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peterbirksKind of a "no shit sherlock?" morning for the newspapers, isn't it? Nothing so wonderful/sickening/depressing as watching the media whip itself into an unheard-of degree of moral outrage about something they either don't understand or which they should have know was coming anyway.
But, well, maybe the media just reflects the population at large on these two. First the News of the World "exposes" the fact that the Pakistan cricket team is subject to certain external influences. Considering the fact that members of the Pakistan cricket team have been stomped on for this at least twice since 2001, this is a genuine "no shit, sherlock" and immediately goes on the Birks "no shit, sherlock" "honours board" for the month.
This seems to tie in with some British view of sport that it is "different". So, players are expected to play for their country for "pride", even though they are professionals. They are not meant to be subject to external financial influences because, even though they are professionals, at heart it is a "game". And, although cheating in business is expected, cheating in games for financial reasons is, well, morally wrong. Luckily, in this instance, it is also illegal. Wouldn't it be nice if a dive to get a penalty was a criminal offence under some kind of "attempt to gain a pecuniary advantage by deception" law? After all, if staying in the Premiership is worth a million quid to a player, surely attempting to deceive the referee in such a fashion qualifies as some kind of criminal financial offence?
The second appearance on the NSS hounours board for the month is (a) the announcement that NHS Direct will go the way of the dodo and (b) the outrage from the general population, let alone Labour politicians. I said that this would happen the second any cuts became "real" rather than "hypothetical", and so it comes to pass.
Radio 5 got a chap who used NHS Direct to explain why it was a useful service -- his main argument appeared to be that it saved him embarrassment when discussing a "personal" condition. Hmm, I think that even the Beeb might have found a better case for keeping NHS Direct alive.
I'm not sure how many times people will have to be told this, but the argument that "it does a useful service" just isn't good enough. The arguments that "it saves money in the long run" or that "it's an investment for the future" also don't cut the mustard. We are in the total shit here. We have been spending money that we haven't got on "useful" services for decades (think January and February when Homer was mayor of Springfield, before the money ran out). Yes, NHS Direct is a very nice thing to have. It's a very useful service. It does very good things for lots of people. None of which, I fear to say, matters a toss at the moment. Because we haven't got any money. I'm amazed that there aren't people on the right actually arguing that the NHS is a luxury that we can no longer afford. Because, well, that's really how serious the situation is.
And we really are getting into the situation where we have to say things as bad as "life expectancy in this country has been extended by spending money that we haven't got". In other words, some adults have lived longer and, yes, some children have survived, at the expense of future adults' life expectancy and future children's survival. That's how much we have borrowed from the future.
When the situation is put as starkly as that, NHS Direct appears rather less of an absolutely vital service. Think intensive care units for new-born babies being closed. Think halving the number of ambulances on the streets. Think really bad shit like that.
No-one likes being the bringer of bad news. No-one ever gets thanked for telling people harsh truths. That's because people are in the main still not bright enough to realize that the person bringing the bad news is not by definition the person who made the bad news happen. And people like even less to be told "the reason that this is happening is all your fault, because if you didn't retire at 60 with an inflation-proofed pension, if you had carried on being a productive member of society, then perhaps NHS Direct would still be a luxury that we could afford. But you didn't, you thought that after a mere 40 years work that entitled you to 40 years of non-work. Well, sorry guv, but the numbers don't add up." Instead, they have to say that it's the fault of the banks, big business, "wasteful" government spending (whatever that is -- I'm sure that there isn't a single government expense that some group, somewhere, will tell you is absolutely vital).
Even Boris Johnson doesn't seem able to cope with these harsh realities. Crossrail, properly functioning underground trains, anything that smacks of investment for the future, is probably doomed. For a decade or so it's a matter of immediate return, not a "comfortable society". Like I say, we've spent away our right to comfort. I just would have hoped that we would have been a bit more realistic about the fact than the Greeks. Apparently not.
________________
But, well, maybe the media just reflects the population at large on these two. First the News of the World "exposes" the fact that the Pakistan cricket team is subject to certain external influences. Considering the fact that members of the Pakistan cricket team have been stomped on for this at least twice since 2001, this is a genuine "no shit, sherlock" and immediately goes on the Birks "no shit, sherlock" "honours board" for the month.
This seems to tie in with some British view of sport that it is "different". So, players are expected to play for their country for "pride", even though they are professionals. They are not meant to be subject to external financial influences because, even though they are professionals, at heart it is a "game". And, although cheating in business is expected, cheating in games for financial reasons is, well, morally wrong. Luckily, in this instance, it is also illegal. Wouldn't it be nice if a dive to get a penalty was a criminal offence under some kind of "attempt to gain a pecuniary advantage by deception" law? After all, if staying in the Premiership is worth a million quid to a player, surely attempting to deceive the referee in such a fashion qualifies as some kind of criminal financial offence?
The second appearance on the NSS hounours board for the month is (a) the announcement that NHS Direct will go the way of the dodo and (b) the outrage from the general population, let alone Labour politicians. I said that this would happen the second any cuts became "real" rather than "hypothetical", and so it comes to pass.
