The news in numbers
Posted on
February 20, 2014 by
Rev. Stuart Campbell
We wouldn’t like to suggest Unionists are clutching at straws this week, but:
Number of words actually spoken by David Bowie about independence: 4
Number of words written about it so far by major news outlets: 3,916
To be honest we stopped counting after that.
That’s only the ones who made it the headline of the story (not just reports of the Brit awards that mentioned it in passing), we haven’t even counted music websites or paywalled newspapers we can’t get a quick wordcount for like The Sun, and certainly not the flood of over-excited MPs and MSPs on social media.
We can’t say we’re unduly fussed, as we last liked a David Bowie song in 1983, but if it keeps the beleaguered No camp happy, that’s jolly lovely and bless their wee hearts.
Ground Control to Captain Darling;
Your circuits dead, is there something wrong?
Can you hear me Captain No etc
We can be Heroes: link to youtube.com
I didn’t see the Brits but didn’t Kate Moss say the words for David Bowie because he wasn’t in the UK? So isn’t it technically zero words spoken by him…?
That’s not true at all, did Bowie not send someone else with the message. He wasn’t even there and delivered nothing. You surely need to at least say it to be counted…
NO are feeling Under Pressure
Unbelievable – the BBC have opened up a comments section on this groundbreaking intervention.
Posted this earlier
David – Stay With Us – Bowie (born Jones) lives in a high-end, security guarded, gated community in Malibu, California. Other famous celebs live in the street, well protected from reality and poor folks.
You can see his multi-million home on Google Street Plan. Charles Brosnan owned the house opposite.
If Connery is supposedly ineligible to support independence because he lives abroad, it’s wholly unacceptable for an ex-pat Englishman with a fat Swiss bank account to toss a one-line plea at us from his chauffeur driven limousine, probably on the way to a posh night club off Pacific Coast Highway.
Talented musician that he is, he couldn’t be “bovvered” to attend the Brit Awards to collect his one.
David, please don’t leave us! Oh, crap. He has.
It’s funny how old age pensioners are not in tune with reality.
David Bowie obviously doesn’t do, Ch,ch,ch,Changes or turns and faces the strain anymore.
Comment on BBC Scotchland website:
‘It’s above politics. It’s emotional, on both sides of Hadrian’s Wall. Scotland, please don’t go x’
Presumably this is one of the Wall Walkers we’ve heard so much about. Best get a map luv 😉
I always found his appeal baffling to be honest but then I’m an 80s kid and I despised Lets Dance!
Number of words actually spoken by David Bowie’s clothes horse about independence: 4
Corrected for you, Stuart. BTW, Congratulations on an excellent review:
http://www.journalism.co.uk/news-commentary/part-2–the-backlash-against-the-mainstream-in-scotland-/s6/a555870/
Well, love Bowie’s music up till Scary Monsters which was 1980 I believe. Everything else he did after that was awful – I really really wanted to like his albums (even a little tiny bit) but they were all complete sh*t*. His ‘Tin Machine’ albums were voted the worst albums of all time – one still cringes thinking abiut a banana being used to play a guitar… Bowie died for me in 1983 with the ‘Just Dance’ album (but it was popular because people bought it based on his prior works of great talent even if it was pop crap at best) and after that the noise he made has been nothing.
He died a second time for me last night but I’ll still enjoy the pre-Just Dance albums. 34 years since his last decent album.
David Bowie is vcitim of old age, a post WWII Great Britain post-empire mentality and also he’s so rich he can not at all concern himself with the needs of people who are poor.
No biggie David Jones but haven’t you got a painting to paint or another music studio to bore to death with that noise you insist upon inflicting upon us ordinary folk who still remember a life time ago when you had talent.
For him and for numerous British multimillionaires and for foreign billionaires – United Kingdom is best country in the world – state services and Westminster are helping to avoid taxes, you can buy a castle with few hundred thousands acres in Scotland for hunting or fishing – Better Together.
But for ordinary Scottish people it is Bitter Together country and if vote will be No even more Bitter – end of Barnett formula and minus £4 billions from Scottish budget – Bitter Together with privatized NHS and with £9000 fees in year for education.
I vote YES.
They cut the microphone before she said ‘please’ (or maybe it was ‘or else’).
The Beeb have used it as an excuse to ask callers on Radio Scotland Good Morn if they are influenced by celebs and where they get their information about the Indy Ref from?
