THE BRITISH THREAD II

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/9127234.City_covered_in_one_million_bin_bags/

Yeah, that's the front page of today's paper. What is happening here is important. If the council wins it will give the green light to the tories to carry it out across the rest of the country.

We have private contractors. Have had for years. Not the slightest problem. Council worker's unions can be pretty inefficient.

Odd it hasn't been on the national news though. Liverpool would have been.

The News of the World and Murdoch's minions' malfeasances are keeping everything else off the news...Greece, IMF, Libya, and Posh Spice's baby.

It's my birthday by the way, the seventh of the seventh.

It struck me yesterday...the image and the reputation of the "gentlemen of the press" has always been very low. It's not a new thing. They have always been willing to go to any lengths to get a story.
Lying, stealing photographs, going through dustbins. And not just in the case of investigating crime or "public interest" stories. Anyone who's had a relative in a serious accident knows this from bitter personal experience.

It's only now, in the era of e-mail and cellphone technology, they can do it on an industrial scale. But they've always done it. No doubt NoW management are bemused that their empire has turned to ****. Business as usual for them, up to now.

I hear from the radio this lunchtime that Andy Coulson is now wanted in Scotland over evidence he gave at the Tommy Sheridan trial in Glasgow. "There is no culture of phone hacking at the paper."
Come back and say that again in court, Andy.

Happy Birthday. You're right about Murdoch. Andy Coulson was thrown to the dogs when NOW released details of payments to police authorised by Coulson. Slimy Dave is now showing his true colours, given a choice between ordinary people, (victims of Soham, 7/7, Millie Dowler's friends and family, and the family of soldiers killed in Afghanistan) and Murdoch's inner circle Dave supports his chums any time.

Private contracting puts taxpayers money into the hands of rich contractors who pay less wages, and inflate their costs once the public sector can no longer function. In the end it costs more. I never realised Spendi was such a fan of the Thatch.

Another Izzie has made the announcement on board her ship, McTag.

My, my. You And Ringo Starr share a natal day.

But I'm sure, Ringo got a larger audience (in Hamburg today)

Incorrect. I referred to VIZ not Roger's.

Perish the thought. She was and remains totally barmy. The rot set in with that silly woman.



Not at all. There is competitive tendering and those in charge have to submit themselves to voters every three years or so and sooner if their party loses its majority. Try selling something to a council as I have done. Contracts need to be won. And there are no strikes.

Fancy blackmailing the people of Southampton with health hazards.

Why wouldn't Mr Smith want his workers on £70 grand a year if the pot has enough in it to get them that? He would never get voted out if he could manage that.

You're prejudiced izzy.

I wonder what Ms Brooks has on some bigwigs. It must be hot stuff.

We're being blackmailed by the Council, not the Union. I remember you complaining about fat cats earlier. Was that just bluster?

At least I don't get my soundbites from the Daily Mail.

Roger's profanisaurus is the part of Viz that offers up definitions. You're splitting hairs old boy.

I'm not. I know Roger's is owned by VIZ. Why wouldn't I. I still have a pile of ZITs. The definition of post coital euphoria is not in Roger's. Had it been I would have said so. It's a very Christian definition actually. It's not like the one in the movies which defines it as a spectacular feat and, as such, a matter for self congratulation.

I think you read my post carelessly izzy and now you are trying to claw some vestiges of credibility back like a few others I could mention. It's pitiful the lengths some people will go in that regard. Like this lot on the News.

Media has no credibilty. It's rotten to the core and the rot spreads outwards. What you're seeing might only be the skirmishes. There's nobody to take Media on. They are all mixed up in it.

Frank Harris' original principle was not much before Orville Wright's flight. And you know what synergy is I presume.

"Ve haf vays off shaggink you ofer pal so cough up for the ad" sort of thing. Watch the buggers jump ship and try to claw some vestiges of credibilty back.

I think they will have to try to put the lid on it. A Public Enquiry into Media has to take a few questions from the public.

I don't watch the programmes on television. I watch television. Newspapers got boring about 1986. Not enough new tricks. Not mesmeric enough. Not up to speed.

Have you ever had a "FREE" Womanpost pull-out supplement in your Echo?

Why read something with a giant lie like FREE proudly displayed in red on top of the front page?

Short of time at the moment...thanks Letty, appreciated.

NoW closes. Some say, cynical plot. I do too. Some say, 400 award-winning journalists who had nothing to do with the phone-hacking scandal have lost their jobs so "Rebekah" can keep hers. Some say, Andy Coulson will be arrested tomorrow, and Rebekah Brooks should be too.
Some say, this is a sprat to catch a whale. If the BSkyB deal can be forced through, it will be far more lucrative than NoW could ever be. But the NoW supports The Times and other titles in the short term.
Some say, Murdoch and his son are cunts, who don't even pay tax in Britain. No, that was just me.

Some say they are spies, like that Greer woman, sent here to disturb our tranquil way of life and drive us all out of our wits.

Happy B-Day, McT!!!

Here's a flying pig to add to your collection!

Give it a couple of weeks and there will be a Sunday edition of the Sun.

You said
Consult VIZ for a definition of post-coital euphoria.

Are you seriously suggesting I should go through by back issues to find such a definition? It would take ages and it's not as much fun as looking for Jimmy Hill. I think that's my vestiges well and truly clawed.

There probably have been 'free' pull out supplements, I don't really pay it much attention. I read it for the football mostly and for local news, and who's in court. I also won a coach trip to Amsterdam so it's not all bad.

Were the canals as nice as the brochures say they are?

It must be nice letting a few of us fight for men whilst saying all the right things the ladies approve of.

What exactly does "equality" mean to you? Does it mean that if you get on the stage doing the knickerless can-can we are all supposed to get a semi on or risk being accused of sexism?

I've never done the knickerless can can so I wouldn't know. I was thinking more on the lines of pay and flexible working. As a single parent I'm affected by the same issues that affect most women.

Amsterdam is the best place in the world.