizzy? They have to eat and sleep, they love and they cry, they may have kids and go through all kinds of emotions like the rest of us, don't you think? The fact that Jeremy may be considered a 'celeb' is neither here nor there, as far as I'm concerned. I do not worship him but I find him,his work and personality exceptionally appealing. I like him, deeply in fact, it seems.

mim

When I first came to this country, an exceptionally talented musically friend, Brian, 'threw' the I-Ching for me and I got the first hexagram:

https://www.akirarabelais.com/i/i.html

fate from birth with lots of responsibility attached?

eleven learned doctors of high repute not satisfied over the Kelly affair...why no NN special? memo to producer do one pretty quick as the hawks and vultures are circling...they are starting with the licence fee...don't say we didn't warn you, Aunt....

Damian Green said such a move would be rather un-British and run contrary to the conventions of a tolerant and mutually respectful society.


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/7896751/Burka-ban-ruled-out-by-immigration-minister.html

where are they getting these false beliefs from? what books are they reading? The history of the UK is one of intolerance and a ruthless christian monarchy supremacy?


When did this fantasy of an ancient tradition of 'a tolerant and mutually respectful society' begin? Before or after the Black and White Minstrels? Before or after 1 million who voted for BNP? Before or after muslims only became subject to control orders even though there is a plague of organised crime that wants to subvert and replace the state? Were not the Free Poles uniquely excluded from the WW2 victory parade? Were there not B&B's with the signs no blacks and asians? Where there not laws to stop catholics holding office?

where is the historical fantasy coming from?

#77

threats, eh, stevie?

#78

It's not yet ideal in terms of what racial equality, jaunty, but things have definitely moved a long way in that direction, jaunty, with the Obamas making a most important contribution all round the globe.

WELL SAID (#78)

HomSap is not good at life - even worse at complex life. The reason, in my view, is that we do not mature - one lifetime being too short.

As proof of this, the Pope is to visit UK - yet there is no oil in the Vatican.

We have devalued motherhood and enshrined material growth. With a burgeoning population and a finite planet - how dumb is that?

#78

Fantasy stems from imaginative minds, jaunty, whatever the context, be it personal or historical, or ideally both with a few other ones added to the pot.

#81

Single, motherhood seems to be thriving in many a household, depending largely on the mother, whether she works or not, and also on the father, it should be said. It does seem to depend on the family set up.

Plus, life can be almost unbelievably complex though there plenty of human beings who manage to cope one way or another, even with enemies around.

81

the 'tolerant and mutually respectful' policy isn't being played out in foreign policy where the uk is a belligerent war monger [The RAF are practice bombing iranian targets] and safe haven for those who plot african coups? The Iraq inquiry is showing the uk govt machine as totally reckless? A foreign policy that has given rise to a 2000+ strong domestic insurgency that cost billions to suppress?

power masks itself through the deviant use of innocent looking phrases.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

68

Nina She is The Dogs,for me She allways will be.

Brightyangthing

You haven't posted for a few days. Perhaps you"re away in some sunny offshores . Wherever you are and whatever the weather, I hope you have a good day. Mine's started quite well, I'm delighted to say. A few verbal abuses have been thrown at me but I've laughed them off. Otherwise, almost nothing but warmth's been coming in my direction, in return I suppose.

mim

NUCLEAR BLACKMAIL

Liam Fox MD (who keeps us safe and well by overseeing the killing of Johnnie Foreigner) used the term 'NUCLEAR BLACKMAIL' this morning. It was new to me, so I did a little reading. I found that nuclear blackmail works best when the finger on the button belongs to an unstable individual. No wonder 'they' want to kill us! Britain is collectively going mad. The most driven and needy enter Westminster and once installed, the most delusional among them becomes Prime Minister. Be afraid world - BE VERY AFRAID.

Wear the Veil un briTish/Tosh if you don't

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

Can? the Burkha be liberating

nothing on underneath yes it can

Met A Women yesterday (very nice)
we were yapping about schools
Her children go A school that has 22 different languages EH?

when in china me old china

something tells me the english/spanglish speaking kids have Drawn A short straw

One of my daughters with A math teacher who cant speak english, what?

teach your kids at home,tell any jobsworth official 2 bog off,reduce your tax bill accordingly

THE OLD SUNGLASSES PLOY

On the few occasions that I have worn sun glasses OF A TYPE THAT TOTALLY HIDE THE EYES I have felt very empowered indeed. One can study every detail of an attractive woman without either embarrassment or detection.

It is, of course, deeply intrusive, offensive, cowardly and disgraceful.

Any mention of sunglasses in the Quran?

The whole debate highlights a/ cultures should not mix - multiculturalism is a myth b/ religious dogmas appeal to our juvenile state.

Oh - it's all going awfully well.

When I read this article in today's Daily Mail, I honestly thought it was a joke. However, it really does prive PC has gone completely and utterly around the bend.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1295617/Gurkha-ordered-UK-beheading-dead-Taliban-fighter.html

Mistress:
At least the Gurka had the decency to cut the head off when the victim was already dead. And something tells me he didn't rant and rave from a pray book and have the incident filmed and posted on Youtube. Mind you though, if he only needed DNA proof, he could've easily cut off a finger. Surely cutting off a head involves more effort and then he would've had to carry the thing around. A severed finger can be easily placed in a pocket. I know which option I'd go for.

On a different note. "Internet security" or is it Govt(US) cutting back on critical and free speech on the net. Is it Orwellian? Is Obama's puppet masters afraid of their agenda being held up by free and questioning thinkers.

RT - Russia today, a far less biased TV news channel that makes the BBC look like toadies. RT talk to their audience assuming they've read a book or two and have better informed guests.

[Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]

Tender breeze is moving across my face
While I keep repeating his name
A helicopter has just flown above
In Battersea or Kensington Gardens eventually to land????

mim

Vive la France - et vive la France sans burqa!

Don't let anyone kid you; the nearest the Quran gets to suggesting women cover themselves in reams of cloth, be it jilbab, burqa or yashmak is a call for "public modesty"; successive repressive cultural mores have led to the situation currently, not religion, not Islam.

I know that some young women have resorted to complete covering of themselves as a statement of "identity", somewhat like the punk movement, a dare to conventional society to do something about it.

I congratulate France on having a clear and consistent view of what is acceptable to - and what is expected of - anyone wishing either to call themselves French or to live in and enjoy the privileges of a free secular state.

Not exactly a description which can be applied to UK, where in one part a hereditary monarch is head of the established state religion, in another, violent sectarian conflict has been a running sore for the past three centuries or more and where, by act of law, a person of one particular religion is specifically forbidden from marriage to the monarch.

Hence the half baked woolly notion of UK as "tolerant" allows avoidance of questions relating to the true nature of British culture; you have to know what it is to defend it.

Vive la France!

NICK'LL FIX IT (#97)

Well put KB. See if you can get Helena Kennedy to save us from ourselves.

https://www.scotsman.com/news/Windfarms-only-giving-half-power.6426015.jp

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/david-cameron/7897445/David-Cameron-launches-his-Big-Society.html

Eventually we will all have to move into our ghetto of choice. If we are allowed! ; )

Or is this the beginning of regional government as JJ predicted, into our 6 million bitesize lumps. Politics move in mysterious ways!