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Monday 23 August 2010

Sarah McDermott | 13:15 UK time, Monday, 23 August 2010

Here's Kirsty with details of tonight's programme:

The UN estimates that the number of people in Pakistan who need basic shelter has gone from two million to six million, and the country is expecting more flooding in thesouth. Water and silt have damaged and destroyed crops including rice, cotton, sugar cane and maize in an areaof more than 4.25 million acres.The IMF is considering how to help the country. But what brought about this devastation? Our Science editor Susan Watts examines theclaims byseniorclimate scientists that global warming is a"major contributing factor''(Dr Ghassem Asrar, director of the World Climate Research Program). What role - if any - has climate change played in this disaster?

Should women be allowed to be veiled in public? As Bosnia becomes the latest country to consider this difficult issue we have been talking to some young British Muslims who have adopted the niqab - even though no other members of their family are veiled. They insist they are not alienated from Western culture, nor are they making a defiant stand - so why the desire to cover their faces?.

The world has to produce more and more food to feed a burgeoning population, and to do that, fields need fertiliser. We delve into the battle over Potash reserves thatcould soon become a geo-political battle for dwindling resources.

AndKeep the Aspidistra Flying? The row over the spend on expenses at the Audit Commission has now drawn in the DCMS after agovernment minister insisted there were no pot plants in HIS department... Can this be true? Newsnight investigates.

Join me, Kirsty, at 10.30pm on tv Two.

From earlier:

Tens of thousands of people are trying to flee the latest flood surge in southern Pakistan, three weeks after devastating monsoon rainfall hit the country. Around 1,600 people are thought to have died. Twenty million people have been affected by the disaster.

Tonight our Science editor Susan Watts will be considering what role climate change may have played in the country's floods.

We have a film examining why increasing numbers of British Muslim women are choosing to wear the face veil. Two women explain to us why the adopted the niqab when their mothers did not.

And our Economics editor Paul Mason will be investigating what makes potash a hot commodity.

More details later.

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    just heard on tv News that we are amongst the top four nations contributing to the relief effort, we are a generous nation but aren't we doing more than our fair share? Italy, France, Germnay have put in less than us combined also why is India (a nuclear nation) and Pakistan (a nuclear nation) put a little of their weaponry assetts in to the kitty...or am I just being naieve?

  • Comment number 2.

    This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

  • Comment number 3.

    OH FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE

    Susan should have a chat with Peirs Corbyn - that will put climate change to bed. There is only CLIMATE - 'change' is integral.

    Then on to an understanding of the Electric Universe - with planet Earth part of the electric circuitry. EVEN NASA IS BEGINNING TO REALISE.

    Being up to date is what the internet does best. Science is about investigation of truth Susan, not promulgation of shaky orthodoxy.

  • Comment number 4.

    POTASH

    Pot-call-kettle-black is plentiful. An extraction of Labour leadership contenders (after crash and burn) should yield copious Potash.

  • Comment number 5.

    ALL PART OF PERVERSE ALBION? (#1)

    I suggest the majority of British are so 'off centre' that we tolerate excesses both of good and bad. I further suggest this is another indicator of a need for PHILOSOPHY (and psychology) to be instilled in the young.

    In shorthand: BRITAIN IS GOING MAD. Look at Britain as an entity: do our different bits of behaviour add up to a coherent whole? Asylum and bombing. Enforced democracy abroad, corrupted 'democracy' at home. State sponsored narcotics - free sickness service. Doesn't take much thought, does it. Add your own and wonder . . .

  • Comment number 6.

    Of course potash will be a hot commodity, and as the years go by hotter and hotter.

    With the world population growing rapidly, and not enough food and water to go around, any investment in the food industry (and that's what food is an industry now!), would be a very wise move indeed.

    The real problem is too many people, but we don't seem to understand that lesson. The irony is we are all getting fatter and fatter, but shortly the high price of food will stop the growing obesity problem.

  • Comment number 7.

    Didn't Newsnight cover the veil issue a few weeks ago? I remember one of the interviewees stating that wearing the veil, for her, was like being a goth or punk - in other words, it is a fashion statement. Others claim they wear it for religious purposes, whereas here Dr. Taj Hargey , Chairman of the Muslim Educational Centre, states that it should be banned, and is not part of Islam, also goes on to state that it is not a Human Right at all. Let's face it, anyone on a motorbike has to removed his/her crash helmet before entering a public building, and if they do not, they will not be allowed entry. What is the difference in a motor cycle helmet and a burka/niqab concealing your identity? None. I loved the question asked to the two ladies in niqabs - that their parents did not wear it, so why are they? One word. Fundamentalism.

