Death of common sense

[Baruch]

I would be interested to see people's comments on whether they think we should be spending humongous amounts of tax-payers money on investigations and enquiries into the death of Diana Princess of Wales.

Definitely not. However it occurred, she's dead. Knowing every little detail won't change that fact, and I object to public money being wasted on an investigation into the minute details of the death of a "poor little rich girl" and her millionaire boyfriend who were in a speeding car with a drunk driver. Spend it on schools or hospitals instead. Or possibly on a pair of gags to shut Blair and Brown up for a while.

When Diana died the unhealthy British obsession with the cult of celebrity really came to the fore. All those people who had never met her crying and mourning - WHY???? For most people, in real terms, she was an irrelevance. Most of our lives didn't change because Diana died. I feel for her family, because losing a loved one is always hard, but that's as far as it goes.

And don't get me started on her title. Princess of Wales? Don't make me laugh. She was about as Welsh as a London bus.

[Barry Shnikov]

Iif the entire site is devoted to that somewhat eccentric view, all subsections of it must automatically be viewed as, well, loony, until proven otherwise.

Well, that doesn't make it woo-woo; second, you aren't addressing the point that the articles are from reputable sources and reputable journalists; simply because they are being cited by someone who accueses the Guardian of being involved in dishonesty and deception doesn't make the articles by other journalists less reliable. Does it?

And I'm not sure what the article is really saying anyway, apart from "Ruthless Rich Businessman A may have lied to Ruthless Rich Businessman B". As I said, woo-woo, big shock.

You didn't confirm whether or not you condone that behaviour, notwithstanding that you may not be shocked by it. Secondly, what is being addressed is the wholesale dishonesty perpetrated by Fayed in order to circumvent the ordinary law of this country and subvert it to his own ends. The majority of businessmen do not do that, or they haven't been caught. One way or another, that is a perfectly good reason for keeping Fayed at a very long arm's length - regardless of his race. Which is the point on which I am disagreeing with you.

I would be amazed and gobsmacked if he were more dodgy than Abramovitch, who seems to have been welcomed with open arms. And I assume all filthy-rich businessmen didn't get to be filthy-rich by being warm and fluffy.

Assumptions can be dangerous. And of course you raise a false dilemma by suggesting businessman are either warm and fluffy or as bad as Fayed. What's wrong with Abramovitch?

I won't say he's helped himself by being so vocal about his demands, because that's not the way Things Are Done in this country, it's all back-room deals, nods and winks etc.
I don't like the guy. But I don't really think he's causing much damage, so (getting back to the original point) I don't really care what he says about secret plots, it's not going to worry me too much.

Don't think you need to teach Fayed anything about back-room deals. It's because they didn't work for him that he is bleating. He really thinks he's made a positive contribution to this country, that's what's laughable. And while I don't care about what he says about plots, I do care that he is costing us taxpayers' money in order to investigate his half-witted claims.

Blimey, even I'd call that a bit harsh.

I'd agree if there had been a murder; pursuing a murderer of a child is something probably something any parent will do until their own death. If it's just an accidental death, then I do think there's a point at which it is far healthier to move on. Plus, we all know how difficult it becomes to sympathise with someone who picks at their problems like an itchy scab, for years and years...

[Barry Shnikov]

And most of them never get over it
That's the most callous statement I've seen on this forum to date

Losing a parent is hard enough. I can barely imagine what it's like to lose a child.

I see a big difference between 'not getting over it' and 'obsessing about it to ridiculous lengths without pause'. He's behaving dishonourably, and that's what I dislike.

[straycat]

Enough.

[El Salsero Gringo]

Enough.

That's not a word that has any meaning on the Forum.

[straycat]

That's not a word that has any meaning on the Forum.

It was a word of self-restraint more than anything else.
After that, I went back to my ignore list, and put my rose-tinted spectacles back on. The world looks like a better place again

[David Bailey]

OK, ignoring whether Fayed is a Bad Egg or not, I think the crucial point is:

And while I don't care about what he says about plots, I do care that he is costing us taxpayers' money in order to investigate his half-witted claims.

Is it true that he's actually caused this inquiry to happen?

I was under the impression that this enquiry would have happened anyway once the French had done their thing?

[Barry Shnikov]

Is it true that he's actually caused this inquiry to happen?

I was under the impression that this enquiry would have happened anyway once the French had done their thing?

No, he hasn't caused it. But he's done everything he can to call into question the findings that have already been made.

I don't think that's right. If it is, then I suspect Fayed's agitation will have made and will continue to make the process more expensive than it needs to be, so that he can air his barking conspiracy theories.

[David Bailey]

No, he hasn't caused it. But he's done everything he can to call into question the findings that have already been made.

Well, string him up then, of course. I mean, who could possibly dream to question the French judicial system...

Come on Barry, that's not much of an accusation - surely he has a right to express his opinion?

I don't think that's right. If it is, then I suspect Fayed's agitation will have made and will continue to make the process more expensive than it needs to be, so that he can air his barking conspiracy theories.

OK, so, now it's "He may cause the British taxpayer money at some point in the future unless he shuts up?"

[MartinHarper]

Well, that doesn't make it woo-woo; second, you aren't addressing the point that the articles are from reputable sources and reputable journalists; simply because they are being cited by someone who accueses the Guardian of being involved in dishonesty and deception doesn't make the articles by other journalists less reliable. Does it?

Careful selection of articles can "prove" more or less anything you want. For example, I could create a site opposing global warming by linking to lots of scientific studies that question it, whilst omitting to link to any of the follow-up studies that explain or contradict the original research. It's been done.

What's wrong with Abramovitch?

What's wrong with doing your own research?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Abramovich

[El Salsero Gringo]

What's wrong with doing your own research?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Abramovich

Do you mean "what's wrong with your own research when you can let Wikipedia do it for you?"

[MartinHarper]

Do you mean "what's wrong with your own research when you can let Wikipedia do it for you?"

Wikipedia was by way of an example. There's plenty of information online about Abromovich. People should go read it before asking stupid questions.

[under par]

Do you know anyone who believes Diana was killed by a conspiracy?

I'm an extremely rational person ( or so I believe anyway!) and do not lightly take to fanciful thoughts of conspiracy.

BUT


about a month before the crash in Paris my father was in a conversation in which he was told"the establishment won't allow Diana and Dodi to get together permanently. It will be stopped." It sort of freaked me out for a little while.




It was only when the details of the conversation was relayed to me a second time that realised it was a taxi driver who told my dad not the head of MI5.


Ps I agree its a terrible waste of money if there was a conspiracy at the top do you think they are going to let it all out of the bag now??? Waste of time.

[straycat]

It was only when the details of the conversation was relayed to me a second time that realised it was a taxi driver who told my dad not the head of MI5.

Sheesh. The head of MI5 moonlighting again???? You'd have thought he earned enough from running our secret services - then again, he might be down to minimum wage by now, what with government cutbacks & such (they probably spent all their budget on pointless public inquiries)