God but hasn't the BBC gone over the top in it's coverage of Ted Kennedy's death? The sanitisation of the life and political career of this man has been astounding. We are invited to believe that the US in particular is in mourning over the death of this favourite son. Well, I doubt that the Kopechne family is too bothered and judging by reaction on the blogs, my own contempt for Kennedy is shared by more than a few. He is an icon for the hard Left and that is why the BBC are lionising him. There are two sides to every story. With infinite nuances and variations, obviously. For many years the BBC has listened more sympathetically to one side in the interminable Middle East conflict than the other. As the story has evolved and become more complicated, the BBC’s position has become more entrenched and also more incongruous, being that it supports democracy, liberty, gay rights and all things that make radical Islam such a strange bedfellow. Jeremy Bowen has an agenda. We are told he still resents the killing, by an Israeli, of his Palestinian driver. He sympathises with the Palestinians, and finds most Israelis prickly and brusque. His fixers and enablers are Arabs. One could well disregard all that, but his most egregious failing is that he has only a partial knowledge of history. He tries to appear fair to both sides, but he doesn’t know or won’t tell us that different but equally valid and credible versions of historical events even exist. He might omit a crucial detail that would throw things into a different light here; add a word there, and imbue his reports with subtly disparaging innuendos everywhere. The recent BBC Trust’s decision to uphold two complaints against Jeremy Bowen, and to publicly censure him brought forth a petulant outburst from Jonathan Dimbleby. He blamed this outcome on the absence, on the day of the hearing, of Richard Tait, head of the BBC’s Editorial Standards Committee. Now it seems, the BBC are going to investigate another complaint against Jeremy Bowen - with Mr. Tait as chair. Richard Tait has already stated his position. He has the utmost faith in Jeremy Bowen. So we await the outcome with bated breath. Well, I picked up some flak yesterday for my criticism of the NHS but it seems that MANY people feel similarly, based on their direct experience. One correspondent suggests to the BBC that the standard of care delivered in some of our hospitals and nursing homes would shame a third world country. So, in fairness, Today picked up on this issue yet again today, and interviewed three nurses on the subject. However, and this is just a thought, maybe the BBC should have found three patients to interview on the subject? Maybe those at the receiving end of NHS "cruelty and neglect" should have the priority of attention? And just how representative are the three nurses selected by the BBC for this interview? Certainly the last nurse interviewed made points running against the meme that the NHS is the envy of the world but Humphrys then did his best to try and ameliorate her points be suggesting that it is the patients with more chronic conditions that are the root of the problem. To be clear, I am sure that there are many caring and professional people working in the NHS but that does not stop it being a monstrous unfeeling bureaucratic socialist folly that swallows up £££billions - a bit like the BBC. There really would be a crisis if the BBC got through a week without reporting global warming alarmism as if it were news rather than propaganda. Listen to this by way of example. I am reminded of the old line "I've told you a million times not to exaggerate". I suppose those whose academic tenure is predicated on hyping the hype have to do something but why should the State Broadcaster offer all this airtime to just one side of the argument? Is it just me or did you also find the prattle of a Eurocrat of the efficacy or otherwise of the election process in Afghanistan a tad hypocritical? Mr Semple represents an organisation which consistently ignores the wishes of those European people that vote against EU policy so he is no position to lecture the Afghans on anything. I know that the BBC consider the EU to be a paragon of virtue and goodness, second only to the United Nations in high esteem, but it seems to me that it might do better to have someone from the Afghan government on to explain how the EU might give democracy a chance. House of Dumb quotes Jeremy Vine: Interesting interview here this morning on the issue of the booming British population. Is it me or does Mr Humphyrs entirely miss the central issue - namely that the predominant reason for a booming UK population is due to"foreign born" mothers (Mostly Muslims) having way above replacement level birth rates whist the indigenous population birth-rate falls below replacement level. I found this a curious interview in the fine BBC tradition of ignoring the Islamic elephant in the room. Across the European Nations, the birth-rates of the indigenous people is below population replacement level, with Spain being perhaps the lowest in the world. (Perhaps the real tragedy of Andalusia awaits?)This devastating demographic is sidelined in BBC coverage of this topic and instead Humphyrs witters on about us having 2.5 children as if we were back in the 1960's. I would like to see the BBC tackle the more substantive aspects to this topic but suggest they would run a mile from doing so lest it offend certain multiculti sensitivities. Ok then - just back on the site and having a look through some of the lively threads. All good stuff but I do wish that there was less swearing and fewer ad hominem attacks. That is no way to approach civil argument and just as you would not go up to a stranger (I hope!) and start swearing at them then I wish the same civility was extended to all who come in here. I know it is easy to get annoyed but honestly, the foul language just gets us nowhere so do me - and more importantly Biased BBC - a favour and be a bit more careful as to your choice of words. If we want to open up the bias of the BBC to wider scrutiny (agreed?) then we need to lessen the vulgarity quota. Hope you will observe this, if it doesn't improve I will simply start removing the sweary words and that then defeats my purpose of being here - which is to write, not edit. Please don't take this the wrong way - I love all your passion, wit and erudition but I think we just need to clean up a little. Thanks.
MISSING TEDDY
>> FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2009
Predictable Probe
THE CARING NHS...
FRIDAY IS AGW DAY!
EU HAVE TO BE KIDDING...
Sing the right tune
The Patients Association has uncovered "appalling" cases of poor hospital care. But did you want to sing the praises of the NHS after your operation?
As Dumbjon comments, Now for Stage 2: counting up all those times when the BBC has reported on cases of alleged police brutality by asking people to 'sing the praises' of their local police.
This link to Jeremy Vine's webpage will change soon. But for now, yes, that's exactly what it says.THE ISLAMIC ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM..
B-BBC ETIQUETTE - PART 3
>> THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2009
Friday, 28 August 2009
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