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Bloody Jurno scum eh?
Deleting voicemails and thereby giving the family false hope is pretty funny
Granted that's just one of the many hiliraous things about this scandal
Murodoch standing by his (wo)man
Hugh Grant wearing a wire
Hacking war widows phones
Ecetera
This little island is truly a RIVITING PLACE
Pretty big scandal, actually. I listen to BBC World News while driving, and it's pretty much all they're talking about.
Implying nobody knew tabloid journalists did these kinds of things, and yet read it and be outraged when it it officially told that they do so. Come on, the whole world knows English tabloid journalist did these kind of things.
News Corp. is a registered US corporation. News Corp. employees bribed foreign government officials. News Corp. sets itself up for prosecution under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act when the executive branch is run by Democrats. Lulz were had by all.
I'm gutted that the NoW has shut. What am I going to do now when I run out of bog paper?
Come on Apache: it's not like Mr Murdoch doesn't have plenty of other rags on sale.
I'm surprised that it took someone so long to post this.
I'm a bit dissapointed in Strike, as he doesn't seem to be ironic.
Anyway, lets move on.
The core issue here is not that the "Screws" was dirty, but the depths to which it sunk - interferring with murder investigations, bugging people who's daughters were abducted raped and murdered, stealing the medical records of Godon Brown's sick son. Even more troubling is that contagion is already spreading to the Times and the Sun. Murdoch might be able to get away with amputating one paper but if his entire rag division is shown to be in the same boat them, at the least, News International would have to be disbanded and broken up, and it might kill off News Corp.
The real issue though is that UK politicians aren't scared of Murdoch any more, if he tries to attach David Cameron, Nick Clegg or even Miliband they will come off as the victim.
The burning question is when US politicians will join the bundle, and who will be first?
there are a lot of pet birds out there that are gonna be left without their favorite cage floor liner.
I'm sorry I can't answer the phone right now but if you leave a message the News of the World will get back to you.
Scrapping the newspaper isn't enough - supply and demand will bring about a new one.
This is a cultural issue in Britain*, and it won't get better until the core of the problem is solved - the diseased part of english culture needs to be adressed. Until you cut off the demand, the supply will be there.
*though we who live in the rest of the world shouldn't gloat as we have the same problem, but still the brits are in a league of their own...
This could get very interesting, but I don't see anyone with the balls to do the proper thing.Quote:
Originally Posted by drone
Yeah, Gitmo is still open. Send them there to sort it out.
The not very nice thing about this is all the journos in the Irish News of the World got sacked too and they never hacked any phones.
Apparently they got an email in there inbox saying "guluck your all chucked", on the plus side twas a rubbish paper so they must have been useless anyway.
Demand is partly generated by Murdoch though, largely in fact, he owne(s/d) the Sun and the NotW, the only other Red Top is the Mirror.Quote:
Originally Posted by HoreTore
Fact is, everyone knows the Times is going down the journalistic food chain, it hasn't had a decent scoop in years, the broadsheets (Telegraph/Guardian) are the only papers still doing serious journalism, which is why the Guardian nabbed this story and the Telegraph got the last one.
Sticking his rags behind a pay wall hasn't actually helped, either.
Bang on, my friend. British politicians have been Strauss-Kahned for decades by Murdoch. The NotW phone hacking thingy was basically covered by Nick Davies in Flat Earth News (2008). No news there, except that it's suddenly become big news. And that of a sudden Mr Murdoch is living in interesting times. He stands to lose his BSkyB bid along with his most profitable rags. Looks like a tectonic shift is in the making. He may even be indicted in both the UK and the US.Quote:
Originally Posted by Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla
AII
P.S. I give you Mr Murdoch's real headache
Just watched PMQs. As usual like a chimps tea party but with everyone more or less agreeing. Quite bizarre. Talking of bizarre, that little :daisy: Piers Morgan has dropped himself in it. Good.
I think we'll find this goes beyond NI and that journos of all the dead tree press will be awaiting a 5 AM knock at the door.
