@Another User said:

Jasen - don't take any notice of Martin.

Jasen - it's difficult for Americans to understand this. But what you proabably don't know is that the 182 readers of The Guardian are all mentally ill and need help. They think Captain Pugwash is going to do a great job of running the country in 3 years time and all their benefits will be restored, payed for by anyone stupid enough to still be paying tax.

Kind of proves my point doesn't it? Ridiculing and dismissing going on right there.

Mis-reporting (or as they prefer to call it editorialising) is true of every paper. For example, the Daily Mail hyped up the MMR vaccine scare (though they weren't the only one). Then when the research saying it was dangerous was debunked they didn't print a thing. So now our vaccination rates have plummeted and we had our first deaths from measles in decades (as we were at, or close to, herd immunity levels before the scare) and the Mail print an article saying it's the French that have caused the rise in measles infections.

The Telegraph recently printed a story saying that average wages in the public sector were higher than the private sector (which plays nicely into the narrative of public sector bad & wasteful, private sector good & efficient). The problem is that's is so much more complicated than that. Yes the average wage is higher but that's partly because all the low skilled jobs have been outsourced to private companies. Also, we know that women are paid less than men to do the same job and that women are disproportionally employed in the public sector so if anything the result should be the opposite. However since proper research hasn't happened we don't actually know. And this happens every day in all of the papers - utter crud being printed based on the political stripe of the paper rather than on solid research and reporting.

I don't see a lot of Fox News but I know the lack of balanced reporting in the US isn't just confined to the left.

However, none of this has anything to do with my original point.

Not sure why the font on my site is appearing small - I'll look into it and thanks for the heads up!

@devastat said:

I guess then that the "younger generation" of UK must be mentally ill as when I was studying in the University there few years ago, most of the students were reading The Guardian.

Well the fact that they let you into a university in the uk and a quick recap of your previous posts completely validates my point I think you'll find. The days of anyone being able to go to a university (or what are basically glorified polytechs) for the moronic masses in the UK are most definitely numbered and should NEVER have been allowed to happen. But that's what you get with 13 years of Labour. A complete watering down of values and a penchant for music by Zimmer.

Erik - don't listen to Martin because rumour has it he's the subject of  a new, yes new, BBC docudrama for the hopelessly insane.

Good evening.

@PaulR said:

Well the fact that they let you into a university in the uk and a quick recap of your previous posts completely validates my point I think you'll find. The days of anyone being able to go to a university (or what are basically glorified polytechs) for the moronic masses in the UK are most definitely numbered and should NEVER have been allowed to happen. But that's what you get with 13 years of Labour. A complete watering down of values and a penchant for music by Zimmer.

I may be talking without all my facts - for example, I don't know anything regarding the SKY programming in the UK. However, from my experience in Sydney and Athens, as well as intelligent Italian friends and what they think of RAI in recent times, and others, it seems to me that although Paul is absolutely correct that TV and higher education standards have dropped like bombs in the last few decades, I haven't seen the private sector (or anyone else) picking up the cross of quality programming. I believe the reason for that is that quality programming costs money that is not recouped during broadcasting (commercials, subscriptions, syndication, etc.). Logically, the only organization that would be willing to disregard the fiscal aspects of programming in favour of those of quality and duty, is the government. If government channels become completely commercialized or are completely sold to private enterprize, God Help us. Also, if those public institutions are infested by supposed Marxists, that is something for which the rest of us have to take the blame for having allowed it.

@PaulR said:

Well the fact that they let you into a university in the uk and a quick recap of your previous posts completely validates my point I think you'll find. The days of anyone being able to go to a university (or what are basically glorified polytechs) for the moronic masses in the UK are most definitely numbered and should NEVER have been allowed to happen. But that's what you get with 13 years of Labour. A complete watering down of values and a penchant for music by Zimmer.

Erik - don't listen to Martin because rumour has it he's the subject of  a new, yes new, BBC docudrama for the hopelessly insane.

Good evening.

