Ethical News Reporting

"If you don't want to propagate more mass murders...

Don't start the story with sirens blaring.

Don't have photographs of the killer.

Don't make this 24/7 coverage.

Do everything you can not to make the body count the lead story.

Not to make the killer some kind of anti-hero.

Do localise this story to the affected community and as boring as possible in every other market." - from Newswipe by Charlie Brooker.

Can Turkish Fireman Get Water On A Burning Building

"Local television footage captured the building engulfed by flames, and later, firefighters dousing the charred building"

From BBC Istanbul

It's windy lads, use more pressure. Here the helicopter, can he hit the enormous 42 story building ? Ha ha, nope.

London, Norfolk

According to American news, London has moved to the Fens.

Brave Woman Harangues Rioters

http://www.twitvid.com/4JTZH

A woman on the streets of Hackney bravely confronts looters.

Our Cities Alight

I thought the world might be ending in 1981, in the depths of the Cold War our cities suddenly caught alight. Brixton, Toxteth, Handsworth, Chapeltown and Moss Side were ablaze both literally, and with anger fuelled by long term social deprivation and resentment at police stop and search powers directed at young black men. It was a troubled year, Bobby Sands starved himself to death and more riots took place on the streets of Belfast, US President Ronald Reagun was wounded in an assassination attempt and a man fired shots, which later proved to be blanks, at the Queen.

I remember keeping a scrapbook at the time, I was slightly obsessed with the rioting, I cut out out reports and pictures from the papers and built up a dossier of violence and disorder, photographs of disaffected youths throwing missiles, of wounded policemen being sheltered by comrades, of shops and workplaces and homes burning.  I could not understand then why people were destroying the amenities in their own neighbourhoods, if this was the only protest they felt they could make, why did they torch their own community centres.

The riots that have exploded across London, and which are spreading through our larger cities, have taken a different hue. The original riot seems to have been triggered by the police shooting of a man, reports are now contradicting the first story that Mark Duggan fired first and wounded a police officer, it is now being said that all the shots were fired by the Police.  Tensions boiled over and Tottenham suffered more for it.

Some activists in Tottenham are claiming that last month there was an entirely peaceful march to Tottenham police station, which it is claimed around 2,000 people took part in and was almost completely ignored by the media. Protesters/rioters in Tottenham interviewed by NBC pointed out that if 20 black kids smash up a branch of William Hill and burn a sports car, they can bring the world's media to their doorstep.

The more extensive riots that have taken place though have no political or activist connection with the first events in Tottenham. Television reports carry footage of largely young people bent on a bit of window breaking and looting, organised, it is claimed, on the Blackberry Messenger closed system. This is vandalism and theft on a large scale and nothing more. It may well be that the people involved in these events are at the poorest end of the social spectrum, but these riots are not anti-police or against authority, it's just a bunch of kids out to cause mayhem and steal some trainers.

Last night Sky News were warming their hands over the footage of a huge blaze consuming a furniture store in Croyden, and taking with it the jobs and livelihoods of the families that worked there.  As buildings burn in Tottenham and Croyden, ordinary working class families have lost everything, their jobs, homes and all their possessions bar the clothes they are wearing. Sky repeated that footage late into last night, I must have seen the same group of three kids run past the burning building 15 times.

Whatever your situation in life, you still have choices, and if you are poor and excluded then looting a couple of pairs of Adidas trainers from JD Sports isn't really going to improve your social situation.  We live in a technological age where you can choose to use your mobile device to organise a mob of your wrong thinking friends to firebomb Currys, or you can use it to inform and educate yourself.

"I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent." - Mohandas Gandhi

Shotgun Surgery - Yorkshire Bitter Kills the Pain

This story is wonderful, in a weird and violent way, it contains violence, beer, self mutilation, shotguns and the worst excuse for possession of an illegal firearm I have ever heard.

(found by James H)

SYCO Says BGT 'Not Fixed'

According to the scribblings in the Hate Mail anyway.

Wheels within wheels within wheels ?

This Rapture Malarkey

So the Rapture turned into an internet meme, an American church wasted a lot of money on posters and one old man is left looking very silly indeed.  On the whole it seems that almost nobody, traditional Christians included, thought that the world would at teatime yesterday. Personally, I feel that the Rapture might rather take place with the coming of the dawn or the setting of the sun, it seems more fitting that way.

According to Christian blogger Rick Hawbaker, Harold Camping's prophecy of the Rapture was clearly wrong because it states in the Bible in Matthew 24:36  “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" and Jesus also makes the point in Acts 1:7, "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.”

Pic - Harold Camping.

Holiday Destination - Chernobyl

Take a trip to the site of the world's worst nuclear accident

Thieving Gits

This was the sign that greeted the good book borrowers of Ilkley this week.

Messi can win over Argentina fans, says Batista

Lionel Messi Photo

Buenos Aires: Argentina are looking to win the Copa America on home ground next year and end the doubts in fans' minds about Lionel Messi's commitment and ability when playing for his country, coach Sergio Batista said.

In the calm of Argentina's training complex outside the capital, far removed from the bustle of Diego Maradona's controversial spell in charge of the team, Batista said he was confident Messi would finally win over the fans during the tournament in July.

"He's had very good games, he always gave of his best in the national team shirt...To heap so much responsibility on Lionel seems unfair to me," Batista said.

"He has to go out, play and enjoy and we try to build a team on the basis of what Lionel is," the 48-year-old Batista said.

Blackburn Rovers Football Club Bid 6.2 Million Pounds For Brazilian Footballer Ronaldinho

Blackburn Rovers Football Club have bid 6.2 million pounds for Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho. The new owners, the Venky's Group, had earlier denied  this fact. Rumours were borne out at that time that  Venky's Group  made some offers to have Ronaldinho.