Yesterday I would have agreed with you, but this changes things:Quote:
Originally Posted by HoreTore
http://www.washingtonpost.com/busine...y.html?hpid=z2
If that's true, News Corp is in a huge amount of trouble. People will be absolutely enraged over here if they hacked the phones of 9/11 victims.Quote:
July 12 (Bloomberg) -- Senator Jay Rockefeller called for U.S. agencies to investigate whether alleged phone hacking at News Corp.’s U.K. newspapers targeted American victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
“I am concerned that the admitted phone hacking in London by the News Corp. may have extended to 9/11 victims or other Americans,” Rockefeller, a Democrat from West Virginia, said today in a statement posted on the website of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, which he chairs. “If they did, the consequences will be severe.”
Reporters at the now-defunct News of the World tabloid are alleged to have hacked into hundreds of mobile-phone voice mails, including those of murder and terror victims, and bribed police for confidential information. The scandal prompted Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rupert Murdoch to close the 168-year-old tabloid.
According to a report in the Daily Mirror, a competitor to News of the World and other News Corp. publications, an unnamed private investigator and former New York City police officer alleged reporters at the newspaper offered to pay him to retrieve private phone records of victims of the 9/11 attacks.
That's it, Murdoch's in full retreat with the US Senate and some funny little Brit in a dress and whig on his tail.
AII
Well, you guys did for Conrad Black, Murdoch may be more powerful now - but he also looks more corrupt and therefore more vulnerable.Quote:
Originally Posted by TinCow
The whole mess is quite amazing. The criminality, complete lack of morals, the long running high level cover up, bribing police... As someone who has had a very low opinion of News Corp for a long time, I only hope that this breaks the Murdoch grip on the company, leads to new tighter journalistic and privacy rules, and stops the encroachment of the company into every media market and media type in the world.
Then there's the bizarre attempt to engineer a dynastic succession in a private listed company, and the 2 classes of shares... all very strange.
If nothing else it's given the equally corrupt politicos a great reason to control the press. I'm sure I won't be disappointed. Not to mention bringing in a huge raft of new laws that will ensure that troughing MPs will never be scrutinized again ordinary members of the public never have their 'phones hacked again.
He's an idea. Try enforcing the laws we already have.
Never seems to occur to those in power, does it? All those new Terrorism offences when it could all have come under "Treason", a law abolished by Gordon Brown a few years ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
Now the leadership of the Metropolitan Police are coming under suspicion as well. No wonder they couldn't find fault with News Corp in several previous investigations.
This is getting interestinger and interestinger.
AII
I thought this was a good piece from Nick Robinson: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14150583
Of necessity, politicians will have relationships with the press - its interesting to note that, at this precise moment, the Guardian is trying to twist the knife into Cameron by hammering home that they kne about Coulson and they tried to warn him, but to no avail.
I find this interesting, I can't beelieve Cameron is stupid enough to hire someone where there is actual evidence of criminality, and I rather wonder who in his office was contacted - it wasn't like the Editor called and demanded to talk to the PM himself, was it?
Look it took me a long time to wake up. Politicians are the problem. Not the solution. Look around you.Quote:
I find this interesting, I can't beelieve Cameron is stupid enough to hire someone where there is actual evidence of criminality, and I rather wonder who in his office was contacted - it wasn't like the Editor called and demanded to talk to the PM himself, was it?
I've looked around me for 53 years and I think the problem is power. As Machiavelli has shown so eloquently, the exercise of power is seldom a pretty sight, no matter who holds it.Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
AII
Very true. POWER to the PEOPLE! :creep:
Anyroad, it seems that McRuins intervention has backfired. What a numpty. :laugh4:
You know what Machiavelli had to say about that. :stare:Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
AII
What was happening in the 1950's makes this behaviour almost looke ethical.
People like celebrity dirt and it seems don't worry themselves too much about how it gets to them.
Rather like "there's no harm in a bit of porn" / "pornstars are the scum of the earth!" - people want the former but manage to be horrified about how it gets there.
~:smoking:
Control the coinage and the courts, let the rabble have the rest :evilgrin:Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
It's been taken down now, but someone put an item up for sale on ebay. Big picture of Rupert Murdoch.
