Wednesday 18 May 2016

Shouting at pigeons

The older you get the more you admire the State Opening of Parliament. It’s the kind of ritual you’d probably laugh at when you‘re young. 

Years later you might feel it’s reassuring that all these grown-up people take it seriously enough to get all togged up in their ceremonial outfits and perform with solemnity and respect. 

Tradition and pomp provide a sort of illusory parent substitute - a comforting feeling that the adults are being responsible, taking care of things in another room, and we ordinaries can carry on being irresponsible in the nursery.  Religion without the hassle. 

Anyway, I enjoyed watching the State Opening on TV. Black Rod, with a slight smile, approaching doors that would slam in his face. (What if they forgot to slam them? Would he fall over like Del-Boy leaning on an unexpectedly non-existent bar?)

The Queen with bejeweled crown and several pageboys carefully holding onto her long velvet train. Fabulous pomp.
Of course the commentators had to find something bitchy to say, so they plumped for Jeremy Corbyn supposedly ignoring David Cameron’s polite conversation, but I’m sure I saw Corbyn’s lips move. I hope he was wondering “What the hell am I doing here”.


When Dennis Skinner told Jeremy Hunt to ‘wipe that smirk off his face’ last month, one commenter posted the following:
He begins his spiel, hand in one pocket, like a cocksure, acerbic '70s working man's club comic, unfortunately, this act rapidly descends into a highly convincing performance of an addled & bitter, urine soaked pensioner, shouting at pigeons in a supermarket carpark.”
Today Skinner shouted loudly at no-one in particular: “Hands off the BBC!” 


Lowered the tone somewhat.


7 comments:

  1. Slightly off topics - an eagle not a pigeon. What's the opposite of "ticks ever box"? Well this will do it for the BBC...

    http://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/05/19/imuslim-security-liberal-mentality-responsible-bataclan/

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  2. Even more off topic. Was just following up the author (Anisa Subedar) of one of those irritating BBC Website trending storie, this type about a girl in an Hijab photographing a selfie of her in front of an Islamisation demo. Thought I'd follow her up on Twitter and see what's one her account....

    https://twitter.com/onlyanisa?lang=en-gb&lang=en-gb

    Full of the most apalling Palestinian propaganda about the Nakkab or whatever it is they call their self-inflicted catastrophe, when they tried to wipe the nascent Israel off the map - also loads of Sadiq Khan and anti-Goldsmith stuff...and - a nice touch - big graphic suggesting Australia shouldn't be in the Eurovision song contest (but you know who she really wants to put there).

    But she's "Freelance". Once again this raises the issue of whether the people the BBC bylines are subject to the same rules as staff. The ordinary punter wouldn't know from the website that she is freelance.

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    Replies
    1. Freelancers are required to follow all rules. Especially when they list their BBC job in their profile. The Muslim girl selfie was at an anti-Islamic terrorism protest, not anti-Islam. Violation of BBC editorial policy there. She tweeted something about the Palestinian point of view, and even though she has never, and will never, tweet anything supporting an Israeli side, that's not technically a violation. But it is revealing of her typical BBC opinion, so it's going on the list. Nice catch.

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    2. My reply is out of plave below.

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  3. Maybe he is looking for a slot on Daily Politics if they can't seduce Emily Thornberry to the role of Abbott understudy?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzgT-fg01vY

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  4. Meanwhile, on WATO on Radio 4...further proof that it's "Bash Boris Week" (as is very week on the BBC). They introduce an item on air pollution in the capital with the gratuitous repetition of a claim by the new Mayor Sadiq Khan that Boris hid info on air pollution around schools - with the rider that Boris had "denied" the claim. That was it...a pointless introduction, and highly dubious as it appeared Boris had not been given the right to respond, except it served to add one more BBC sniper's bullet aimed at the popular figurehead of the Leave faction.

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  5. I think her publicising anti-Goldsmith comments during a campaign could well breach the guidelines - not that I think the BBC gives a toss.

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