Radio 5 got a chap who used NHS Direct to explain why it was a useful service -- his main argument appeared to be that it saved him embarrassment when discussing a "personal" condition. Hmm, I think that even the Beeb might have found a better case for keeping NHS Direct alive.
I'm not sure how many times people will have to be told this, but the argument that "it does a useful service" just isn't good enough. The arguments that "it saves money in the long run" or that "it's an investment for the future" also don't cut the mustard. We are in the total shit here. We have been spending money that we haven't got on "useful" services for decades (think January and February when Homer was mayor of Springfield, before the money ran out). Yes, NHS Direct is a very nice thing to have. It's a very useful service. It does very good things for lots of people. None of which, I fear to say, matters a toss at the moment. Because we haven't got any money. I'm amazed that there aren't people on the right actually arguing that the NHS is a luxury that we can no longer afford. Because, well, that's really how serious the situation is.
And we really are getting into the situation where we have to say things as bad as "life expectancy in this country has been extended by spending money that we haven't got". In other words, some adults have lived longer and, yes, some children have survived, at the expense of future adults' life expectancy and future children's survival. That's how much we have borrowed from the future.
When the situation is put as starkly as that, NHS Direct appears rather less of an absolutely vital service. Think intensive care units for new-born babies being closed. Think halving the number of ambulances on the streets. Think really bad shit like that.
No-one likes being the bringer of bad news. No-one ever gets thanked for telling people harsh truths. That's because people are in the main still not bright enough to realize that the person bringing the bad news is not by definition the person who made the bad news happen. And people like even less to be told "the reason that this is happening is all your fault, because if you didn't retire at 60 with an inflation-proofed pension, if you had carried on being a productive member of society, then perhaps NHS Direct would still be a luxury that we could afford. But you didn't, you thought that after a mere 40 years work that entitled you to 40 years of non-work. Well, sorry guv, but the numbers don't add up." Instead, they have to say that it's the fault of the banks, big business, "wasteful" government spending (whatever that is -- I'm sure that there isn't a single government expense that some group, somewhere, will tell you is absolutely vital).
Even Boris Johnson doesn't seem able to cope with these harsh realities. Crossrail, properly functioning underground trains, anything that smacks of investment for the future, is probably doomed. For a decade or so it's a matter of immediate return, not a "comfortable society". Like I say, we've spent away our right to comfort. I just would have hoped that we would have been a bit more realistic about the fact than the Greeks. Apparently not.
________________
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no subject
Date: 2010-08-29 05:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-29 05:57 pm (UTC)The cricket allegations, btw, appear to centre around spot-fixing. Now, even I, as a fanatical follower of cricket pre-Sky, find it difficult to care that a Pakistani bowler has overstepped the crease on the third ball of his fifth over. Criminal? Yes (if proven). Would it have made any difference to the game? Hardly.
The home of cricket
Date: 2010-08-29 09:06 pm (UTC)Keith S
Re: The home of cricket
Date: 2010-08-29 09:33 pm (UTC)Far more likely that this was a "taster" - proof that the Pakistan players were "on board" for later bets on occurrences which were backable with UK firms. When one looks at the performance of the Pakistan team in one of the tests vs Australia last year, where errors by certain players turned a strong Pakistan position into a weak one, then one has to wonder whether in the past there have been events rather more significant than naming a no-ball.
But, well, the Beeb has never really understood betting, so it was floundering about in the dark here when it reported the story.
PJ
Re: The home of cricket
Date: 2010-08-30 02:09 pm (UTC)I asked myself this simple question: if somebody sidled up to me in a Singapore gin joint and asked "psst, guv! I can offer you ten to one that ball three of over five by [insert Mohammed X here] won't be a no-ball," then my first thought is going to be: "What a stupid idea for a bet." My second thought is going to be "... unless it's a fix."
Then there's your far more realistic possibility of ball-by-ball betting. Unfortunately, that makes little sense either, because it's, er, ball-by-ball. You'd have to keep the margins on the other 597 balls in a 100 over inning fairly slim, because the punters would lose interest way before the crucial no-ball occurs. I'll grant it's possible, but is it £150,000 possible? If people are betting with that amount of turnover, I think I'll just take the rake on the other 597 balls, thanks.
I'm left with your conclusion that it was a "taster." Or, of course, a News of the Screws cock-up. Even that's a bit odd, because you have to be in a position to win a game before you lose it. Pakistan are a particularly bad choice in this regard, because (a) Hoi En Telei in India won't let their players into the IPL (which is probably 90% of the betting market) and (b) they don't have any batsmen left who can convincingly win a game. Except possibly against Sri Lanka, who are understandably reluctant to play them.
As an outlier, has anybody considered the political conspiracy theory? About the only thing holding Pakistan together in these current distressed times is a national pride in the cricket team. If rogue elements in the SIS think they can engineer a suitable army coup on the back of yet another scandal that makes Zardari look stupid, then who's to say that some piffling £150,000 isn't worth it?
And before anybody points out that the £150,000 in question came from the NotW, you have to consider the future of the "agent" in question, who would presumably want a fair few bob more to risk jail and the loss of his livelihood.