Richard Black 1997: Evan Davis really gave Chuka Umunna a tough going-over on this morning'sToday programme, if by tough going-over one imagines being soothed with the soft gentle strokes of giant cotton wool balls for ten minutes. Davis's line was basically, "You get on with it and I'll chip in every now and again to concur with everything you're saying and help clarify the message." When they'd finished agreeing about executive pay, Davis then asked Umunna (adviser: Diane Coyle, vice chair BBC Trust, wife of BBC tech correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones) why poor Ed Miliband is getting such a tough time when it seems clear that he's actually pretty awesome: For a "world-class" broadcaster that costs us BILLIONS, the BBC seem ever so slow when it comes to picking up stories concerning Diane Abbott; The BBC likes Professor Stephen Hawkings and he was on Today this morning. His profound atheism is a quality that they admire and his physics background provides a convenient distraction when he comes out with statements such as there is no God and that man made global warming warming may well bring about the end of mankind. I suppose it is one of those ironies that because of his condition, Hawkings gets to make statements without interruption but I have to say that I find his views pretty offensive and for a supposedly clever man, he makes some very stupid comments It's not exactly bias but I believe that he is used by the BBC because his alleged genius advances their narrative of god-hating and global warming advocacy. The BBC's love of the EU is blind and knows no bounds. Here, Richard Black - showing crass ignorance of the laws of supply and demand - bellyaches that the nasty Chinks (his spitefulness makes Diane Abbott look tame, but this is a greenie item, so no holds are barred) are daring to complain about Brussels' puntive new aviation tax. His breathtakingly naive argument is that Chinky airlines make obscene, nasty capitalist profits so why worry - and in any case it only amounts to a few dollars a ticket - so who gives a stuff? Actually Mr Black, US airlines - never mind China for a second - say it will cost them billions of dollars. But in Mr Black's lavish never-never land of cash-from-the licence fee will buy my air ticket to Durban or wherever I please, such trifles clearly do not matter. In the real world of competition and tight margins,a dollar remains a dollar - no matter how devalued it has become under Obama - and this new tax is a pointless, nasty piece of legislation that is one more nail in the coffin of European competitiveness. The BBC should be highlighting its likely negative impact rather than offering such repression an unqualified puff. Biased BBC contributor Graeme Thompson writes; "Is this an impartial BBC journalist engaging Republican nomination candidate Rick Santorum, or a sneering, jeering Obama supporter trying to lob custard pies at him? The gentleman in question is Newsnight’s Peter Marshall, which, to anyone familiar with his ouvre, may feel the above question already answered. For the record, I do think Mr Santorum’s comments as reported are ‘off beam’, shall we say, but Mr Marshall’s approach is, as ever, that of left wing antagonist. I will never forget Mr Marshall’s propaganda pieces on Newsnight on behalf of Al Qa’eda in the wake of 7/7. The man is an obscenity on legs. B-BBC has recorded for posterity an exchange Stephen Pollard had with him over his shilling for Al Q’aeda (scroll down the link). While the BBC insists on employing such overt and odious left-wing antagonists as – cough, cough – ‘journalists’, it’s clear just how deep institutional left-wing bias runs at the BBC." The BBC is always open to giving the pro-Euthanasia lobby as much publicity as possible and they do not disappoint today with this new report. (They love death like we love life.) As is the case in this report, it is simply advocacy for the pro-death brigade. Why haven't the anti-racist BBC sacked her from her regular gigs? Well then, I doubt that there is anyone who has turned the BBC on today who has not been beaten around the head by the racism that abounds in the UK, in the Police, and as manifest in the murder of Stephen Lawrence. Look, like all civilised people I find the murder of any person revolting (One reason I am in favour of the death penalty, unlike the self righteous but hypocritical BBC ) but the BBC is absolutely cloying with all this talks of "Institutionalised racism." I was amazed to hear former Met Commissioner Lord (sic) Blair actually boasting about the fact that the Police no longer treat all murders as equal. Truly we live in Orwellian times. I don't understand how the BBC can elevate the murder of Stephen Lawrence to be above that of so many other vile acts but yet if we believe what it is broadcasting that is exactly the case. Do you agree? No, I haven't gone mad but I am interested in your take on this. The BBC is claiming it generates £7bn worth of "value" each year and uses this Deloitte report to allegedly validate the claim. Give it a read and get back to me.
RICHARD BLACK '97: 1 METRE SEA LEVEL RISE IN 30 YEARS
>> SATURDAY, JANUARY 07, 2012
The best models we have predict a range of effects on climate as the Earth warms up. The biggest global effect will be a rise in sea level - warmer water simply takes up more room, and some of the world's ice will melt. The seas could rise by up to a metre in 30 or 40 years' time. That might not sound much but it could lead to whole nations disappearing beneath the waves.