  • Comment number 8.

    The censorship on this blog is truely incredible, no freedom of speech anywhere on the tv it appears.

    I hope your crawling PC keeps you in business, but I somehow doubt it.

  • Comment number 9.

  • Comment number 10.

    Any technical comments on this (and the logic of political incorrectness i.e. Rawlsian RIGHT-wing liberal 'Social Justice')?



    Note a) the 97% pass rate, b) the inequality of male/female preferences and the relative performance at grades in such subjects e.g. psychology. c) The percentage A and above in Independent schools d) the number now sitting A levels. - it's half the annual cohort compared with 30-40 years ago.

    This, I suggest, is grade inflation: as one LOWERS standards by shifting the cognitive ability distribution filter for access to A level teaching to the left (on the Gaussian intelligence distribution), if one keeps the proportions being awarded A, B, B, C, D, E, F Gaussian (approximate Standard Deviations for A-E grades), even if skewed to the right (a notoriously misleading statistical concept which really means stacked to the left) what one has is SUBVERSION of the status quo. Kids and teachers/employers today don't know/can't objectively tell who's bright, as standards have so dramatically changed (gone down). There is a two-fold effect here. Numbers up, and the standard shifted left (down) The true weakness of the UK only shows up in international PISA and TIMMS.tests and a general feeling that something isn't right.

    How far left in the distribution can this go? Is it all just in pursuit of consumers? Debt is not the means to redistribute wealth in pursuit of Rawlsian Social Justice, it's just been the means to make money out of the vulnerable?

  • Comment number 11.

    given climate is always in ice age swings then the climate will always be changing from an ice to an ice age. But the happy clappy believers don't want to let their religion of false beliefs go?

    women and their clothes. we all know young girls enjoy being perverse to annoy their parents. Has anything changed since NN did the muslim women clothes thing last time?

  • Comment number 12.

    given

    ..radicals are pressuring Pakistan to refuse aid from Americans and other "infidels." They've even called the flood divine punishment for Pakistan cooperating with the U.S. in the first place..



    where will the 'infidel' money go?

  • Comment number 13.

  • Comment number 14.

    #13 Good reference back to brossen99. Trouble is there's no money to be made out of a natural occurance, so man made global warming is the mantra of the day.

  • Comment number 15.

    Hhhhmmmmmm

  • Comment number 16.

    According to today's edition of The Sun, Hitler had black and Jewish DNA!
    Source:

  • Comment number 17.

    AREN'T WE ARE ALL RELATED TO PEOPLE WE DESPISE? (#16)

    Most murders are within the family. A little bit of Hitler in all of us? (:o)

  • Comment number 18.

    Food investments...

  • Comment number 19.

  • Comment number 20.

    ASYLUM AND BOMBING* (#5)

    Radio is just reporting 33 Chilean miners, buried alive. I don't remember much reporting of the thousands WE buried alive in Iraq.

    Oh - it's all getting wonderfully perverse.

    *Perhaps I meant Lunatics and Reporting?

  • Comment number 21.

    'Tonight our Science editor Susan Watts will be considering what role climate change may have played in the country's floods.'

    That 'may' and 'if any' buys my attention.

    After the reporting of 'unprecedented' (well, since the last time) aquatic impositions in Cumbria set the credibility bar pretty low for official claims and media complicity, I am hoping factors such as population and land management will be properly considered in the mix.

    It can be hard to ignore certain hints in geographical terminology such as 'flood plains', especially when it comes to housing. Unless you are an official seeking a distraction for some dodgy decisions.

  • Comment number 22.

    #17

    We may be all related to apes, singie, but how many people have killed deliberately and viciously with absolute perfidy for some 'fancy' ideology by ending with commmitting a suicide?

    You also, as well as a few other bloggers, keep talking of a need for change. I do not think it's going to go your ways, however. In fact, I'm certain of it.

    mim

  • Comment number 23.

    12. At 3:36pm on 23 Aug 2010, jauntycyclist wrote:
    given


    "where will the 'infidel' money go?"

    Given the dubious nature of fiat economics, surely we should be asking where the money keeps coming FROM? Especially given the austerity measures/ threats to jobs in public services at home?

