How long until the Running Man becomes reality?

After reading this I can only come to the conclusion that the film The Running Man, starring good old Arnie, will be a reality possibly within 10 years.

"Lights out Christmas tree!"

From the producers of Big Brother- I know I know, who would have thought THEY would be able to come up with such an idea- we now have a new nadir. I get the feeling they have plenty more nadirs lined up in the coming years for us though. At least it's a good sign that I'm getting old when I start to find certain tv shows objectionable. Actually come to think of it, I've always found certain tv shows objectionable. Brookside, Take The High Road, Crossroads and QVC (okay, not technically a tv show per se, more a way of life I know) to name but a few. They've all suffered in comparison to the joys of Corrie, Eastenders and The Simpsons. I like it when people claim to hate tv and that there is never anything on it that they like. I think it is almost always false. The One Eyed God/Window To The World/Idiot Box has far too much to offer to be of no interest at all surely? I don't even own a tv and don't have any intention of owning one but I can see its merits. Not quite enough to buy one though, I like the new One Eyed God/Window To The World I'm staring at right now.

Old favourite quote #2.

In spite of Fraser's continued reluctance to post his political compass and Bob instead doing it for him (and a fine job he did too- very accurate), I've decided to post. Feel free to moan at the Lanky Dance Master as it is his fault I didn't post earlier.


"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man."

- George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman, 1903.

I like this quote, although when I was first exposed to it courtesy of a schoolfriend and his almost illegible scrawl across my yearbook I wasn't aware that he had in fact butchered it to the extent that he had rendered it almost entirely incorrect. Thankfully my ignorance for the last 12 years has just been corrected by said fellow getting in touch and providing me with the actual quote. I will of course now go and see if I can find Man & Superman to read on the train.

My Political Compass.

Well, since it is 2am and I can't quite sleep, I thought I'd take my political compass test. Apparently I'm quite left-wing and libertarian. Interesting.

Your political compass

Economic Left/Right: -8.63
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.03



It is of course very reassuring to see that I am diametrically opposed to Thatcher though.



And the following reveals that I am much like the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela. Watch out, I'll be fighting the good fight!



Do your own test here and please feel free to post your results in the comments page, or wherever you see fit.

At the risk of talking too much about politics...

I was going to write about this myself, but it seems Neal Ascherson has beaten me to the punch, as well as probably putting it more eloquently than I would have here. Now who would honestly believe that Gordon Brown would meddle in political affairs outside his department? Oh.

Homage to All Ears.

Drunk customer: "Hey, I served you like 5 years ago at a bar!"
Bartender: "Really?"
Drunk customer: "Yeah, now things have come full circle and you're on the other side, haha!"
Other bartender: "Actually, not really, things have only gone half way, full circle would be if you were serving him again after he served you. So really, it's just that the tables have turned."
Drunk customer: "Why does everybody have to get so f*cking technical at a Low gig?"

Disenfranchisement.

Patty Windsor is on BBC tv just now telling the talking head how she was approached, unsolicited, by the information officer regarding her vote. She was told to put an X in the box of the candidate that she wanted in the STV ballot paper. In doing this, Patty and her husband's votes became invalidated and contributed to the estimated 100,000 spoiled ballots that have made these election results dubious to say the least. An independent investigation will apparently be held. If it is as effective as the various 'independent' investigations commissioned by this Labour government then I won't be holding my breath. What clown thought it was a good idea to hold the two elections simultaneously? As Scottish Cooperative Wholesale Republic says, not fit for purpose. (If my deduction skills are up to scratch that is.)

I propose that the spoiled ballots are separated into FPTP and STV and analysed. If it transpires that a significant majority, if as I suspect, are the STV ballots then the STV-based election should be re-held. Democracy and voting are too important to leave 100,000 rightful voters without a say in the political process, especially when there is all the bleating about how the election suffered from a low turnout. Congratulations Electoral Commission et al, you've just succeeded in making it lower. Well done.

Voting.

I've made my position quite clear over the last few days on here regarding who I'll be voting for today, but I would like to ask just one thing of the few people that read this blog. If you can vote today, please do. It's incredibly important and a lot of people have given a great deal so that you have the option. Please use the opportunity to make your views clear, even if it is a spoiled ballot. Or worse! Just kidding. It takes only a wee bit to make sure you at least have a say in the running of the country. Voting is a privilege.