BT are Fuckwits
I am still here but following a bout of masterly incompetence by BT since I moved house I still have very limited internet access (I am writing this from a crappy little internet cafe). Hopefully this will be sorted shortly but until then it's difficult to post.
Just how incompetent have they been? Following my last rant down the phone at them the call centre monkey said he would put me through to the complaints department. A few seconds later I was spoken to by a different but strangely familiar voice. I had a hunch, and my hunch proved correct. On interogation this voice admited that it was the same person, he hadn't put me through to anyone different and that he was just pretending.
In the words of Littlecock, you couldn't make it up!
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
The Christian Left
First of all an apology, not much blogging at the moment as I’m about to move house and my life is in a slight state of chaos. Once we move there is likely to be some disruption to internet access so the slow rate of posts may well continue for a week or two more. Such is life!
However, I thought I’d take the opportunity to announce a new project that will be appearing on here. I’ve scrapped this concentrating on the Mail’s recent coverage idea. No don’t worry, I still suspect that going off on one about the Mail or the Express will take up a large part of the reading matter on here, I’ve not lost my sense of anger just yet. No, what I’m planning on doing, over the rest of this summer, is to write a series of pieces about why I am that most rare of species, a member of the Christian Left. Most Christians are conservative with a small C, and the majority on the left appear to be atheist. Indeed it some times seems that most people assume that if you are a leftie you are a non believer and that if you are religious of any persuasion then you must be right wing.
So I’m going to write a few bits about why I am Christian (don’t worry, I wont get all evangelical on you and start trying to convert you, and I’m quite happy to be engaged in debate, I wont call you nasty names and I’m pretty thick skinned!), and why I’m quite happy that it fits with being a total leftie, why I’m perfectly happy to believe in the big bang, evolution etc. You will also find me being critical of the organised church and how it presents itself. And of course you’ll see me go off on one about the Mail’s attitude to religion, but let’s face it, you kind of expected that didn’t you? :)
Oh and just to get one thing out the way at the start, I think Stephen Green of Christian Voice is an utter prick.
First of all an apology, not much blogging at the moment as I’m about to move house and my life is in a slight state of chaos. Once we move there is likely to be some disruption to internet access so the slow rate of posts may well continue for a week or two more. Such is life!
However, I thought I’d take the opportunity to announce a new project that will be appearing on here. I’ve scrapped this concentrating on the Mail’s recent coverage idea. No don’t worry, I still suspect that going off on one about the Mail or the Express will take up a large part of the reading matter on here, I’ve not lost my sense of anger just yet. No, what I’m planning on doing, over the rest of this summer, is to write a series of pieces about why I am that most rare of species, a member of the Christian Left. Most Christians are conservative with a small C, and the majority on the left appear to be atheist. Indeed it some times seems that most people assume that if you are a leftie you are a non believer and that if you are religious of any persuasion then you must be right wing.
So I’m going to write a few bits about why I am Christian (don’t worry, I wont get all evangelical on you and start trying to convert you, and I’m quite happy to be engaged in debate, I wont call you nasty names and I’m pretty thick skinned!), and why I’m quite happy that it fits with being a total leftie, why I’m perfectly happy to believe in the big bang, evolution etc. You will also find me being critical of the organised church and how it presents itself. And of course you’ll see me go off on one about the Mail’s attitude to religion, but let’s face it, you kind of expected that didn’t you? :)
Oh and just to get one thing out the way at the start, I think Stephen Green of Christian Voice is an utter prick.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
The Daily Mail and the BBC
So back to my project of covering just how offensive the Mail has been the last few weeks. We all know why they hate Auntie, it's because of their stake in ITN, we wont go down that road again. No, all I want to do is highlight just how constant the attacks from the Mail have been in recent days and weeks. Lets take a look shall we.
Just today (25 June) we have not one, not two, but three! With 2 of the 3 leading with photos of Jonathan Ross and another getting in some old toss about "traditional families" it's an impressive start I'll grant you, but I'm sure we can do better than that, don't you?
Yesterday we only had two stories but to be honest the total non story nature of the first one about and the slagging off of the license fees in the other must surely result in some bonus points.
Nothing doing on the 23rd but the 22nd we get more bonus points, first for dragging the BBC into a story that is nothing to do with them and the second for getting in a prod at muslims. I'm guessing someone got a bonus for that one.
And so it continues, ad infinitum.
I'm not quite sure what is going on at Dacre towers at the moment but what ever it is seems to indicate that Dacre is not going to soften his style any time soon.
