News of the World phone hacking

[David Gwilliam]

We have got rather off track her which is as much my fault as it is my favourite witty lawyers and favourite eccentric scientist.

In the 1950s the great American journalist Ed Murrow began an interview with Aneurin Bevan with the words:

 

[Blue Maniac]

In the 1950s the great American journalist Ed Murrow began an interview with Aneurin Bevan with the words:

Good job we're already familiar with the quotation :icon_wink

 

[David Gwilliam]

This is what post 61 should have read. I blame the computer the way a bad workman always blames his tools

We have got rather off track her which is as much my fault as it is my favourite witty lawyers and favourite eccentric scientist.

In the 1950s the great American journalist Ed Murrow began an interview with Aneurin Bevan with the words:
Mr Bevan you have claimed that the British press is the most prostituted in the world, On behalf of the American press may I thank you.
We should not believe that the theory that the nastiness of the British press began this century or that it is confined to the redtops.

American culture is IMO far more polarised than British. The radio shockjocks are dreadful Yet the papers are far better. To take two papers that claim to be responsible Johann Hari and Yasmin Alibhai Brown of the Indy or Jan Moir and Richard Littlejohn of the Mail regulalrly spit out hatred. This journalism would not be tolerated in the Boston Herald or Chicago Sun Times.

My theory is that this is because American newspapers are rooted in their community in a way that ours are not. Boston Herald journalists will mix with all sort of Bostonians. The old joke about The Guardian is that when they want to test public opinion they talk to people who work for The Indy. If we had the same situation in this country in which for instance the Leicester Mercury was the main newspaper for this city involving national news there would be pressure have a balance and if you did employ a Richard Littlejohn to employ Johann Hari as well - which would be good for readers of either one.

Certainly the newspaper you buy in this country labels you. Sun Reader? Mail reader? Guardian reader? all have negative connotations for readers of other newspapers.
A lady was once taliking to me about something she had read in The Sun. She then said "You don't look like someone who reads The Sun you look like a Daily Mail reader." My reply was "Worse than that I'm afraid I read The Daily Telegraph". Then I thought "why am I apologisesing to a Sun reader for reading the Telegraph."
In America there is no label attached to reading the Los Angeles Times

 

[spionfox]

We have got rather off track her ..........

This is what post 61 should have read.

We have got rather off track her ........

Care to try again? :icon_wink

 

[Blue Maniac]

Care to try again? :icon_wink

Pendant.

 

[David Gwilliam]

Good job we're already familiar with the quotation :icon_wink

In that case I had better give a quote about the press you may not know.

Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin described the press barons of the 1930s as having "Power without responsibility the prerogative of the harlot throughout the ages."
For those who are unsure about Baldwin he was the Prime Minister in the movie "The Kings Speech"

 

[Blue Maniac]

For those who are unsure about Baldwin he was the Prime Minister in the movie "The Kings Speech"

I think it's unfortunate that you feel this necessary.

 

[spionfox]

For those who are unsure about Baldwin he was the Prime Minister in the movie "The Kings Speech"

No he wasn't, that was Anthony Andrews.

Baldwin being dead couldn't possibly play himself :icon_bigg


Yeah yeah, I know BM - pendant!

 

[Mawsley]

Sorry Gwilliam, I realise I was going with too high a level question.

Let's kick off with something altogether easier: how many members has the Trust got?

 

[David Gwilliam]

Sorry Gwilliam, I realise I was going with too high a level question.

Let's kick off with something altogether easier: how many members has the Trust got?

I am glad you share my interest in this wonderful organisation.
According to Wikipedia it has 3.7 million. This is quite an achievement since Life membership costs £1260.

By the way it has recently changed its rules to allow people to take photographs within it's houses .

 

[RHYDAL]

For those who are unsure about Baldwin he was the Prime Minister in the movie "The Kings Speech"

He was one of the Prime Ministers.

 

[RHYDAL]

By the way it has recently changed its rules to allow people to take photographs within it's houses .

Who'd want to enter a house that smells of cat urine?

 

[Mawsley]

This thread is now running at a constant 128WTF/s

 

[David Gwilliam]

This thread is now running at a constant 128WTF/s

You are obviously cool with your 128WTFs. :icon_bigg
Last week a young lady began talking to me about "ecosystem service value" and I said "WTF does that mean in English." She then told me that I am "not cool enough to use WTF."

Did anybody see Steve Coogan on Newsnight last week? He was magnificent. There was a really slimy News Of The World reporter defending the paper and Coogan ripped him to pieces.

 

[spionfox]

YLast week a young lady began talking to me about "ecosystem service value" and I said "WTF does that mean in English."

Did you really say it like that? As in double you, tea, eff?

 

[Blue Maniac]

Did you really say it like that? As in double you, tea, eff?

I really hope he did. That would be a major win for the Gwill.

 

[spionfox]

I really hope he did. That would be a major win for the Gwill.

The Gwill, or even the Gwillmeister. I like that :icon_bigg

 

[Mawsley]

Did anybody see Steve Coogan on Newsnight last week? He was magnificent. There was a really slimy News Of The World reporter defending the paper and Coogan ripped him to pieces.

The remarkable coke-snorting, hooker-shagging Coogan who led Owen Wilson into a downward drug abuse spiral? He was pontificating about standards was he? How magnificent.

 

[Matt_B]

The remarkable coke-snorting, hooker-shagging Coogan who led Owen Wilson into a downward drug abuse spiral? He was pontificating about standards was he? How magnificent.

Like I said previously, people are eternal hypocrites. Not to be confused with eternal hypogriffs, which are magical beasts and entirely irrelevant to this conversation.

 

[David Gwilliam]

Did you really say it like that? As in double you, tea, eff?

Yes. I never actually use the "eff" word except on rare occasions when provoked by Leicester City defenders.

I have to admit that my comment had been made laughingly and her reply was made fondly.I was provoking/teasing her about the use of jargon to a non-scientist. Everything depends upon the tone and context. When I was young I was once called "a miserable anti-social f_____g bastard". The chap who called me that was a friend then and forty years later remains a friend. A great deal depends on whether people say something with affection.
Various malignant people have claimed that I occasionally provoke to get a reaction. One of my favourite occasions was on finding myself in a friendly meeting with some Jewish gentlemen. I early on used the word "chutzpah" and to their delight pointed out that I was the first person in the room to use Hebrew.