h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Isn't it a bit odd setting up a legal defense fund when they haven't been charged with anything?

Those conditions are repeated (I'm looking for small print, unsuccessfully)

Here they are in full:

3. The objects of the Foundation are:
3.1.1 To secure the safe return to her family of Madeleine McCann who was abducted in Praia da Luz, Portugal on Thursday 3rd May 2007;
3.1.2 To procure that Madeleine's abduction is thoroughly investigated and that her abductors, as well as those who played or play any part in assisting them, are identified and brought to justice; and
3.1.3 To provide support, including financial assistance, to Madeleine's family.
3.2 If the above objects are fulfilled then the objects of the Foundation shall be to pursue such purposes in similar cases arising in the United Kingdom, Portugal or elsewhere.

Now let's just suppose, that Madeleine was never abducted. Say, that she awoke - shouted for her parents, got no reply and left her bed in search of them. Stood on a chair and opened the unlocked door of the apartment, then wandered off into the street to search for Mummy and Daddy. We don't know what happened to her because there's no evidence. She could have fallen into a pothole or down a drain. That's not an abduction. That negates 3.1.1 and 3.1.2, right? Leaving 3.1.3, well they'll need to pay their mortgage while they search every inch of Portugal, won't they? Who could possibly expect them to go back to work?

Radio 4 news noon

That is the John Sentamu statement Radio 4 news

Yes Kea I also heard the Archbishop's *opinions* reported here this morning on BBC national radio. Something along the lines of wanting all the emphasis of the police investigation to shift back onto finding little Maddie, and not concentrating on the McCanns.

Oh what it is to have friends in high places, batting for you!

Well he needs to get a better PR person, as there's nothing in google news about it.

GB

At the moment that is irrelevant as 'Mr McCann is on paid leave as a doctor'(quote).

Maybe the McCann's could lend him one?

I think having his thoughts on the matter reported as *news* here in the UK on the BBC national news is more of a priority in PR terms than making sure he gets it out on Google.

According to the BBC, it's 'unpaid leave as a doctor'.

I don't think the NHS would stretch to that much paid leave all in one go!

If, God forbid, Madelaine is never found and the mystery never solved........

... will she become a Portugese McCann of Lore ?

I copied and pasted the quote from the BBC article. They have changed it since I posted that post...interesting...poor reporting presumably.

>>
I think having his thoughts on the matter reported as *news* here in the UK on the BBC national news is more of a priority in PR terms than making sure he gets it out on Google.
<<

If you're getting wide media coverage it ends up on google news automatically.

There's now one hit, from the Press Association so I guess other media will pick it up:

>>
Dr John Sentamu told the BBC: "Kate and Gerry have been treated unjustly and inhumanely, because the evidence does not stack up at all. There is this great injustice which they feel is piled upon them."

Dr Sentamu added that the police focus should be on trying to locate Madeleine.
<<

http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gwOOj8eTuSmBCaCJSq9WrodmKurA


I don't see what the problem is with what he's said. He's expressing an opinion about the McCanns, just like most of the people in this thread.

I guess it's that subtle difference between prefacing what you say with 'I think ...' rather than launching into what sounds like a factual statement.

No-one here would make that mistake of course

McKay's post 430 is still there. So apparently jokes *are ok

Kea nobody here, (a few sad gits ) having a discussion on an internet message board expects their words to end up being reported on BBC news. Surely if you do, you choose your words very very carefully indeed. He probably did actually. And because this case has basically become some kind of PR battle, where facts are hard to come by it's hard to escape the suspicion that he was just aligning himself with 'Team McCann' as some people are calling it. They initiated the whole PR circus when it suited their purpose to use the tabloids to such an extreme degree. And surprise surprise didn't like it when things turned 'ifffy' for them. That's the reality now of the media here in the UK, and you'd be pretty daft not to realise you were playing with fire when for months on end you got yourself pictured in the newspapers.

That link I gave yesterday for the Branson announcement is quite instructive. If you scroll down, on the right is a box called 'McCanns in pictures', released yesterday to keep the search alive. It's a slide show of images. I don't really see it as anything to do with keeping the search alive, more about PR for themselves, now that they have lost control of the news agenda to a degree. It's quite interesting to look at slide 6. 'Mater dolorosa' ?? there really is quite a tiresome quasi religious element to some of their PR.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article2461207.ece

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6998606.stm

I see Branson has sold his record chain store to pay for the McCanns legal case...possibly...

I find that first photo some what disturbing...is she wearing make-up?