It did occur to me that this was a two edged sword. The Beeb took the risk of further ads for online sites that carried information on the Ref. It could also be used to take the temperature and flag up sites of interest for future DDOS targeting as well as trawling for useful info on who supports which side.
As for mention of being able to identify individuals on FB, there was a report online about the ability of some nefarious individuals being able to track locations and identities from Google Earth/FB/ Mobile phone information.
Let’s face it after Snowdon, there is every chance that they know who we all are and where we live. Will that make any difference to our wish to argue for our individual preference for Independence?
Not very likely.
I think over the past year the fear of discussing views, disclosing identities and openly supporting Independence has vanished like the mist.
We just have to keep on doing what we have been doing. The information is exponentially increasing to the population.
Everyone should invite their contacts to like WOS on FB and all other sites, if only to bring the information outlets to more people’s attention.
First time that I attempted this 23 friends all responded positively.
Also BBC bias site on FB garnered a lot of support. The next 6 months has the potential to quadruple the information distribution compared to the last 6 months as people are now being bombarded with mention of the Referendum everyday in every medium.
Time to turn the volume up to max.
And his words were spoken second hand by some burd in a swimming costume.
“Scotland stay with us”
Has a ring like a broken bell when the person saying it doesn’t even live in the UK.
Morning call this am, they had a pretty uncomfortable time re people getting their information. Well supported by yes voters and equipt themselves very well.(70%). Socially media got high profile.
The no voters were very sad, pathetic even. We get the usual ("Quizmaster" - Ed)s. Don’t like that Alex Salmond! Then you get the rabid no trying so hard to make themselves sound like DK who is leaning to no.
PQ got ignored mostly, social media got well publicised much to the discomfort of the BBC.
Host even had to bring out the old chestnut “THE BBC STRIVES TO BE FAIR” said with emphasis.
There’s a song on the Lost Highway soundtrack called I’m Deranged (from the 1995 album, Outside) which is pretty good. It’s quite Nine Inch Nails-y.
Morning Call had a great caller who talked up WOS and discussed the BBC bias report. He was then cut short for ‘shouting’ although he was speaking normally.
OT, I am trying to collect all the pro-hope websites onto 1 reference page which is here:
link to republicofscotland.com
I am up to 64 just now so please use its comment box to add any I have missed. Check it out – I was surprised at some of the groups I found.
Bowie’s music never spoke to me. It’s an opinion. Mine differs. He sings way better than me but I can still crack out a decent jazz-rock groove.
Does this matter?
Not in the present debate.
Not so much clutching at straws as clutching at shite.
The trouble with shite is that the stink lingers.
Rev. Stuart Campbell have you seen this one.
Yes vote would have ‘no impact’ on North Sea industry, says ex-BP boss
Former BP boss Tony Hayward has dismissed his successor’s warnings about Scottish independence, insisting there would be no impact on North Sea oil and gas.
Last refresh via Quarantine didn’t appear to work so again
Davaar (at high tide)
@John King
He is just a wee bit previous, I think. He imagines the project to turn the UK into a state of America is finished and so “stay with us” makes sense since he apparently lives mainly in London and Manhattan.
The final line in David Bowie’s song “Time” is “Yes time”.
Do you think he’s been suborned in the way as VisitScotland?
Darling should mount an inquiry now.
Vote no media journalists have gone completely insane over Scottish democracy as in Herald going “The throwaway remark came at the end of his acceptance speech for Best Male Solo Artist at the Brit awards.” Except he wasn’t even there. lol much
Interesting however just how elitist the folks BT are drumming up are.
Bowie and before that Sam Cam’s fashion designer pal.
Can’t wait for the next one.
I’m not sure, but did Ray Winstone get as much coverage when he called Scots tramps and told us to ‘bugger off’
Celebrity society is out of its collective mind, aye.
Why are we writting/reading about it HERE?
Don’t we have something better to do?
I’m going to distribute few leaflets, read you later.
Its like the 24 hour TV news program where they all stand about interviewing each other about the importance of Mrs McGlinchey’s cat being stuck up the tree.
I suppose from the cat’s viewpoint its interesting 🙂
@ Papadox
re Morning Call today
I thought the no wifie from Aberdeen or shire was wonderful. “D’ay like at Alec Salmond. Ah’ll be votan naw.”
She should have a phone-in to herself.
“D’ay see whit’s a proablim wae nuclear boams. Onyway he couda gottan rid o them a’ready.”
(Unless it was David Cameron putting on an act, which is not unlikely.)
