OneGuyFromBarlick

From the blog of Paul Flynn MP. [Recently fined (stoppage of pay) and suspended for calling a minister a liar].

"The eleventh anniversary of the Afghan War must not be buried by other news on Sunday. That is what all major parties hope for. They do not want to see, hear or speak of the deepening futility of Afghanistan. Debate is banned at all conferences because debate reveals the truth. "

He could be right. Our news and political reporting is heavily sanitised. Look at the number of mechanisms the government has for kicking topics into the long grass. Where is the West Coast main line? I hate that blocking phrase 'commercial confidentiality'. If something is being paid for by us we are entitled to know the details!

Ossie at the Tory conference. "We're all in it together". Really????

"Jimmy Saville's family have had the headache removed from his grave". James Naughtie on Today at 8am while reading the news headlines. Could be dead right!

Is Jimmy Saville being used as the scape goat for someone involved from the higher ranks of the BBC. If not why was he not challenged before his death so he could at least defend himself. Why force his attention there were plenty of young girls throwing themselves at him at the Top of the Pops studio. It stinks. Aspersions are now being thrown at Freddie Starr and to back up there suspicions "he's got engaged to a 35 year old". Is Des OConnor the next in the equation for fathering a child in his 70's. Call me sceptical but the smells getting stronger and it's coming from someone at the BBC. Eileen

Eileen, evidence is overwhelming that Saville was guilty. Things obviously wrong at the BBC but to my knowledge it was the same ethos at Yorkshire and Granada.
Cameron quote of the day: "I'm not here to defend privilege, I'm here to spread it". Really......?

A comment in a historical novel: "He lusts after nobility as a pig lusts after truffles."

Comment about Italy by Bismark in Beevor's Second World War. "The Italians have large appetites but poor teeth".
He also said that moral courage was a rare virtue in Germany and deserted a man completely the moment he put on a uniform.

Stanley wrote:Eileen, evidence is overwhelming that Saville was guilty. Things obviously wrong at the BBC but to my knowledge it was the same ethos at Yorkshire and Granada.

Maybe, but Innocent until proven Guilty. Habeas Corpus

So, you think he should be treated as an innocent? I'm afraid I can't agree. A can of worms has been opened and when you get such overwhelming evidence even his family and associates in charitable trusts have accepted the facts.

OK even if guilt is proved why as it taken so long to come forward he's been dead for over a year? He's not here to defend himself so whatever comes up is irrelevant now he has had to face his last judgement hasn't he? He was a rich man are these accusers after a cut of the spoils? When he was being knighted these people buried their heads in the sand so why waste all this money in a prosecution now if it is not so they can claim compensation.

Talking of quotes the thing that sticks in my mind on the Hillsborough enquiry is the Liverpool fan on the pitch saying "they should have given us the bigger end". This was his excuse for the fans who pushed through the turnstiles without tickets causing the crush in the first place. So surely the fans should accept some responsibility for what happened. Money again comes to mind it really is the route of all evil. Eileen

Tardis wrote:Maybe, but Innocent until proven Guilty. Habeas Corpus

I understand your sentiment but the term literally means `present the person in court' which is a bit difficult with Jimmy Saville! He can't defend himself so I guess we will have to make do with `present the person's case in court' instead. What bothers me is how so many people claim to have known what was going on yet none or very few did anything about it; and that situation is revealed so often in other cases.

One thing that is at work here is the fact that the ability of those with power to suppress facts has waned as the public gets access to information and more importantly the ability to respond via the vastly improved access the ordinary person has to communication. The social networks have their faults but they have certainly given power to the people. As for the Saville affair, it may well be that the flood of accusations is abused people at last realising they have no need to be afraid of consequences and can unburden themselves. It may be that this is a benefit to them. This was how the hacking scandal surfaced and the Parliamentary expenses scandal. The Hillsborough enquiry and revelations were opened up by the same route. It's a more open society and I applaud it. We may be uncomfortable with the revelations but the world is a better place if we know the truth. Think of the number of co-abusers who are lying uneasily in their beds waiting for the knock on the door. We shall see more cases like this and though disturbing it must eventually be a good thing.
For years Saville made me uncomfortable and now I know why.
Mind you, there are dangers. I was close to the centre of power in Rochdale during the terrible Satanic Abuse affair. That went terribly wrong and was repeated in the far north of Scotland. It was a frenzy of accusations that in the end proved to be groundless.

Yes, we have to be careful we don't go back to demonising anyone who is `different' to us...because, in truth, we are all different.

Some things don't change. Have a look at the 'witch craze' phenomenon of the 17th and 18th century.

From court in Athens by Costas Vaxovanis on trial for revealing the names of 2000 tax dodgers - the (Christine) Lagarde list.

"Journalism is to reveal the truth when others try to hide it. Everything else is Public Relations"

I heard that as well and thought how true it is.

Sir Michael Parkinson - " but I don’t watch talk shows now, to be honest, They’re not of much interest.”

Perhaps because he hasn't a vested interest!

"There's no such thing as America Warming, it's Global Warming"

Mitt Romney.

Seen on another forum in a discussion about exacting standards...
"Life is too short for stuffing mushrooms".

We have a similar saying on the kitchen wall. life is too short for cheap wine.

I agree with both those sentiments!

Yes, and a third one..."Make the best of life - this is not a rehearsal".

On the same theme - I've got an old Country music track called -

"There ain't no action replay in the football game of life"