BBC News

Post by **spzretent** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 11:28 pm

What the hell?

For a country that seemingly hates the US so freaking much the BBC World Service has been reporting mostly US news today. Its either the Iowa Caucus or Martha Stewart.

Isn't there any news in the UK?

Just curious?

sly saxon · Post by **sly saxon** » Tue Jan 20, 2004 12:15 pm

Blimey…

The World Service is not “Britain”…it cannot readily be received in Britain – its listeners are spread throughout the world, and the news on it is globally focused. Our domestic BBC stations covered the two US stories you mentioned (the one about who may end up getting to stand against George for the job of most powerful man in the World is particularly irrelevant – I mean, come on?), but also some stuff about Tony Blair and tuition fees (which had been getting pretty old, news-wise, but had been given a new angle by a TV interview last night), some potentially big stuff about unsafe convictions for infanticide.

Then there’s your contention that “we” hate “you”, and should therefore ignore you. Well that attitude is pretty strange (I thought it was US foreign policy to bomb those you hate these days, not ignore them – in fact I thought that isolationism had been abandoned in the ‘30’s).

Anyway, “we” don’t hate “you”. A few of us here may very well hate all of you. Most of us probably have our criticisms for certain aspects of the things we hear about your country and its people, but that ain’t hate mate – Christ, you want to hear the things we say about this shitehole and the wankers that live here.

mazza · Post by **mazza** » Tue Jan 20, 2004 12:49 pm

i only hate prunes and people that don't dispose of their litter properly.

so if any of you yanks are prune eating litterbugs then i hate ya!

if not then you're alright, apart from bush obviously. he's a prick.

sly saxon · Post by **sly saxon** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 9:14 am

I see - you were being flippant. I am so glad I took the time to respond. You know that's what I like about this place.

The Breeze · Post by **The Breeze** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 4:42 pm

up to 2500 die in the World Trade Towers attack.
up to 50000 die in the Iran earthquake.
Spacemen 3 break up.

Which was the greater world disaster? Which deserved the most press?

I grew up reading Captain America. Now, that guy had some ethics! They should make him president.

Smell my cheese!

natty · Post by **natty** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 12:16 pm

America is a beautiful country.
Practically all the Americans I've ever met (apart from those who work for US immigration) have been lovely.
The American government is unfeasibly evil and wants to destroy the world for it's own short term gain.

America as a country and it's people, who are great, shouldn't be confused with it's government, who are scum.

Kizzy Walker · Post by **Kizzy Walker** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 3:16 pm

......and most of the media.

I often here reported that 70% of Europeans HATE America. What a blatant lie.

mazza · Post by **mazza** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 3:59 pm

just don't use the loo in a pub where begbie and his mates are drinking in during the edinburgh festival.............

sly saxon · Post by **sly saxon** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 4:25 pm

Interesting thing about news valuesâ€¦I am reading Bill Brysonâ€™s book â€˜Notes from a Small Islandâ€™ again. He says in that if your average Britishers concept of world geography were shaped by what he saw in the news, heâ€™d imagine that the USA was just about where Ireland is, and that France and Germany were near the Azores, Australia was somewhere much nearer than it is, and that any other sovereign states were either mythical (Burundi, El Salvador, Mongolia, Bhutan) or could only be reached by spaceship. He illustrates this phenomenon by saying that most people here would know if you asked them who O J Simpson was, Lorena Bobbit, and Oliver North, but couldnâ€™t name head of the French government (I am sitting not 20 miles from France, and Iâ€™ve gone blank).

I dunno, must be the common language thing â€“ in lots of ways the USA is incredibly foreign (I mean how many of you can actually trace roots back to England â€“ and those who can were those who couldnâ€™t stand it here anyway!) .

Funnily enough though, I heard a thing on the Today Programme this morning (BBC Radio Home Service) â€“ a discussion triggered by complaints received from people who couldnâ€™t understand why the Iowa Caucusus (is that what it was?) got so much coverage that day, so some folks over here agree with you!

As for hating the USA, get used to it (not the terrorism â€“ donâ€™t misunderstand me). It comes with the job of being the most powerful nation on Earth. Great Britain did loads for India, Africa, Australia, America, Ireland, Palestine, and what did we get in return? No thanks, thatâ€™s for sure. (I donâ€™t agree with the foregoing BTW, just making the point).

What have the Romans ever done for us? The answer of course is â€˜not half as much as theyâ€™ve done for the Romansâ€™

natty · Post by **natty** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 7:24 pm

spzretent wrote:Natty:

You could apply that last line to most governments.

And I would, but as the discussion was about America I thought I'd just refer to the American government. Who do seem to be a tad more evil than the government of say... Sweden.

natty · Post by **natty** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 7:25 pm

spzretent wrote:Natty:

You could apply that last line to most governments.

And I would, but as the discussion was about America I thought I'd just refer to the American government. Who do seem to be a tad more evil than the government of say... Sweden.