[davidjay]

A few years ago we, naively, thought that the growth of the internet and social media would lead to the press barons losing their influence. We didn't forsee a new generation of even richer, even nastier media barons having greater influence than Murdoch et al could have ever dreamt of.

[Boiler]

You might like to listen to yesterday's Start The Week in that case, entitled Life Online: Power, Risk and Resistance

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002xzrj

[Tubby Isaacs]

A few years ago we, naively, thought that the growth of the internet and social media would lead to the press barons losing their influence. We didn't forsee a new generation of even richer, even nastier media barons having greater influence than Murdoch et al could have ever dreamt of.

Even more than bypassing nasty press barons, there was hope (from the naive) that the internet would mean that "gatekeepers" couldn't stop the public seeing nice factual stuff made by nice people. Unfortunately, the absence of gatekeepers means that the public see lots more appalling shit that they wouldn't have seen before. And even when there's not active lying, it's very easy to film something that's always happened and the audience infers it's a brand new evil.

Of course, this sort of "worse than ever" stuff has always been around. There's an excellent book called Hooligan by Geoffrey Pearson written in the 80s which shows that the stuff people said about crime then, and recent collapse of standards, had always been said and really bad things had always happened. But how much more novel does it look when there's actual footage of it happening now?

[davidjay]

Basically, we're too nice. We let the bastards control the agenda.

[AOB]

Media for the past year: "Starmer must go!"
Media now: "What a bastard for resigning. This means the country will have a 7th PM in 10 years!"

Then again, I've just seen a BBC reporter traveling on a boat on the Thames with the sun blazing down on him relating advice about how people should not travel and avoid direct sunlight. So I shouldn't expect any self awareness from the morons who infest that profession.

[Boiler]

The same morons who stand by a sea wall during a storm.

[Abernathy]

Nazir Afzal on Keir Starmer :

Let me be clear about Starmer, because I admire him. He is forensic, principled and serious in a way our politics badly needs more of. As DPP he transformed the prosecution service, and I never once doubted his integrity or his sense of public duty. He will leave office a fundamentally decent man, which, in this era, is no small thing.

I agree with that assessment. And do you know what ? I think he’s already moved on, in his mind, from this “et tu, Brute ? ” episode. And I think he isn’t done yet . He will go on, to bigger and better things. He is already being talked of as a likely successor to Mark Rutte as NATO Secretary General. (UK political precedents here are Peter Carrington and George Robertson). Or pehaps something equally big. Not sure if he’d be eligible to succeed Ursula von der Leyen.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Rutte's not been there long, and is a younger than Starmer. I think NATO is a long shot, given the gobshitery of other British politicians (not least George Robertson).

I expect him to make speeches for money. while raising issues close to his heart. Hopefully he'll keep well clear of Tony Blair.

[Abernathy]

I think that the Secretary General job falls vacant in 2027 unless all the member states agree to extend Rutte’s term does it not ?

[Youngian]

Is there any point in still playing the strict headmaster when you've been fired from the job?

Keir Starmer wants children up and ready for school on Monday morning regardless of the England game being played at 1am UK time.

After England qualified for the next round of the World Cup on Wednesday evening after their win against the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the head coach, Thomas Tuchel, urged parents to let their children bunk off school so they could stay up to watch the match against Mexico. Play could last until at least 3am. https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... tch-mexico

[Tubby Isaacs]

What’s he supposed to do? Tell schools to rewrite their lessons?

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Miss school because of a football game? Fuck that.

Get a fucking sense of proportion.

[soulboy]

Close school for a heatwave and all we hear is "world's gone mad", 1976 and who will provide the free baby sitting service? No doubt staff would still be expected to be at school, bright eyed, bushy tailed and more sober than most of my teachers on a Friday afternoon in the 80s, because heaven forbid that public servants watch the game.

Has the populist cry gone out for civil servants, council workers, bin men and nurses to have the day off too?

[Youngian]

Get a fucking sense of proportion.

Indeed, one for not very busy backbenchers or an education minister to comment on. What's a serious technocratic PM, berated for his lack of populist comms, doing commenting on kids watching football matches?

[Boiler]

Speaking of schools, did anyone else hear this Radio 4 programme yesterday on ultra-strict schools? I listened to it whilst driving to work with mounting horror.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002ybc5

I'd be interested to know the views of educators past and present on it...

[Oboogie]

No doubt staff would still be expected to be at school, bright eyed, bushy tailed and more sober than most of my teachers on a Friday afternoon in the 80s, because heaven forbid that public servants watch the game.

Of course staff will be there because of all the kids who will attend expecting the education they are entitled to.
a) Not all kids like football.
b) Not all parents prioritise indulging their kid's desires over education.

[kreuzberger]

c) It will be double-biology, anyway. (Getting your arse handed to you.)

[Tubby Isaacs]

Get a fucking sense of proportion.

Indeed, one for not very busy backbenchers or an education minister to comment on. What's a serious technocratic PM, berated for his lack of populist comms, doing commenting on kids watching football matches?

Somebody asked him about it, I presume.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Miss school because of a football game? Fuck that.

Get a fucking sense of proportion.

It's not like it's the final or anything anyway. It's the Last 16, or what would have been the first knock out round until this year. Win that and they still have to win 2 more games to get to the final.