It's 2012 and we're half way there. I guess those "best models" must have indicated that the next 15 years are the really bad ones. UPDATE 5.15PM. He's still banging on about it. This tweet appeared yesterday:
That link takes you here:The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts a sea-level rise of up to 59 centimetres over the next century, a level that would inundate most of the Maldives' inhabited atolls. Low-lying Pacific island nations, such as Kirabati and Tuvalu, would also face being flooded.
Yeah, whatever. "Wolf!" As Tim Blair points out, the Maldives has more pressing concerns. And boy does it know how to play gullible fools such as Richard Black - when the president isn't banging on about climate refugees he's breaking ground for new airport terminals.NICE AND COSY
Just before we finish I do want to ask you about the leadership. It's sort of been in the news this week, this feeling that it's been a difficult week for Ed Miliband - he's given an interview in The Guardian this morning. Why do you think it is, because he's given a fairly clear analysis of the country very much along the lines of the one you've talked about - about irresponsible capitalism that needs dealing with - why do you think it is that question marks have been raised about him given the clarity of his message?
Amazing as it seems, poor Chuka somehow managed to survive that blistering line of attack.OPEN THREAD
>> FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2012
Friday evening and as requested, a NEW Open Thread for you all. Enjoy.
ABBOTT BACK, BUT WHERE IS THE BBC?
Ms Abbott has also provoked outrage from cabbies with another tweet. "Dubious of black people claiming they've never experienced racism," she wrote from her iPhone on Tuesday. "Ever tried hailing a taxi I always wonder?" Steve McNamara, a spokesman for the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, said: "This is a typically silly comment by Diane Abbott and deeply unfair. The modern generation of taxi drivers is as diverse as London itself and most of the knowledge schools now have prayer rooms.
@Welshbeard @bimadewDubious of black people claiming they've never experienced racism. Ever tried hailing a taxi I always wonder?HAWKING HAWKINGS
NO WHITES ALLOWED
I have made my own opinion clear. Diane Abbott should have the right to say what she wants, no matter how seemingly racist or 19th century it is. I also believe she should have been disciplined by Miliband and axed from This Week. But the BBC treatment of this story alarms me because it seems to believe that the issue of black racism cannot be debated by a white person.Why? Last night, on Newsnight, the BBC dragged on race hustler Darcus Howe and Sunder Katwala (who kept praising Darcus as an intrepid equality warrior) This morning, BBC today brought on Yasmin Alibhai-Brown and Diran Adebayo to cover the issue. Both agreed Diane was not racist and that her defence that she was referring to 19th century colonial issues had legs! Unbelievable. I would like to WHY the BBC felt unable to allow someone from the "community" Diane seems to have a problem with to be afforded the opportunity to comment on her tweet. Perhaps we know why.....?
CHINA "SHOULD ACCEPT EU TAX"
IMPARTIAL TO THE CORE
>> THURSDAY, JANUARY 05, 2012
DB posted this below but I wanted to give it more prominence. Kate Dailey - BBC News, Washington. No bias there, no sirree! AGITPROP
PRO DEATH
ABBOTT-GATE
With the Lawrence case omnipresent, why is the BBC so MUTE on Diane? UPDATE
OPEN THREAD
>> WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 04, 2012
OK, middle of the week and time for a new one of these! They fill up so quickly so keep your observations coming...!
HALF THE STORY, ALL THE TIME
Families with children will be hardest hit by tax and benefit changes aimed at cutting the deficit, a charity argues. The Family and Parenting Institute (FPI) says the average income of households with children will drop by 4.2% between 2010-11 and 2015-16, the equivalent of £1,250 a year.
Thank goodness for the FPI, right? I mean it is doing us all a favour in exposing the cruelty of Coalition policy. Making the poor poorer,IT'S ALL ABOUT RACISM?
THE BBC PROVIDES GREAT VALUE?
>> TUESDAY, JANUARY 03, 2012
Saturday 7 January 2012
@HackneyAbbottDiane Abbott MP
HackneyAbbott Diane Abbott MP
Tweet taken out of context. Refers to nature of 19th century European colonialism. Bit much to get into 140 characters
@billybraggBilly Bragg
Daily Mail angry over Diane Abbott remarks - trust they will now demand an apology from anyone who generalises about race
Here's the odd thing. The FPI quango was set up by Labour as its main advisor on the future of the family. So, just to be accurate, the alleged "charity" is a Labour Party front producing a report which - quelle surprise - is critical of the Government. Whatever next? I have no issue with the BBC reporting the faux story - the rest of the UK MSM has followed - but I think it has an obligation to spell out who the Family and Parenting Institute is so that we can then make our minds up on the validity of the report, don't you?
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