Because using ad hominems as substitute for real arguments is oh so intellectual, wouldn't you say?

@Another User said:

Also, if those public institutions are infested by supposed Marxists, that is something for which the rest of us have to take the blame for having allowed it.

What exactly constitutes the so-called "Marxism" of these people, if I may ask? Is it corruption, cronyism, permanent backyard dealing with private interest at the expense of the public interest? Is it vulgar snobbery and contempt for the so-called "lower" classes (a sidenote and to put things in proper perspective: I'll take Tottenham rioters over City of London criminals anytime), not to forget their  "culture" and "education" solely as signs of social distinction devoid of any meaningful content?

Great. Karl Marx would have been really proud.   

@The Minstrel said:

Because using ad hominems as substitute for real arguments is oh so intellectual, wouldn't you say?

Hey ........Hey! I watch Wallander just like anyone else! What would your assessment of Wallander be for instance? Think that maybe it takes a left- wing stance? What do you think? Think that maybe the first series with Krister Henriksson and his daughter didn't quite pander from the top down? So they then went bottom up for the 'younger' viewers on the second series? 

Don't you talk to me about intellectuals sunshine because I've watched Swedish films before you were born and watched how the intellectuals in your film industry have died a slow death.

Erik - today our glorious students get their A Level results and we are informed as usual that the pass rate is 97.5%. These children are fucking geniuses. All the world needs to know that. I am a moron because my generation pass rate was a mere 45%. This is what selective breeding in Great Britain has achieved. A master race of super intelligent chidren that seemingly can't fail an exam. Just think of the musicians we're going to produce over the coming decades if this goes on. Tremendous! I'm hearing Chinese pre- anti capatilist tunes as I write. Onward Erik - onward I say!

Yes Paul, I know; I've taught such Alphas myself from time to time, and now they're boasting post-graduate degrees from prestigious UK universities. I guarantee they wouldn't pass 1st year aural exams from my era...

@Goran: Hence the word 'supposed' in bold....

Yeah, Marxist is a bit of a strong word these days, at least it is in the states.  I guess over in Europe the word doesn't have as much of a sting to it (I read somewhere that something like 25% of Europeans list Karl Marx as one of the great Philosophers who ever lived).  When most educated Americans think "Marxist" they think of troops marching through the streets in Soviet styled May Day parades.  In America, Soviet = Not Cool. 

The political right in the states are trying to brand President Obama as a Marxist which I think is a huge mistake because, first of all, it makes us (I'm a member of the American Right) look like extremists and crazy.  And secondly, most Americans think Karl Marx was one of the Marx Brothers, 'wasn't he the one with the big nose, glasses, mustach smoking the cigar?'  Yes, Paul and Errik, unfortunately we've dumbed downed our fine institutes of higher learning in-step with Europe.  FDR was more of a Marxist than Obama could ever hope to be.  Obama's econolmic advisors are all from the John Manard Keynes school of economics which is basically run the government credit card all the way to the limit and beyond, sink it all in a slot machine and pull the arm.  To hell with deficits, debt and inflation.  By expanding government well beyond it's seams and going on a spending binge we will create demand which, in turn, will get business back to hiring again.  Oh and let's do a psuedo nationalized health care while we're at it. 

It didn't work for FDR and it won't work for Obama.  The problem is that businesses know that at some point somebody is going to have to pay the piper and they fear, rightfully so, that it will be them.  So instead of hiring they are hording.  They'll need that money for the big tax hits that are around the corner to pay for the out-of-control spending and health care regulations for their current employees. 

I'm not sure why my fellow American conservatives are so worried.  No president in history, except FDR, has ever been re-elected with a 9.2% unemployment rate.  Reagan was re-elected with a 7% unemployment but that was because he lowered it from 15% in 1984.  We could dig Reagan up out of the ground right now, run him again, and we'll still win.

You'll have to forgive me all as I'm a little tipsy right now and just couldn't resist replying to this thread yet again.  If I've insulted any fans of the late "Great" Karl Marx my appologies. 

