Monthly Archives: August 2008

Current Affairs General

While the world watches the Olympics….

August 10, 2008 – 5:29 pm

Two neighbouring countries, Georgia and Russia declare (almost) outright war on each other, bringing instability into an already fragile region.

A new world war?

If this does happen, then we in the rest of the world should be very, very afraid….

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Current Affairs General

More public money going down the (Northern Rock) drain

August 5, 2008 – 6:08 pm

Why is the government giving the nationalised Northern Rock bank a staggering £3billion in cash? Surely such unacceptable practices such as this will make it harder for the taxpayer to have this money repaid in the future.

The bank recently announced losses of around £585million and plans to cut around 1300 jobs as the current (state-appointed) management plans to ‘slim down’ the business.

The situation at NR must be very desperate indeed… not just for the government, but more so for both the bank’s remaining staff and savers. The decision to buy the bank has turned to be a disaster… just as many respected business commentators have repeatedly predicted.

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General Sport

Government-imposed medals target is unsustainable

August 5, 2008 – 5:34 pm

The government can’t stop the economy going into meltdown nor prevent the rising crime wave, but hey, in their long-standing policy of unrealistic target-setting, sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe today called on the Great Britain athletics team to win at least 10 gold medals and a receive a total of 41 at this year’s Beijing Olympics.

“That is a serious target…. and we want it to be achieved,” he says.

No, Mr Sutcliffe, no, no, no, no, NO!!!!

What we don’t need is for more state interference in the running of sport. The unrealistic pressures asked by Sutcliffe will almost certainly lead our athletes failing, when they should be encouraged to enjoy themselves competiting at the Olympics, whatever the result. The team will be lucky to win at least five medals in all.

On a more alarming note, what is going to happen when London hosts the games in 2012? This government has a policy of encouraging local councils and public bodies to sell off playing fields and leisure facilities to developers, so British athletes will be often forced to train abroad (if they’re lucky), or more likely, forced to give up their sports.

So if you think the situation is bad now, it could become worse in four years time…. and we know who to blame for that…don’t we?

P.S. More on this absurdity from Norman Geras here.

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General Sport

England fails at the cricket

August 4, 2008 – 4:42 pm

The English national cricket team flopped once again. After a heavy defeat against South Africa, Michael Vaughan promptly resigned as captain. Fair enough.

But within twenty four hours, the selectors controversially picked wild batsman Kevin Pietersen as his replacement. What’s the matter with them? Couldn’t they ask Vaughan to stay on until the end of the series before replacing him?

It’s so typical of those who ‘run’ sport in the UK. There are so many demands for instant success in sport, yet very little is done about making our athletes work hard to bring that success. Most cricket watchers will fear that demands for the quick-fix (in picking Pietersen) may turn the game back to the dark ages.

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Current Affairs General

The government REALLY is at war

August 4, 2008 – 4:22 pm

It was an inevitable, but a predicable scenario….the government is at sixes and sevens over policy and personalities. After the recent disastrous by-election defeat in Glasgow East (which would make scottish independence from the UK even more likely), just about every member of the so-called cabinet are at each other’s throats.

Gordon Brown must wonder to himself why he wanted desperately to become Prime Minister. It seems everything he touches turns to dust these days. Not a day goes by without continued rumours being made over his future.

It’s clear that Brown (and Labour) must go, but who in their right mind would want to become leader of a political party which has caused so much social damage to the UK over the last eleven years? The current crop of MPs simply aren’t talented or tough enough to head the party.

None of the present cabinet even have the guts to say to Brown’s face, “Sorry, but you must go now,” simply because they are a bunch of backstabbing headless cowards, so all this nonsense in the media about foreign secretary David Miliband and talk about a potential leadership contest should cease immediately.

The only good thing about this is that we will soon have a change of government in 2010…. and soon Brown, and Labour, will be history….

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