Saturday, April 10, 2010

Rebel Side of Heaven




After the first day of electioneering, I thought the Tories had it in the bag, but my hopes that they can still snatch a spectacular defeat from the jaws of victory have risen. I was a bit dismayed that the letter from businessmen about national insurance got so much prominence and was given so much credence. After all, big business looking after its own narrow and selfish interests is hardly news is it? Little by little though, the counterargument is being put, and put well.

Added to this there is the fun to be had with Chris Grayling and the fact that that every tory initiative is being exposed as a sham. The glossy Cameron PR is not surviving even a cursory reading of the small print. Some Labour types are coming up with good quotes too, I liked Darlings reference to Gideon being wrong all the time, about everything and I liked Straws quote to the effect that in Blackburn, they are still feeling the pain from the last recession. 3 massive cheers to Vince Cable too, for his description of the businessmen as nauseating.

Malcolm Tucker: inspired

Meanwhile, Ben Folds and his audience had some hilarious fun with chat roulette

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Worries




You may have come across Erwin James when he was writing about his life in prison for the Guardian. There was a very good, short programme featuring him talking about food on radio 4 today. Highly recommended.

Surprise news of the day: there is going to be an election. I must start blogging more regularly, if only to insult and disrespect the bastard Tories.

Let's start with William Hague, who came across very badly in an interview with PM tonight when he was asked about Chris Grayling. As he did when questioned about Ashcroft, Hague dissembled and dissembled and dissembled. Just like Cameron, he thinks that if he doesn't like a question, he can just say that the matter has bean dealt with and there is no need for further discourse. It was very pleasing to hear him being repeatedly questioned though…………and getting flustered. Here's a tip Will, try telling the truth in the first place, then you only make a dick of yourself the once.


BIRMINGHAM CITY V. BARCELONA

Sunday, April 04, 2010

Saturday Night



While it is fun to poke fun at Gideon Osborne, the bigger liability for the Tories is Chris Grayling, who makes himself look a berk every time he opens his mouth, and he has been at it again. In the first half hour sine the story was published it has been tweeted nearly 500 times. Beggar the huge Tory advertising budget………WE SHALL FIGHT THEM ON THE SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES!

Mind you, I am not overly enamoured with the Labour party and Ed Balls makes me sick to the pit of my stomach. I have been reading a bit on the court case of Sharon Shoesmith, the director of social services in the Baby P case; and it seems clear that Balls interfered in the reviewing process and pretty much bullied the inspector.

I have little time for managers in social services, but I recall being quite impressed by Shoesmith at the time (I was in a minority of  1 think) She didn't apologise, she didn't make mealy mouthed statements: she defended her department, which is almost unheard of. We seem to be in a culture where we have to accept guilt and blame and I don't think it's healthy. Honest appraisal cannot be tolerated.

Balls seems to have made it clear that he wanted a scapegoat and every interview he did at the time supports this view. At a time when clear headed rationalism was needed, he jumped on the scapegoating bandwagon, and looked fore someone to blame. Well, the sacrificial lamb was slaughtered, but the demonising of Sharon Shoesmith will do nothing to protect children in the longer term.

Friday, April 02, 2010

Well. I am alive. Apologies for lack of entertainment while I was preparing for the Wrun. It was all a bit uneventful. I have realised that most of my problems came from my piss poor breathing; once I trained myself to breathe properly (no easy task), it all became much easier. Mind you, I did get some strange looks from the dog walkers, as I would stand in the middle of a field, breathing in as I raised my arms to the sky, and breathing out as I lowered them, ever so slowly, down. Which was actually quite sane compared to inducing hyperventilation with a crazy and noisy technique I read about in one of the Sunday papers.



Here is a bleeding treat. Johnny Cash, live at Montreux 1994. The whole damn thing.

The Blues have been a bit of a treat lately, as well. We have Liverpool at home on Sunday and most commentators in the press and some Liverpool fans consider the game to be one of the hardest that Liverpool have left. Who would have thunk it 6 months ago?

Watching the Arsenal v Barcelona game it was apparent that the commentators assumed that everyone watching wanted Arsenal to win. I don't know anyone who wanted Arsenal to win. Everyone I know despises them.

Talking of despicable individuals: