Monday, July 06, 2009

A Republican I can agree with… almost!

The video you see below is Republican Congressman Peter King on New York, and he’s talking about the way the media has treated the Michael Jackson story.  Now, I can agree with almost every word he says, but there just a few I can’t agree with.  Look at the video and can you guess which ones I can’t agree with?

 

So, any guesses?

 

The words are “low-life”, “pervert”, “child molester”, “paedophile”. 

Michael Jackson was NEVER convicted of child molestation or paedophilia.  Now, if Peter King had used words such as “celebrity”, “singer” or “superstar”, then I could have agreed with him 100%.  Being the TruthSeeker isn’t something I am for show, it is something that pervades every ounce of my being.  Factual accuracy has to be at 100%, 100% of the time.  It may well be that Peter King believes Jackson was guilty, like many others believe OJ Simpson was guilty of murder, but like OJ, he wasn’t convicted, so he should have tempered his opinions with words like “I think”, “I believe”, “in my opinion”, you get the picture.  But no, Peter King used those words as though they were fact, recorded history, truth, undeniable.  So, Peter King gets +50% on the TruthSeekerMeter, which rates a “partially true”

TruthSeekerMeter

Friday, July 03, 2009

Viewpoint Extra: What’s the buzz in San Diego?

And the bee keeper has come in and done his job, and we’re now back into the ball game.

Thursday, July 02, 2009

What’s the buzz in San Diego?

I’m watching this unfold on ESPN America, with coverage being provided by Fox Sports Houston. 

A swarm of bees has descended on a chair just by the left field line, during the top of the 9th Inning.  Houston Astros were leading the San Diego Padres by 6 to 1 with 2 outs down in the top of the 9th, when the left fielder comes in and alerts the umpires to the situation.  A swarm of bees has taken up temporary residence under a jacket that had been worn by one of the ball girls.

I’m told that swarms have stopped other sporting events, but I have to say, this is the first time I have seen this happen.  It’s fascinating coverage right now, and they’re saying that they expect play to resume in the next 15 to 30 minutes. 

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Worst Person In The World: Boss Limburger!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Worst Person In The World: Brooksville, Florida

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Viewpoint - Idiot Brigade Awards! - 7th-13th June 2009

Ian Beaumont has 3 gold medal worthy moments of idioticness to talk about, but only one can get the first Idiot Brigade Awards Gold Medal!  Will it be the Malk Maid, Michelle Malkin who gets the gold medal?  Or perhaps Boss Limburger of the Republican Party himself, Rush Limabugh! 

 

Look out for another Idiot Brigade Awards episode next Saturday here on Viewpoint.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Ian Beaumont uses this episode to go around the political world and highlight the extremes that politics reaches, from the sublime, to the ridiculous, to the plain stupid.

Worst Person In The World: Rev Jeremiah Wright

Worst Person In The World: MIchelle Bachmann

Worst Person In The World: Boss Limburger!

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Viewpoint – New York Senate Coup

In the wake of a Republican power grab in the New York State Senate, Ian Beaumont is uncompromising about Republicans and their so called love of "Democracy".

Worst Person In The World: Rep Pete Hoekstra

Monday, June 08, 2009

Viewpoint Election Special – They think it’s all over…

Despite the fact that the media have moved on to other stories, the European Elections are still not quite over.  Ian Beaumont looks at where we are, and rounds up the facts and figures from this European Election.

Viewpoint Election Special – European Elections

The European Election results have been much slower to declare tonight than was originally planned.  Recorded after 1am in the morning, Ian Beaumont reviews developments to this point.

Sunday, June 07, 2009

Viewpoint Election Special – Ireland’s Councils take shape.

As the shape of Ireland's City and County Counicl's become clearer, it looks like the councils have lost their "Green" fingers!  Ian Beaumont reviews developments.

Viewpoint Election Special – Ireland’s Local Elections

Friday, June 05, 2009

CBS News: The growth of online porn

Is the viewing of online porn addictive?  CBS News medical correspondent Dr John LaPook talks to addictions treatment specialist Mavis Humes Baird about the growth of online pornography.

Viewpoint Election Special – What a difference a day makes.

They say a week is a long time in politics.  The past 24 hours for Gordon Brown and Labour have been a marathon at 100mph!  Ian Beaumont reviews the day's events.

Viewpoint – from City Media Productions – Purnell’s Resignation.

This was recorded at 3pm on Friday 5th June 2009.

Viewpoint Election Special – The South West turns blue!

It's been a busy day.  The South West is turning blue, the cabinet is being reshuffled, and the Independent and minor party surge hasn't happened.  Ian Beaumont roundups developments.

