Question Time and This Week

I had a quick look at a Michael Moore book called 'Dude, Where's My Country?' and it looked a bit crappy.

So if we can't execute him for treason, can we execute him for writing crappy books?

(I still want to know whether aldo thinks that Moore should be put on trial for treason or not, even if he doesn't believe in the death penalty for it)

I don't think he should, because I personally don't think "The War On Terror" is that kind of war. In times where we are not at war, what Moore is doing in entirely within the democratic process - as would what Lord Haw-Haw have been were we not at war at the time.

However, if Bush Jr and Moore both believe they are in that kind of war, as they have both stated at different times that they believe they are, then an accusation of treason may well apply.

Oh- get out of it. To maintain this position for three days is just twatty now.

Eh? Maintain what position? (And all I've done is answer other people who have asked me questions since after my first couple of posts)

The word treason shouldn't come anywhere near this discussion, I mean. Only Free Republicans are worthy of that. Just ditch the word and the concept entirely. It doesn't apply at all, in any situation, you might concieve.

Oh that's all right then, it's not me you're criticising. I never brought up that word, I only answered a direct question as to my opinion in relation to that word.

we know that people in the bush administration were manipulating the definition of torture in order to expand what could be legally 'gotten away with' at abu ghraib, i'd certainly place specific blame there.

aldo, is your position here essentially (pick one): a) that (the current popular definition of) 'neo-conservatism' is a myth, or b) that neo-conservatism is comprised of a worldview indistinguishable from that shared by any recent american administration.

(i think both options are misguided).

That's changing the goalposts slightly - you're now talking about a different thing with Abu Ghraib. I agree completely, to try and avoid prosecution for torture is wrong. The way you word it first, however, is as if it is direct policy, enforced by the Bush administration, which I don't believe it is and I don't believe anybody has ever accused them of making it happen in the first place. Covering it up - yes, and very wrong.

Although to give me two options you both think are misguided and force me to pick one is exceptionally bad form, if I have to pick one I'll say b). It's far more polarised than I'd describe it, however. I think it's near-indistinguishable to those outside America, and there are differences on internal (i.e. within the territory of the US) policies.

I did not mean to imply there's anything wrong with writing crappy books. Also, I only glanced at it, I might find out, upon closer inspection, that it's good. I don't think he should be put on trial. He just seems somehow 'insufficient'.

Might be good tonight - see the reactions to Bush's victory. Evin if Ben bloody Elton is on it.

It is from Glasgow next week. I expect a good turnout from YOU LOT. You have to either ring them up or go to their website. It will be like THE COOK REPORT, I hope, and THE RJG FILES.

'Gentleman with the massive quiff. Yes, you sir.'

When it was in St. Andrews I applied via their website, and I didn' hear from them: for nobody checks voicemail. So, I had tickets, and failed to go. Damn. Might go to Glasgow, got people to visit. But I probably won't.

What a state this fucking shithole of a country is in if the most left wing voices they can find for a post-US election debate are Ben "Hello, Mr Lloyd Webber, let's make lots of money" Elton or Shirley "Let's destroy the Labour Party and make it unelectable" Williams.

Tonight's viewing:

10.35 BBC1 Question Time, possibly featuring the ILX Glasgow Massive.
11.35 BBC1 This Week.
12.20 BBC2 Breathless, as in the Jean Luc Godard film.

Miller, your Cook / Dick post was funny.

I am glad you are not going to the FAP, because I like you a lot already, the way you are.

I applied to be on QT but I didn't get picked : (((

I think I would have picked you.

Aw. I forgot about it altogether - but I doubt I could be bothered going through anyway. Is it wrong that I really look forward to Question Time each week? My friends think it is. :(

i met someone who has been in a Question Time audience last week.

Thank you, the PF. I had to fill in a form about all my views, and now I'm wandering which one it was that they didn't like.

QT is the highlight of my week, some weeks.

My friend Emmie T was in a QT audience last year, and I was very envious. She was only shown for a brief second, but she was making an amusing face.

The thing to do is to hold an amusing face for the whole hour, just in case.

now that the US election is over i'm not sure QT will remain my favourite TV show (replaced by Chiles Of The Day possibly)

Gosh, Cathy - the highlight of your WEEK?

Oh, now I feel ashamed.

Maybe it is different, in Scotland!

I meant, the programme.

Or, the week?

No, it is the same in Scotland.

