Monday 22 February 2010

How about hitting/bullying Iraqi 'insurgents' and Afghan 'Taleban'?

That's OK is it?

How about the Hamas leader in Dubai or the Gaza civilians?

What happened to that nice therapist Mr Draper and Mr Brown's nice 'attack dog' Mr McBride?

We have such short memories. Is it because we're so stupid?

#1 statist

"We have such short memories. Is it because we're so stupid?"

In the case of the far right that would be right on the money. They are the types to complain about Labour bullying and then rant on about race "realism", Holocaust denial and turn a blind eye to all of the would be bombers that have come from their ranks over the last few years.

Nick Griffin is their great leader and currently refers to the EHRC as a "sniveling quango" for making them change their membership policies before adding that they had been wanting to change them for years. Nothing there about any "science" on race and intelligence that would be cited in court.

Need I go on?

I would like to announce I have been bullied by the entire Newsnight team. No, I won't do an interview, I won't tell you who I really am, and I won't be giving you any more details. I expect the rumours to be reported fully though and dragged out for several days.

Don't worry yourself by reporting on anything important, it's all about personalities isn't it?

Yours D Cameroon (who has never shouted at anyone... apart from that time we all know about but don't mention)

Petraeus and Colin Powell have both backed the Obama security policies including the obedience to the Geneva convention in the face of Cheney criticism.

Is the Republican criticism because of perceived Democrat failures or because as the dribs and drabs of information (like Polish CIA renditions) come out it becomes clear not only how distasteful the whole exercise was but also how futile and ineffective?

Meanwhile I daresay the new Republican heavyweight, the pliable and official Fox News Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, will no doubt be proposing carpet bombing Afghanistan and the Pakistan border with Sarah Palin dolls and reduced subscription Fox cable leaflets plus perhaps a Glen Beck sermon.

I have not heard any response from the Palestinians to her Middle East doctrine that Israeli settlements were needed "as the Jews needed more space". Perhaps they will assume that means they can seize Israeli land as they need space too (I am not one of the far right head bangers who rant on about Jews on this page frequently by the way).

Its a pity she does not seem to regard law and the United Nations in any high regard.

How would a Fox News- US President relate to a Sky News-British Prime Minister when you consider that the latter promotes the Stalinist concepts that lay behind the NHS?

Is this the future where instead of a paper backing a political party they actually merge due to the instant nature of modern news?

Regardless of the validity of any " bullying " accusations perhaps Gordon Brown's admitted " bad temper " has its roots in some of the policy he religiously pushes. Brown claims to be proud of his socialist roots yet he allowed himself to be drawn into virtually inciting hatred against genuine sick people claiming Incapacity Benefit by Freud and Purnell. That question has gone off the boil at present, but he was also democratically forced into a massive U turn over Congestion Charging in Manchester.

It would appear that the Corporate Nazi stock market parasite establishment expect anyone leaning on the left of politics in the UK to universally embrace the concept of eco-fascism. Nobody is so deluded by the climate change scam as Brown, despite recent evidence to suggest that the science it is based on has as many holes in it as Swiss Cheese.

I would expect that it was an integral part of No 10 staff duties to advise the prime minister of any developments relating to government policy. It must cause some friction when staff tell Brown that his key belief is in large part based on fiction, yet Brown continues to perpetuate and entrench his position on the whole climate change investment scam.

It must be bad for the future of our country and democracy if none of the prime ministers junior advisors dare question policy positions. Perhaps the problem stems from the fact that Brown can only read large print, assumes that staff are lying when they verbally point out glaring anomalies in policy. Perhaps senior civil service members with vested interests treat puppet Brown like a mushroom, keep him in the dark and feed him plenty of " manure " as his key information sources ?

Any complaints about 'The Thick of It'? How about 'Black Adder', 'Ali-G' or countless other 'works' of 'satire' (usually from the same uplifting/subversive stable if one looks hard enough).

Equality: To moms - all their progeny are to be treated as equals. That takes matriarchal 'vision'.

I've just watched BBC Northwest. A report where the words Islamic, Muslim and terrorist were used in the same sentence!!

I can't help thinking that at one time no one would have batted an eyelid at the bullying behaviour alleged to have been committed by GB. Would some of the behaviour of one of GB's predecessors, such as Churchill, be considered as bullying in today's world? Is this all part of the feminisation process which Statist often mentions? I certainly see it in schools today. For example, in my childrens' primary school, playing soldiers is banned - not only are toy guns banned but the children are not allowed to pretend their hands are guns. It all seems somewhat incongruous with what is going on in Afghanistan. We don't seem to have any problem with "our brave boys" being given a real gun once they become sixteen and killing people. Am I the only one who finds this all a bit wierd?

7. kevseywevsey 'I've just watched BBC Northwest. A report where the words Islamic, Muslim and terrorist were used in the same sentence!!'

Be sure to listen out for (and report back) ones which have New York bankers, pillars of the international community, and defenders of freedom and human rights/democracy, just for balance OK? I see Paul Mason will be covering them tonight.

Meanwhile, a very concerned General in Afghanistan is apparently 'sadened' by the recent civilian deaths. No doubt a memo will have to be sent to the international bullying council (UN) which will then issue a request that the forces of democracy and freedom apologize to what remain of the families, and ask said fighters for freedom and human rights to try not to do it again.