So back to my project of covering just how offensive the Mail has been the last few weeks. We all know why they hate Auntie, it's because of their stake in ITN, we wont go down that road again. No, all I want to do is highlight just how constant the attacks from the Mail have been in recent days and weeks. Lets take a look shall we.
Just today (25 June) we have not one, not two, but three! With 2 of the 3 leading with photos of Jonathan Ross and another getting in some old toss about "traditional families" it's an impressive start I'll grant you, but I'm sure we can do better than that, don't you?
Yesterday we only had two stories but to be honest the total non story nature of the first one about and the slagging off of the license fees in the other must surely result in some bonus points.
Nothing doing on the 23rd but the 22nd we get more bonus points, first for dragging the BBC into a story that is nothing to do with them and the second for getting in a prod at muslims. I'm guessing someone got a bonus for that one.
And so it continues, ad infinitum.
I'm not quite sure what is going on at Dacre towers at the moment but what ever it is seems to indicate that Dacre is not going to soften his style any time soon.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Yes, the Express are as shitty as ever
I'm going to turn away from the Mail, for one post at least, to turn to it's rival in crime the Express.
Today it treated us to this piece of crap on it's front page
Now the fact is that I have some sympathy for the idea of banning the Burkha. It is, for the most part, a symbol of patriarchal sexism of the worst kind. I worked in Peterborough for some time and found it no surprise taht the women in full on burkha's tended to be with men in totally western dress. Women in more normal head scarfs, but nevertheless clearly traditional muslim attire, tended to be with men with similarly traditional attire, there seemed a far greater sense of equality. Not very scientific I grant you but it was nevertheless the impression I got. That said I found it neither offensive nor intimidating.
So like I said, I have some sympathy with the idea. I do however disagree with it.
I am sure that many women are forced to wear the full on Burkha. I am equally sure that there are many who choose to. I may find it difficult to understand why but if that is their choice that is their choice. I see no reason why I, you or any government should legislate what anybody wears. If I wish to walk down the street in a gimp outfit so be it. If you want to wear a burkha, be my guest.
So let's get back to the Express. Why do I think it's so shit? When you read this article it makes a brief reference to sexism but the rest of it is just straight forward Islamophobia. It's nothing to do with women's lib, or freedom to choose, it's purely and simply about hitting brown people with a stick.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Immigration and Race
So I thought I'd continue my series on the Mail's onslaught of vileness by looking at immigration and race. This post wont debate the rights and wrongs of immigration, it's simply about the Mail's obsession with it and how warped and biased it's writing is.
First of all a very crude bit of work, search the Mail website with the word "immigration" and look at how many stories come up
23 June - 3
22 June - 4
21 June - 1
20 June - 3
19 June - 2
18 June - 3
17 June - 3
Try searching for "Muslim" and you get a whole new tranche of stories, the constant bombardment of it is chilling. Similarly worrying is the number of opinion pieces which don't even pretend to be reporting of the news but instead are outrageously and openly biased.
Most concerning of all though is the new attention that seems to be being placed on two areas, firstly those camped at Calais, who are allegedly laying siege to Britain (Yup, a few hundred people are laying siege to a country of 60 million.) and also on the traveller community. Now no one is saying that all those in Calais should be allowed in or that some travellers don't cause trouble. However it doesn't take much reading to see just how warped these stories are. I am going to be watching with interest how the Calais story develops over the summer, I remember the bull shit that went round during the whole Sangate affair and can see it all happening again.
I have neither the time nor inclination to go through any of these stories in detail right now but it does seem to me that over all the offensive (and it is fucking offensive) on any one that is non white has intensified over recent weeks.
However I'll leave you with one comment from a story about travellers, it's a comment that leaves me absolutely chilled.
So not only do these people get health service priority, they're using our money to give them a party. Come on for God's sake, something has to be done.
- Ronnie, York, England, 23/6/2009 16:14
Click to rate Rating 471
Something must be done eh? Like a solution you mean? A final one?
Fucking frightening.
So I thought I'd continue my series on the Mail's onslaught of vileness by looking at immigration and race. This post wont debate the rights and wrongs of immigration, it's simply about the Mail's obsession with it and how warped and biased it's writing is.
First of all a very crude bit of work, search the Mail website with the word "immigration" and look at how many stories come up
23 June - 3
22 June - 4
21 June - 1
20 June - 3
19 June - 2
18 June - 3
17 June - 3
Try searching for "Muslim" and you get a whole new tranche of stories, the constant bombardment of it is chilling. Similarly worrying is the number of opinion pieces which don't even pretend to be reporting of the news but instead are outrageously and openly biased.
