Search results for:

^and so it begins...

The BNP is only a very minor party

900,000 voters beg to differ...

Because an apology is where one stands down and admits one's failings. Defending one's position is half of an argument, which is an entirely different thing.

Her 'apology' is nothing of the sort - it's a passive-aggressive way of saying "I'm sorry you feel that way" that implies "(but you're wrong and I'm right)" .

I'm right, you're wrong - and oh yes, the:

"silent majority"

are also on my side.

...thugh that's not to say that conservative christians are gay-friendly either. Was just disappointed with varsi is all.

The varsi homophobic thing raises a tricky issue.

The conservative core of the muslim community's views on homosexuality aren't the most tolerant. Varsi had to be careful not to piss off her base.

Precisely. Whether they like it or not - and the Mail doesn't - it's not necessarily newspapers that set the news agenda these. If they had stuck to it's anti immigrant rants no one would have said much. But it chose the wrong target: a young, tech-savvy, loyal fanbase. And it got well and truly fucked over

I wish their anti-immigration stuff would get picked up as widely.

Was it just that Gately's fans are more tech savvy that this exploded? I think pinpointing exactly what made this snowball is important. Maybe then we can start highlighting all the other evil the Heil propogates.

I thought Baroness Varsi was good, possibly the best panellist, until Dimbelby uncovered her own blatant homophobia which wasn't too far off the BNP's own position. I was a bit shocked frankly at her hasty wriggling on that one.

Straw started off well - really liked his opening gambit - but then came totally unstuck on immigration. He could and should have done better with that. It was pretty awesome though when he was all like "I am the JUSTICE MINISTER. You CAN answer that question." Made mw think how fucking cool it would be to be the justice minister. You could win any argument.

I liked the way Greer dealt with Griffin - with humour and humanity. It showed Griffin up nicely. She made good points about indigenousness and caught the KKK stuff too.

Huhne was bit of an also-ran but did okay. The lowpoint of it for me was when all the mainstream politicians started squabbling over their respective immigration policies. SURELY for ONCE you can put aside the partisanship and face a common enemy? No?

My whip is quite feminine

Why do you not except that as an apology? She addresses every contentious issue. She does however not stand down but instead defends her position. whether you agree with her or not, it's not as bleak as you make out IMO.

First off I think the situation is bleak because this excuse for an apology is just going to sell more Daily Mails.

Secondly, this is not an apology. The original article was blatantly homophobic. This follow-up is just her arguing that she is NOT. That the original article was tragically misunderstood.

The point of my article was to suggest that, in my honest opinion, Stephen Gately's death raised many unanswered questions. What had really gone on? After all, Stephen was a role model for the young and if drugs were somehow involved in his death, as news reports suggested, should that not be a matter of public interest?

It was in the public interest see? And drugs were invovled! DRUGS! well, cannabis.

That's just ONE hole I haven't got the time to pick through the whole thing. But it's outrageous and depressing. In some ways worse than the original article.

good to see the emphasis on HGVs there

Not even a nod at an apology. Just self-serving damage-limitiation from Moir, and another attempt by the Heil to capitalise on a homophobic story that stirred up a shit storm to sell yet more papers. Very, very depressing.

Even that wasn't very loud - until we sped up to chase a plane. Tibenham.

Is 'Tibenham' an expression of joy? Or where you went hang-gliding?

From question asked to the mayor on 9 October
In short - too expensive to do anything about is the Mayor's reply.

Whitechapel Road and Vallance Road junction
Question No: 2698 / 2009
Jenny Jones
What urgent action are you taking to redesign the junction at Whitechapel Road and Vallance Road to make it safe for cyclists?
Answer from the Mayor:
Following an analysis of the collision history at this site, a scheme design has been prepared. The key feature of the design is the moving over of New Road to the east to improve the overall junction alignment. However this would involve the relocation of a large amount of statutory undertakers’ equipment and the cost estimate exceeds £1m. Consideration is therefore being given to alternative designs that can be delivered at lower cost whilst still delivering a safety benefit.
Police inquiries into the recent tragic fatality are continuing but the current view is the design or physical condition of the junction was not a contributory factor. However discussions involving the police have identified some defects and work is in hand to address these.

Might head down to the demo later

FIXIES NOT FACISTS placards anyone?

I'm waiting for a replacement Pista frame to come back from Bianchi after mine cracked under warranty. What's the pistadex on a virgin right now? we talking over £200?

HOT OFF THE PRESS

(from CTC)

"MPs on the Commons Public Accounts Committee have just published a short report on pedestrian and cyclist safety, in which they have rightly called for more 20mph speed limits, traffic calming and cameras, particularly in the most deprived areas where children are at greatest risk. Yet the Daily Mail has latched onto a paragraph in which the MPs urge the Government to tackle the “strongly held perception that, through the irresponsible behaviour of some cyclists, they are a hazard to themselves and other road users”.