Good heavens! Just saw this in today's Daily Telegraph.......

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/7291920/BBC-accused-of-incredibly-zealous-campaign-to-promote-assisted-suicide.html

With regards homeopathy - the dilution stuff is nonsense in my view.

But many drug treatments NHS doctors push are down right harmful and you have to ask are they just making people more dependent to fuel the drug company profits? For example a lot of women suffer from migraine 'maybe' related to hormonal imbalance - very debilitating. The NHS response - pain killers like Paramax then Triptans. Migraine by its nature tends to be chronic but frequency differs a lot between individuals The NHS treatment common end result of repeated use due to the chronic nature of migraine - rebound migraines often worse let alone the possible serious side effects - two types of triptan are deemed 'unacceptable medication' in the view of the Canadian Blood Services.


I'm not aware of NHS doctors making patients aware of the clinical test efficacy of Magnesium, Vitamin B2 and perhaps to a lesser degree CoEnzeme Q10 with regards treating migraine, maybe some do mine certainly didn't - ever. They just bang on with the NHS line, result - alienation.

Massaging of the Statistics

https://www.civitas.org.uk/press/prNotChallengingMythsFeb2010.bak

Suitably on April 1st the new carbon tax comes in for the majority of uk firms and institutions. A tax by fools for fools on victims of the maurice strong climate change money spinning propaganda.

why is the tax still going ahead? it just transfer wealth from to poor to the rich who run carbon trading as a private fiefdom.

8. nedafo2 'Am I the only one who finds this all a bit weird?'

No. Keep looking and you'll see more and more reveal itself.

Hence Social-Democrats = social-fascists.

They are riddled with hypocrisy (contradictory behaviours).

This runs very deep. It betwitches and befuddles, especially the feminized. The perpetrators shriek, wail and abuse, whenever this irrationality is pointed out. They will not learn from it though.

The bullying by the undemocratically 'installed' Prime Minister must have been quite obviously awful and particularly disturbing for his staff to feel the necessity to call Helpline advisors.

What normally happens, at least in my experience, is that people either burst into tears but eventually pull themselves together or pack up their bags and leave or else shout or whatever in self-dfence /which especially in recent years would have been my way of re/action/. I have not yet met with a situation in any of the quite numerous places that I've worked at for any of my colleagues feeling so distressed as to call outside bodies for help apart from a ridiculous complaint to UNISON by one of my colleagues at St George's Hospital in Tooting, London. But then that was a kind calculated move...

It just goes to show, doesn't it, that all is not happy on the labour front as Mandy would like to make us believe!

mim

#169 from previous page - correction & update

BYT

In fact, it's not Fernando but Ferdinand the Bull in English - here's a link:

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

11. flicks 'With regards homeopathy - the dilution stuff is nonsense in my view.'

The MHRA licences for safety not efficiacy, if it isn't harmful, it must be licenced (like cosmetics). Efficiacy is the business of NICE, not the MHRA.

In a 'free-society' adults are entitled to behave like idiots with their money if they so wish, just as some foreign govenments (collections of corrupt idiots) are free to buy phoney bomb-detectors.

Surely nobody wants to complain about or restrict this 'human right' to believe what one wants, and to make 'choices' base upon 'beliefs'?

Caveat emptor (keep it in Latin too, as that's even better for business). The right to run a business is enshrined in an ECHR Article.

I have seen Liberal-democracy (aka idiocracy and mediocracy) and it is good. The more idiocy/mediocracy the better.

You know it makes financial sense.

why do ministers pretend they don't know who it is? when they have been told the passports were copied at the airport.

AVOIDING THE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIG PHARMA. (#11)
I keep hearing of animal homeopathics that farmers pay good money for.
That must be open to treble-blind testing surely (the animals can't cheat)?

How about some figures for people damaged by this Chinese medicine (reported today) set against those damaged by Big Pharma (where the side effects ARE known even as they are poisoned)? I have noted on here before, that my doctor (retired) had never sent anyone to hospital for the side effects of 'alternatives'.

And I am only more-or-less functional, courtesy of levels of supplements that the Codex Alimentarius (chicanery) would deny me. Most recently a specialist informed me I had Blepharitis. He pronounced it of unknown cause and with no known cure. I have since found a supplement to reverse its unpleasant symptoms - as I have for life-long tendency to cramp, and various delights of old age, that Big Pharma would like to assist me with (plus a side order of nasty risk).

AS ever the 'science' is bent, the logic is absent, and the truth is 'out there' with individuals like me.

In the British Parliamentary 'democracy', the electorate doesn't directly elect its Prime Minister, that's done by the majority political party. The electorate just votes for parliamentary candidates. Much the same happened in the USSR, and today in China, except in the Democratic-Centralist system, candidates were all independents as there was effectively only one party. In reality, there were factions.

The substantial dimensions which matter are a) the extent to which public ownership figures in the running of the country and b) the extent to which duty to others (and thus the state) has priority over individual self-interest or rights. The latter comes down to allocentrism vs egocentrism, altruism vs self-centeredness.

Been watching the antics of our politico-media establishment with stores of incredulity I had long since thought consumed.

And the BBC has surpassed itself.

Possibly the weekend shift didn't have the necessary oversight bods but we seem to have swung from one ratings over journalism knee-jerk 'expose' to the next, with truth very much the first victim, if closely followed by a succession of poor sods as cannon fodder as one story tries to rebut the one preceding it. With some glorious champions of rampant hypocrisy given uncritical airtime because, well, they were free and their rantings make for more colour.