Most concerning of all though is the new attention that seems to be being placed on two areas, firstly those camped at Calais, who are allegedly laying siege to Britain (Yup, a few hundred people are laying siege to a country of 60 million.) and also on the traveller community. Now no one is saying that all those in Calais should be allowed in or that some travellers don't cause trouble. However it doesn't take much reading to see just how warped these stories are. I am going to be watching with interest how the Calais story develops over the summer, I remember the bull shit that went round during the whole Sangate affair and can see it all happening again.
I have neither the time nor inclination to go through any of these stories in detail right now but it does seem to me that over all the offensive (and it is fucking offensive) on any one that is non white has intensified over recent weeks.
However I'll leave you with one comment from a story about travellers, it's a comment that leaves me absolutely chilled.
So not only do these people get health service priority, they're using our money to give them a party. Come on for God's sake, something has to be done.
- Ronnie, York, England, 23/6/2009 16:14
Click to rate Rating 471
Something must be done eh? Like a solution you mean? A final one?
Fucking frightening.
Monday, June 22, 2009
When the headline is a total lie
Lets have an old chestnut shall we? We have a story here the headline reads,
Boy, 3, enrolled on fire safety course with arsonists after he dropped lit match on carpet
What does that put you in mind of? Innocent toddler made to sit next to lunatic with an obsession with fire and a desire to burn things down? Clutching his teddy bear in fear while some thug sits next to him in some austere environment of punishment? I'm guess that's what the Mail want you to think.
What is the truth of the story? We find it at paragraph 8 (with the point about being enrolled "along side" 17 year olds reinforced in paragraph 4) where we are told.
"two fire sfatey officers visited his home and sat him down with his parents to talk through the issues of playing with matches"
Still perhaps a little OTT I grant you when dealing with a 3 year old but nevertheless tt's absolute text book Mail, while the actual story is a little to do with any of its agendas (although maybe with a nod towards "political correctness gone mad") I reckon it is one of the most blatant bit's of lying with the headline I have seen for a very long time.
Paul Dacre, take a bow.
Lets have an old chestnut shall we? We have a story here the headline reads,
Boy, 3, enrolled on fire safety course with arsonists after he dropped lit match on carpet
What does that put you in mind of? Innocent toddler made to sit next to lunatic with an obsession with fire and a desire to burn things down? Clutching his teddy bear in fear while some thug sits next to him in some austere environment of punishment? I'm guess that's what the Mail want you to think.
What is the truth of the story? We find it at paragraph 8 (with the point about being enrolled "along side" 17 year olds reinforced in paragraph 4) where we are told.
"two fire sfatey officers visited his home and sat him down with his parents to talk through the issues of playing with matches"
Still perhaps a little OTT I grant you when dealing with a 3 year old but nevertheless tt's absolute text book Mail, while the actual story is a little to do with any of its agendas (although maybe with a nod towards "political correctness gone mad") I reckon it is one of the most blatant bit's of lying with the headline I have seen for a very long time.
Paul Dacre, take a bow.
The Daily Mail
Yes, where else could I start but back with your friend and mine the Daily Mail? A couple of blogger who I read a lot have both made similar points recently. Firstly 5CC has talked about how he/she gets tired of pointing out the same tabloid tricks again and again while Anton has talked about how he is occasionally immune to the hate and bile and that comes from the Mail. It’s two sentiments that I occasionally share. It’s hard to keep going day after day trying to do something, even a small and insignificant thing like this blog, about hate filled toss rags like the Mail without eventually approaching something like emotional exhaustion. Yet the last few days have shown why it is some important for people to keep screaming and shouting.
My posts about the Mail have been fewer of late simply because while it has still been full of shit it has not been at its absolute worse. It has gone through a month or two where the hate and prejudice that are its hall mark have still been around but have not had their same intensity. It seems though that that was simply the calm before the storm. The last week or so have seen a veritable torrent of lies, prejudice, innuendo, unwarranted intrusion, scientific bull shit and just full on insanity that it as frankly beggared belief.
I'm not going to put it into one post as it would be far too long and I haven't the time, however I shall be going through various issues one by one in seperate posts.
Yes, where else could I start but back with your friend and mine the Daily Mail? A couple of blogger who I read a lot have both made similar points recently. Firstly 5CC has talked about how he/she gets tired of pointing out the same tabloid tricks again and again while Anton has talked about how he is occasionally immune to the hate and bile and that comes from the Mail. It’s two sentiments that I occasionally share. It’s hard to keep going day after day trying to do something, even a small and insignificant thing like this blog, about hate filled toss rags like the Mail without eventually approaching something like emotional exhaustion. Yet the last few days have shown why it is some important for people to keep screaming and shouting.
