What is the point of Eurovision?

Saturday evening saw the inception of a new Eurovision contest. The bastard offspring of The Eurovision Song Contest and Strictly Ballroom.

The ruthless all pervading publicity machine for the ‘event’ ensured I discovered it was on by chance on Saturday evening.

Given that there was little else on that was worth bothering with the CFD household watched out of curiosity.

As it turned out Finland won in the end, with quite a reasonable effort. Though one suspects, given the overall voting patterns, that the results would not have been much different if Finland had entered Rolf Harris doing a three legged tap dance.

Yes it was clearly infected with the same old inherently dodgy Eurovision voting.

I expect it would be possible to devise a formula to calculate the likely votes:

A large percentage seems to be based on good old-fashioned ‘national’ prejudices, both for and against.

Then there is the matter of how close a neighbour it is.

Then there is the political factor the “who do they need to suck up to right now” - and "who do they need to trash" factor.

Then finally there is the “was the act actually any good?” factor. This can have some impact but only seems to come into effect after the other influences.

The questions that really need answering are why we bother at all, given proven experience and the inherently corrupt voting system? Also why we contribute so much towards bankrolling such a farce?

One Eurovision contest is getting a bit too much these days, let alone two.

EU Conflicted over Low energy light ‘bulbs’

The EU is mandating Low energy light bulbs.

The EU also has an import tariff of up to 60% on Chinese manufactured Low energy light bulbs. Over 80% of these bulbs sold in the EU are not made in the EU. The Commission have just voted to extend that tariff for another 12 months.

Clearly free trade enthusiasts then…

So the EU it is not really keen on all low energy light bulbs then – just those manufactured within the EU.

Environmental group Worldwide Fund for Nature don’t like the tariff and would like to see sales of the bulbs increase despite the serious environmental threat from the mercury in them.

Curious that the EU bans the sale and repair of mercury barometers on the grounds that they contain mercury, not exactly known for their environmental impact - whilst at the same time promotes these bulbs, that if taken up in huge numbers will likely prove to be a dangerous source of mercury pollution when disposed of.

Researchers claim Sheffield's citizens are the luckiest in UK

Now I have nothing against Sheffield, but it seems a team of psychologists from Peterborough recon it’s occupants are the luckiest in the UK.

How do they come up with this amazing statistic?

Apparently the researches asked people how often they experienced ‘good luck’, like finding a £10 note and how often they experienced bad luck, like having a bird bomb them with droppings.

By the same criteria they judged those living in Plymouth to be the unluckiest in the UK.

Now is it just me? Or does it occur to anyone else that Plymouth must have a plentiful supply of seagulls, known for their tendency towards loose stools, whereas Sheffield is probably less well endowed in that respect.

Also maybe the inhabitants of Plymouth are less careless with their tenners, than the inhabitants of Sheffield must be, based on the survey evidence - there must presumably also be a looser for every tenner found in Sheffield.

So these researchers – They got paid to do this? That's more than lucky...

Increasing calls for Referendum on EU treaty

Nu-Lab’s Foreign Secretary, David Miliband is apparently still trying to claim that the EU constitution had been "abandoned" and MPs would be able to see how the new treaty was in the UK's best interests.

It is lost on no one that the so-called 'Treaty' is almost identical (a cut and paste job) to Miliband’s "abandoned" constitution.

Former Europe Minister Nu-Lab MP Keith Vaz is now also calling for a referendum on the EU treaty. Speaking to a tabloid newspaper he said: "I believe the time has come for the government to hold a referendum and decide once and for all Britain's place is at the heart of Europe.”

"The British people should have a chance to vote in a referendum on the treaty which will enable us to continue our engagement with Europe."

Nu-Lab MP, Ian Davidson, has suggested to the BBC that he believed up to 120 Nu-Lab MPs would support a call for a referendum.

There are also calls from opposition MPs and Trade Union representatives for a referendum. If both these apparently diametrically opposed groups feel so strongly on the subject it needs to be taken very seriously.

It is certainly difficult to imagine how Gordon Brown can legitimately continue to push his European agenda without a specific mandate on the issue. Not on a democratic basis.

UK Government mandates revolting images on tobacco products

Nu-Lab are to force manufacturers of cigarettes and other tobacco products to print what amount to obscene images, apparently created on the orders of the European Commission, on their products.

The images include diseased mouths and lungs; there will be 15 of them.

Nu-Labs Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, Justified it on the basis that the existing written warnings were apparently beginning to loose their impact.

I do not smoke and I do not particularly want these revolting images thrust in my face by the state – and they will be. Every time I go into a newsagent’s, every time I am anywhere near anyone who smokes.

I am sure that if smokers can tune out written warnings they will be able to tune out these pictures, or buy a more pleasant looking cigarette case. What will the state do then? It is impossible to believe smokers are not already perfectly aware of the possible consequences of their habit.

One of the messages is “Smoking causes fatal lung cancer” That is an over simplification. It may cause it, but some people smoke and manage to avoid lung cancer, fatal or not. Also some people never smoke and are not exposed to smoke and still get cancer and die.

One hopes they don’t start a campaign against STDs, who knows what revolting and obscenely graphic images these health fascists will plaster all over condom vending machines.

The Poor UK Summer: Global warming or just bad weather?

