Conrad Black – is schadenfraude appropriate?

There was a fascinating interview with Tom Bower just now on Channel Four news. He is the author of several biographies, including that of Mohamed Al-Fayed (a fascinating read) and Conrad Black. He gave a fascinating summary of Black’s downfall.

He pointed out that Black has not been found guilty on some of the charges against him. The directors of Hollinger have taken the rap for failing to supervise Black’s excesses sufficiently. However, Bowers described this as a “95%” disaster for Black. Throughout the trial it was very doubtful whether Black would be found guilty on several of the charges. But he has been found guilty of charges of fraud and obstruction of justice. He was convicted of three counts and cleared of a further six. And he has launched an appeal.

It seems the thing which may well have done for Black was the CCTV pictures of him removing papers from Hollinger and loading them into the back of his Roller.

Bowers summarised Black as the “architect of his own downfall…greedy…vindictive…a millionaire living like a billionaire.”

Schadenfraude is a very unedifying emotion, I know. So I will now go off and throw cold water over myself. But I can’t help feeling a little of that forbidden “S” word, particularly bearing in mind all those rather repellent articles described as “journalism” which Barbara Amiel, Black’s wife, had published in the Telegraph while Black was its proprietor.

Boris Johnson is no Bertie Wooster

On BBC Radio Four’s PM today, Boris Johnson was described as being regarded as the “Bertie Wooster of Westminster”.

Obviously, whoever described Johnson as such has never read the Wooster books or has forgotten all of them, if they did read them. P.G.Wodehouse must be turning in his grave. Wooster was always immaculately turned out, due to the fastidious sartorial attention of Jeeves. Johnson, in contrast, invariably looks as though he has just been dragged through a hedge backwards.

Unlike Johnson, Wooster never seemed to get his “leg over”, either.

Johnson might be a candidate to be regarded as similar to one of the other characters in the Wooster books. Certainly not “Gussie” Fink-Nottle, who was more like Ken Livingstone, with his love of newts. Bingo Little perhaps? Or one of those young men in the Drones Club who used to throw round bread rolls at the drop of the hat, perhaps.

Boris chaos

As my previous post showed with a screen grab, Boris Johnson’s website announced his mayoral candidacy at about 9.45am. Then, ten minutes later, the announcement disappeared from Boris’ home page. However, it is still showing under the reference for the actual post:

http://www.boris-johnson.com/archives/2007/07/boris_confirmed_as_london_mayo.php

My screen grab above shows this URL at 11.04am.

By the way, the announcement entry was made by “Simon” according to the page. What is going on?

Thanks to Jonny Wright for pointing out this oddity.

Conrad Black – is schadenfraude appropriate?

There was a fascinating interview with Tom Bower just now on Channel Four news. He is the author of several biographies, including that of Mohamed Al-Fayed (a fascinating read) and Conrad Black. He gave a fascinating summary of Black’s downfall.

He pointed out that Black has not been found guilty on some of the charges against him. The directors of Hollinger have taken the rap for failing to supervise Black’s excesses sufficiently. However, Bowers described this as a “95%” disaster for Black. Throughout the trial it was very doubtful whether Black would be found guilty on several of the charges. But he has been found guilty of charges of fraud and obstruction of justice. He was convicted of three counts and cleared of a further six. And he has launched an appeal.

It seems the thing which may well have done for Black was the CCTV pictures of him removing papers from Hollinger and loading them into the back of his Roller.

Bowers summarised Black as the “architect of his own downfall…greedy…vindictive…a millionaire living like a billionaire.”

Schadenfraude is a very unedifying emotion, I know. So I will now go off and throw cold water over myself. But I can’t help feeling a little of that forbidden “S” word, particularly bearing in mind all those rather repellent articles described as “journalism” which Barbara Amiel, Black’s wife, had published in the Telegraph while Black was its proprietor.

Boris Johnson is no Bertie Wooster

On BBC Radio Four’s PM today, Boris Johnson was described as being regarded as the “Bertie Wooster of Westminster”.

Obviously, whoever described Johnson as such has never read the Wooster books or has forgotten all of them, if they did read them. P.G.Wodehouse must be turning in his grave. Wooster was always immaculately turned out, due to the fastidious sartorial attention of Jeeves. Johnson, in contrast, invariably looks as though he has just been dragged through a hedge backwards.

Unlike Johnson, Wooster never seemed to get his “leg over”, either.

Johnson might be a candidate to be regarded as similar to one of the other characters in the Wooster books. Certainly not “Gussie” Fink-Nottle, who was more like Ken Livingstone, with his love of newts. Bingo Little perhaps? Or one of those young men in the Drones Club who used to throw round bread rolls at the drop of the hat, perhaps.

