Balls Amendment

I recently on a different board got wound up about not hearing anything about the proposed private members bill that will exempt MPs from the freedom of information act. This turned out because it had been in the news on Friday and I'd not been paying attention all weekend. The MP's (Both labour and tory) claim it is to protect their constituents privacy, but surely this can be protected in a bill that doesn't also conveniently allow MPs to once again drift into unaccountability? Notably both leaders have left this one to concience, and most MPs in teh two major parties clearly have none. David Cameron decided attending teh FA cup final was more important than attending teh vote and while he opposes it in the press he has done sweet FA to oppose it in teh house, where it counts, and where he was elected to wield some form of power. A close ally of Gordon brown, a Mr Ed Balls (heheheh Balls) has stated that MP's expenses will still eb public and an amendment is apparently being drafted. Thing is, I'm not just concerned about expenses (although make no mistake, they do concern me) I'm concerned about for what company's the mP worked for in the past, what companies they hold shares in, what boards the MP or their families/close friends sit on. All these are required these days in order to make sure that the petty corruption, backhanders and Jobs for the boys that have been indicative of both the previous and the current government are aired to the public so the minister in question can be suitably harrased about it in apublic forum.

Anyone who is in a publicly elected post would do well to remember, we're your boss, we're who you work for we are in charge.

A Harsh Master

Had a very quiet weekend. On saturday night My Fiance had fallen asleep, saldy trapping me with her legs, started tuning out and nearly bought a Popcorn Machine and condyfloss machine off of QVC for about £20. Fortunately i remembered that it is often quite hard to flavour home made popcorn and so it tends to be quite bland, but making your own candyfloss, how cool is that.

Recently (Wednesday) I dug out the consoles, specifically becuase i've not had a really good run at any driving games in a while. So on the X-Box I spent a few days muckinga roudn with project Gotham Racing 2, and on the PS2 I later hit gran Tourismo 4Project gotham was fun and belting cars round city streets, doing poweslides was a laugh, but jumping from there into GT4 shows just how much of a harsh master Gran Tourismo is. Project gotham, while still valuing things like breaking and racing lines, has toned down its realism in favour of accessability. Seeing how much more punishing Gran tourismo can be is really an eye opener.

My beloved decided to treat me and bought several things from the Farm shop. We have Beef olives for tonight, which are so far superior to normal olives I now see no point in normal olives being used for anything other than oil and spread, and will now take being offered them as a very personal offence. The real treat was in the "Special Burger" that was bought. One of my life's quests has been to find the ultimate burger (By burger I mean the full, meat in a roll with trimmings experience) TGI's came close with the two patty's, cheese, bacon and onion rings, and there used to be a place that did a triple burger that was 3 quarter pounders stacked. However teh sepcial burger will be the meat patty that should be in any ultimate burger, this one was prime angus beef, mixed in with tiny chunks of smoked bacon and also mixed in was black pudding. The result was amazing, made the flat smell like a butchers too which is an added bonus. Now if some eatery or other can incorporate 1 or more of these into a creation with cheese, bacon, possibly onion rings, and the correct combination of sauces, we may have the ultimate burger.

Joy

Nothing really filling my rant box so I'll talk about comics.Had a normal sized pull this week (Around £10) the three major titles this included were Fallen Son: The death of Captain America, Mighty Avengers and Ultimates 13.The fallen SOn series has beena bit hit and miss, this issue wasn't bad, with the newly resurected Clint Barton offered a chance to be cap and running into Patriot and his namesake Hawkeye. Not a bad issue, but not great, in short it wasn't needed and added nothing aside from Tony Stark knows Clint barton is alive. Also the artist couldn't draw Iron man, he seemed square. Still not a bad issue but picking this up I'm wondering what is the point at times.Mighty Avengers has been teh better of teh 2 avengers titles around, its first major advantage is in Art as the artist on New Avengers is not to my taste and frequently I can't work out who is who and whats going on, compared to Cheesecake artist extrordinaire Frank Cho finally getting to sho that, not only does he draw great women, but he can also draw a really good comic. Add to this the story, somehow Ultron has taken over Tony Stark and made itself out of his extremis enhanced body. Now it is in teh form of a silvery naked Wasp knocking the newly formed Avengers for six. Only gripe is that I clearly missed when Hank and Jan (Yellowjacket and the Wasp) split. She's not taking his calls and he's off bonking Tigra, largely so that Frank Cho can draw Tigra, and good on him. At the moment though this is much better than New Avengers fight Ninjas again.Finally years ago, back in teh mists of time, I read Ultimates 12. I'd given up hope of ever seeing teh conclusion, passing all rumours taht it was done off as lies and worse, statistics. Suddely here it is, isue 13, with a big gatefold fight scene. A good wrap up issue where ultimately you learn 3 things.
1. Thor Kicks Ass, Verily
2. Ultimate Tony STark Rocks
3. Millar and Hitch are that good that I am drawn back in despite the delays.

Hail Xenu

Wathced the Panorama thing on Scientology last night, have to say that I give full marks to john Sweeney for not kicking the Scientologist guy in the nuts in order to get him to shut up and listen for 5 seconds. I know less tolerant people who would have more likely beaten seven shades of dianetics out of him the second he turned up at their hotel at midnight. Scientology may not now encourage Disconnections or "Fair Game" but there was no evidence of this in the doccumentary. Reading the editors comments on the programme http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2007/05/investigating_scientology_1.html it seems like the Church have shot themselves in the foot considering that they had on film long interviews of celebrities saying how much good scientology does, and indeed it was noted that they have provided aid at nearly every disaster, so why suddenly withdraw all this footage when a journalist does what he's supposed to and looks at the other side of the story.Regardless of this Tommy Davis, the top scientologist who was behind much of the intimidation, came off as at best rude, at worst beligerant. His habit of shouting at Sweeney then walking off as opposed to engaging ina ny form of discussion is the sort of behaviour I find both irritating and highly suspicious and I would suggest the church find a new spokesman.Three things make me automatically suspicious about scientology. First is that L Ron Hubbard is on record as saying that a great way to make money is start a religion, second is the "Pay as you go" style of the thing and third is their willingness to fire lawyers at anything regardless of how small.I'm leaning towards sinister and dangerous cult myself. Its up to Scientology to prove me wrong, or hound me and harass me (Go on, I could use the company on the train)My reaction will be the same as when I saw a group of them set up in Buchanan Street, I pointed and laughed. My question there woudl be, why did they not advertise themselves as Scientologists, instead all they had was a sign offering free stress tests and a big heap of Dianetics books. I'm sure one of them followed me when I said Battlefield Earth was rubbish but I got enough leverage to get away from him.

Do I not Have Anything better to Do

Don't go hanging out washing, my ankles and knees hurt which means there's bad weather afoot.Watchec the Eurovision song contest on Sat. As always there were huge accusations of block voting, but in fairness, serbia was one of teh better entries (Although I quite liked the Finnish entry again this year and even quite fancied the large armed singer, but I'll file that under I'm strange) Regardless of what peopel say, last year Finland proved that you get a good act who are already popular accross Europe and enter them in teh contest and they'll take it. Obviously I have a rock Bias but think how much more enjoyable the contest would be if the following acts went on.