I now have no clue what the heck is going on. And beyond being disgusted with the whole sorry lot really am getting to be past caring. Which might work for some.

Maybe Mossad is behind it all?

Still, there may be glimmers. Too much to hope that when any dodgy 'charity' is wheeled out to 'support' the 'pr as news' pet project du jour, our market rate editorial talents might a) do some background digging first and then b) tell us if they still persist in serving a thinly disguised proxy agenda salesperson as independent and/or objective?

It would free up a lot of space on the iPhone address books of a lot of producers/researchers if the whole 'industry' was wrapped up, and may even spare the taxpayer as I understand more than a few are somehow generously funded by us too.

Some people observe what's socially desirable behaviour and learn to mimic it. They don't actually experience all that drives such socially desirably behaviour (i.e they actually don't replicate all of it). Some are actors. Some are also psychopaths.

Beware of people who only emit socially desirable behaviour and resent having their behaviour challenged/criticised. What they don't like is any perceived loss of social desirability.

This is their weak-spot. This is their give-away. This is their tell-tale sign....This is because they don't really emit socially desirable behaviour, just some of the appearances of it.

"LIFE? DON'T TALK ABOUT LIFE!" (Marvin) (#8)

The wrangle about guns, knives, NEETs, drugs, binging, obesity, abortion etc continues, with a range of cures from flogging to £20-worth of vegetables. (Any one remember that idea from 2008?)
Another wrangle arises from the miss-selling of warfare to young men (and now, women) followed by their expensive hospitalisation and compensation, as we continue to regard mechanised destruction as a civilised means to determine – and enforce – "Right". In the midst of these and other wrangles, the concept of "Human Rights" rears its surreal backside and we then realise we have followed that oft quoted signpost: "That Way Madness Lies".

We glorify warfare. Much pageantry is military. Our iconic dead, travel to burial on a gun carriage. We fire artillery to celebrate high births (with war-planes overhead) and fire rifles over graves.
We strive to save every birth no matter what its life-prognosis. We sustain the bodies of the very old long after the owner has left, or even as they beg to be set free from its indignities and misery.

We speak of the "Right to Life!" What has the right to life? Life itself? If that is so we are all Catholic Procreationists. There should be no age constraint on sexual activity – let Mother Nature have her way. But Mother Nature would outstrip modern medicine. A population explosion would mean a return to a short, disease-ridden life of privation. Oh well, no-one said you had a right to a NICE life!

But what of all the viable eggs that are never fertilised? Are they wronged? Or are they outside the scope of “Right to Life” as they are not alive?
OK – rephrase: Once life is established (cell replication) it has the Right to its Life.
So: There is no "Right to Life" ONLY a Life's right to continue. Now we are back to warfare. Presumably, on signing up to "put ones life on the line" military personnel renounce the right to life and "leaders in war" negate "The Right to Continue Life" – a Health and Safety offence if nothing else.

In passing: J G Ballard is reported as pointing out how much more suited to war, than peace, is mankind. I believe this sits well with my view that we do not mature – fail to develop a strong Adult. War is clearly the Child's excitement of guns underwritten by the Parent's glory in conquest and (dubious) honour.

I gather Lord Winston has just got a book out with an angle on this.

#167

Exactly, BYT, who is bullying who?

mim

#156

Precisely BYT, some individuals become so rigid in their self-importance and self-obsession that unless struck by some kind of lightning shaking their grey matter up inside out, there's no point even trying to make them understand anything beyond their own nose. It's just a waste of time, a final conclusion I came to about one and a half years ago.

mim

Also tonight, are banks really conducting "God's work," as the Goldman Sachs CEO claimed recently? Today, one of the most important banks in the world appeared before a committee of MPs to speak of the global crash, the Greek debt crisis and bankers bonuses. Paul Mason investigates the reach and power of Goldman Sachs.
..
..
"You may have heard some of it before but words of this quality are always worth airing one more time.

It was started in a Rolling Stone article by Matt Taibbi in which he described the world's most famous investment bank as "a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money".

Telegraph 3 July 2009

It is indeed G_d's business, and if Matt's piece doesn't butter your bagel, read 'Twilight of the Idols' and 'The Anti-Christ' instead to reveal a much greater/earlier scam for the gullible.

BYT

A couple of days ago I posted a quote a stanza from Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night'.

Here's another by the same wise 'fool':

2In nature there's no blemish but the mind;
None can be called deformed but the unkind."

That's what it boils down to in reality, doesn't it?

mim

The fundamental question must be are our relative basic human rights a question of FREE WILL or FREE WONT ?

As the head of NBH has recently been so candid in regard of the recent bullying allegations made about No 10. I wonder if she would answer the following? Has anyone within the Conservative or Liberal Parties called the NBH, after being bullied? Or has anyone based at the Observer/Guardian offices ever called the NBH with the same problem? Or even the BBC, have the NBH ever had a bullying case from the BBC?
We don't want the actual names of those who may have been bullied, just whether the NBH have been contacted by any of the above.
I have an idea that Ms Pratt might suggest she could in no way divulge such information, due to confidentiality.
It may shut those up, who are braying down the doors of No 10 in such a desperate way.
Bullying happens within all institutions, wrongly of course. It is a matter of days before all those trying to condemn now, will be condemned themselves.
People in glass houses springs to mind.

