Hooray! Eurovision is here! The uber-camp celebration of european integration which we all love to watch, much of the time to laugh at the comedy entries, and agree with Terry Wogan about how terrible it is but we still love it anyway, even when it's tainted with "Bloc Voting".
Well Terry Wogan has retired from the post due to that last point (many cite the former russian colonies, though Greece, Cyprus and Turkey have been doing the same thing, even Germany gives the 12 points reguarly the latter country due to the high percentage of turks in Germany), and now we have the appropriately camp Graham Norton hosting the festivities.
This year I've only managed to watch the 1st semi-final (i write this on the day of the final) and the ones I liked didn't get through. Looking at the finalists, I'm not sure i'll get on with any of them, but I'm sure I'll still watch it anyway. Unfortunetly the competition has already been marred, though many may not know it.
A Gay Rights protest taking place outside the venue hall was broken up by Russian police, as they were worried it would "get out of hand". Funny then, that earlier on there was a protest by a group of Anti-gay protesters which was allowed to go ahead without police interruption. Clearly Russia is still miles behind other developed countries, who regularly have Gay parades (even America, often considered the most homophobic of countries, has a major share of gay people) and are starting to respect the rights of homosexuals (no country can really claim to respect them fully when still can't get married). And what a time to show this, before Eurovision! A competition with a huge gay following. This has irked me somewhat, and made me want to bycott the competition. But it's not the competition I'm against, it's the Russian police.
So, what I hope will happen is that at least one of the participants will try to make a point about this, on stage or in an interview, that will "send shockwaves around the world"... Or not, but someone should say something about this catastrophy of human rights abuse.
On a different note, though relevant to a previous post, I have now recieved a leaflet from Lib Dems. Mostly fairly good, but I'm still not convinced by Nick Clegg. Vince Cable would be a better leader, though we know how the party feels about older people...
Saturday 16 May 2009
Wednesday 13 May 2009
MP's Expenses
You could not have failed to notice that there has been a bit of a rumbling about certain expenses claims from certain politicians. The BBC graphics department has been showing off their skills with images such as money floating around some water with a castle in the background (in reference to a Tory MPs claim for maintenance of his moat).
It's all been very exciting for the papers as well, not least the Daily Telegraph who got hold of the evidence which they have been releasing each day of this week. The Guardian (my paper of choice), has also been having a whale of a time printing the faces of the "Shamed Politicians" who have "their snouts in the trough." The Express and the Mail have had their usual sensationalist headlines proclaiming to the world that these MPs (especially the Labour ones of course) are destroying the once noble profession of being an MP.
And what about the "once noble profession" of being a Journalist? I don't want to be too scathing about the people I will hopefully be working with/ for/ in place of in the future, but Journalists are known for being very dodgy with expenses. Also, the BBC team who have been grilling these disgusting vile creatures who get plenty of money anyway and still claim for these extravagances, earn a fair wack themselves (Paxman earns nearly 1 Million for 3 or 4 nights work), and I should imagine still claim for small things. A Labour peer hit back at a BBC newsreader, asking her what salary she got. When she disclosed it was £91,000 a year (MPs get £60,000), he wondered how she could have a go at him for such a blatant waste of tax payers money.
To me it seems a bit like two over-payed people arguing with each other about who is more corrupt. And I have to say, the public are no better. There are many people working in regular jobs who fudge their expenses or claim more than they should. A man we know to be called Stephen Fry (yes, THE Stephen Fry) was interviewed about this before going to an event designed to encourage people to vote. The reporter was unfortunate enough to not get the "Oh these people are terrible" response that he wanted. Instead, Fry said he couldn't believe how big a deal the press were making of this, especially considering the reputation that they have in the same area. He also said "It really doesn't matter." (He actual words can be heard here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/8045040.stm). He worries too the press saying "this will discourage the public from voting" is what will discourage them more than this scandel (in fact the only thing this scandal will do is drive to people to fringe parties, hopefully not the racist ones).
Now I can't sit here and claim that I wasn't frothing at the mouth when I first heard about this "corruption". But as the weeks have gone by I've started to get bored of the press coverage, and realised that there are plenty more issues to get angry about. I will list a few of these:
It's all been very exciting for the papers as well, not least the Daily Telegraph who got hold of the evidence which they have been releasing each day of this week. The Guardian (my paper of choice), has also been having a whale of a time printing the faces of the "Shamed Politicians" who have "their snouts in the trough." The Express and the Mail have had their usual sensationalist headlines proclaiming to the world that these MPs (especially the Labour ones of course) are destroying the once noble profession of being an MP.
And what about the "once noble profession" of being a Journalist? I don't want to be too scathing about the people I will hopefully be working with/ for/ in place of in the future, but Journalists are known for being very dodgy with expenses. Also, the BBC team who have been grilling these disgusting vile creatures who get plenty of money anyway and still claim for these extravagances, earn a fair wack themselves (Paxman earns nearly 1 Million for 3 or 4 nights work), and I should imagine still claim for small things. A Labour peer hit back at a BBC newsreader, asking her what salary she got. When she disclosed it was £91,000 a year (MPs get £60,000), he wondered how she could have a go at him for such a blatant waste of tax payers money.
