Recently in politics Category

Was that too strong? I'm sorry but I thought I should get straight to the point. World football chief Sepp Blatter has outdone his own previous 'foot-in-the-mouth' moments this week by claiming that racism doesn't exist in football and that racial issues can be settled with a handshake.

What?!

The FIFA boss couldn't have picked a worse week to trot out his latest piece of rubbish; with separate high profile cases fought by Black players in England, Anton Ferdinand and Patrice Evra who accuse John Terry and Luis Suarez respectively of racial abuse.

I would love to know what qualifies this privileged White man from a different place and time to speak on issues of race. But I suppose him hurriedly digging out and releasing to the media fabricated photos of him cuddling up to the nearest Black man he could find makes everything alright again?

With so many football figures having criticised Blatter's latest gaffe, why can't the other national football authorities around the world join them and force the resignation of this horrible individual?

Football chiefs you need to grow a pair and get rid of Blatter. With all the issues that need to be addressed in society, we can do without a clown like Blatter muddying the water.

As a driver, I'm tired of the growing trend of jaywalking; people who risk life and limb by casually and deliberately stepping out in the way of traffic.

How many times have you drivers had to break sharply or swerve suddenly to avoid one of these people, sometimes doing their best 'talk to the hand' gesture?

It was really sad to hear of the death of a Solihull teenager last month, but truth be told, all the evidence points to the fact that he was playing 'chicken' on a busy 'A' road with friends.

What in the world made him and his pals think that this was a good way to pass the time?

I'll tell you: every council and law enforcement body that has stood silent or conveniently looked away while this practice becomes common practice.

And the romantic coverage of this accident waiting to happen hasn't helped either, as it obscures the real issue.

This practice needs to criminalized, so innocent drivers aren't victimised and pedestrians realise the law will no longer protect their stupidity.

The right-wing press have already gone nuts at the revelation that the UK government is to pay £38 million to help save Ethiopia from its worst drought for a decade, where 2.3 million people are in need of emergency aid.

Yes, we are in a recession here in the UK.

Yes, there's much need to be met in this country.

But many of the problems in Africa are down to the fact that European countries spent close to 400 years taking the best of it's people and natural resources through slavery and imperialism. The charge was led by the UK. Then after World War II bled the UK dry, it simply got off, left a mess behind and looked back wondering what's wrong.

The UK and co cannot physically, emotionally and economically rape these countries' and destroy countless generations of its people and their culture over such a long period of time and expect everything to be OK.

Yes, there are continuing problems with civil war and corruption in Africa, but when countries like the UK stretch forward a bloody hand to offer a little recompense, please don't think of them as generous.

The cash they are giving back to just one of the many African countries they helped destroy is a tiny payback.

It's a bit rich, (pun intended) for our dear esteemed PM David Cameron to be blaming the education system for failing to prepare youth to be able to get jobs.

Then along comes his mini-me, Deputy Nick Clegg blaming privileged parents for using their influence to help their children get internships. Isn't that how young Nick got into banking as a teen?

It's all good for Cam 'N' Clegg to spew out all this hot air while they cut teaching staff and programmes like The Future Jobs fund that is getting young, long-term unemployed people into the world of work.

This government is over a year old (and it makes as much sense as a one year old) and it still using Labour policies as an excuse for the current national situation.

Guess what ConDems? The election is done and you've got the power now so how about spending more time on doing something positive now than banging on about the old government didn't do then?

So the big royal wedding is on with dignitaries and leaders from all over the world expected to be in attendance ... all except President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama.

What?

So much for the special relationship that Cameron's been banging on about when the Obamas announced their state visit to the UK in May.

Here comes the spin from the royal camp: this wedding doesn't count as a "state occassion" because it does not involve an heir to the throne, so there is no requirement to invite world leaders.

Then why were President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy invited to Fergie and Andrew's wedding back in '86. Andrew was then as William is now, second in line to the throne.

Another line: the couple want to invite activists, charity workers and exceptional citizens. Is that why that legendary campaigner, French President Nicolas Sarkozy is on the guest list?!

What's all that about?

