Since I mentioned it in my previous post...

I struggle with the issue of gay marriage. Or specifically, I struggle with why this is even an issue for much of the population.

There only seems to me to be two logical default positions on this:

• For it - because you are gay, someone you love is gay, you believe in equality or you just really like weddings
• Not bothered

I don't understand why people are against it. I mean I've heard the arguments, I know what they are, but they don't make sense to me.

If you aren't gay yourself, why do you care so much what other people are doing, if it doesn't affect you. I have heard some vague nonsense about how it will demean 'traditional' marriage. If your marriage feels less important because of something complete strangers are doing, then the problem in in your home.

Then there is the religion argument.  Apparently, god won't like it. Again, if it isn't you doing it, why should that worry you so much? Or is your god the type to smote everyone in his anger? In which case, I'd be questioning whether that is the kind of god I want to hang out with, rather than worrying about what Adam and Steve (or Adele and Eve) are doing.

Extreme dislike

The return to the blog isn't just going to be self-indulgent moaning or metaphorical reading into fruit growing. I do intend to cast my eye around the wider world from time to time.

Starting with politics.

Slightly late, admittedly, as this would have been more topical a week ago.

I now work in a pretty political environment, which is the one part of it I like. Working at the world's largest 'not a bookshop', the nearest to political debate we got was people expressing a preference for one fried chicken shop over another. So a good political debate first thing in the morning is appreciated now. But I remain and grow increasingly wary of party politics and the political system. But unlike a number of my countrymen, I haven't and will not be voting for UKIP anytime soon.

While keen to distance themselves from the BNP and their politics of hate, UKIP spout, at best, the politics of extreme dislike. Starting with their extreme dislike of Europe. Extending this to cover 'Johnny Foreigner' in general.

They claim to have increased their policy range - and it is true.  They have added to the list of things they are against:

- Gay marriage - I don't even know why this is a political issue (there is probably another post on my feelings on this subject)
- Wind turbines - with the obligatory reference to England's green and pleasant land
- the high speed rail line that goes through where people are likely to vote for them - although confusingly, they are generally pro-high speed rail - just not this one.

Even my mother, who I don't think would object to being described as politically naïve, spotted their absence of an economic recovery plan (although not in quite those words).

The Election - Some Thoughts

Firstly, why am I still awake? I have work tomorrow.

Ken Clarke is quite funny. His comments about the media coverage were most amusing when the BBC wanted to cut off the interview with him to show pictures of Gordon arriving at his count.

Sara Brown's skirt was rather short. Her legs pretty good, but I think it is too late to win any votes by showing a bit of leg.

Where is the glory for the Sunderland seats to be the first to declare? Surely it would be better to boast of a decent turnout and an electorate that put some thought into their voting.

It saddens me that in many areas the BNP get more votes than the Green Party.

Complacent Canvassing

I'm at home again for part 3 of the ceiling debacle. From the window I can see a man in an anorak coming up the path. There is feeble knock on the door. I answer it and the man, who is holding a clipboard in the same blue as his anorak, introduces himself as being from a political party. Can they count on my support in the election, he asks. I can't help but smile as I say no, although I think he can tell that what I'm too polite to say is that I wouldn't vote for your lot in million years. He asks who I will be voting for. I tell him who I will probably vote for. He then asks if the OH would vote for his party. I tell him probably not (what I mean is that if he did vote for them, he wouldn't tell me).

Then he was gone. No attempt at persuading me, no hard or soft sell on why his party has to offer, what makes their manifesto worth voting for or anything. And I feel slightly disappointed. I know they pretty much have it in the bag, but I would have liked to have been made to feel that they would have liked me personally to vote for them.

The Race to the White House

If I was American I would probably vote Democrat because I tend to be left-leaning (in politics, not posture). So I am pleased that Obama won, but not a jubilant as everyone else seems to be. The right man may have won (only time will tell) but I don’t think he won for the right reasons.