 

Recently, club chairperson Anuradha Desai admitted that in fact the club had made attempts to sign the 30 year old Brazilian footballer.

 

Not much clubs are interested in having this Brazil player. Ronaldinho have just six more months of football play with current club AC Milan contract and the sad part is that he has just scored one goal in this season.  

 

Interestingly, former football club Gremio was also looking at him. The future of Ronaldinho is much discussed right now.  Even though Blackburn club was looking at him, he could have most likely returned to his home country and played for Gremio club this time in Brazil.

 

Ronaldinho alias little Ronaldo has tilll now scored 32 goals for Brazil from 88 matches.

Sandhu: Sachin key for India's success

Sachin Tendulkar Picture

The form of Sachin Tendulkar will play a decisive role for India to lay their hands on the World Cup, feels former player Balwinder Singh Sandhu.

Sandhu, a member of the 1983 World Cup winning side, said the batting maestro will give away everything in the quadrennial tournament as it probably might be his last.

Sandhu said: "Tendulkar would be totally focusing on this World Cup. He is aware this might be his last chance to win the trophy as for the next edition he may be mentally fit but may not be physically there."

"He will give more than 100 percent and would be keen to perform well. He will also be a great inspiration for other players in the team."

"Tendulkar will also not allow the team to take things lightly, like Sunil Gavaskar did in 1983. His work ethics are amazing."

Sandhu also said the current lot led by skipper MS Dhoni is far superior in terms of talent and experience to the side that won the World Cup 28 years ago.

He said: "When it comes to talent, the current Indian team is way ahead of us. For example, in terms of ODI experience, a player like Tendulkar has alone played more matches than all of our team members put together."

"Then there are excellent players like Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan and Dhoni, who can single-handedly change the course of the game."

"During our time we had to study the rival batsmen by watching other matches where they played and form a strategy. Now these things are being done by the supporting staff with the help of the video analysis."

On being asked about his pick for the World Cup that begins from February 19, Sandhu said: "According to me Australia will be the dark horse in the tournament."

"They have won the ODI series against England and their player are well versed about Indian conditions thanks to IPL."

Why Norway deported its 'Norwegian of the year'

Norway has arrested and deported a young Russian woman who was crowned "Norwegian of the year" after writing a book about her life as an illegal immigrant.

Her fate prompted nationwide public protests against the asylum laws, and the centre-left coalition government has been left shaken.

Maria Amelie, 25, real name Madina Salamova, captured the hearts of many Norwegians with "Illegally Norwegian", a book describing her fleeing the Russian republic of North Ossetia as a child and going underground with her parents when their asylum application was rejected.

Maria Amelie somehow managed to evade Norway's immigration authorities for eight years while learning fluent Norwegian, getting a university degree and then writing her best-selling book.

"I was born in the Caucasus but I have spent more than half of my life fleeing," she told Norwegian media when it was published last autumn.

"A large part of my life I have spent in Norway, so I feel Norwegian and my friends call me Norwegian. I feel this is where I belong."

Adebayor relishing chance to play for Madrid

Emmanuel Adebayor

Emmanuel Adebayor said playing for Real Madrid offers a chance to get back to his best after Manchester City lost confidence in the striker.

Adebayor agreed to a six-month loan spell with the Spanish giant after falling out of favour of Roberto Mancini’s squad at City.

Madrid acquired Adebayor to help fill a hole in attack with Gonzalo Higuain injured and Karim Benzema struggling recently.

Adebayor said “I’m not here to replace anybody; I’m just here to play my football.”

Adebayor said he is only now getting over the trauma of a deadly attack on his Togo team bus at last year’s African Cup of Nations - “2010 started very badly for me and 2011 has started very well.”

Positive Collingwood still has Boonie's words of wisdom ringing in ears

Paul Collingwood

THE one English cricketer Australia have kept quiet on the Ashes tour reckons he might finally be ready to make a noise Down Under.

In a lean summer, Australia could at least lay claim to having the wood on veteran all-rounder Paul Collingwood. But those days could be numbered judging by a buoyant Collingwood before the one-dayer in Brisbane on Sunday.

Collingwood was so out of form that he was picked as England's fifth bowler and banished to No.7 in the batting order for the one-day match in Adelaide on Wednesday.

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However, he sounded like a changed man after helping England to a drought-breaking 21-run win over Australia. He shared an influential seventh-wicket stand of 56 with Michael Yardy with a run-a-ball knock of 27 to push England towards 300.

He then added to Michael Clarke's woes by clean-bowling the Australian captain on his way to 1-22 off seven overs as the visitors turned the screws.

''Something like that can snap you back into form,'' Collingwood said in Brisbane yesterday. ''I remember listening to David Boon at [English county] Durham in 1998, and he said the game is 90 per cent mental and 10 per cent technique.

''I wasn't sure what he meant at the time but that was before my international career.

''I know now that the mindset you take out to the crease means a lot - hopefully I will be more at ease when I next get out to the middle.''

While a bit miffed to have been relegated to the unfamiliar No.7 position, Collingwood said it actually helped him work his way out of his funk.

''It is disappointing going down to No.7 but there were a lot of other guys in good form,'' he said. ''But it was probably a good situation for me [when he got to the crease]. I had to be positive. After getting myself set, I freed the arms.

''I was happy with my game. Well, it was good to get past 20 - I haven't done that in a while.''

Collingwood also appeared to be feeding off the renewed confidence in the England camp after they finally broke their one-day duck Down Under to make it 3-1 and keep the series alive heading to Brisbane.

''Confidence is a huge thing in sport,'' Collingwood said. ''Losing those first few couple of games, it can become a habit so it was good to break that.''