Scumbag British Gutter Press

[chuckwoww]

OK executives bad, workers good. Whatever you say. I've lost interest in this topic.

[YimSiam]

More from the peanut gallery... this time YimSiam generalising an entire industry from one case: back in around 1999 I was one of those rabidly critical of Nike and their exploitative factories in Southeast Asia... until I met Nan from Ayuthaya (name changed to protect the initially sweet and quite beautiful but eventually clingy and near-psychotic). For several years she had been working in a factory making Nike shoes in or around Ayuthaya, and she loved it - she said she'd never had her own money before, she was able to have some independence and also contribute to her family finances, which made her proud. She also said the work was sanuk - mostly girls her age, not as hard as farming, hours were not so bad. She was a "quality checker" - standing at the end of the line looking at random shoes, probably saying 'ka, ka' when they were alright, and she thought this was a good position to hold.

 

But then the factory closed, like most of the low-end apparel factories in Thailand, and probably went off to Vietnam or China, where it's providing cash and entertainment to a whole new crop of happy young female workers... and Nan took her money and started a little shop in Bangkok, and then fell into my clutches, or I into hers, rather. She still sends me about an email a month, to which I last replied ca. 2003.

 

So I think the shoe industry is a positive thing, and it's too bad that Thailand has been priced out of the action, more or less.

 

YimSiam

[japio1]

Hi Mekong,

 

I may or may not have exagerated, does it really matter? In my opinion you DO try to "show off".

 

Based on PM's I have received, some others feel I am right. Who knows?

 

I am very comfortable with all aspects of my life here in Thailand and have no reason to be jealous of anybody. Within the next 6-9 months I will be moving to another asian country for professional reasons. Thailand is a dead end for me professionally, although I could comfortably retire here tomorrow and never work again. I am however way too young to retire and do nothing but play golf and drink beer in Ban Chang. Retiring in Thailand is not on my list anyway, there are many many better places to retire.

 

Chok Dee Krap and don't think too much!

 

 

 

[bibblies]

:thumbup:

 

When you think about it, it's common sense that it's good - i.e. better than other options. But some people can't get beyond the knowledge that a few people at the top are paid a lot more than those at the bottom and that that's not the point when everyone's better off than before. The very knowledge that someone is gaining more than others seems to trigger some emotion that overrides all logical thinking or fairness and they don't go beyond that. So they have very superficial reasoning (if any 'reasoning' at all).

 

The fact that companies are moving to other lower-cost countries is the sign of a good thing. It's a sign that costs are high. Why are costs higher than before? Because workers there are getting richer.

 

That sort of production has moved from Japan to South Korea and Taiwan to Malaysia to Thailand and now is trickling down to Cambodia, Vietnam and China where the people are much poorer.

 

The moronic anti-globalisation, anti-business protestors don't seem to make the connection that previously 'exploited' places include

Japan, South Korea and Taiwan - and these countries are now more prosperous...

 

Oh, I give up. I'm basically saying that all anti-globalisation, anti-business people are cunts.

[teddy]

Based on PM's I have received, some others feel I am right. Who knows?

 

That's really pathetic, you voice your opinion about a poster and receive PM's from people agreeing with you, why can't these people post openly if they have a problem

 

[japio1]

Hi Teddy,

 

Don't ask me. I am just stating facts. Anyway; other people's opinion on Mekong is their business and I did not intend to use those opinions to strengthen mine. Apologies if that is the impression I make.

[Mekong]

I may or may not have exagerated, does it really matter? In my opinion you DO try to "show off".

 

Based on PM's I have received, some others feel I am right. Who knows?

 

 

Imaginary friends as well.

[thalenoi]

OK executives bad, workers good. Whatever you say. I've lost interest in this topic.

 

I don't think you get it.

 

Better talk bargirls...

 

Agree with OP Gutter press are scumbags though....

 

And OP has a big ego also....

[Long Gun]

Some of you might enjoy this from yesterday's Sunday Times:

 

Sunday Times

 

THE BBC is institutionally biased, an official report will conclude this week. The year-long investigation, commissioned by the BBC, has found the corporation particularly partial in its treatment of single-issue politics such as climate change, poverty, race and religion.

 

It concludes that the bias has extended across drama, comedy and entertainment, with the corporation pandering to politically motivated celebrities and trendy causes.

 

Singled out is the coverage of Bob Geldofâ??s Live 8 concert and the Make Poverty History campaign. The report says there was no rounded debate of the issues.

 

The report also raises serious concerns about accompanying programmes, including a drama by the writer Richard Curtis and the finale of his Vicar of Dibley where Dawn French shows a minute-long clip of the Make Poverty History video.

 

The report points to the danger of BBC programmes being undermined by the liberal culture of its staff, who need to challenge their own assumptions more. â??There is a tendency to â??group thinkâ?? with too many staff inhabiting a shared space and comfort zone,â? says the report.

 

It goes on to highlight a â??Roneo mentalityâ? where staff ape each otherâ??s common liberal values.

 

The report has been approved by a steering group led by Richard Tait, a BBC trustee and former editor-in-chief at ITN. Its members also include Mark Byford, the BBCâ??s deputy director-general, Helen Boaden, head of BBC News, and Alan Yentob, the creative director.

 

Although its coverage of conventional politics is judged to be fair and impartial, the inquiry says the BBC allowed itself to be hijacked by Geldof, the U2 singer Bono, and Curtis, who urged Tony Blair to pressure world leaders to alleviate poverty in developing countries.