BSkyB - Re-listed due to time waster
For Sale:
BSkyB
Lots of Channels - I'll even throw in the presenters at no extra cost.
Growing company with fantastic potential.
Re-listed due to time waster.
I will need to carry out a due dilligence test on the winning bidder. If you would like to view before buying, please call my mobile and leave a message, though there is no guarantee I will get this message if other buyers get to these messages first.
Anyone with a negative feedback rating please contact me first before bidding. This includes people who have recently shown a poor record of dealing with problems that come with big business. I want this to go to a reliable and sensible owner.
Anyone with ginger hair going by the name Brooks - you are also banned from bidding. I am worried about what witches could do to this fine company.
Local pick up recommended - rather large item.
Politicians are just BIG people, more to them, bigger vices, bigger energy and, actually, bigger virtues in many cases. Look at Clegg, you could describe him as the ultimate opertunist or the ultimate patriot - depending on whether being in a Tory Coalition makes or breaks his long-term political career.Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
It's gone from fascinating to like watching a train wreck, Frinstance since Friday; Ms. Brooks arrested. The senior PR man at the Met, arrested. The Police Commissioner resigns. Yates of the Yard follows him 12 hours later. Now we learn that a former NoW reporter who 'ratted' on Coulson is found dead. It's like a bad Agatha Christie novel.
Well perhaps not quite as bad as that but bad nevertheless.
Mrs. Dale thinks it might bring down the government....
http://iaindale.com/posts/could-cameron-be-nextQuote:
I can't believe I am even writing this, but it is no longer an impossibility to imagine this scandal bringing down the Prime Minister or even the government. OK, some of you reading this may think that last sentence is a deranged ranting, and you may be right. Indeed, I hope you are. But Sir Paul Stephenson launched a thinly veiled attack on David Cameron in his resignation statement and the Prime Minister is already on the ropes about the propriety of his relationship with Andy Coulson.
One can only wish.
Do you wish for the return of a labour government, IA? :inquisitive:
No.Quote:
Originally Posted by HoreTore
I don't like 'cast iron' iDave , he's definitely the heir to Blair and we don't need another snakeoil salesman. The Lib Dems are down the bog. Labour is all over the place. I mean, c'mon they have a pair of brain melting eyes and a huge conk for a leader. Like summat from Tod Browning movie.
Elections by September. Watch this space.
So...... You don't want any of the choices you have? What, exactly, do you want then?
I don't know what you mean. We have more than three political parties in the UK.
....capable of getting the PM....?Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
Only one, currently, then. Right now, the next Prime Minister is almost certainly going to be a Conservative. Labour are still all over the place and Ed Milliband, for all his performance last week, is still not a credible leader for the country.Quote:
Originally Posted by HoreTore
My money is on William Hague.
Hague are you serious you cant go an make that idiot PM.Quote:
Originally Posted by Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla
Seriously is there no one better than that in the Tories.
It would be in no one's interest. Labour have nothing, Lib Dems would get even more battered and replacing the Tory leader will not replace all the money Labour spent.Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
~:smoking:
I agree.Quote:
Originally Posted by rory_20_uk
Though since when has anyone's interest, apart from politicians, been taken into account? Never mind noticed.
Oh if 'cast iron' iDave goes, my moneys on Clarke as an interim.
I dissagree - he's MUCH clever than he sounds, and has been unfairly lampooned and lambasted in the past. When he was last leader he said he wanted to see the Euro work in bad times as well as good before he even considered joining.Quote:
Originally Posted by gaelic cowboy
Low... he was right.
PortilloQuote:
Originally Posted by Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla
he pretty much looked, sounded, and acted like an eejit after he let Portillo back inside the house basically he was an eejit
One of the strangest thing about this case is that they got the police Counter-Terrorism unit to investigate the phone-hacking issue in the first place. Why that unit? I mean, if you had a choice between investigating terrorism and investigating a newspaper hacking some celebs mobiles, what would you do? I have some sympathy with the police charged with the investigation. Put the phone hacking evidence in an bag and file it away unseen. It's quite understandable.Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
Apparently the unit was given the case because they were a "safe pair of hands". But still, it is bizarre. It sounds over-politicised - giving the case to the "hot shot" police unit because of the potential publicity angle, despite it having nothing vaguely to do with terrorism.
