CoffeeHousers' Wall, 26 July - 1 August

charles hercock

Lansley's Lies

The NHS budget is protected and it is stated "efficiency gains...reinvested in frontline services"

In Oxford/Buckinghamshire MH NHS foundation Trust they plan to Axe £5.4 million from the £42 million acute budget with amongst other things a cut of 15% of consultants with additional cuts in other health service professionals(see Lancet 24 July)

Even they in the cuts document acknowledge a reduction in quality of service

Let us have some honesty Lansley while you line the pockets of your commissioning GP friends

Rhoda Klapp

Of course they say it will reduce services. Because this is shroud-waving.

David Bouvier

Total NHS spending protected

Spending by individual organsations within the NHS - not protected.

Simple.

charles hercock

David Bouvier No

Workforce cuts of 14% realised through loss of frontline staff are reported by most SHA's

Lansley's lies

David Ossitt

This evenings news, has the report that the two black teenagers, who struck down an elderly Muslim (he later died from his injuries) whilst he was stood with his infant granddaughter outside a mosque have been sentenced to a term in prison, one to four and a half years, the other to three and a half.

The judge also lifted the ban on releasing their identity so that their names can be known and their photographs could be shown as a deterrent to others who might indulge in the pastime of happy slapping.

Looking at the photographs of the teenagers all that I could see were two ugly, dead eyed, mindless cretins, who will never ever be of any worth; the only deterrent that would have any effect would be to have them hung by the neck until dead.

Verity

David Ossitt - The BBC and Cameron would never allow the return of capital punishment to Britian. It hands too much control to the electorate.

I suggest a way round this - given the failure of the major parties to protect the public rather than the criminals - would be to outsource capital punishment to willing countries. Cuba might work. They could do with the income. China could definitely work. The PMs of most black African countries would be glad of the extra cash for their wives' shopping trips. How about Libya?

One could send the murderers and rapists for 'rehabilitation' and express surprise that they never came back.

John Richardson

This is the best essay I have read for a couple of years.

"America's Ruling Class – and The Perils of Revolution"
By Angelo M. Codevilla

It's in 'The American Spectator'.

It could prove especially usefull for anyone who voted for Cameron's Conservatives and feels dissapointed...and a bit silly.

Occasional Ostrich

If 96.2% of Professors are agin' the establishment of private universities then they must be a GOOD THING . . . right?

Remind me again: When, centuries ago, English universities were among the cream of European educational establishments, just how much influence did government exert?

daniel maris

Verity - Aren't you a bit worried that the murder rate in Mexico is 8 times that of the UK's? Shouldn't you be devoting your considerable skills to battling for greater public safety in Mexico since you live there?

More generally, the problem in this country is we have had a discredited criminal justice system created by weak politicians and administered by weak judges. Public safety is taking not a back seat, but a place in the boot, bound and gagged.

The death penalty for this behaviour would lead unwarranted sympathy for these repugnant thugs. Happy slapping is not that new...John Lennon was doing something not so dissimilar back in the 60s...running up behind old ladies and shouting "boo" v. loudly, something that equally could lead to death.

What is required in this sort of case is a v. long sentence - about 10 years, whether or not anyone dies. We would find that happy slapping will disappear overnight.

Anne Wotana Kaye 1

Verity: Brilliant idea. But no government would dare to enact it. They would be too scared in case some of their members were sent along for the ride.
David Ossitt: My heart ached for that little girl who saw her grandfather killed. A lenient sentence from the usual criminally insane type of judge.

Marek

There must be other people like me who are totally fed up that the conservatives went back on their promise to lift the exemption limit on inheritance tax to £1 million. Why are we being so passive about it especially as the commitment electrified the party faithful?

Nicholas

Oh God have we got another lefty troll here? Putting up with Yank and John Richardson's copiously lengthy but obscure love-ins about China was bad enough, (billions behind a water buffalo, etc.) and I'm bound to get a sanctimonious telling-off from the one and a rasping rant from the other for daring to mention it but now we have another surrogate Fat Bloke on Tour/Richard the Dork as well.

Verity

For this you voted Conservative?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1297906/Cameron-Those-Turkey-joining-EU-playing-fears-Islam.html

Get shot of Dave or the Tories will never win another election, ever.

EC

Nicholas @ 11:28pm

You also risk bringing the wrath of phil down upon us! I'm sure that he still lurketh hereabouts.

With regard to the tedium of the litanies that you mention, at least Fatbloke On Tour had the merit of being relatively brief and occasionally funny.

Austin Barry

Cameron is lobbying for Turkey to join the EU?

He is either rather dim (and given last weekend's absurdities that is a possibility) or playing a canny long game knowing that France will prevent any EU accession by the unspeakable Turks. Unhappily, I suspect it's the former.

Derek

Verity

The headlines of the Daily Telegraph sume up the prime minister's rubbishy position even more starkly: "David Cameron urges European Union to drop 'prejudice' against Turkey.
David Cameron will today demand an end to the anti-Muslim 'prejudice' which he claims is blocking Turkey's membership of the European Union."

At least, however, we now have a better idea as to why Mr. Fraser Nelson chose, or more likely was strong-armed,to renege on his promise to comment on Neathergate in the Spectator.

Derek

Another related area where the Spectator has its head stuck in the sand is Iran. I note that the former head of the CIA, Michael Hayden, said on Sunday that US military action against Iran "seems inexorable",

Andy Carpark

John Richardson - At 12,400 words, I have not had a chance to do more than skim. However, I just plucked out this plum, somewhere around the bottom of the fifth page:

'Let members of the country class object to anything the ruling class says or does, and likely as not their objection will be characterized as "religious," that is to say irrational, that is to say not to be considered on a par with the "science" of which the ruling class is the sole legitimate interpreter.'