 

Even before the BBC cleared its schedules to cover the Live 8 concert from Hyde Park â?? which coincided with the G8 Gleneagles summit in 2005 â?? the report points out that it broadcast a related drama by Curtis called The Girl in the Cafe. It featured Bill Nighy as a shy civil servant who falls in love with an antipoverty campaigner and takes her to a summit in Iceland where she makes an impassioned plea to world leaders.

 

Gordon Brown, the chancellor, saw the film before it was shown on BBC1.

 

After the BBC broadcast a week of programmes to highlight poverty in Africa and a day celebrating the National Health Service, Adam Boulton, political editor of Sky News, told a House of Lords select committee the BBCâ??s coverage came dangerously close to peddling government propaganda.

 

The programmes came at a time when the BBC was negotiating a new royal charter with ministers.

 

The document, jointly commissioned by BBC managers and the board of governors, now replaced by the BBC Trust, includes details of a staff impartiality seminar at which senior figures criticised the corporation for being antiAmerican and pandering to Islam.

 

Criticisms highlighted from the seminar include: A senior BBC reporter attacking the corporation for giving â??no moral weightâ? to America. Executives admitting they would broadcast images of a Bible being thrown away â?? but not the Koran for fear of offending Muslims. The BBC deliberately championing multiculturalism and ethnic minorities, while betraying an anticountryside bias.

 

Mary Fitzpatrick, the BBCâ??s â??diversity czarâ?Â, told the seminar Muslim women newsreaders should be allowed to wear the hijab, or headscarf, on screen. Fitzpatrick spoke out after criticism over Fiona Bruceâ??s decision to wear a necklace with a cross while reading the news.

 

The reportâ??s findings come in the wake of a separate independent review of the BBCâ??s business coverage which two weeks ago accused the broadcaster of lapses in impartiality because of its desire to popularise corporate stories.

 

It singled out an interview with Bill Gates on the 10 Oâ??Clock News as â??sycophanticâ?Â.

[Long Gun]

And the Beeb's own response:

 

BBC

 

The BBC needs to take more care to ensure it is impartial, according to a report commissioned by the corporation.

 

It accused the BBC of breaking its own guidelines by screening an episode of The Vicar of Dibley which promoted the Make Poverty History campaign.

 

The report also quoted former political editor Andrew Marr, who said the BBC has an "innate liberal bias".

 

However, it added that the BBC is "generally seen as impartial" and set out new guidelines for avoiding bias.

 

Twelve guiding principles have been introduced, which will complement the BBC's existing editorial guidelines.

 

The corporation says they are needed because of social and technological changes which have led to a spread of opinion beyond the traditional "left-right" political divide.

 

Among them is the statement that impartiality is "not necessarily to be found on the centre ground".

 

Other principles warn that impartiality should not lead to "political correctness" or "insipid programmes" and there must be room for controversial and passionate contributors.

 

Impartiality is no excuse for insipid programming

 

The report said a seminar held by the BBC last year saw an element of support for the idea that "some sort of liberal consensus" existed in the organisation.

 

'Comfort zone'

 

It notes that news programmes missed several emerging stories on Europe and immigration which it described as "off limits in terms of a liberal-minded comfort zone".

 

But "the report does not say that the BBC is institutionally biased," deputy director general Mark Byford told BBC News 24.

 

Drama, comedy, music and children's programmes are also expected to pay attention to impartiality, the document says.

 

It uses the introduction of the BBC's 3D weather maps in 2005 as an example of how the corporation can be seen as biased towards the south-east of England.

 

Because of the way the maps were tilted, they appeared to suggest that northern Scotland was on the periphery.

 

Although the problem was quickly ironed out, the report warned that "the continuing practice of giving temperature forecasts for conurbations rather than rural areas may suggest a presumption that the bulk of the audience lives in large cities, whereas the opposite is in fact the case".

 

The BBC's coverage of Live 8 and the Make Poverty History campaign was also singled out for criticism.

 

An episode of BBC One comedy series The Vicar of Dibley, written by Make Poverty History campaigner Richard Curtis, was commissioned without reference to the editorial guidelines, it said.

 

The sitcom showed Dawn French's character urging parishioners to support the anti-poverty campaign and may have breached the BBC's code, which prevents dramas from endorsing charities.

 

Olympic warning

 

The report went on to warn that the London Olympics will provide a similar test of the BBC's impartiality.

 

"Coverage of international championships has sometimes drawn criticism that the British media are too preoccupied with British competitors," it said.

 

"That pull will be all the greater when the Olympic flame reaches British soil in what is likely to be the year of the Queen's diamond jubilee".

 

 

Safeguarding impartiality is a big and challenging topic

Mark Byford, deputy director general, BBC

 

 

In compiling the report, the BBC commissioned a survey into its audience's views on impartiality.

 

Sixty-one per cent of people questioned said broadcasters may think they give a fair and informed view but a lot of the time they do not.

 

A further 83% agreed that broadcasters should report on all views and opinions, however unpopular or extreme some of them may be.

 

"BBC audiences believe that impartiality should not lead to political correctness," said Richard Tait, the BBC Trust member in charge of the report.

 

"The BBC agrees and one of our new principles makes clear that impartiality is no excuse for insipid programme-making."

 

 

HAVE YOUR SAY

The problem is not whether the BBC is impartial or not, it's that it thinks it's impartial

Chris, Weybridge

 

 

Mr Byford, who was part of the report's steering group, said the findings were of great importance.

 

"Safeguarding impartiality is a big and challenging topic and the publication of the report should be the catalyst to a wide conversation and debate across the BBC."

 

The report was approved by the BBC Trust and BBC Executive Board.

 

The trust represents licence fee payers and ensures the BBC provides value for money, while the board is responsible for delivering the BBC's services in line with the priorities set by the trust.