    What happens after the hand-outs? Fast food/consumerism and sloth? Then what? Debt followed by epidemics of diabetes etc? Surely there's got to be something better they'll be saying. They'll be looking Eastwards if the infidels don't set a better example I bet. Isn't that market-forces at work?

  • Comment number 24.

    This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

  • Comment number 25.

    23 ..where the money keeps coming FROM?..

    Mervy just invents it out of nothing.

  • Comment number 26.

    As Bob Ward has just mentioned, Andrew Montford will be providing a welcome sceptical viewpoint re the role of climate change (if any) in tonight's programme.

    I've just been to his blog, by the way, and "bragging" is hardly a fair description of what he wrote:

    "I've been invited to appear on Newsnight tonight to talk about the Pakistani floods and climate change. Should be interesting."

    Andrew Montford is a man who lets the facts speak for themselves, Mr Ward, as I'm sure you may now be aware.

  • Comment number 27.

    I have never understood this 'natural' (acceptable) v manmade (unacceptable) climate change argument.

    We are part of nature for a start, the division is one of human arrogance only. Also it could never be proved one way or another, if humans had not cotributed to modifying the climate maybe the fllods would have happend 5 years ago or 10 years in the future naturally anyway.

    What is the point in this discussion with no menaigful conclusion posible.

    as an engineer the only solution is clear, dont let your popolation grow so big and if you do dont let people build up large cities on major flood plains (the clue is in the name)unless you have an awful lot of flood defences and well designed infrastruture capable of coping with it or managing it at least.

    Still it will give te climate change careeists something to put on thie r research gant applications anyway.

    What a load of tosh.

  • Comment number 28.

    What about all the billions Pakistan already gets from the West to buy arms? If we in this country have to make 'tough choices' about our spending priorities why can't they? What more important to the Pakistan government, tanks and helicopters or 4 million+ peoples lives? They've already got our money, so what is they're choice?

  • Comment number 29.

    msg 24

    “Bob Ward has a first degree in geology and an unfinished PhD thesis on palaeopiezometry” is wiki’s verdict on this PR man. “Since palaeopiezometry doesn't even merit an entry in Wiki, could it be that Bob Ward is the only failed palaeopiezometrist in the world?” Bishop Hill ‘s blog hosted this comment in June this year. No doubt it accounts for Bob Ward’s waspish hostility to him! If one had the slightest confidence that Ward could understand Andrew Montford’s exquisite portrayal of the McIntyre deconstruction of the iconic `”hockeystick” one would still take his peevish bad loser comments wiith an anormous pinch of salt. I look forward to seeing the Bish bring his analytical ability to assessing the role, if any, of CO2 in the recent spate of extreme climate events - including the record freeze in the southern hemisphere that may just as easily be our fate as a warming world.

  • Comment number 30.

    An alien and intolerant culture - some call it a cult - are asking the tolerant to be even more tolerant!. Having difficulty with this culture and its appearence on British streets? then you must be an uneducated racist.

    [Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]

  • Comment number 31.

    Just like to add that I support #3 - go chat to Piers-at-WeatherAction.com and also in support of the essence of #27.

    The husbanding and equitable sharing of the finite resources of the planet is a reason to use energy efficiently and economically. (This is absolutely nothing to do with the fake pseudo-science of climatology as I think it should be called - yet another 'ology' that is not soundly based on reality or facts and is a fanciful architecture of myth that is loosely based on very little science!)

    I would also add that the business of husbanding and sharing out our planets natural resources is quite dependent on the planet freeing itself from the religious dogmatists who for their own selfish reasons of sect dominance want to out-breed other sects - these people are the real danger to the planet! (As they are in so many ways - being as they are at the root cause of many wars and thus of the untimely and violent death of huge number so people.)

    Religions need to grow up and expunge from their doctrines the need to out breed other groups - if they don't, they will surely bring about the destruction of the entire planet - I wonder how their God would view that! Or Pills to the Pope (as I recall seeing and photographing on a banner held aloft at a bonfire night celebrations in the Sussex town of Lewes in the late 60s)!!!!

  • Comment number 32.

    #17. barriesingleton wrote:

    "AREN'T WE ARE ALL RELATED TO PEOPLE WE DESPISE? (#16) Most murders are within the family. A little bit of Hitler in all of us? (:o)"

    Or indeed, (as most Europeans) are related to Charlemagne - you did not rule almost all of Europe without being ruthless!