It chimes with the following passage in Roger Scruton's 'Thinkers of the Left'.

'The underlying theory of Gramsci's celebrated Prison Notebooks is … the true theory of fascism: of the power which had pre-empted Gramsci's ambition by realising it in other hands. When, in an early article, Gramsci described the proletariat as making up an ideal unity, a fascio, he anticipated in his hopes precisely the form of social order which was later to be achieved by his rival [Mussolini]. The philosophy of praxis - so like the philosophical "dynamism" of Mussolini … retains its charm for the intellectual precisely because it promises him both power over the masses and a mysterious unity with them.

'[The reason why the Left] needs to identify the fascist as the single enemy is that there is no better way to conceal one's intentions than to describe them as the intentions of one's enemies.'

Anne Wotana Kaye 1

Derek: Re Neathergate: You have surely hit the hammer upon the fez.

Frank P

I appreciate that we have now reached the silly season for journalism, but one little item in yesterday's Daily Telegraph provoked an amused harrumph and may be a sign of what the next few weeks will bring forth in the newspapers.

According to Richard Adams (a 'news' reporter apparently) Lynn Barber the iconoclastic columnist, during her recent stint on 'Desert Island Discs', boasted that at Oxford she had slept with 50 different men. She is quoted as saying, "It was quite good going - I was jamming them in".

Really? I would have though that by No's 48, 49 and 50, the hapless recipients of her sexual largesse would have needed to employ the help of a fellow student to hold on to their heels to prevent them from falling in.
'Jamming', either in the forceful, or lubricative interpretations would surely have been unnecessary by then, though in the latter case, during oral foreplay, it may have somewhat sweetened an otherwise sour experience, perhaps?

John Richardson

Mr Carpark,

Crikey, 12,400 words ! Is it really ? Well, just goes to show how diligent & learned and on holiday I am.
Thanks for the Prof. Scruton, he used to be a bit of a hero of mine*.

The 'American Spectator' essay dissects our (trans Atlantic) problem of a parasitic ruling class of 'progressives'.
For example, Mr Cameron cannot simply explain that he wants Turkey to join the EU. He has to claim that the common herd who disagree; 'fear Islam'.
So they can be ignored as they are not rational.

"By identifying science and reason with themselves, our rulers delegitimise opposition." Pg 4.
At least he did not say we were 'racist'. Or something-o-phobic.

This one is for Verity....

For those confused at why people become powerful, despite being as thick as: Cameron; whoever that Home Secretary is; Harman; oh, that previous Home Secretary, the thief;
the qualification-free ex-Head of OfSTED who explained children 'need one ****
Teacher' while at school; The EU's Foreign Minister/Secretary thingy......etc etc .

Professor Codevilla has this explanation...

"Our ruling class's agenda is power for itself.....it stakes its claim through intellectual-moral pretense.......
The most successful neither write books and papers that stand up to criticism nor release their academic records. Thus does our ruling class stunt itself through negative selection. But the more it has dumbed itself down, the more it has defined itself by the presumption of intellectual superiority. " Pg 2

As for 'The Big Society', a dangerous attempt to undermine non-government controlled organisations & create State interference at every level of society.....

"Hence our ruling class's standard approach to any and all matters, its solution to any and all problems, is to increase the power of the government meaning of those who run it, meaning themselves, to profit those who pay with political support for privileged jobs, contracts, etc. Hence more power for the ruling class has been our ruling class's solution.......[to everything]"

Great stuff.

*I fear if the above essay had appeared in 'The Salisbury Review' it would not have contained any solutions or constructive suggestions. Just moaning & bleating. Hope not.

Anne Wotana Kaye 1

Frank P: I wont berate you for rudeness because Lynn Barber is a self-confessed slut, and looks and sounds like one. What angers me is that slapper now hosting "Desert Island Discs" has reduced a once great and dearly loved programme to the lowest common level. Roy Plomley was a perfect interviewer, but then what can we expect of anybody with the name Kirsty? It's rather like a Wayne, a Jade, or any of the other crudities polluting our senses.

Andy Carpark

Frank P, That reminds me of a scene in the Barry Mackenzie cartoons by Humphries and Garland. In Australian, a 'feature' means a date with a member of the opposite sex, culminating in a bit of how's your father.

In one episode, Barry is taken to a party to meet some 60s media swells: 'My husband will be there. He does features on the telly.'

'Features on the telly? Christ, he must have been game. Was his face covered?'

In fact, I've got a train of thought going now, involving a tale which is …

Strange … but true!!!

Aficionados of pornographic films in the 70s may recall that in some features, the genital areas of the actors were obscured by tiles (can't recall the technical term). This device was especially popular in films exported to Hong Kong where people used to be a bit on the prudish side.

Anyway, after a while, some Chinese genius found a way to decode the tiling so that the original action could be viewed in proper detail. Unfortunately, there was a bug in the prototype. In clarifying the censored area, his device managed simultaneously to obscure the rest of the screen with said 'tiles'. Result: all but the centre of the screen became a meaningless blur, leaving in the centre a perfectly depicted docking operation.

Always a pleasure to exchange off-colour stories with a fellow connoisseur, Frank.

Frank P

Andy car park

I think that's spelled 'connoissewer' in this case. But I was just reporting and commenting upon the reporting of the news, actually; though I entirely concur with the judgement of AWK in regard to Desert Island Discs of the Roy Plomley era.

