Monthly Archives: February 2008

It’s All Over for Chelsea

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Alex Ferguson reckons that the Premiership is a still a three horse race.

“The fact that Chelsea have got us and Arsenal at home, and their home record is so good, you would have to think they have still got a big chance in the Premier League.” BBC

I disagree we’re nine points behind albeit with a game in hand but there’s just eleven games to go (OK 12 for Chelsea), to win now everything would have to go our way. I doubt we’ll beat Arsenal and Man U at home even if we did we’d still be six points off the pace. OK, win our game in hand and it would be just three points. However, last season at home we drew 0-0 with Man Utd and 1-1 with Arsenal. I personally see those results being repeated, if we did manage to beat Arsenal (the team we play first at home) I think that would give Man United a fillip, as that result would probably put them top. Still who am I to argue with Ferguson, he’s won the title nine times (sadly).

The State the Media’s In

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Two posts on the state of journalism well worth reading, one from Jim Bliss in which he takes to task The Guardian‘s music writer Steven Wells who defends the right of American Jazz magazine Maxim to review the latest albums of the Black Crowes and Nas without hearing the complete albums, but just one song. As Jim writes

I’m not suggesting that the reviewer should have forced himself (or herself) to listen to the entire thing, just that they should be honest; “having listened to one track from the forthcoming album by The Black Crowes, I was unable to bear any more. I guess if you’re a fan of dull, generic stoner-rock then this might interest you, and you’ll probably want to check it out if you liked their previous stuff. Me? I’m going to boil my head instead”.

As Jim also points out, can we actually trust the reviews in The Guardian, certainly not those of Steven Wells.

The second post, this time from Bristling Badger reports the appalling treatment the press dished out to Heather Mills-McCartney with particular reference to the stories that Mills suggested we drink rats milk. What Mills actually meant was drinking cows’ milk was as unnatural as drinking rat or dog milk; she was clearly implying we should drink none of these things. Bristling Badger quotes Juliet Gellatley director of vegetarian pressure group Viva!

The reporters who filed this story about Heather advocating rats’ milk knew it was untrue because I amplified on what Heather had said. One actually admitted that he understood precisely what she meant but the “drink rats’ milk” claim made a damned good story. What this reveals is an utter lack of any integrity in most of the Press – sadly not just the tabloids but the so-called quality papers, too.

Every event I have attended with Heather has been grossly misreported by the Press and has involved spiteful and vicious personal attacks on her integrity and her sanity. The irony is that one of the most common accusations about Heather is that she is a fantasist and a liar – by people whose stock in trade is fantasy and lies.

Reading these two posts and you’ll also find out how much more of a berk, than you ever thought possible The Daily Mail’s political editor Benedict Brogan is.

Steven Wright It’s his Wife’s Fault

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Sky News’ Kay Burley interviews (actually I’m not sure that’s a word I should use) Steven Wrights former partner Pam Wright. Burley asks.

Do you think if you’d had a better sex life, he wouldn’t have done this?

So, it’s not Wright’s fault it’s his wife’s because he wasn’t getting enough, even something so horrible still manages to be a women’s fault. What was happening in Burley’s mind when she thought this question up?

This story came via Chicken Yoghurt where you’ll find some more links on the story. Debi Linton is so enraged she has started a petition to sack Kay Burley.

Paper vs. Plastic Bags

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Like everything, nothing is as simple as it first might seem. In the debate about plastic bags I’d rather thought the simple solution might well be to just replace plastic bags with paper ones. Paper is easily biodegradable unlike many plastic bags. However Ziz’s comment on my article M&S to Charge 5p for Plastic Bags, wrote that paper bags are heavier and cost more to transport and store. So this set off on some research. Rachel Decker and Anders Graff in their paper Paper vs. Plastic Bags? for Lawrence University for me comes to an unexpected conclusion.

The making of paper can waste many thousands of gallons of water, as can the recycling of paper. The human and mechanical efforts and costs are very high, not forgetting the physical cost to loggers and those who work around the numerous chemicals. Plastic is, by comparison, efficient and low energy to produce, and, easily and efficiently recycled. Plastic reduces, recycles marvellously, and in that, is reused. After contrasting the efforts behind the making of paper and plastic, it is our unbiased opinion that plastic is indeed more beneficial to the environment, in that it is less harmful.

So, the problem isn’t plastic bags per-se but rather our laziness in not re-cycling them. Perhaps that’s where M&S should concentrate its efforts, then again maybe we should all use cloth, jute or straw bags like the ones our grandma used.

See, now I’m lost as to what the answer might be.

M&S to Charge 5p for Plastic Bags

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There’s been a lot of press about the damage plastic bags cause to the environment. In response, food customers at Marks and Spencer will get free long-lasting bags from early April for one month. Then a 5p charge will begin on 6 May.