Viewpoint Special – John Hutton Resigns

Ian Beaumont reports on the breaking news of another resignation, in the midst of a Cabinet Reshuffle.

Breaking News: John Hutton Resigns

Well, we have the sixth resignation in 4 days.  John Hutton, the Defence Secretary has resigned.  It seems he will not be a part of the ongoing reshuffle.  Whilst he is making it clear that in his mind, this has nothing to do with not supporting the Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the very fact that during a reshuffle, he decides that the time is right to leave government, is none the less, telling in itself.  He was another Blairite supporter, and it seems to me that the links between the old Blair government and the current Brown government are slowly being torn away.

Stay tuned, we will update you on this blog as developments merit.

Viewpoint Election Special – Overnight Results & Reshuffle begins.

The first results from the UK Local Elections came in overnight, and new developments in the Government crisis after last night's resignation.  Ian Beaumont roundups the overnight developments.

Thursday, June 04, 2009

Viewpoint Election Special – Polls close and Purnell Resigns!

The news came out just as the polls closed at 10pm.  In this first Viewpoint Election Special, Ian Beaumont takes a look at the breaking news, and just what could happen in the local elections.

Viewpoint – from City Media Productions - 1m

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Bill O’Reilly on George Tiller, in his own words.

This video is embedded in reference to the commentary given by Keith Olbermann about the lack of hubris from Fox News commentator Bill O’Reilly.  This is what O’Reilly said, in his own words, in his Talking Points Memo segment.  It is as sickening as it is egotistical.

Katie Couric: Obama’s Date Night

Worst Person In The World: Rush Limbaugh

Keith Olbermann: Fox News Channel complicit in Dr Tiller murder.

Viewpoint – from City Media Productions - 1l

Viewpoint – from City Media Productions - 1k

Friday, May 29, 2009

Viewpoint – from City Media Productions - 1j

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Viewpoint – from City Media Productions - 1i

In this edition of Viewpoint, I look at the election chances of the Liberal Democrats and update you on the continuing developments in the UK MPs expenses scandal.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Viewpoint – from City Media Productions - 1h

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Viewpoint – from City Media Productions - 1g

Monday, May 25, 2009

Viewpoint – from City Media Productions - 1f

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Keith Olbermann: Dick Cheney’s speech – false to fact and reason.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Viewpoint – from City Media Productions - 1e

Worst Person In The World: May 20th 2009

Glenn Beck, aka “Harold Hill” won last night’s Worst Person in the World segment on MSNBC’s Countdown with Keith Olbermann.  I tried posting the video, but somehow the code MSNBC provided wasn’t working.  I’ll figure it out later.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Shakhtar Donetsk: UEFA Cup winners

Congratulations to FC Shakhtar Donetsk of the Ukraine.  They have just become the winners of the UEFA Cup 2009.  This means that they are the last winners of the UEFA Cup in this form.

From next season, it becomes the UEFA Europa League, a kind of secondary division of European football, below the UEFA Champions League, but above the national leagues.

It means that the European competitions that I remember from my childhood, have either changed beyond recognition, or no longer exist.  The European Cup is now the UEFA Champions League, and has been since 1992.  The European Cup WInners Cup was merged with the UEFA Cup in 1999, and now, the UEFA Cup, gets merged with the UEFA Intertoto Cup and becomes the UEFA Europa League, when their new season begins officially in July 2009.

There will still be losers from the UEFA Champions League joining the competition at various stages, but once we hit the final 32, it’s back to a straight knockout competition. 

I wonder if this will be as successful as the Champions League has been.  I guess we will start finding out in July.

Viewpoint Extra – from City Media Productions - 1d

Viewpoint – from City Media Productions - 1d

 

A Viewpoint EXTRA follows shortly with more developments in this story, stay tuned.

Virgin 1 goes 24 hours on Freeview

Well, we’ve seen a number of changes to the Freeview platform over the past few weeks.  I’ll provide an up to date EPG list on my Ident City blog shortly, but here on Viewpoint, I’ll catch you up on the recent changes that have taken place.

You know about Quest’s “non-arrival” on channel 47.  I posted on that earlier this week.  Suffice to say that at this time, the slide is still airing, and we still do not know when the channel will properly launch.

ITV4 is now on channel 24, broadcasting 24 hours a day.

Dave ja vu (I hate that name!) is now on channel 25.

Home (the new name for UKTV Style) is now on channel 26.  Frankly, these channel names that UKTV have come up with are really bad, and they do nothing in that sense to identify the channel.

ITV2+1 is now on Channel 27.

E4 and it’s timeshift station, E4+1 are on 28 and 29 respectively.

Fiver is on 30 with sister station Five USA on 31.

