If you don’t want to get yourself reputation for being a cunt, don’t hang around with cunts. It’s quite simple really.
I don’t prescribe to the thought that all Tories are shits. Misguided maybe, delusional possibly, wrong definitely. But when one of the Tory ‘approved’ bloggers goes about business like this, you gotta wonder.
These three tweets were posted last night on Twitter by a blogger who calls himself “Tory Bear”. His tweets, and blogs, are generally a series of childish personal insults, smears and innuendo, but even he has sunk to a new low here.
Perhaps I am wrong, but I always felt that mocking politicians was fine, but mocking disability is just cheap and nasty.
The letter then goes on to explain how people are going to get confused between an American “media company covering national politics and Washington governance” and a British blogger that talks about British politics from a Conservative angle.
Oh, they also want Tory Politicos’ domain name.
First of all, who the fuck uses Alexia to gauge a website? No fucker I’ve heard of.
Secondly, 57.3% of TPs’ visitors are from the UK, according to Alexia. So, the vast majority then, and even more so for visitors of TPs’ site that get routed through a foreign country for some reason, like AOL. As TP points out…
While I can understand why they are saying only 57% of visitors are from the UK this is a wholly false claim. According to Google Analytics, which has been tracking traffic since the site launched, 85% of readers are from the UK with only 5% coming from within the United States.
Thirdly, what sort of fucking lawyer uses the word ‘presumably’? This smells like a fishing expedition to me.
Fourthly, the word ‘politico‘ is a word that is in common usage, as opposed to a word made up especially for a product or brand, and so is not copyrightable.
The College Politico has received a cease-and-desist letter from lawyers for Politico, demanding that he stop using the word “Politico” in his name — and that he give them control of his domain.
It doesn’t look like Politico have won that one (yet) as The College Politico is still going.
Faced with a trademark legal challenge and protracted litigation by the publishers of the newspaper and website ¨Politico,¨we have reluctantly chosen to change the name of our publication, from“La Política” to “CandidatoUSA.”
Politico won that one. The letter continues with how it happened…
The publishers of Politico – launched in January by Washington D.C.-based Allbritton Communications, also owners of seven ABC television affiliates and three other news channel outlets – claim La Politica infringes on their trademark.
The name change odyssey began,without our knowledge, on July 11when Jim VanderHei, Politico’s co-founder and editor, called me.
He had heard of our plans to launch La Política and wanted to know more. I gave him details of
our preparations to launch an electronic trade newsletter on the business of reaching Hispanic voters.
At his suggestion, we agreed to talk again after the launch of La Política on November 5 to explore avenues of collaboration between Politico and our publication.
It sounds promising for La Politica. Not even launched yet and already someone backed by a big news company is interested in working with them.
We did launch on November 5. But next day, instead of a call from VanderHei, we received a two-page aggressive and threatening letter from Politico’s attorney demanding that we “cease and desist” from the use of the La Política name because they hold a registered trade mark in the term “The Politico.”
This is Jim VandeHei. I would post a picture of him but, well, given his history…
The chap behind La Politica wrote to Jim and even offered to go to Washington to talk about how they might resolve this nicely, but no. That didn’t work.
Anyway, because of the money behind Politico, La Politica capitulated and La Politica now points to Politico.com.
I have no idea how this is going to play out, whether TP being British based is going to work in his favour or he will just end up being extradited, or if Politico are gonna leave it and are just trying their luck, but what ever happens, I wish you the best of luck with it, Tory Politico.
Tomorrow [that’s today, now] will see the launch of the #KerryOut campaign, which is being coordinated by some of the top Tory bloggers, and is designed to support Conservative PPC, Adeela Shafi, in her battle to unseat the disgraced MP.
I’m at work at the moment and because of restrictions on my computer can’t show you how those top tory bloggers are showing the nice side of the Conservatives on Twitter. I may do later if I remember/can be bothered.
There are a coup of things about this campaign that make it stand out as shit. The first is that Kerrys’ Bristol seat is a safe one, I gather, and so is unlikely to be lost, making all the effort and money spent wasted when, as the Tories should be concentrating their efforts on seats they have a chance of winning.
The second load of crap about this campaign is, what the fuck is it actually about? As far as I can tell, it’s about the way Kerry has embraced social media…
Labour’s self appointed ‘Twitter Tsar’, Kerry McCarthy, believes in the power of online media, so much so that following the Sun’s endorsement of David Cameron she tweeted “Labour doesn’t need the Sun – we’ve got Twitter!”
‘Self appointed Twitter Tsar’? Don’t give me that shit. Kerry is Labours’ online media capaign co-ordinator (or somesuch title). Last time I looked ‘online’ encompassed more than just fucking Twitter and the very fact the she is Labours’ campaign co-ordinator rules out the self appointed comment as, I’m fairly certain, Kerry isn’t the only member of the Labour Party.
That comment about not needing the Sun? For fucks sake. It’s tongue-in-cheek, a bit of rabble rousing. With a sense of humour failure like that, these cunts could pass as lefties.
