Media intrusion: Fact or fiction

Off the back of the Leveson Inquiry, where Kate and Gerry proclaimed their discomforture at the press intrusion into their lives it got me thinking. Some people I know are household names and ALL of them can go about their business peacefully. They are all recognisable to any one who has a TV, but their work is their work, and everything else is just their own business.

So, outside of necessary publicity required to reach ones chosen goal, WHO has tipped off the press about certain meetings held by the McCanns? WHY is it necessary to broadcast that they had a meeting with this or that organisation, when it could be a private research matter, and of no consequence to the general public? WHy did they not ask their family, in the early stages, not to speak to the media? Why give family the go-ahead to pass on info of an alleged deal offered by PJ? And so on...

All of this makes no sense in the light of the McCanns saying that it is not too late for an abductor to "do the right thing". Who could possibly hand over a child in such a circumstance, knowing the scale of the media frenzy that would ensue? Surely, one would conduct all this in a much more covert way, attempt to achieve ones goal by stealth.

After all, you wouldn't go deer stalking whilst playing the bagpipes! And for Leveson not to mention or acknowledge in any meaningful way, that two unknowns whipped up a media storm themselves, by design, deliberately, is to deal a very unbalanced hand to the media. Sure the media can be sensationalist and go too far but EVERYONE knows that is a possibility when they make a decision to thrust themselves into the limelight or try and use the press for their own objectives. You can't have what you want exclusively on your own terms, the world doesn't operate like that. It is all cause and affect, every action has a reaction...

It seems like when things don't go according to plan, the media becomes the scapegoat for it all, and the "victims" could be argued to be able to sue for big bucks, those whom they have "entrapped" for want of a better word. It's sort of like an exotic dancer, parading about in the faces of paying spectators, who then accuses of assault one who has the temerity to pinch her bum!

Reminds me very much of Princess Diana, who went to extraordinary lengths to stay in the limelight. Also used it to good effect to telegraph their marital troubles loud and clear - Taj Mahal photo, others looking sad and forlorn. Then that Panaroma interview, telling all to Morton for his book, all to make herself a heroine and the whole of the royal family look like .. b...s.
I use this example, because imo she was a very disturbed and also narcissistic young woman. No doubt she loved her sons but not to the extend that she bothered to explain the Panorama interview to them before it was aired. The housemaster of the boys asked her to do so and finally had to insist she come down to Eton to speak to them, as the housemaster knew it would be a devastating blow to them.
She phoned the press from Kensington Palace once, to tell them she was on her way to a hospice to sit with a man dying from AIDS.
If you do that sort of thing, you have no right to complain of press harassment.

TM should know that the press isn't a dog you can call off at will. So far I'd say the balance has been in their favour, I'm waiting for the trial in Lisbon, are they going to be there in person? Because it was rather disastrous last time.

I also remember she had a similar following by many who would only believe the claim that she was a victim of some kind of elaborate hit involving the French and English Governments.

Pershing36 wrote:I also remember she had a similar following by many who would only believe the claim that she was a victim of some kind of elaborate hit involving the French and English Governments.

If she'd worn a seat belt, surely a simple thing to do especially with the wild way the chauffeur drove , she would not have died. I didn't like the way she'd be photographed one day with the 'standard' dying African baby and the next day on one of her many holidays. Doing good is work, like Audrey Hepburn did for Unesco.
But the public likes the 'story' better than the truth, as with the McCanns, I don't think it was a conspiracy as such with them, politics, definitely.
The McCann 'story' has politicians' footprints all over it, short term gain, long term damage.

tigger wrote:

Pershing36 wrote:I also remember she had a similar following by many who would only believe the claim that she was a victim of some kind of elaborate hit involving the French and English Governments.