I also very much dislike Boris Johnson having the hire and fire decision over the top policeman in the land. The man seems to be a crass populist and I don't like politicians being able to fire policemen. If the police are always having to look over their back, it's scarcely surprising they get close to the organisations like News International which until recently seemed to have the politicians dancing to their tune.
I agree. The top coppers should be elected.Quote:
I don't like politicians being able to fire policemen.
Yes, indeed. Just like the top heart surgeons should be.Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
I expected a much more sophisticated strawman than that.Quote:
Originally Posted by econ21
You want more politicians?Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
It sounds like it, doesn't it?Quote:
Originally Posted by Slyspy
However, an elected 'Shire-Reeve' would at the very least be accountable to the electorate.
Or we could carry on appointing them,
Excuse me but, "sod that".Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
I'd rather have them appointed directly by Royal Commission - it's the only way to get it out of mainstream politics.
That's worked well. hasn't it?
Royal Comission does not = Borris, I know he's a closer blood rlation of George I than her Maj, but it still isn't the same thing.Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
Oh come on man, bloody well wake up.
The whole lot of them are corrupt. Bent as a nine bob note. I wouldn't trust any of them.
'there are none so blind as those that cannot see'
Well, that means one of two things.Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
1. We're all totally corrupt.
or
2. Anyone who seeks power is inherently corrupt.
Either way we're screwed.
The logical conclusion is that, in fact, politicians are, by and large, little different than the rest of us except that when they make a mistake the country goes bust and when they get angry a war kicks off and people start dying.
Why did Cameron Hire Andy Coulson? The answer is that he made a strategic decision that Murdoch was a necessary ally if you want to get anything done and he ws not aware of the depths of the scandal or potential scandal. If he were he would not have hired Coulson, based purely on strategic thinking - nevermind personal revulsion.
You actually get it. You just havn't joined the dots up yet. It took me nearly 30 years.Quote:
The logical conclusion is that, in fact, politicians are, by and large, little different than the rest of us except that when they make a mistake the country goes bust and when they get angry a war kicks off and people start dying.
Care to enlighten?Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
So far as I can see our politicians are just a reflection of the rest of us, writ large.
I try to pick the best of the bunch, which right now is still probably Cameron, whose major flaw at the moment appears to be not sacking George Osborne. It's worth noting Osborne was the one who pushed to engage with Murdoch et al, and Cameron was the reluctant one.
I can just imagine that conversation.
"but you want to win, David, don't you?"
And there you have it, Cameron should have chucked him OUT when he was caught on a boat with Mandy and replace4d him with Ken Clarke, who would probably have gaffed less as Chancellor.
Strength is always perceived to be seen as never backing down, never sacking people. It seems having the human trait of making a mistake is just not possible. That they look more weak and out of touch when they belatedly bin them seems to be a lesson they don't want to learn.
But being on a boat with someone is not a crime, is it? If front benchers think they can be booted for being in the same place as a certain person they'd either rebel or be too scared to do anything, lest they are tarred with the association retrospectively.
Politicians are there to gain power and retain power. Having principles gets you nowhere: The Labour principles of the 1970's got them thrown out for over a decade, and more recently we've had Blair's ethical trade flounder on the fact that nasty countries buy weapons and Cameron's plans for the NHS being repeatedly watered down as every interested group ensure that they are safe from meaningful change.
~:smoking:
Politics is the art of forcing meaningful change despite these obstacles. In that sense of the word there are only very few politicians, there always have been very, very few. In the mean time we make do.Quote:
Originally Posted by rory_20_uk
Anyway, anyone else seen Rupert and Son of Rupert testify?
"I knew nothing, I know nothing now, and I promise I'll know nothing in the future."
"Gee Dad, thanks for that."
