Madeleine McCann: Liddle Things, Her Digital Age And The Sop Opera
: THE COLUMNISTS:
ROD LIDDLE (Times): “Madeleine, the incidental onlooker”
Come on, be honest. When Kate McCann appears before you on your television screen, do you sink your head low and remember poor Madeleine, somehow spirited out of that Praia da Luz apartment, or are you overwhelmed with a sense of irritation, annoyance and ennui?
Or like me, is it a little bit of both, callous pig that I am?…
The weird thing is the way the story has taken on a life of its own, with Madeleine as a terribly absent onlooker, almost incidental to the whole charade.
ANDREW ANTHONY (The Observer): “For a variety of reasons, the disappearance of Madeleine McCann seems to hold an enduring, not to say unhealthy, hold on the nation’s imagination. The first and most obvious is that it exemplifies every parent’s deepest fear.
It’s also a mystery, and it’s only human to wonder at the unknowable truth. But there is more to it than that, something modern and distinctive. For it’s also a media story, a testament to the power of the digital image.”
BARBARA ELLEN: “For when Gerry McCann said last week: ‘We are not characters in a soap opera’, he must have been aware that to many, that is exactly what they are. What’s more, they are characters in danger of being written out, no longer considered necessary for the ‘Maddie franchise’ to continue.”
Madeleine McCann: Let’s have a heated debate
Posted: 4th, May 2008 | In: Broadsheets, Madeleine McCann Comments (402) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
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May 5th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
give them a break they are serving their sentence for neglect, thet wont be reoffendingas they have learned their lesson the hard way
May 5th, 2008 at 9:35 am
New thread
Bye now
May 5th, 2008 at 9:33 am
384…PeterMac
“”"This whole thing stinks, and the visit to Mr Murat should also be examined
very closely indeed. A millionaire AND his solicitor together are capable of intimidating”"”
Not to mention, having lots and lots of money with which to give a very expensive present.
May 5th, 2008 at 9:27 am
397
Ferdinand Says:
May 5th, 2008 at 9:18 am
**************
I think you forget this is a CRIMINAL investigation,going beyond neglect…..
May 5th, 2008 at 9:18 am
294 whoops Says:
” If said neglect charge-which they really fear-was brought , they would lose the twins. ”
No way. The situation of the twins has already been accessed by the social services, and whatever measure might or might not have been taken, they are still with the parents.
It is possible to bring a neglect charge, saying they were guilty in priciple, but give them only a symbolic penalty, or even no penalty at all.
If you follow the recent stories about persons charged for children left alone in the UK, you may find that there was always a history of previous incidents that involved social services. If the McCanns’ behaviour would be classified as neglect, the first step would normally be to issue a warning to them. I don’t think that the situation in Portugal is that different.
May 5th, 2008 at 9:17 am
M and A
There’s a discussion on site and in the media about the drunken parents, and wondering about the comparison
Gone to stick my post there then
May 5th, 2008 at 9:12 am
393 AgendaWide
Yes, I must be off too. See you later.
May 5th, 2008 at 9:08 am
Way back in the early days, I wrote to K & G telling them of what Christine had said, the things that had come right out of that, and the fact that she - Christine - would gladly give her services for nothing if they could just fly her over to Portugal, with some of the “Find Madeleine Fund” money of course, and she would get on the trail whilst it was still “hot”, she can pick up on stuff centuires old as I can certainly vouch for. Needless to say, she nor I , ever heard anything in return.
Since reading about the Documentary recently, which I could not be bothered to watch, we noted that K & G have kept all letters that they have received in boxes labeled variously “Well-wishers” , “Nasty” and one was labeled “Psychics and Mediums”, now tell me….why have they not gone through THAT box, set out all the common threads, and followed them up ?
I know that it has been said that 150 Mediums contacted the Portuguese Police, probably as many contacted the Leics. Police and there just MUST be something common to all of those from any “worth their salt”, and surely - when grasping at straws in the matter of your child’s disappearance, wouldn’t you try anything at least once ??
