Thatcher has died

What's the betting that Tony Blair is taking notes of all that is going on as he plans for the future?

I thought this piece was both entertaining and thought provoking
www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/apr/14/thatcher-is-dead-but-who-reinvented-her-life?INTCMP=SRCH

I'm glad we all agree on the media now. I hope we can bear that in mind in future when we quote newspapers.

Greatnan I'd also stupidly thought that Hull and its surroundings were dreadful - only from what I've seen on TV, because I've never been there.

But a friend of mine visits that area of the country quite frequently and told me that, like any town, some of it is lovely and some isn't, and also there are some very nice places nearby.

A few months ago I saw a documentary about a large housing estate in Blackburn where it appeared all the families were dysfunctional. People living there wrote to the paper afterwards, very offended that the place where they lived had been depicted in such a way and refuting the idea that all its residents were anti-social layabouts.

The media are very good at picking and choosing aren't they VQ ?

I liked the centre of Hull and its civic buildings but it is always portrayed as a ghastly town. It has a good university. It is true that unemployment is very high, though.
Which idiot MP was it who got himself photoshopped into a photo? It just isn't true that the camera, whether still or video, never lies.

It happens all the time. When the city I live near was found to be the worst place to live in the UK by a certain Channel 4 programme a few years ago they chose the worst places to record and used shots and camera angles that made the city look run down and uncared for. They didn't go to any of the numerous places that show the city at it's best. Also they showed interviews with people who were negative about the city but didn't show any of the positive interviews. They also described a lovely river as 'dirty brown'. I don't deny it's brown. It runs over a clay and sand bed. What colour would it be? But it's definitely not dirty. If it was then it wouldn't be full of fish.

There is no doubt that like all cities this city has some run down and unloved areas but the vast majority of the city is thriving. It has a full range of shops from department stores to small independents, several cinemas, two theatres, a range of free museums, an art gallery that recently had a Da Vinci exhibition, a concert hall, two rugby teams and a (fingers crossed) soon to be premier league football team. It is 30 minutes from the coast with beautiful sandy beaches and 60 minutes from the Yorkshire Dales and the North Yorkshire Moors. Unemployment is a problem but that's not unusual in the UK atm.

I know this sounds like an advert for the city but it goes to show that the Channel 4 programme showed what it wanted to show in order to prove it's point and that is exactly what the media do when reporting.

I'm only going by what I saw on the TV. But possibly you're right - that's what they did in Iraq didn't they - when the Sadam Hussein statue was pulled down.

POGS yes, I saw the reality of that too. I do feel sorry for the police standing around. Tourists were bemused tonight so maybe it provides a bit of entertainment.

Sel

It was a good ploy used during the 'camp' outside St Pauls. When you saw the aerial view of the area covered it was pretty small. It stood out a mile though how angle shots came into play.

If the end product didn't have such a potential to cause trouble it would be laughable.

Quite interesting I checked the BBC news online and exactly what you've said is true POGS about camera angles. The reporter actually mentioned hordes of people. Laughable. There weren't. Hoards of police for sure. Last Saturday there was a pillow fight in Trafalgar Square - there were more people bashing pillows than bashing Margaret Thatcher.

Eloethan

The media is always being chastised for it's 'prolific stretching of the truth' on GN.

Have you ever watched 'Drop the Dead Donkey'. It shows you in a comedic way how they position camera angles, pay people to do what they say, use shots to try and make it look like hoards of people are gathering.

The best ever was during, I think it was a Palestinian fight. They showed a picture of some men carrying a stretcher with a man on it, who looked as if he was dead. They hit the stretcher on the open door of the ambulance and he fell off. He didn't lie there, he got up and rubbed his head and they all walked off!. That's the 'Drop The Dead Donkey' tactic. Look out for it, you might see it, you see the same face but from different angles, it's an illusion trick.

Hmmmm. so that makes me what Eloethan? I have photos on my phone so could upload if you doubt what I said. This was about 8.30-9pm. Maybe the Millwall fans arrived later.

*Sel" That's funny. The reporter on the London News this evening said that Trafalgar Square was full.

Thanks Ana and j0

Just as a little ps to this thread, which hopefully has died a death, I was passing through Trafalgar Square this evening about 8.30pm expecting to fight my way through thousands of anti Thatcher demonstrators, there was a rather pathetic turnout, I imagine less than a hundred youngsters; maybe it was the rain. Remembering the IRA campaign and being involved in one bomb and close to two others, seeing the Irish flag being waved sort of put these people in perspective. Chatting to a policewoman, we agreed, wet was good. I hope Wednesday is as peaceful.

Anno I don't know if someone reported it, I thought possibly HQ deleted of their own accord.

Presumably someone must have reported it.

Sel

I did n' t see it, but I'm glad you weren't upset by it Sel

I did see it earlier this morning . It referred to me but the content neither suprised or upset me.

Greatnan I don't know about important but it was perspicacious.

Don't worry Pogs, I can't remember what it was myself! I posted something then went out for a long walk and now it has gone. It can't have been important though.

Wish I had seen it. I dislike posts being deleted as I have repeatedly said. How can we judge for ourselves or defend ourselves when it happens.

Message deleted by Gransnet for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

Happy Anniversary, butty