The Phoenix Four.
(Rover Group).
Bosses at Marconi (early 2000s).
Sir Fred Goodwin.

I haven't named John DeLorean and Freddie Laker and Sir Clive Sinclair as they actually made something worthwhile before they went bust.

However the award goes to... Silvio Berlusconi. While in office, negotiating legislation that allows him immunity from prosecution... being in charge of a media empire (would we allow Murdoch to become PM here?) and employing friends and relatives in government positions, while having Bunga Bunga parties with underage prostitutes and models? I mean, we complain about the government here, but THAT? Only really enabled because a section of the voting nation think "He's a real man and a bit of a card, what's wrong with that?"
( Rotating Wobbly Hat That's not a banana. THIS is a banana., Thu 6 Sep 2012, 20:51, 13 replies)

longridge and rover
Is a terrible and cautionary tale someone could write a really good book about if they took an interest. It was going wrong a long time before it shut down, and everyone who ran the thing knew it and looked after their own interests at the expense of ever trying to save it.
(SnowyTheWereRabbit the Leporid from Hell, Thu 6 Sep 2012, 20:56, closed)

I get the feeling that if Murdoch became the actual PM (as opposed to the greasy eminence he is now), he would get that position by seizing power and eliminating the opposition rather than by being "allowed".

( The Mock TurtIe ™ --- Thinks you are a cunt, on, Thu 6 Sep 2012, 21:31, closed)

I can't see him getting my vote
yes..... more like a Maoist seizure of power?
( Rotating Wobbly Hat That's not a banana. THIS is a banana., Thu 6 Sep 2012, 21:37, closed)

Aye, or any other 20th century dictator who took power in a time of national crisis.

( The Mock TurtIe ™ --- Thinks you are a cunt, on, Thu 6 Sep 2012, 21:44, closed)

I like the way that people say 'At least Mussolini made the trains run on time'
Pol Pot destroyed the Cambodian class system, Billy Bragg must be elated...
( Rotating Wobbly Hat That's not a banana. THIS is a banana., Thu 6 Sep 2012, 21:52, closed)

Mussolini didn't even do that.
The reason being that penalties for public services not meeting their performance targets were so harsh that performance figures were often falsified out of fear.
( The Mock TurtIe ™ --- Thinks you are a cunt, on, Thu 6 Sep 2012, 21:57, closed)

aha!
And thus, government statics were born.

British Rail (when I briefly worked for them) said their timetables were published as 'target figures' and trains were not considered late unti l10 minutes after the timetabel said they were late.

Shinkansen on the other hand were actually 43 seconds (to the clock, not a target figure) late when I researched them.
( Rotating Wobbly Hat That's not a banana. THIS is a banana., Thu 6 Sep 2012, 22:01, closed)

ive noticed that
When my 1738 is "expected 1743" the lady never says "the delayed 1738". Only if its really late.
(tyrellsOwl, Fri 7 Sep 2012, 8:56, closed)

Oh oopsie, history not my strong point
Mao didn't sieze power. Instead, imagine I said 'Idi Amin'
( Rotating Wobbly Hat That's not a banana. THIS is a banana., Thu 6 Sep 2012, 22:13, closed)

You think
that Murdoch ISN'T our PM? We have a whole government (regardless of party) who panders to his every whim - always have. That's why they all sat there with shit eating grins on their faces during the phone hacking bollocks - the same look most of us get when our boss fucks up.
(dchurch bah, Thu 6 Sep 2012, 22:03, closed)

I agree with what you say about Bersculoni
but your "He's a real man and a bit of a card, what's wrong with that?" argument doesn't stand up.
How the juddering kuck did Kevin Rudd get elected down here in Oz then?
Aside from the fact that everyone was sick of Little Johnnie.

You can keep Murdoch - we really don't want him. I'd be more scared of Wendy Deng personally - mean right hook on that lady!
(Misery McUglywife an attention seeking sociopathic fuckstain., Thu 6 Sep 2012, 22:48, closed)

Oh man, I got Deng Fever right here now.
I didn't say that "I" liked Berlusconi as 'a bit of a card', from what I gather he is liked by the very manly men of Italy for being a Manly Man in their eyes. I don't speak Italian and when I tried, they plead with me to speak in English instead as I would be more understandable to them.
( Rotating Wobbly Hat That's not a banana. THIS is a banana., Thu 6 Sep 2012, 22:58, closed)

All of which only goes to reinforce my opinion....
...that Italians are (in general) a bunch of self-obsessed, egotistical, ignorant arseholes who think that the height of the human experience is poncing about in designer sunglasses and pastel jumpers whilst looking down their noses at anyone who has actually achieved something for the world but is wearing last years' colour.

So they got what they deserved - the knob end that was Berlesconi.
(Colonel Blink is now officially a pretentious prick, Fri 7 Sep 2012, 6:01, closed)