How fake news misdirects us from the elephant in the room

It's always a good idea to distract attention from the things that really matter...

From the last Winter Olympics:
How Russia Is Scapegoating Gays to Distract from Most Corrupt Olympics in History | Alternet

To the second Iraq War:
And ENRON Begat IRAQ: How War Saved Bush From Enron Accountability - Daily Kos

Whilst we don't have things on quite this scale happening in East Devon, nevertheless, it has been suggested that  little distraction is being used to keep our minds off the bigger things - even in this quiet corner of the world.

As the latest comment on the EDA blog notes:


EAST DEVON ALLIANCE COUNCILLOR SAYS “PAY TO PEE” IS “A BACKWARD STEP FOR CIVILISATION”

19 JAN 2018

Notice the contradiction here: one councillor says the idea is not being looked at, another group of councillors say town and parish councils have been asked to look at “other uses” for toilets! Left hand and right hand perhaps need an introduction.

And a £100,000 subsidy for Honiton’s Thelma Hulbert Gallery!

COMMENT:

Conrad Black says:
19 Jan 2018 at 9:47pm

Might I suggest that there is fake news (or misdirection).

Instead of concentrating on the big savings – the biggest costs/budgets under management, we are being misdirected to something we actually understand (don’t forget the seaside towns are over endowed with the elderly, whose needs include lavatories) so that we can gain a small ‘win’ by demanding the facilities, so that we forget the elephants in the room. And there are several of them.

> A gallery that only Councillors want.
> A move of headquarters that only Councillors want.
> A drastic reduction in healthcare services, that only Councillors want.
> Seafront developments that only Councillors want.

William of Occam would say I have over-made the point.

Do you suppose there is a picture developing here?

I could add the absolutely fantastic budget demand coming from a Police body that has a management cost out of all proportion to its actual size. You could make significant savings by firing the bosses and not lose any quality of service?

And what about getting rid of the LEP, which, in my view, has achieved precisely nothing since it was created (except increase the salaries of the leaders although they have yet to achieve any results). That would make some tidy savings.

Maybe we can afford a health service after all!

Best regards

East Devon Alliance Councillor says “pay to pee” is “a backward step for civilisation” | East Devon Watch

And from the Telegraph from yesterday:
Fake news: What exactly is it – and how can you spot it? Telegraph

And the Guardian a year ago:
'Extreme surveillance' becomes UK law with barely a whimper | World news | The Guardian
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