If she'd worn a seat belt, surely a simple thing to do especially with the wild way the chauffeur drove , she would not have died. I didn't like the way she'd be photographed one day with the 'standard' dying African baby and the next day on one of her many holidays. Doing good is work, like Audrey Hepburn did for Unesco.
But the public likes the 'story' better than the truth, as with the McCanns, I don't think it was a conspiracy as such with them, politics, definitely.
The McCann 'story' has politicians' footprints all over it, short term gain, long term damage.

Have to disagree here, tigger, sorry! i wasn't a fan of Diana in any way shape or form but for an ambulance to take so long to get the two miles to a hospital? I have read a couple of books on this and, like her or not, there is something very off about the way she died, IMHO [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I also have doubts about what happened to Diana. Did anyone else read that it was announced that the driver was drunk and on prescription medicine before his body had been autopsied? There was certainly no evidence that he was drunk from the CCTV footage of him at the Ritz Hotel. This is just one of several oddities which make me suspicious.

The only thing I go on is out of 4 occupants of the car only one wore their seat belt. That was the only person to survive. How would an organised hit know who would/would not wear their seat belt? The car also displayed a braking problem which is common with that model (I trained to be a Merc technician). They took the car with the warning light displayed probably believing it was a faulty service light.. Nobody should drive a car displaying a braking problem period, let alone get involved in a high speed chase. Although brakes were not given as a cause, I think it highlights how reckless the driver had become that night.

Jean wrote:I also have doubts about what happened to Diana. Did anyone else read that it was announced that the driver was drunk and on prescription medicine before his body had been autopsied? There was certainly no evidence that he was drunk from the CCTV footage of him at the Ritz Hotel. This is just one of several oddities which make me suspicious.

Hi Jean, yes I've read that. Henri Paul was known to be a health freak and was not known to be on any medications.
It also has to be remembered, the footage of him deftly going down onto his respective haunches to tie his shoe laces! No 'drunk' could do that... Worse still at 'his' autopsy his blood carbon monoxide level was such that he would have been unconscious, certainly unable to function at all.
There is much to be suspicious of here.
There is also the David Kelly-esque 'suicide' of paparazzi photographer James Andanson whose offices were 'burgled' just after the crash. Suicide on a remote mountain top, locking himself in his car and setting it on fire - pull the other one, its got bells on...
Conspiracies only abound when the OFFICIAL version contradicts some or most of what the public have witnessed. That is why, 14 years on, this is still running.
I have no doubt after all my research, Diana and Dodi were bumped off - for various reasons we will never hear about, officially, that is...

The claim being was David Kelly had been locked in his car from the outside. It was a Fiat Uno which is impossible to do that because of it's basic specification. He may have left the keys in the door, but he could of still opened/locked it from the inside. He was also being sought as part of a broken piece of headlight from that car was found at the crash scene, speculation was they may have had a collision before the crash.

Pershing36 wrote:The only thing I go on is out of 4 occupants of the car only one wore their seat belt. That was the only person to survive. How would an organised hit know who would/would not wear their seat belt? The car also displayed a braking problem which is common with that model (I trained to be a Merc technician). They took the car with the warning light displayed probably believing it was a faulty service light.. Nobody should drive a car displaying a braking problem period, let alone get involved in a high speed chase. Although brakes were not given as a cause, I think it highlights how reckless the driver had become that night.

Have you heard the saying 'horses for courses' Pershing? Organised hits aredesigned with a person and plan in mind. Do you not think they wouldve known the habits of the people involved? That seat-belt wearing is not the norm for them? Besides, it all sounds very Disney - wear your belt and survive. Well people die with belts... The injuries Diana herself sustained, whilst serious, were perfectly fixable - in a hospital with properly trained staff. The ambulance that took two hours even pulled up outside the hospital for fifteen minutes! Why would anyone do that? Make sure she was beyond help, perchance?
How convenient that it was a Merc known for braking problems (considering it was NOT the car OR route that Ritz security had planned). If you trained as a tech you will also know that the 'air bag' reason for the blood carbon monoxide level is a nonsense...
It was worked out that the Merc was travelling around 60 MPH at crash. Not the wild 'media' speeds - the speedo wasn't (can't) jam on 110 either...
Must admit this 'brake light' is new one for me, do you have a link, please?