My posts about the Mail have been fewer of late simply because while it has still been full of shit it has not been at its absolute worse. It has gone through a month or two where the hate and prejudice that are its hall mark have still been around but have not had their same intensity. It seems though that that was simply the calm before the storm. The last week or so have seen a veritable torrent of lies, prejudice, innuendo, unwarranted intrusion, scientific bull shit and just full on insanity that it as frankly beggared belief.
I'm not going to put it into one post as it would be far too long and I haven't the time, however I shall be going through various issues one by one in seperate posts.
Back again!
Akela has been away on his holidays (or a short break really) in sunny Cornwall and would like to point out that much repeated offering that London sucks. I passed through both on my way and on my way back and simply could not believe the utter madness of the place. Coming back it was only emphasised having spent 5 days in the most chilled out possible area of the country. The pushing, the shoving, the noise, the smells, the underground and the just full on rudeness of the place all make me wonder why people live there, it’s a truly horrible experience.
Cornwall though was relaxed and friendly. The small hotel we stayed in tried to bend over backwards for us. Nothing was too much trouble, the owners were polite, friendly and genuinely wanted to welcome everyone into what was effectively their home. Truly wonderful!
Pity about the journey back with train diversions, air con that backed up, not enough luggage space, buffet car running out of food, rowdy passengers getting the hump when they got a penalty fair (look, you got caught, deal with it ok?), over crowding. What fun!
Anyway, Akela is back, mostly refreshed and ready to start fighting the good fight again! There will hopefully be plenty from me over the next day or two so watch this space.
Akela has been away on his holidays (or a short break really) in sunny Cornwall and would like to point out that much repeated offering that London sucks. I passed through both on my way and on my way back and simply could not believe the utter madness of the place. Coming back it was only emphasised having spent 5 days in the most chilled out possible area of the country. The pushing, the shoving, the noise, the smells, the underground and the just full on rudeness of the place all make me wonder why people live there, it’s a truly horrible experience.
Cornwall though was relaxed and friendly. The small hotel we stayed in tried to bend over backwards for us. Nothing was too much trouble, the owners were polite, friendly and genuinely wanted to welcome everyone into what was effectively their home. Truly wonderful!
Pity about the journey back with train diversions, air con that backed up, not enough luggage space, buffet car running out of food, rowdy passengers getting the hump when they got a penalty fair (look, you got caught, deal with it ok?), over crowding. What fun!
Anyway, Akela is back, mostly refreshed and ready to start fighting the good fight again! There will hopefully be plenty from me over the next day or two so watch this space.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Ambulance crews in asked to do their job shocker
I have a lot of respect for ambulance crews and paramedics, they work unsocoiable hours, deal with some horrific incidents and get paid a lot less money than I get. Another side of their job is educating the public on how to recognise various injuries and illnesses so that lives can be saved. Hence they attend large public events and put on displays etc.
This year they will be doing so at Brighton's gay pride march.
And guess what, the Daily Mail has got the right hump over it! Aided and abeted as ever by your friends and mine the Taxpayers Alliance!
The homophobic tone taken by this particular story is really quite sickening. We are told from the very start that staff are being encouraged to go regardless of their sexuality and that the majority are straight. Well this is true in both cases but these people are being asked to do their fucking job, that is educating the public. Would they be making such a fuss if gay paramedics were being asked to attend an event for evangelical christians? Of course they wouldn't.
No, what we have here is just good old fashioned homophobic bull shit.
Aresholes.
I have a lot of respect for ambulance crews and paramedics, they work unsocoiable hours, deal with some horrific incidents and get paid a lot less money than I get. Another side of their job is educating the public on how to recognise various injuries and illnesses so that lives can be saved. Hence they attend large public events and put on displays etc.
This year they will be doing so at Brighton's gay pride march.
And guess what, the Daily Mail has got the right hump over it! Aided and abeted as ever by your friends and mine the Taxpayers Alliance!
The homophobic tone taken by this particular story is really quite sickening. We are told from the very start that staff are being encouraged to go regardless of their sexuality and that the majority are straight. Well this is true in both cases but these people are being asked to do their fucking job, that is educating the public. Would they be making such a fuss if gay paramedics were being asked to attend an event for evangelical christians? Of course they wouldn't.
No, what we have here is just good old fashioned homophobic bull shit.
Aresholes.
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