Tuesday, and I've just listened to your diatribe
with Ken. As usual, there was nothing to give me any confidence that you have
even the slightest clue what you are talking about, but let's have a quick look
at yesterday's programme first...
1) ANDERS BREIVIK - It’s the trial in Norway of Anders Breivik, accused of murdering 77 people. Is Norway treating him more liberally then we would in Britain? : And the point of this question is what, exactly? Norway has its legal system, and we have ours. Now get over it. Next...
2) STILES - There’s a report that in Dartmoor, people want the stiles to be removed from country walks, because disabled and overweight people are having trouble getting over them. Find out more in this article from the Daily Mail : Another one from the Mail, so it must be true. And your discussion with Ken today confirms that to be true. So what? Slow news day, was it? Next...
3) I LOVE WHERE I LIVE - We launch a Radio 2 special which celebrates every single part of the United Kingdom, “I love where I live”. It’s a one-minute love letter to your town, place or village : I love where I live, that's why I live here. Easy! Next...
4) BIONICS - We meet the fifteen-year old with a bionic arm. He lost the arm when he was very young, now science has replaced it : Wonderful!
On to today then...
1) FRACKING - Today we debate fracking: Will it create almost limitless supplies of cheap natural gas, or will it cause earthquakes and ruin the environment? : I must have missed the news the day the Blackpool Tower collapsed and fell in to the sea following the "earthquake" last year... The word "debate" usually means a frank discussion by parties of differing views. You mentioned on Ken's show that your (only?) guest on this item would be somebody from the "Ribble Estuary Against Fracking" (REAF, presumably) campaign. And your other guest, who will argue the benefits of fracking will be ... non-existent, presumably. I'd had enough of this listening to Chris Evans this morning who gave the kind of one-sided argument of which you would have been proud. My opinion on fracking is of no matter, but I do object to you and your colleagues continuing with your biased messages. It was on 24th May that you last discussed this, and a subsequent email exchange between myself and so-called BBC Science Correspondent Roger Harrabin failed to give me any kind of impression that he had a clue what he was talking about:
Me: You said: "It is the fracking process - creating tiny explosions to shatter hard shale rocks and release gas 10,000 feet underground - that has caused so much controversy in the US. Some householders claim that shale gas leaking into their drinking supply causes tap water to ignite.". The suggestion is that shale gas percolates nearly two miles up through the earth's crust and then seeps through metal or plastic pipes containing water under pressure and then bursts in flames out of water taps with no source of ignition. Would you care to suggest how this can happen? Do you have any documentary evidence of such an occurrence?
1) ANDERS BREIVIK - It’s the trial in Norway of Anders Breivik, accused of murdering 77 people. Is Norway treating him more liberally then we would in Britain? : And the point of this question is what, exactly? Norway has its legal system, and we have ours. Now get over it. Next...
2) STILES - There’s a report that in Dartmoor, people want the stiles to be removed from country walks, because disabled and overweight people are having trouble getting over them. Find out more in this article from the Daily Mail : Another one from the Mail, so it must be true. And your discussion with Ken today confirms that to be true. So what? Slow news day, was it? Next...
3) I LOVE WHERE I LIVE - We launch a Radio 2 special which celebrates every single part of the United Kingdom, “I love where I live”. It’s a one-minute love letter to your town, place or village : I love where I live, that's why I live here. Easy! Next...
4) BIONICS - We meet the fifteen-year old with a bionic arm. He lost the arm when he was very young, now science has replaced it : Wonderful!
On to today then...
1) FRACKING - Today we debate fracking: Will it create almost limitless supplies of cheap natural gas, or will it cause earthquakes and ruin the environment? : I must have missed the news the day the Blackpool Tower collapsed and fell in to the sea following the "earthquake" last year... The word "debate" usually means a frank discussion by parties of differing views. You mentioned on Ken's show that your (only?) guest on this item would be somebody from the "Ribble Estuary Against Fracking" (REAF, presumably) campaign. And your other guest, who will argue the benefits of fracking will be ... non-existent, presumably. I'd had enough of this listening to Chris Evans this morning who gave the kind of one-sided argument of which you would have been proud. My opinion on fracking is of no matter, but I do object to you and your colleagues continuing with your biased messages. It was on 24th May that you last discussed this, and a subsequent email exchange between myself and so-called BBC Science Correspondent Roger Harrabin failed to give me any kind of impression that he had a clue what he was talking about:
Me: You said: "It is the fracking process - creating tiny explosions to shatter hard shale rocks and release gas 10,000 feet underground - that has caused so much controversy in the US. Some householders claim that shale gas leaking into their drinking supply causes tap water to ignite.". The suggestion is that shale gas percolates nearly two miles up through the earth's crust and then seeps through metal or plastic pipes containing water under pressure and then bursts in flames out of water taps with no source of ignition. Would you care to suggest how this can happen? Do you have any documentary evidence of such an occurrence?
Harrabin: Many share your
incredulity.
Me: So you made it up then? No facts, no
news!