Ahh, those gentle days of yore, when filth was peddled only by a couple of under-the-counter newsagents in Soho, sepia snaps of 'what the butler saw' etc., before the egregious John Mortimer QC opened the floodgates for the porn industry to move in as the commando arm in the culture war that has subsequently resulted in a rout for the Gramsci inspired warriors; not to mention filled the coffers of some of the most obnoxious British associates of Cosa Nostra. Organized Crime never misses an opportunity to cash in on the loosening of vice laws against gambling, organised prostitution, drugs and pornography, their staple businesses.

I suppose Lynn Barber must be congratulated in that regard, for under-cutting The Mob and providing the 'goodies' for free. Perhaps the last assertion is presumptuous as she looks like a gal with an eye for main chance and she wouldn't be the first nympho to cash in on her proclivity?

Verity

Davey probably also believes that those of us - i.e. the vast majority of Brits - who object to the notion of Turkey being allowed into the EU is "racism".

No Davey of the avuncular, know-it-all posturing, it's because Turkey isn't in Europe geographically, mentally, religiously or historically. If they let Turkey in, we would have to change the name of the EU to the far more honest New World Order.

Turkey doesn't have any more European features than does Indonesia or Japan.

Avuncular, know-it-all Davey needs to deprive of us his "thinking" on anything for a long period of time. Preferably forever.

How long before we can get rid of him? I don't detect the seeds of a putsch anywhere. But he mustn't be allowed to salt the political earth for the Conservative Party.

Noa

May I take this opportunity to make it clear to the public that, despite any prevailing rumours concerning men who were in England at that time, I have never had sexual relations with this woman, either at Oxford or otherwise.

Anne Wotana Kaye 1

The extradition from the UK of a former Bosnian president wanted for alleged war crimes in Serbia has been blocked. Ganic will not be sent to face trial as "it would be political". Methinks that if this 'gentleman' was a Christian, or heaven forbid a Jew, Liberty and the whole of Scotland's Bleeding Heart University alumini would be baying for his blood.

Verity

AWK Correct.

Richard of Moscow

Well said Anne Wotana Kaye 1.

Strange how we sent a barking mad English judge to preside over the now apparently apolitical trial of Milosevic, and kept shtum when the trial failed to produce a shred of evidence of any wrongdoing.

Noa Zrk

Fed up of duplicious politicos of all hues?

Try a little English patriotism!

http://www.royalsocietyofstgeorge.com/index2.htm

Verity

Funniest headline of the day, from The Telegraph, Wed:

Baroness Ashton moves to take control of Bosnia

Nicholas

Are we hearing the first shrill tones of nannyism from the coalition? Never mind the binge-drinking Theresa it's the binge-quangoing, and binge-ACPOing that need kicking into touch.

"Following the completion of the trial, the Home Secretary agreed on 24 November 2008 to allow chief police officers of all forces in England and Wales, from 1 December 2008, to extend Taser use to specially-trained units in accordance with current Association of Chief Police Officers policy and guidance, which states that Taser can be used only where officers would be facing violence or threats of violence of such severity that they would need to use force to protect the public, themselves, and/or the subject(s). A fund for up to 10,000 additional Tasers is being made available for individual chief police officers to bid for Tasers based on their own operational requirements."

Note the missing "debated in Parliament" bit. It seems that a few self-appointed grandees in ACPO have the authority to tool up our "civilians in uniform" at the same time as they disarm us.

And judging by a few recent examples the "guidance" doesn't appear to be especially well followed.

Anne Wotana Kaye 1

An "elaborate and outrageous scam" is how Judge Judge Stephen Robbins described how an unemployed lorry driver tried to sell the London Ritz to avaricious speculators. The man, who managed to obtain almost one million pounds in a deposit was sentenced to five years in prison. When we see murderers, rapists and sadists sentenced for less, it becomes obvious that the 'criminal' had over-stepped the borders we allow our citizens. How dare an ordinary working-class bloke go in for the sort of trickery normal in the day to day life of bankers, politicians and top management of international concerns? This man's potential has been sorely wasted, he could have probably done a better job than the so-called experts now being paid off with huge golden handshakes. Anthony Lee, could have had such a different life, probably finishing up with a peerage in the House of Lords, but he didn't pay off the right people.

Private Schultz

Hoping for third time lucky, but more likely flogging a dead horse.

Now you've got a box advert for The Times too, PLEASE could you remove the intensely irritating unfurling banner at the top of many of your pages. I'd be more interested in a report on how many (or few) people are prepared to pay to subscribe.

EC

If Tasers are non lethal then is there any reason why members of the public shouldn't be allowed to carry them for their own protection?

Ronnie

Tasers! We just can't wait to get our hands on weapons. Tasers, phasers-on-stun, electric chairs from IKEA, nuking the badlands on the AfPak border. Excellent form!

I'm just guessing but I suspect tasering someone with a heart condition might prove fatal. And...I'm sure we could replace mugging with tasering in pretty short order.

Frank P

I find myself in entire agreement with an old adversary, Steve Wynn. The World is [indeed] Upside Down:

http://americandigest.org/mt-archives/citizens/post_27.php

Frank P

Anne

As the Barclay Bros, the owners of this illustrious magazine, still own the Ritz, I'm surprised the scamster didn't threw in the Spectator for an extra twenty quid. Perhaps he did and the mark thought it over-priced and declined?