There's a world of difference between bullying and what would have been colloquially called only a few years ago as "a right bollocking." The problem is that these days that many people refuse to accept any sort of sanction for careless,indolent or downright mischievous behaviour in the workplace. Bullying only occurs where the sanction eg a raised voice or exclamation (ie swearing) is systematic and without merit. Anybody working in the cockpit of government at a time when a country is simultaneously at war and in recession must occasionally expect fireworks when things go awry. Incidentally, it is well documented that Churchill used to give dictation to his secretaries whilst lying nude in the bath. Just think of the compensation case that would generate thesedays!

I would also like to say that Ms Pratt has single handedly put all anti-bullying organisations in an awkward position.
I used to work within the Community Anti-Bullying Project in Hull and would never discuss a case with any one. Children and young adults will pick up on this news, how could they not? But the thing which these youngsters will pick up on most, is the fact that the key tool to help people discuss issues of bullying, confidentiality, has been overlooked. Even though no names were mentioned, in minds that understand less, it is simply betrayal.
I am absolutely astonished she could do such a thing. Not only that, but she actually believes in what she has done.
As for her resigning. Well the damage has been done.

27. mimpromptu 'That's what it boils down to in reality, doesn't it?'

Maybe..... not.

..'You watch too much Bond':.. says Lieberman

what milliband is learning is that israel has no regard for the uk state or its people. To be fair they put themselves first with regard to everyone. Time we did the same. If Milliband is feeling bullied then there is a helpline...

the murder squad used credit cards obtained in the usa.

https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703315004575072990898044002.html?mod=rss_com_mostcommentart

Getting back to an important story, that of the ID theft by Israel, it occurred to me that the only possible reason for not taking strong measures against Israel is that the government is hoping for a backlash from Hamas here in the UK, or failing that a false flag operation that is made to look like Hamas, thereby drawing the UK into the Israel-Palestine conflict on the side of Israel bypassing a vote Parliament.

As for Goldman Sachs (commonly referred to in the investment world as Government Sachs as it has fingers in many governments and regularly 'anticipates' government policy and interest rate changes), the reference to doing God's work comes from an interview published in November last year here-

https://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6907681.ece

We know some of what Goldman has been up to from front running advice given to clients, to short selling mortgage securities that they were selling to clients as AAA rated and helping to hide Greek government debt via swaps-

https://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,676634,00.html

In other words unethical and possibly even criminal behaviour.

Talking of Greece a few things that might have escaped peoples notice-

"Greek opposition lawmakers said on Thursday that Germans should pay reparations for their World War Two occupation of Greece before criticising the country over its yawning fiscal deficits."
https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE61H1IZ20100218

Greece says EU lacks leadership in crisis
https://www.thestate.com/2010/02/22/1169171/greece-says-eu-lacks-leadership.html

Greece asks Abu Dhabi for investment
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/sub/latest/story/0,4574,373592,00.html

Oh and in case anyone thinks Germany is going to come and rescue Greece two of Merkels coalition partners have said no, so if Merkel even tried to help Greece her coalition government would collapse.

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

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

Sorry for seemingly going on, on this bullying issue, but one more point to make.
Neither the leader of the conservatives or the liberals have come out and stated, that what Ms Pratt has done, breaching confidentiality, is wrong to do.
Can we deduce then, that the act of breaking confidentiality is acceptable to both of these political parties?
If of course the answer to the above is no, they do believe in the principals of confidentiality. Then why have they not said so and why have they used the subject to score points?

stalinist statist

don't bother writing in my direction as from now on I shall be skipping all posts as well as those of your 'colleagues'

33. jauntycyclist 'what milliband is learning is that israel has no regard for the uk state or its people. To be fair they put themselves first with regard to everyone. Time we did the same. If Milliband is feeling bullied then there is a helpline...'

Don't be daft. I don't think Mr Miliband got his job(s) by promising to put Britain first, do you? That would be protectionist, nationalist, i.e very bad form.

Surely he's a fully signed up member of the Trotskyist Socialist International and will, one day, like comrade Tony, be looking to squiddy/octopussy Goldman Sachs etc for future support?

Surely, like his dad (and grandad) he's grass-roots, power to the consumer/supermarkets, New 'Left', New 'Labour', new, neo, neu, etc.

He's no statist - hence his baby - Lisbon, which prevents nation states from acting....?

I would just like to say that I agree entirely with Jonty, comment 30. It has first to be established whether any complaint made is actually bullying or not.

poor gordon simply suffers from a terminal lack of charisma and vision / mission.

History does not record Winston Churchill as ' a bully' .

prezza gets away with it because he is so entertaining at his own expense..and he does not have a clue that is the only reason the public tolerate him!...hilarious!!

Are we honestle asked to believe that:

a) A scotish former rugby player has 'never hit anyone'

b) havinf 'never hit anyone' is a useful character triat for a leader in the midst of what is in effect a ruck or maul situation between a bunch of really dirty players on the global geo political stage.

Strewth!!

#41

Jericoa

More and more people now say independently that this is the worst British goverrment ever.

What an excuse and a 'brownie point' for a pretender to win over the British public to be claiming he's never hit anybody! As if it mattered by now anyway..