AII
Just watching it now. It's like trying to nail jelly to a wall.
Yes, but it was who else he was on the boat with, and the fact that it appears to have been hushed up. He deserved to lose Cameron's trust for that and the (then) leader of the opposition should have demoted him on principle to, say, Health. Or, he should have Lamonted him as Banquo said a year ago and then replaced him with Clarke. The problem with Ken Clarke is that he is (also) quite intellectually intelligent but like some others on the front bench somewhat lacking in political empathy. Saying that drunk rapists might be given a lighter sentence than hold-still-or-I-kill-you rapists is a worthwile consideration when the prisons are bursting at the seems and the latter seems more likely to reoffend or later kill someone. Unfortunately it makes a dreadful soundbite.Quote:
Originally Posted by rory_20_uk
On the other hand, Ken Clarke saying exactly what he thinks of investment bankers and ratings agencies would probably play well in the domestic market at least.
Sorry, I was not sure you were serious about electing policemen. It just sounds ridiculous to me. I agree that democractically accountable local politicians should be able to have a say in setting priorities and policing policies, but I think it is a very bad blurring of the lines to give them oversight of operational matters. The current case is surely a clear illustration. The personal implications for a top public figure of being arrested - a DSK, a Rebeka Woods, a Berlusconi etc - are massive and I would not want a politician anywhere near the decision-making about whether to make such arrests or even investigations. The scope for smearing your opponents (or protecting your allies) just seems too much and before long we'd be like Russia, where politicians, media, security agencies and worse are mired up together in one foul-smelling soup.Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
Christ, what just happened in the Hearing?
Young man tried to push a plate of shaving foam in Wupert's face. End of hearing, at least for today. :coffeenews:Quote:
Originally Posted by Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla
AII
Actually, it's still on, listen now. Although it does seem to have just looped back.Quote:
Originally Posted by Adrian II
James: iwhi-ihwi-iwhi.... I've read a bit of it.
Oh sure, the buck doesn't stop anywhere near Wupert. It gallops on, past James, past Rebekah, and off into London's hazy night.Quote:
Originally Posted by Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla
AII
The return of the phantom flan flinger.
The Wall Street Journal has an (unintentionally) hilarious editorial today about the corruption/hacking scandal:
Phone-hacking is illegal, and it is up to British authorities to enforce their laws. If Scotland Yard failed to do so adequately when the hacking was first uncovered several years ago, then that is more troubling than the hacking itself.
In other words, who you gonna blame, the hard-working criminal or the lazy beat cop who couldn't be bothered to enforce the laws? Which we happened to break?
Put me in Rebekah's dress, slap me pink and chase me out of town, but I'd have to agree with that editorial. Not because the hacking is innocent, far from it, but because the rot goes all the way to the Met's and the Yard's top. And beyond, if we are to believe some comments. Certain politicians belong in that dock as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lemur
AII
Do I have to pay extra for that?Quote:
Originally Posted by Adrian II
From The Independent:
https://img845.imageshack.us/img845/9284/murdoch1.jpg
Did you happen to see the Fox&Friends(I think that's what the show is called) talk about the hacking?Quote:
Originally Posted by Lemur
Anyway... That editorial has a scary perspective on law enforcement.
Fer yer viewing pleasure.Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbLV...layer_embedded
What a waste of shaving cream. Ya shoulda used a cow pie.:laugh4:
Ms. Murdoch has a mean left hook.
Here's the original Phantom Flan Flinger doing a young Annie Lennox....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPJ9a3JHfYE&feature=player_embedded#at=52
She took it well. Not! :laugh4:
That was Blue Peter, wasn't it? Good Lord... I remember Lenny Henry joking about his days on that show. "I've done children's television, I have the T-shirt, I wear the scars..."Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
AII
No not Blue Peter. Tiswas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiswas
I used to watch it Saturday mornings, recovering from clubbing on a Friday night. :balloon2:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tu...xrs=share_copy
ohhh this is good :D
Your link simply instructed me not to send Redcoats to the US.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ronin
I have already contacted Butlins.
The link works for me, and I liked it.