Monday, September 10, 2007
Isn't British policing wonderful? Isn't foreign policing awful? Wouldn't things just be better for everyone if British police officers policed the planet?
It would seem that nothing else happened over the weekend. Yes BBC News 24, I'm looking at you. Blanket coverage of the McCann's driving to the airport, then repeated ad nauseam until the plane they were on touched down in the UK, then that was rolled around until they returned home to the village they live in, now that's swarming with reporters with no news to report.
There's been talk over the last weeks of how the BBC should cut back on it's digital channels so that minority interest shows like The Today Programme on Radio 4 aren't axed. Now, as far as I'm aware Today is only listened to by politicians, newspaper columnists who need inspiration to fulminate against the world and retired early risers in the counties. It's The Archers for Westminster folk, of practically no use to anyone else. Still, I'd be quite happy to sacrifice BBC3 to keeping it open, if it could be sealed in concrete, along with the casts of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps and TittyBangBang , and dumped in the North Sea, then that is something to be applauded. But hands off BBC4 which, with a few exceptions, is like Radio 4 only people pay attention to it. News24, I still don't understand why our money is wasted on this. If you watch News24 then you realise very quickly that, just because something newsworthy could happen any time, that does not mean that news is happening any time. Or rather, there is lots of news going on that the BBC don't bother covering. It increasingly seems that when anything happens outside of Washington then the BBC turn over coverage to ABC. I can't remember Western Africa cropping up in the news since Mark Thatcher and a load of ex-Eton pupils decided to try and take a country over for a laugh. Those little Russian or ex-Russian states round the edge of the old U.S.S.R. don't get a look in (is there still a civil war going on in Chechnya? I watch News24, so I don't know). And China? Supposedly Murdoch dropped the BBC from a satellite TV package he wanted to flog to the Chinese people, I don't know why because they only ever get mentioned in the financial news.
So yes, let's shut down News 24 and BBC3, and give the money to John Humphrys for his pointless little show.
It would seem that nothing else happened over the weekend. Yes BBC News 24, I'm looking at you. Blanket coverage of the McCann's driving to the airport, then repeated ad nauseam until the plane they were on touched down in the UK, then that was rolled around until they returned home to the village they live in, now that's swarming with reporters with no news to report.
There's been talk over the last weeks of how the BBC should cut back on it's digital channels so that minority interest shows like The Today Programme on Radio 4 aren't axed. Now, as far as I'm aware Today is only listened to by politicians, newspaper columnists who need inspiration to fulminate against the world and retired early risers in the counties. It's The Archers for Westminster folk, of practically no use to anyone else. Still, I'd be quite happy to sacrifice BBC3 to keeping it open, if it could be sealed in concrete, along with the casts of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps and TittyBangBang , and dumped in the North Sea, then that is something to be applauded. But hands off BBC4 which, with a few exceptions, is like Radio 4 only people pay attention to it. News24, I still don't understand why our money is wasted on this. If you watch News24 then you realise very quickly that, just because something newsworthy could happen any time, that does not mean that news is happening any time. Or rather, there is lots of news going on that the BBC don't bother covering. It increasingly seems that when anything happens outside of Washington then the BBC turn over coverage to ABC. I can't remember Western Africa cropping up in the news since Mark Thatcher and a load of ex-Eton pupils decided to try and take a country over for a laugh. Those little Russian or ex-Russian states round the edge of the old U.S.S.R. don't get a look in (is there still a civil war going on in Chechnya? I watch News24, so I don't know). And China? Supposedly Murdoch dropped the BBC from a satellite TV package he wanted to flog to the Chinese people, I don't know why because they only ever get mentioned in the financial news.
So yes, let's shut down News 24 and BBC3, and give the money to John Humphrys for his pointless little show.
Labels: BBC, Madeleine McCann, media, news, police
Monday, July 09, 2007
Talking Points Memo have discovered a new bit of Fox-lunacy.