Kerry has apparently been spending £400 a month on food, and I think, £400 on a new bed. Whoopy fucking do. Because of that Kerry is labelled ‘disgraced’. I’m not commenting directly whether it is right or wrong, but how about these petty Torie fuckers going after they’re own party memebers that have been feathering their nests.
Kerry McCarthy registered second home in Bristol in 2005. Claimed £117 hotel while claiming £600 in rent, refused by fees office. Bought house in London, claimed £3,657 for stamp duty and moving costs
Ok. That might seems a bit dodgy, might not look to good. How about removing ‘disgraced’ Tory MPs that have been troughing? Removing Theresa Villiers might make the Tory bunch of cunts more electable…
Theresa Villiers claimed almost £16,000 in stamp duty and professional fees on expenses when she bought a London flat, even though she already had a house in the capital.
or David Davis…
David Davis, the former shadow home secretary, who grew up on a council estate, spent more than £10,000 of taxpayers’ money on home improvements in four years.
or Greg Knight…
Greg Knight, an MP with a collection of classic cars, claimed £2,600 in expenses for repair work on the driveway at his designated second home as part of a £21,793 bill to the taxpayer for maintenance and security.
or James Clappison…
A shadow minister who owns 24 houses claimed more than £100,000 in expenses, including thousands for gardening and redecoration.
or… well, you get the picture.
The thing that is missing from this campaign is real reasons for getting rid of Kerry. Has she bolloxed up her constuency? Has she spouted a load of shite in commons debates, like her arch nemesis Nadine Dorries? I don’t know because #kerryout won’t tell me.
…this outbreak of blogospheric solidarity, to put it into context, is akin to the Russians and the Germans taking a time-out from slaughtering each other to erect a big sign in downtown Stalingrad telling everyone that Cary Grant was a poof.
I am boycotting this years Total Politics Blogging Guide.
I’m not so deluded to think that this place is popular enough to get in and so me saying I’m not going to participate is a bit like saying ‘next week, I’m not going to walk on the moon’. The same amount of effort is required to achieve both.
But I am saying I want no part of it. Rather than just watch the poll happen and have no part in it, by not voting for anyone, although there is a fucking huge list of people that deserve a vote in a propor poll, and also by virtue of being part of that niche blog genre I like to term Rather Shite.
The reasons are two fold.
All the underhand techniques used by the Fail Dale to keep himself ‘right’ and the results of stuff like this poll with the right results.
All that stuff is understandable. The blog is part of Iains’ revenue generation machine. It is a small part of his TV appearances, speaking engagements and publishing ‘things’. It may not actually generate revenue itself, apart from a small amount from Messagespace, but it is where people can find him, where Iain can show off his expertise, his knowledge.
Iaian needs to be right on his blog, otherwise it will impact on his other areas. And a man’s gotta eat. Right? It may not be right, but it’s understandable. That’s business.
The second reason is because Iain Dale is a cunt.
It’s one thing having a commentor leave a comment accusing someone of being a member of the Labour Party or refusing to engage in debate on neutral territory, so that you can’t control it, when you’ve been called on a point. It’s really childish to play the victim instead of just apologising for/removing the offending article. They’re relatively small things. Leave teh internets and these things disappear, or at the worst need a little explanation/can be laughed off.
It’s a completely different when help is requested and offered but then not given and still insistent that it was. Especially when the help is to investigate proper, serious accusations and isn’t just a load of hot air but involve the Rozzers, in the real world.
So there you have it.
Who needs a rigged and flawed beauty contest anyway?
2 Things, that are quite apt for the title.
The first is Nadine Dorries (yes, yes) has been tried to unsay things on her blog, here’s the original post in full via Googles cache (and I’m also using the same title so it should show in searches, hopefully)…
My Labour opponent had a very strong letter in the Beds On Sunday this week.
In the letter he deployed his usual tactic of distorting the facts, something I’m becoming used to these days; however, he also said:
“I fought for as a soldier in Iraq in 2003”.
Anyone who reads my blog will know how pro-military I am.
I stand in awe and admiration of our soldiers, their professionalism and bravery.
Only last week, I wrote of how moved I was when I heard a Scots Dragoon Guard use his moment on TV to talk about the moment a soldier receives his pre-assignment message: ‘ contact with the enemy is certain’ – and what it is that fires that soldier on, one of our heroes, into battle.
So, you can imagine, when I read the words “I fought as a soldier in Iraq” I was quite impressed. Gosh, thought I, good job I’m the MP or I may be tempted to vote for him myself.
Only, did he fight in Iraq? Did he go out into the danger zones along with the a regiment on Op Telic 8, and risk his life and limb side by side with our soldiers, for the sake of freedom and democracy? The values for which he claims to have “fought in Iraq” .
I will be interested to find out the answer.
Claiming to be a hero when you write a political letter as the Labour candidate in a newspaper is a very big claim indeed. One that secures advantage and wins you votes.
Quite a scathing attack. Calling into question whether someone has actually fought or not. And here is the New & Improved post…
The local press are picking this up now, I will leave it up to them.