This was based on the tirade from Committee member David Curry MP during the evidence-session earlier this summer (scroll down to “MPs scrutinise cycle safety report”), where he talked about cyclists “going like bat[s] out of hell… dressed like Darth Vadar, as they all do!”
The CTC response continues:

"So instead of perceptions, can we deal with reality? On average there are about 2 pedestrians killed by motor vehicles on our roads every day, compared with about 2 a year killed by bicycles. Even on pavements and verges, motor vehicles kill around 40 pedestrians every year, i.e. almost one a week, whereas there have been just 3 pedestrians killed by pavement cyclists in the whole of this decade. For more comparisons of the involvement of motor vehicles and cycles in injuring pedestrians, see this CTC briefing."

"CTC in no way condones law-breaking cycling and we are strongly in favour of more and better traffic policing – indeed this is one of the key aims of our new Stop SMIDSY campaign. But let’s get this in perspective – cyclists are far more likely to be the victims than the perpetrators of irresponsible behaviour on our roads. And cycles are far less of a threat to pedestrians, or any other road user for that matter."

The CTC concludes by saying:
"By the way, 2 days ago David Curry MP was voted on to chair the Commons Standards and Privileges Committee. So we can now rest assured that sleaze among MPs will be fiercely tackled thanks to his outstanding skills in Parliamentary scrutiny!"

If you ever wanted a better example of The Daily Mail and the BNP feeding off of one another, look at the most recommended comments in this pathetic attempt by the Heil to distance itself from the far right.

Just a tiny taster

If the extreme left, ex communists in government, the establishment, and the major political parties are against Griffin and his realistic views, then sense tell you to support him. These individuals have ruined my children's future. What is wrong with a political party that represents me, the major parties do not REPRESENT me.

• K. MARTIN, Calais France., 22/10/2009 9:12
  Click to rate Rating 700
  Report abuse
  
  

The whole of the establishment are throwing their toys out of their gilt edged prams.
The BNP must be doing something right.
With Cameron adopting the same policies such as womens shortlists and hugging hoodies and chasing the ethnic votes as Labour do, one of the most unpopular governments in living history, is it any wonder the BNP is becoming a real alternative?.

• Jerry Owen, Hook Hants, 22/10/2009 9:02
  

it has my pawprint now

I wonder what the BNPs policy on pavement cycling is?

We need to get you in the QT audience PRONTO

Sorry if this is a repost. Real interesting stuff from thebikeshow Mayor's Q&A.

2 things that jumped out at me:
*
Whitechapel Road and Vallance Road junction
Question No: 2698 / 2009
Jenny Jones
What urgent action are you taking to redesign the junction at Whitechapel Road and Vallance Road to make it safe for cyclists?
Answer from the Mayor:
Following an analysis of the collision history at this site, a scheme design has been prepared. The key feature of the design is the moving over of New Road to the east to improve the overall junction alignment. However this would involve the relocation of a large amount of statutory undertakers’ equipment and the cost estimate exceeds £1m. Consideration is therefore being given to alternative designs that can be delivered at lower cost whilst still delivering a safety benefit.
Police inquiries into the recent tragic fatality are continuing but the current view is the design or physical condition of the junction was not a contributory factor. However discussions involving the police have identified some defects and work is in hand to address these.*

and
*
In 2008/09 3,000 vehicles were stopped (all types including lightweight vans). Of these 1329 were ‘trucks’ over 7.5 tonnes.
Proportion found to be driving illegally
Offences were found in an average 80% of these vehicles. It should be noted that these are experienced officers adept at spotting defects and this is unlikely to be a representative percentage of offences in all commercial vehicles using*

I've now found the complete quote from the honourable mr curry MP in the Daily Heil

When taking evidence, Tory MP David Curry asked the transport department's permanent secretary Robert Devereux: 'Why are cyclists such irresponsible and arrogant road users?

'The only time I've been knocked down in my life was by a cyclist going like a bat out of hell outside the Commons, dressed like Darth Vader, as they all do. They do not take any notice of red lights. They think traffic cones are not for them.'

Dressed like Darth Vader. All cyclists.

he he busted

I'm struggling to figure out how this has got so many responses, cycling on the pavement is a stupid thing and if you're doing it, you're pretty much definitely an idiot (unless of course you're just setting off/arriving).

says mr baileys-bottle-in-one-hand guiness-in-the-other?

Err... no.

He's saying we're not in some sort of superior moral category.

Which is true.

^^CYCLISTS HAVE THE SAME MORAL RESPONSIBILITIES AS OTHER ROAD USERS^^ says elected official.

Look. Firstly, he's a conservative and I don't like his face, glasses or expression.

Secondly:

"We seem to regard cyclists as living in some sort of superior moral category when they actually do not have any."

when you really look at it could mean anything. It COULD mean "they do not have any" superior moral category. It COULD mean "they do not have any" morals

Either way - face? Conservative? those glasses?

I agree with the article, think the pro pavement cycling comments back up his points...

"Of course it's wrong if an idiot does it, but I am far from that my friend, I saunter by and doff my cap at the little old ladies and they wave me on my merry way..."

superior moral category indeed...

It's true! Some cyclists are superior moral beings to others!

This is me cycling on the pavement:

and this is the scrote who knocked down dammit

They're DIFFERENT