Frank P

Hope your senses of humour are tuned up for this one:

http://americandigest.org/mt-archives/enemies_foreign_domestic/army_announces_new_assign.php

EC

The point that I was trying to make, Ronnie, is that ever since the police were armed with 10,000 Tasers in 2008/9 (by Jacqui Smith gawd bless her) they have been routinely misusing them ever since - like every other toy they are given eg. pepper spray and cynical arrests using terror laws

The original purpose of tasers was stated as:

Officials say the gun could be be used against anyone who put the lives or safety of officers and the public at risk. That includes aggressive drunken yobs, knife-wielding criminals and those who go "berserk" in public.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article5204516.ece

I don't think that "officials" mentioned tasering someone's bollocks as an authorised use:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1296195/Police-officer-accidentally-blasts-man-groin-50-000-volt-Taser.html

If you Google "UK Police tasers" you will find any number of examples of misuse of tasers- including a diabetic in a coma!

Our very own Frank P managed to uphold the law armed only with the threat of drawing a standard truncheon - a perfectly adequate, non lethal device with the magic ability for cunning stunts. The problem today, dare I say, is with the calibre of police recruits, their training and commanders. The recent events in Cumbria have exposed this for all to see.

No, if the ordinary members of the public are going to be confronted by badly trained, trigger happy boys in blue then I'd like something to fight back with that is proportionate.

EC

Frank P, July 28th, 2010 1:28pm

Very funny indeed!

Verity

EC, agreed. Also, AWK's post above.

Speaking of the the government arm formerly known as the Police Force, if the coalition does, as promised, institute elected police commissioners, I guarantee you 100% that they will do it all wrong and render the system totally ineffectual.

Instead of taking the template from US cities, (which they will refer to with a curled, superior lip as "the Americans") they will make up their own fanciful, babyish, over-complicated rules that render the service ineffectual.

Mark my words. They will get it wrong. It won't work. The lefty critics will say, "I told you so!"

Anne Wotana Kaye 1

Private Schultz: No way, sir.

When the "Times" removed the 'Hatched, Matched & Despatched' from their front page, I ceased buyig their paper.
Frank P: I forgot about the "Spectator". Shall we send the poor bugger copies to read in his prison cell? Perhaps he can join us happy band of CH Wall contributors.

Frank P

I re-read Mark Steyn's 'America Alone' again yesterday. I sincerely hope that he decides, while enjoying himself on an exotic beach somewhere, to write an update of the developments since O'Barmy took over the world. I do enjoy horror stories laced with wit, whimsy and laugh-out-loud piss-taking of the highest order. It is the only way to to remain sane.

Barry Shaw

The headline to Melanie Phillips article about David Cameron's shameful speech in Turkey (1940 this is not) is incorrect.

For Britain's Prime Minister is grovelling to the leader of a nation whose policies are being rejected by Europe and much of the Western world.
Therefore, for David 'Chamberlain' Cameron, the year is 1938.

Just as Neville Chamerlain thought that appeasement to Hitler would change the nature of Nazi Germany, so Cameron thinks that flattering his host will change the character of an Erdogan government in Turkey.

Europeans look on Turkey with justified deep suspicion. Not so Cameron. He is prepared to overlook Turkey's troublesome history that includes the massacre of one million Armenians, the violent occupation of Cyprus, the violent provocation towards Israel in support of the Hamas regime in Gaza. Kurds were being killed by Turks as Cameron was visiting with Erdogan. No mention was made by Cameron to any of these concerns.
Instead, Cameron stated that he would champion Turkey's cause to enter Europe as a full and leading member, insulting France and Germany as he did so.

God help Europe if Cameron makes good on his pledge, but I suppose that is a question of which god we are talking about.

Frank P

Top of the class:

http://powip.com/2010/07/bwahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaa/#comments

Ronnie

Sorry EC, I didn't see your reply until now.

I think Frank P with, or without, a truncheon is probably a very scary experience but I guess they are just not trained to be scary any more.

Anne Wotana Kaye 1

Barry Shaw: I completely agree with your posting, Barry, and wonder whether DC is really naive or has a sinister agenda.

lescam

on a lighter note;

from the BBC - "A partial set of false teeth made for Sir Winston Churchill has been sold for £15,200 at an auction in Norfolk."

is this buyer totally sane? I speak as a lifelong devotee of Churchill.

it reminds me of the woman who kept a half-eaten biscuit left by the Queen Mother, for 50 years.

that's life.....

Verity

Barry Shaw - thanks for an excellent summation.

Personally, I think Cameron is rather stupid, but as with all powerful but rather thick people, others, more clever, see their opportunity and step in to be their confidant.

Tony Blair, who was also, I believe, rather evil himself, or at least depressingly stupid and greedy, had Mandelslime. And still has Cherie.

Anne Wotana Kaye 1

Recalling a famous description in Michener's "Centennial " of rutting bison, "they covered themselves with copious amounts of urine and wallowed in the dust", my husband says Cameron is wallowing in his premiership!

Frank P

Written by Obama's buddies (and advisors):

http://www.archive.org/stream/YouDontNeedAWeathermanToKnowWhichWayTheWindBlows_925/weather_djvu.txt

Just so you know where we are headed.

Anita Dunn, David Cameron's campaign advisor, is also a friend of the authors of this tract.

Now THAT'S scary, Ronnie!