Anyone who reads this blog will understand that I have the hugest regard for all serving military personnel, TA, Army, Navy and Air Force and consider myself very lucky indeed to have two bases in my constituency. RAF Henlow, Chicksands and a TA training base.
I talk to many soldiers, regular and TA before they leave to serve, and as detailed in my blog, ‘A Soldiers Tale’, when they arrive home. I know and understand well exactly the danger and the operations they engage in.
However, the one thing I have learnt over the last few weeks is that in the battlefield of politics, one needs to be absolutely honest AND precise. Nothing less will do.
As you can see, quite a difference, with no mention of whether anyone has physically fought the enemy or just fought for democracy, which, unless one knew, would make you wonder what all those people in the comments were going on about.
Another entry on the catalogue of why Mid-Beds should vote for someone else when they get the chance.
(Update 06/06/09: Just noticed another proof of change)
Now, it is common knowledge that Nadine is friends with Iain Dale. They often post about various outings they have together. But, do you know how close they are? Apparently, it’s extremely close. So close infact, that Iains’ lawyers have warned Tim…
Dale regards my criticism of Dorries to be aimed at him. I’ve been warned not to persist #sackdorries
Er, so. Tims’ criticisms of Nadine Dorries’ behaviour, even when not involving Iain Dale in any way constitutes and attack on Iain.
Just a quickie, it’s not gonna move the debate on at all but can I just say that whenever Dizzy, and to a lesser extent Iain Dale, come riding to the defence of Nadine Dorries, with their shiny armour and big facts, it always reminds me of the little exchange with Neils’ father that comes after this clip of The Young Ones (I couldn’t find a clip with the actual quote in it)…
Rick: Well you can shut up now, Vyvyan. You can just about blummin’ well shut up! Because if you’ve got anything horrid to say about Felicity Kendal, then you can just about blummin’ well say it to me first!
Vyvyan: Rick, I just did!
Rick: Oh you did, did you? Well I ought to give a ruddy great punch on the bottom for what you just said! You’re talking about the woman I love!
Neil: And me, I love her too!
Neil’s Father: Well I agree with the spotty twerps on that one. Felicity Kendal is sweetly pretty, just what a real girly should be. I mean, speaking as a Feminist myself I can safely say this; that Felicity Kendal is a wonderful woman, and I want to protect her.
Vyvyan: Well it’s the first time I’ve ever heard it called that!
My first post titled Irony was quite good, and involved Iain Dale. But this one is a cracker. And involves Iain Dale again.
(I was going to call this post something else and now this first bit doesn’t really work. I’m lazy and I like that post linked to so it stays.)
Mr Watson complained of an article by Iain Dale, headed “Smears, glowering henchmen-like the Nixon White House” published in the Mail on Sunday on 12 April 2009 in which it was stated not only that Mr Watson was copied into emails sent by Downing Street press adviser Damian McBride to Derek Draper, but that he “encouraged” them. The emails were reported to have made serious and false allegations about the private lives of a number of Conservative Party MPs in the course of discussing proposals for a new website to be known as “Red Rag”.
As the Court heard today, Associated Newspapers Limited now accepts that these allegations are entirely untrue. In fact, Mr Watson was not copied into any of the emails exchanged between Mr McBride and Mr Draper. As Mr Watson has already publicly made clear, he had no involvement in or knowledge of the “Red Rag” website and he did not condone the content of the emails and, indeed, regarded them as completely inappropriate.
…and then gives a couple of different stories about having already apologised to Tom. Once in this post, which has no apology at all, and this one here that nearly has an apology. Well, Iain says an apology is owed, but never gets around to actually saying ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘I apologise’ or anything similar that says sorry.
Smug? Oh I’m just happy you forced Associated Newspaper to pay out “substantial damages” and its now on the record that you have smeared people without fully knowing the facts.
But Iain doesn’t just smear people and let other people do the same in his own comments, he likes to control other peoples comments, one of the things that he used to accuse Tim of regularly…
Comment amended upon request. So far she has not offered any explanation for claiming the amount of expenses. Comment amended upon request.
Comment by jailhouselawyer — Sunday, May 17, 2009 @ 11:47 am
I hope you will delete that comment from JHL. It is entirely untrue and probably libellous.
Comment by Iain Dale — Tuesday, May 19, 2009 @ 7:33 pm
Iain I have amended the comment. However, when I consider some of the comments I have seen you allow on your blog which attack other people on issues of both sexuality and on mental health, I think you should be paying far more attention to your own comments.
Comment by The Morningstar — Tuesday, May 19, 2009 @ 8:23 pm
Only last night self proclaimed leading UK blogger Iain Dale accused me of allowing an untrue and potentially libelous comment to be posted on this blog, here. The comment was aimed at one of his friends, that doyen of political blogging Nadine Dorries, I stupidly just gave in and amended the comment without consulting the author. At the time I didn’t want to start a ridiculous fight over a comment, mental health issues can suck the fight right out of you, but when I realised the the comment was essentially factual I Apologized to the author and posted a link to the relevant news paper story.
So Iain Dale lied to me, on this blog, in order to get a comment removed that was factual.
So, I present to you the King of Irony, Iain Dale.
