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Thursday 2 July 2009

Sarah McDermott | 10:11 UK time, Thursday, 2 July 2009

From the web team:

The US army has launched a major offensive against the Taliban in south Afghanistan's Helmand province. We'll be considering if their approach is likely to be more successful than that of the British and bring you the latest on the news that a US soldier is thought to have been captured by militants in the east of the country.

The Health Secretary Andy Burnham today announced that the rising number of swine flu cases in the UK mean that trying to contain the virus is no longer an option. The UK's emergency response will now move to a new "treatment" phase as there may soon be as many as 100,000 new cases a day. Mr Burnham confirmed that swine flu vaccines currently in development should be available from next month, with 60m doses available by the end of next year. Tonight we'll be investigating just how prepared we really are.

It's almost 40 years since the first man walked on the moon and to mark the anniversary our Science Editor Susan Watts will be examining what the future holds for space flight and Nasa, and Kirsty Wark will be speaking to the legendary Apollo 11 moon walker, Buzz Aldrin.

And our culture correspondent Stephen Smith has been sifting through a television treasure trove - bringing a glimpse of how we lived 40 years ago.

Do join Kirsty at 10.30pm on 91Èȱ¬ Two.

.

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    MORE ON FEMINIZED LIBERAL-DEMOCRACY?

    How were they ever trying to 'contain' the virus? There were no movement restrictions to the best of my knowledge. Too many people emit sentences these days which don't appear to refer to physical reality.

    What has happened? Is it any wonder we don't believe what people say?

  • Comment number 2.

    KIRSTY TO 'SPEAK' TO BUZZ ALDRIN

    How' this:

    KIRSTY "w' it wu' small step for ma' or A ma'?"

    BUZZ "Excuse me?"

  • Comment number 3.

    I've despaired for a while (but just about been able to cope) at how our amateurish news media has been so willing to accept the government's assurances regarding how well-prepared the country is for a 'swine flu' pandemic. Isn't this the same country with a chronic shortage of beds, 'intensive care' units, surgeons, nurses and technical staff and a health service rampant with 'super-bugs' and beholden to 'targets'?

    Could the lack of critical analysis be an example of our news media's all-too-familiar favourite trait: if those on the opposite side of the fence (in this case, the Tories) fail to voice any concerns, the media satisfies itself it has achieved 'balance'? The media, naturally, doesn't owe the public anything - nothing as vulgar as professionalism.

    I hope today's "Newsnight" report will be the investigation the public deserved months ago.

  • Comment number 4.

    The US army has launched a major offensive against the Taliban in south Afghanistan's Helmand province.

    Iran and her near SCO allies won't much like to their East? Whilst the US makes , the UK and the oddly pro-Isreal FCO, continues to alienate it. Pushed too far, the SCO could and I suspect will, cripple the West economically....:-(

  • Comment number 5.

    With regards to the "major offensive", this new 91Èȱ¬ article is worth noting.

    "Q&A: Isaf troops in Afghanistan"


    In it the 91Èȱ¬ ask the question "What view do ordinary Afghan civilians take of Isaf?"

    Interesting the Question is answered using results from a poll commission in 2007 rather than the most recent poll from 2009.


    Here are some snippets from the 2009 poll the 91Èȱ¬ won't be showcasing.

    Q33. Do you think the use of air strikes by the U.S. and NATO/ISAF forces is acceptable because it helps defeat the Taliban and other anti-government fighters, or unacceptable because it endangers too many innocent civilians?

    Acceptable - 16
    Unacceptable - 77
    No opinion - 8

    Q34. When civilians are harmed in U.S. and NATO/ISAF air strikes, who do you mainly blame?

    U.S and NATO/ISAF forces for mistaken targeting - 41
    Anti-government forces for being among civilians - 28
    Both sides equally - 27
    No opinion - 4



  • Comment number 6.