Pershing36 wrote:The only thing I go on is out of 4 occupants of the car only one wore their seat belt. That was the only person to survive. How would an organised hit know who would/would not wear their seat belt? The car also displayed a braking problem which is common with that model (I trained to be a Merc technician). They took the car with the warning light displayed probably believing it was a faulty service light.. Nobody should drive a car displaying a braking problem period, let alone get involved in a high speed chase. Although brakes were not given as a cause, I think it highlights how reckless the driver had become that night.

Have you heard the saying 'horses for courses' Pershing? Organised hits aredesigned with a person and plan in mind. Do you not think they wouldve known the habits of the people involved? That seat-belt wearing is not the norm for them? Besides, it all sounds very Disney - wear your belt and survive. Well people die with belts... The injuries Diana herself sustained, whilst serious, were perfectly fixable - in a hospital with properly trained staff. The ambulance that took two hours even pulled up outside the hospital for fifteen minutes! Why would anyone do that? Make sure she was beyond help, perchance?
How convenient that it was a Merc known for braking problems (considering it was NOT the car OR route that Ritz security had planned). If you trained as a tech you will also know that the 'air bag' reason for the blood carbon monoxide level is a nonsense...
It was worked out that the Merc was travelling around 60 MPH at crash. Not the wild 'media' speeds - the speedo wasn't (can't) jam on 110 either...
Must admit this 'brake light' is new one for me, do you have a link, please?

I won't go on about this, but Rosa Monckton, who was one of her best friends, knew that she cared nothing for Dodi, even laughed about his bad taste behind his back. Dodi was prob. addicted to cocaine and was told by Dad to give up his girlfriend so he could pursue Diana, who was no danger to anyone, there was no earthly reason she'd need to be killed.
I focussed on her thirst for publicity. Even though she couldn't switch it on and off at will she did all she could to stay in the headlines.
Attending an open heart operation in full make-up, peering over a mask, phoning a journalist on the way to a hospice int he middle of the night.

The media loved her, any new photograph of Diana sold millions of papers. So it's no big surprise when another icon appears in the form of a 'photogenic abducted little girl' all the same buttons are pressed. Maddie took the place of Diana in the newspaper sales.
As for the ambulance being late, Paris traffic is legendary and from what I hear, they're not too damn quick in the UK either.

Well, Rainbow Fairy, we'll have to agree to differ on this (but I'd definitely go for the Kelly 'suicide' as a fake). As Pershing pointed out, if they'd all worn seat belts, it's likely they'd all have survived.

It's just that marrying the Prince of Wales was exactly what Diana wanted from the age of 14. She also played the innocent virgin bride very well imo. There is no such creature in the aristocracy - I'm sure the marriage was a disappointment, but in fact it was a job, not a fairytale. She had two lovely sons and plenty of help, she should have buckled down to it.

Curiously enough, the same phenomenon seems to happen with the McCs. They must have thought at the start that they'd made it, money rolling in, fame, rubbing shoulders with the A list. But feeding the media is a job, keeping the money coming in is another, by now - like Cleggy said at the last election 'it wasn't supposed to be like this..'.

Pershing36 wrote:The claim being was David Kelly had been locked in his car from the outside. It was a Fiat Uno which is impossible to do that because of it's basic specification. He may have left the keys in the door, but he could of still opened/locked it from the inside. He was also being sought as part of a broken piece of headlight from that car was found at the crash scene, speculation was they may have had a collision before the crash.

The official version is that the owner of the said 'Uno' was never traced. To believe Andanson was there actually backs up the weirdness here.
I'm not sure its relevant the locked from inside / outside, the reason his 'suicide' was considered so odd was he was NOT the type to set himself on fire in the middle of no-where. He'dve chosen something far swifter. How many people do you know that would sit in their car, put on their seatbelt and calmly set themselves on fire? Not many, I'd bet...
I could write much more about the whole case. Is there a Diana thread here? I'm aware this is getting off-topic!