You are absolutely right, Jericoa, the demise is on the global geo political scale. It may sound grandiose but I do think that I may have sympathisers in all four corners of the world - (^_^)

By the way, do you know that one of the French ice dance couples' chosen song for tonight's competition is Jacques Brel's 'La Quete' which could be translated either as 'Search' or 'Looking for/following an almost unobtainable Star' without brute force, i.e. obviously meaning without dirty tricks, etc?

mim

So far the leaders in the competition are a Candadian couple whose interpretation of flamenco was really superb, fantastic, outstanding and beautiful. I'm sure it'll end up on utube for those who have not seen it. It really is well worth seeing!

mim

A story that hasn't been covered anywhere by the BBC is the leaking of the internet part of the ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement) which is currently being negotiated-

https://www.boingboing.net/2010/02/21/acta-internet-enforc.html

The EU Data Protection Chief is very unhappy about it-

https://www.pcworld.com/article/189922/eu_data_protection_chief_slams_secret_acta_talks.html

So we have Gordon Brown blathering on about innovation and the digital economy while negotiating to impose extra costs, stifling innovation and destroying more jobs.

Several points; the political party elects the leader, the electorate does not. This is not USA, although many of us, particularly politicians, would desperately like it to be.

Why don't we hear the names of the Afghanis killed by NATO troops, the folks on the bus, in their backyards? Saying "Oops, sorry!" makes it OK?

When would the media stop telling us the names of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan? When the numbers reached 10/20/30 per day?

Rawnsley's book extracts tell us what, exactly?

The ineptitude which Gordi has shown since becoming PM was demonstrated once again by the over hasty denial, just asking for someone to pop up and "back up" Rawnsley, then an agonisingly painful wait for the carefully worded "non-denial".

There was a government worse than this; the latter days of John Major's were mortifying. Major could not control his party and neither can Gordi.

A Shakespearian tragedy for the man, for whom we should have a bit of sympathy.

#44

Ah, bit Kashibeyaz, J Major did not leave the country in such dire straits as Gordi will when he loses most probably and the standing of the UK on the international stage was not as dismally diminished as it is now.

Nothing wrong with a bit of sympathy, shame only he doesn't show it towards his staff or indeed a few other individuals.

mim

#41

Jericoa

There is a difference between a strong leader and a lost soul turning into a pitiful bully.

Flicks@ 11

Heres a little known fact:

The third leading cause of death in the western world is.....take a deep breath.....Doctors. Yes the agents of the pharmaceutical industry is pushing drugs that kill you, and they have been doing it for years whilst the big Pharma cartels suppresses any long known natural cures or buys patents of successfully tested drugs; the ones that actually work ...then hide them in a vault. Having real cures effects the drugs companies profits, its in their interests to have ineffective drugs and the idea that people can cure themselve - and cheaply - is there worst nightmare. They need your ill health and they promote it. Crooks in suits, thats all they are.

What on earth is the boss of the bullying helpline doing revealing information which was given to her in the strictest confidence. I think all confidence in Mrs Pratt's organisation is completely shot. She must resign immediately

Gordon Brown is a bully and a socialist...what a mix. Does he sleep well at night I wonder? Maybe he's apeing Uncle Joe Stalin, I hear Gordon's a fan...or was that Dr J Reid MP?!

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

In listening to tonights newsnight debate on alleged bullying in No.10, I am struck at just how infantile british politics is becoming !!
First the expenses row - now bully boys at No.10 - what next ? an argument about fashion sense in the house ?
I am fed up with these demeaning political spectacles.
What about politicians talking the big social issues of the day seriuosly instead ?

good studio discussion until Prescott got on....and tried to bully everyone when we all know that's Jeremy's job

I'm watching the interview with John Prescott and Andrew Rawnsley and it's making me so angry - I feel like grabbing somebody by the lapels and throwing them through the window. It's so simple: never mind the bullying allegations, the complex, convoluted arguments, the allegations and counter allegations, the simple answer is, surely, for Gordon Brown to sue for libel if what Andrew Rawnsley has written is not true. I am totally convinced by Rawnsley - why would a journalist of his standing lie? He couldn't risk his reputation. I am sure that if it came to a court of law he would be totally vindicated, and that's why it's never going to be put to the test. Oh yes - Roy (sorry, Lord) Hattersley says the public aren't interested in this sort of tittle-tattle. Oh really, Roy? And how would you know that? As for John Prescott - here's a man who sold his soul when he sold his memoirs, wittering on as he did about his bulimia. I'm tempted to say it makes me sick.

I haven't laughed so much in ages!!!!

:o) What a corker of an interview - from Jeremy quoting the "f" word from Andrew Rawnsley's about Bob Shrum, to John Prescott (oh how he got a dressing down over his and his wife's memoirs from Andrew!!!!), Danny Finkelstein, Lord Steel & Lord Hattersley (he didn't think it mattered).
But seriously - comparing President Lincoln to Brown? What a joke.
Lord Steel was correct in many ways, that there is a large amount of "dumbing down" in politics at the moment.
I'd love to have had the whole show devoted to Andrew Rawnsley et al.

Very interesting report by Paul and also by Madeline on the burial of the Pagan remains in Ipswich. Phillip Wise has taken the most ethical action.

AN ISSUE OF HUMAN BEHAVIOUR - WHERE WAS THE A-POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGIST?

