Tuesday, 17 July, 2007
- 17 Jul 07, 04:10 PM
By tonight's presenter, :
Russia
What next? We hope to hear from one of the key players in the diplomatic stand off - but in true Cold War style, I can't tell you who it is unless you have security clearance. All will be revealed at 10.30pm (if our guest turns up).
Inequality
Several reports out today claim that inequality now is much worse than 20 or 30 years ago. One tool that the government hoped would tackle the opportunity gap - SureStart - also came in for criticism. MPs said it was failing to target those who most need it. So what is the government doing to tackle the problem?
Ealing Southall by-election
It's turning into one of the most colourful by-elections of recent times. Party defections, compromising photographs and some interesting accusations in those election leaflets. Of course we had to send Michael Crick to Ealing Southall to find out what is going on.
Organ Donations
Instead of signing up for organ donor cards - "opting in" - should the state presume we agree to be organ donors unless we opt out? The Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson said so today. But doesn't that presume that the state somehow owns our bodies? We'll debate on the programme, but you can tell us what you think by clicking here.
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Re Inequality - "So what is the government doing to tackle the problem?" But shouldn't we be asking first whether inequality is a problem per se? People will always be prepared to go to differing lengths to acquire wealth and this diversity of ambition is something to be celebrated rather than thought of as a problem. This assumes that there is a sufficient safety net for those who are genuinely unable to cope with the resources they find themselve with - which we surely have in this country. Otherwise the 'problem' is not so much inequality itself but the lack of choice some people face in determining how far to go in pursuit of wealth, comfort and material gain.
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Michael Crick should stand for Mayor of London
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Harriet, I concur. Let the campaign commence. I'm a bit surprised the Krankies haven't started already...
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Oh Crikey *Crick for Mayor*
That's just plain
Fandabidozi !!
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INEQUALITY (increase) is just one symptom of decline.
How many psychologist are there in Parliament? Successive governments have maximised commercial output while slowly destroying individual ability SIMPLY TO BE. Because we are being reared as battery chickens, we are pretty useless at anything else. Battery chicks are incubated – just like our kids; they don’t need mothers. The number who simply cannot cope without a prop of some sort (alcohol, drugs, retail therapy etc) is steadily rising, but politicians have no concept of the root cause, so they tinker with symptoms. Unless we bring our culture back into line with nature, we will become a mad society. We might be there already but masking the symptoms. In my lifetime boys wanted to be engine drivers and girls nurses – now they all want to be rich and famous. Weep Britain.
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" I thought you had a proper job now micheal" loved that response from the tory leader when crick went-a-shoving his mike around. Crick may have got a promotion recently but he still shines brightest when he's out and about, running behind some MP asking the awkward questions; for MP's, he's like a wasp spoiling a sunny day picnic.
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i agree michael crick should stand for mayor of london!
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Michael Crick should stand for Mayor I agree with that.
James Campbell should watch Crick's film and see how a proper film is constructed.
" I thought you had a proper job now micheal" ..
loved that line
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#8 " I thought you had a proper job now micheal" ..
An old line he pinched from Bush to Michael Moore?
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inequality. A nebulous term that can mean whatever you want and so is meaningless.
equality is a term from mathematics [geometry] misused by the geometric illiterate as a jedi mind trick to express their degree of envy.
is society a right angled triangle?
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#9
I thought you had a proper job now michael" ..
Our suggestion as a Crick reply in his inimitable Rigsbyish manner
Rupert Rigsby: Describing the state of the nation
*It's like being on the Titanic: confused orders from the bridge, water sloshing around in the engine room. At least they had a band*
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csharp (#10) - what twaddle!
Etymologically, 'equal' derives from aequalis (meaning equivalent, uniform or like) from aequus (meaning even, just or level).
That it has a meaning in mathematics (and not only in geometry, as you suggest above) does not mean that its original or even principal meaning lies in mathematics, or that one is 'geometrically illiterate' to give sense to the word other than that given by mathematical usage.
Indeed, as we have just seen, having its roots in a word meaning (amongst other things) 'just' rather suggests that that the non-mathematical usage, and the usage of the word in political discourse, has at least as much legitimacy in expression as does the mathematical term.
Of course, you could use exactly the same argument (about the nebulousness of the term) in relation to 'just' - it is 'a nebulous term that can mean anything you want and is therefore meaningless'. So too with democracy, freedom, and so on.
When you can explain quite how you intend to govern society by use of precise mathematical concepts, without recourse to 'nebulous terms', I shall read with interest.
I shan't hold my breath, though, as you slip yourself in your final sentence - surely 'society' is itself a nebulous term, and should be abandoned forthwith?
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you want me to govern society?,
not only that but with nebulous concepts?
i'm flattered .
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No. Too flippant.
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DrK, you may well have stepped unwittingly into a trap here. Firstly, to hope to engage in serious dialogue with someone who has used the phrase 'jedi mind trick' is perhaps to be a little hasty. Also, consider that for some being told they're too flippant is roughly on a par with being told they're unconscionably attractive. Stop now, I beseech you.
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