Buy

Books
Click images for more details

Twitter
Support

 

Recent comments
Recent posts
Currently discussing
Links

A few sites I've stumbled across recently....

Powered by Squarespace
« The power of laughter | Main | What's all this then? »
Sunday
Sep112011

'Let's Kick Climate Change Denial Out of Football' campaign

Football fans who make offensive chants about wind turbines could face stiff jail sentences under plans by the government and the Football Association to ‘get tough’ with climate change deniers.

Read the whole thing here.

PrintView Printer Friendly Version

Reader Comments (43)

George Orwell anyone?

I don't think we should joke about such things.....they might come true!!

;-)

Sep 11, 2011 at 6:39 PM | Unregistered CommenterArgusfreak

A cracking piece of irony.

It's not 1 April is it?

Sep 11, 2011 at 6:43 PM | Unregistered CommenterDougS

When people see their energy bills double in the next few years, they will be tearing down the wind turbines themselves.
You can shaft some of the people some of the time but you cannot shaft all of the people all of the time.

Sep 11, 2011 at 6:51 PM | Unregistered CommenterCinbadthesailor

At the same site, I also laughed at this about one of the ubiquitous requests to do something which has minimal effect. Not that wasting paper is a good thing, but I think the primary effect is to reassure that one is doing something helpful. Much as ordering a diet Coke with one's Big Mac.

And in a similar satirical vein, a complaint by DECC about rendition.

Sep 11, 2011 at 7:05 PM | Unregistered CommenterHaroldW

Just to make sure everybody gets it and nobody comes on and makes an arse of themselves, Newsbiscuit is a spoof news website and this is a joke.

Meanwhile, I have been working outdoors today on what I would call a very typical mid September day judging by the previous fifty three Septembers that I've seen.

Sep 11, 2011 at 7:08 PM | Unregistered CommenterStonyground

That's hilarious. See the sidebar: "Farmers to be forced to clean up after their cows".

Sep 11, 2011 at 7:15 PM | Unregistered Commenterace

I prefer their 'Bins to be collected just once a year' article.

Sep 11, 2011 at 7:18 PM | Unregistered CommenterPharos

Thanks to that article I can now add a new ditty to my repertoire!

Sep 11, 2011 at 7:19 PM | Unregistered Commentermatthu

Cartoonists dream come true, absolutely hilarious!

Sep 11, 2011 at 7:58 PM | Unregistered CommenterJosh

About time too! Now we can get cracking on banning pork pies at matches because if we don't eat pigs, there will be less porcine flatulence to cause global warming. Coke and Pepsi are out too, as all the carbon dioxide which is in those drinks has to be belched out, which not only discomfits the guy in front of you, but endangers the planet. Beer's OK, though. On second thoughts, perhaps not, 'cos brewing generates carbon dioxide. We really ought to stop calling it carbon dioxide, you know, and adopt the BBC terminology of 'dangerous carbon' just to make sure we get the message across. Tally ho crusaders!

Sep 11, 2011 at 7:58 PM | Unregistered CommenterPot Black

Anything on "climate denial pornography"? An example might be a "news photo" of, say, Michael Clark Duncan or other big bruiser dressed up as a priest, giving backhanded wedgies to a group of scuttling delinquents caught smoking behind the rectory, and passing around scandalous skeptical literature (such as the Kiehl-Trenberth Energy Budget with grotesque genitals drawn over the backradiation). What else is official insanity good for but to laugh at publicly?

Sep 11, 2011 at 8:17 PM | Unregistered CommenterHarry Dale Huffman

Even I'm laughing.

Sep 11, 2011 at 8:17 PM | Unregistered CommenterBBD

As an American, it is a little hard for me to know if this is a British humor spoof article or not.


Is it just a spoof?


C'mon, targeting footballers venting on wind turbines or sea levels? You could be restricted from being critical of machines or the oceans? Us Yanks are bizarre sometimes and now with this are the Brits too?


John

Sep 11, 2011 at 8:22 PM | Unregistered CommenterJohn Whitman

It has actually begun. Dale Vince of Ecotricity has banned red meat for players and fans at Forest Green Rovers, the club he also owns.

Mr Vince is a Vegan.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-12416671

Sep 11, 2011 at 8:39 PM | Unregistered CommenterPeterJ

BBD

Me too!