What does he think about ‘page refresh’?
There is much fun to be had over on the Beeb about this.
David Bowie is far too late to get to me as my referendum vote has already been swayed by Jimmy Krankie.
Somewhere at Private Eye, someone’s writing a headline
‘British Pensioner acts like typical British Pensioner shocker!’
I was lovebombed last night – by a pigeon in Dundee.
Lovebombing is over-rated.
Celebs can be sooo out of touch.
Another elderley super star, Clint Eastwood, betrayed his creed and loss of reality by talking partisan politics to an empty chair. At least he had a Scottish mother. We can give him half of the doubt.
They just can’t help themselves, can they?
Calm down, barrel-scrapers!
Another seven months before the referendum.
Mentioned on the last thread, but repeating it here. Check your junk email for stuff from the Yes groups – I had a whole pile I’m there, despite me never having previously marked any of their stuff as junk or even deleting it. So it looks like I’m on a list now…
I am blessed to currently be working (you can tell by the fact that I’m on here; I’m not massively busy at the moment) so I don’t get the delights of Call Kaye’s Big Fun Phone-in at present.
It really is amusing in it’s particular brand of ridiculous bias, though. Everyone can hear what they’re doing yet they’ll claim they aren’t doing it.
I should be amazed at the compliant media storm about four words not even spoken by the guy getting the credit for them, but I’m not. Unionists are seriously clutching at every passing straw now. I think perhaps the next quote will probably be even more minimalist; ‘Scotland; no!’
Would anyone be surprised?
It makes some sense that the BBC in Scotland have gone huge over vote NO Bowie but why have they also got “Bowie wins best male at the Brits” and “Brits 2014: Winners in full” on their Scottish politics headline thing? Surely their not openly mocking YES voters now, surely.
OT but worth it I hope.
Women’s Curling Bronze by the girls. Youngest ever team to win an WO medal.
Bravo girls, next time win for Scotland in 2018
In, not I’m!
“Hey, look, it’s me – King of the Goblins bloke – and I’ve made an album that isn’t quite as terrible as you feared.”
Excellent. Have an award.
Morning Call this morning was all about Bowie, but someone managed to get in a mention of the polls.
This was fairly soon with a chat with Prof Curtis. He dismissed the polls saying that it was votes on the day that counted. He said it needed a trend. Talk about clutching at straws!
BTW lots of pro Indy sites got plugged.
He supports Tibetan independence. Where would the logic lie in supporting that, but arguing against Scottish independence?
David said this cos Kate said so. This is what passes for global news in the crazy world we live in. Unbelievable level of coverage across MSM today.
Bowie- who he? As far as I am concerned, the guy is a no mark with absolutely nothing constructive to say about Scottish independence other than cheerio!
Has been old popstar that has not produced anything worth listening to for decades speaks out. Yawn!
I thought it was an invitation for us to all go and spend our holybags with him in New York. pretty generous of him I thought.
@Desimond
Private Eye
I doubt that rag will deride Bowie.
Ian Hislop thinks independence “a really stupid idea.” He’s first to chuck a peurile joke at Scotland, such as, we live on biscuits and refuse vegetables. His father Scottish doesn’t seem to have cleared his vision.
Herald going with headline that poll suggests folk want a plan B? Is this a nice wee bit of BritNat spin?
I am just so disappointed that the original Rebel Rebel has succumbed to a Tory PM’s request to Love Bomb us. Watch for the Knighthood next January I guess…sighs. 🙁
Call me cynical but does anyone actually think Bowie just dropped that in at a music awards. One word Context!Had someone asked him in an interview about Scotland then his comments would be taken as fair comment. But to drop it in 10 days after Camerons Love Bomb. This has got propaganda all over it. In any case I like Bowie and will continue to like his music. I am just saddened that a great musician and clever man can be cheapened by the Unionists. It’s Crass! As for Bill leckie on BBC Scotland this morning making out that cybernats were just abusing everyone and the yes campaign was negative. Where do you start what planet has he been on? I would suggest that he is an ardent unionist disguised as don’t know for a wee while. He is totally misrepresenting the facts. Nicola Sturgeon received death threats from the unionists but he is upset about Bowie getting a few biting comments to his intervention. Grow up Mr Leckie and stop the mock disgust we don’t believe you. You want positive how about getting rid of Trident,creating an oil fund,no tuition fees,no illegal wars,free personal care,free prescritptions,no nuclear power. Suppose none of that takes your fancy?
