It has been an interesting start to the week. On Monday there was an unscheduled development at the Leveson Inquiry which proved to be the smoking gun proving beyond all reasonable doubt that the failure of the Information Commissioner and the Metropolitan police to use the information contained in four record books of the Motorman information source together with the other documentation seized was am even greater failure than the Mulcaire papers, potentially perverting the course of justice and leading to the violation of the human riots of thousands of UK citizens and visitors.
What the Inquiry achieved with the cooperation of Mr Owens was to go through half a dozen examples in some detail which proved that individual journalists identified by name on behalf of specified newspapers and commissioned information knowing that the information could only be obtained by illegal means. This revelation was ignored by the media at the time and for the most part subsequently.
However all this does is compound the cover up and the bullying arrogance of those involved in the guilty press. It does not of itself an indication of how the situation should be changed in the future but it enforced the demand for change and that the present system for self regulation should be changed. However is should make the guilty press that much more cautious during the rest of the Leveson hearings. This will not necessarily tackle the cultures. The solution is to rid some newspapers of their editors and for the newspaper owners to insist on the operation of the standards they have signed up to.
Today the case for the prosecution was further strengthened with the appearance of the creator of a 90 minute film which investigated the phenomena of the media personality, individuals with and without talent from reality TV to Max Clifford promotions and which included a 30 minute segment of planting false stories including those obtained. Wednesday is a free day and Thursday given over to academics with Friday the opportunity for the former Commissioner Richard Thomas to provide his knowledge and perspective.
For the greater part of recent days my attention has been given to a wide range of music. To mark the production of a new Amy Winehouse Album covering some work she had completed with other tracks recorded but not released the Q channel provided several hours of programme including all her videos. Listen to Rehab now...I told you I was trouble you know I’m no good’. This follows on from a Beach Boys films of their 1976 Good Vibrations and a gorgeous 90 mins history of Donovan which provoked an ordering of a 40 track two disk audio CD Troubadour covering his best music from the sixties and seventies. I also bought a copy of the Brother Son Sister Moon to the beautifully filmed life of Francis of Assisi with music by Donovan. I had been on a small spree as earlier I purchased a new inexpensive desk chair as the arms of my present one had worn through to the foam and copies of Peter Burden’s News of the World Fake Sheiks and Royal Trappings and the Nick Davies Flat Earth News exposure of falsehoods, distortion and propaganda. The Chair has arrived mid afternoon while I was dozing trying to keep awake listening to Leveson which had just commenced an audio broadcast by revealing pictures of the witness.
The food plan is being implemented on a regular basis but I am clearing the freezer tomorrow for a pre Christmas defrost and hopeful I will be able to refill sufficiently to cover the Christmas period. I could not resist buying a piece of fresh trout yesterday which I forgot and will consume tomorrow. After good breakfast of the mushrooms and tomato and a bowl of cereal I have restricted lunch to just the main course and then spread the evening food with a cuppa soup adn few dry crackers before the salad with prawns, quiche or smoker mackerel although sometimes I have the quiche or mackerel without the salad and while I usually have a portion of stewed apple and plums with a quarter packet of custard, I sometimes give this a miss. The sprats in batter and bread crumbs have become a fortnightly Saturday treat and I am yet to avoid making a mess or uneven coatings or surplus. I will follow this up with the whole Roast Chicken on the Sunday alternating with chicken wings Saturday and lamb or beef the following Sunday. Enjoyed a couple of packs of dried figs this week as an additional treat.
My diary creation for next year is going well. The disappointing aspect is that Durham are at Lords and the Oval in successive weeks which means two weeks in London which given the five days for the Olympics will only leave my annual Notts’ trip. The cricket diary is better from the player’s viewpoint but means long gaps unless Members are available and able to travel. On the bright side I have already paid for the accommodation and travel to London for the Olympics and for my ticket to watch England play Australia in the one day at Durham. I have decided against Bruce Springsteen at Sunderland and applying for Wimbledon tickets where the cost is now £100 centre court second week. IV will be hectic time watching sport next summer with the European Cup finals as well as the Olympics, Wimbledon and the Live Cricket.
