Thursday, July 9, 2009

Rupert Murdoch, the Guardian, the News of the World and the art and science of knowing nothing


(Above: oberfeldwebel Hans Georg Schultz serial number 23781 - John Banner. "I hear nothing. I see nothing. I now nothing!" or "I know nothing - NOTHING!")

RUPERT MURDOCH OWNS SLEAZY GRUBBY NEST OF SPIES

Oh goody goody gumdrops, that felt good.

Not like the old days of course. Blogger has a limited palette. No, nothing like the days when a two inch header wasn't big enough. Back then I loved a header that was big and bold and brave. Give me some men, stout hearted men. Six, nine, twelve inches. Whatever you've got. Shout it from the rooftops stuff.

Sorry mild delirium there.

I know you know all about it already - and if you don't, chuff off to The Guardian's story Murdoch papers paid £1m to gag phone-hacking victims.

Of course Mr. Murdoch says he knows nothing. 

I know nothing, he allegedly told Bloombergs news, which of course will immediately remind you of the Know Nothing movement (which has its own Wikipedia page here). When a member of the Native American Party was asked about its activities, he was supposed to reply "I know nothing."

Oh alright, you pop culture nerds. Go on, strut about, do your Hogan's Heroes fake German imitation. I know nothink, mein herr.

I guess you can apply that to readers of News Corp papers now. When asked about the activities of the tabloid rag News of the World, they'll be able to say "I know nothing."

We've already had the 'it's only one rotten apple in a barrel of fresh food' defence, as deployed during the Iraq war endless times by the Bush administration, but here's hoping it keeps on keeping on in other news media.

Meantime, practise that look into camera. The only thing I know is that I know nothing ... and get out your know nothing soap so that you can wash out your know nothing mouth ...



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