So farewell, then, to the "greatest Living Englishman"

Nigel Dempster, who has died, awarded himself the sobriquet “Greatest Living Englishman” and was awarded the nickname “Dumpster” by Private Eye.

Love him or loathe him, he was a remarkably successful journalist.

I am now going to make a sordid confession. From the age of three (or whenever I could read) until 30, I read the Daily Mail on a daily basis. My family had it each day (along with the Telegraph), as did my grandfather for donkey’s years. I remember when it went tabloid. I read it in the common room at school. Then I had it delivered to us when we got married. I finally gave it up when I realised, after reading yet another “Labour was last night reeling” story, that I was being slowly poisoned. I wrote to the Lord Harmsworth (the older one, now dead) saying his paper was too right wing, so I was giving it up. He wrote back saying his paper had always been patriotic and used to have “King and Country” on its masthead. I wrote back saying he had missed the point and confused patriotism with right-wingery, pointing out that a large chunk of the people who died for this country in two world wars came from Glasgow, not known as a hot bed of Conservatism. I got no reply. I probably confused him.

Anyway I digress. I read the Dempster Diary, or at least skimmed past it, for many years. It is remarkable how he managed to attain and maintain such a high profile and popular page in such a high circulation paper as the Daily Mail.

Having said that, we used to laugh at some of his stories. “I can reveal” was his favourite phrase. And the revelation was often about the tea-making habits of the assistant flower arranger of the Dowager Marchioness of Deswbury-Minor.

Boris Johnson confirms Mayoral run on his website

On his website, Boris Johnson has confirmed he will run for the Tory candidacy for Mayor of London. Anyone who saw his blustering appearance on Question Time recently will know that this man is vacuous and bordering on the offensive (and often actually offensive). This is despite his well practised “lovable buffoon” act, which fools less and less people these days.

London is an extremely consmopolitan city so Boris is likely to meet many people who come from places which feature on his required “global apology itinerary”: Norwich, Portsmouth, Liverpool, Papua New Guinea etc etc – not to mention offended Jamie Oliver fans.

Boris chaos

As my previous post showed with a screen grab, Boris Johnson’s website announced his mayoral candidacy at about 9.45am. Then, ten minutes later, the announcement disappeared from Boris’ home page. However, it is still showing under the reference for the actual post:

http://www.boris-johnson.com/archives/2007/07/boris_confirmed_as_london_mayo.php

My screen grab above shows this URL at 11.04am.

By the way, the announcement entry was made by “Simon” according to the page. What is going on?

Thanks to Jonny Wright for pointing out this oddity.

So farewell, then, to the "greatest Living Englishman"

Nigel Dempster, who has died, awarded himself the sobriquet “Greatest Living Englishman” and was awarded the nickname “Dumpster” by Private Eye.

Love him or loathe him, he was a remarkably successful journalist.

I am now going to make a sordid confession. From the age of three (or whenever I could read) until 30, I read the Daily Mail on a daily basis. My family had it each day (along with the Telegraph), as did my grandfather for donkey’s years. I remember when it went tabloid. I read it in the common room at school. Then I had it delivered to us when we got married. I finally gave it up when I realised, after reading yet another “Labour was last night reeling” story, that I was being slowly poisoned. I wrote to the Lord Harmsworth (the older one, now dead) saying his paper was too right wing, so I was giving it up. He wrote back saying his paper had always been patriotic and used to have “King and Country” on its masthead. I wrote back saying he had missed the point and confused patriotism with right-wingery, pointing out that a large chunk of the people who died for this country in two world wars came from Glasgow, not known as a hot bed of Conservatism. I got no reply. I probably confused him.

Anyway I digress. I read the Dempster Diary, or at least skimmed past it, for many years. It is remarkable how he managed to attain and maintain such a high profile and popular page in such a high circulation paper as the Daily Mail.

Having said that, we used to laugh at some of his stories. “I can reveal” was his favourite phrase. And the revelation was often about the tea-making habits of the assistant flower arranger of the Dowager Marchioness of Deswbury-Minor.

Boris Johnson confirms Mayoral run on his website

On his website, Boris Johnson has confirmed he will run for the Tory candidacy for Mayor of London. Anyone who saw his blustering appearance on Question Time recently will know that this man is vacuous and bordering on the offensive (and often actually offensive). This is despite his well practised “lovable buffoon” act, which fools less and less people these days.

London is an extremely consmopolitan city so Boris is likely to meet many people who come from places which feature on his required “global apology itinerary”: Norwich, Portsmouth, Liverpool, Papua New Guinea etc etc – not to mention offended Jamie Oliver fans.