Incidentally, Ronnie, I was Jack Warner's avuncularity coach. The first and only time my twelve inches of lignum vitae was used was when I was dispossessed of it outside a clip-joint in Denman Street, Soho, soon after leaving Hendon, by the oppo of a drunken detainee, who, taking advantage of my preoccupation with a stroppy prisoner, took me from behind, so to speak, whizzed my truncheon from its sheath and clouted me with it. He in turn was arrested by a member of the cavalry (literally) who had heard the urgent toots of my silver whistle - no Personal Radios in those days - and galloped from the County Fire Office Mounted Patrol in Piccadilly Circus (always lurking there of a Saturday night) to render assistance.

As I told Sir Laurence Dunne the next Monday morning at Bow Street, my assailant did not apologise, but he was, indeed, very, very sorry. Sir Laurence fined him forty shillings - having deduced, from my mitigating remark (probably correctly) that summary justice had already been partially administered.

Thereafter, I applied the old maxim, taught by me elders and betters, that 'the tongue is mightier than the truncheon' (I leave EC to develop that line of thought)and thereafter kept it deeply buried in the pocket, with no dangling strap to tempt the nimble fingers of the whizzers [Victorian slang for pick-pockets] of the Front, that stretch of mischief between Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square infested by the habitués of London's Underworld in those days.

And they didn't teach us to be 'scary' in that era; we were very privileged to wear the Uniform that then carried with it the authority that had been accrued over a century and a half by a Force that was a much loved pillar of Britain's culture by then. The people who have pissed that authority, respect and affection down the drain deserve to be tasered to death with their own ridiculous toys. The Bobbies of those days could petrify a villain from a distance of 20 yards with a measured stare.

yank

Frank P,

You lot need more guns over there. In states with concealed carry here, the predators are quite fussy about accosting their prey. The violent crime rates in states that liberalize their gun laws always seem to drop immediately. Imagine that.

They say an armed society is a polite society. There is some truth to that. No offense to the cops, but they'll always arrive just in time to tag your body. Best to have other plans, when the shite hits the fan.

Site Escapee

Omigod! Has anyone else had the experience of mistakenly clicking "Times" (I'm scared to write its formal name in case it hauls me back in) link of this parish? - - I didn't willingly click on it - - and throwing you into a neck lock that you couldn't escape while you still had life in your body?

Warning ... these people are desperate. I add my voice to those others who have complained about this aggressive link - be wary. It will take you actual minutes of your life to disentangle yourselves.

Nightmare. Upside is, lefty The Times is desperate. It has nothing to offer that people are buying.

That's capitalism for you.

Chelsea Uhuru Zi´ppy

Saturday and 52 comments.

This site is going down the tubes. It moves with the peppy urgency of benefits slags at the school gates in their pajamas.

Ronnie

Frank P.

I think you should write a memoir, if you haven't already done so. It would certainly be more interesting and long-lasting that the two-minute thrills provided by ex-cabinet minsters and their spear-carriers.

Jack Warner! Really?

John Richardson

"Upside is, lefty The Times is desperate. It has nothing to offer that people are buying."
Site Escapee.

Absolutely correct, the lying, PC, mainstream, dinosaur-media is dead on it's feet.
All they have left is, '...intellectual moral pretense...', and a herd of docile bovine followers who would pay for & watch absolutely anything. Anything whatsoever as long as it pretends to 'authority'.
These people have no intellectual self respect. (I know their viewing figures are tiny, but who on Earth actually watches 'Channel 4 News', for goodness sake ?)
We should remember that these 'news media' are agents of social control. Their owners are more concerned with controlling debate and propagating ideas. This is why plummeting 'viewing figures' or 'readership' do not concern them as much as debasing and polluting public discourse, do concern them.
I recall hearing 'Newsnight' can have as few as 170,000 viewers.
For the 'flagship' current affairs program !
Funny & pathetic.
Yet again though, who are these 170,000 ?
They can't ALL be Social Workers can they ?

Again, I suppose some people were still buying 'Pravda' as the Warsaw Pact countries fell to pieces. Still buying it now, probably.

"I didn't willingly click on it........be wary. It will take you actual minutes of your life to......[escape]"
Site Escapee.

No sympathy.
I suppose you listen to Radio Four do you ?
Oh, never miss 'The Moral Maze' eh ?
Typical.

It's all you deserve.....
It's nature's way.
A ruthless Darwinian logic dictates you DID NOT DESERVE those minutes of life !
Instead, 'The Times' claims them for it's own: the energy; the hatred; the humiliation; the helplessness; the ink on your jeans.

The more evolved humans would avoid 'The Times' the way a fox avoids the hounds. It's in the blood.

Sam ARMSTRONG

John Richardson, indeed, and Peter Hitchens' 'The Broken Compass' describes in detail exactly what you say above, that the news media and the politicians are all in on one big scam.

We are the only ones who think in terms of left and right, for the elite it is just power for power's sake.

Austin Barry

Frank P. is, as always, amusing and perceptive, but omitted to mention that the respect accorded to old time coppers was in large measure due to a backdrop of a terrifying judiciary of hangers, floggers and "take him down" ten-stretchers. Just one look at Lord Goddard's face was enough to keep most people honest, and I know from personal experience that Judge Melford-Stevenson even frightened innocent young articling clerks sitting behind counsel. (Melford-Stevenson did though have a sense of humour: to a man acquitted of rape he commented, “I see you come from Slough. It is a terrible place. You can go back there.")

Frank P

Ronnie

Ronnie

I want to believe, Frank P, I really do.

Frank P

Ronnie

"Jack Warner! Really?"

Watch - I'll flex me knees and say "Evening all", "Mind how you go" and "Take care" and you'll immediately see where he got it from.