    91Èȱ¬2 ran a programme on 7/7 conspiracy theories, essentially debunking them as they did the 9/11 theories. The only problem is that there were conspiracies. What the eager debunkers have not considered is whether some other government, interested in destabilizing the West (and Israel) etc could have orchestrated these attacks. There are those who would have done very well by having coaltion forces in Iraq and Afghanistan as this has not only bred dissent and instability domestically, it ha bred hostility internationally. In fact, we've done rather a good job at letting ourselves be debstabilized in mnay ways over the past decade or so.....

  • Comment number 7.

    barrie (#2) Excellent.

    One of my contributions was blogdoged, but the itself was both relevant and apposite. Perhaps the MHC (C6P21) self vs non-self and immunology/mating bit wasn't understood?

  • Comment number 8.

    #2 Barrie

    COWPOX GIVES SOME IMMUNITY TO SMALLPOX

    Loaded my life and dog into the Metro. Drove to Scotland on the Tuesday. Got the paper on the Friday. Phoned up for a job. Started on Monday. What could go wrong? Turned up on site. They were all from Dundee. I didn't understand a word they said.

    Even people from Scotland don't understand Dundeeish. Just use Kirsty as some mild inoculation to give protection from the shock if you ever end up there.

    Swine Flu? Surprise that it is going to rise higher in August than the peak of winter seasonal flu. Perhaps if they had called it after the place where it originated instead, some simple common sense may have applied

    Mexico, hot place nearer the equator. Oh yes of course!

    Google: Celtic Lion FMD, for probably the best and most accurate model of the 2001 FMD epidemic (from March). Information easily transferable to understand Swine Flu.

    Celtic Lion

  • Comment number 9.

    AIMING TO PLEASE (#7)

    It pleases me to aim - were justified. Was it my imagination, or did Kirsty open tonight's show with a duff (fuzzy) mike? SURELY even SHE cannot manage THAT degree of distortion?

    I suppose, by the time you have paid for son-et-lumiere productions, helicopter shots, and the video-wall - plus salaries for 'the talent' (good grief) then money for microphones is a bit short - not to mention money for those who might check them?

  • Comment number 10.

    "Mr Darling said the city watchdog, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) would get greater powers to intervene if companies offered rewards which encouraged risky behaviour."

    Source:



    This needs to be explored in total detail. It was note worthy to me that this piece has been edited, a line stated earlier (about 6am) that there was NOT to be a cape on bonus rewards. Why did the 91Èȱ¬ remove it ???????
    WHATS the truth here?

    AND again what is going to happen with Credit Default Swaps ?

    "There are people who are too complacent in my view," Mr Darling said"

    YES Brown for the last 10 years ! and now probably you !

    Hope Murray can return that serve.

  • Comment number 11.

    streetphotobeing (#10) As soon as the heat was turned up on The City, the media started covering other stream of trivia from MP's ACAs to swine flu. Turkeys don't vote for Xmas.

  • Comment number 12.

    KCL #8

    "Perhaps if they had called it after the place where it originated instead, some simple common sense may have applied."

    I believe it is true to say that the Israeli authorities chose to do just that. 'Mexican' flu they called it. Wonder why? ;-)

  • Comment number 13.

    #8 & #12
    I understand the so-called swine flu first hit a boy in America on the border with Mexico

  • Comment number 14.

    MORE TURKEY LURKEY

    "will need to recall a lost truth the end is not money. Or at least it shouldn't be. Money is only the means to an end. The end is freedom."

    Maurice Saatchi in the Telegraph :




    Laughable, go tell that to Mr Bernard Madoff. Money makes people very delusional, clearly your one of them as well.

  • Comment number 15.

    mimpromptu #13

    "I understand the so-called swine flu first hit a boy in America on the border with Mexico"

    That is as may be. I said nothing about the origin of the virus, my comment pointed out that Israel had renamed the strain .

  • Comment number 16.