  • Comment number 33.

    This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

  • Comment number 34.

    Just been watching the moslem women on Newsnight. If they want to cover their faces why don't they go live in a moslem country where it is accepted. There is no place in this country for people who want to hide behind masks. They say they want to integrate and be accepted in British society but they obviously don't. If they want harmony they should be taught the saying "when in Rome do as the Romans do" and what that means in Britain. They have no respect for our country and we are far too soft. We would not be accepted wearing strappy or skimpy clothes in any of the moslem countries and indeed we would respect this request. They, on the other hand have no respect for anyone. If they want to integrate and be accepted in our country, ban the veil. It's not acceptable in these days of unrest, most unattractive and is offensive. As everything else here this Human Rights Law is taken to the nth degree by minority groups. Worst thing we ever signed up for.

  • Comment number 35.

    Whilst I fully appreciate that Newsnight has to put its best efforts into Corporate Nazi world government propaganda as part of its obligation as a public service broadcaster in receipt of the " license fee ", tonight's plug for the climate change scam almost fell short.

    Despite the fact that this post of an interview with Piers Corbyn must have been up and posted before 4 pm, it would appear that none of the participants in the Pakistan weather presentation even mentioned anything from it.

    9. At 3:11pm on 23 Aug 2010, you wrote:


    The discussion was most disappointing, skirting around the main question on the Climate Change Scam, neither of the guests could confidently answer Kirsty's half baked questions. As for the alleged global warming skeptic, perhaps he is just one of the be it fairly high profile " Useful idiots " the Corporate Nazis trot out to give the illusion of opposition to the Climate Scam. Also, all the most recent evidence suggests that Asians can not really be trusted to be honest. Over the last few weeks our local paper has reported a series of scams like deliberately causing road accidents, sitting driving tests impersonating other Asians and a 300K MoT test scam. That's just the small men, who knows what the really big fish are scheming in the quest for a say in UN / Wall Street based global totalitarian government ?

  • Comment number 36.

    "Dr. Taj Hargey , Chairman of the Muslim Educational Centre, states that it should be banned, and is not part of Islam, also goes on to state that it is not a Human Right at all."

    taj hergey is on the fringes of the muslim mainstream and his politics is closer to neo conservatism. that is his views are meant to chime with your perspective.

    "What is the difference in a motor cycle helmet and a burka/niqab concealing your identity? None."

    amotor cycle helmet is worn for protection. a niqab/hijab is worn for modesty - religious reasons when only in public.

    "I loved the question asked to the two ladies in niqabs - that their parents did not wear it, so why are they? One word. Fundamentalism."

    they did not claim it was because of fundamentalism, quite the opposite.

    "..radicals are pressuring Pakistan to refuse aid from Americans and other "infidels." They've even called the flood divine punishment for Pakistan cooperating with the U.S. in the first place.."

    non muslim (ie christian) radicals in the usa had similar views about the tsunami.

    "What about all the billions Pakistan already gets from the West to buy arms?"

    theres no free lunch - it all has to be paid back.

    "An alien and intolerant culture - some call it a cult - are asking the tolerant to be even more tolerant!. Having difficulty with this culture and its appearence on British streets? then you must be an uneducated racist."

    actually the intolerance is entirely from the majority host culture .

    really NN should have been asking why the host culture is having problems in accepting differences.

  • Comment number 37.

    it is interesting in the hijab/niqab package how each of the groups was portrayed - including backdrops.

    it is interesting that the debate by NN should be taken to muslims and islam rather than why as a modern progressive society we have a problem with overt signs of others being different. the problem isnt necessarily a muslim or islamic one.

    as for it being about communication - how many times have you lied and not been caught out .. politicians and journos do it all of the time .. and you can see their lips moving.



  • Comment number 38.

    This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

  • Comment number 39.

    with respect to the floods in pakistan - theres an interesting bbc / cnn / sky agenda here - whilst reporting - to insist on an militant threat (none shown so far) and the nation becoming apparently unstable.

    it appears that maybe along with camerons earlier commentary (unverified - unevidenced) theres some play being made for a military intervention .

    what is most disturbing though is the continued illegal drone attacks by the usa on pakistan civilian population.

  • Comment number 40.

    #32

    If one carries on along these lines, one could also fancy oneself being related to Marilyn Monroe, Gregory Peck, Mozart, Chopin and all the others that have made such an impact on our culture and psyche.

