The government terrified of the Daily Mail

[crankedup]

NoNeed said:

crankedup said:

Reading this forum daily can leave an individual concerned about the state of the Country. BBC are crap, D.M. is crap, Guardian is crap, comic papers are OK because they are harmless, in fact evrything is crap if its not Conservative

I think it's more a hatred for new labour than a love of concervatives, Well it is for me. I wait patiently for two pre-election pledges to be forgotten about.

1. The fuel duty cap/set tax rate
2. the abolition of the human right act.

BBC question Time last night (yes yes I know its crap ) the fuel duty cap was discussed, or it might have been Newsnight? or Daily Politics? Oh Dear. Anyhow, the Coalition are tweaking the implementation details apparently and that will be another eight weeks!
Expect the price/Lt to be 1.50p before the stabiliser is introduced, seems like a good round starting price anyway

[anonymous-user]

Morningside said:

Who actually reads 'The Star'?

A colleague. It's toss, you can read it cover to cover, and STILL have no idea about what is going on in the world.

They lie incessantly about the ages and intelligence of their Page 3 girls too.

[Digga]

crankedup said:

Reading this forum daily can leave an individual concerned about the state of the Country. BBC are crap, D.M. is crap, Guardian is crap, comic papers are OK because they are harmless, in fact evrything is crap if its not Conservative

In your haste, you've omitted to say The Times is crap and The Sun is crap - Conservative or otherwise.

IMHO you can perhaps, just about trust what you read in the FT.

[robsti]

DonkeyApple said:

off_again said:

Fantastic example of how bad the Daily Whail can be:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1346563/Mi...

Its about West Mids Police having a Lotus Evora on loan. Anyway, within a few words of the title you have the facts, that its donated from Lotus (as a publicity exercise). Cue plenty of reader comments about the cost of sports cars and that the police are wasting money.... if the average reader of the DM cannot make it 35 words into the article then there is NOTHING we can do.

The DM know their market and fuel the embers of annoyance within it. It works well, clearly, and is not a good example of journalistic integrity.

#

Just one look at the home page this morning and the main visual features are a girl from X Factor and a girl from an American reality show. The paper is aimed at 2 types of people, those who are unhappy with their life, have immense internal rage at their own failings and need a vent and the plain fking stupid.

It's a scum paper for failed human beings. It is a hate fuelling propaganda machine and it is utterly depressing that it exists in this country.

Soovy take note!

[dandarez]

Well, I'm nearly old enough to be in that group.

I must be slightly different as I read whatever i can get my hands on, from the Wail to the Indie, online to the TV.

My life revolves around print, so I was brought up to read a lot. If you read a lot you tend to get a more balanced view, provided you bear in mind much of what you are fed today. whether it be left or right, or (lol) centre, has an agenda, whether it be swine flu or climate change or crime, whatever.

But sensible people can make a judgement simply by having their eyes open!

IMHO things have changed for the worse in a vast many areas in this country. Those who think otherwise are usually those with their own agenda, and those who have not lived beyond their late 30s.

So, just the one point, Derek, if it's so good and not nearly as bad as your friends of a 'certain age' believe or read that it is, pray tell me this:

WHY on earth is there any necessity whatsoever for your wife to be a 'Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator'?

Didn't used to be a 'need' for any 'WATCH' schemes like this in the (as your friends will tell you I'm sure) the 'good old days'!

In fact, I can remember - only too well! - being very painfully lifted 'off' the ground by my left ear by one of 'you' in 1959. Do you know, it worked!

The neighbourhood was in 'safe hands' and didn't once panic into putting up signs and 'watch out' notices.

Not any more!

Edited by dandarez on Thursday 13th January 16:06

[turbobloke]

dandarez said:

But sensible people can make a judgement simply by having their eyes open!

What's more, reading informed comment containing wise words doesn't necessarily make you cleverer, any more than reading daftasabrush content necessarily makes you (or identified you as) stupid.

The ability to distinguish between opinion and evidence, and to analyse critically what is read, applies to reading The Times, The Grauniad and the Mail equally. Everything should be dissected thoroughly.

As such there is nothing shameful or unhelpful in reading any newspaper in print or online, the only problem lies in individuals who think one source is better than another fundamentally and always on every issue. It doesn't matter what that source is.

[dandarez]

Opulent said:

Morningside said:

Who actually reads 'The Star'?

A colleague. It's toss, you can read it cover to cover, and STILL have no idea about what is going on in the world.

They lie incessantly about the ages and intelligence of their Page 3 girls too.

How do you know?
There's only one way you can know isn't there?

YOU must read it!

So don't tell lies and blame 'a colleague'.

[crankedup]

Digga said:

crankedup said:

Reading this forum daily can leave an individual concerned about the state of the Country. BBC are crap, D.M. is crap, Guardian is crap, comic papers are OK because they are harmless, in fact evrything is crap if its not Conservative

In your haste, you've omitted to say The Times is crap and The Sun is crap - Conservative or otherwise.

IMHO you can perhaps, just about trust what you read in the FT.