No! Not really Ronnie, that was quip in response to your 'scary' dig. But not so far off the truth, actually; he spent some time visiting the local central London nicks to pick up pointers for his performances and he was revered at Paddington Green police station; a posse from there attended his funeral in 1981.

Actually, by the time he played PC George Dixon in the 1950 film "The Blue Lamp", in which he was killed incidentally, he would have been too old to be a copper of that rank. They had to resuscitate him 1n 1955 to play Dixon of Dock Green for the TV series and he was sixty years old by then.

However, the Blue Lamp was shown at Hendon as a training aid when I joined and despite what the cynics say now about its somewhat romantic depiction of the London Bobby, it wasn't too far off the mark then. It was a good exemplar for youngsters joining The Job anyway.

Austin Barry

You are quite right about the judicial back- up that enabled the aura of the Uniform and the office generally. But also the guys who trained me were mostly men who had returned from the war, during which many had held high rank and wore the medals of their exploits; many were content to return as beat Constables and the experience was where it was needed most - at the sharp end. First responders (whether on foot or the experienced crews of 'area cars') are the most important element of policing in so many ways, and those guys did not take shit from anyone, but also knew how to treat their real 'customers' the law-abiding punters. Now they have been replaced to a great extent with semi-trained para-police offices (in some cases cardboard cut-outs) and para-military storm troopers for public order events. The role of the unarmed Bobby has been grossly devalued and therein lies the problem; a familiar one in so many walks of life, too many chiefs and 'specialists' and not enough ornery grunts to do the real spade work. Perhaps I should have said shovel, rather than spade there, there are those who might be only too ready to misinterpret the expression!

We were all 'community policemen' in those days. Why that has now been designated as a separate specialised duty defeats me. Such is 'progess'. No wonder 'progressive' has become a pejorative term. (Take note David Cameron).

Verity

John Richardson, thanks for a very funny post.

I was also one of those who did no more than pass a mouse over that banner on my way to somewhere else and was immediately in the tight embrace of its anaconda-like coils, and I, too, couldn't fight free. Well, I did, of course, through British grit and determination, but it was an experience that will live with me for years.

I agree that the British media seems to have become an agent of the government, with a strong interest in preserving the status quo and furthering state control.

This includes certain elements at The Speccie. No names, no pack drill, but we have all noted that the promised Neathergate piece has never actually come into being.

And because the newsfeeds are so bland - I except David Blackburn who seems to have peppy opinions - there is little to comment upon. The Wall this week is barely up to 60 thoughts from readers. Down from over 200 a couple of weeks ago.

Ronnie

That's a really great post Frank P.

John Richardson

"The Wall this week is barely up to 60 thoughts from readers. Down from over 200 a couple of weeks ago."
Verity.
Huuum, that got me thinking Verity.
Depends upon how you look at it really.

There are three theories:-

1) As power has been treacherously given away from Parliament, politics becomes essentially irrelevant at best, and a charade at worst. People realise that theirs views, opinions hopes & fears make no difference to (foreign) decision makers & therefore comment on blogs far less.
2) They're on holiday.
3) 'The Times' banner got them all. Every one. Leaving a 'leaner meaner' nucleus to repopulate the blogosphere with interesting ideas etc etc .

As YOU are reading this, you qualify (according to my theory) to hear about a wonderful idea another 'Times' survivor just posted on a 'Telegraph' blog (I'm pretty sure I'll be able to pass the idea off as my own, but that doesn't matter for now).

Right.
Irritated that your country is being ruled by perverts,liars and thieves ?
Already bored at the prospect of the stupid and ignorant media-political-class gibbering away for hours about an AV PR referendum that you do not care about ?
Thirsting for vengeance after lost months on 'The Times' begging-for-subscriptions' site ?

You are not alone.
You can fight back.

Ignore THEIR referendum.
Have your own.
Why not have 'A People's Referendum' ?
Simply write 'Out of the EU' on your ballot.
They would have to record it as 'spoiled'.
With luck it would be one of the few recent occasions the Lib. Dems have lost out to 'spoiled' in a fair fight.
Imagine the fun of listening to Mr Cameron lying and lying and lying again about all the extra powers he had transferred abroad since his promise to not to.
Together, we could ensure BOTH options lost, the way that thinking voters ensured ALL parties lost the General Election.
That would make Mr Cameron 0/2.
Tough stats to smirk at, even for him.

He gave OUR referendum to Nick Clegg.
We want it back, over their dead bodies if practically possible.

Regards.

EC

Frank P @3:13 pm

"The role of the unarmed Bobby has been grossly devalued and therein lies the problem"

How very true and, as a consequence, the interaction with the general public has deteriorated to the point where they are worried about their true motivation. What you say about experience being devalued and replaced by self-serving careerists applies to so many other walks of life. Might not any general unease felt about modern policing methods also have something to do with political appointments, stooges, to the higher ranks?

As Spike Milligan used to say, "Now you know what's wrong with the bloody country!"

Verity

John Richardson, This is my third attempt to say how brilliant your post above is.

I am driven, through a downage of my desk top, to use my lap top, which was apparently developed, in a fit of spite, by Basil Fawlty - although even he could not teach the ACER - that is A C E R - helpline a lesson in brick wall hostility. I wrote a response twice, and twice, without my hitting a key after the last full stop, simply whited out the screen.

Perhaps that tease "Lord" Ahmad sent round 10,000 of the boys to unhook critical cables.

Forty-five minutes after the first response I wrote and I'm quitting while I'm ahead. Your post was great.