UK - Iron Maiden
Germany - Rammestein
Finland - Nightwish

Ok, so the chances of a stage surviving Rammestein's liev act is minimal but woudl be great fun, and come on, to have Eddie stalking around the green room after would be worth tuning in on its own.Never thought Morrisy would give us a winner, he's always had a bit of a British niche in his popularity and you don't find teh germans or otehr european nations raving on about him as much as they rave about Iron Maiden, Black sabbath or Status Quo.Actually that would be cool, Status Quo doing our entry.In comics my standout issue of the week was Nova #2 the fact that they refrained from having him and Iron man fight, prefering to have a discussion on the merits of registration. I do feel that Bendis is partly to blame for the depiction of SHIELD bursting in on Luke Cage in his flat. Nova made me think, however that Anihilation should be how events are done, mainly contained but with impact later. Anihilation started as 4 4 part stories focusing on 4 characters during the initial attack of the Anihilation wave. These were Nova, The Silver Surfer, Super Skrul and Ronan. that then led to a 6 part series showing the Anihilation war. all great but most importantly for me, for 4 months I was picking up 4 extra issues, but then that dropped to 1 and what it means long term is taht I picked up Nova and teh Anihilation: Heralds 2 parter and will be picking up Anihilation, Conquest. For DC with countdown I hope it is just the 52 issue weekly comic tied with events taht occur in the DC universe but make sure you don't have to read Countodwn to understant the events in Batman and vice versa.

The Creeping Hand of Evil

The metro this morning printed a failry misleading headline, which had I not been watching teh news. Picture of Tony Blair and "the King is dead" well he isn't. There has been a lot about Blair's legacy, for my part I think his legacy is of a man who was concerned with cememnting his place in history above all others. Grand gestures and huge money pits (millenuim dome, London Olympics) from day one were designed to leave a big stamp saying "Blair was here" on the UK. I personally hope he will be remembered for his real legacy. Heavy spin and corruption in government, cash for honours, artificially boosting a climate of fear to bring through huge violations of our civil liberties and our parliamentary procedure, joining us in a costly and illegal war and of course ultimately doing what the hell he liked and damn the people. Blair seemed throught his term that we needed him more than he needed us, a very dangerous trait for a politician.Goodbye Tony, you won't be missed, hope the next chap isn't as bad as you.

Long Weekend

Hard to believe its already tuesday. Visited my wedding venu and started allcoating who we're going to offer rooms to. Seems like we're being nice, and we are, all these people we want to see in the morning after. At the same time for the most part we're really saying "Hello, We've picked you from everyone to pay for a room at the Venue." Also saw SPider-man 3 and my only gripe is I'd really like to see what Raimi coudl ahev done with no studio interfearence and a guarantee that McGuire and Dunst would be available for Spider-Man 4.On Sundya had a day to myself, and since there's a free badge for any character who logs on during May, I made an effort to complete 1 mission with all of my alts on both servers. Nice to play a bit of CoV and to have outings with some lesser used alts like Sergent Jackson and Frozen Bolt.Had to call the police on our Neighbours again on sat. I think I do the woman living tehre a disservice as when she's in with just her friends we don't have noise troubles, they don't pester Mr. Dog and make him bark and when she takes aformentioend dog on a walk she at least knows that due to inadequate trining he can't be let off a leash, the bloke however is very lucky a situation wher ethe dog was harassing a small child didn't escalate or he would have found himself, quite correctly with a dead dog and hopefully would never be allowed to own another animal or have children (Well come on, you can't keep a dog under control how the hell can you cope with a human) and it is him and his friends who play the loud music.Will have to call the council again now.

Elected

Well, another election passes and I barely resisted the temptation to spoil my ballot, we have the SNP, who run a friendly campaign but sling mud in any debate, plus I still don't trust them to run the referendum fairly, or indeed for the scottish public to vote with any thought. Labour are slaves to westminister and have done 1 useful thing in 8 years. The tories are naturlaly out of teh running and the Lib Dems will ditch any policy, no matter how important for a whiff of tabel scraps from the winner. Please someone, pass a law that spoiled ballot papers are counted, at least to make it a legitimate form of protest. I think someone hauling their ass down to a polling station to write insults to the candidates deserves more than his vote being binned.Once again a government run IT project goes wring as well. I'm not really surprised, and peopel wonder why I worry about a national ID database.Not maanged to get through all my comics yet, but so far the initiative is a must buy, as well as having War Machine in it its introducing a new range of characters.Spider-Man 3 this weekend. Whoot or something. This and Transformers this year, Iron man next.