Thatcher thought she was Churchill reincarnated, Major had no idea who he was, Blair was a failed pop-star - turned Messiah, and Brown is Jekyll and Hyde. They all have serious psychological aberration, and act out a premiership of compensatory self-interest - it is the source of their drive and zeal.

As I post, ad nauseam: Westminster, and the party system, 'distils' them to the top. But this is not a political matter, it is all down to human behaviour (our behaviour). It can't be changed by moving the Westminster deck-chairs.

Constant discussion with such ninnies as Hattersley (words fail me) and Prescott (words fail him) are beyond pointless. Lets have a never-ending stream of psychologists, commenting on personality disorders, until the few voters left learn to tell a REPRESENTATIVE from the proverbial hole in the ground (aka: waste of space) that is the regular MP.

HUMAN FAILING NOT HUMAN FAILURES

PS I just heard Gumby Bob telling Parliament: "Every civilian death is one too many". See what I mean?

#42 update

K have just watched the final of the Ice Dance competition and was delighted to see how the Candadian couple, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir totally outshone their rivals.

They skated to Malher's Symphony no 5, the one used in the film 'Death in Venice' based on Thomas Mann's novel and where Dirk Bogarde dies on a beach while dreaming of beauty, beauty of a male teenager.

It was one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful, ice dance that I have ever seen.

mim

55. barriesingleton 'Lets have a never-ending stream of psychologists, commenting on personality disorders, until the few voters left learn to tell a REPRESENTATIVE from the proverbial hole in the ground (aka: waste of space) that is the regular MP.'

An interesting suggestion.

Do you reckon anyone would pay any attention?

Fox News DOES have a psychologist on at least once a week (and it has high viewing figures) analysing their American politicians.....I'd be very interested to see it here too.

#57

NO.

55. barriesingleton - Some people are slowly waking up, but few will look back through recent (post WWII) history carefully enough (cf. Von Mises and friends) to see just how extensively this has now infected so-called 'democratic' politics. It's why, I fear, your otherwise very sensible calls to spoil party games will come to nothing, although I urge you to keep on trying nonetheless.

As to the extensive narcissism in modern public life, what can one say except 'look to the mothers' and how they rarely heed sound advice, and remember..... it's in their genes. One can't do much about that, just limit opportunity, and thus some of the more dire consequences. It used to be that way, for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, and it only changed very recently. Why? See link off earlier post.

Even today, in that vanguard of socialism in the East, note the legislature statistics. Equality before the law is subtle, and is all that one can realistically and effectively have control over in terms of behaviour. So....why the marked inequality?

58. Mistress76uk '.....I'd be very interested to see it here too.'

Really......?

As to Foxy News.......Odds on it's a female (most psychologists are) Do you know why? See also link in reply to barriesingleton. Again, why?

THE LABOUR LEXICON OF LOSERS

Do they go to classes to learn the latest phrases and words? Or do they somehow absorb them, by osmosis, in their 23 hour days?
It's like watching Sesame Street. I don't know whether Ed Balls is the Cookie Monster or Grover, but 'today's words' are definitely 'upset' and 'unfair' (the latter derived from 'fair' the overall 'election word'). Balls even crowbarred 'unfair' into a condemnation of his (conjured up) 'Tory, Swedish-style, new school down the road'.

Most striking was the use, by Balls, of 'upset' in relation to Brown (when called a bully). Might there be a direct connection to the 'upset' of arch-adviser and mentor Alastair Campbell (who used it to describe his own 'distress)? How long, I wonder, did the semantic think-tank spend on discarding 'hurt' (damaged!) or perhaps 'pained'(sick?)

Is it possible to sort the knaves from the fools here? Do they KNOW we are stupid enough to swallow this tosh, or are they so foolish as to think it so?

What a comment on Britain!

Here's one for the science dept at the BBC: How about an investigation into how things just don't add up these days, how some people hate doing the numbers, and why some people keep doing extremely bad arithmetic and pumping out their bad maths across the airwaves at the rest of us?

Here's an exercise by analogy:

Height.

Now....Note the differences, and note the differences all across the world?

Now, the word equality is tricky - it requires one to understand something about maths, i.e. diversity and distribution. It requires one to understand something about random or representative sampling from populations.

It requires one to look for what's expected by chance alone, understanding that what one sees may well reflect underlying physical forces (or sets of forces) at work e.g. estrogen affecting height, and to intelligently notice when one finds marked deviations from what's expected if one assumes the absence of lawful difference.

You see, if you try to force nature to be something it's not because you'd like it to be so, it just tends to ignores you, and you begin, well.... to look a bit (or in some cases, a lot,) mad.

WISDOM AGAIN? (#60)

Surely the wise woman (of heterosexual nature) finds no joy in the feminised man, any more than she wishes do join the Harpy ranks? Does she not intuitively follow what Nature wants? I am fortunate to know some wise women who fit that profile.

I grant that the visceral Harpies, being relatively few in number, have bullied their softer sisters into toeing the 'good as a man any day' line, to swell their apparent adherents, but by all accounts that worm is turning. It will not be easy for the awakening ones - a couple of generations are enough to cement a new culture and lose sight of any previous one.

If we WISE UP THE YOUNG, into what Nature would do - optimise the 'equivalence dipole' of male-female - and celebrate the difference EACH OF THE OTHER, WHAT MAMMON IS DOING will come into sharp focus, and not look so attractive.