Verity

EC - They have armed police in the United States. The attractive thing about this is, it works. Perps get offed. And in most of Texas, if you have an emergency and call the police, the first thing they ask is where you keep your gun. Then they tell you to keep it out on the bedside table for the rest of the night. Then they tell you, "If you have to shoot, shoot to kill. Don't shoot to wound."

Intelligent and pragmatic. If you kindly shoot to wound, the perp is going to recover, at public expense, in hospital and then sue you. His word against yours. Bullets do the job.

As has been said so many times ... An armed society is a polite society. In an armed society, for example, no one slides into a parking space ahead of a person who was about to back into it. No one lets a swing door bang into the face of the person behind them.

Courtesy. It's nice.

Frank P

EC

I concur with your (and Spike's) summary. I do indeed now know what's wrong with the country, but sadly am now reduced to barking at the moon in protest and frustration at my own impotence in my senile attempts to do anything about it, or indeed imbue our heirs and successors with the desire to affect the game. Best I can do now is point the way to information that's available to enlighten the uninformed and hope they then realise who's screwing 'em and why. But as you know, there's none so deaf and blind as those that don't wish to hear or see. And then there are of course the one's who are doin' the screwin'! :-)

Keep the aspidistra flying!

Derek

As a footnote to the "junior partner in 1940" thread, I came across the interesting statement in the current issue of Commentary magazine this week that world-wide in 1939 the USA had only the 17th largest military.

Nicholas

Derek, yes there is a tendency to conflate post-1945 American capability following wartime industrial expansion with the reduced, backward, post-depression US forces of the late 1930's. And indeed to conflate industrial potential with actual military strength.

In 1940 the Americans had nothing that could touch a Spitfire and the first "aid" from them (bought and paid for) consisted of trainer aircraft developed with British expertise and input, coastal patrol and bomber aircraft developed from civilian designs plus the gift of some obsolete destroyers. The Eagle squadrons were not established by the time of the Battle of Britain, and in any case were manned by volunteers who did not represent official US assistance but rather a maverick desire to get in on the action. Lend-Lease also came later, and the cost was not waived by the USA as they had waived German reparations but instead insisted on until finally repaid in the early years of the 21st Century. While Germany rebuilt herself with American indulgence, a Britain bankrupt by almost six years of war was being squeezed for every last cent by her "ally". The "special relationship" was indeed special (and still is) in its one-sided and exploitative nature.

The idea that Britain was a "junior partner" to the United States in 1940 is ridiculous. There was a strong pro-German lobby in US government at that time and a belief, commented upon here before, that Britain would capitulate or be invaded. Had that occurred the United States would have stood by and watched, then adjusted its foreign policy to suit the new circumstances accordingly.

The destruction of Britain's Imperial status and influence in the Far East was largely initiated by a Japanese attack that was directly in response to US pressure and diplomatic aggression against Japan. But the USA completed the work. For further evidence of US mischief making, undermining and back-stabbing the events in CBI 1945-1949, but particularly in China and Indo-China should be explored.

Thucydides

Verity,

I understand what all those guns are for now. Shooting people who take your parking space, or don't hold the door open. That's presumably why there are about 8 trillion more murders (per capita, or PER CAPITA if you prefer) in the States than soppy lefty places like Britain.

daniel maris

Chelsea Uhuru -

That was a rather magnificent description:

"This site is going down the tubes. It moves with the peppy urgency of benefits slags at the school gates in their pajamas."

daifromwales

Has Cameron gone completely potty? The Pakistan government may well not be perfect - but who'd want to be in their shoes? A Prime Minister who claims that 'the Truth must be told' is clearly an idiot. If politicians will not lie in the best interests of their country, they should be kicked out! He's behaving just like Blair already: "Let's have a 'moral' foreign policy" (and never mind if we all starve or are bombed into oblivion as a consequence).

After the UK was so soundly defeated by the USA in 1945, all we should be doing is keeping our heads down and making money. Like Germany and Japan.

Verity

Daniel Maris - "Chelsea Uhuru -

"That was a rather magnificent description:

"This site is going down the tubes. It moves with the peppy urgency of benefits slags at the school gates in their pajamas."

Thank you.

Frank Sutton

More than 24 hours since the previous post on the Wall - will Sunday Aug 1 pass into history as the day no-one posted?
well, if this one gets up, I suppose not...

Polly Gamma

Dai should you stop trying to make omlettes because you don’t want to crack eggs?

Verity

Frank Sutton - You are right. Around 24 hours with no posts. Frankly, I have a feeling The Wall is finished.

The Mekon doesn't like the fact that everyone has glommed Dave the phoney's non right-wing credentials.

I was wondering where to go next, and ran across Gerald Warner over at The Telegraph, who has many articulate, intelligent and funny posters. The bad news is, you have to register.

But genuinely right wing blog. Not Lib Dem in fur coat and no knickers.

Werity

Polly Glama or whatever (aspirational, I assume), did you think you had a point? Could you give us a reference?

I assume you know that omelettes and breaking eggs is a "crack" - oh! forgive me! - about 600 years old?

Could you explain your "original take" on this ancient yolk? (I'm Norwegian.)

daifromwales

Werity - Polly's point is that we must accept the pain that accompanies gain.
My point is that I believe our foreign policy should aim should be to reduce the numbers of our enemies, and not to increase them by (in this case) deliberately insulting other national governments - especially as there is no chance whatsoever that comments like that will have any positive effect.