    Ms Wark & Mr Aldrin - an excellent interview and very clear to my ear, I thought

  • Comment number 17.

    streetphotobeing (#14) "Money makes people very delusional"

    I strongly suggest that they have being delusional. The evidence for this is, I suggest, overwhelming, just politically incorrect as this suits their egregious purposes :-(

  • Comment number 18.

    continuation of #16
    forgot to mention that I thought Susan Watts' examination of what the future holds for space flight and Nasa was also excellent

  • Comment number 19.

    mimpromptu (#18) "forgot to mention that I thought Susan Watts' examination of what the future holds for space flight and Nasa was also excellent"

    Thanks for sharing your anonymous mental states.

  • Comment number 20.


    Macro Prudential - Everyone



    prudentially pru·den'tial·ly adv.

    1. Arising from or characterized by prudence.
    2. Exercising prudence, good judgment, or common sense.

    macro adj : (combining form) very large in scale or scope or capability

    "macro prudential analysis" - does this mean large scale good judgement or common sense? If you dont cap (enforce) bonus rewards and given the ability of little things like greed, corruption, Idolatry of money wealth, exactly how are they going to enforce good judgement or common sense being as both fly out the window when the money delusion shows up in force. How much common sense will be needed?

    A black hole full of it and I suspect from our pockets !

    Then there is the little "credit default swap" nuke of nuke delusions how are you going to bring common sense analysis to this ? Im not seeing or reading anything ????

  • Comment number 21.

    after 7 years training the afghan army still needs more outside troops? its not credible. some other agenda is at work here.

    there is no need for uk troops to do the fighting. it just looks a macho thing. the money used in that should be used to pay the locals to fight.

    nation states come out of common feeling of a group of people. what common feeling do people have to support a state? do they have a nhs? agriculture subsidy? [in the uk we pay 4 billion a year (mainly to millionaires)] Human rights for all? why should afghan support the 'western model' of government?

  • Comment number 22.

    paul- anymore on the talk of only letting those who will take delivery of commodity contracts to trade them? [thus removing the vast majority of speculators [who do not take delivery] who drive oil up to 147 for instance]]

  • Comment number 23.

    Can A bevan boy Fix A Bayonet

    Can A bevan boy Fix Anything

    just a thought or 2

  • Comment number 24.


    Nos2
    Come on Barrie fess up you know you want to dress up as Kirsty - nice bright colour Bee attractor top, strap on a pair of floppy boobies, bit of lippy and away you go - show us your perfect enunciated kirsty karaoke rap - you never know I might have an irristable urge to Buzz and pollinate you.

  • Comment number 25.

    bookhimdano (#21) "after 7 years training the afghan army still needs more outside troops? its not credible. some other agenda is at work here."

    My (all too obvious?) take: Israel and the secular Liberal-Democracies led by the USA, which have bought (or had foisted upon them) Jewish political-economic philosophy (see ex PM of Malaysia) don't like Islamic fundamentalism of any tribe. It's bad for Israel and it's bad for the free-market. So off their foot-soldiers naively go to stamp it out in teh name of 'democracy' wherever it pops up (especially if this is near Iran it seems). Any form of socialism is anathema, but Islamic socialism is intolerable. Many Muslim countries in Central Asia were of course once Soviet Republics. Plus ca change as they say.

  • Comment number 26.

    On Djemjanuk:
    'He has denied accusations that he was a guard at the Sobibor death camp and an accessory to the murder of 29,000 Jews.'

    I assume the BNP and its assorted supporters who post on this page will be lending their support to the Djemjanjuk trail as they are "agnostic" - but think there was no Holocaust and the murders that were committed were by "statist" Russians.

  • Comment number 27.

    #19 Jaded_Jean

    Your views are hideous as per your race "realism; Hitler was a "peace lover"; end democracy in favour of re-badged Nazi policies; Holocaust "agnosticism" and so on.

