What is Digg?Sponsored by Best Buy
Geek Squad employee sings for Best Buy in holiday campaign. view!
youtube.com/bestbuy0 - Valerie DeAngelo explains the moment she got the casting call.
69 Comments
- leontes, on 06/20/2009, -0/+22Politicians are corrupt!? But I thought we had a monopoly on this in the US.
- borez, on 06/20/2009, -0/+22Wrong answer.
- localzuk, on 06/20/2009, -0/+14Welcome to the world people from the USA. Those of you asking what MP's are, or commenting about this not being from the USA - this site has a lot of readers from the UK too, and this is massive news in our county, with calls for the parliament to be completely restructured because of it. That'd be the equivalent of asking for the senate and congress to be gotten rid of and something new brought in, along with getting rid of the electoral college... So, yes, it's not the USA but it is massive news.
- borez, on 06/20/2009, -2/+14Hey... I'd rather the Guardian then the Daily Mail, any day of the week.
- borez, on 06/20/2009, -5/+15You know, I'm sick to death of hearing about this *****, the MP's tiny expenses dealings are nothing compared ( and excuse my French ) to the way we've just been absolutely ***** by the Banking industry, and that lot have been allowed to walk away scott free. We're talking billions of pounds compared to a few grand of expense claims... Jesus H UK, get your ***** priorities straight.
- NervousEnergy, on 06/20/2009, -1/+10You see, this is actually why I want to get into politics. Whenever stories like this crop up, all I generally see are people moaning and whining and accusing MPs of being corrupt, and whatnot, but they rarely actually DO anything about it.
If you really want to change the system, then get into the system, and change it from the inside. That's probably the most effective way to do it. As Cameron said; there is a cultural problem within Westminster. The MPs honestly think they can defend this and justify this. We need a new culture; a new crop of frontbenchers and top-MPs. And the MPs are supposed to be representative of the people; so why don't the people get actively involved with it! The apathy people have is incredible.
I want to get into politics so I can have a good chance to change things for the better. I want to cease complaining, and actually do something about it. It's a shame more people don't share this point of view. - glaz, on 06/20/2009, -1/+10The Banking Crisis received less media coverage? Oh?
- borez, on 06/20/2009, -0/+9Member of Parliament.
- theodenking, on 06/20/2009, -0/+7Well then I hope you're Eton and Oxbridge educated or you've got no chance.
- sickbag69, on 06/20/2009, -1/+8*****. We're constantly told these people are giving up salarys of £250K in the private sector cos they want to be public servants. So they put themselves up on a pedestal, then turns out they're thieving scum.
- Bovorik, on 06/20/2009, -0/+7In a number of causes we're talking about out and out fraud - e.g. telling porkies to HMRC.
- theodenking, on 06/20/2009, -2/+8Congratulations on being ignorant?
- alexforcefive, on 06/20/2009, -1/+7The guardian doesn't lie. It does follow its own agenda to sometimes ridiculous extremes, but it's a "real" newspaper, as opposed to the blatant middle-england pandering tabloid ***** of the daily mail.
I wonder if you could find a story in the guardian's history that matches the "gypsies jump the nhs queue" bollocks that was printed in the daily mail the other day - jasonbalmforth, on 06/20/2009, -0/+5Did I say that we should ignore the corruption of MPs? No I did not. What I am saying is that in terms of the money being gouged by the two groups, MPs vs the Banks, is that putting the expenses scandal in order while continuing to throw money hand over fist at the banks in sums several orders of magnitude higher than even the most corrupt MP could dream of is like re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. It might make you feel good but does absolutely nothing about the real problems facing this country.
- theodenking, on 06/20/2009, -0/+5Daily Mail readers say nothing of the sort, they're incapable of expressing thoughts that they haven't heard from someone else in the last 48 hours.
- DrTeeth01, on 06/20/2009, -1/+5It's easier to stay within the rules when you are the people making those rules.
- theodenking, on 06/20/2009, -0/+4There were Franco apologists in 1709?
- belfastbiker2, on 06/20/2009, -1/+5Bolllocks.
If I was in their position as an MP, I'd bring out in the open the sheer ***** number of things that normal humans have to pay out of THEIR WAGES, that MP's get to claim for. - borez, on 06/20/2009, -0/+3@glaz: I don't actually read any of them to be honest.
- glaz, on 06/20/2009, -1/+4Lies that you like VS Lies that you don't.
- Neville007, on 06/20/2009, -0/+3At least in that country the whole thing has been uncovered and it may led to resigantions. I'm an Spaniard, and I'm telling you the polititians here are far worse. We have Franco apologists, deniers of women / gay / any minority rights, party members serving preventive prison who regularly receive support from party leaders and every kind of political corruption you can even imagine.
