BBC Blog Network

User Profile

otazl

Listed below are comments made by otazl between Monday, 29th September 2008 and Wednesday, 30th September 2009.

«Newer
Older»

'Labour's lost it,' says the Sun 3:07pm on 30 Sep 2009 I sincerely hope the Sun attack Brown particularly after a speech that did nothing for the country but attempted to do everything to boost Labours chances at the next election, non existent though they may be.

How anyone can speak of increased public expenditure at the present time knowing that we cannot afford it and appear to convince a bunch of no hopers, hanging on to his every word, is beyond me. The man is a complete charlatan and is, as is every one who supports him and his party, fair game as far the Sun should be concerned, good luck to them.
No nudges, no winks 08:20am on 05 Jun 2009 "If his action does indeed have repercussions, he is unlikely to rise in politics in the future with a record of blatant double dealing." - newtactic - At 11:54pm on 04 Jun 2009.

On the contrary, he is likely to rise in his chosen profession at an unprecedented rate precisely because of the qualities you mention.
He failed to lead 5:30pm on 19 May 2009 "Others will insist that this Glaswegian sheet metal worker was the victim of class-based prejudice and snobbery."

Absolute nonsense Nick. Had the man been upto the job he would still be in it.

As for being a victim of class based prejudice and snobbery, may I remind you that the previous incumbent, Betty Boothroyd hailed from a far less propitious background than did Michael Martin yet she was a very able and respected speaker of the commons.
First cheques, now jobs 3:01pm on 14 May 2009 Apologies and repayment followed by contrition isn't enough nor is the claim that some are less culpable than others. They are all guilty by association and those that did not benefit are guilty because they failed to expose the scandalous manipulation of expenses by their colleagues of which they would, in most instances, have been aware. The commons is, after all, a very close, not to say, incestuous, club.

Following this exposure it might be fruitful, and certainly no less interesting, to examine the claims and receipts submitted for expenses by our senior civil servants including those heading NGO's and QUANGO's. It's a fair bet that some very interesting and not dissimilar stories would emerge.
Is free-speech at risk? It's your call 4:15pm on 12 Feb 2009 I have seen the film and there is absolutely nothing in it that is not fact. It is an assembly of sound and video clips superimposed over pages of the Koran containing verses to which the video or sound clips refer. They are all based on actual occurrences.

It does not flatter Islam but neither does it insult. It does show the intolerance of the teachers of Islam who preach hatred and violence against Western Society. However, the west, particularly the British, have allowed this to be practiced in many mosques for very many years without sanction.

The Home Secretary has, yet again, demonstrated her lack of judgment in banning Wilders and is, once again, seen to be appeasing an ethnic minority.

There is absolutely no reason why Wilders should not be allowed here and it is an infringement of his human rights and our rights of free speech to bar him.
Should Lloyds pay a bonus? 6:03pm on 07 Feb 2009 200 At 5:10pm on 07 Feb 2009.

I take your point but would ask you to consider the predicament of similarly placed employees at the lower end of the remuneration spectrum who have lost their jobs for no other reason than their company's inability to obtain finance as a result of the crisis caused by the banks.

Many innocent and blameless individuals including some of those employed in the banking sector are going to lose their livelihoods and some, their homes.

Now is not the time to justify bonuses for even this level of bank employee who, whilst blameless, has to suffer the consequences of management failure in much the same way as the rest of us.
Should Lloyds pay a bonus? 4:49pm on 07 Feb 2009 I cannot see how any bonus payments are justified, particularly to employees of banks in which the taxpayer has an interest.

This should apply to all employees at whatever level of seniority. The argument that some sectors of banking have done better than others and workers in those sectors should receive bonuses carries no force whatsoever.

The fact remains that without taxpayer funds the banks would have been sold or been allowed to to go under and many of their employees, as in the case of Lehman's, would have found themselves on the street.

Any funds available for bonuses should be retained in the business and lent to those sectors of the econonmy in desperate need of funding to survive and whose predicament was caused by the banks greed in the first place.

Those fortunate enough to be employed should be grateful that they have a job at all and the subject of bonus payments should only be revisited once this crisis is well and truly over and the taxpayer has been repaid.
Bernie Ecclestone on Hamilton 11:18am on 06 Nov 2008 Bernie really has lost the plot on this. When he condones overt racism as 'people just expressing themselves' does he fully realise the impact this sort of comment has on others and, in particular, on the sport he has been responsible for for so many years. He is living in the past, and, given his age, is probably incapable of assimilating the effect his outmoded and outdated comments have on other, more enlightened, observers.

A similar attitude adopted by FIA president Mosley towards the criticism of his interest in certain 'private' practices must surely convince the majority that he, too, is unsuitable for the high office he enjoys.

These are both men long past their primes and if they are not considering the prospect of immediate retirement they should perhaps do so.
Catastrophic system failure 12:28pm on 30 Sep 2008 I'm just waiting for the flak to clear and then I'm in the market big time.

There are still alot of very solid companies out there whose share prices have been adversely affected by the present problem and they will provide excellent long term investments for the future at, now, very good prices.
Regrets? Just the one 11:59am on 29 Sep 2008 At 8:51pm on 28 Sep 2008, markanash wrote:

"Our political class is a disaster and I've yet to figure out how we, the voters, have allowed this to come about."

Indeed they are.

To a large extent, with the excepton of a few in the Conservative party, none of these people who we elect to govern us have held down a responsible position in the private sector and have no experience whatsoever of life outside the cocoon of politics. In short, they have not held down a proper job.

It should be made a condition of becoming an MP that before submitting to the electorate to become a candidate for Parliament they should have spent at the very least 5 years in employment, outside the eductaion system, and have gained experience of what it takes to exist in the real world generating your own upkeep rather than relying on the resources of the state.

Far too many incumbents have progressed from school, through university to researcher, and thence to parliament without any outside experience at all.

Without this type of experience they are unable to bring realistic judgement to their decisions.

«Newer
Older»

^ Back to top

BBC MMVI

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

BBC.co.uk

BBC Blog Network

Find and talk to the BBC's bloggers.

User Profile

otazl