20 years ago next year Princess Diana died. Two billion people watched her funeral. When the news broke people were in the streets hugging and crying, a friend had died. A friend they had never met. The odd thing was, we all had a weird feeling that we knew her. Maybe not so weird, every single day we saw her face. Every. Single. Day. I know for me I saw her face (in the paper and read about her or saw her on the TV) more than I did my own family. Every day since 1980 when she first appeared on the public scene we heard and saw stories and news about her. That must do something to the psyche. Imprinting an image on your brain every day for 17 years, why wouldn’t your brain tell you that you know that person?
Although Sky news started its 24 hr news channel in 1989, very few people were subscribing. The BBC 24 hour news started in 1997. Most likely people actually started watching these channels more in the early 2000s.
So back in 1997 Princess Diana’s death was announced as breaking news on the television, by interrupting a normal broadcast. Announced on the radio and then the following day in the daily paper. And the reaction of the British public was extraordinary. The news was announced and then silent until the next bulletin, news slot or newspaper edition.
Fast forward to today:
Continue reading “Is Britain Getting More Dangerous? Or How to Make Money From Fear.”
Superb analysis showing what so many of us actually believe – that Jeremy Corbyn is electable just not wanted by the establishment.
By Daniel Margrain
In 1978, the Australian social scientist, Alex Carey, pointed out that the twentieth century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: “the growth of democracy; the growth of corporate power; and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy.” The corporations that now dominate much of the domestic and global economies recognize the need to manipulate the public through media propaganda by manufacturing their consent in order to defend their interests against the forces of democracy. This is largely achieved as a result of coordinated mass campaigns that combine sophisticated public relations techniques.
The result is the media underplay, or even ignore, the economic and ideological motivations that drive the social policy decisions and strategies of governments’. Sharon Beder outlines the reasoning behind the coordinated political…
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The definition of wisdom is having experience, one presumes by learning from it.
Therefore it would probably be fair to say the Labour Party has no wisdom to call upon. How else could this ridiculous coup or ‘chicken coup’ as it is now being called, be explained, as they certainly are not learning by experience.
Just two short weeks ago, this country voted to take us out of a union we have been in for 43 years. The resulting decision has rent the country in two, pitting families, colleagues and friends against each other. The result has left the Conservative party without a leader. The two main protagonists of the Brexit vote have resigned (or run away depending on one’s point of view).
What has appeared to become clear since the result was announced is that almost no person actually thought this would happen. Some say it was caused by immigration, some wanted the country to have its sovereignty back, but many have said they voted this way because they have been forgotten. They don’t get listened to. They aren’t in the Westminster bubble, they aren’t on Murdoch’s payroll, they have paid the price for austerity, they have more than their fair share of immigration affecting their local economy, but the base answer is they just aren’t listened to by those in power.
Continue reading “Is this the Destruction of the Labour Party”
24th June; David Cameron came out of No. 10 and with a tear in his eye resigned as Prime Minister.
Since then the UK has gone into an extraordinary vortex of fire and brimstone meltdown. The man at the forefront of the leave campaign Boris Johnson has fallen on his sword in the realisation that all the lies he proffered are impossible to fulfil. A bunch of frankly unpleasant, untrustworthy, unlikeable individuals have come out wanting David’s job. No matter whether they have caused unending hardship for foreign students trying to study here (May), have claimed that homosexuality is ‘curable’ Continue reading “The Hounding of Jeremy Corbyn”
Interesting times we are living in. Day four since the referendum and it seems we are in a boat without a captain and no oars.
David Cameron has resigned, Boris and Michael weren’t in the House of Commons today, George finally made an appearance.
Meanwhile the world does feel a little more comfortable – everyone has gone back to blaming Jeremy for everything, it feels a little more secure now at least. Continue reading “On our way to hell in a handcart”