- hplasm, on 06/20/2009, -0/+3Isn't Texas part of Mexico? Shaddap!
- glaz, on 06/20/2009, -1/+4Most people are too old, don't live with their parents and have jobs to hold down and dependents to provide for. Suddenly getting into politics is NOT an option for 99.9% of adults. This is why we have the universal vote. As "theodenking" notes, trying to get into politics without the necessary Oxbridge credentials is extremely difficult unless you know the right people. Those under 30's who think they can change the world are hopelessly unprepared for the real world. Here's a hint for you: Comb your hair and scratch a lot of backs, the long haired guardian readers haven't got a chance in hell.
- theodenking, on 06/20/2009, -0/+2Google.
And I was responding to Spinducky, not Prolitarien. - Neville007, on 06/20/2009, -0/+2Now we have electricity, tap water, microwave heated tapas, Internet, women who shave their armpits, recession, an active terrorist band and an idiot for president.
I'd say things have improved a lot. No more gold from the Americas, but no dictatorship either, nor Inquisition. - localzuk, on 06/20/2009, -0/+2Knowing things about other countries, especially those which you are allied with, is the sign of a more rounded individual. I know about the US political system and it's array of governors, senators, congressmen and supreme court judges. Why not do a bit of research about our House of Commons, House of Lords, Local Authorities and The Privy Council (amongst many other institutions)?
- emptypoi, on 06/20/2009, -0/+2check in on the Hungarian Prime Minister's quote from two years back.. something like "we lied, day + night"
- theodenking, on 06/20/2009, -0/+2The may have obeyed the letter of the law, but not the spirit of it. MPs are in a position of public trust, they shouldn't be using it to line their own pockets.
- inactive, on 06/20/2009, -2/+4No it didn't, he's full of *****.
- jasonbalmforth, on 06/20/2009, -0/+2"The banks are only accepting the money."
If you don't think they didn't actively lobby, pressure and scaremonger for their handouts then you're living in a dreamworld. - UK31337, on 06/20/2009, -3/+5The reason they've got all these expenses is because the Government expected a public backlash if they upped MPs' salaries, so they brought in this ridiculous system under the radar whereby there could be allowances. Shame it's been abused, a better system would be to allocate each MP a set amount of money each year and say "You can do whatever you want with this, but you cannot go over this amount" instead of claiming £x for this and £y for that in separate claims. Oh, and in other news this criminal action by the Police is a joke. It's a whitewash and David Blunkett will never be prosecuted so don't be so ***** stupid. Low level ministers will be crucified while there will be a convenient set of special circumstances and special cases which will see Blunkett (not that he can see it for himself, har har har) be entirely free of blame and wrongdoing. Hazel Blears is finished too. The next election in Salford will see her chased with pitchforks and burning torches. Oh, and notice how criticism of the system didn't come in from anyone until it was leaked to the paperts, and Michael Martin was more concerned with catching the original leaker and throwing them to the dogs instead of cleaning up the system? Makes me sick as a UK taxpayer.
As much as we all hate Fred Goodwin, the pension pot was his and he earned it legitimately as part of his contractual obligations. He has been scapegoated and forced into hiding (although he says he's coming back to Edinburgh soon even though the residents of his street, which I won't name even though I've been along it hundreds of times and not known he lived there not to mention his house has very little in the way of secure features, hate him and are all rich and some more powerful than he is so it seems silly) by a political system which makes him look like a Saint in comparison to what the politicians have been up to.
This system is ridiculous and censoring what we have already seen in the Daily Telegraph and not publishing some of the stuff we already know of like Jacqui Smith's porn film just smacks of contempt for the public from the Government. It's like Labour know they've lost the 2010 election and are just taking the piss because they know they're going down hard and fast, why bother respecting the public anymore? Do whatever you like for a year and claim the salary from the taxpayer with no consequences. Like it or lump it, I'm pretty sure the map will turn blue next year and I'm not even a Tory supporter; it looks to me like Gordon Brown isn't even trying anymore; he's surrounded himself with his most loyal cronies and is crushing dissent within his own ranks. This is just a spoilt kid's tantrum; he can't have his own way so he surrounds himself with those who will protect him and I think he's basically retreated to the bunker and waiting for the Russians to arrive.
Some say that our economy has already come out of recession and we won't know until the Bank of England do their quarterly checks; two consecutive quarters of growth means we're out and on the way back up. I'm scared that this happening under Labour's watch will mean a Labbour win next year, no way - people won't forget ID Cards, government databases, Big Brother, corrupt policing and this expenses scandal in a hurry. David Cameron has at least promised to cancel the ID card scheme and has publicly called for the expenses to be uncensored as well as appearing all over the country talking to the public and appearing on TV, where is Gordon Brown in all of this? Why hasn't he criticised the censorship and why is he not interfacing with the public to bolster his own opinion? He's not even publicly criticising David Cameron, it's like he's given up and is just trucking on as best as he can until he inevitably gets kicked out in May/June 2010 and all of his cronies with him. Never mind, eh? Six figure taxpayer funded pensions while normal pensioners freeze and starve in their rented decrepit flats.
The Queen should just sack Gordon Brown and dissolve Parliament (rumour has it that she asked him to resign but he refused). This has gone on too long. The Government contempt and ridiculously high cost of living in this crime infested cesspit is making me consider emigration. If you're skilled in the right areas you can go abroad and earn an absolute fortune, not to mention get to keep it instead of sending it all back to the taxman so that an £80k salary magically turns into £57k after tax.
I would type more but this bouncy comment box is killing me. Digg fix it pl0x kthxbye. - alexforcefive, on 06/20/2009, -1/+2Don't worry, there are a few other brave souls. I'm studying social policy + politics for this same reason. In the meantime, have you been helping to audit the MP's expenses? http://mps-expenses.guardian.co.uk/
- KyotoWolf, on 06/21/2009, -0/+1Too bad Cameron is all rhetoric and no action, once this is all blown over he won't make any changes as it'll only hurt his party. Right now the only chance for electoral reform are outside Labour and the Conservatives.
- enoxard, on 06/22/2009, -0/+1we should be so lucky as to do away with the corruption in our senate and congress and to totally do away with the electoral college.
politicians are power greedy bastards. - jasonbalmforth, on 06/20/2009, -3/+4I think somebody missed the point
- jasonbalmforth, on 06/20/2009, -3/+4While these so called public servants deserve our ire, it's useful to keep some perspective here. This is literally chickenfeed compared to the elephant in the room of the billions in corporate welfare that has been given and still is being given by us to prop up the failed banks and the financial sector. But by all all means focus your anger at MPs even though their venality looks like amateur hour when compared to the grasping hands of high finance.
We have allowed our system to become one of privatised profits and socialised losses, the worst of both socialism and capitalism. - inactive, on 06/20/2009, -0/+1No. Australia's PM is in the dumpster too.
Goes with the territory. - tgc1, on 06/20/2009, -1/+2Whomever is digging you down is an idiot.
- tgc1, on 06/20/2009, -0/+1MP's - "Pay no attention to the wad of your money i'm stuffing in my pockets. Next question. No this is not another wad of your money. No I didn't just stick it in my pocket. Next question."
- bumcheekcity, on 06/20/2009, -0/+1We have these people too, we just don't go around electing them.
Mostly. - inactive, on 06/20/2009, -0/+1I wonder what would happen if the Queen publicly called for Gordon to resign.
Does she still have that power? Would she want to use it if she had it?
Quiet a peculiar institution you have. - theodenking, on 06/20/2009, -1/+2"Bankster" isn't a word.
- inactive, on 06/20/2009, -0/+1I've never seen that used as a verb.
- yoyar, on 06/20/2009, -0/+1The system cannot be changed. It has to be replaced by freedom. It is a fairytale fantasy that someone somewhere is going to come along and save the day for all of humanity. Systems of government reward the most devious and dishonest so guess what? Those best at deception move up in the system. The few who have some integrity may be able to get into office but will never get any power because the more corrupt you are the more power you can gather to yourself. All governmental systems grow in power until they collapse given enough time. Liberty and freedom are the answer, not more government. The solution to the problem is not more of the problem. You are bound to become disillusioned one day if you think your good intentions will be able to create any real change in a system that is at its core corrupt. You stand a far better chance of changing the world if you embrace ideas based on freedom and not violence. And yes, the implication is that government is violence.
- emptypoi, on 06/20/2009, -0/+1seconded gladz
"few grand of expense" /= £32,000 - inactive, on 06/20/2009, -1/+1But aren't those MP's the ones throwing billions at the Banks?.
The banks are only accepting the money.So again, the MPs are the ones to blame. - glaz, on 06/20/2009, -6/+6That argument is beyond idiotic. Say I come break into your house and take your computer. How dare the police take interest in your problem when the banks received billions in LOANS from the public?
- inactive, on 06/20/2009, -2/+2So nothing has changed in Spain for 300 years then?
- lTheGovernmentl, on 06/20/2009, -0/+0You are mistaken leontes.
-
Show 51 - 74 of 74 discussions
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is