John Richardson

Verity**
2:44am
'daifromwales'
8:33am

Re Mr Cameron.
It took the MSM two years to catch up with what the likes of you(?) & I were saying about Brown.
That he was not up to the job of PM. No big deal. Neither would I, be up to the job. However, it is important that he was
SO OBVIOUSLY not up to the job. I honestly think I could stare into the distance meaningfully, I could easily go through the charade of a MSM interview without cocking up, I could do all sorts of 'Prime Ministerial stuff' and look good on TV. He couldn't. He couldn't even say words. He couldn't even actually talk. He was so bad he did not even try talking to 'real' people for years.
The whole 'Gordon Brown is your unelected* Prime Minister' demeaned us all; but most especially it demeaned the MSM.
Now Cameron.
All those cowards and ********s who voted for him owe us a grovelling apology. I would not accept it. I would demand recompense.
They ALL KNEW he was a traitor.
They ALL KNEW he hated conservatism.
They ALL KNEW he saw himself as heir to Blair.
They ALL KNEW he was a bare faced liar.
Yet, with MSM convince, they hid behind expediency and nailed perhaps the final nail in GB's coffin.
'Oh, we are so shocked he is handing over British Subjects to foreign Police agencies only weeks after the election', the snivelling cowards will protest.
Liars.
You all knew who he really was.
That's why millions of real conservatives withdrew their support when he showed his hand.

Anyway,
the point I'm trying to make is that the MSM lie that we are governed by a competent class is unravelling more quickly with Cameron than they could anticipate.
'dai.' Your point about Britain's enemies/friends is well made. Did you ever think you would need to give such advise to a PM ?
Well you do, ain't it peculiar ?
Yesterday, Peter Hitchens said Cameron was 'not well briefed' before his infantile 'Turkey into EU' outburst. We all know this is next to impossible.
The MSM does not any longer have the sedimentary deposits of trust it did with Blair/Brown in Office.
We all know they are paid lairs.
So, with such an inadequate as Cameron embarrassing himself so regularly and needlessly, politics could become interesting for all the wrong reasons.
I want to continue my lengthy accusation that the MSM are dangerous and treacherous. That they have (thankfully for right wing patriots) backed a loser in Cameron, but I must stop for now.
I'd like your thoughts regarding the disassociative effect of having the MSM present these people as competent, legitimate, honest individuals. Don't know if it'll be on this wall.
(In America, the truth about Obama, despite the MSM, surfaced very quickly. He was actually popular as well.)

*I know the arrangement was Constitutional but Blair had explicitly stated 'I will serve a full term if elected'. Liar. The MSM connived in this national deceit.
** Registering for 'The D. Telegraph' is painless. No details asked for or I wouldn't reg. either.

Anne Wotana Kaye 1

This has been the most boring CH Wall ever. I can only presume evrybody has either been or holiday or languishing in this balmy (or barmy) weather. On the News today, it seems Lap Dancers can find employment via Job Centre Plus. Question: Are 4 GCEs required, and does one have to take a NVQ Level 1 or 2, 3 or 4 in naked prancing? Thank goodness, a new week start's and this posting will enter limbo. Limbo dancing??!!

Rhoda Klapp

AWK, will you be applying? They can't discriminate, you know.

John Richardson, I agree entirely. Please repost in the next wall, not many will read it otherwise.

Verity

John Richardson, thanks so much for an acute, articulate and intelligent post.

What baffles me is that so many Conservatives could not see what David Cameron is. (Although they had begun to see the light as polling day approached, thank God, and stayed away in droves.)

I never liked his face and I found the way he pushed his disabled son absolutely nauseating. His people pestered editors for photo spreads. Then, of course, we had the thrill of our lives - breakfast with the Camerons via the webcam (did anyone actually ever tune in? Life can hold no greater boredom than being driven to watch the Camerons have their breakfast), so he could show how well the whole family was coping with this disabled child. Touchy feely rubbish that had absolutely nothing to do with his (in)ability to govern.

Next up, pushing the global warming lie, standing on an ice floe in a twinky new parka with two Huskies, who far outshone him in star power. What a fool. WC Fields said "Never act with children or animals." Duh, Dave.

And all his other endless drivel of cheap, childish pr tricks.

How could anyone take this jerk seriously? He was so Nulabour that I'm sure he glows pink in the dark.

Then his A list. Forcing women and ethnics on constituencies that were perfectly competent - and were entitled - to choose their own candidates.

At least enough Tory voters reared up at the last minute, and neigh-nayed him.

I wonder what will happen next.

Well, I know what's going to happen next. I'm going to accept John Richardson's word that Telegraph registration is non-intrusive and hie over to their site.

BTW, I am disappointed in Hague.

Sam ARMSTRONG

Anne Wotana Kaye: but colleges are now offering pole dancing and table dancing classes. They are being offered as evening classes in an informal way (although most teaching seems to be informal nowadays), but even so the thought that state funded sixth form colleges are paying for metal poles to be erected in the gymnasium so that a bunch of deluded women (and probably the odd, confused boy) can convince themselves that they are very clever and modern indeed at wanting to become a piece of sleazy, unloved flesh.

Sam ARMSTRONG

Has any more been said about Sarah Palin's trip to London. A few weeks back, it was announced that she would flay to the United Kingdom to meet with her heroine, the Blessed Margaret. But nothing else has been said. You don't suppose she was denied entry? We'd have heard about that surely. Or was it to rouse a bit of Tea Party right wing fervour for a while. I'd be so excited if Sarah Palin came to London. I would certainly turn out for her if she made a public appearance.

Anne Wotana Kaye 1

Rhoda Klapp: I will not be applying, I prefer to be a lap dancer and squash the patrons' desires!
Sam Armstrong: :-)