Here’s some more choice quote from Bowie
“I think Britain could benefit from a fascist leader. After all, fascism is really nationalism.” -1976
“I believe very strongly in fascism… People have always responded with greater efficiency under a regimental leadership. A liberal wastes time saying, ‘Well, now, what ideas have you got?’ Show them what to do, for God’s sake. If you don’t, nothing will get done. I can’t stand people just hanging about.” – 1976
“Adolf Hitler was one of the first rock stars.” – 1976
“I change my mind a lot. I usually don’t agree with what I say very much. I’m an awful liar.” – 1974
“I’ve been the male equivalent of the dumb blonde for a few years, and I was beginning to despair of people accepting me for my music. It may be fine for a male model to be told he’s a great looking guy, but that doesn’t help a singer much, especially now that the pretty boy personality cult seems to be on the way out.” – 1969
Incidentally, anyone else feeling a touch of The Cringe about the way the Bowie thing is being lauded by unionists? In the sense that there’s an impression made that this is an “important” person, rather than all the daft wee twee celebs that have entered the debate so far. Very much the kind of mindset you expect of your typical unionist, in keeping with the “big = better” mantra that they tend to have, and the idea that an MP is more important than an MSP.
I thought it was an invitation to us all to go over and stay on holiday. I was about to book my ticket.
Bowie turned down a knighthood in 2003. You can be wrong about Scottish independence without suddenly becoming awful or talentless. Especially if you live in the US and probably haven’t been following the situation particularly closely.
Bill Leckie said this morning (on #TRSFKACK) he’s voting no because of the negativity coming from the Yes side over Bowie’s by proxy supplication.
Was he that keen anyway (Bill Leckie, not David Bowie) and where is the negativity on twiter which so disgusted his delicate sensibilities?
Or is this another case of the no crowd’s mistaking negativity & abuse for general disagreement with their point and the correction of unfactual* commentary.
* I know this isn’t a word but it should be.
Didn’t watch the Brits, but it was on the News this morning.
It was more like an after thought.
You know Oh!, I better mention “Scotland, blah, blah, blah”.
Also the version of Loving the Alien off of the Reality tour is fucking beautiful:
link to youtube.com
Also great: The Dreamers, Bring Me The Disco King, his version of Cactus …
After a yes vote, I am going to set up a shop in Edinburgh selling union flag branded merchandise. I will sell it to nostalgia struck unionists, BBC employees and ironic independentistas. Maybe a tea shop too with union flags and ‘keep calm’ posters everywhere. Think I will ask Kate Moss up for the opening. Should make a killing.
As for Bowie, don’t think he’s really thought through the politics. He shouted out Irish republican slogans at a concert in Dublin, for example.
For goodness sake what does he think will happen if we vote yes, sail away? It’s so cringeworthy
Hmmm, Coke head reads comment from old singer. Haud me back!
scissorhands
Sorry, late to the party after enjoying every minute of the Scots curlers.
Now, any more pearls of wisdom from the laughing gnome?
Whose next with the love-bomb-for-honours?
Well it goes something like this, the unionist leaders including GCHQ,BBC and press outlets get together on telephone chat.
One says,” well chaps, what do we have to work with today, is there any big events we can use? ”
” nothing much really we have run the currency and Borroso stuff to almost the end now, at least until the next opportunity”replied an unknown face.
One bright spark says ” the only big event today is the Brit Awards, there will be a wide UK audience including Scots, perhaps we could do something with that?”
They mulled it over, “who is favourite to win it?” ” Some say David Bowie” was the reply. David Bowie queried another? Yup, was the answer.
” Ok said the Westminster spokesman, we have contacts, we will get on to Bowie and ask if he could fit something in”
They get Bowies private number from GCHQ, and phone him, ” David, sorry to trouble you and congratulations on winning the Brit Awards, eh, says Bowie, thought that was not decided until the show? er ah er, Well we expect it is what is going to happen!. What do you want from me said Bowie in a not so nice manner.
Could you please say something in reference to the Scottish referendum, something like asking them to stay ?, ff the Scots says Bowie.
We are in need of help David, be patriotic please think of the UK needs, if the Scots do not stay we are stuffed.
How much is in it for me, asked Bowie. Well name your price David, this is important. Ok,while I cannot be bothered at all, but Kate could say that I said it, and if I get stick over it I can deny I said it. Ok, “anything will do !” stated the BBC man.