I can’t see why M&S doesn’t solve the problem by using paper bags instead of plastic bags.

266 Official Powers to Enter Your Home

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It’s taken a long time for Harry Snook’s 2007 report “Crossing the Threshold” to come to my attention. Snook’s report amongst other things lists the 266 ways officials can enter your home.

As well as the expect Firemen fighting a fire, there’s the bizarre, like the Hypnotism Act 1952 where a Constable may enter any premises where entertainments are being held if reason to believe any offences against the Act are being or may be committed there – the constable doesn’t even need a warrant. Still whilst amusing consider the case of David Houghton and Abby Simpson as reported in The Guardian.

Whilst they were on holiday, someone broke into their home – and all they took was their old gas meter. British Gas, they discovered, had hired a locksmith to gain entry to their flat in north London and changed their old meter to a pay-as-you-go version, because the company – mistakenly – believed the couple owed them money.

Check out Snook’s report and see just how many officials have a right of entry to your home, without notice or a warrant many for surprisingly trivial matters.

Posted in Law

Shock Survey Finding – Parents Support Children

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The BBC along with almost every other news service reports.

A survey claims adult youngsters are plundering their parents’ savings at an increasing rate. Some 55% of parents polled had given an average of £12,610 to their children or grandchildren.

Now maybe it’s just me but if I’ve got it and my children need it they can have it – what parent wouldn’t. I’ve not seen the actual survey but we seem to be talking, about grandchildren as well as children – so over one’s life £12,000 isn’t really a lot. Still let’s not get in the way of a good headline “Kids plundering parents’ savings“.

Shannon Matthews

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Front page of The Express

It’s probably an uncomfortable point to make, however at Obsolete, Septicisle doesn’t shy away he compares the press coverage the disappearance of Shannon Matthews has received and the press coverage the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has and is still receiving.

After one week Shannon Matthews’ case has all but disappeared form the front pages of the press. Why is that? Septicisle speculates.

Could it possibly be because this is a distinctly working-class family, where the father and mother have split up, and where the mother is, not to put too fine a point on it, not as aesthetically sympathetic as Kate McCann was/is? Or that this has happened up in the sunny climate of Dewsbury, a classic Yorkshire town, which simply can’t compare to the attractions of Praia da Luz for the travelling hacks?

Thursdays Express when Shannon Matthews had been missing two days, rather sums it up when Madeleine McCann’s supposed sighting in France makes the front page.

Moral Decline

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In his post on Integrity Anticant sums up.

Until integrity is restored to its primary place in personal, social, political, economic, national, and international life our world and all our self-satisfied competitive civilisations will shrivel in mortal sickness and continue to slide into a chaotic abyss.

Well perhaps Anticant is a little apocalyptic; however, I’ve a great deal of sympathy with his view.

Tottenham 2-1 Chelsea

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I knew the Carling Cup Final wasn’t going to be good for Chelsea as soon as I saw the line-up.

Cech, Belletti, Carvalho, Terry, Bridge, Wright-Phillips, Essien, Lampard, Obi, Anelka, Drogba.

No Joe Cole or Michael Ballack in the starting eleven, Claude Makelele failing to even make the subs bench – was he injured? Moreover, what’s happening to Paulo Ferreira he’s a much better right-back than Juliano Belletti as was shown within seconds of the kick-off.

Why didn’t Avram Grant stick with the players that have been fit and playing well – I’d have used Ballack instead of Lampard, Joe Cole instead of Obi and Makelele instead of Essien. Instead, we had to wait until the 88th minute to see Ballack and 10 minutes into extra-time before we saw Joe Cole when suddenly we started to play, sadly all too late. Additionally if you’re going to use Anelka and Drogba then the formation is going to have be 4-4-2. Otherwise, you’re asking Anelka or Drogba to carry out defensive duties. Grant opted to ask Anelka to take up a defensive responsibility on the left of mid-field, strikers aren’t noted for their defensive abilities and it seems Anelka is no exception. This meant Wayne Bridge was pinned back and unable to get forward and threaten Tottenham’s goal.

One of my pet subjects is why are John Mikel Obi and Salomon Kalou Chelsea players neither of them are of the required quality – I’d want them out of Stamford Bridge as soon as possible and wouldn’t let them anywhere near a final.

Still hats off to the Tottenham manager, Juande Ramos he got his tactics spot on and his team deservedly won.

As a Chelsea fan, I’ve rather liked Grant and was happy to see the back of Jose Mourinho I thought his time was over and was fed the bland boring football we’d been playing. However on the evidence of Grants team selection and tactics for this final I’m back to thinking he’s out of his depth. I think its goodbye Premiership (with a nine-point deficit that’s a tough one anyway) and goodbye Champions league for anther season.