    Absurd? Not by half.

    mim

  • Comment number 41.

    THAT LIAM FOX - HE NEVER HEARD OF 'SHOCK AND AWE'

    Fox is affronted by a Taliban that kills 'wives and mothers'. Do the Taliban call this: "Doing the job they love'?

    The selective simplicity of the MP-mind, speaks volumes of why Westminster governance just delivers one stupidity after another.

  • Comment number 42.

    "There is no place in this country for people who want to hide behind masks"

    one does not need a mask to hide, as you must know.

    "They say they want to integrate and be accepted in British society but they obviously don't."

    it you who has to be accepting before they can integrate. it is not they who dont want to be part of british society as you point out.

    "If they want harmony they should be taught the saying "when in Rome do as the Romans do" and what that means in Britain."

    when the romans came to britain they changed the brits to behave in the way romans did in rome.

    "They have no respect for our country and we are far too soft."

    they had respect for our liberal democracy and the civil human rights that we offer. it would appear that isnt the case for those who oppose their basic human rights.

    "If they want to integrate and be accepted in our country, ban the veil."

    you know its not about the veil, its about equality in this society , equality which means everyone should be afforded some respect for their values rather than insisting that the host culture is solely with value.

    i suggest the real issue - beyond the government and media affiliates campaign against islam and muslims for war mongering needs - is about the equalisation of power and values. that is why anything that challenges the mindset of master-slave status quo is threatening to some in this country.

    "As everything else here this Human Rights Law is taken to the nth degree by minority groups. Worst thing we ever signed up for."

    which bit of the human rights act do you dispute and why.

  • Comment number 43.

    This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

  • Comment number 44.

    Yet ANOTHER diatribe on muslim women and their dress!
    Can the tv not look at the numbers please??
    Of the population of GB, up to 70% DO NOT subscribe to religion.
    Of the 30% of "believers", a very small minority must be muslim.
    Yet, the tv can once again feature this exitable minority, again exacerbating the reason they are "Different".
    They are "different" because, as all religions, they believe in "their religion".
    Based upon myth and legend from long ago, often hearsay upon hearsay, dressed up as "revelation".
    As for the minority British muslim group, can they please make up their mind??
    If they are indeed obeying the book of their prophet, fair enough, but as religion is of the heart, why can they not behave as though they WANT to be part of our way of life?? For surely any Supreme Being would be indifferent to matters of taste, or dress, which seems to be a male dominated addition, included after the so called "revelations" received by "prophets".
    And how can any revelation be relevant to a bystander not actually receiving that revelation?? To them it can surely only be hearsay.
    As a scientific non believer, could Newsnight PLEASE stop pushing the Islamic message???
    Can your producers not realise that the vast majority of the population are NOT religious??
    Can you therefore, now and again would be nice, broadcast the philosophy that does not have as its basis suicide bombing because someone is of another faith , (or none), and air the view that maybe, just maybe, all the religions just may have got it wrong????
    Maybe god WAS made in mans image after all. After all it seems more likely than some of the weird stories that are fed to the vulnerable young of all religions.
    What about a "freedom of religion law"??
    With the stipulation that no young person should be exposed to ANY religion until they are of enough age to MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS!!!
    As for these young women who were born in Britain yet still prefer their faith to our secular culture, perhaps they are a result of the Last governments` deliberate policy of attempting to submerge British culture as begun by New Labour?? From observing them on your programme, they did not give the impression that they have been made aware of the other side of the coin to the obviously religious one they ultimately chose!
    As obviously intelligent women, they have quite clearly been affected by the Islamic religion, rather than the educational and scientific mores of most of those exposed to University education.
    In 21st Century Britain, the massive and obvious efforts by the left wing elites,(the last most obvious being the late New Labour government), have by their strenuous efforts in playing down British heritage in favour of some multicultural dream, have resulted in the mess we are now faced with, where secular stste is challenged by fundamental religion, which the women you gave air time to were a clear representation.

    Please can we have some NON RELIGIOUS comments on this area of discussion??
    As a non believer, with a scientific and secular outlook, I am offended that we give so much time to matters which should be consigned to the Middle ages where superstition belongs, not at the beginning of the 21st Century!!(Does the "religious offence" outweigh mine), for there has been lots of religious offence over contentious matters such as "our" (Secular) law or "Sharia" law, freedom or oppression. et al.
    For the most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there is no good evidence either way.
    As a result, persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because, in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion!
    Next time you decide to put together a programme, can you PLEASE consider the non religious, and scientific seculat MAJORITY????
    For two full programmes on the veil is, in my opinion, two too many.

