Saturday 10 November 2012

Nominations for the Daily Mail


Apropos of yesterday's post on the new Archbish of Cadbury - apparently this young whippersnapper has only been a bish for a year. It won't be long before they choose someone who has never even been ordained.

Actually, I think they did that before - although Thomas Beckett was actually ordained the day before he was appointed to the post.

I wonder if the new appointee will  find a deposit of shale oil below Lambeth Palace?

Who would be your non-ordained nomination for the role of Arch Fantasist of Cadbury (he must be a fantasist - he said he sees a rosy future for the CofE at a time it's tearing itself apart)?

Been listening to more party political hot air on the role of the Police and Crime Commissioners. Everyone standing is crowing (while wearing a party political hat) that the role of the PCC should not be politicised - so why are the vast majority of candidates standing on a party ticket and being funded by the parties? Shouldn't the political parties just stand aside and say it's up to individuals to get nominated? It's scandalous, rank hypocrisy!

Democracy is only of value when there's an informed electorate - and your average bloke on the Clapham Omnibus (which includes me) hasn't a clue about policing. Democratising the role of who oversees the local police force is therefore a total nonsense - you may as well democratise pest control.

I'm upgrading the shiny thing later this month and have been preparing my HTC Sensation to make the transition to a Galaxy Note 2 as smooth as possible - with 1,500 odd contacts, photos, music and a plethora of apps, that won't be easy. While playing with the HTC I thought I'd download the Daily Mail app for a few minutes' amusement - it was like spending 10 minutes in a lunatic asylum. Just imaging the savings to the public purse by ridding ourselves of the judiciary and the police and instituting "Trial By Daily Mail" - or even "Trial By BBC Newsnight" after what happened this week!

I've been reading a book (Flat Earth News, by Nick Davies) about the parlous state of British journalism, caused by the commercial motive of people like Murdoch and the pressure to get stories filed for publication. Apparently it leaves no time at all (or even people) for checking facts, with predictable results and even complete fabrication of stories. One is reminded of dodgy dossiers and how the media can be cynically and easily manipulated by those who understand its workings. Apparently most of what we read or hear as news is recycled feeds from just two sources - Associated Press and Reuters. Insert your story into those feeds and you're guaranteed publication.

I see a bloke has developed a baby video camera system so parents can now go to the pub, or even on holiday, with complete ease of mind while their children safely sleep at home.


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