It’s freedom of speech time again.
The BBC, Question Time, Nick Griffin.
You know the rest. Schoolyard-style bullying masquerading as political discussion.
Then there was the outrage that a racist such as Griffin, the leader of the British National Party, was allowed airtime to speak on the BBC.
Now, I’m no great fan of Nick Griffin or the BNP. Having spent a day in his company (for a project called Outsiders) I feel my views are not based on any kind of propaganda or misrepresentation.
But I do not like the way Griffin was treated. When the press shows bias in it’s handling of certain people just because it disagrees with that person’s views, it is devaluing itself.
Like it or not, the BNP are a political party. People vote for them. They should not be denied a place on the panel of a political talk show.
I can’t believe it took so long for someone from the BNP to appear on the show.
The most often cited reason for not allowing Griffin on Question Time was because he would somehow con people by charm and win more votes than he deserves. Having never seen a politician able to con people with charm, I wonder why there are those who think Griffin has the gift of the gab.
Whatever attributes Griffin does possess, the gift of the gab is not one of them.
He struggled on Question Time. But he should not have been bullied.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Gorilla's missed
With my head still spinning from all the multi-media conferences I’ve been to lately, it’s quite lovely to see some businesses still doing things the old fashioned way – with shit press releases.
In fact, this press release is so bad I include it here in its entirety. I only pray that Anna does not read this before she buys me my Christmas present.
GORILLA GLUE’S GREAT STOCKING FILLER IDEAS FOR THE MAN IN YOUR LIFE
This year, why not surprise the man in your life with something really useful for his Christmas stocking?
As an alternative to cluttering up his drawers with terrible ties, comedy socks and more cuff links - Gorilla Glue has some great gift ideas ideally suited to the DIY Dad, home handyman or hobbyist.
Gorilla Glue is a must-have for every household. One of the toughest and most versatile all-purpose adhesives available, it’s ideal for almost any domestic fixes, building repairs and creative projects.
Gorilla Glue fixes things other glues might not be able to, and once something is glued it won’t come undone.
It can be used to repair most material including wood, stone, metal, ceramics, glass and foam. Gorilla Glue is 100% waterproof and temperature resistant, making it the perfect choice for projects and repairs indoors or out.
It's also available in a handy Precision Glue Pen applicator, perfect for smaller jobs, on-the-spot repairs, model building and other creative craft projects requiring pin-point application and control.
If your man likes to venture into the ‘great outdoors’ then Gorilla Tape is the perfect gift to stick in his backpack. The tough, lightweight tape will repair, patch, or stick almost any material while camping, hunting, backpacking, fishing, hiking, boating, surfing or bicycling.
And it’s weatherproof so you can even stick wet surfaces together and use it to stop leaks.
Gorilla Glue’s inexpensive range comes in fun and funky packaging and is bound to be a useful addition to any Christmas stocking or tool-box!
Prices for Gorilla Glue, Precision Glue Pen and Gorilla Tape start at just £5.49, £3.99 and £5.49 respectively. Products are available from all good hardware stores.
ENDS
My goodness.
With my head still spinning from all the multi-media conferences I’ve been to lately, it’s quite lovely to see some businesses still doing things the old fashioned way – with shit press releases.
In fact, this press release is so bad I include it here in its entirety. I only pray that Anna does not read this before she buys me my Christmas present.
GORILLA GLUE’S GREAT STOCKING FILLER IDEAS FOR THE MAN IN YOUR LIFE
This year, why not surprise the man in your life with something really useful for his Christmas stocking?
As an alternative to cluttering up his drawers with terrible ties, comedy socks and more cuff links - Gorilla Glue has some great gift ideas ideally suited to the DIY Dad, home handyman or hobbyist.
Gorilla Glue is a must-have for every household. One of the toughest and most versatile all-purpose adhesives available, it’s ideal for almost any domestic fixes, building repairs and creative projects.
Gorilla Glue fixes things other glues might not be able to, and once something is glued it won’t come undone.
It can be used to repair most material including wood, stone, metal, ceramics, glass and foam. Gorilla Glue is 100% waterproof and temperature resistant, making it the perfect choice for projects and repairs indoors or out.
It's also available in a handy Precision Glue Pen applicator, perfect for smaller jobs, on-the-spot repairs, model building and other creative craft projects requiring pin-point application and control.
If your man likes to venture into the ‘great outdoors’ then Gorilla Tape is the perfect gift to stick in his backpack. The tough, lightweight tape will repair, patch, or stick almost any material while camping, hunting, backpacking, fishing, hiking, boating, surfing or bicycling.
And it’s weatherproof so you can even stick wet surfaces together and use it to stop leaks.