No No, I've included those couple of rags in with the comic papers

[crankedup]

Being one of the 'lucky'? so called baby boomers I guess I may fit into the categorised group referred to in the OP. I find it difficult not to agree with that groups wailing, except I don't read that particular paper. Being an old fart I can recall family days out and we never locked up the house when we left it!! not sure if that was cos we had nought worth nicking or it really was trust thy neighbour, I suspect the latter. Coppers were certainly Authority figure's and did command respect, each Booby had a beat and knew which ear was to be pulled (as Dandrez said). It would be so easy at this point to write happy memories, but houses were for living in and not expecting to profit from. I won't mention renting in case Groaks in the room Newspapers were used in the Lav' or to wrap your Fish'N Chips in. Happy days! sorry back to the thread.

[ge0rge]

otolith said:

The Daily Mail does not lead opinion, though. What it does (and is very good at) is reflect the attitudes and prejudices of its readers and seek out stories which will upset them. The Guardian does much the same thing, it just takes aim at a readership with a different set of attitudes and prejudices.

Well put.

[don4l]

Digga said:

crankedup said:

Reading this forum daily can leave an individual concerned about the state of the Country. BBC are crap, D.M. is crap, Guardian is crap, comic papers are OK because they are harmless, in fact evrything is crap if its not Conservative

In your haste, you've omitted to say The Times is crap and The Sun is crap - Conservative or otherwise.

IMHO you can perhaps, just about trust what you read in the FT.

Absolutely agree with this. I bought my first copy two years ago, and was very impressed with the news reporting. Previously I had laboured under the impression that it only reported on financial matters.


However, to get back on topic...
My OH buys the Mail a few times a week. I must admit that I enjoy reading it. I know[ that it is all wrong, but I cannot find anything that I disagree with in it.


If Cameron's socialist party were terrified of the Mail, then we would be seeing the welfare budget getting slashed. We aren't, so I don't think that the government is that scared of it.


Don
--

[tubbystu]

crankedup said:

Newspapers were used in the Lav' or to wrap your Fish'N Chips in.

Hapy days indeed.

A cheap hot nourishing meal, well wrapped for the journey home, with something to read whilst eating and then to finish on the bog afterwards and then to wipe your 'arris with and flush away.

How's that for economic re-use of precious resources.

And this was before anybody thought of calling such ideas green

[madala]

....even the once respected "broadsheets" are going the way of the "Daily Soovy" but seeing as television now only panders to the mindless masses it's hardly suprising....

Edited by madala on Thursday 13th January 17:28

[DonkeyApple]

crankedup said:

Being one of the 'lucky'? so called baby boomers I guess I may fit into the categorised group referred to in the OP. I find it difficult not to agree with that groups wailing, except I don't read that particular paper. Being an old fart I can recall family days out and we never locked up the house when we left it!! not sure if that was cos we had nought worth nicking or it really was trust thy neighbour, I suspect the latter. Coppers were certainly Authority figure's and did command respect, each Booby had a beat and knew which ear was to be pulled (as Dandrez said). It would be so easy at this point to write happy memories, but houses were for living in and not expecting to profit from. I won't mention renting in case Groaks in the room Newspapers were used in the Lav' or to wrap your Fish'N Chips in. Happy days! sorry back to the thread.

Bad parenting from the Baby Boomers?

[DonkeyApple]

madala said:

....even the once respected "broadsheets" are going the way of the "Daily Soovy" but seeing as television now only panders to the mindless masses it's hardly suprising....

Edited by madala on Thursday 13th January 17:28

It's the rush for eyeballs. And the largest pool of eyeballs are at the lower end of the spectrum and when credit was available to all the marketing campaigns were all targeted at this easy source of revenue.

The total demise of ITV is a perfect case in point of a business which raced to the bottom but has been left high and dry now the ad revenues for products aimed at their new target audience has shrunk.

It's all tits and arse and shiney, sparkly things.

[robsti]

DonkeyApple said:

madala said:

....even the once respected "broadsheets" are going the way of the "Daily Soovy" but seeing as television now only panders to the mindless masses it's hardly suprising....

Edited by madala on Thursday 13th January 17:28

It's the rush for eyeballs. And the largest pool of eyeballs are at the lower end of the spectrum and when credit was available to all the marketing campaigns were all targeted at this easy source of revenue.

The total demise of ITV is a perfect case in point of a business which raced to the bottom but has been left high and dry now the ad revenues for products aimed at their new target audience has shrunk.

It's all tits and arse and shiney, sparkly things.

"
It's all tits and arse" must watch more ITV!

[Derek Smith]

dandarez said:

IMHO things have changed for the worse in a vast many areas in this country. Those who think otherwise are usually those with their own agenda, and those who have not lived beyond their late 30s.

So, just the one point, Derek, if it's so good and not nearly as bad as your friends of a 'certain age' believe or read that it is, pray tell me this:

WHY on earth is there any necessity whatsoever for your wife to be a 'Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator'?

Didn't used to be a 'need' for any 'WATCH' schemes like this in the (as your friends will tell you I'm sure) the 'good old days'!

In fact, I can remember - only too well! - being very painfully lifted 'off' the ground by my left ear by one of 'you' in 1959. Do you know, it worked!

