Monday 14 December - the plan so far
Here is what we are lining up for tonight's programme:
As the UN climate summit resumes in Copenhagen we look at the tensions between the developed and developing world in how best to tackle global warming.
We also have an interview with Simon Cowell about his life and career. Our interview was long in the negotiation, but remarkably obstacle-free once we entered the rather lovely Sony HQ where he has a suite of offices.
And as Gordon Brown outlines new efforts to counter the roadside bombs that have led to rising UK deaths in Afghanistan, we have a special report about British troops serving in the danger zone and the hopes and fears of their loved ones back home.
Comment number 1.
At 14th Dec 2009, indignantindegene wrote:SIMPLE SIMON: (More Listen with Mother)
"We also have an interview with Simon Cowell about his life and career"
Surely we get more than enough of him and his career on all channels and the press without Newsnight adding to the great public dumbing down.
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Comment number 2.
At 14th Dec 2009, jauntycyclist wrote:interview with Simon Cowell ?
Because....?
so daytime tv get tony blair that breaks news and NN get a celebrity chit chat?
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Comment number 3.
At 14th Dec 2009, jauntycyclist wrote:...Blair 'misled British over Iraq' ....
..Macdonald, the former Director of Public Prosecutions, accused Blair in The Times newspaper on Monday of committing "alarming subterfuge" to mislead the British people into supporting the war.
"It is now very difficult to avoid the conclusion that Tony Blair engaged in an alarming subterfuge with his partner George Bush and went on to mislead and cajole the British people into a deadly war they had made perfectly clear they didn't want, and on a basis that it's increasingly hard to believe even he found truly credible," he said...
any chance of an interview with Macdonald?
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Comment number 4.
At 14th Dec 2009, ecolizzy wrote:Perhaps NN is after Cowell watchers. Apparently 20 million watched the final xfactor, and 10 million voted. So NN tonight will have at least 15 million watchers tonight?! ; ) But I suppose that is democracy. And as he's a multi millionaire from dross, perhaps he'll have a tip or two for the chancellor on how to make money.
How about we all start watching Channel4 news at 7 and blog about it here, as NN is dumbing down so regularly and rapidly?
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Comment number 5.
At 14th Dec 2009, jauntycyclist wrote:..Aid groups working in Afghanistan have accused the US of trying to "militarise" their work by attaching conditions to aid and grants.
A number of aid organisations have told Al Jazeera they have turned down funding from the US government as the money has strings attached to military operations...
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Comment number 6.
At 14th Dec 2009, RicardianLesley wrote:Oh, please, not more Simon Cowell. This is meant to be a serious programme about the news. I suppose we should be thankful it isn't Tiger Woods.
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Comment number 7.
At 14th Dec 2009, brightyangthing wrote:#4
A BRIDGE (OF SIGHS) TOO FAR?
'.....Perhaps NN is after Cowell watchers.'
Oh, I do Sooooooooooo hope NOT!
perhaps if '....the plan so far' were to indicate what political or other burning questions of the day Mr Cowell is to be grilled on, we may just conceivably lift our heads from our hands long enough to bother with the rest of the programme.
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Comment number 8.
At 14th Dec 2009, barriesingleton wrote:YOU CAN NOT BE SERIOUS NN!
Cowell! There are not enough euphemistic symbols in my font to do justice. . .
Surely, there can be no arguement, he belongs on NN Review? Are you so juvenile you could not wait a few days - instant gratification?
Why am I asking?
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Comment number 9.
At 14th Dec 2009, jauntycyclist wrote:i'd like to thank the british army for pointing me towards al jazeera site again where there are excellent blogs such as the one by David Chater.
it seems it's mainly 'old style' bbc staffers there anyway?
also it seems saddam's grave has become a shrine?
...When you see Iraqi policemen salute the grave of Saddam Hussein, you start to realize how much more needs to be achieved before Iraq is on the road to true peace and stability....
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Comment number 10.
At 14th Dec 2009, jauntycyclist wrote:barrie-lets not lose our sense of humour.
maybe all we need is a bit of the 'sugar' the 'talent' put in their coffee to see how marvellous it all is.
actually if they start to talk about this
or this
then it could deserve a bit of this music?
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Comment number 11.
At 14th Dec 2009, ecolizzy wrote:Now why doesn't NN drop the Cowell worship spot, and put this in it's place?
Far more relevant to a healthy society. I'm very pleased to see the right things being valued properly. I'm always saying the bin man is one of the most important memebers of society, where would we be without them?!