    Nobody thanks you for your posts except the other posters - who aren't the BNP or Nazis.

  • Comment number 28.

    #6 jaded_jean

    "In fact, we've done rather a good job at letting ourselves be debstabilized in mnay ways over the past decade or so....."

    The people who want to replace democracy in favour of regurgitated National Socialist policies are concerned for democracy and are not trying to cynically exploit terrorist outrages for their own ends.

    Von Bruun, American Friends of the BNP, was jailed for trying to kidnap Fed members as they were part of a "Jewish conspiracy" and recently shot dead a security guard at a Holocaust memorial in the US.

    Such well balanced people mentally.

    Its like the far right chap arrested with his son in the North East in possession of ricin and encouraging others to terrorism.

    Its hard to tell sometimes, probably for them too, what these people really believe and what are lies.

    The Cult of the Latter Day Haw Haws is not to be trusted.

  • Comment number 29.

    streetphotobeing (#24) "Come on Barrie fess up you know you want to dress up as Kirsty - nice bright colour Bee attractor top, strap on a pair of floppy boobies, bit of lippy and away you go - show us your perfect enunciated kirsty karaoke rap - you never know I might have an irristable urge to Buzz and pollinate you."

    Excellent description. I think barrie would have to admit that Kirsty Wark does have the ability to adorn herself with quite striking apparel. This is not a criticism (from me anyway) either. I have still not forgotten the peacock print top. Striking.

  • Comment number 30.

    thegangofone (#27) "Nobody thanks you for your posts except the other posters"

    Have you got 'swine flu'?

  • Comment number 31.

    JJ #30

    Mexican flu already!

    He's right you know, Go1. Nobody thanks you for your posts except the other posters. Which is to say that, in order to thank you, others must respond with posts of their own. So they are posters. It follows that those who do not post, do not thank you, as they are not other posters and so cannot, and do not, thank you. By George he's got it! Astute observation there Go1. Keep up the cerebral exercises.

    BTW JJ, your last para in #29. Careful - some might be forgiven for supposing you could possibly be a fellah!

    dAllan is, I am sure, an ex soldier.

  • Comment number 32.

    #27 Go1

    "Nobody thanks you for your posts except the other posters"

    so by default everyone who posts thanks JJ? What a remarkable turn around.

    #12 New Fazer

    They tried the Bird Flu brand before, but it never took off

    #23 dAllan169

    Q Can A bevan boy Fix Anything?

    A Pit props

  • Comment number 33.

    KingCelticLion (#32) "They tried the Bird Flu brand before, but it never took off"

    Nice one. All was not well with Roche, but now it's nicely.

    Meanwhile, another person has died after having gone to bed, a post-mortem having shown that they'd also picked up the H1N1 virus. It is entirely possible that people who have caught swine flu, and who have gone to bed, may also die, but don't worry about it - it's quite normal.

  • Comment number 34.

    SPACE DOES NOT BEHAVE 'AS IT SHOULD' NAUGHTY SPACE! (#18)

    Plasma-filled 'space' is still waiting in the wings until 'orthodox space' become untenable. Speaking of untenable: if you had a multi-billion space enterprise and it was zapped by 'space-lightning' would you not bend the evidence (think 9/11) and 'find' an alternative event, whose 'cause' you could 'fix' and go flying again? (Might even help with the odd airliner too.)

    While Susan ignores the Electric Universe paradigm, she lives within the lie. Anyone surprised?

  • Comment number 35.

    'THE POLLINATOR': ALL ACTION OR ACTIONABLE?

    That post must come close to e-assault streetphotobeing! I am feeling distinctly queasy.

  • Comment number 36.

    #33 JJ

    DISEASE BRAND MARKETING

    SARS-Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, always thought that was strange. Almost an unnecessary tautology I thought.

    Why not just call it Acute Respiratory Syndrome?

    Probably didn't make it past the focus group stage.

    Celtic Lion

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