why the bbc is going down the pan

[Streatham_Mao]

And another from R4 - Analysis, Tories: nasty or nice?

Rather than actually they deal with the question they just let a Tory with a microphone whine for half an hour, fighting off strawmen.

What utter bollocks and I don't see them doing this for the other parties.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b047ws86

 

[Streatham_Mao]

I wrote a complaint - but to Feedback rather than the complaints page.

Dunno if it will make a difference.

 

[DaveCinzano]

It seems an expensive private education topped up with lashings of Oxbridge, a quick stint in the Lib Dem press office and then an entire career spent traversing the BBC management ladder does nothing for one's ability to make any sense: “Vine-style six second bits of eclectic Today experience”

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/jul/13/today-radio-4-thought-for-the-day-jamie-angus

 

[Awesome Wells]

"you can't mess with throught for the day"

The best thing they could do with Thought for the Day is actually read from the Bible since scripture is the best way to deprogram from the cult of christ.

 

[butchersapron]

"you can't mess with throught for the day"

The best thing they could do with Thought for the Day is actually read from the Bible since scripture is the best way to deprogram from the cult of christ.

Not sure that's what history demonstrates.

And i'm not sure something as crude as "the best way to deprogram from the cult of christ" is the intention of the slot.

 

[gosub]

one day last week I awoke to the Today program news telling me that Nigel Havers thought his aunt, Baroness Sloss, was a good egg. This for me was a new low

 

[DotCommunist]

getting this cunt to make the case against rail nationalisation

• Ben Southwood is a researcher at the Adam Smith Institute
• Previously economics correspondent for City AM newspaper
• He has a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University
• The Adam Smith Institute is an independent free market think tank known for its work on privatisation and tax reform

 

[treelover]

Evan Davis is to replace Paxo, disaster, he is a sneery slimebag

 

[8ball]

Evan Davis is to replace Paxo, disaster, he is a sneery slimebag

I was about to post this myself. They've gone for someone with a proven record of unconditionally kissing the ass of power - a depressing development.

 

[krtek a houby]

Evan Davis is to replace Paxo, disaster, he is a sneery slimebag

He peaked with The Lemonheads, IMHO

 

[Roadkill]

Evan Davis is to replace Paxo, disaster, he is a sneery slimebag

I wouldn't quite call him that, but he's not exactly big on challenging the powerful. Rather right-wing as well, is ol' Tinsel Tits.

 

[DotCommunist]

great, the beebs rent-a-economist

 

[Roadkill]

getting this cunt to make the case against rail nationalisation
View attachment 57950

• Ben Southwood is a researcher at the Adam Smith Institute
• Previously economics correspondent for City AM newspaper
• He has a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University
• The Adam Smith Institute is an independent free market think tank known for its work on privatisation and tax reform

I didn't hear it, but let me guess: it was just one big diatribe about how government has no business running railways and British Rail must have been inefficient because it was a state-owned body ... all spiced up with plenty of reference to (discredited) free-market orthodoxies and precious little nod to the mass of evidence that contradicts his thesis. Something like that?

 

[DotCommunist]

I didn't hear it, but let me guess: it was just one big diatribe about how government has no business running railways and British Rail must have been inefficient because it was a state-owned body ... all spiced up with plenty of reference to (discredited) free-market orthodoxies and precious little nod to the mass of evidence that contradicts his thesis. Something like that?

he recons the spiralling costs to consumer, the poorer safety record and increased subsidies are not because the franchising happened but because it didn't go far enough. He also claimed the rail was cheaper and more efficient when it was first built and in private hands. standard shite


its on the website as an article if you want a rolleyes.


there is a pro-nationalisation case put forward, and well.

typical beeb balance, you get a good case for made by someone who knows what he's talking about and works with industry etc, then for balance they bring in some oxford PPE adam smith researcher right wing twat to give it the libertarian shite

 

[Roadkill]

he recons the spiralling costs to consumer, the poorer safety record and increased subsidies are not because the franchising happened but because it didn't go far enough. He also claimed the rail was cheaper and more efficient when it was first built and in private hands. standard shite


its on the website as an article if you want a rolleyes.


there is a pro-nationalisation case put forward, and well.

typical beeb balance, you get a good case for made by someone who knows what he's talking about and works with industry etc, then for balance they bring in some oxford PPE adam smith researcher right wing twat to give it the libertarian shite

Ta. I'll have a look later if I can bear it.

 

[ViolentPanda]

getting this cunt to make the case against rail nationalisation
View attachment 57950

• Ben Southwood is a researcher at the Adam Smith Institute
• Previously economics correspondent for City AM newspaper
• He has a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University
• The Adam Smith Institute is an independent free market think tank known for its work on privatisation and tax reform

What a punchable smug smirk he has.
He look s like he'd have still been being potty-trained when the railways were privatised, so his schtick will have been the usual "free market" received wisdom. What a plum.

 

[ViolentPanda]

He peaked with The Lemonheads, IMHO

And the Lemonheads peaked with "It's A Shame About Ray".

 

[ViolentPanda]

I wouldn't quite call him that, but he's not exactly big on challenging the powerful. Rather right-wing as well, is ol' Tinsel Tits.

Aren't they all, though? I can't remember the last time someone unselfconsciously left held one of the important beeb political reporting positions.

 

[DotCommunist]

the yes case put forward the nugget I didn't know- one of the rail franchisers here- one who runs even the royal lines- is a german org who funnel the profits back into thier state owned rail madness.