May 5th, 2008 at 9:07 am
391 Chloe Spain
It is interesting the way the McCann case has touched on so many areas including acceptable standards of child care. Nice to chat but time to feed my kitty cat. Have a nice day.:)
May 5th, 2008 at 9:01 am
372
My observation on McTeam claims of cultural differences between Portugal and Britain over bedtimes, parent me-time with inferences about child supervision practices is that they were made to foreign media - one to Irish TV and the other to Portuguese TV. Is this the McTeam message to the foreign media?
Really bye now…
May 5th, 2008 at 9:00 am
AgendaWide
“What are Spanish parenting practices?”
——————-
Very varied!!! Often over-protective in the physical sense (IMO) but a great many children don’t see enough of their parents. When both parents work (as they oftendo), they tend to be left with grandparents, an unqualified nanny (usually not Spanish), etc., who are not always the best educators. There is, however, quite a lot of legislation (and proposed legislation) to help parents combine work and family (e.g. it is possible to have a shorter working day if you have children under 6).
May 5th, 2008 at 8:57 am
367 chenier Says:
” Usually, nervous laughter is before you’ve done something, not after. Given the number of tv interviews the McCanns have done over the last week or so I doubt they can claim unfamiliarity with the process. ”
I don’t agree. They have given quite a lot of interviews in the last days, but they are not the kind of person who give TV interviews every other day. There will still be some stage-fright, especially when they know that every single word comes under scrutiny. And that will include a feeling of relief once an interview is over, a mood when you are in danger to perform a smile or a laughter.
May 5th, 2008 at 8:44 am
Good morning
Next chapter: reconstruction or no reconstruction?
Also,the PJ seems to be learning now? did you read the story about the irish family?
Parents judged for neglect and drinking in front of minors
Why NOT the mccanns then?
At least,none of those children have disappeared….I wonder if the mccanns will gert hold of this story as theirs,again?
Why NOT the mccanns then?
M and A
There’s a discussion on site and in the media about the drunken parents, and wondering about the comparison
May 5th, 2008 at 8:43 am
387 Chloe Spain Says:
Not sure about British parenting. This is on the Sky News website this morning:
“Kids In Care As Drunk Parents Pass Out
—————-
Awful isn’t it? What are Spanish parenting practices? Well I’ve said what I can from my own experiences/opinions. Someone else ‘in the know’ can take over the defence of British parenting practices. Bye now
May 5th, 2008 at 8:38 am
386 AgendaWide
Not sure about British parenting. This is on the Sky News website this morning:
“Kids In Care As Drunk Parents Pass Out
Updated:06:16, Monday May 05, 2008
Authorities in Portugal have spoken of their shock after three young British children were taken into protective custody because their parents became so drunk they passed out.”
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1314990,00.html
May 5th, 2008 at 8:33 am
380 i-dont-believe-them Says:
373 AgendaWide. As someone who is not British but who has lived there I have always been struck by how preciously children are treated by the parents I have met ,and how much effort British parents put into supporting their children’s individual interests/development.
———-
what country were you living in? This (the UK) invented nannies, boarding schools, school uniforms for 3 year olds, teletubbies and the ethos “seen and not heard”. Now the English have a curriculum for two year olds in maths and languages (!) and start school at 4 years old. I hate to say it because there are many many parents here who hate all that but this country isnt child friendly and most parents know it!
—————————–
Your points are more about the country and mine about the parents I have met- and both of us have our own experiences/opinions.
I think that due to high density population/ traffic there are few safe open spaces giving children freedom to roam in the UK. That often means that parents have to put more effort into supporting their children’s interests - admittedly many parents do and many don’t - but there are many opportunities for children to develop their interests from a young age. Though it is difficult because of pressures to work/earn a living on families, imo many parents make big efforts.
It is off topic to discuss the educational curriculum for young children in Britain but a little 5 year old I know was asked ‘Do you do anything apart from play in Reception class ? And he replied’Yes I have a hot dinner as well’
I’ve no time today to dig sociological research on British parenting practices but only a minority of children go to boarding school, although it is supposedly more popular since Harry Potter. On topic imo it is not typical of British parents to leave small children unsupervised, and I doubt it would be viewed as the British Standard.
off for the day now…
May 5th, 2008 at 8:31 am
It never fails to astound me how stories in this case keep coming out on a regular basis.
M and A
Groundhog Day again and again and again
May 5th, 2008 at 7:41 am
341 chenier
“And asking British citizens who have spoken to British police officers to tell the McCanns what they said is unlikely to have gathered any friends in the plod. It’s disrespectful, at the very least…”
As you say, the very least.
I believe it is illegal, though I shall check before I say it definitely is.
For two prime suspects in a serious crime to contact potential prosecution witnesses to try to find out what evidence they have given to the enquiry is potentially a conspiracy to pervert he course of Justice, and might lead to potential witness intimidation.
WIKIPEIA
In the United Kingdom, witness intimidation is covered by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994: section 51. Under this act it is an offence to perform an act which is intended to and does intimidate a person who the offender knows or believes to be involved with a criminal case with the intention of disturbing the proceedings.
In the US it is witness tampering - Witness tampering is harming or otherwise threatening a witness, hoping to influence their testimony. (Wiki)
Dont know the Portuguese equivalent, but there will be one
Witnesses who have said things detrimental to the McCs should consider their position very carefully indeed, before giving out personal details.
This whole thing stinks, and the visit to Mr Murat should also be examined very closely indeed. A millionaire AND his solicitor together are capable of intimidating.
May 5th, 2008 at 12:29 am
crappy spam thing.
May 5th, 2008 at 12:29 am
newsandstar.co.uk/opinion/anne_pickles/1.99228
May 5th, 2008 at 12:28 am
379
you weren’t living in dewsbury then.
May 5th, 2008 at 12:27 am
http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/opinion/anne_pickles/1.99228
no idea who ann pickles is, but i like her style.
May 5th, 2008 at 12:11 am
373 AgendaWide. As someone who is not British but who has lived there I have always been struck by how preciously children are treated by the parents I have met ,and how much effort British parents put into supporting their children’s individual interests/development.
———-
what country were you living in? This (the UK) invented nannies, boarding schools, school uniforms for 3 year olds, teletubbies and the ethos “seen and not heard”. Now the English have a curriculum for two year olds in maths and languages (!) and start school at 4 years old. I hate to say it because there are many many parents here who hate all that but this country isnt child friendly and most parents know it!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
M+A
I have edited above post to make clear who you were addressing. Can you please use this posters full username when relying to a comment. Using AGW as an abbreviation for AgendaWide risks confusion with the administrator of this site.
May 4th, 2008 at 11:49 pm
“Parents leave children in hotel room while they go drinking…”
http://www.portugalresident.com/portugalresident/showstory.asp?ID=26435
May 4th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
I have a whole heap of old bomerangs here.
I keep trying to throw them away ….
May 4th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
Fiery or otherwise, I too must go to bed. Goodnight all..
May 4th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Chatta my fiery one, this is the site!!
May 4th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Good night all
Sweet dreams
May 4th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
370
Châtelaine Says:
May 4th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
—————————————-Good night, Chateleine!
May 4th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
Gandolf: there’s nothing wrong with your music, but are you sure you’re on the right site?
May 4th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
289 Maria,
It has always surprised me that there has not been a more robust defence of British parenting by journalists in the context of claims of cultural differences between Portugal and Britain over bedtimes, parent me-time with inferences about child supervision practices.
————–
I am referring to 2 articles
Irish Independent- McCann family reverse story over break-in ‘evidence’By Shane Hickey Thursday October 25 2007
‘Of the criticism that the McCanns left their children by themselves on four evenings while they went for dinner, Mr Mitchell said there was a cultural difference between Britain and Portugal.”It is a British approach to get your children washed, bathed and in bed early in the evening if you can so you can have something of the evening to yourself. That is the British way of doing things. It doesn’t mean it’s wrong. It doesn’t mean it’s right,” he said.
RTP -Gerry McCann also said something similar about different cultural practices when interviewed on Portugal’s RTP in ‘Sandra Felgueiras interviews the McCanns’ on RTP, 02 May 2008
—————-
As someone who is not British but who has lived there I have always been struck by how preciously children are treated by the parents I have met ,and how much effort British parents put into supporting their children’s individual interests/development. British journalists should note that global media spotlight is also on Britain as well as Portugal in this case. (even Anorakians represent many countries). Perhaps the McCanns are not typical British parents. imo they are not.
BTW I have also noticed very high British standards in pet care (often called companions by vets)
Can’t stop because the scouts have left me the dirty old washing up to do