  • Comment number 45.

    This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

  • Comment number 46.

    "Can you therefore, now and again would be nice, broadcast the philosophy that does not have as its basis suicide bombing because someone is of another faith , (or none), and air the view that maybe, just maybe, all the religions just may have got it wrong????"

    as robert pape has researched and published, suicide attakcers are not primarily if at all religiously motivated but are radicalised by a political grievance.

    suicide attacks have been imported into afghansitan and paksitan by the war on terror, the usa abuse of power in the region. it did not exist in that region prior to our illegal wars.

    one of the reasons why islam / muslims are under scrutiny and attack by government and media is because it distracts from the actual political grievance of those who would defend themselves from our interventions.

    the issue is not islam nor muslims .. it is wholly about our greed, our lies and our oppression of muslims by giving support to despotic leaders and regimes at the expense of the ordinary populations.

    why on earth would we want to demonise ourselves when its so much easier to demonise those who are immediately identifiable as being different to us.

  • Comment number 47.

    This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

  • Comment number 48.

    This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

  • Comment number 49.

    #24 "Bragging" "perhaps" "presumably"

    How much weight is anyone meant to to attach to an opinion given on an interview several hours before the interview took place and composed almost entirely of ad-hominem attack, speculation and strawmen?

    Next time, try at least listening before you criticise.

  • Comment number 50.

    49. At 02:55am on 24 Aug 2010, mrsean2k wrote:
    Next time, try at least listening before you criticise.


    It seems some believe unfettered access to a broadcast only system is the only acceptable way for information to be shared and/or debated. So long as one is 'right' (how that is decided being less clear).



    At least the Guardian has included a link to a reply (not sure at what stage), which seems fair enough, given the content of the piece.

    Hence one has an opportunity to assess a variety of views based on what is written and, to an extent, the tone adopted.

    Which one hopes will guide those the tv invites on to comment on issues more in future.

    Dogma might be good for ratings, but calmer exchanges, especially less based on a sense of institutional entitlement, can prove more factually rewarding.

    When a person is worth listening to, or reading, and/or makes sense, that usually comes across clearly enough if the audience is given the opportunity to judge for themselves.

    QED.

  • Comment number 51.

    #44 Well said firemensaction, I agree with all that you say, your points are very well made. Our programmes seem to be dominated by the islamic religion, and along with the other 70% I'm an atheist as well. When do we get a chance to speak?!

  • Comment number 52.

    HHmmm Barrie and what foul things have you been saying?! I see you've been tucked into the blogdog corner along with me, fun here isn't it?!

  • Comment number 53.

    #47 & #48

    Just in case anybody's wondering, the above posts were about spooks. They must have rung true being of a sensitive state affairs nature for them to have been removed. If they were total rubbish, I'm sure they would still be available to be seen.

    That's how it goes these days. How exciting.

    mim

  • Comment number 54.

    #40. mimpromptu wrote:

    "#32

    If one carries on along these lines, one could also fancy oneself being related to Marilyn Monroe, Gregory Peck, Mozart, Chopin and all the others that have made such an impact on our culture and psyche.

    Absurd? Not by half."

    Except, of course, that going backwards means that each of our parents had two parents etc. etc. and that means that after about 30 to 32 generations every present day European is related to more people than there were in Europe at the time - hence quite literally we are all related to Charlemagne! Whereas almost nobody (relatively) is a descendent of the people you list - although we all have a shared genetic inheritance with them of course!

  • Comment number 55.

    Bob Ward has an antagonistic 'history' with Andre Montford (Bishop Hill website) Andrew is the Author of 'The Hockey Stick Illusion'

    Only last week, the Guardian, allowed this PAID, PR person, to 'spin' against this book.


    "• Bob Ward is policy and communications director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

    • This article was amended on 20th August 2010. Changes were made following a complaint from Andrew Montford.



    Bishop Hill responded, and the article was changed, lot's of criticism, even in the Guardian comments section..



    some explanation of the changes in the comments...

  • Comment number 56.

    climate babble

    people come round my door saying current society proves their view of the bible's end of days. people look at clouds and see shapes. climate believers point to every flood/fire/etc and want to believe it proves their beliefs. what's the difference?

    carbon trading is a scam tax on existence that transfers wealth from the many to the few. a carbon exchange owning oligarchs dream.

