Eruptions and Elections

Good day Reekers,

Sadly, I found myself captivated by the televised electoral debate. I couldn't help it, it had me at hello. As a kind of participant introduction the camera zipped from Clegg, to Cameron and then unfortunately, to Brown, who in this slick young company, was a bit sore on the eyes. Still, this isn't Westminster's next top model, what have they got to say I thought to myself consolingly and thankfully Brown at least had some substance and came over as being experienced even if that experience is mainly in fiscal meltdowns and PR gaffes galore that he mostly has some culpability in. Cameron looked at different times during the event, frightened, nervous, dim, condescending and as if it had suddenly dawned on him that perhaps he should have spent the last couple of years developing ideas a charismatic, credible shadow cabinet and meaningful ways forward out of this mess, rather than just being reactionary and contrary because, really, he had nothing. Clegg on the other hand continues to impress but then its much easier for him. No weight of expectation like Cameron, no baggage dragging behind him like Brown he can just pop up, looking fresh faced, preach the middle ground and as long as he remains credible, then he'll appeal. The real winner I think may be Brown though, any votes Clegg wins will help him back into office, possibly with Lib Dems on the cabinet and I think that may be a good thing and at least would be a little different. At the end, Brown was first to start pressing the flesh with the audience members, followed by Clegg but Cameron just disappeared out of shot, I bet for the next one he doesn't.

Of course, the news afterwards was full of it and I ended up quickly bored with all the partisan comment and autopsies. Jonathon Dimbleby was wearing the same tie Huw Edwards was wearing on the news a couple of weeks ago, it doesn't look any better on him so turned over and brother David was doing Question Time with a rubbish panel, John Sergeant being the only one on it worth listening too and only then because he looks and sounds so miserable, fed up and cynical about the whole pantomime.

Whats the story with Iceland. I think they are suffering from Small Country Syndrome. First they pretend to be the richest country in the world and lend everybody money they don't have and being all flash like those people you hear about that tell everyone they have won the lottery just to get attention. Then they send their sulphuric fumes and ash over western Europe virtually closing it down and sending it back to the dark ages. Iceland is obviously just a front for some global criminal organisation. The G8 leaders probably sat around a great big board room table last week watching a video message from them, demanding all the fish in the sea or there would be trouble. Superman, James Bond and Our Man Flint will be there now, infiltrating their evil lair. I bet everything is back to normal by Monday and James Bond is picked up in the North Atlantic, on a raft shagging some blonde bird.

I was in a pet shop yesterday, not one of those big pet superstores mind you, an old fashioned one that look an utter shambles and only 5 minutes away from being shut down by the RSPCA. It reminded me of the pet shop in Baker Street, Stirling that I used to get taken into as a treat when I was little. It had puppies in the window, cages of squawking, fluttering birds, aquariums, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters. It would have ferrets next to rabbits, cats next fish tanks and if you were lucky, maybe a rat snake that would in all probability, be next to the rats. There would be loads of cages all different shapes and sizes, mince morsels and dog biscuits crammed to the ceiling with hardly any room to move. Well, this one was a bit like that, but no birds, puppies, rodents, squawking or indeed anything interesting apart from some dirty and empty fish tanks and a dirty and empty headed shop keeper who sold me 2 pigs ears for £1.30 , I don't know if they were a matching pair or not.

Plans for next week are jerking forward in awkward unsure spasms. Found a cheap hotel for the first week, and just booked a train ticket which cost £60. I have no idea if that's good or bad. I did a little research and found that the train takes half the time, but costs twice as much as the bus, but equally, takes double the time and costs about half as much as a plane. Living in London without an almost limitless expense account to draw on is a bit unsettling if I'm honest and I'm beginning to feel a little anxious. Natural I suppose when your starting a new job, in a new city ,miles away from friends and family. I will not make it home every weekend, so will miss the kids a lot, and if anything that's what worries me most. I hope I'm doing the right thing.

One final thing today, I don't watch a lot of TV, most of it just makes me angry and confused, like Ashes to Ashes, that Life on Mars spin off. Why is a detective in the police running about in an Audi Quattro? I know its there to tie the stories to the 80s, it is an iconic car I suppose, but come on, they were not exactly your everyday run about for your police sergeant, were they? They should have given him a Capri or Opel Manta, something he could afford.

My reeking capabilities may be curtailed next week because I don't know if the homeless shelter has wi-fi, you would think it would wouldnt you, in this day and age.

Lang may yer lum reek.