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Comment number 12.
At 14th Dec 2009, jauntycyclist wrote:11. state workers do not create wealth in of themselves. they depend upon others who create wealth in the market places [whatever they be].
the basic maths is everyone who creates wealth [through making and selling something] supports at least two who don't.
however at this point in time, given the subsidy to keep them going, the financial world is also part of the 'state sector'. and perhaps they always were.
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Comment number 13.
At 14th Dec 2009, barriesingleton wrote:CRYOGENIC ETERNITY - ULTIMATE NICISSISTS DREAM!
Simon Cowell is so obviously the primary object of his own attention. He should bank the money before 'getting help' - the change could ruin his income. If only the Greeks had conceived of cryogenic preservation, the story could have had a high-tech ending.
There's an angle NN - no charge.
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Comment number 14.
At 14th Dec 2009, JunkkMale wrote:And as Gordon Brown outlines new efforts ... and the hopes and fears of their loved ones back home.
Well, on past evidence and what I am hearing, Mr. Brown being involved with anything, especially if allowed out, is enough to inspire fears in most.
Still, once he's saved Copenhagen by outbidding Obama to fund the Khartoum Mercedes franchise a bit more, it might be ironic if he was left stranded at the airport if he's flying BA.
One can already sense many trips for the skii... er. to assess climate change on the slopes are under threat as certain uniquely funded media outfits start to wind down for the school hols.
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Comment number 15.
At 14th Dec 2009, Roger Thomas wrote:let me alay your fears Junk
Tony makes a speech at Copenhagen.
African nations walk out. Not saying there is any causal relationship.
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Comment number 16.
At 14th Dec 2009, Roger Thomas wrote:Real NN blogger anoraks may recall that I pointed out that the closure of the Corus steelworks would result in a mindboggling return on the carbon allowances. Myself and Ecolizzy set about trying to find the figure.
I did warn the figure would amaze. Found this reference just.
£600 million.
This was why I had a sad smile when it was announced the Government would give £60 million to redevelop the area.
There are more Connections than James Burke, and I am not sure of the accuracy of the references, but gives some insight the situation.
Polar Bears?
Celtic Lion
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Comment number 17.
At 14th Dec 2009, Roger Thomas wrote:/blogs/newsnight/fromthewebteam/2009/12/friday_4_december_2009_our_pla.html
Sorry re #16. As they want to keep making steel if they open another plant in India for example with the European levels of emission. They can claim £600 million for doing that, according to the figures. Though I have not seen the source references.
That is £1.2billion for closing the Corus Redcar works.
Celtic Lion
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Comment number 18.
At 14th Dec 2009, mimpromptu wrote:#7
Brightyangthing
I might catch up on the rest of the programme tomorrow morning time permitting but for now it's great to see so much opposition to the dumbing down of Newsnight!
Hope you have a good evening whatever you're up to
mim
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Comment number 19.
At 14th Dec 2009, MaggieL wrote:" We also have an interview with Simon Cowell......"
Now what's the name of that bloke who abuses his position at the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ to provide cash, careers and publicity for his friends. Alan something isn't it? Why didn't he do the PR interview with Cowell? Perhaps you could change your name to Chavnight from now on.
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Comment number 20.
At 14th Dec 2009, Roger Thomas wrote:So we have perfectly good cars. The Government comes up with the idea of getting people to get rid of perfectly good cars. The maintenance of these cars providing work for garages etc in the UK.
Taxpayers money is used to give to people to bribe them to get rid of these good cars, if they buy new car.
Most of these cars are made abroad. So we subsidise the carbon trading £1.2 billion to move a steelworks from the UK to elsewhere. To make steel for cars built abroad, which UK taxpayers pay £2000 towards. Reducing jobs in our engineering industry. Whilst losing the skill base in manufacturing.
At the same time corporations move their call centres, the traditional replacement for manufacturing losses, abroad. Whilst immigrants come here and take the rest of the jobs as we have lost our skill base in engineering and construction to do them.
Is there anyone in charge who has the interests of the country in any form?
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Comment number 21.
At 14th Dec 2009, jauntycyclist wrote:..Is there anyone in charge who has the interests of the country in any form?..
yes. there is an inner empire [the equestrian class, the lawyer political class [as someone else coined it] and others who look after their interests in 'their' country.
the rest of us are here just to do the manual labour in competition with cheap migrant labour.
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