Gorilla Glue’s inexpensive range comes in fun and funky packaging and is bound to be a useful addition to any Christmas stocking or tool-box!
Prices for Gorilla Glue, Precision Glue Pen and Gorilla Tape start at just £5.49, £3.99 and £5.49 respectively. Products are available from all good hardware stores.
ENDS
My goodness.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Refugees, asylum seekers, immigrants and ignorance
Britain’s biggest problem is immigration. Thousands of people are flooding in to the country every year putting a strain on our resources and draining the finances of the hardworking taxpayer.
My biggest problem is that too many British residents do not know enough about the subject to have an informed opinion. They are persuaded by soundbites and factually deficient arguments in the media. They allow racist prejudice to affect their point of view.
Here’s a brief explanation of what refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants actually are.
A refugee is a person who flees their own country to escape conflict, persecution or natural disaster. A person who is seeking to be recognized as a refugee is an asylum seeker.
An immigrant is someone who comes to another country to work. An illegal immigrant is someone who enters another country without permission.
Why would you not want an asylum seeker to be granted refugee statues if they are being persecuted in their own country?
If someone wants to come to Britain and contribute to the economy, why kick up such a fuss? Ahhhh, it’s the bloody number of them coming over – that’s the problem. Stop this lot getting in and this proud land will be problem free.
This is the numbers bit:
In the first four months of 2009, 8,830 people applied for asylum in the UK. That equates to roughly 35,320 applications per year. Approximately 60per cent were granted asylum.
In 2006, 591,000 immigrants arrived in the UK to work. During the same year 400,000 actually left the country – emigrated – to work abroad. (These figures are from the The Economic Impact of Immigration report which also said that immigration added £6billion to the UK economy.)
Oh and this:
There are 4.5 million people of working-age claiming benefits in the UK. In other words, there are 4.5m in Britain not working.
There will be genuine claimants... but how many are playing the system? Too bloody many. It’s no secret it goes on. Living off the systems has made this country famous. Too many people are on the sick, skiving, living off taxpayers and watching Jeremy Kyle. (Government figures from November 2008).
That’s 4.5million. This is the real problem. Not all of these are genuinely unemployable or genuinely incapacitated.
This is where Britain has problems - on the hundreds of rundown housing estates were generations of families have never worked or paid rent out from their own pockets.
These same people, British to the core, are happy to condemn the country’s immigration policy without the ability to admit that they are the ones who are running the country in to the ground. These are the ignorants. I’d love to kick them all out.
Further details from these government reports: here and here.
Britain’s biggest problem is immigration. Thousands of people are flooding in to the country every year putting a strain on our resources and draining the finances of the hardworking taxpayer.
My biggest problem is that too many British residents do not know enough about the subject to have an informed opinion. They are persuaded by soundbites and factually deficient arguments in the media. They allow racist prejudice to affect their point of view.
Here’s a brief explanation of what refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants actually are.
A refugee is a person who flees their own country to escape conflict, persecution or natural disaster. A person who is seeking to be recognized as a refugee is an asylum seeker.
An immigrant is someone who comes to another country to work. An illegal immigrant is someone who enters another country without permission.
Why would you not want an asylum seeker to be granted refugee statues if they are being persecuted in their own country?
If someone wants to come to Britain and contribute to the economy, why kick up such a fuss? Ahhhh, it’s the bloody number of them coming over – that’s the problem. Stop this lot getting in and this proud land will be problem free.
This is the numbers bit:
In the first four months of 2009, 8,830 people applied for asylum in the UK. That equates to roughly 35,320 applications per year. Approximately 60per cent were granted asylum.
In 2006, 591,000 immigrants arrived in the UK to work. During the same year 400,000 actually left the country – emigrated – to work abroad. (These figures are from the The Economic Impact of Immigration report which also said that immigration added £6billion to the UK economy.)
Oh and this:
There are 4.5 million people of working-age claiming benefits in the UK. In other words, there are 4.5m in Britain not working.
There will be genuine claimants... but how many are playing the system? Too bloody many. It’s no secret it goes on. Living off the systems has made this country famous. Too many people are on the sick, skiving, living off taxpayers and watching Jeremy Kyle. (Government figures from November 2008).
That’s 4.5million. This is the real problem. Not all of these are genuinely unemployable or genuinely incapacitated.
This is where Britain has problems - on the hundreds of rundown housing estates were generations of families have never worked or paid rent out from their own pockets.
These same people, British to the core, are happy to condemn the country’s immigration policy without the ability to admit that they are the ones who are running the country in to the ground. These are the ignorants. I’d love to kick them all out.
Further details from these government reports: here and here.
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