    Hug a Hijab

    such is the perversity of young women if it was forced on them they would be wearing miniskirts?

    Food from the markets

    only a fanatical market fundamentalist would rely on the markets to provide a nations food/heating/natural resources. which is what the uk govt [almost uniquely] does.

    tv criticising govt for waste and vanity extravagance? hahaha





  • Comment number 57.


    Paul did you see the Grehsam college on why Adam Smith was wrongly being blamed for the crunch and that it should be Hayek? That market fundamentalist say they are following Smith but they aren't?

  • Comment number 58.

    Please leave Bob Ward's comment, for the record....
    It has been responded to fairly, let us see both sides of the debate in public.

  • Comment number 59.

    #54

    You're stretching your propositions beyond belief, I'm afraid. I suspect it's to do with you trying to suit some of your fanciful goals. It just does not wash with me at all.

    Personally and rhythmically, for example, I feel closer to tribal musicians rather than to the past dictator, however 'powerful' he was all those years ago.

  • Comment number 60.

    "When do we get a chance to speak?! "

    duh

    pakistans fllod disaster :

    as a matter of perspective 20 million people are affected but 140 million are not directly so .. if 20% of the country is under the water .. 80% is not.

    the economic and human cost is obviously great and should not be underplayed .. however neither should it be played for the usa-uk-india intent on regime change and control of pakistan as it is currently by our news media.

  • Comment number 61.

    In this most generous and tolerent of countries where all newcomers have been welcomed and have tried to fit in we still have a minority who feel it necessary to differentiate themselves from all others.

    If this is only a statement to gain attention then they should be ignored. Unfortunately for some reason I don't understand the media give them the publicity they crave on demand.

    If they want to limit themselves in such a way let them do it as long as it doesn't encroach on the safety of others. They should be well aware that people no longer think of women as just innocent bystanders.

    Paul Mason's report on potash was again an astute recognition of the future problems facing us.

    We do not trust these global companies to have a monopoly over food production and its good management. Simply put to fix the prices and production as they think fit. We have already seen in the past how the EU have tried and failed with the various food mountains and wine lakes.

    Nature rules OK and unless food production is controlled by each country who should be trying to be self sufficient there may be no surpluses to sell on to those who experience nature's problems elsewhere.

    The permanent sight of millions of people relying on food parcels to survive is intolerable and pressure should be put on these governments to organise themselves better. The monsoon comes every year so why do they wait and then expect the rest of the world to sort it out?

    Nuclear weapons in third world countries should not be acceptable as a bargaining tool for permanent aid.

  • Comment number 62.

    Barrie on the naughty step...wow...might be joining him with this blog anyway here goes....my team got thrashed by Man City last night and the owner has thrown half a billion in to get things going so couldn't he help out with the floods etc.,? another thing those veiled women looked silly in those veils...how long would I last on muslim main street in jeans and trainers and behaving like a Jesus freak.....

  • Comment number 63.

    The world has to produce more and more food to feed a burgeoning population, and to do that, fields need fertiliser. We delve into the battle over Potash reserves that could soon become a geo-political battle for dwindling resources.

    The wars in Iraq and Afganistan will pale into insignificance compared to the food wars that will inevitably happen.

    We are at the moment helping Pakistan, no food crops this season as it's all under water. Out of a population of 180 million, at least 20 million will need feeding, the terrible consequences of not enough food to go around would be terrible.

    At the moment the rest of the world will provide this food, but what happens as each countries population increases exponentially, what will happen when the food is not provided in the next disaster say? When do we cry halt to the over population that will lead to mass starvation, and very dire consequences?

  • Comment number 64.

    As some of these comments do not make a great deal of sense, following the removal of Bob Ward's (Grantham Institute)at 24.

    Perhaps a link to where it is reproduced will be allowed....

    extract:

    "I see that Andrew Montford is bragging on his Bishop Hill blog that he is an interviewee on this evening’s programme about the link between the floods in Pakistan. His only contribution to the climate change debate so far has been a controversial book about palaeoclimatology, so it is not clear what his expertise on climate change and extreme weather is meant to be."

    Bishop Hill is the blog of A J MONTFORD, the author of 'The Hockey Stick Illusion' and the book that is being referred to.. The iconic graph used in the IPCC reports, and the film 'The Inconvenient Truth'

    He writes about his appearance on Newsnight here...

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