The neighbourhood was in 'safe hands' and didn't once panic into putting up signs and 'watch out' notices.

Not any more!

When my elder brother was born my father told me that he promised himself that he (and later me) would never go to bed hungry. My father did just to ensure that we didn't. I'd say that's an improvement.

A bloke I worked with in my original job, in the print, died as a result of an industrial injury - lead poisoning. Nowadays his job is perfomed in airtight clothing and BA. I'd say that was pretty good.

I worked a 6-day week at the age of 15. The fact that it would not be allowed nowadays is a good move I think.

My brother was beaten by his teacher at senior school because his friend had done something wrong. The teacher would be imprisoned nowadays. That's a move in the right direction I think.

Bible bashers were buggering children all over this and other countries in my youth. That has, we are assured by pope, has been reduced to an acceptable level. That's another move in the right direction, if a little slowly.

Gangs patrolled the east end of London, killing people who got in their way, when I was a kid. This has not changed unfortunately, but it is not, by any means, something new.

When returning from a pub in south London (the Richardsons') early in the morning on the last bus the local police would use the local car to leapfrog it and stop any blacks getting on. Sowing the wind I suppose. That would be frowned upon nowadays.

There were immigrants in those days too. There was the dreaded Irish, blamed for every crime that happened. The ethnic group has changed but, at least according to some newspapers, it is still only immigrants who cause all the problems. At least nowadays it would be illegal to have 'no Irish or blacks (insert your own ethnic bête noire).

Further education was reserved only for the rich, the very rich and the highly intelligent. Although if you were a child prodigy from a poor background - father a stoker on a coastal tramp - those at Oxford would make your life unbearable. That's changed to an extent.

Crime against property was not quite so common of course. For instance, no one ever got robbed. Oh, apart from my father. When the police turned up they gave him advice and didn't even bother to crime it. So figures are a lot worse nowadays. However, some suggest that part of the reason is the fact that people now have something to steal and have it insured.

Police in those days, of course, always turned out for every minor crime. Like hell they did. I remember people being beaten, cars being stolen and trashed, wives knocked about every Fri and Sat and the police didn't give a damn. So they only give you a crime number for most burglaries and thefts nowadays but they do turn out a lot more. That's a good thing.

A lighterman rented a garage at the end of our road. If his wife had the car she would hoot as she went past her house. The chap would come out and meet her a bit more than halfway. That was because of the muggings that occured in that part of London. Sort of a embryonic neighbourwood watch.

Not only that but the police, to a great extent, and one greater than most other countries, can be trusted to deal with prisoners and complainants within the law. That is a massive change. I used to be a member of a local Young Socialists group (as well as a Young Conservative) to please a side of my rather large family. They went up to London for a demonstration which was quite well behaved and three were given a gift by the very nice policemen - a half brick. Maybe it does go on to an extent nowadays but in those days it was institutionalised. The police, the lawyers and the courts all knew it went on but it was nodded through.

Police regularly beat suspects and also fitted them up. 'Doors or cars?' used to be asked of many an individual walking home and minding his own business. That may go on still, but again it is not to anything like the same level.

My opinion is that things are more or less the same. Some things are a lot better though and there is no way I would want my kids to be brought up in the London I was. I enjoyed myself, that's for sure, but I reckon I'd enjoy myself nowadays as well. Some things I am very envious of. But would they like one or two things about my life?

The fact that you could be bullied at work, kicked out of a job at a moment's notice, given much lower wages on the sole grounds that you were of a different race, sex, or sexual orientation must make my kids really dream of my early times. I was treated harshly by local police when I was a kid but I had it, and more, coming. I never resented it. However, what about those beaten in cells. In Snow Hill in the late 70s there were rumours of a prisoner being beaten to death. I bet my kids really think that would have been a hoot.

Cabbies were beaten, pubs were smashed, cars dealers were turned over time and again. My parents could not even dream of owning their own home. Good old days.

[bucksmanuk]

I read Private Eye
Where do I sit in all of this?

[DonkeyApple]

robsti said:

DonkeyApple said:

madala said:

....even the once respected "broadsheets" are going the way of the "Daily Soovy" but seeing as television now only panders to the mindless masses it's hardly suprising....

Edited by madala on Thursday 13th January 17:28

It's the rush for eyeballs. And the largest pool of eyeballs are at the lower end of the spectrum and when credit was available to all the marketing campaigns were all targeted at this easy source of revenue.

The total demise of ITV is a perfect case in point of a business which raced to the bottom but has been left high and dry now the ad revenues for products aimed at their new target audience has shrunk.

It's all tits and arse and shiney, sparkly things.

"
It's all tits and arse" must watch more ITV!

Well, the real problem is that there are tits and arse and then there are tits and arse. Sadly, ITV have gone for the wrong type.

[GavinPearson]

otolith said:

The Guardian does much the same thing, it just takes aim at a readership with a different set of attitudes and prejudices.

Presumably people who call themselves socialists, think of themselves as intellectual, but can barely string a conerent sentence together and like their publications to be riddled with typos.