Ok, I will make it as brief as it deserves,SCOTLAND DO NOT LEAVE US. and that is it, f off now.
Chaps we have David onside, BBC, ITN Channels and all the newspaper channels will hit it hard, lets see how good we can make something from nothing, it has worked before, it will work again, they all heartily cheered, another good spin day organised.
Oh Jeez, they still think this is about celebrity endorsement? Better yet celebrity endorsement by proxy. (shakes head)
On a more encouraging note, good piece to read on Wee ginger dug too.
link to weegingerdug.wordpress.com
Enjoy.
OK … Love bombing by:
David Cameron
then
David Bowie
So which David next?
update
Ground control to major blunder……..
“Scotland don’t leave us” We love to take all your resources and denigrate your country into a region of England.
Obviously this is the “Lovebombing” that Cameron promised us and no doubt he’s been put up to it by Cameron himself.
Won’t work.
O/T
FM Questions starts at 12.00.
REMEMBER: you don’t need the bbc to get to watch it. Your own Scottish Parliament provides you with live coverage
link to scottish.parliament.uk
And you can also watch the catch-up video at a later time – see the Quick Links FMQ Archive
link to scottish.parliament.uk
I went to see Bowie at Murrayfield in 1983 (Think it was ’83).
Was at opposite end of stadium from stage and I’m still not convinced it wasn’t Larry Grayson. Had a ticket for Milton Keynes Bowl too – didn’t go; ticket still intact.
So, he has an opinion. No doubt one based on a deep interest in democracy and Scottish politics formed with facts and… oh I give up!
Life on Mar Estate.
Vote No…. we could be zeros.
@Grouse Beater
Ive moaned aplenty on here about Hislop and Private Eye. The only mantion Scotland ever gets is Piloti complaining about some Architectural neglect. Nigel Farage gets more coverage in 1 edition than Scotland in its entirety get in a year.
Strangely that’s become a reason not to cancel my subscription, to see how long they can neglect the on-coming storm( See latest edition to get that gag)
Leckie has made a new scientific discovery.
Negativity in YES
I think BBC (Scotland) boasted they’d be placing £5 million (approved by BBC London) at the disposal of the Referendum debate. (A tiny sum, by any standard.)
One is forced to assume they’ll squander a chunk of it playing second class citizen to Bowie’s single remark, but not use it to investigate the effects of Scotland’s poverty of democratic structures.
@Midgehunter
FMQs
Oh please please please let Johann Lamont begin her scripted whine with the words “Does the First Minister agree with David Bowie..”
@Doug
‘Incidentally, anyone else feeling a touch of The Cringe about the way the Bowie thing is being lauded by unionists?’
Very much so.
As for Bill Leckie – was, is, always has been a Britnat.
So Bowie said ‘Scotland, stay with us’. According to the Scotsman he said ‘Scotland, PLEASE stay with us’. They can’t even report a four word statement without distorting it.
Rev.
to paraphrase the man himself, from a different song around the same time as you last liked him -:
oh David, just you shut your mouth
he says shhhhhhhhhh
@Desimond
Thanks for the heads up – will look as you recommend.
Hislop himself describes Private Eye a six pages of political satire and twenty more of pap. He’s adept at the self-depricating comment when it suits him, but the real founding talent that lay behind PE left years ago.
@Calgacus
Please let it be David Icke – we could do with a laugh!
Och, we aint seen nothing yet. An avalanche of this celeb shit is forthcoming.
Please stay to punish the poor, please stay to share all this wonderful austerity, please stay so you can keep trident, please stay so we can share the oil, please stay so you never get who you vote for most of the time, please stay and pay lords, please stay to fight on the front line of illegal wars.
I’ll tell you what wealthy celebs with their comfortable lives. Please stay in the Eastend of Glasgow for a week or Springburn with it’s 51% child poverty and tell them we’re better together and should stay.
How is it possible to listen to Lamont? I would really like to follow the FMQ, but it is impossible to watch her performances without painful embarrassment.
Why are SLAB not being pressured to provide their own plan for a currency if the vote is yes: it is the unionists parties’ problem because the SNP has a plan; albeit one I do not agree with.
every scot will be 25.000 quid better off without a currency union. alex salmond, 3 minutes ago. wow
My first thought when I saw some news about it was … who the fuck is David Bowie? So looked him up in Wiki and lo he is just another clapped out pop singer like the Beatles, and Rolling Stones. Jeez the English like their old geezers.