But It's worse than we thought - the Met Office's local team (Exeter FC) is sponsored by Flybe - an airline!!! How have we let this happen? Our reputation as eco-warriors intent on bringing the country to its knees by destroying modern life will be in tatters....!

:-)

Sep 11, 2011 at 8:41 PM | Unregistered CommenterRichard Betts

What a cracking site! My favourite newsbiscuit article (so far) below:

"Homeopathic leak threatens catastrophe

An accidental release of highly dilute homeopathic waste from a research institute in Swindon has led to calls for the centre to be shut down.

Plant operators have admitted responsibility for massive safety blunders after a spilled drop of an enormously dilute test product was cleaned by a caretaker, and in complete disregard of all safety procedures, allowed to enter the water system after he emptied his mop bucket down the drain."

Who says you couldn't make it up?!

Sep 11, 2011 at 8:56 PM | Unregistered CommenterA Lovell

Richard Betts

Heh! Funnier still. Welcome light relief, at last.

Sep 11, 2011 at 9:13 PM | Unregistered CommenterBBD

A Lovell: Homeopathic methods can be proved conclusively by science. If you take a concentrated solution of diHydrogen Oxide, and make sequential dilutions, even at extreme dilution the solution retains all the properties of the original :)

Sep 11, 2011 at 9:14 PM | Unregistered CommenterCumbrian Lad

Cumbrian Lad, diHydrogen Oxide, really potent stuff, some say it even regulates climate, but, huh, what do they know.

Sep 11, 2011 at 9:39 PM | Unregistered CommenterJosh

Check out the environment section... - inspired stuff..
http://www.newsbiscuit.com/category/environment/


http://www.newsbiscuit.com/2010/12/11/tense-un-climate-talks-reach-agreement-on-next-venue/

http://www.newsbiscuit.com/2008/07/25/ryanairs-oleary-revealed-to-be-greenpeace-activist-325/

The politics and sci/tech sections are good fun as well.

Sep 11, 2011 at 9:51 PM | Unregistered CommenterBarry Woods

This is reminiscent of the Dihydrogen monoxide hoax.

Sep 11, 2011 at 9:53 PM | Unregistered Commenterpesadia

John Whitman

I'm guessing you'll have guessed by now, but yes, it's that odd British humour in action ;-)

Sep 11, 2011 at 10:17 PM | Unregistered CommenterBBD

And what if a political party took a public stance against climate change and printed banners criticizing the monetary waste on unreliable wind power?

Sep 11, 2011 at 10:18 PM | Unregistered CommenterDrcrinum

You can kill everybody on the planet with one bucket of dihydrogen monoxide. It's more dangerous than plutonium.

Sep 11, 2011 at 10:19 PM | Unregistered CommenterPhillip Bratby

Thanks for pointing to me to such a wonderful site Bish. Pure satirical gold! :-)

Sep 11, 2011 at 10:22 PM | Unregistered CommenterPaulH from Barcelona

@Philip

And yes in it's gaseous form it is an extremely powerful greenhouse gas. I think it should be banned.

Sep 11, 2011 at 10:27 PM | Unregistered CommenterFrederick Bloggsworth

Frederick Bloggsworth

It might get a bit chilly ;-)

Sep 11, 2011 at 10:43 PM | Unregistered CommenterBBD

Ok, the fact that I thought for a moment this might be serious probably says something about my gullibility. But that is not the entire explanation.

Sep 11, 2011 at 10:46 PM | Unregistered Commenterben

No doubt the FA will be making a contribution to AR5, lets face it, anybody can.

Or, send a delegation to another English debacle, in South Africa - this time Durban COP17 jamboree and bun fight.

And no, I am not joking, the FA know FA about Football, they'd be perfect for a spot of climate change science meddling - in IPCC territory - all the way.

How funny is that?

Sep 11, 2011 at 11:41 PM | Unregistered CommenterAthelstan

I got half way before I realised it was a spoof. Too close to reality. But what a great site.

Sep 11, 2011 at 11:56 PM | Unregistered CommenterWoodsy42

Beautifully done! As a North American, I'm proud to say I wasn't fooled at all. Still, all the same, the hairs stood up on the back of my neck thinking about what could happen.

