harry hayes Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Basically from the press who to me seem to have made fault-finding an art form to boost their own power - kingmakers. To me, columnists seem to be paid to stir up discord with somewhat elevated truths. Can,t see any government; ministers or minions being free from headline criticism in their thousand daily duties, or via people on crusades with their chosen subjects. If those in power jump left they should have gone right. Steer a middle course and it's called inaction. Constant chipping can wear away any stone. Just perhaps we were better off not knowing. Happy days "in the book of life, the answers aren't in the back" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Not that "Governments" really "govern" anymore, but rather take the stage for five years until booed off. Meanwhile, real power is exercised in Brussels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LymmParent Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Yeah - and we've sent a bunch of racists to vote there on our behalf! Anyone who wants the thankless task of being PM in the UK is automatically the wrong person for the job, because either they have no idea what the job really involves, or they have their eye on something other than serving the electorate and making things better. Either way, it worries me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Meanwhile, real power is exercised in Brussels. I'm not sure that is true anymore Observer, I seem to think it is the offices of big business, most recently evidenced by banks, coupled to which there is the power of China and the money that it invests in debtor nations including ours and the USA. Brussels is becoming increasingly a side show deliberating over declining economies, power is shifting to the BRIC economies (Brazil, India & China). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Yeah - and we've sent a bunch of racists to vote there on our behalf! Anyone who wants the thankless task of being PM in the UK is automatically the wrong person for the job, because either they have no idea what the job really involves, or they have their eye on something other than serving the electorate and making things better. Either way, it worries me! Power is very intoxicating......I'm told I recently had to fill a form in about politics etc and one of the questions was: Your political ambitions? .....and my answer: None as such, I have an open mind and will consider opportunities when and if they arise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Yeah - and we've sent a bunch of racists to vote there on our behalf! Anyone who wants the thankless task of being PM in the UK is automatically the wrong person for the job, because either they have no idea what the job really involves, or they have their eye on something other than serving the electorate and making things better. Either way, it worries me! Power is very intoxicating......I'm told I recently had to fill a form in about politics etc and one of the questions was: Your political ambitions? .....and my answer: None as such, I have an open mind and will consider opportunities when and if they arise. Paul, Did they have a box for that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 No I had to use my own words, I was simply asked the question....and gave an honest answer....so no hope for me then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 should have put "to be in a position to fiddle as much as i can without getting caught out" you would have been up for PM by now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sha Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Most people these days are aware of the ulterior motives of the press barons and take what they read in the papers with a pinch of salt. They are not as powerful as they would like to think they are and their attempts at swaying public opinion have been known to backfire quite dramatically. Take for example the constant slagging off of Princess Di, which never managed to lower her popularity with the public. More recently the constant jibes at Gordy, which are now appearing to be a little over the top. The danger in going too far is that the public start to perceive it as unfair so start to believe it is unjust. I wouldn't be surprised if it has resulted in his gaining popularity rather than losing it. Such a shame that the media are not unbiased. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Such a shame that the media are not unbiased. WE try our best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sha Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Oh,! I certainly didn't mean you Gary! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Most people these days are aware of the ulterior motives of the press barons and take what they read in the papers with a pinch of salt. They are not as powerful as they would like to think .......... Sha.... what about swine flu? The media have been extremely powerful in their coverage which in one way is a good thing as people are learning how to contain their germs but on the other side everyone with a simple cold, sniffle or ache presumes they have contracted it. Media coverage over the past weeks have reported a 50% increase in swine flu in our area alone Surely that in itself it scaremongering as people are not actually tested for SF so could actually only have a case of a bad cold. Ring the help line.... swine flu is a possibility..... .. and statistics go up.. and the media report it based on supposition rather than true fact Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 The only reason the media have had it wrong on SF todate, is because the virus has not been viralent. It's spread has been rapid and Govs have failed to contain it - fact. Yet despite all the publicity and health warnings, the Richard Heads continue to crowd the GPs surgery and A&E, and generally spread their germs around, be it SF or a common cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 If what we're experiencing is a milder strain, then we actually want as many people as possible to contract it in order to build up their own immunity. After all, that's exactly how the vaccine will work - without paying GPs hundreds of millions of pounds to give a few jabs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 OK in theory, and many parents have held "flu parties" for their kids; BUT IF mutation occurs,it could be a different story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 WHEN mutation occurs, then the more prior immunity the better. A vaccine is nothing more nor less than a strain of a virus which has been artificially weakened to make it's symptoms mild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 I take your point, however one can take that view because the initial virus has proved to be weak; it didn't happen in 1918 - when the spread was equally rapid, but leathally viralent. The standard defence against contagion is isolation and containment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 In 1918 the virus ran riot through an ill-nourished and demoralised post war population with little or no defence against it or way to relieve the symptoms. Mumps used to be a big killer back then too, and a slight cut getting infected would often lead to sepsis and amputation or death. Different century, different ball game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Think your falling for the fallacy that modern medicine can combat a plague - the reallity is somewhat different: it all depends on the rate of spread and the viralence; that's why bio-warfare is the one we need to fear. Or, you can take the view, that it's nature's way of culling an ever increasing human population - and just hope it's not you that gets culled! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 I haven't advocated the use of modern medicine to combat swine flu. Quite the opposite in fact. I'm advocating not underestimating the power of naturally aquired immunities in a healthy and well nourished population. Why do you think swine flu death rates have been so much higher in poorer countries? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Still comes back to the "cull" scenario, nature will take out the weak - so providing your strong, you should be lucky - but don't tell someone who happens to be weak! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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