With wisdom comes balance, informed tolerance (rather than coerced) and a reduction in all the sad ills of our society as currently configured.

I HAVE A DREAM TODAY! (Back to the nightmare.)

62. barriesingleton 'Is it possible to sort the knaves from the fools here? Do they KNOW we are stupid enough to swallow this tosh, or are they so foolish as to think it so?'

Mr Balls has a job to dumb the country down does he not?

It's part of the New Labour glacial national dimming project.

(Maybe you could construct a suitable acronym?)

bullying

does no one remember Thatcher? even to the extent spitting image did a sketch called 'what about the vegetables?'.

64 barriesingleton 'I grant that the visceral Harpies, being relatively few in number, have bullied their softer sisters into toeing the 'good as a man any day' line, to swell their apparent adherents, but by all accounts that worm is turning.'

To use a topical image, they're unwitting minions of the Great Squid (G-S). It really is as simple as that if you look at it objectively. It was very good for merchandising and Mortgage Backed Securities etc. Many of them did not need to know this. It was done on a need to know basis. The original foot-soldiers were almost exclusively from the same notorious camp, their sisters were far form their own.

#63 Statist

The search for "equality" is spurious. It has been co-opted by those who are unable to determine or distinguish the true aspiration of an enlightened society: "equity".

Perhaps because we cannot enumerate "equity" we revert back to it's illegitimate (but potentially numerate) cousin.

Pagan?

isn't pagan a christian term of abuse?

the british museum has bones from native americans who died in the late 19th century which they refuse to return to the living relatives. which is just racist.

66. jauntycyclist 'does no one remember Thatcher? even to the extent spitting image did a sketch called 'what about the vegetables?'.'

Indeed. Women (and feminised males) make the most effective bullies as they count on males not retaliating. What's more, Nature seems to have picked up on this advantage and conferred more than a fair share upon one group in particular.

But what is one to do?

@ Jaunty #66 - just found that quote:

Margaret Thatcher

[Margaret Thatcher is treating her Cabinet to a meal at a restaurant.]
Waitress: Would you like to order, sir?
Thatcher: Yes. I will have the steak.
Waitress: How would you like it?
Thatcher: Oh, raw, please.
Waitress: And what about the Vegetables?
Thatcher: Oh, they'll [The Cabinet] have the same as me!

Source: https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Spitting_Image

THE END TIME (#69)

There is a delicious feel to a world being stripped of its last phosphate by mechanised Mammon, while a wisp of a female strives to replace a few symbolic bones back into the biosphere. An unequal struggle worthy of Tolkien.

UNEQUAL STRUGGLE (#70)

If a minority state destabilises the world, is not mayhem, WITH ASSOCIATED ATTACK OF THOSE MANIFESTING DIFFERENCE, going to come before any world government can be established? Can ANY state nuke its way to a worthwhile future?

"What is ONE to do?" I think Yahweh has to turn himself in.

#41

Thanks for the response mim, the only way to catch that unobtainable star without dirty tricks is to do a Noah, not with animals but with technology this time and say

''Look,we dont need this **** anymore, we have the technology, we have a stunningly beautiful planet to enjoy during our short stay, we dont need to (in a geopolitical sense) gouge each others eyes out in a ruck (is that how Gordon lost his eye anyone know?) to secure our food or shelter future. All we have to do is apply what we now already know (Advanced technology) won through the imagination, creativity, hard work and sacrifice of our ancester and direct it towards a new coherent vision''

Needless to say I am not holding my breath as humanity prepares to wrestle in the mud over ownership of the Oil rugby ball once more.

I hope the wells in the Falklands are bone dry.

NOW PHIL WOOLLAS WANTS PROMOTION (to First Bilge Bailer?)

He has described Brown as 'a thoroughly decent man'. So who is that Brown who re-announces old as new? Who is that Brown who counts the same money more than once? Who is the Brown who did the 'Ten Pence Stunt' with the most evil grin ever seen on TV.

I don't remember what Woolas is in charge of. I just hope it isn't recruitment of any sort - he is no judge of character.

Again: fool or knave. Is he right if he assumes the mass of voters STILL don't know Brown and will accept his word? Or is he as daft as he appears?

I see I got pulled. Did Hattersley 'complain about this post'? Well i suppose the truth does hurt sometimes ...sorry woy. Either that or the BBC are mindful of possible future litigation regarding Rawnsley's book of revelations. I personally think this is a side show really - a good one mind. What really matters is how we allowed ourselves to be governered by a bunch of Polytech type educated hacks; the mediocre but self indulged child turned politician. When you see Ed balls perform don't you say to yourself.."Jesus!, what a hack"..I know i do. Jack Straw is another example of how anybody can get into politics, find themselves in high office and I have to make the assumption everybody asks this question.."how did he manage it, this fella's a hack". You could say the same about Harriet Harwoman?" Yvett cooper and even Gordon Brown. The worry is the Tories don't have too many smart folk on their ranks either and me thinks we are gonna get much of the same albeit a hung parliment due to Dave not winning enough over with his wet Tory views and the rise of the smaller parties or as GO1 like to call them..the Nazies.

75. kevseywevsey - I think you're right, but most people still can't hold onto the notion that good, competent, people just don't get on in politics, or in the Civil Service (anymore).