Harrabin: No that's silly
If he can't explain his own writings, why would you be any different? And I've just listened to Richard Black spout his usual biased rubbish, and he'll get a gold star from somebody for crow-barring "global warming" in to the discussion. Well done Richard, I don't believe a word you say! And I've also listened to the woman from REAF who, shall we say, failed to convince me that she even knows what day of the week it is. Presumably the people you speak to (a) use electricity, (b) hate nuclear energy, (c) hate the burning of fossil fuels, and (d) fail to acknowledge the inefficiency and impracticality of wind farms. Unfortunately they also fail to come up with any other alternative, other than a UK with no electricity.
So let me re-word that question for you: Will
it create almost limitless supplies of cheap natural gas, or will the UK media
cause so much hysteria amongst an ill-informed population that any possible
benefits will be missed? Next...
2) EMERGENCY LANDING - A Virgin Atlantic plane makes an emergency landing at Gatwick Airport. Some passengers said the cabin crew panicked. We investigate : You? Investigate? Don't make me laugh. You don't investigate anything. You'll read it in the Daily Mail. You said on Ken's show, "We're still checking the facts". Checking the facts? Blimey ... it has never bothered you before, why is this story so different? After all, you didn't bother to check the facts when talking about Chris Davies MEP's earnings, did you? Next...
3) WIRRAL COUNCIL - Should Wirral council be sponsoring its local football club Tranmere Rovers, when it’s closing down care homes for the elderly? Find out more in this article from The Telegraph : Oooh, a vote. I don't live on the Wirral and I hate football so, and on the basis that you like everybody to have an opinion, here is mine: I could not care less. Next...
4) SAILING MISHAPS - A father and son who bought a yacht from an online auction site crashed it into the rocks off Guernsey. We hear tales of inexperienced idiots and sailing mishaps : And your special guest will be the captain of the Costa Concordia, presumably? Radio about idiots made by idiots presumably for idiots. Target audience! Get Richard Black back on.
The Jeremy Vine Show - not today, thank you
UPDATE: After a visit to http://biased-bbc.com I was reminded of this:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100111487/how-many-died-in-the-great-blackpool-earthquake-of-11/
2) EMERGENCY LANDING - A Virgin Atlantic plane makes an emergency landing at Gatwick Airport. Some passengers said the cabin crew panicked. We investigate : You? Investigate? Don't make me laugh. You don't investigate anything. You'll read it in the Daily Mail. You said on Ken's show, "We're still checking the facts". Checking the facts? Blimey ... it has never bothered you before, why is this story so different? After all, you didn't bother to check the facts when talking about Chris Davies MEP's earnings, did you? Next...
3) WIRRAL COUNCIL - Should Wirral council be sponsoring its local football club Tranmere Rovers, when it’s closing down care homes for the elderly? Find out more in this article from The Telegraph : Oooh, a vote. I don't live on the Wirral and I hate football so, and on the basis that you like everybody to have an opinion, here is mine: I could not care less. Next...
4) SAILING MISHAPS - A father and son who bought a yacht from an online auction site crashed it into the rocks off Guernsey. We hear tales of inexperienced idiots and sailing mishaps : And your special guest will be the captain of the Costa Concordia, presumably? Radio about idiots made by idiots presumably for idiots. Target audience! Get Richard Black back on.
The Jeremy Vine Show - not today, thank you
UPDATE: After a visit to http://biased-bbc.com I was reminded of this:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100111487/how-many-died-in-the-great-blackpool-earthquake-of-11/
I am subjected to the Jeremy Vine show every day at work. I agree whole heartedly that the show is Rubbish and for the most part Morbid! "Phone in now if you are having an awfull life! we will put you on air!" No thanks Jeremy! Try Cheering us up instead of making us want to top ourselves!!!
ReplyDeleteHere here, I couldn't have put it better my self.
ReplyDeleteI like the show - but only when Vanessa's on - she always reads out my inuendo's
ReplyDeletePeter H, NLW
The current attitude toward gas fracking reminded me of the fuss about GM crops. Particularly about fifteen years ago we had a speaker on Radio 4 lamenting that GM rape was now growing wild on the central reservations of dual carraigeways. The GM driven ecological catastrophy was now unavoidable, there was nothing whatsoever that could be done to prevent it. Whatever it was, I seem to have failed to notice it. Regarding earthquakes, they are caused by a build up of tension in the earth's crust. Any earthquakes that happen because of fracking would happen anyway, just at different times. This is primary school level knowledge.
ReplyDeleteHeard Ken's bit for 1st time for a few days.Ken did sound like he had fallen asleep or literally just turned off.
ReplyDeleteAgree with the comments about JV being depressing,its also not good for my blood pressure either;-)
Clive Anderson was the best ever stand in,I'd listen to him.
Not going out was back last week and Tim Vine was on top form.How them 2 are related I'll never know.Get Tim in doing JV impression and that I'll listen too;-)
Jeremy Vine makes me so angry... I listen to him on podcasts to make it easier to kill elves and goblins in Warhammer. AAAARRRGGGHH die Goblins die!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat about the Caravan for a cat on the Mail Online website??
ReplyDeleteNow that's what I call a phone-in topic..
Krev, Warrington
I love being depressed by JV every day. Lets be more depressed JV.
ReplyDeleteMore depressing news is required!! Way to go Radio2, depress us more!!
Have you noticed the common theme??
Cheer up !!!!!