Our new government's has been nicknamed the ConDems in some quarters but it seems that prison life is increasingly no condemnation to offenders.

Thanks to an incoming European ruling, prisoners will soon be able to vote so as not to deny their human rights.

Wait a minute ...

What about the rights of the victims who've had their property, health, confidence, dignity and their very lives taken away by offenders?

So much politicking seems to be so concerned with helping those in the wrong.

The way I see it, if you choose crime, you reject liberty and the majority of your human rights.

Remember that Public Enemy rap music track that started with Rev Jesse Jackson's words: "Brothers and sisters, I don't know what this world is coming to?"

Time to get a rewind methinks.

I would have thought that our government would have thought this Big Society idea through thoroughly.

Perhaps it has but is still happy to encourage communities to re-organise themselves and self-manage.

Hasn't the increased terror plot around the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham forced any of the ConDems to connect the dots?

What do you get if you encourage a society already plagued by racial and social division to divide itself up further in the name of Big Society?

I'm no mathematician but surely this sum equals more division and the likelihood of similar terror alerts on a more regular basis.

It's hard for a country to pull together when its sitting government is trying to separate it.

Government needs to factor in the unseen costs of their Big Society.

Is Big Society a big dangerous mistake?

Oh I understand now: if I start a dangerous job I am ill-prepared to carry out and something goes wrong, risking the health and livelihoods of many, it isn't my fault. The blame belongs to anyone who calls my actions into question.

That must be why President Barack Obama is being labelled as "evil" for making unfair "rants" in the UK media for criticising BP for failing to prevent, stop or clean up the devastating oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

BP did not have the safety measures in place, despite saying they had and dragged their feet and lied at every stage as the state and US government officials investigated the problem. Not to mention their use of dangerous and untested chemicals to disperse the escaped oil.

Also the comparisons being made in the UK media between this disaster and Hurricane Katrina; that was a natural disaster. This oil spill is not.

BP, sought yourself out ... and if you don't mind, do something about the spill you caused.

Don't blame Barack, he's only looking out for the people in the Gulf area, something BP should have considered before they started drilling.

Also, all the little Englanders who've been whining about the President's comments can calm down too: this isn't about Obama being anti-British, just anti-BP.

So the election is over. Many votes were cast but we live in the uncertainty of what will become of our hung parliament as the party leaders, so recently in such opposition, are now suddenly keen to shake each others' grubby little paws in search of a fast friend to help them cling onto/ gain power.

Is that harsh? Perhaps it is a bit - it's probably just my frustration at the endless pretence of the news outlets claiming to have some breaking news story every hour. Come on now, there will be nothing new to report for a while. In the meantime, aren't there any other news these stations can report?

One consolation from this scenario is that so many members of the British electorate decided to vote this time around - well, those of us who didn't get booth doors closed in our faces.

If the 2010 British public weren't quite as bold as 1997's to vote out the long serving and largely unpopular ruling party, at least we let our feelings be known en masse.

Here's hoping whichever party or coalition forms our next government, its members do not take the liberties the last lot did.

Did you vote? Are encouraged, scared, excited or clueless at having a coalition government?

Re the suspension of flights over Europe - are we a nation that takes its safety seriously or do we just love to have something to moan about?

I've watched and heard would-be travellers moaning about how the disruption that the halted flights have caused to them. The grounding of flights because of the volcanic ash clouds caused by an eruption in Iceland was always going to cause problems. I know there are people stranded in far off lands whose situations may be more serious than people looking to jet off on holiday. Prayerfully their issues will be looked on favourably.

I am glad that the aviation authorities have taken action to preserve the lives of travellers, rather than wait for a disaster and then lament about what they should have done.

How many instances have we had recently of authorities turning a blind eye to potential problems or take necessary action, then telling us where they went wrong and how they are going to 'ensure this tragedy never happens again?' Baby P, Khyra Ishaq and Harold Shipman ring a bell? Need I go on?

Remember any damage to aircraft flying through the ash may not become apparent for some time. Who knows what effects the ash will have once it had seeped into and settled on aeroplane engines?

Sometimes life isn't about taking actions that suit us now but the more serious effects they may have in the longer term. Agree?