Liberty?

Sigh. The laudable cry of sovereignty once more rings out as new eu elections are set to take place, in less than three months time.

It's always worrying listening to people who are more intent of talking over and interrupting people to ensure their point is heard when cameras are rolling.  But who's interest does the multi-mill/billionaire business leaders serve, since very rarely does it appear to truly benefit the general populace?  Oh right theirs. No doubt someone somewhere will believe its a microsoft or chinese or russian plot to derail and destabilise the eu powerhouse from the inside.

There must be many people in constituent countries who are able to name ten members of their parliamentary betters and at least five of their eu reps. Why, here in the uk there's jacqs, gord, vince, dave (at least six of them), and for the eu, there's... er.... where's me list...

But when the time arrives i'll have read the blurbs, gone with me guts and scratched my green name; so later down the line I can say "I was robbed" and "that was a bloody wasted vote" with a modicum of self-righteous contentedness.

Yippee!  By 2018 every new built building in the eu will be required to produce as much energy as they consume.  2018?  Nine years time?  The rise in sea-level will probably have put paid to that, as the mad scramble to build-build-build to relocate coastline refugees picks up a soggy pace, and the last thing people will be thinking about is "does it have a pump!"  Just give everyone a windmill-hat and solar powered kinetic boots.

Boeings lcd

It's always 'interesting' watching, listening to the wranglings and hearty outpourings over the so-called loss of national standings (aka Boeing, McCain et all). But globalisation's been going on for centuries. It's just in this day and age the time to source part b from across the globe, only takes a couple of weeks and not years.

No country wants to have itself swamped, every country wants to protect its citizens employment base, unless of course the employment base gets to uppity; then a dose of unemployment (especially with the potential loss of their homes), would show them who's boss.

But with the global race downward towards the lowest common denominator of price continuing apace, more people on the ground level at home are losing jobs (which are transferred elsewhere), whilst the eating heads of big business complain they aren't making as much profit as they could due to been uncompetitive and having to worry about labour costs.

Amazing how, at the end of the day, when billions are made in net profits, it's usually the directors who see the greatest benefit, whilst the lowly employee gets a 1.49% rise in salary and has to thank his or hers, lucky stars they are still employed for another month.

But then, barring a slip up, it will either be China or India who will take technology to the next level and there the companies can still tread roughshod over the rights of the many.

Flying trotters

So a politician's finally done the decent thing and resigned.

To clear his name.

After, and only possibly mind - nothing's yet been proven! But been caught with both front trotters, snout, and floppy ears waving around in the crumbs jar. It's more and more, beginning to look like a re-run of the Major years.

New year, old problems.

We're now firmly stuck-into 2008, and thankfully I've been allowing my pennings, or tappings, or typings (erk) to slip and somewhat whither, into the arena of minor scribblings. But, I have been busy with the odd photographic tit-bit. Been surprised at seeing a fly in what's supposed to be the middle of winter here, not once but twice and nearly in the same place, as well as a bumblebee, lady bird and the odd mosquito.

Taking vid-clips of the hell-hole I am currently inhabiting, as it goes through a slow transformation, room by room. And as each one's done, actually more tarted up to look less horrid, something else drops by that makes me wonder why I bothered with it in the first place. Hindsight, they say, is a wonderful thing. Such a shame foresight took that initial wide berth!

But it could be worse, everything could be so much worse! Consider the poverty in other parts of the world, consider the many millions of people who are living on an annual income lower than I get a week. It puts things into perspective, consider been caught up in one of the many natural disasters sweeping around the globe. So yes my own personal space isn't perfect and I'm facing my own private calamities, but it could be a heck of a lot worse!

My hat goes off to people who are able to get through such events and come out stronger the other side. Not sure whether my mental make-up is of sufficient strength or character, to carry me through one of those. So far the test hasn't occurred, and (touching all the wood I can whilst doing this) I hope it doesn't either.

Africa's to all intent a failed continent that seems to be worthy of nothing more than pillaging and rapping (of its minerals, best minds and warmth) by the rest of the world. A continent largely led by rulers cuckolded unable to see further than their bank balances, who's only concern are how many wives they can bed and how big a palace they can build!

Where are the Nelson Mandela's, people of whatever race, sex, or religion; of vision from the continent? Sadly, it seems they die way to early before being able to do any lasting good! And the ones who don't do any good just seem to go on forever.

So here's to hoping that the start of the year is just a minor blip and we'll all soon be back to living in peace, harmony and forward human progression.