If I've insulted any fans of Groucho Marx, for that matter, my deepest appologies to you as well.  Actually I always thought he was a funny guy.

PS Have a nice day.

@PaulR said:

Hey ........Hey! I watch Wallander just like anyone else! What would your assessment of Wallander be for instance? Think that maybe it takes a left- wing stance? What do you think? Think that maybe the first series with Krister Henriksson and his daughter didn't quite pander from the top down? So they then went bottom up for the 'younger' viewers on the second series? 

Don't you talk to me about intellectuals sunshine because I've watched Swedish films before you were born and watched how the intellectuals in your film industry have died a slow death.

Well, I would say that my point - that you are a condensending pseudo-intellectual jerk in need of better manners - still stands.

Have a nice day.

@The Minstrel said:

Well, I would say that my point - that you are a condensending pseudo-intellectual jerk in need of better manners - still stands.

Have a nice day.

Oh Jesus. Now I've hurt your feelings.

How's the welfare state going over there btw? All those foreign visitors decided to stay on right? :)))

@jasensmith said:

 FDR was more of a Marxist than Obama could ever hope to be.  Obama's econolmic advisors are all from the John Manard Keynes school of economics which is basically run the government credit card all the way to the limit and beyond, sink it all in a slot machine and pull the arm.  To hell with deficits, debt and inflation.  By expanding government well beyond it's seams and going on a spending binge we will create demand which, in turn, will get business back to hiring again.  Oh and let's do a psuedo nationalized health care while we're at it. 

What you have is a Euro wet dream led by Merkel. The USA took on the wrong guy at the wrong time. That is partly because Bush pulled up a big deficit and what was needed probably, was a President that could reverse that. Instead you got a party much like Blair's Labour governmet that just wanted to spend on crap to validate their raison d'etre to their particular voters, when the in reality the deficit should have been cut straightaway. The idea that the USA could suddenly come up with some kind of NHS and the cost of that was laughable. Unfortunately, I hasten to add, because in a utopian world free health care would the thing to have right? 

Here in England no one is spending any money. They are either paying off their mortgage debt with unrealistically low interest rates while anyone with any money is hoarding and won't spend anything when it's difficult to get any return. Inflation will stay high and sooner or later their could well be chaos on a massive scale when certain countries say enough is enough and pull the plug on the Euro, or have it pulled on them. This is the second time in 20 years the euro experiment has crashed. The first was the ERM fiasco in the early 90's. The high street could be a thing of the past. What we need here is a Bill of Rights similar to the USA. Strictly from a personal point of view I wish to be able to wander down town and buy a 357 magnum just for the hell of it.😊

Perfect storm brewing.

.

@jasensmith said:

You'll have to forgive me all as I'm a little tipsy right now and just couldn't resist replying to this thread yet again.  If I've insulted any fans of the late "Great" Karl Marx my appologies. 

@Another User said:

Perfect storm brewing.

Indeed...

BTW Paul if you ever find yourself in the USA down Arizona way look me up and I'll take down to the range.  I carry a .40 caliber H & K P2000 Automatic it's great for blowing off a little steam and blowing off other things as well.  The 357 is bit too much gun for my small hands but if my dad is with us I'm sure he'll let you dance with his for a while.

What is going on over here is the inevitable outcome of several years of mismanagement. Printing money or QE has consequences. Debt downgrading, currency losing value and most importantly, inflation amongst other things. There are short term advantages but there is an argument that  outweighs all that. For instance, no disrespect in anyway to Greece or Ireland but who in their right mind is going to convert from say, pounds or dollars to euros to go there if they have a brain? Now if they had drachmas, you're in business because the exchange rate might mean something then.

Yes  that's a nice invitation Jasen and I certainly will given the chance. Arizona sounds like a great place and anywhere where people wear cowboy hats should be obligatory for any John Wayne fans such as myself.

But here in Budleigh Salterton the heather is looking good. :)))