Very disappointed with you,rev.David Bowie says “stay with us” and you throw his kind invitation back in his face.Well I,for one,would love to go and stay with David.For a while.Its been pretty dreich here recently and the family could do with a break in the sun.Do you think he’ll fly us out Business Class?
“Very disappointed with you,rev.David Bowie says “stay with us” and you throw his kind invitation back in his face.Well I,for one,would love to go and stay with David.For a while.Its been pretty dreich here recently and the family could do with a break in the sun.Do you think he’ll fly us out Business Class?”
link to twitter.com
😀
Interesting that David Bowie’s/Kate Moss’s comments are being given so much airtime on all channels today. 40 years ago Paul McCartney had just left the biggest group the world has ever seen, (sorry, for the younger reader I should point out that it was The Beatles).
His first record was also a stab at political comment. Got to No 16 in the charts in the UK, No 20 in America if I remember right, yet most people have probably never heard of it. It was banned by the BBC and ITV and all comment on it was removed from the British press. TO THIS DAY it remains banned by all broadcasters in Britain.
The reason, having been ‘disgusted’ by the events of Bloody Sunday and the resultant press coverage, McCartney penned ‘ Give Ireland back to The Irish’. Now, I won’t enter into an argument over whether ‘Sound and Vision’ was better than ‘The Frog Chorus’ (lets be honest, it was) or indeed whether ‘Band on the run’ was better than anything ‘Tin Machine’ ever did (it just was), but it seems to me that if you’re a high profile musician who supports the establishment you receive plenty of press coverage, but if you support giving away a little bit of the empire you will be gagged like all the other plebs. Rant over I’m off to listen to Big Country sing ‘One Great Thing’. It could’ve been written for this debate.
The Krankies sing Starman. We’re better together.
link to dailymotion.com
£25 quid better off eh? So, I live in Scotland and work in England, if the currency in Scotland is weaker than the rUk Pound I (potentially) get paid in……will I be better off?
When did someone saying something on behalf of someone else become “news”?
Two love bombs in a fortnight. Wow, they really are trying to woo us!
(pity about the other 998 fear bombs and hate missiles that also came over).
Personally I like David Bowie’s music and he is of course entitled to his opinion.
However I think the independent’s story on the twitter reaction has really missed the point of the tweets in support. My reading of them is that they are all taking the pish.
link to archive.is
Maybe it’s how he actually feels, maybe he’s just fishing to get his name on the new years honours list. Don’t care.
Geoff Huijer says:
20 February, 2014 at 12:01 pm
I went to see Bowie at Murrayfield in 1983 (Think it was ’83).
Who was he playing for, England or Scotland?
There’s me standing at the bottom of the stairs next to Iman (his wife) with about 50 other people when he sang some great songs to us! When the show came off the air, he kept on going for another 30 mins! it was a great show. Annie Lennox was on just before and we all ended up in the pub on the other side of the road after.
[youtube link to youtube.com
link to youtu.be
Given that I am slightly tone deaf, I’ll be forwarding my comments on his musical career later today.
Scotland don`t leave us
mcdonalds-“have a nice day”
easy to say but soon forgotten
The BBC tried Osborne, that didn’t work, then Barroso, that didn’t work, and now….Bowie? Who next, the Chuckle Brothers.
Lamont was spitting venom at the FM today and had apparently been taking lessons from the world famous John M OBE of Herald fame by starting to repeat her copy an paste questions.
Slab has really got its claws into plan-B, Lamont today and Jenny Marra at the Economy Committee on Tuesday where she was clearly getting adjitated at not getting the answers (soundbites) that she wanted.
Both got put into their place by AS and NS/JS. 🙂
So celebrities are pleading with Scotland to stay in the Union eh. What will happen if we stay? The Barnett formula will almost certainly be scrapped, our public services will be privatised, and we will be locked into almost permanent austerity, with the added disadvantage of having no control over our own economy. Still at least we will keep the British establishment and their celebrity hangers on happy, at our continuing kneeling at their feet…
Dear David,
I am disappointed. I thought you were a real Rebel Rebel, but I suppose that is what Fame does to you. BT are Under Pressure this week, and so you had to help out. They certainly think you are a real Hero this morning and everything is Hunky Dory.
However, you may be unaware that Changes are coming. It’s too late for nice words. The Gene Genie is out of the bottle. There is no going back. Come September 19th, we will all be Dancing in the Street.