I read about the brake light fault direct from a fault manual issued after the crash. It doesn't mean the car was necessarily faulty as they can come on as part of a service time schedule. I think they determined the brakes were fine but the light was reported by an earlier driver. The carbon monoxide was probably caused by the broken exhaust manifold/exhaust after the crash, it would have flooded the cabin. The fuel pump cut off would have kept the engine running for a few seconds after impact. As I say knowing these cars well and seeing what they are like after an accident I find it very peculiar it was 60mph, saying that I wouldn't like to hit a concrete wall at 30mph in anything.

This vehicle type is the bread and butter of the Mercedes luxury sales. If they had felt the car had been tampered with or the injuries could not of happened they would of hit the roof for an enquiry.

Remember a lot 'hit man' claims come from a man who doesn't exactly hold the British Government in good light after repeatedly being refused a Visa for the UK.

THE MERCEDES that carried Diana, Princess of Wales to her death had faulty brakes, according to the car's regular driver.

Chauffeur Olivier Lafaye has told investigating magistrates in Paris that the Mercedes 280 SEL was known to have faulty brakes and that it therefore should only have been driven by someone well used to its problems.

On the night Diana died the Mercedes was driven by Ritz Hotel chauffeur Henri Paul, a man who had never previously taken charge of the car.

"It didn't hold the road well," said Lafaye. "You had to know how to drive it safely." Lafaye's comments are the latest twist in the investigation into

Diana's death, an investigation that is already 11 months old and which is not now expected to reach any firm conclusions until October.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

tigger wrote:I won't go on about this, but Rosa Monckton, who was one of her best friends, knew that she cared nothing for Dodi, even laughed about his bad taste behind his back. Dodi was prob. addicted to cocaine and was told by Dad to give up his girlfriend so he could pursue Diana, who was no danger to anyone, there was no earthly reason she'd need to be killed.
I focussed on her thirst for publicity. Even though she couldn't switch it on and off at will she did all she could to stay in the headlines.
Attending an open heart operation in full make-up, peering over a mask, phoning a journalist on the way to a hospice in t he middle of the night.

The media loved her, any new photograph of Diana sold millions of papers. So it's no big surprise when another icon appears in the form of a 'photogenic abducted little girl' all the same buttons are pressed. Maddie took the place of Diana in the newspaper sales.
As for the ambulance being late, Paris traffic is legendary and from what I hear, they're not too damn quick in the UK either.

Well, Rainbow Fairy, we'll have to agree to differ on this (but I'd definitely go for the Kelly 'suicide' as a fake). As Pershing pointed out, if they'd all worn seat belts, it's likely they'd all have survived.

It's just that marrying the Prince of Wales was exactly what Diana wanted from the age of 14. She also played the innocent virgin bride very well imo. There is no such creature in the aristocracy - I'm sure the marriage was a disappointment, but in fact it was a job, not a fairytale. She had two lovely sons and plenty of help, she should have buckled down to it.

Curiously enough, the same phenomenon seems to happen with the McCs. They must have thought at the start that they'd made it, money rolling in, fame, rubbing shoulders with the A list. But feeding the media is a job, keeping the money coming in is another, by now - like Cleggy said at the last election 'it wasn't supposed to be like this..'.