Now to Satyagraha and then the Boardwalk Empire.
What the Inquiry achieved with the cooperation of Mr Owens was to go through half a dozen examples in some detail which proved that individual journalists identified by name on behalf of specified newspapers and commissioned information knowing that the information could only be obtained by illegal means. This revelation was ignored by the media at the time and for the most part subsequently.
However all this does is compound the cover up and the bullying arrogance of those involved in the guilty press. It does not of itself an indication of how the situation should be changed in the future but it enforced the demand for change and that the present system for self regulation should be changed. However is should make the guilty press that much more cautious during the rest of the Leveson hearings. This will not necessarily tackle the cultures. The solution is to rid some newspapers of their editors and for the newspaper owners to insist on the operation of the standards they have signed up to.
Today the case for the prosecution was further strengthened with the appearance of the creator of a 90 minute film which investigated the phenomena of the media personality, individuals with and without talent from reality TV to Max Clifford promotions and which included a 30 minute segment of planting false stories including those obtained. Wednesday is a free day and Thursday given over to academics with Friday the opportunity for the former Commissioner Richard Thomas to provide his knowledge and perspective.
For the greater part of recent days my attention has been given to a wide range of music. To mark the production of a new Amy Winehouse Album covering some work she had completed with other tracks recorded but not released the Q channel provided several hours of programme including all her videos. Listen to Rehab now...I told you I was trouble you know I’m no good’. This follows on from a Beach Boys films of their 1976 Good Vibrations and a gorgeous 90 mins history of Donovan which provoked an ordering of a 40 track two disk audio CD Troubadour covering his best music from the sixties and seventies. I also bought a copy of the Brother Son Sister Moon to the beautifully filmed life of Francis of Assisi with music by Donovan. I had been on a small spree as earlier I purchased a new inexpensive desk chair as the arms of my present one had worn through to the foam and copies of Peter Burden’s News of the World Fake Sheiks and Royal Trappings and the Nick Davies Flat Earth News exposure of falsehoods, distortion and propaganda. The Chair has arrived mid afternoon while I was dozing trying to keep awake listening to Leveson which had just commenced an audio broadcast by revealing pictures of the witness.
The food plan is being implemented on a regular basis but I am clearing the freezer tomorrow for a pre Christmas defrost and hopeful I will be able to refill sufficiently to cover the Christmas period. I could not resist buying a piece of fresh trout yesterday which I forgot and will consume tomorrow. After good breakfast of the mushrooms and tomato and a bowl of cereal I have restricted lunch to just the main course and then spread the evening food with a cuppa soup adn few dry crackers before the salad with prawns, quiche or smoker mackerel although sometimes I have the quiche or mackerel without the salad and while I usually have a portion of stewed apple and plums with a quarter packet of custard, I sometimes give this a miss. The sprats in batter and bread crumbs have become a fortnightly Saturday treat and I am yet to avoid making a mess or uneven coatings or surplus. I will follow this up with the whole Roast Chicken on the Sunday alternating with chicken wings Saturday and lamb or beef the following Sunday. Enjoyed a couple of packs of dried figs this week as an additional treat.
My diary creation for next year is going well. The disappointing aspect is that Durham are at Lords and the Oval in successive weeks which means two weeks in London which given the five days for the Olympics will only leave my annual Notts’ trip. The cricket diary is better from the player’s viewpoint but means long gaps unless Members are available and able to travel. On the bright side I have already paid for the accommodation and travel to London for the Olympics and for my ticket to watch England play Australia in the one day at Durham. I have decided against Bruce Springsteen at Sunderland and applying for Wimbledon tickets where the cost is now £100 centre court second week. IV will be hectic time watching sport next summer with the European Cup finals as well as the Olympics, Wimbledon and the Live Cricket.
Now to Satyagraha and then the Boardwalk Empire.
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