Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category

Rioting over?

Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

Well the riots are over now, thankfully. Businesses were destroyed, police were overstretched, people voiced their disenchantment with the current government – but it wasn’t all bad. Some underprivileged, over active kidz got some smart new clothes. Hooray!

I know I mentioned my disbelief and annoyance before but it’s still haunting me. Surely this isn’t proper Manchester? Yes the city’s known for housing a lot of the poorer people in society but it’s also known for being a friendly upbeat place. Mancunians have been revered for always taking pride in their own city despite its flaws – in fact, because of its flaws. So why did these mindless few decide to turn on our rainy city?

Because they’re thugs that’s why. Thugs and criminals. They weren’t radical revolutionaries seeking to overturn a torturous government – no they were thieves wanting to earn a quick buck and get some new clobber. If they wanted to make a political protest they’d have stormed the Town Hall with bands around their heads, instead they raided Diesel to get a new pair of jeans. What idiots. What are the chances the manikin was wearing their size anyway?!

Further proof that they didn’t give a damn about the politicians is the fact that it’s all died down. Obviously it’s a good thing that it hasn’t continued, but what’s actually changed? There have been no parliamentary reforms. No, the only thing that’s changed is the sentencing for the rioters. The harsh penalties and prison sentences that those caught are receiving has deterred anyone from continuing the fiasco. Suddenly a free pair of Reeboks isn’t worth a 9 month prison sentence. Funny that. The thing that continues to shock me though, is how far people will go when they thing they won’t get caught.

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Panic on the streets of Manchester

Friday, August 12th, 2011

I mentioned the riots yesterday but I got so into the match report that I forgot to write more on them (moron’s a good word actually). I think it’s absolutely disgusting what these youths are doing to our city, rioting like bloody animals they are.

Thankfully we didn’t have any of it round our neighbourhood but seeing the damage they did to Manchester property was sickening.

Of course the effect on the music industry after that Sony warehouse in London burnt down has been devastating. Why can’t these kids embrace music instead of wanting to destroy it? And these bleeding heart politicians spouting cuts and unemployment figures as if it’s some sort of excuse? There is no excuse for this behaviour.

I’m not saying I’m the biggest fan of our current government and, yes, I believe there is a lot that still needs to be done to help those that need it. And I do think that it’s our job as the people of a democratic country to express our dissatisfaction when we feel we have to. All I’m saying is it doesn’t have to be through violence and criminality. When Morrissey had a problem with Thatcher do you think he went out setting fire to dustbins and looting shops? No, he wrote songs about it. He voiced his opinion through music, so why not try that instead of behaving like a gang of feral monsters. God, even if it has to be rap (with a capital C) music, anything’s better than this.

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NOTW phone hacking

Friday, July 8th, 2011

While I’m sure there are many media types high up discussing the future of the industry in various conference facilities rooms all over the UK right now, surely the people who hold it in their hands are us – the people.

Frankly, we’ve all had enough of this News of the World style phone hacking. It was one thing going after celebrities. I’m not condoning it, but it was slightly different to going after normal people. People in grief. The families of fallen war heroes. That is disgusting and those responsible should be taken to task for it.

It’s the higher-ups who are responsible, as per bloody usual, and, as per bloody usual, the little guys at the bottom of the ladder are going to suffer because of their nasty misdeeds. The News of the World has now closed. Dead. With the News of the World could go the careers of 200 innocent journalists. Dead. Will these people recover? Will their reputations as workers and employees be forever tarnished by their association with a newspaper that has dropped dead so quickly. Nobody really expected it to go, you know, but do these people have a chance now?

These higher-ups won’t be punished, of course, because they never do get punished do they. Hell, they’ll probably even receive a greater public profile and ultiamtely more money because of it. It’s horrible really, how it all works out. But, as the News of the World taught us when it was in print – people pay for scandal, people are attracted to it, and it will continue to sell in one way of another – tabloid rag or not.

So that’s it, the end of an era. No more News of the World. I didn’t read it, of course, but I can appreciate that this is a pretty pivotal moment in our recent history. Oh well, just one less bad outlet in which it can be documented!

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The X Factor = RUBBISH

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

I’ve had writer’s block over the last few days. Not because I haven’t felt particularly passionate or emotional about anything – far from it, baby – it’s just that my overriding has been pure hatred. Hatred for commercialism, hated for hats with symbols on them, hatred for ‘unnatural’ grated cheese, hatred for The X Factor.

This show isn’t television, no matter how many televisions it is shown on. And it isn’t much, no matter how much it can be heard. It is trash, and I hate it with a passion as high as Simon Cowell’s trousers (he wears his trousers high up the idiot! Haha).

Every week is the same. People come along, do something, then either win or lose. I’d much rather spend my time watching the football. At least that’s real!

And it takes advantage of people who are obviously mentally ill (not that you don’t have to have a screw loose to watch it!) in order to make a quick buck. It’s the worst kind of commercialism possible, it’s not real music, and it disgusts me.

Back to reality…

Have you seen the Bob Dylan Victoria’s Secret advert? It’s great that he’s so obviously taking the mick out of consumerism by sarcastically taking a paycheque for promoting a product. Stick it to a man, his royal Bobness!

What annoys me is that if Bob Dylan would have auditioned for The X Factor, he probably wouldn’t have even got through! They’d have said: “What are you doing here? You’re Bob Dylan!” and he would have been asked to leave the show. It disgusts me.

I need to stop getting wound up by the television. Ooh, maybe I could write a song about this…

Xlax-Factor (Words by M Barker)
Simon Cowell,
You wear high trousers,
Why can’t you write real music,
Like Rod Stewart?

Boom – I’m back in the game.

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