 

[Roadkill]

Aren't they all, though? I can't remember the last time someone unselfconsciously left held one of the important beeb political reporting positions.

Paul Mason isn't exactly a conservative, though I'm not sure you could call him 'unselfconsciously left' either. Aside from that, no, I can't think of anyone either.

 

[Roadkill]

the yes case put forward the nugget I didn't know- one of the rail franchisers here- one who runs even the royal lines- is a german org who funnel the profits back into thier state owned rail madness.

Oh aye, that's old news. The freight (among other things, including the Royal Train) operator EWS was bought out by DB Schencker a few years ago. The 'DB' is Deutsche Bahn, the German state rail operator. Another division of DB also took over Arriva Trains in 2010, and therefore are ultimately in control of several major passenger franchises, among them Chiltern and Cross Country.

All of this should serve to show people like Southwood that state-owned railways can work very well, but unfortunately free-market types like him are usually completely impervious to any evidence that's inconvenient for them. If the facts don't fit the theory, then bugger the facts, and all that.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Oh aye, that's old news. The freight (among other things, including the Royal Train) operator EWS was bought out by DB Schencker a few years ago. The 'DB' is Deutsche Bahn, the German state rail operator. Another division of DB also took over Arriva Trains in 2010, and therefore are ultimately in control of several major passenger franchises, among them Chiltern and Cross Country.

All of this should serve to show people like Southwood that state-owned railways can work very well, but unfortunately free-market types like him are usually completely impervious to any evidence that's inconvenient for them. If the facts don't fit the theory, then bugger the facts, and all that.

Hey, he has a degree in PPE from Oxford. We aren't (snigger) equipped to argue with the arguments such an intellect produces.

 

[Roadkill]

Hey, he has a degree in PPE from Oxford. We aren't (snigger) equipped to argue with the arguments such an intellect produces.

And he works for the Adam Smith Institute. Truly an intellect of Einstein-esque stature.


I'm convinced that no-one who works for the Adam Smith Institute has ever read any Adam Smith, mind, but maybe that's one for another thread!

 

[ViolentPanda]

And he works for the Adam Smith Institute. Truly an intellect of Einstein-esque stature.


I'm convinced that no-one who works for the Adam Smith Institute has ever read any Adam Smith, mind, but maybe that's one for another thread!

Or they've only read Vol. IV, Chapter II of "The Wealth of Nations", plus a ragbag of "Austrian School" (pseudo-)economics and neoliberal verities. There doesn't seem to be a lot of "history of economics" involved in the subject any more, which I suppose is a boon to both the tutors, and to the employment market. Why teach people to a standard where they can critique the status quo, when you can produce automata instead?

 

[Roadkill]

Or they've only read Vol. IV, Chapter II of "The Wealth of Nations", plus a ragbag of "Austrian School" (pseudo-)economics and neoliberal verities. There doesn't seem to be a lot of "history of economics" involved in the subject any more, which I suppose is a boon to both the tutors, and to the employment market. Why teach people to a standard where they can critique the status quo, when you can produce automata instead?

At some point there'd be a lot of mileage in a 'what's wrong with economics' thread. Goons like Southwood are a good example of the problem. Granted, only a third of his degree was economics, but you hear the same guff from people whose whole degree was in the subject, and who've come away only dimly aware that neoclassical economics is but one body of thought, who've barely run across Keynesian (except in a very watered down form), Marxian or behaviouralist economics, and whose encounter with either the history of economic thought or - perhaps more seriously - with economic history is fleeting at best.

 

[ViolentPanda]

At some point there'd be a lot of mileage in a 'what's wrong with economics' thread. Goons like Southwood are a good example of the problem. Granted, only a third of his degree was economics, but you hear the same guff from people whose whole degree was in the subject, and who've come away only dimly aware that neoclassical economics is but one body of thought, who've barely run across Keynesian (except in a very watered down form), Marxian or behaviouralist economics, and whose encounter with either the history of economic thought or - perhaps more seriously - with economic history is fleeting at best.

Every time I read something of Southwood's ilk, I'm eminded of the Urbanite economics grad who didn't know what the term "mixed economy" meant with regard to the postwar situation.

 

[DotCommunist]

I will start the thread and see what comes of it- it'll be an education for me at least, who's economic detail nous equates to not much except being able to spot the enemy

 

[Roadkill]

Every time I read something of Southwood's ilk, I'm eminded of the Urbanite economics grad who didn't know what the term "mixed economy" meant with regard to the postwar situation.

Oh my god. Who was that?!

 

[ViolentPanda]

Oh my god. Who was that?!

I won't name him, as he PM-grovelled quite lavishly, but it was certainly a bit of a gem, that! I mean, back in the '70s every fucker from the dustman to the queen knew what a mixed economy was, but within 30 years the principle was entirely missing from economics. Everything is now either a market economy or a command economy, with nowt in-between.

 

[Roadkill]

I won't name him, as he PM-grovelled quite lavishly, but it was certainly a bit of a gem, that! I mean, back in the '70s every fucker from the dustman to the queen knew what a mixed economy was, but within 30 years the principle was entirely missing from economics. Everything is now either a market economy or a command economy, with nowt in-between.

Oh FFS, this is precisely the problem. No doubt, too, he'd be shocked to learn that that nasty 'orrible post-war era, with its mixed economy, high taxes and restricted financial markets, also saw the longest - and fastest - period of sustained growth in recorded history!

I do wonder, too ... actually I'll save that one for the 'what's wrong with economics' thread!