@Findlay Farquaharson
I postulated a theory a week ago on how you would convince an electorate to go with a plan B which was really always plan A. A way of showing just how disreputable and tight knit Westminster becomes when on the losing side of an argument. I was having a difference of opinion with some lad online, convinced that no other options had been considered. Getting hacked off I decided to have a bit of fun. I said if you wanted to sell such a radical idea to the Scottish electorate, what better way than have the combined weight of the Westminster parties slap the electorates own preference away out of hand. You can of course always say you tried to put their case forward, but unfortunately folks you see the response. Then follow this up by outlining some of the benefits to be had from the other options available. Slowly at first until the public themselves demanded a change of tack. Had a laugh thought nothing more of it.
Now frankly I did this to wind up the lad who obviously couldn’t be bothered to read the fiscal commission report or the white paper. More jest than anything, but now… 😉
I dare say there will be more of this pleading from celebrities, and it’s going to get very uncomfortable to watch, like witnessing someone lying on the ground, grabbing someone’s leg and shouting “PLEASE… DON’T LEAVE ME!!!!”
I mean come on, get a bit of self-respect, rUK. You can survive fine without us. We’re only going up the road – you can still come and visit whenever you like.
Which David next?
David Icke – that would be weird.
And the next David love bomber is?
STARKEY!..:-)
I’m glad the British media have had the good taste not to mention whatsoever David Bowie’s seeming former support for fascism. Such uncomfortable truths have no place in the referendum campaign. The same can’t be said about the virus of Scottish independence though.
Just checking
link to wingsoverscotland.com
And my reply to Bowie,s shite ,Ive got another 2000 YES paper,s
to fold,catch up again later.
Just battered off a couple of FOI requests to the BBC asking how many have in Scotland have cancelled their licences between
01/06/2013 – today
01/01/2013 – 2014
01/01/2009 – 2010
Has anyone else gone down this road and am I just wasting my time etc?
Thanks
Sorry, dates should have read
01/06/2013 – 20/02/2014
01/01/2013 – 01/01/2014
01/01/2009 – 01/01/2010
As our English cousins would say “bollocks”.
@ Macart
Your “theory” holds some merit – isn’t it exactly what AS did over Devo Max/Single Question debate
🙂
@ Everybody else
I have solved the “missing posts” quirk, by moving from Explorer to Firefox
“I have solved the “missing posts” quirk, by moving from Explorer to Firefox”
PEOPLE WERE STILL USING INTERNET EXPLORER?
OK OK but let’s all be heroes just for one day on 18 Sep
and how about this version –
link to youtu.be
– which came about because R Fripp was on the Bowie recording
Sometimes God smiles
It does stink of desperation. They are determined to only print stories in favour of the unionist side and there’s a lot of space to fill in the void of any good news for them. I’d imagine this would be carefully swept under the carpet if he’d expressed support for Yes Scotland instead, just as they ignore or bury other pro-Yes events and stories or ones that portray Better Together in a bad light.
Well, that’ll be me love bombed then. Thank you David Bowie. Ye hae tae laff but, eh?
Hootsman running with nasty cybernats comments on Bowie but still no mention of Bowie’s well recorded flirtation with fascism and fascist imagery in the 1970s.
link to muhistory.com
Imagine the outcry in media if someone with this background backed a Yes Vote. Their previous political allegiances would be dragged out ad nauseam.
Pictures of his Nazi salute and praise for Hitler would dominate the airways for days.
@ luigi
Good one!
i must find out what iggy pops view is on patagonian sheep fencing, after all its every bit as important as bowies latest faux pas.
i hope the hootsmon will run an article on mr pop for aforementioned opinion just like they have done for his pal on scottish independence.
“PEOPLE WERE STILL USING INTERNET EXPLORER?”
So the legends say. It is said they dwell in the regions of the maps where they draw dragons.
And for those unfortunate enough to have missed GMS this morning, don’t worry: there’s another dose scheduled for Newsdrive Scotland at 16.00.
Aye, just four words, not spoken by Bowie, but so powerful in their impact – I’m just heading for the bank to cancel my licence fee. Thanks David/Kate, and hopefully a few thousand more will finally realise that the Beeb is beyond redemption by the way they have handled this non-news “item”.
Journo’s went round the stars last night asking for comments on Scotland’s Referendum and all they could manage was what appeared to be an add on to Bowies note, which it probably was. BBC and the No camp are struggling
Scotsman blocking all references to Bowie’s flirtation with fascism and his admiration for Hitler.
I use WIN 7, Firefox, Kaspersky Internet Security (very good!).
Apart from having to type my name in now and again I don’t have any real problems.
Refresh works as it should.
The up and down buttons at bottom right I don’t need cos I have them anyway on the keyboard.
If it’s any help, I’ll declare my solidarity with those being punished 😉 and say:
Blair MacDougals willy
Just back from the toon in the bus and two old dears sitting behind me (no voters) wittered on about how great Bowie’s intervention was, they were fair delighted, and it was “on the BBC too”! This was followed by how dare yon Sean Connery and yon Annie Lennox tell us to vote YES “they dinnae even live here”. Mmmmm, something missing in that thought chain I mussed, as I pulled my beany hat down over my ears.
I have noticed in recent BBC political programmes that presenters are at pains to mention that the BBC is impartial.
Sounds a bit like ” I am a proud Scot but….”
Keep up the pressure on BBC bias lads coz its obviously getting through to them.
Where was the headline coverage of Billy Bragg’s support for independence or of the death threats received by Natalie McGarry during the Cowdenbeath by election.
Agree with this comment on our supine press.
Backlash against Main Stream journalism
http://www.journalism.co.uk/news-commentary/part-2–the-backlash-against-the-mainstream-in-scotland-/s6/a555870/
Not really qualified to speak about Bowie’s music since I have never ( voluntarily) listened to his music, though I am of that era. I have always been a dissident, listening to classical music and jazz. I don’t really see people like Bowie as ever having been ” rebels “. I was a bit of a rebel because I had to listen to classical music in secret as a teenager. Try telling other teenagers then or now that you would rather listen to Bach or Handel and witness the intolerance!
So I have never bought into the idea that Bowie or his ilk have anything particularly original to say. Whenever they do express their views publicly they are usually banal. As far as I can see, just like other entertainers, they go where the money takes them and when wealthy, have little in common with other people, just like Bowie. It doesn’t surprise me that a pop singer, having been rich for most of his life, should come out sounding like a sentimental old Tory. I’ve never understood the cult of celebrity especially when it gives so much attention to their pronouncements which are usually trite and jejune.
However, we could do with more satirical comedy. On the whole, the popular stand-up comedians don’t really do satire nowadays. What passes for satire is usually laughing at the poor or people who shop in Lidl. The current era of politics is wide open for satire but none of the present crop really take them on. We could do with a Bill Hicks. Frankie Boyle is a notable exception but seems to have been side-lined.
Genuine question: has Bowie ever expressed an opinion on anything to do with Scotland ever before?
They’ve certainly jumped the (^^^) on this one.
Try again.
They’ve certainly jumped the (^^^) on this one.
Oh well, the shark emoticon doesn’t work.
Made a few enquiries – Bowie’s terse plea was well calculated.
He will expect to be rewarded…
Rise, Sir david!
As ever, I don’t mind David Bowie putting forward his position on the referendum if he so wishes. I just wish we could get a bit of consistency from BT, who constantly carp on about Sean Connery & Alan Cumming’s comments despite them “not even having a vote.” Either everyone’s comments outside of Scotland are welcome, or none are.
@David Mulrine: Interesting that David Bowie’s/Kate Moss’s comments are being given so much airtime on all channels today.
It amazes me that so we’re getting all these comments and airtime from four words. “Give Ireland back to The Irish” was at least a whole song that’s word count ran into the double digits: Bowie’s only said FOUR WORDS.
In a way, it’s somewhat ingenious: when you have Bowie say something that seems fairly strongly pro-Union without actually going out of its way to say “Vote No on 18th September,” you can spin it however you like. In addition, you can’t dismiss it entirely as cringing & cliches like the Barrowman Address, nor can you actually blast holes in the argument like Spiteri’s statements.
No, this really is the perfect endorsement for the No campaign: practically no substance, optimum ambiguity-to-support ratio, not even given in person to read inflection or the possibility of questioning & asking for clarification, have the actual words spoken by another celeb so we can infer Kate Moss’ tacit approval of Unionism.
I wondered why he didn’t do a video acceptance like so many others do, but it’s quite interesting that he didn’t, and had another UK celeb speak for him.
I note that James Naughtie this morning explicitly said it was FIVE words, and tacked a “please” on to it. He castigated some hapless twitterer who objected to Bowie “ordering” us what to do, saying “he didn’t order, he said please.”
Did he?