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Originally uploaded by smont

The Ormskirk Advertiser printed the letter I sent them based on my blog below about the BNP and voting. I'm really made up :-) x

Our Turn...

In 2004 the USA re-elected George Bush, in dubious circumstances and with questionable majorities. Lots of people in America were very concerned and upset about this state of affairs, and the impact it would have on the view that the rest of the world had on their country. So, some of them created a website- sorryeveryone.com- on which they posted pictures and messages of themselves apologising for the turn of events.

Last night, this country heard it had elected right wing facists to represent us in Europe. I'm saying no more on that as my words would be deeply unpleasant. But, suffice to say... I think it's our turn. I'm ashamed of my country doing this. America, for the first time, has a black president; we manage, probably through sheer apathy, to elect both the leader of the national front and the (convicted criminal) chairman of the BNP as MEPs.

I mailed them this last night.


The link is here if you want to follow suit.

Babies, Bathwater and the BNP...

It's not very often I feel moved to write about politics, but I find myself growing increasingly concerned by the extent to which the upcoming European Elections are being overshadowed by the issues over MP's expenses.

Don't get me wrong- I am totally in favour of a thorough police investigation, of reform of the system that allowed this greed, of MP's no longer being able to create their own rules in matters such as this- knowing that power corrupts, we really need to save them from themselves. And when I think of the £400,000 (give or take) in salary, pension benefits and expenses that the European Parliament members are entitled to, with never a receipt in sight, I know reform is badly needed there too.

But, could we postpone our anger for a few days, please?
Just until after Thursday?

I only ask, because at the moment there is a real danger of the BNP winning seats. And if they do, they are going to be there, in power, representing us, for the next five years.

It's not easy to understand how the proportional voting system works in European Parliament, but essentially, your vote counts more in some ways than in our national elections. It is within your power to prevent the BNP from winning seats.

The UK is divided into 12 regions for the purposes of this election, and my region is the North West, which includes Liverpool, Manchester and Lancaster. If the BNP win in this area, we will be represented by, amongst others, Nick Griffin, chairman of the BNP, convicted of distributing material likely to incite racial hatred (a magazine denying that the Holocaust took place), Martin Wingfield, arrested, prosecuted and imprisoned under the Race Relations Act following distribution of racist literature and Eddy O'Sullivan, who after posting comments so vile on his facebook page that even his hate ridden party threatened to suspend him, defended himself by saying, "It was supposed to be a private conversation. I also may have had a drink at the time. I don't believe those comments are racist."

I do not want these people to represent me. But I can't stop them on my own. So, people, I'm begging you- whatever you think about politicians, however angry you are, please, please choose to use your vote. There are plenty of options- if you're protesting that you don't want to be in Europe, vote UKIP; if you want to protest against the three main parties, vote Green- use this guide if you need some help choosing. Just don't protest by not voting, not this time.

Here is some really helpful information about voting.
It's apolitical,but anti-extremist. It's only one page long. Have a quick look.

And here is what our ballot paper will look like in the North West.
You just have to mark an 'x'. It will take seconds.

Thursday June 4th.
Thanks.

If you want to see what the ballot paper in your area will look like, or to download (free) copies of the 'euro-vote' flyer, go to makemyvotecount.org.uk

Sizzling Hot!

Someone gave me this a few years ago cut out of a newspaper- don't know which one. I'm not normally in favour of the slightly sexist slant these articles can sometimes take (either in favour of male OR female) but this one seems to me to be fairly accurate!
Anyway, it still makes me laugh, so given the predictions for the coming summer, I thought I'd share...


When a man volunteers to do the BBQ, the following chain of events is set in motion:

1) The woman buys the food.

2) The woman cleans the salad, prepares the dips and makes pudding.

3) The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils and sauces, and takes it to the man who is lounging beside the grill ? beer in hand. The woman pours herself a large glass of white wine. Here comes the important part:

4) THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE GRILL! Commander of the Coals, he brandishes the tongs in a manly fashion. Everything about his posture says: "This cooking lark's a doddle."

