Monday 31 March 2008

Complaint to BBC re misleading title of UEFA "investigation" into behaviour of Celtic fans in Barcelona

Clearly my mood has not been helped by events on Saturday, however I thought it was probably time to register my displeasure with the media outlets in question over their Rangers pandering agenda, as well as continuing to ramble on in various blogs and internet fora.

My complaint to the BBC via e-mail is as follows -

I wish register my complaint concerning the misleading title attributed to the article above. I would appreciate an explanation as to why the BBC thought it appropriate to use the heading "UEFA drops Celtic chanting case". The UEFA spokesman is clearly quoted in said article as stating - "We've had a look into that, but NO DISCIPLINARY CASE WILL BE OPENED [my emphasis]".

Please explain then, how it is possible for UEFA to "drop" a case that was never opened in the first place?

I sincerely hope there has been no conscious decision by anyone at the BBC to spin this article, either to portray Celtic FC in a negative light, or to justify the previous erroneous reporting of the BBC in relation to this "non-story".

However given precedents I can easily recall with regard to reporting of matters relating to Celtic FC on the BBC website, and the dubious timing of the initial "non-story" (i.e. several weeks after the "events" in question, on the eve of a crucial Old Firm game and at a time where negative headlines may have been expected in relation to Rangers' blatant disrespect for the Scottish national team) I remain unconvinced.

As alluded to above, I also wish to register my disappointment that the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal of four Rangers players from the Scotland squad and statements from Gordon Strachan and Barry Robson to the effect that the player was turned away by from the Scotland squad against his will by medical staff previously employed by Rangers FC, were not deemed worthy of any significant investigation or comment by the BBC.

Certainly I would have expected more than wheeling out Dado Prso to state that the Rangers players in question "deserved a rest" from any organisation with any journalistic integrity or pretensions to fair and balanced reporting.

I look forward to your comments on both of my queries.

Tony Hamilton
Glasgow

Sunday 30 March 2008

Silence is the Death of Liberty

Source: http://georgewashington.blogspot.com/2007/09/speak-out.ht...

First they tortured a U.S. citizen and gang member ...
I remained silent;
I wasn't a criminal

Then they tortured a U.S. citizen, whistleblower and navy veteran ...
I remained silent;
I wasn't a whistleblower

Then they locked up an attorney for representing accused criminals ...
I remained silent;
I wasn't a defense attorney

Then they arrested a young father walking with his son simply because he told Dick Cheney that he disagreed with his policies ...
I remained silent;
I've never talked to an important politician

Then they said an entertainer should be killed because she questioned 9/11 ...
I remained silent;
I wasn't an entertainer

Then they arrested people for demanding that Congress hold the President to the Constitution ...
I did not speak out;
I've never protested in Washington

Then they arrested a man for holding a sign ...
I did not speak out;
I've never held that kind of sign

Then they broke a minister's leg because he wanted to speak at a public event ...
I remained silent;
I wasn't a religious leader

Then they shot a student with a taser gun and arrested him for asking a question of a politician at a public event ...
I remained silent;
I wasn't a student

When they came for me,
Everyone was silent;
there was no one left to speak out.

Inspired by the poem First They Came by Martin Niemöller

How to fudge racism/sectarianism - lesson 1 in the ongoing series from The Scottish media

I thought the timing of the latest sectarianism abroad controversy was quite a coincidence don't you? Conveniently timed on the eve of an Old Firm game and at a time when Rangers should have been feeling the heat for sticking two fingers up to the Scottish national team, whilst also attempting to drag Celtic's name through the mud so it could be spun as another "Old Firm" story(note that nothing exists on BBC website regarding Barry Robson and Gordon Strachan's assertion that the player was fit to play).

I don't expect Celtic have too much to fear from a UEFA investigation in any case, but particularly when UEFA failed to take any action regarding the events posted here.

Note the fearless tone of the STV reporter "Now let's be clear.. the source of this picture is as yet unknown".