Because some of the people involved in the crap terrorist activity of the last few weeks in the U.K. were Doctors in the N.H.S, universal healthcare in the U.S. would become a gateway for terrorism in the United States!
Here, here, here...
Because some of the people involved in the crap terrorist activity of the last few weeks in the U.K. were Doctors in the N.H.S, universal healthcare in the U.S. would become a gateway for terrorism in the United States!
Here, here, here...
Labels: Fox, immigration, news, stupidity, terrorism, The War Against Terror, United States, YouTube
Sunday, July 08, 2007
"It makes sense that if you have lawless gay people that they would do this sort of thing."
That's the special kind of sense that only lives in Bill O'Reilly's head. This clip has been making the rounds because of it being Fox News insanity at it's very finest.
Seriously, how the hell is The Half-Hour News Hour supposed to compete with this?
Dykes beat up young women to recruit and indoctrinate them into their gangs. Using pink pistols, supposedly.
As Pandagon points out, it's all about the hate crimes legislation.
(Sadly I can't find a picture that I had as a teenager of Kathleen Hanna (IIRC) with a big fuck-off gun to illustrate this with)
Seriously, how the hell is The Half-Hour News Hour supposed to compete with this?
Dykes beat up young women to recruit and indoctrinate them into their gangs. Using pink pistols, supposedly.
As Pandagon points out, it's all about the hate crimes legislation.
(Sadly I can't find a picture that I had as a teenager of Kathleen Hanna (IIRC) with a big fuck-off gun to illustrate this with)
Labels: Fox, gay, lesbian, news, queer, YouTube
Friday, March 09, 2007
This a terrific little story: Pat Dollard, Hollywood Guy Gone Gonzo. [via LinkMachineGo]
Serbian vampire hunters stake the body of Slobodan Milosevic to make sure he can't come back from the dead. Afterwards they gave themselves up to the police but I'm preparing to bust them out should Margaret Thatcher die in the near future. WE HAVE TO BE SURE IT'S OVER!
Remember that website with the teeny-tiny tourists standing on paving-stones the size of tennis courts and looking over kerb drops that were deeper than the Grand Canyon? Perhaps they'd like to visit some of the miniature properties on this site. Fantastically detailed castles that fit into gaps in masonry, beach huts in an undusted room corner.
The Long Now Foundation. Because slower/better is better than faster/cheaper. They're the people that invented the clock that ticks once a year, bongs once a century, and the cuckoo comes out every millennium.
Readings from Beowulf in ye authentic olde English. Possibly of interest to people who liked the Riders of Rohan bits of Lord of the Rings . Wikipedia Beowulf page.
Here's an interesting little video, Joshua Ramo on Movement, Enlightenment and Why He's Still Single. It's looking at the concept that while knowledge (or perhaps information) is easier to access in the IntertubeWebbed world today than it might have been forty years ago, has the speed of (or time it takes to) understanding that knowledge increased at all and how that relates to the personal quest for enlightenment. [via Aula]
Serbian vampire hunters stake the body of Slobodan Milosevic to make sure he can't come back from the dead. Afterwards they gave themselves up to the police but I'm preparing to bust them out should Margaret Thatcher die in the near future. WE HAVE TO BE SURE IT'S OVER!
Remember that website with the teeny-tiny tourists standing on paving-stones the size of tennis courts and looking over kerb drops that were deeper than the Grand Canyon? Perhaps they'd like to visit some of the miniature properties on this site. Fantastically detailed castles that fit into gaps in masonry, beach huts in an undusted room corner.
The Long Now Foundation. Because slower/better is better than faster/cheaper. They're the people that invented the clock that ticks once a year, bongs once a century, and the cuckoo comes out every millennium.
Readings from Beowulf in ye authentic olde English. Possibly of interest to people who liked the Riders of Rohan bits of Lord of the Rings . Wikipedia Beowulf page.