Smile TV is on channel 32 broadcasting between 3am and 7am. (why?  Seems pointless to me!)

Smile TV 2 has re-appeared on channel 33, broadcasting Babestation programmes between Midnight and 5am.

Setanta Sports 1 hasn’t moved,l they’re still on channel 34.

And new today is Virgin 1+1, which broadcasts between 6pm and 6am, using the old Virgin 1 multiplex space.

Go over to Ident City, and you will find a complete EPG list for Freeview. 

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Viewpoint 1c – from City Media Productions

Monday, May 18, 2009

Quest launches, kinda, sorta, not really…

Well, there was supposed to have been a big new channel launch on Freeview on Thursday May 14th, called Quest, and it was going to be on Channel 47.  Well, the day has come and gone, and the MHEG has been replaced by a video stream, but no programming, just a slide.  I never saw this happen, but there was a rolling promo.  It started at about 7am on the morning of the supposed launch, and ran for 3 hours, before switching back to the afforementioned slide.   Here’s the last moments…

So when will Quest properly launch?  Well not before Virgin 1 goes 24 hours on Freeview, which is set for Wednesday.  Discovery Networks Europe say it will launch in the near future, which probably means by the end of the year.  Whatever happens, we’ll keep you apprised.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Anthea Turner, a ‘recessionista’?

Ok, the word doesn’t really exist.  It’s just something that the News Of The World made up, out of recession and fashionista.  But their article about her is very fair to her, though like some of us, they do have their doubts about her claims to being ‘…low maintenance…’.

It is interesting though to note two things about the wardrobe she wears in the photo shoot.  The ‘wet look’ leather look dress is from Primark, I kid you not, and the wet look leggings she wears throughout the shoot are from New Look.  I even managed to find those online.  They’re £14.  Quite cheap really .

What Anthea Turner is though, is good at reinventing herself.  She has gone from children’s television presenter, through mega celebrity, property development, ‘perfect housewive’ to an advertisement for frugal living.

The thing is, I could teach you more about frugal living than she can.  I’ve had to live frugally for years.  I spent many years unemployed, living on very little money per week.  It’s only in the past few years that things have really taken off for me, but I sill live in a fairly frugal way, in everything I do.  Even the internet has to be unlimited, to keep costs down in the long run.

Maybe I should do an online show, about real frugal living.  How to live as if in a recession the whole time.  I’ve lived through two already and we’re in a third right now.  A big thing in my life is getting the best value for money that I can.  And that applies whether you’re buying food, clothes, entertainment or other household items.  I won’t spend lots of money on anything, if you can get  it cheaper, and get more value out of it.

Far too many people are drawn to those big name brands that they see advertised, and just believe that they are the best things money can buy, but often, value brands are much cheaper, and just as good a quality, if not sometimes even better.  There are exceptions but with buying value brands, you are not wasting a lot of money.

It’s similar in clothing terms.  At home, you wear what you want.  You can parade around in a bikini in the middle of winter if you want to, that’s up to you.  But I always like to try to make an effort to look reasonable when I go out.  Remember that story I covered on here some time ago about mothers in Northern Ireland, who were still wearing pyjamas while they were taking their kids to school?  To me, that is bad.  Make a little effort to look reasonable, even if it is only a t-shirt and leggings and trainers. 

When you go out, you’re presenting an image to other people of how you want them to think about you.  If you go out all the time looking scruffy, and unkempt, people are going to think of you that way.  If you at least look reasonably presentable, then people will have a better opinion of you.  As I said before, at home, it’s your own private domain.  You can wear anything you want to. 

Hmm, I gotta lot to say on this subject.  Maybe I should do that online show.  Maybe we’ll do a video episode of Viewpoint this week on this story.  Wait and see.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Viewpoint 1b - From City Media Productions

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Video Blogging Week on Viewpoint - Day 7 of 7

Day 7 - the final day - of Video Blogging Week, and I look back and see what I've learned over the last 7 days about video production and myself.



These video blog entries will continue, and we will continue to evolve the visual style and presentation. It's an organic process and given time, we will improve the Viewpoint video posts and what you will see in the near future, will be quite different from what you've seen this week. But I hope you stay with us and continue to watch the show evolve over the weeks and months to come. Stay tuned!

Friday, April 10, 2009

Video Blogging Week on Viewpoint - Day 6 of 7

It's day 6 of Video Blogging Week here on Viewpoint, and we somehow manage to go from Doctor Who and Michelle Ryan in a catsuit, to the conservative press.



Tomorrow, we round up the week long experiment and look back over what the experiment has shown me so far.

Thursday, April 09, 2009

Video Blogging Week on Viewpoint - Day 5 of 7

Day 5 of Video Blogging Week



Another post tomorrow.