Love it! Obviously if it was a timmy then this is inadmissable in court. I'm also impressed by the way the whole of the Scottish media bought Martin Bain's line that this was all misinterpretation of an otherwise innocent "single handed gesture".

Ergo:

Gestures appallingly offensive to Jews in the heart of Israel = wrong
Gestures glorifying loyalist paramilitaries which are appallingly offensive to Catholics = No problem. Altogether boys.. Hullo! Hullo!

Note also, that Rangers' continuing fearsome crusade against the FTP brigade (C) D. Murray, for which they have been lauded in many quarters, consists merely of warning fans that the club will get into trouble for this type of stuff, falling well short of actually stating that there is anything wrong with it.

I can only assume then, that any footage that should find the light of day depicting Celtic fans indulging in any sort of contentious behaviour in Barcelona, will be glossed over by the Scottish media in a similar manner. In the same way in fact, that Artur Boruc was given such an easy ride over his "two handed oscillating gesture" at Hibs fans recently

Do you think if Peter Lawwel explained FTQ away as an anti-gay chant the Scottish media would buy it? Or are Catholics the only minority group that are fair game?

We might need this on Monday morning

Happy Worker Kit

Saturday 29 March 2008

Celtic to win

Despite the reality of the situation I am holding to the belief that Celtic will win today because they are a better team and they need it more. The longer we can keep a clean sheet the more likely I think it is that we can win. Our skill will eventually win through if we don't have to come from a goal down.

Unfortunately every time I buy a lottery ticket, until those balls start to fall, I actually believe I will win.

But what is life without hope?

Now for a nerve wracking couple of hours.

Tuesday 25 March 2008

Songerize (again)

Previously posted but worth another visit to seek out unusual versions of songs. Try entering "rebel/bowie" (song/artist) for an excellent version of Bowie's Rebel, Rebel. Other combinations throw-up interesting versions, many of them live. Or you can just listen to great originals (pyramid/radiohead).

Monday 24 March 2008

20,000 hits

The blog passed a milestone today - 20,000 hits. There has been a huge rise in the number of visitors since last October. I've no idea why... although it only takes one or two popular websites to link to this blog to drive a lot of traffic to it.

Wednesday 19 March 2008

All we have to do is win all of our games...

"If we win every game, we win the league," Brown told the Celtic View. "I know that sounds simple...".

Scott, son, Sunday's game against Gretna Second XI doesn't sound simple to me. The realism that is slowly spreading through the supporters has not yet reached the players.

Thursday 13 March 2008

"My name is Celtic and..."

It's difficult not to conclude that Rangers are a better team than Celtic. It's hard to say but the results speak for themselves. Smith has transformed Rangers. I don't like him either but he has a lot in common with Martin O'Neil, the way he has made Rangers hard to beat, the way he can grind out results - and the way he can beat Celtic. Celtic drew with Dundee United last night. Rangers will beat them on Sunday. And the way things are looking, they might also get two other bits of silverware this season, which will match MON's clean sweep in his first season (although Smith has done it without money).

The optimism of some Celtic fans is amazing. "We still have the league in our own hands" (if we beat Rangers in the three remaining Old Firm games). We've stuttered and stumbled this season, while TFOD have got stronger. Strachan's signings simply haven't worked. And he struggles to motivate them in many games. 50% of our goals have came in the last 25 mimutes of games - that's not determination, that's rubbish football.

The first stage in recovery is to acknowledge you have a problem. It's time we admitted it.

Sunday 9 March 2008

Transfer deadline day: The story continues...

Preview showing in theatres from 7th March:




TRANSFER DEADLINE DAY AT IBROX PART 2

Saturday 8 March 2008

Grammar Fascism no.2 - Erroneous use of the apostrophe

Yes indeed I am very petty, but this type of error is everywhere you look these days, and you would think a national television network (STV) could get it right. I was taught about the correct use of apostrophe when I was about 7 years old and it's not a difficult concept to understand.

And of course I am very petty...