Kamm is rong

On, the contrary. to Kamm, most blogs are well ritten and a fare amount of time is given to rite spelling two.

But of course it isn't just that ;-). The blogosphere gives room for counterbalancing opinions to the dominant media. Really. Speaking as someone who was always antagonised by the BBC's simplistic socialistic version of Britain and the world, the blogosphere gave the first opportunity to fight back directly and honestly.

The Telegraph could be said to be the nearest thing to an opposition to the BBC, as long as one isn't hung up on the notion that the Times is Murdoch's personal Beeb-bashing vehicle. Yet the Telegraph has enjoyed journalistic contacts with the Beeb, swapping correspondents from time to time (Andrew Marr, for instance, has written for the Telegraph). It is also true that the Telegraph would probably be happy with a conservative-oriented state broadcaster, if such a thing be possible .

I would never be happy while a state organised news network retained centre stage in the British media. I was also deeply unhappy with the complicity of Dyke's BBC with New Labour, which is marginally less noticeable in today's corporation following the Hutton watershed. That's not to mention its closeness to the British Foreign Office with all its designs.

So, the blogosphere has given me the chance to say directly what I so deeply feel- that the BBC, through accident of history and malchance, has become a deeply rooted disseminator of half-baked reality.

Gazillionth confusing headline from the BBC

London attacks suspects in court

Yes, it's probably pretty unusual to wonder at this who Mr London is and why he has attacked people in court...

Happy Easter!

About that photo..

Claudia Rosett weighs in.

Aww, What a sweet little grandma...

Reality Checks

It's occurred to me that anyone regularly following this blog might imagine that I forget the issues I've taken an interest in once they're off the media radar. Well, Pakistan, Somalia and the vacuity of the modern Conservatives (dangerous in the light of the dangerous world we're in) are very much in my thinking.

Here's Douglas Farah on the looming menace of Pakistan-in-Afghanistan and vice versa, the Washington Post on the rising violence in Somalia (what a menace these jihadi are; what a rabble rousing, violent, coercive and devious bunch of evildoers), and Sean Gabb on Cameron's dodgy doyen, courtesy of the eponymous Fawkes.

Truth be told I've only been following the Pakistan situation passively, with a certain fear and trembling- such a vast potential for mischief, especially for the UK.

Clinton sets fundraising record
Pope 'moves closer to sainthood'

Headlines found side by side at teh BBC

Sweet, sweet article from Mark Steyn on the Iran hostage crisis, complete with LoL moments such as this:

"Patrolling the Shatt al-Arab at a time of war, the Royal Navy operates under rules of engagement designed by distant fainthearts with an eye to the polite fictions of "international law": If you're in a ''warship,'' you can't wage war. If you're in a ''destroyer,'' don't destroy anything. If you're in a "frigate," you're frigging done for.

"I think everyone regrets that this position has arisen. What we want is a way out of it - we want it peacefully and we want it as soon as possible."

So spoke Margaret Beckett today, according to the Beeb.

However I am not so sure that "everyone regrets" this situation. The Iranians certainly took their hostages deliberately, have not backed down, and have taken every opportunity to parade their captives and claim victory.

It's been disgusting how the BBC have alternated screenshots of the servicemen sitting in various poses, including one odious shot of them stuffing their faces with western style food. "eat, eat!", you can almost hear the minders saying.

Mind you, it's always interesting listening in to the Iranian discourse, as the above link to Memri enables. From it we get the old Islamic boilerplate about how the West wants them weak and puny, and is the big bad aggressor; with the twist that terrorist armies have explicit Iranian support and blessing, to put it mildly.

The truth is that Iran is weak and puny, but that is not the West's design. And like weak and puny people they are inclined to behave pathetically, as they did and do habitually in taking hostages, and to seek advantages way beyond their strength, as they do in furtively scrabbling for nuclear weapons. But weak and puny people will cave when pressure is applied, and strong action against them is a magnet for allies- who rather enjoy the spectacle of an idiot exposed.

Which leads me to suspect that in not taking a lead in demanding immediate sanctions from the EU Blair and Beckett have made a craven error. Note how the BBC covers this up nicely. While the Times exposes it faithfully.

Obviously absolute sanctions would just be a first, momentum building event, but they should be in place yesterday, or earlier. "Good" to hear from the BBC that our Euro-friends are standing "shoulder to shoulder" (odious phrase even when Blair said it; rank hypocrisy- and frankly up yours- coming from the EU in the circumstances).

"I have made up my mind, yes, but let me sleep on it first."

Bob Woolmer's last words to the media, to the BBC in fact.

Priorities and Consequences

"It is the welfare of the people that have been taken by the Iranian government that is most important."

So spoke Tony Blair recently when faced with the Iran hostage crisis (something familiar in the ring to that?). Some have noticed a degree of brave rhetoric from Blair generally, but it's these little nuances you have to watch. If the welfare of our servicemen were most important, they wouldn't be there at all. If that's Blair's priority then we'll give the Iranians whatever they want. But probably what they want is to weevil their way into the British diplomatic and military system. Are Blair and Beckett clever enough to stop them? Ahem,, I don't think so.

I think the BBC are thinking what I'm thinking about the Woolmer case, which happens, occasionally.

Manual asphyxiation. Entire team fingerprinted. More than one person necessary for the killing to take place, according to police; the death of Bob Woolmer, coach of the Pakistan cricket rabble, is looking more and more suspicious.

Still, at least they beat Zimbabwe. It really is sad how destroyed a sport can be.

Peter Briffa brings a personal perspective, or retrospective.

Commonsense, wit, openness, generosity- all qualites displayed by writer and journalist Cathy Seipp, who died on Wednesday at the age of 49.

I will miss that click. Her work is archived though, here.

Sorry for my absence.

I've been really busy and then when had an hour or two a strange phenomenon of non-connectivity came over my computer. Back now.

I have been taking a few mins most days to follow Mark Steyn's coverage of the Conrad Black trial.

Following this and some of the stuff surrounding the Scooter Libby trial makes me wish America had a Dickens to follow these Jarndycian affairs. No offence to Mark Steyn, he's doing a great job, and maybe the novel is waiting until later, as it was with Dickens.

Time for some big thinking

Mark Steyn in full vindication mode following some criticisms of his demographically based book, America Alone, links to this UN study of population trends.

Life's going to be interesting, I think.

Just a selection of my favourite of Meccawood's latest towerblock busters, as found via DumbJon and supplied by Right Wing News



Alahu Akhbar Cinema

Now showing! :

Fatwa Gump
4 Beheadings And A Funeral
Throw Israel From The Train
Indiana Jones & IN THE NAME OF ALLAH WE SHALL AVENGE THE LAST CRUSADE. PEACE BE UPON YOU.
Martyring Private Ryan
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Abu Ghraib
Honey, I Martyred the Kids
Ali Wonka and the IED Factory
Schindler's List Never Happened Either
The Good, The Bad And The Infidel

The serious questions of cultural hegemony and the inability of much the world to entertain itself (perhaps it should try feeding itself first) remain, of course.

"He won’t go to jail. My bet is he’ll go to the UN."

Ah, the French President on the world political stage. C'est manifique.

Another area of interest

The "surge" in Iraq. Working? Well, Robert Kagan thinks so.

View it HERE! The Great Global Warming swindle, I mean. It's extremely watchable, engaging, and mostly cogent.

Apparently one of the scientists interviewed has cried foul- Prof. Wunsch. His contribution was modest and limited in scope, as well as being largely informative. Naturally the Indie gives the story its usual unspun and unbiased treatment. Ahem.

The Intelligent and the Tragic

Not to denigrate the potential of Africans, but I think this story highlights just how tragic a plight can be. Of course, many Africans are also reasonably comfortable, though not in our terms. The BBC did well to highlight it: in certain parts of Africa it's a commonplace story- but I can almost hear her saying, "It's me, Mary, you know, me, me!"- and it's certainly not restricted to Zimbabwe.

Niall Ferguson puts together a rational survey of the general malaise of Africa, and in particular Ghana.

In my view, colonialism-lite would be the best policy for us, operating through churches (I would say faith-based charities but wish to exclude Islamic ones and politicised charities). Churches are something Africans generally understand and welcome, and the power structures are amenable to their local cultures.