Here's an interesting little video, Joshua Ramo on Movement, Enlightenment and Why He's Still Single. It's looking at the concept that while knowledge (or perhaps information) is easier to access in the IntertubeWebbed world today than it might have been forty years ago, has the speed of (or time it takes to) understanding that knowledge increased at all and how that relates to the personal quest for enlightenment. [via Aula]
Labels: art, Conservatives, internet, Iraq, literature, news, philosophy
Thursday, March 08, 2007
I hate you so much right now.
So I read this story about a woman who went into a 'Jamba Juice' (which I presume is some American purveyor of liquid refreshment that hasn't yet made it over the ocean, unlike Starbucks) and got a receipt which describes her as a dyke. This made me angry. Then I read the comments, which included pearls of wisdom that the clerk wasn't at fault for being offensive (and hey, how is 'dyke' offensive when it's something the gay community uses itself?!) but the woman for being offended, and hey, it's not like she was called something 'really' offensive like 'ni@@er'. That made me angrier. Then I went over to Feministing and read this. Angry is no longer the emotion, I think I've invented a whole new feeling and am naming it 'Clamboxsis', and am clamboxsing like crazy. This, combined with the news that any vote for the Conservatives in the Newark and Sherwood area is a vote for racism, and I'm about ready to start hoping that Iran does have nuclear weapons and is about to destroy us all because at the moment it's about all we deserve.
Labels: Conservatives, feminism, lesbian, news, queer, racism
AMERICA IS DEAD! Don't worry, he'll probably walk out of the shower before the story ends.
The Daily Mail has been reading Isaac Asimov, Robots to be programmed with 'code of morals' so they won't attack humans, and 'prominent off/on switches' that will be all that stand between us and horrible T2-style destruction.
The Guardian has an interview with the Modified Toy Orchestra. The album is worth getting and can be ordered here.
The news of a woman being repeatedly punched while being subdued by police is worrying, though if the woman does have epilepsy and did have an attack right after drunk and disorderly with police then it's understandable that they might not have realised, but surely 'punching someone in the head or neck until they stop struggling' isn't in the police manual as an acceptable method of getting someone to stop struggling, especially when she's one woman and there are three men sitting on you?
Lord Levy has only five hours to live! Well all right, the Government are worried that he's going to implode, which I presume means they are worried that he's going to tell police stuff that he hasn't told them in two interviews under caution. What's rather annoying is that there's now a strand of the story starting to come out that this has nothing to do with whether he did anything illegal but because he's Jewish. I could have some sympathy for Levy if it wasn't for the fact that since his first interview last year his every utterance upon the subject has given the impression that he feels that now he's a lord he should have immunity from prosecution whether he committed any crimes or not. And to suggest that the party fundraiser shouldn't be closely scrutinised in an investigation into party fundraising seems crazier than Tony Blair telling me that ID Cards will help fight terrorism.
The Scum and Mirror have also run a number of small stories on Beth Ditto in the last few days. Her lesbianism has been overlooked, probably on the grounds that she's a fat lass, which has been what they've concentrated on. One of the last acceptable prejudices?
The Daily Mail has been reading Isaac Asimov, Robots to be programmed with 'code of morals' so they won't attack humans, and 'prominent off/on switches' that will be all that stand between us and horrible T2-style destruction.
The Guardian has an interview with the Modified Toy Orchestra. The album is worth getting and can be ordered here.
The news of a woman being repeatedly punched while being subdued by police is worrying, though if the woman does have epilepsy and did have an attack right after drunk and disorderly with police then it's understandable that they might not have realised, but surely 'punching someone in the head or neck until they stop struggling' isn't in the police manual as an acceptable method of getting someone to stop struggling, especially when she's one woman and there are three men sitting on you?
Lord Levy has only five hours to live! Well all right, the Government are worried that he's going to implode, which I presume means they are worried that he's going to tell police stuff that he hasn't told them in two interviews under caution. What's rather annoying is that there's now a strand of the story starting to come out that this has nothing to do with whether he did anything illegal but because he's Jewish. I could have some sympathy for Levy if it wasn't for the fact that since his first interview last year his every utterance upon the subject has given the impression that he feels that now he's a lord he should have immunity from prosecution whether he committed any crimes or not. And to suggest that the party fundraiser shouldn't be closely scrutinised in an investigation into party fundraising seems crazier than Tony Blair telling me that ID Cards will help fight terrorism.