Maddie hasn't replaced Diana! Have you not seen a copy of the Express? Di this, Di that...
I didn't care for her at all when she was alive, the 'innocent act' didn't wash with me, and it was an act (Panorama, anyone?) BUT in this case I just go by the reports I've seen. She wasn't blameless but then, the whole family weren't. The preposterous Earl Spencer, and his rant at her funeral, for starters. If you put yourself into the media, DEAL with it. She loved it when it was good (like the McCanns).
Rosa Monkton, well IMO she is another Jane Tanner - believe anything she says at your peril. Claiming to know, for CERTAIN, Diana COULDN'T have been pregnant because - she'd had her period two weeks before! Well -
1)How did she know this for sure? Di told her? Showed her her stained accessories?!?
Even if she had, it proves nothing.
2)It is not uncommon to menstruate throughout pregnancy

I stick to the official reports here and, IMO, something really stinks (at least as bad as sea-bass) so yeh, we'll have to disagree on this occasion tigger, but no hard feelings.
I'm open to being persuaded this WAS just a tragic accident... I've no agenda here. I am not a secret Diana lover!

Well I only talk from a technical view. I have seen these cars after crashes and NEVER seen one that was in such a mess. They are built like tanks, although I am not sure if this was an armoured version which would have been even tougher. They must have hit at a very unlucky angle to destroy it like that, something that would have been very hard to stage. The conspiracy says he had a torch blind him. They also were never sure if the Uno hit before, during or after the crash.

Also interesting the car was found to be in neutral. That would indicate that the car was being driven as a manual, despite being an automatic transmission (often a technique used by professional drivers). If he was between gear changes and hit the brakes it would have certainly caused some loss of control (the danger indicated when taught this driving style).

Neutral gear, poor handling, dodgy brakes, no seat belts, even without outside influence it was a disaster waiting to happen.

Pershing36 wrote:I read about the brake light fault direct from a fault manual issued after the crash. It doesn't mean the car was necessarily faulty as they can come on as part of a service time schedule. I think they determined the brakes were fine but the light was reported by an earlier driver. The carbon monoxide was probably caused by the broken exhaust manifold/exhaust after the crash, it would have flooded the cabin. The fuel pump cut off would have kept the engine running for a few seconds after impact. As I say knowing these cars well and seeing what they are like after an accident I find it very peculiar it was 60mph, saying that I wouldn't like to hit a concrete wall at 30mph in anything.

This vehicle type is the bread and butter of the Mercedes luxury sales. If they had felt the car had been tampered with or the injuries could not of happened they would of hit the roof for an enquiry.

Remember a lot 'hit man' claims come from a man who doesn't exactly hold the British Government in good light after repeatedly being refused a Visa for the UK.

THE MERCEDES that carried Diana, Princess of Wales to her death had faulty brakes, according to the car's regular driver.

Chauffeur Olivier Lafaye has told investigating magistrates in Paris that the Mercedes 280 SEL was known to have faulty brakes and that it therefore should only have been driven by someone well used to its problems.

On the night Diana died the Mercedes was driven by Ritz Hotel chauffeur Henri Paul, a man who had never previously taken charge of the car.

"It didn't hold the road well," said Lafaye. "You had to know how to drive it safely." Lafaye's comments are the latest twist in the investigation into

Diana's death, an investigation that is already 11 months old and which is not now expected to reach any firm conclusions until October.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Thanks Pershing -
I won't get too technical because I'm not a technical person plus I don't have the data to hand, but suffice to say -
The alleged levels of carbon monoxide in Henri Paul's alleged blood sample COULD NOT have been caused by air bag, broken exhaust manifolds or anything related to the crash. Why? Because he was killed instantly - No pulse - No circulation. Hence CM levels could have been through the roof in the car, he wasn't breathing hence no intake of CM. Diana didn't have any, Trevor Rhys Jones wasn't suffering poisoning either. It was just another attempt to blacken the driver (who, it has to be said, had MI5 links also). Its all very murky. Hard to tell where the truth lies. Hence the theories.

candyfloss wrote:Just to remind everyone this thread was about Media intrusion and the McCanns/Leveson inquiry. Please can we keep on topic.

There is a thread here if you wish to talk about Diana.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Sorry and thank you, candyfloss... I mentioned in an earlier post I was aware we were going OT and was there a thread...
How DID we get onto Diana, anyhow? Was it me? Could be - me and tangents happen quite a lot no harm intended, sorry again