sorry for double post - capchta. I missed this one:

http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/1bn_subsea_cable_will_supply_england_s_needs_1_2122495

261 miles of subsea HVDC cable with 2GW capacity + new pumped storage scheme + a new 1.8GW offshore wind farm by Tiree + millions of smart meters. Where is the money going to come from?

Three energy related stories in the Scotsman:

http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/no_fracking_link_to_water_contamination_say_experts_1_2121630

http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/lord_lawson_offers_fuel_poverty_advice_to_peers_1_2121639

http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/scottish_and_southern_energy_s_800m_vision_for_hydro_dam_in_great_glen_1_2121666

I think the latter (plans for a new 800MW pumped storage scheme on Loch Lochy) is welcome. It will cost much more than the £800million suggested. and it won't be enough to balance the existing wind capacity (4GW) we have in Scotland, let alone the 10GW that is planned. But is it more sensible than even more prayer wheels and sinking ducks.

Three energy related stories in the Scotsman:

http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/no_fracking_link_to_water_contamination_say_experts_1_2121630

http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/lord_lawson_offers_fuel_poverty_advice_to_peers_1_2121639

http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/scottish_and_southern_energy_s_800m_vision_for_hydro_dam_in_great_glen_1_2121666

I think the latter (plans for a new 800MW pumped storage scheme on Loch Lochy) is welcome. It will cost much more than the £800million suggested. and it won't be enough to balance the existing wind capacity (4GW) we have in Scotland, let alone the 10GW that is planned. But is it more sensible than even more prayer wheels and sinking ducks.

Barry, this was reported as a 'scoop' by the Independent on Saturday 11th Feb 2011:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/bbc-to-issue-global-apology-for-documentaries-that-broke-rules-6719997.html

It is odd that no other papers (or the Bish?) picked it up. The comment by Kim Hopkins (currently on page 11 if 'oldest first') who is a programme maker suggests there will be more revelations to come:

"Firstly, I'm a huge fan of the BBC. However, having made several programmes for BBC World News, i'm afraid this was a crisis waiting to happen. The lack of funding forces production companies to cosy up with a myriad of organisations, NGO's, government departments etc, not necessary for hard cash, but favor in kind, this along with hiring production staff on pretty much minimum wages is a recipe for disaster. Watch this space, there will be more revelations to come. Conflicts of interest are bound to happen with this recipe of production aspiration and not enough funding."

Has anyone got the energy? (comment at WUWT)

------------------

Anthony

With regard to the BBC (Black) and Guardian (Hickman and others) is it worth you sending an advisory memo to the Leveson inquiry.

http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/

We’re interested in hearing from professionals and the public with
information and examples in response to the specific questions below.
Your answers may be considered as potential evidence to the inquiry.

The issue of stories that attract a high degree of press attention but
subsequently turn out to be false was raised at the seminars. The
Inquiry would be interested in submissions from editors, reporters and
subjects of such stories – why they occur (what are the pressures that
drive press interest), and how they occur (what checks and balances
are or should be in place to stop this happening and why do they
sometimes not operate)?

From below, worth posting in full?

The BBC has been forced to broadcast an apology to about 74 million people all over the world for “a news fixing scandal,” The Independent revealed.

The BBC broadcast some documentaries made by FBC Media, a London TV company, which earned millions of pounds from PR clients featured in the programs.

The paper disclosed last year that the BBC paid small fees of as low as £1 for the programs of FBC media, whose list of PR client enclosed several foreign governments and multinational firms. In one case, the company received £17 million from Malaysian government to make programs that contained the positive coverage of Malaysia's highly controversial palm oil industry.

The BBC also broadcast another FBC documentary entitled as “Third Eye: Egypt” about the revolutionary uprising in Egypt, warning that the country might be ruled by extremists.

The BBC Trust's Editorial Standards Committee conducted a probe into BBC World News, revealing it had committed 15 breaches of editorial guidelines. Eight of the breaches were related to the FBC pieces made for the government of Malaysia. The trust stressed that the breaches were “serious” and “went to the heart of the BBC’s international reputation and risked undermining the editorial integrity of its output.”

The apology, broadcast four times by BBC World News, directly referred to the FBC programs, saying, "In the case of eight other programs, all of which featured Malaysia, we found that the production company which made the programs appeared to have a financial relationship with the Malaysian government. This meant there was a potential conflict of interest, though the BBC was not aware of it when the programs were broadcast."

"Editorial integrity is the highest priority for BBC World News, which is why we apologize for these breaches of our normal standards," the apology concluded.

Analysts criticized the British media for imposing a blackout over the BBC’s apology, believing the story of the BBC’s secretly funded documentaries would raise the question of the integrity of programs broadcasted by the UK media and would be regarded as another stain on the reputation of the British media business.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226722.html

not seen it reported anuywhere else :(

Thanks, matthu. I thought they might have to enter pleas at this stage, but apparently not until they reach Crown Court in a couple of weeks. Jarndyce and Jarndyce come to mind...

Yes. The pair tried to get away with sitting in the main section of the court but were ordered into the dock by the judge ... the case has been sent to Southwark Crown Court on March 2 and both defendants were released on unconditional bail.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9086073/Chris-Huhne-and-ex-wife-ordered-into-dock.html

Anyone know how Huhne's court appearance is going? He's in a spot if Vicky Pryce pleads guilty..

Hmmm Lucia has banned me from The Blackboard which I think may be an error, being a "bear of very little brain" I rarely post at the site although I am a regular reader. Has this happened to anyone else or is it just me?

I know she reads this site so a plea for reinstatement........