The Scum and Mirror have also run a number of small stories on Beth Ditto in the last few days. Her lesbianism has been overlooked, probably on the grounds that she's a fat lass, which has been what they've concentrated on. One of the last acceptable prejudices?
Labels: cash for peerages, comics, ethics, fat, Labour, music, news, police, politics, robots
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
If you're feeling a bit blue this morning then here's something to cheer you up: The Daily Mail make a hilarious 'modern life is so shit even five year olds are trying to commit suicide' report. You really should read this, it's great stuff. It's a mangling of facts that one of our national papers can feel proud for promoting.
And, rather unsurprisingly, the Tate is being sued by someone who whacked her wrist on the slides at Tate Modern.
"I am claiming for the loss of facility of my right hand ... it's been a real problem," she said. "I couldn't type, write or drive for two months. I travel extensively with work but I couldn't even carry a suitcase. Only now, three months on, am I getting back to normal."
Presumably this means that two months ago she wasn't able to sign the writ. I'm not sure why she wasn't able to carry a suitcase with her unpranged hand.
And, rather unsurprisingly, the Tate is being sued by someone who whacked her wrist on the slides at Tate Modern.
"I am claiming for the loss of facility of my right hand ... it's been a real problem," she said. "I couldn't type, write or drive for two months. I travel extensively with work but I couldn't even carry a suitcase. Only now, three months on, am I getting back to normal."
Presumably this means that two months ago she wasn't able to sign the writ. I'm not sure why she wasn't able to carry a suitcase with her unpranged hand.
Labels: children, Daily Mail, news, newspapers, suicide, Tate Modern/Britain
Saturday, February 17, 2007
I've been listening to Radio 4's Archive Hour on gay and lesbian radio. No surprises that the 'B' word isn't ever mentioned. But in it's coverage of BBC queer programming amidst the work by other radio stations it does bring back memories, most strongly of 'Out This Week', a sometimes rather po-faced half-hour news and current-affairs programme on Radio 5 that I came across while coming out in the mid-nineties. It apparently ran for five years and I probably listened to it for about the last three. By the time they had finished they'd already been transferred to a late slot on Sunday evenings and the BBC announced it was cancelling the show because 'gay issues were now mainstream' so we didn't need our little show any more. And ten years on you realise what bollocks that was. True, back then I couldn't believe they bring back Doctor Who let alone have him snog a dashing fifty-first century guy, that openly queer people wouldn't get typecast as 'the gay' on TV and in films. But it's still a hetero, hetero, hetero world out there and all the gay marriages in Ambridge are going to change that. The fact that an hour long programme can cover the last ten years of queer radio in the last five minutes of the show would suggest a marginalisation of the LGB voice on radio, not that it's conquered the mainstream. So, when do we get rid of Women's Hour , on the grounds that surely women's issues are mainstream? When do we get rid of all the Radio 4 shows about books and reading as that has been proved to be a fairly mainstream activity? When do we get rid of Quote, Unquote , because it's shit?
Labels: BBC, bisexual, documentaries, gay, lesbian, media, news, queer, radio, Radio 4, Radio 5
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Terror! Terror! Terrified yet?
The news media are finally reporting on a BNP man who stockpiled explosives in his house and fantasised about killing Tony Blair and John Prescott. Hey, we can relate... However, this has been 'news' for several months, as this man was arrested last autumn but, other than a regional newspaper's report which then got distributed liberally amongst British bloggers, there has been something of a self-imposed media blackout over this story. When the BBC were asked why they weren't reporting on what was a bona case of British men who were apparently prepared to take part in acts of terrorism they replied they didn't want to prejudice any future court case.
I'm sure Mohammed Abdulkahar and Abul Koyair could relate. They were, after all, two Muslim men arrested in a highly publicised raid by the police on a house in Forest Gate that they thought was the nerve centre of possible terrorist activity. The media devoted considerable time to this over the next few days, until the police quietly admitted that it was all a mistake and let the two men go. By this time their names and photos had been liberally printed and shown on screen, while Robert Cottage and David Jackson, the BNP men, were ignored.
Anyway, the two men complained to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the people that decided the police were justified in shooting Jean Charles de Menezes in the head. Luckily the IPCC had stocked up on whitewash in preparation and announced that the police were fully justified in doing whatever they want because they're the police. They threw the two men two small bones, upholding piddling complaints about their food and pain killers (due to the fact the police shot one of them in the arm) and suggesting the police should consider apologising. Apparently the police training manual doesn't cover being magnanimous in victory, as according to the Daily Mail, the police are refusing to apologise to the two men. The police are claiming they've apologised three times already but none of their apologies are to the two men for arresting them as terrorism suspects and allowing their pictures to be circulated to the media.
Robert who? David what?
The Sun are reporting on the BNP plotters story but notably describes neither of these men as terrorists or would-be terrorists. Unlike some of their other news stories they aren't offering readers the chance to discuss the story either. The t-word does get used, though only once, in their report on the IPCC story, which shows how half-hearted their momentary concern about racism actually was.
The news media are finally reporting on a BNP man who stockpiled explosives in his house and fantasised about killing Tony Blair and John Prescott. Hey, we can relate... However, this has been 'news' for several months, as this man was arrested last autumn but, other than a regional newspaper's report which then got distributed liberally amongst British bloggers, there has been something of a self-imposed media blackout over this story. When the BBC were asked why they weren't reporting on what was a bona case of British men who were apparently prepared to take part in acts of terrorism they replied they didn't want to prejudice any future court case.
I'm sure Mohammed Abdulkahar and Abul Koyair could relate. They were, after all, two Muslim men arrested in a highly publicised raid by the police on a house in Forest Gate that they thought was the nerve centre of possible terrorist activity. The media devoted considerable time to this over the next few days, until the police quietly admitted that it was all a mistake and let the two men go. By this time their names and photos had been liberally printed and shown on screen, while Robert Cottage and David Jackson, the BNP men, were ignored.
Anyway, the two men complained to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the people that decided the police were justified in shooting Jean Charles de Menezes in the head. Luckily the IPCC had stocked up on whitewash in preparation and announced that the police were fully justified in doing whatever they want because they're the police. They threw the two men two small bones, upholding piddling complaints about their food and pain killers (due to the fact the police shot one of them in the arm) and suggesting the police should consider apologising. Apparently the police training manual doesn't cover being magnanimous in victory, as according to the Daily Mail, the police are refusing to apologise to the two men. The police are claiming they've apologised three times already but none of their apologies are to the two men for arresting them as terrorism suspects and allowing their pictures to be circulated to the media.
Robert who? David what?
The Sun are reporting on the BNP plotters story but notably describes neither of these men as terrorists or would-be terrorists. Unlike some of their other news stories they aren't offering readers the chance to discuss the story either. The t-word does get used, though only once, in their report on the IPCC story, which shows how half-hearted their momentary concern about racism actually was.
Labels: BNP, British National Party, Independent Police Complaints Commission, IPCC, media, news, News International, newspapers, police, racism, terrorism, The Sun
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Peter Hain suggests that city fat-cats should have two-thirds of their bonuses taken away and given to 'the poor'. Of course, Mr Hain would like to be Deputy leader of the Labour Party, for which he needs a majority of the votes of the Party, so blatant gallery plays like this should be expected. Should he be successful then expect this plan to either 'go in to committee for a feasibility study' or for Hain to have some unusually specific amnesia. The prudent ex-chancellor would be unlikely to have any truck with a plan to annoy big business when there's a resurgent Tory party sniffing around.
David Cameron admits to smoking dope, precisely at the point where no-one would really care any more. Yet another news story that gets his face in the papers without any of that tedious discussion of actual Conservative policies that so turn people off these days. However, no-one really knows who the Tory front bench are beyond Cameron, Osborne, Davis and Hague if they're lucky, so before they can talk credibly about policy they've got to make sure people are aware they exist. So, no-one knows who Peter Ainsworth is. I had to look at the page twice while typing his name he was so forgettable. So he should apply for Big Brother in the summer. He doesn't get to go in the celeb version because he quite patently isn't. As long as he sticks it out until the first week of voting then people might actually pay attention when he talks about climate change. Chris Grayling could have a sex change. It'll get the Tories into the women's mags area who must have run out of stories on Cameron and his wife's bravery in bringing up their disabled tot, but it'll also play well with the octogenarian Tory supporters because they'll think Maggie Thatcher is back. Then when Ms. Grayling brings up transport issues, the media will take heed. And perhaps Philip Hammond MP should pretend he's TV's Doctor Phil Hammond for a bit. Dr Phil is nicer, more trusted and more deliberately funny than the Tories so not-Dr Phil will have a hard time pulling it off but when it all crashes down they could make a film about it which would give them crucial silver screen exposure. If Tory Central Office are interested, my consultation rates are very reasonable and I'd only want a teeny-tiny honour for my trouble.
News of the World have shocking proof of a paedophile smiling. The NotW are 'outraged' that he's not being worked to death, after all, what's the point of him being imprisoned in a country with a crap human rights record if he's not tortured and beaten to death by prison guards? Write to your MP now!
Meanwhile the Sunday Mirror decide the most important news is that of the Nation's sweetheart (this week)'s ex-boyfriend. It seems that when someone called Olivier Martinez dumped Kylie Minogue he didn't have the decency to drop dead on the spot but go out with another woman. Tcch! The French eh? We should invade them again to wipe out this affront to the titchy songstresses honour. Once more unto the breach dear friends!
David Cameron admits to smoking dope, precisely at the point where no-one would really care any more. Yet another news story that gets his face in the papers without any of that tedious discussion of actual Conservative policies that so turn people off these days. However, no-one really knows who the Tory front bench are beyond Cameron, Osborne, Davis and Hague if they're lucky, so before they can talk credibly about policy they've got to make sure people are aware they exist. So, no-one knows who Peter Ainsworth is. I had to look at the page twice while typing his name he was so forgettable. So he should apply for Big Brother in the summer. He doesn't get to go in the celeb version because he quite patently isn't. As long as he sticks it out until the first week of voting then people might actually pay attention when he talks about climate change. Chris Grayling could have a sex change. It'll get the Tories into the women's mags area who must have run out of stories on Cameron and his wife's bravery in bringing up their disabled tot, but it'll also play well with the octogenarian Tory supporters because they'll think Maggie Thatcher is back. Then when Ms. Grayling brings up transport issues, the media will take heed. And perhaps Philip Hammond MP should pretend he's TV's Doctor Phil Hammond for a bit. Dr Phil is nicer, more trusted and more deliberately funny than the Tories so not-Dr Phil will have a hard time pulling it off but when it all crashes down they could make a film about it which would give them crucial silver screen exposure. If Tory Central Office are interested, my consultation rates are very reasonable and I'd only want a teeny-tiny honour for my trouble.
News of the World have shocking proof of a paedophile smiling. The NotW are 'outraged' that he's not being worked to death, after all, what's the point of him being imprisoned in a country with a crap human rights record if he's not tortured and beaten to death by prison guards? Write to your MP now!
Meanwhile the Sunday Mirror decide the most important news is that of the Nation's sweetheart (this week)'s ex-boyfriend. It seems that when someone called Olivier Martinez dumped Kylie Minogue he didn't have the decency to drop dead on the spot but go out with another woman. Tcch! The French eh? We should invade them again to wipe out this affront to the titchy songstresses honour. Once more unto the breach dear friends!
Labels: Conservatives, David Cameron, Labour, news, Peter Hain, Shadow Cabinet
