Friday, May 04, 2007

Back to this local issue bit

Teresa May, Tory, has just talked about some "churning" of the vote in local elections where they are insisting on voting on local issues rather than National trends.

Ummm ... these ARE local elections. Why are people meant to voting then Ms May?


Nobody

Fog halts count in Western Isles

So reads the headline on the BBC.

Fog? Causing a problem in Scotland?


Well I never!


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/6622037.stm





Powered by ScribeFire.

The Local question

In the UK the local council elections are about very local issues and personalities. In my local experience they are also about back biting between candidates that really should not be let anywhere near a local authority.

In the media, however, local issues are ignored and the local elections are seen as a poll for any forthcoming general election.

In this particular election, so far not a lot has happened. Some have gone up one or two seats, others down one or two seats - but certainly no overwhelming, headline hitting catastrophe or success.

Sounds like the voter really cant be bothered to make any particular point for the benefit of the media or the national parties.

Between cups of copy and nipping at Nick Robinson's blog - I remain your very alert:


Nobody





Powered by ScribeFire.

Blogging Mad for the Elelction

Nick Robinson of the BBC is blogging as he is broadcasting. And we are commenting back as fast as possible.

Has this all got out of hand?

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

What right has the Daily Mail to kill a career?

Lord Browne, chairman of BP, has resigned after failing to stop an article about his relationship with his former partner.

Jeff Chevalier had a 4 year long relationship with the head of BP before deciding to sell his story to the Daily Mail.

So why did the mail publish this story?

Because through it they could give a malicious, unnecessary and school bully style kicking to someone who earns lots of money. That is it. In the story there were also allegations of improper use of BP resources (denied by every one), but the only real reason is that Lord Browne is Gay.

Oh my god!! Lord Browne is gay!!! Lets all rush to the papers and destroy the horrible little man!

So what?

The Daily Mail, this miserable little paper, really has nothing better to do than kick someone who has been very well regarded in running one of Britain's highest profile and most successful companies.

Unfortunately, in his complete embarrassment, Lord Browne was not truthful about how he and Jeff Chevalier met, and now may face perjury charges. The editors of the Mail must be wetting themselves in their pathetic glee.

THIS is our society, where the bully wins, where publishers think they are the real judge and jury, should decide who runs the country, should promote the religion of celebrity and should do it all so they can take our money.

We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age - this was meant to be the enlightened technology age, but instead it is just the Bully Age.


Nobody

BBC Artcle: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6612703.stm



Tuesday, May 01, 2007

How the Press exploit victims

The BBC today is reporting how victims and families of victims of the 7/7 attacks in London are pushing the government for a full blown, independent inquiry into how the intelligence services conducted their inquiries. Click Here

These people are being exploited by the press to CREATE news that just isn't there.

Yes, there were contacts between the Fertilizer bombers and the 7/7 bombers - there were contacts with a thousand or so other people too. This was a massive intelligence operation, but despite that, there is no way that every single contact could have been followed continuously. And, lets face it, at that early stage how was anyone to guess these two people would go on to become suicide bombers 18 months later?

But still, the press sinks it's teeth into the victims. The press knows that the victims have no more valid opinion than the rest of us. In fact, like the rest of us, they know nothing of how intelligence operations of this type are conducted, what the limitations are and what is in reality possible. The press know that the victims can, however, be used for unreasonable, emotional pressure - with real reason other than the presses obsessive desire to make a story far bigger than it is.

So, the press encourage, push, mislead, anything to get the relatives to say the things that make great headlines.

And the victims groups - do they know how they are being used? Do they realise that they are not only the innocent victims of the terrorists, but are now the victims of the medias money making machine?

Sadly, victims, understandably grieving, often do not see how they are being used and abused by the media. Some do - in all of these groups there are always a few families who say nothing, do not go to the meetings or join the protests. But many do - and are sucked up, chewed and spat out by the press.

It is one of the sickest crimes of our modern society.

Naughty BBC Iplayer!

The BBC is launching later this year an iplayer to enable people to use their new, upcoming on demand service.

Slight catch - it will only work with Microsoft Windows!

If you are a Mac user you might get a version in 2 years time. If you are a Linux user you might as well whistle!

Even the BBC Trust are not too happy about this: Click Here

Does this mean that the BBC have accepted Microsoft's domination of the market without question? Does this mean that they, a publically funded body have decided to help promote Windows Vista and it's build in DRM?

Bill Gates must feel like hugging them!

So, if you are a MAC user, or a Linux user or simply don't think that the BBC should be allowed to get away with this, go and sign the downing street petition - HERE


Go on! What are you waiting for?


Nobody


Tags: , , , , , ,