5) The woman goes inside to organise the plates and cutlery.

6) The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is burning. He thanks her and asks if she will bring another beer while he Deals With The Situation. Another very important part:

7) THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF THE GRILL AND HANDS IT TO THE WOMAN.

8) Inside, the woman cannot find a clean glass and starts drinking wine from the bottle. She scrapes the burnt bits off the lamb steaks and, from the oven, produces some M&S kebabs which she has bought, just in case. The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread, cutlery, napkins, sauces and brings them to the table.

9) After eating, the woman clears the table and loads the dishwasher. And most important of all:

10) Everyone PRAISES the MAN and THANKS HIM for his cooking efforts.

11) The man asks the woman how she enjoyed "Her night off". Woman grips barbecue skewer tightly. Says nothing.

Happy Bard-day to you...

As well as St George, St Phil (my brother) and countless other important luminaries, today is the lesser known William Shakespeare's birthday. Wiki says they don't know his birthday, only the day of his baptism. But, hey ho, this'll do. It's also the day he died, and four hundred years to the month that his first book of sonnets were sold for sixpence. Apparently.
Anyway. Here's my tribute. I read it at Poetry Cafe at the Bluecoats tonight. They didn't seem to mind that I was teasing slightly.
Mind you, I didn't dare attempt to tell them that St George was probably Turkish o_O x


No Longer Eighteen

Shall I compare thee to a wet weekend?
The ruthless winds have stripped our orchards bare
The lease is up, and yet we still pretend
sweet temperance? Or do we just not care?

In time, most mortal flesh begins to sag.
In Shakespeare's day they died at fifty one.
Who wants to live forever? let death brag.
At least the shade will keep us out the sun.

And so you raise the volume on the box.
Deaf as a post, but still with eyes that see-
In widescreen watch as Britney shakes her locks
Long gone the times you looked like that at me.

But trade you in? My darling, don't dismay-
I'll hang on, so the life insurance pays.

Genius

Two reports for you today. Spot the connection.

A couple of weekends ago, my brother's wife's sister (stay with me) got married.
Her father is the vicar of in Holy Trinity in Idle, Diocese of Bradford, and so he performed the ceremony, and the reception was held at a nearby venue.

As my sister in law and her father have been involved in firework displays on and off for years, at the previous two siblings weddings the evening had been rounded off by a spectacular light show of some sort. True to tradition, they decided, as a surprise gift for the bride and groom, to launch some paper lanterns, lit inside, creating a beautiful display.




The day was a success, and the lanterns rounded things off beautifully.







The second is a report which appeared a few days ago in the Telegraph and Argus, a local Bradford newspaper. The report is by Marcus Meneaud, and the full text can be found here.

The headling states "UFO sightings are no joke for Denise", and the article goes on to describe

"...reports of up to five red or orange orbs hovering silently in the night sky before quickly disappearing."

The 'Denise' in the headline is Denise Wilson, who 'saw them circling above her home in Moorside, Daisy Hill, Bradford, when she took her dog for a night-time stroll.'

“There were four round red or orange glowing lights flying in formation,cruising towards me. ... They weren’t flying very high, not as high as planes and then they disappeared above the trees.
... I don’t care what people think of me, I know what I saw and it wasn’t normal and it wasn’t man-made. It was very, very strange, like some-thing out of Close Encounters of the Third Kind!”

A further couple of residents had spotted the same UFO's, although one described similar lanterns he had seen in China.

Coincidence?!
the truth is out there.....

Do you think they should confess?! :-)

Hitting the Bottle

Hitting the Bottle
Originally uploaded by smont

My nephew seems to have developed a love of drinking directly from the bottle.
It would seem he's transfered this skill to bottles of wine.

I would like to point out that it isn't my hand holding the bottle, I was taking the photograph. Honestly.

Bless x