To me it seems a bit like two over-payed people arguing with each other about who is more corrupt. And I have to say, the public are no better. There are many people working in regular jobs who fudge their expenses or claim more than they should. A man we know to be called Stephen Fry (yes, THE Stephen Fry) was interviewed about this before going to an event designed to encourage people to vote. The reporter was unfortunate enough to not get the "Oh these people are terrible" response that he wanted. Instead, Fry said he couldn't believe how big a deal the press were making of this, especially considering the reputation that they have in the same area. He also said "It really doesn't matter." (He actual words can be heard here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/8045040.stm). He worries too the press saying "this will discourage the public from voting" is what will discourage them more than this scandel (in fact the only thing this scandal will do is drive to people to fringe parties, hopefully not the racist ones).
Now I can't sit here and claim that I wasn't frothing at the mouth when I first heard about this "corruption". But as the weeks have gone by I've started to get bored of the press coverage, and realised that there are plenty more issues to get angry about. I will list a few of these:
- The Rich - Poor gap has gotten wider than ever before.
- The Government has become little more than the City's lapdog.
- We spent millions of pounds fighting an irrelevant and stupid war.
- We want to spend millions more on a nuclear deterrent that we don't need.
- The tax system is such that high earners can "avoid" playing tax and the government doesn't mind, while low earners struggle to earn enough to live.
- Our Civil Liberties are being eroded away with ID Cards and over-excitable policemen, all in the name of "protecting us against terrorism".
- The NHS and Post office are edging nearer to privatisation.
- Rail travel is so expensive and inefficient, when it can be so good, as well as better for the environment.
Tuesday 12 May 2009
These here election things...
About this time every year we have some sort of election for some form of council or parliament. This year it's the turn of European Parliament and County Council (for certain areas such as mine, Surrey).
Last year was my first time voting. It may seem a it odd but i was actually quite excited about the process, although it was obvious who was going to win in my ward (don't think any party other than tory has ever won). Then I looked up my options for voting. Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem, UKIP. Oh joy.
The thing that really got me, however, was that the only party who even bothered (in my area at least) to give me any info on policies and the such were UKIP, or "The fluffy version of the BNP" as I call them. No thanks.
I know for a fact that in the next ward over, the Green candidate (Johnathan Essex) was out on doorsteps talking to people. Now why could any of the candidates in my area do this? Is it because they were resigned to the fact that the tories were going to run away with it? If so, that doesn't say much for their faith in democracy.
In the end I voted in shere despair for Labour, mainly because I see myself as a bit Left wing and the Liberals around this area tend to lean more toward Conservative policy. But I really didn't know who I was voting for or why I should be doing it, which surely makes a mockery of the whole system of voting.
This year, UKIP were the first people to put their little newspaper thing through my door (though they do this regularly, again, why don't others do this?), but I've also had a leaflet from the Greens. I've read this, and I have to say i agree with much of what they stand for, but I'm still waiting for the other candidates for County elections, Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem to give me something (I should point out that the BNP are also standing my ward, but I immediately ignore them on account of them being racists and pseudo-fascists).
Europe-wise, there is a wealth of choice. The main three, The Greens, Socialist Labour, Libertas, BNP & UKIP and all the other spin off xenophobic parties, plus a couple of odd ones, namely "The Jury Team" (huh?), and "The Roman Party. AVE!" But I have yet to find out what the candidates for the South East are offering me.
So if any of the party candidates for the Redhill District of Surrey or the South East region for Europe that I haven't heard from and aren't racist/ xenophobic are reading this (ambitious for my first blog...), pleas tell me what your policies and ideas!
Thanks, and good night.
Last year was my first time voting. It may seem a it odd but i was actually quite excited about the process, although it was obvious who was going to win in my ward (don't think any party other than tory has ever won). Then I looked up my options for voting. Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem, UKIP. Oh joy.
The thing that really got me, however, was that the only party who even bothered (in my area at least) to give me any info on policies and the such were UKIP, or "The fluffy version of the BNP" as I call them. No thanks.
I know for a fact that in the next ward over, the Green candidate (Johnathan Essex) was out on doorsteps talking to people. Now why could any of the candidates in my area do this? Is it because they were resigned to the fact that the tories were going to run away with it? If so, that doesn't say much for their faith in democracy.
In the end I voted in shere despair for Labour, mainly because I see myself as a bit Left wing and the Liberals around this area tend to lean more toward Conservative policy. But I really didn't know who I was voting for or why I should be doing it, which surely makes a mockery of the whole system of voting.
This year, UKIP were the first people to put their little newspaper thing through my door (though they do this regularly, again, why don't others do this?), but I've also had a leaflet from the Greens. I've read this, and I have to say i agree with much of what they stand for, but I'm still waiting for the other candidates for County elections, Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem to give me something (I should point out that the BNP are also standing my ward, but I immediately ignore them on account of them being racists and pseudo-fascists).
Europe-wise, there is a wealth of choice. The main three, The Greens, Socialist Labour, Libertas, BNP & UKIP and all the other spin off xenophobic parties, plus a couple of odd ones, namely "The Jury Team" (huh?), and "The Roman Party. AVE!" But I have yet to find out what the candidates for the South East are offering me.
So if any of the party candidates for the Redhill District of Surrey or the South East region for Europe that I haven't heard from and aren't racist/ xenophobic are reading this (ambitious for my first blog...), pleas tell me what your policies and ideas!
Thanks, and good night.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