Sometimes I watch QT with RJG, and we tut and laugh at it together. And I like This Week almost as much. Tonight I'm going to watch the Lord Lucan program then Frank Skinner then QT then This Week, and I will probably enjoy it all very much except I don't really like Frank Skinner.

Don't feel guilty - it's the TV highlight of my week sometimes too. Not my week generally though.

Cathy, that does not sound a lot like Great Television.

Frank Skinner is bad! But I kind of enjoyed seeing Rufus Wainwright on his show.

Yet, I am glad that you enjoy it. Maybe RJG's presence is key to the pleasure? So often is that true.

Great Television it may not be, but I will enjoy it, I'm sure. RJG's presence is best, but tonight I am alone and looking forward to it all nonetheless.

This Week, in particular, is often quite funny.

It was great to see Rufus Wainwright on Frank Skinner, but it's still insufferable dross.

Question Time in an unadulterated joy. Did anyone see Paul Heaton on it a few years ago.

I don't even remember last week, let alone years ago, sorry. Good to see Rosie with a PPU poppy.

And great to see Francis Maude make a complete fool of himself, too.

Indeed. Some of the Palestine arguments got pretty heated. I ended up feeling kind of sorry for that (quite good looking, I thought) pro-Israeli guy everyone yelled at. He seemed like a prick though.

I got furious when Francis Maude suggested, if I heard correctly, that the majority of the terrorist casualties were on the Israeli side. The suicide bomb casualties sure, but the terrorist casualties? Or is it not terrorism when carried out by a state, to Maude? Francis Maude is a prick.

I think you're not allowed to count Palestinian deaths because that is just Israel defending themselves. Yes, he is a prick.

People in Glasgow are very impassioned. Well, the Scottish ones. I have just explained to Carsmile Steve that I did not go on QT because I am too calm.

Peter Oborne was fun in a kind of strange way. He reminded me a little of Boris Johnson, except that he never seemed to give an actual opinion on anything. Perhaps he is not that kind of journalist.

I watched alone. Perhaps, I should have invited Cathy over. Oh well.

That was an oddly po-mo act of remembrance at the end of this week...

Next time, Ally C. Your calm would be a good counter to my occasional seething rage.

How many weeks has Diane Abbot been wearing that leopard print top? At least three. I wonder if I'm the only one to notice.

hooked. on. grief.

yeah yeah.

That was a good QT - Rosie Kane and Alex Salmond tore strips off Francis Maude and the New Labour automaton. Peter Oborne was quite likeably daffy, and for a someone I assumed was a Tory, made some good points.
I phoned up and left my number after last week's show to try and get on, but no dice. However, my mate Ian was on it - he was the guy in the check shirt making a point about the Declaration of Human Rights. Go Ian!

The panel, sir, is an ass.

Rosie, you don't have to use the word 'slaughter' in every answer. It's not called 'Slaughter Time'.

I thought it was a very poor programme, more or less on a par with 'House Doctor' or 'Beat the Burglar'.

The only thing I enjoyed was the feisty Scots answering Dimbleby back.

There weren't many people in the audience.

Ian, the Declaration of Human Rights pointmaker: I thought he might be Ally C. He looked like One Of Us.

I gave up half way through 'This Week'. Diane Abbot looked very tired. The righthand side of Portillo's hair is quite admirable, but the lefthand side really is a disappointment.

The person I liked most was Don McCullin. I liked the way he keeps his photgraphs in some kind of tissue paper sleeves. He seemed very sad.

Why was there no "celebrity" guest on Question Time this week - was it because it was in Glasgow and they know people still take politics seriously there? Or was it because Liz Lochhead and Elaine C. Smith were busy? Anyway, thank fuck I don't have to bother about Scottish politics anymore - the sight of a Scottish New Labour politician is enough to turn anyone's stomach. Alex Smugmond was bearable for most of the show but the smugness oozed out like pus from suppurating wound eventually. Ha ha, Rosie Kane actually criticised CAPITALISM - only on Glasgow QT would this be possible I think!

... still back to the usual next week I expect: smug New Labour appartchik; ineffectual Liberal Democrat; desperate Tory; pointless and useless celeb; business/CBI type. In short, no-one to the left of Menzies Campbell.

Ally McCoist pulled out at the last minute

... or so Hazel Irvine claimed... waap waap waap waaaaaaaaaaaah

she's quite nice

Oh no! She's a pestilence upon the earth!