YouGov have conducted a poll on this summer's poor weather:

They asked if respondents thought the bad weather was, wholly or partly, due to climate change.

The vast majority 58% felt that "There have always been wet and gloomy summers and this was just another of them.".

A minority of around 33% did think climate change may be involved.

Interestingly, the older respondents were much more likely to attribute the poor summer to the vagaries of the British weather, than their less experienced counterparts.

When split by age 64% of those aged 55 and over, probably having experienced quite a few dodgy British summers, crouching behind a wind break, in foul weather, on a beach in July, put it down to just another bad summer.

Whilst only 48% of those aged 34 and under were inclined to take the same view.

Was it only months ago experts were predicting record breaking summer temperatures and hosepipe bans?

UK Government s DNA database includes over 500,000 inaccurate records

It seems that Nu-Lab’s National DNA database now contains over 500,000 records with false or inaccurately recorded names.

Apparently some of the problems are caused by people fibbing to the police about their actual names. Whatever next? “It’s Michael Mouse, honest officer” ;-)

Given this, one has to wonder how many record have the wrong DNA profile attached, or other ghastly errors.

Civil rights group Liberty’s Director, Shami Chakrabarti, suggested that the problems with the database raised serious questions about the police’s unrestrained permanent fishing expedition drive to keep expanding the database to include those arrested for non criminal offences, such as dropping litter.

What next one wonders, walking on the cracks in the pavement? ;-)

A further cause for concern is that the database contains DNA profiles of around 150,000 children, a significant number having been arrested and then found to be innocent.

She pointed out that: "It is bad enough that we have a DNA database stuffed with innocents not charged with any offence” “Now it turns out we don't know the accuracy of the data. How many Postman Pats and Donald Ducks have entries on a system worthy of the Keystone Cops?"

Once you are on the system, even if arrested as a result of mistaken identity, your profile is never removed from the database.

It’s never likely to happen with the antidemocratic undertow in the way Government seems to operate these days, but the system needs to be radically overhauled, root and branch. With an independent system for expunging records, stringent limits as to when DNA data can be taken and provision for temporary records that are expunged after an investigation. Otherwise it is just another tool for a potential police state.

All these wonderful policing tools such as, ever more powerful computers, DNA databases and wall to wall CCTV...

It can not have been lost on some of NU-Labs ‘former’ Marxists, Trotskyists, etc., that if only the Soviet empire had been able to hang on, for just a few decades longer then the Berlin wall might well have fallen the other way and the Stasi could have been busy,, improving upon these new policing techniques.

Media Hot air over Diana Thanksgiving Service

Why is the attendance, or non attendance, of Camilla at the thanksgiving service for Diana, Princess of Wales worthy of so much news space?

It was organised by Princes William and Harry in memory of their Mother. It seems after thinking about it Camilla has decided, probably with advice from press officers, not to attend.

She said "I'm grateful to my husband, William and Harry for supporting my decision."

So it seems it’s ok by them. So what’s the problem?

This is a family thing and if it were only that she would probably have attended, but there is a public element.

The hypocritical media love to whinge and moan like maiden aunts about anything to do with Diana. Her 'Evitafication' proceeds apace. How long before they start thinking about beatification as well?

Camilla is probably not attending because, on balance, the political fallout from the media trying to make up and sell news will be marginally less detrimental if she does not, than if she does.

So she is probably trying to protect her family by not attending.

Maybe the media ghouls can look at something more newsworthy now…

Faint signs of a less supine stance from some government MPs on EU Referendum

After being closeted with Angela Merkel, the architect of the sly ‘It’s not really a constitution it’s only a Treaty’ con, Gordon Brown, spine no doubt stiffened by Angela and still wriggling to avoid a referendum at any cost bluffed that:

"The proper way to discuss this is in the House of Commons and the House of Lords."

Of course the last thing he wants is to put it directly to the people.

But it is not a matter for the “House of Commons and the House of Lords” as the mealy mouthed GB attempts to claim. The current Government were elected on the basis that it would be a matter for the electorate decided by referendum. No referendum - No mandate.

Trade union leaders have made it clear they are intending to press for a vote at next month's TUC annual congress, demanding the UK electorate are allowed to vote on the EU treaty, pointing out the obvious - that the new EU reform Treaty is:

"substantially the same as the EU Constitution rejected by the French and Dutch electorates in 2005". and condemning it as a blueprint for a: "centralised government, including an EU president, a Foreign Minister called a High Representative, a diplomatic service and an EU public prosecutor".

It seems that some Nu-Lab MPs may actually have some principles. Having been elected on the promise of putting the former constitution, now a treaty, to the electorate in a referendum some 40 of them, led by Ian Davidson, MP for Glasgow South West, are ready demand the Prime Minister re-open talks on the treaty, or hold a referendum.

There is also a suggestion that they hope to use a rewritten treaty to change EU directive on freedom of movement agreed in 2004, that prevented the murderer Learco Chindamo, being deported.

One does note though that they are not actually demanding a referendum quite yet, only if they don’t get what they want - and they should be demanding one, having all been elected on the promise of putting the former constitution, now a treaty, to the electorate in a referendum it should actually be put to the electorate, if MPs like the form and contents of the treaty, or not.

To paraphrase the State propaganda short on benefits cheats still being aired - No ifs. No Buts.