Lots has been written and said about how historic it is that a black person has won, I don’t think quite as much progress has been made as people think. It is great that millions of white people weren’t deterred by the colour of his skin, but there is a flipside. An unprecedented turnout of black voters who felt they had someone they could now vote (from comments on the news and on the internet) suggests for many race was the only issue. If they won’t vote for white candidates, have things really changed that much? Of course white people don’t have the terrible history of being slaves or more recent segregation, but it is still racism if a black person won’t vote for someone because of their skin colour.

The fact is that Obama has more in common with Bush and other white politicians than he has with the majority of the people who voted for him. I find it worrying that people will only vote for someone who they perceived themselves to have something in common with, rather than who will do the best for them (this isn't necessarily going to be the same). I don't need a white working class woman from the north east to stand for election to consider voting.

Furthermore, from what I’ve seen of him, I quite liked John McCain but think he received some bad advice along the way in his campaign. He displayed a great amount of dignity in defeat which I think was a truer reflection of the man. He mainly suffered from the fact that people wanted change (and by change, I don’t mean that they didn’t want a white person in charge). He is from the same party as the current president and the economy is in a state so no matter who stood on either side, I think “the other party” would have won. The same is true here – the Conservatives will win the next election, not because of the charisma of David Cameron (I’ve seen bits of cardboard with more charisma), but because they aren’t Labour.

So, yesterday was a historic day, but I think some perspective is needed.

Election Obsession

Not that I have any say in at all but I've found it fascinating so far. I've also become rather obsessed with The Daily Show and this bit about undecided voters is the funniest thing I've seen on television in ages (admittedly you don't many laughs in the endless crime shows I normally watch).

Make a Donation?

I heard on Newsnight last night about the Government’s plans to change the laws on organ donation – basically to make everyone a donor unless they choose not to be, rather than the other way round as it is now.

Now, I understand their reasoning for this, many lives can be saved if there were more donors. There is no hidden agenda, but still I find this rather alarming. Don’t get me, I would have absolutely no qualms about my organs being used after my death if they could be of help to someone. Equally, I can’t foresee a situation where I would prevent the use of the organs of my nearest and dearest, again if something good can come from something bad, I’m all for it.

But not everyone feels this way. Transplants go against many people’s religious beliefs, some believe the body needs to be intact for us to move onto the next life. Other people just don’t like the thought of themselves or their loved ones being cut up. Under these new rules though, we would be able to ‘opt out’ of being a donor. I think this is where I have a problem with it – unless we do otherwise, our bodies aren’t our own, they belong to the authorities! I don't think for a minute that we'll all be subjected to weird experiments by Frankenstein-like figures, but I think this is taking Government control a step too far.

And the choice of language here seems wrong to me. At work, I hear the phrases ‘opt-in’ and ‘opt-out’ frequently in relation to mailing lists, email newsletters and data protection. Strangely though in the world of data protection, it is now considered best practice to make such things ‘opt-in’. It is considered very bad form and legally precarious to just assume someone has ‘opted in’. But if this new law comes in, our bodies may have less protection than our email addresses!

Surely a big campaign to encourage more voluntary donation would be better? And in a grown-up move, I've decided that I will actually register as a donor now myself.

What would Dick Whittington say?

I'm feeling uneasy about Boris Johnson running for Mayor of London. I think he might win. I worry people will vote for him for the same reason they won't vote for Gordon Brown - because he is funny, a loveable buffoon. Or at least that is what his public persona is, known to most from his appearances on 'Have I Got News For You' more than any political standing. He must be intelligent underneath that haphazard exterior, but he hasn't shown much of it to the public.

I'm not a huge supporter of Ken Livingstone - he has his faults, but he is inextricably linked with London, his spent his life and work here and I don't doubt that he wants to do the best by our city. Boris is MP for Henley on Thames, a constituency that is far cry from the diversity of London, a job he plans to keep as well as being mayor. He has also failed to vote on a number of key London issues in parliament recently so hardly seems that interested in the city.

He might prove me wrong and have a number of wonderful policies to rid London of its problems, but I'm not convinced. And I think, once more, the cult of celebrity may prevail.

The New Cabinet - Some Thoughts

After the recent trivia of hats and crocs, something more serious. Gordon Brown's Cabinet no less.

Alistair Darling, Chancellor - its juvenile I know, but I can't take him seriously - the name just reminds me of Captain Darling in Blackadder too much. I think we need someone with a more serious name for such an important role.

Jacqui Smith, Home Secretary - unbelieveably the first time a woman has had this position! (a bit of casual sexism there). Not to be confused with Jaclyn Smith of the original Charlies Angels as has already been discussed at length in our office today.

David Miliband, Foreign Secretary - he should be suited to this, afterall he is MP for South Shields, which is like a foreign country. (I'm allowed to say that as I'm from there, if anyone Southern says it, its a different matter).

Tessa Jowell, Olympics - glad she's gone from Culture and this makes sense since her loyalties quite obviously lay with this to the detriment of the other aspects under the Culture remit. Perhaps her husband could find some extra funding for it from Italy?

James Purnell, Culture - from a work perspective, this is the big one - to the rest of the population it isn't. According to our boss man, this is a good appointment as he is an incredibly bright young man. His biography lists film and theatre amongst his interests and it was written before the appointment (when he was in pensions, where listing tea dances and bingo as hobbies may have been more relevant), so perhaps he might actually have an interest in the area he will representing.

Seriously though, I do have a tiny glimmer of optimism that this time things might be better. Although my 'glass half-empty' side thinks that I'll look back at this post in a year's time, amid scandal, corruption and spin, and wonder what I was thinking.

Fool Britannia

So Tony has finally stepped down and the nation’s thoughts turn to his successor (well, the few of us who actually bother to vote for anything other than television shows).

Already I’ve heard lots of radio discussions on Gordon Brown. I’m not sure about Brown – I don’t know enough about economics to know whether he has been a good Chancellor, but this, it would seem, is a minor matter. Some people are concerned about him being Scottish, some about his backing Tony on the war, but these are all fringe issues. The main problem people have with him appears to be that he is serious.

Personally, I think seriousness is a good quality for a Prime Minister to have. Its a pretty serious job. We are not picking someone to stay in the Big Brother house or to go through to the next round of Pop Idol. This is someone to run the country.

And the fact that he sometimes uses long words that most people don’t understand, again I don’t think this is a bad thing. I want to feel that the Prime Minister is more intelligent than me. Its not a job I could do so I do want someone more intelligent than me in the job.

What’s the alternative, Cameron in his ‘down with the kids’ fake Converse?

A return to politics where the policies are what matter would be a good thing.

(NB. This does not mean I support Labour)

Party Politics

I don’t have an answer to the Irish problem. I don’t particularly have any strong views on the situation one way or another except my rather hippy thoughts of ‘why can’t everyone just get along?’

However, today at work, I’ve had to contact the Sinn Fein!

I know they are a legitimate political party etc etc but the association with the IRA is still there in my mind and it felt rather risqué looking at their website.

I do worry from time to time that I might be on some sort of ‘list’ based on my internet usage, book buying habits (i.e. I’ve bought a couple of books by Mark Steele, the Motorcycle Diaries and various Spanish books off Amazon, which I’m sure now has me marked down as a wannabe revolutionary in South America!). Browsing the website of a controversial political party can’t be helping with this profile if someone out there is tracking my moves.

Anyway, I couldn’t find the information I was looking for on their website so I had to email them! Again with some trepidation. I’ve also emailed their big rivals the DUP as well as the Welsh National Party , Plaid Cymru too today, but so far the Sinn Fein are the only ones who’ve replied to me. They were very helpful so whatever else they may represent, I can’t fault their efficiency!

Banning of Photography in Public Places

There has been quite a bit of fuss recently about the Government's online petitions. I must admit, I wasn't particularly interested in it, until I was sent an email from a photographer I worked with when I ran the children's gallery, urging me (and a trillion other people) to sign a petition to stop proposed restrictions regarding photography in public places.

"There are a number of moves promoting the requirement of 'ID' cards to allow photographers to operate in a public place. It is a fundamental right of a UK citizen to use a camera in a public place, indeed there is no right to privacy when in a public place. These moves have developed from paranoia and only promote suspicion towards genuine people following their hobby or profession."

Who on earth is trying to bring in these restrictions? Is it to protect celebs from the press? Or is it paranoia about terrorists taking photographs to assist in their plans? Either way, its all going a bit 1984 round here.

So I've signed the petition. I don't know how much good it will do - I don't have a huge amount of faith in politicians listening to public's opinion - but it is better to have at least tried to do something. And it might not be the most important issue in the world at the moment, but all of these little erosions of our personal freedoms add up.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Photography

Its only Rock n Roll, but I like it

Last night, we went to see Rock n Roll. We'd been meaning to see it for ages and I don't know why we kept putting it off, because it really did have lots of things I'm interested in; politics, music and Syd Barrett, and it starred the wonderful Dominic West.

It really was excellent. The play covers the lives of people in Cambridge and Prague between 1968 and 1990, and between each scene they played a piece of music from that year, - Dylan, the Stones, Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett, even the U2 and Guns n Roses songs didn't ruin it. It reminded me again how much I love Pink Floyd - as unfashionable an opinion as that may be. I've also have a long-stranding fascination with this period in Czech history, stemming from reading alot of Milan Kundera and I loved Prague (except the food - I'm not a fan of meat, potatoes and dumplings), but I'm not sure that was essential to enjoying the play.

If it doesn't win the Olivier Award for Best New Play, I will eat my hat as they say.

Lost your love of life, too much apple pie

As well as turning the lounge into the Blue Peter studio, I also watched a documentary about JFK last night. I can't say I found it particularly shocking. A powerful man takes risks by having sex with a lot of unsuitable women.

I'm sure I knew this already, but it might have been because the Kennedy family is one of my mother's favourite subjects. She can't get enough of them. She is also interested in the Mafia, Henry VIII and Biblical epics (somewhat unusual for a staunch atheist - 'Such good plots' being her defence').

Its seems my grandmother also had a pet subject, which came up in conversation with my mum recently. My gran apparently was very interested in true crime! 'Oh yes, she loved Crippen and all that lot' said my mum. Nice, although I am partial to a detective programmes and watch Law & Order SVU more than can is probably healthy, so perhaps this is what I've inherited from Grandma Molly.

The title of this post, is lyrics from 'Kennedy' by the Wedding Present, which popped into my head this morning after years of absence. I suppose unpopular indie music is another of my interests. I'm quite tempted to download a few of their songs for old times sake. Their version of Pleasant Valley Sunday is particularly good - my favourite Monkee's song sung in a strong Leeds accent!

Cold War Intrigue

I’m rather griped by the story of the former Russian spy – a good old fashioned cold war mystery. I have to remind myself that it is real (not an Ian Fleming novel), someone has died and others may be affected, but I’m still finding it interesting.

I think it is because when I was young, before the first war with Iraq, the vague threat of nuclear war still hung over us – I remember being unable to sleep for worry after watching ‘When the Wind Blows’. And the enemy back then was still thought to be Russia. All that has gone away in recent years with the terrorists from the middle east being the new enemy so I think I find something almost comforting in the thought of Russia once more being a threat because I know where I am with that.

Not that I have anything against Russia – the two Russian people I know (OH’s ex-boss’s wife and my hairdresser) are lovely people. I never quite understood what was so wrong with communism (led to some awful regimes, but as an idea it seems quite a good one), but the power of the oligarchs there now is easy to fear. Even the word oligarchy is rather ugly and menacing sounding.