Sep 12, 2011 at 1:39 AM | Unregistered CommenterSteve E

It is a familiar message that has paid off, according to a joint conference of climatologists and laundry-scientists held in Philadelphia last week.
...
The accumulated carefulness of millions of travellers over twenty years has reversed global warming and seen an end to rising sea levels.
...
‘It really should come as no surprise’ says Dick Fentiman, Vice President of the Green Innkeepers Group. Care for our guests – with great weekend deals for families, chocolates on pillows, complementary bar snacks and affordable prostitutes – is as important as care for the planet.

From

http://www.newsbiscuit.com/2011/09/09/responsible-hotel-towel-use-has-solved-world-climate-crisis-say-experts/

Sep 12, 2011 at 2:27 AM | Unregistered CommenterShub

Looks like this website is changing its character away from being a serious climate sceptic blog. The alarm bells rang for me when so many happily discussed rubber ducks for page after page. When I contemplate the despoliation of the countryside and the rocketing cost of energy I see no reason for such light relief. Are we in denial of what's happening?

Sep 12, 2011 at 5:20 AM | Unregistered Commentersimon abingdon

I'm rather fond of this one myself:

http://www.newsbiscuit.com/2011/09/01/concern-over-carbon-offsetting-as-forest-envelops-brixton/

Sep 12, 2011 at 5:56 AM | Unregistered CommenterJEM

I feel sorry for you, Simon Abingdon, if you cannot approach life in all its facets with humour. Being terminally serious could be, well, terminal. Since you cannot stop the despoilation of the countryside nor the rocketing price of energy, you'd be better off developing a sense of humour rather than fretting about them.

Sep 12, 2011 at 7:53 AM | Unregistered CommenterDocBud

Simon .... Laughter is the best sunlight for extremism of anykind

Sep 12, 2011 at 8:08 AM | Unregistered CommenterBarry Woods

I knew it was a joke when it referred to Spain as a leader in anything.

Sep 12, 2011 at 8:38 AM | Unregistered CommenterVin Charles

Simon I have to agree with others humour is a relief valve for all the 'we are all going to die ' reports and wall to wall greenish news spin , plus be fair one or to silly posts in no way detracts from the many serious ones on here !.
Mr Betts considering the hundreds of millions oil giants and corporations push into green wash and green research I wouldn't worry about ego-warriors reputations! maybe more about their inability to get that our 'dirty oil money ' is the same as their 'dirty oil money ' !

Sep 12, 2011 at 8:58 AM | Unregistered Commenterzx

I have to admit to being an author of a Newsbiscuit headline story a few years ago. I should look it up in the archives....

Sep 12, 2011 at 9:12 AM | Unregistered CommenterTheBigYinJames

@John Whitman, "Is it a spoof?".
No it is not!
In response to one of the coldest, miserable summers we have ever had, every household in the UK has just received government leaflet warning that, from next month, irresponsible climate change denial could be a criminal offence.
This TV advert from the Ministry of Information explains.

Sep 12, 2011 at 10:50 AM | Unregistered CommenterBomber_the_Cat

Excellent. I'd never heard of Newsbiscuit before. I like The DailyMash in general, but its a bit too eco-warrior sometimes. This is much better!

Sep 12, 2011 at 2:19 PM | Unregistered CommenterFarleyR

OK. A spoof.


It is too well done. Now some idiot is going to have Al Gore promote a paper about the FA idea through some NGO. Then some climate scientist at the IPCC will decide to include it in AR5 as acceptable gray literature with cite to NewsBisquit. Just wait . . . .

[funny?]

John

Sep 12, 2011 at 5:32 PM | Unregistered CommenterJohn Whitman

JW: As an American, it is a little hard for me to know if this is a British humor spoof article or not.

Is it just a spoof?

C'mon, targeting footballers venting on wind turbines or sea levels? You could be restricted from being critical of machines or the oceans? Us Yanks are bizarre sometimes and now with this are the Brits too?

Yes, a spoof. It looks like they took the FA campaign to stamp out racism in football and worked the spoof around that. From what little I know of American sporting events it may not make much sense but chants/songs in English football grounds have no bounds.

Sep 12, 2011 at 9:20 PM | Unregistered Commenter3x2

PostPost a New Comment

Enter your information below to add a new comment.

My response is on my own website »
Author Email (optional):
Author URL (optional):
Post:
 
Some HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong>