Spotlight on Chineham

Truth in Politics

2007-04-07T06:31:00.000-07:00

The three larger political parties are starting their national campaigns, laughingly in support of the LOCAL elections.
Seemingly, they are targeting their campaigns on anti-social behaviour.
The trouble is that the example they give us by their own behaviour is so appalling that the impact is likely to be the same as when Blair and Brown tell us that our marines were in Iraqi waters. Sorry, but since the last time we had heaps of "evidence" shovelled in front of us and it turned out to be half baked, it becomes difficult to take such things totally at face value.
Furthermore, when we allowed "extraordinary rendition", misbehaviour by our troops in Iraq, the continuation of Guantanamo Bay and all the rest, that is seemingly OK. It is very difficult to argue against Iran accusations that we are in no position to complain about their action. The Iranians may, of course, have acted illegally, but so did we when we invaded Iraq.
So why should the electorate, and particularly young people, take the direction of our national leaders terribly seriously?
Even on the home front, the Chancellor of the Exchequer when making a formal speech, supposedly as a senior minister does so in a duplicituous manner, rather than as a formal statement of fact and information. The trouble is that many of our politicians, and particularly those in government have now spent so long manipulating the truth and distorting the facts, they no longer recognise an untruth when it leaps out of every other sentence.
Whilst ASBOs are of questionable value, we should perhaps be trying them out at government level and if they fail to bring a cure there then perhaps they should be abondoned altogether.......

Idiots, Both of Them

2007-02-17T14:16:00.000-08:00

Blair is supposed to be stepping down. Why is he taking so long about it?
Either he is so arrogant that he believes that nobody else could do the things he still wishes to impose on a reluctant nation in the same way as he can.
Or, he wishes to get into the record books for longevity, irrespective of the harm he does in the meantime.
I suspect that is both of these.
But now we have his possible – and self-claimed “prudent” – likely successor, Gordon Brown making idiot proposals for bringing the World Cup (soccer) to England. Can’t he see the emerging and inevitable mess with the Olympic Games?
Where oh where is the evidence that these things really bring great happiness, especially to the hosts. There is much more evidence for big debts, and when it comes to big debts, we Brits are really champions….
When it comes to sport, now that the value of just taking part has virtually been erased, it is only the winning that seems to count, and we don’t do that very often. When we do manage it, we’re not very nice to live with and the really important things in life tend to be subsumed.
Roll on the next general election.

Better Buses

2006-12-06T14:31:00.000-08:00

It has been a long time coming, but Chineham is now to have a really useful bus service. For those who already use the existing Line 2, there may be some confusion, because the section between Chineham and Basingstoke bus station is going to change to Line 1, but otherwise the route travelled is basically unaltered.

Litter Louts

2006-07-05T03:18:00.000-07:00

Wow! Isn’t it incredible how the big cheeses at the large profiteer like Tesco are telling the government that it should introduce greener legislation, particularly to prevent waste?
Why do some supermarkets need legislation to restrict their sometimes ridiculous excessive packaging? Why does it need government legislation for Tesco to be less generous with their plastic carrier bags? Why might it take government legislation for one of the world’s richest companies to take the socially responsible step and prevent the massive littering of our neighbourhood with their shopping trolleys?
It’s amazing how people with £1m salaries can’t think through he simplest of issues and perhaps even set a good example!!!

Spotlight On Chineham is Blogging

2006-04-22T14:22:00.000-07:00

Spotlight on Chineham is now fully online with a blog.