That would be too good for governance... and the idea is not to have good governance as that gets in the way of markets.

In fact, modern politics actually promotes this agenda by encouraging the electorate to find fault with those who are in power or who seek power.

But how many will fully see this, and where it must lead (those who benefit from this move on in time of course, 'twas always so)?

I'm not being cynical.

# 73r
t
That sounds very refreshing, Jericoa, I just need to clear my system out before I can involve myself fully in what you're talking about while others prance around, inventing all kinds of tricks to get noticed or heard.

Almost went to the cinema earlier on but the timings were wrong and then it started to rain, etc, while even earlier than that gave up on ice skating due to cold and tiredness. Nevertheless, the way I spent my time has not been wasted, just different than originally planned.

mim

How is pointing out that it is not a good idea to encourage large scale immigration of people of lowish intellectual ability racist? Many other countries, like Canada, Australia and New Zealand, have had Points Systems for years which filtered immigration as a function of what the country needed in terms of skills. It's secondary that some countries have more lower ability people than others. What has always mattered is abilities, and that's basic socio-economics - see OECD reports.

What will large numbers of lowish ability people do if not have lots of lowish ability kids who like their parents, will not be able to find work? It has nothing to do with race. We had lots of temporary East Europeans, but they were smart enough to go home when work dried up, quite apart from that, they're smart enough not to have too many kids when they can't afford them.

Did the 'advisors' ever consider this? Or did they seriously think that they could do what nobody else anywhere in the world (except Jesus with his loaves and fishes and water to wine etc) has ever done? If so, where did they get their evidence? Why did they not share it? Can we see it please. Please! Go on.....please....

Those who think New Labour are like Soviets, you're wrong. They're anarchists. They're minions of Investment banks. One Great Squid is Goldman Sachs. Investment Banks and Hedge Funds love constant change and deregulation as it's necessary for making money - markets depend on volatility! Stability is bad for making money!

FAULT IN POLITICIANS AND THE FINDING THEREOF (#76)

Doesn't Westminster function, effectively, as a 'sting operation' exposing all but a few MPs as falty? It is, par excellence, the place where 'good men do nothing'. Nothing, that is, to challenge the progressive emasculation of democratic, honourable governance.

Thus, I claim, that ANYONE, routinely present in the Commons Chamber, on OUR BEHALF, who neither explodes in sheer emotional overload, nor calmly and rationally takes it's disgraceful charade apart, IS WITHOUT HONOUR.

The selection, nurture, elevation and aggrandisement of PRECISELY THE 'WRONG KIND OF STUFF', via the Westminster Ethos, is STUFFING US! It is a self perpetuating disaster. There is a small crack in the citadel wall, blown with the gunpowder of FOI, but the parties are conspiring to fill it. We must jam it with independent MPs at election time. Put another way:

SPOIL PARTY GAMES.

#78 re; your link Statist.

How is that not gerrymandering in the same way that Dame Shirley Porter applied it at Westminster City council.

What's funny is the convervatives don't make more of this social engineering.

79. barriesingleton 'The selection, nurture, elevation and aggrandisement of PRECISELY THE 'WRONG KIND OF STUFF', via the Westminster Ethos, is STUFFING US!'

Ah, yes, but.....your sentiments would seem to reveal that you don't appreciate that they are doing precisely what they're elected to do. Much ado about nothing. Only those who don't understand the modus vivendi of anarchistic liberal-democracy really expect governance. Think about it, in the past, the liberal-democracies spent a fortune developing, deploying and maintaining, weapon systems to prevent the rise of sound governance on these shores.

One has to take this on board - and seriously. Governance is what the old USSR once did quite well, and what N. Korea and China today still does. They are, of course, extremely evil though. Their people are not free to do as they wish.

I see early release has ended, and the prison population is now up to 86,000 (71,000 in mid 2002, which even back then was up by 25,000 from 1990 according to the ONS).

Good 'ere innit?

80. ecolizzy 'What's funny is the convervatives don't make more of this social engineering.'

Not omnce you appreciate that they are anarchists too. The Race Relations Act came in under them. You have to see Conservativism as libertarianism - i.e as anarchism. New Labour just does the same. They both fight for power, but their ideology is basically the same. Think football - two teams, same game.

Just got round to listening to the 'show' on iPlayer.

Perhaps more could have been made of the point Michael Crick made on the extent that Mr. Brown's 'style' has impaired good government.

Can it be said that, over the last few years, or more if one includes his tenure at the Treasury, that we have enjoyed 'good' government?

Hard to think of many examples that make me feel positive as a subject, or proud as a national.

Especially as I watch the news on a day when the senior members of a hospital that damn near tortured NHS elderly to death get 'investigated' in camera by yet another in a series of endless 'lesson learned, nothing done' committees and go on to other, often higher paid jobs. Or the now Chancellor and current PM trade 'differing' memories of recent events.

All presided over by a media estate that always goes first for ratings and second for partisan egging such that any news value is zero. With a commentariat base ably summed up by the three wise men wheeled out for this sorry show.

ps: Guessing it is an automated system, and may even change at each play, but you might wish to review the subtitles of the show on iPlayer, unless you too were keen to offer childish commentary word play on Mrs. Pratt's name.

Am I the only one to think the CEO of Goldman's was a dead ringer for Boris Yeltsin, and considerably less coherent?