Newsweek Scotland: A bad back and a week in news
Post categories: News,ÌýNewsweek Scotland,ÌýPolitics,ÌýProgrammes
| 15:55 UK time, Friday, 7 January 2011
I'm suffering muscle spasms this week after being forced from the matrimonial bed by the children and trying to curl up in a four-year-old's bed. It was like that ancient torture of a cage that I think I saw at Madame Tussauds and which is just too small to allow you to sit, lie or crouch with any degree of comfort. I moved to the sofa and watched the Ashes cricket from Sydney - - before demanding my place back in my own bed. I secured a foot-wide sliver of mattress and barely slept. Then I've got to come in here to work.
So I didn't expect to have much inspiration but luckily the producer has been awake and alert and has got on without me. Thus we have an uncomfortable look at . It takes place in northern and midland England but it is also a tale of how one culture can view people from another differently - the very basis of discrimination. We have a forthright interview with the on sexual attitudes among some muslim men and how it plays into the hands of the racists.
There's a strong muslim strain in our look at the Middle East with of City of London University. The so-called is 19 years old and failing. Obama is part of the failure. His envoy has achieved nothing. The participants see no point. may be the only optimist left. Are we heading for war?
Some . After the horrors of the Janjaweed, the people are voting to create their own country. We discuss the chances of succcess with of Oxford University.
And if , did the iPod kill the record player? HMV is closing stores having already swallowed FOPP. A friend says the specialist music shops selling sheet music are in decline and is there anywhere left to go to sample classical music before you buy? One HMV store I know closed their classical area and stocked it with computer games for the acne generation.
In the week Gerry Rafferty's memory hovered like the haunting sax notes on Baker Street, music nut John Cavanagh looks at changes in the music business. And just to be clear, I do mean music nut. He knows so much about music, he's like a mobile juke box in a floral shirt. That reminds me... think I'll wear mine in the morning. Join me at 8.
Comment number 1.
At 8th Jan 2011, AMJHAJ wrote:Derek, how about these for some discussion?:
- Montenegro's attack on Iain Gray
- NHS chief's rebuttal of Elaine Murray and Russell Brown's (and therefore Jackie Baillie's) inaccurate public statements about NHS car leasing
- how did Ö÷²¥´óÐã Scotland gain tapes from the Sheridan case and is everything above board?
Look forward to these being covered.
ps - You and Angus McLeod wondered this morning why Scottish media weren't joining in the crowing about England's cricket win. Perhaps this is because the vast majority of Scotland (rightly or wrongly) don't give one hoot about cricket (least of all the Ashes).
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Comment number 2.
At 8th Jan 2011, bmc875 wrote:Ok Derek. A bad back and a week in news
I'm with you half way. Sorry to hear about your back.
Now! About the week in news.
Please consider the items listed by contributor number 1! Please also explain why you consider it newsworthy to report on Sudan's pending Independence and refuse to discuss the future of Scotland?
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Comment number 3.
At 8th Jan 2011, Alba2014 wrote:Hope your back gets better soon Derek. However, when can we the licence paying public start to get value for money from the Ö÷²¥´óÐã news reports? After all there have a few recent news stories in recent weeks that have not even had the slightest mention on ANY Ö÷²¥´óÐã news outlet. Why is this?
The most important story that almost everyone is aware of (despite the non appearance on the Ö÷²¥´óÐã) has been the DISGRACEFUL action of Iain Gray at last FMQ's of 2010. Why has there been no coverage of the International outcry that resulted from this episode? After all the Charge's D'affaires of Montenegro found it truly insulting enough to send letters of complaint to Iain Gray, Alex Salmond AND Ed Milliband.
At this moment in time I am still trying, but failing, to believe the Ö÷²¥´óÐã mantra that you are unbiased, however recent events are leading me to come to a separate and more sinister conclusion.
With an election coming up in a few months time can we, the licence payer expect this not so unbiased approach to continue or will common sense prevail and the Ö÷²¥´óÐã WILL eventually return to being truly unbiased. I can only hope the latter will eventually win through.
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Comment number 4.
At 8th Jan 2011, Petrovich3 wrote:Oops sorry I thought this was a Newsweek Scotland blog. However having read talk of the English cricket team including sycophantic congratulations, then talk of exploitation in mid/north England, Muslim Strain in London University next piece Oxford University I realise there is nothing Scottish about it. I must have made a wrong turn er can anyone direct me to a Newsweek Scotland blog?
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Comment number 5.
At 10th Jan 2011, Alba2014 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 6.
At 11th Jan 2011, Patch Bruce wrote:WHY SO MUCH ENGLISH BASED STORIES AND ENGLISH BASED "EXPERTS" I TAKE IT THIS IS PART OF THE GREAT Ö÷²¥´óÐã PROJECT OF CREATING NORTH BRITAIN AND DESTROYING SCOTTISH IDENTITY. P.S. I AND EVERY ONE I KNOW HATES CRICKET. IF THE ENGLISH EX PATS WANT CRICKET NEWS LET THEM TUNE TO RADIO TWO
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