Twitter Updates for 2011-05-26

  • Unsurprisingly wet on the wedding anniversary. Sat in the Odeon Trafford Centre waiting got Pirates 4 to start. #

Twitter Updates for 2011-05-25

  • At Tatton Park. The weather was supposed to be niceish but isn't. First day of my holidays. #

Twitter Updates for 2011-05-22

  • Race is now situation normal, but I'm facinated re: the McLaren boys. Both could get an additional place. Webber hasn't done well. #
  • No way can people do 20 odd laps on a set of softs. Five stops? Wired stuff. #
  • What is this TV producer doing showing rubbish for 4 laps when there's a battle for P1? #

Twitter Updates for 2011-05-16

  • Well, crap birthday so far. #

The SlutWalk Marches

Philip O'MalleyWell, the birthday is a bit rubbish but it has given me the opportunity to catch up on the excellent Five Live early-morning debates hosted by Nicky Campbell – and I’ve just finished listening to the SlutWalk discussion.

The basic tenant of a SlutWalk is women walking in support of being able to wear whatever they like and protest that this should have no bearing on how they are then perceived sexually. It was a very politically correct debate for the most part, with people dancing around the issue – which wouldn’t have been the case twenty years ago. No, twenty years ago I’d wager some significantly more forthright, and probably cutting, views would have been put into the discussion.

However, for all the various nuances, my viewpoint is fairly simple.

If we were living in a utopian society, of course there would be no question of the clothes a woman wears having a negative impact. And even in our obviously non-utopian society, the vast, vast majority of men wouldn’t take the various states of undress as an open invitation to have sex with them. Problem is we don’t live in a utopian society, and there are less than fine, upstanding citizens out there who would and by force. And there is nothing anyone can do about it re: prevention – just like we can’t do anything about murder and all the other various forms of crime. You can punish, but no-one has yet solved the thorny issue of prevention.

Just like we have burglar alarms on our property and just like you don’t easily open your front door after dark, our society demands a certain degree of common sense. That I shouldn’t need to protect my property is exactly the same basic argument as is being used by those taking part in the SlutWalks – problem is that I do. Society is, unfortunately, broken and is, for want of a better phrase, full of scum who will take rather than earn. And I’ll bet that those on these marches hit their four-digit codes as they left their house, and locked their car – making sure there were no obvious valuables visible. In other words, they were minimising the risk. And if you do so for property, which is replaceable, then why would people not extend this paranoia to themselves? For some point of principle? Laudable, but high-ideals doesn’t offer any protection.

The world is a dangerous place to be, and therefore the concept behind the SlutWalk is naivety at it’s most dangerously, and idealistically, foolish.

Twitter Updates for 2011-05-15

  • Block voting again wins the Eurovision day. Better result than usual for the most hated country in Europe, i.e. Us. #
  • Time to start this years Apprentice. So far the usual bunch of clueless Muppets. #

Twitter Updates for 2011-05-14

  • Hmm. So You Think You Can Dance got stuck on before Doctor Who. And it's not very good. But the Doctor awaits! #
  • Truly great Doctor Who episode which personified the TARDIS. Now to heckle Eurovision 2011. #
  • At the voting stage, I have to say Jedward were probably the best. Is that a positive thing? Lena was the best performer but bad song. #

Twitter Updates for 2011-05-08

  • And it's almost time for the Turkish Grand Prix. All set up at home with the driver tracker on the laptop. #
  • Bad start from Hamilton, utterly daft move from Schumacher on Petrov. Looks like an easy life for Vettel up front. #
  • What an earth are McLaren doing with Button. Too much lost vs. a stopped saved later. Can't see that working out. #
  • Cracking drive so far from Button. Useless TV coverage from the host broadcaster. #
  • Button will have to defend against Hamilton and Rosberg. Could get messy, as I don't think Jenson will give way easily this time. #
  • Didn't have a choice. Three stop just not the way today, and cost Jenson two places. Some annoyance post-race I'm sure. Alonso surprising. #

Twitter Updates for 2011-05-07

  • This weeks Doctor Who not quite as good as the storming opening two-parter. #

The Alternative Vote Malarky

Philip O'MalleySo, we’ve had the Alternative Vote referendum – and it wasn’t a close one. 70:30 against.

You’d have to say – in hindsight – it was a hideous miscalculation to hold it at the same time as the local elections – the debate was drowned out by local canvassing, and the cause was probably unfairly tarred with the infamous Nick Clegg Mark of Death (TM). Maybe a year on, with more groundwork, things might have been closer – but as we stand today, electoral reform is off the agenda for many years, probably a generation.

The Liberal Democrats appear to have shot their bolt now – no AV for the next election, and they’ve been acting as a punch bag for public anger against the coalition. The Conservatives are supposed to be a bunch of hard bastards, the Liberal Democrats are not. Of the two component parts of the Government, it’s the Liberal Democrats who are so off axis from their “advertised” position that the public are naturally going to beat them with a stick.

Where this will leave things in four years (or earlier) is unknown. They may ride the gauntlet of the public spending cuts, and achieve respectability in the eyes of the public – a “proper” political party, capable in Government. That’s the only thing left to play for. Or they may completely implode – a bunch of woolly idealists, thrown into the sharp end and ultimately incapable of justifying the their political party when it matters.

It’s frankly easy to be in opposition. Being made accountable for your actions is demonstrably harder.

Twitter @philipomalley

  • McLaren need an almighty slap. Fastest car over the first four races, squandered. Lotus not aggressive enough. Hate that bloody finger. 2012-04-22
  • Hamilton's bottom lip to come out at the end of the race? 2012-04-22
  • Wasn't expecting this pace from Red Bull or Lotus. 2012-04-22
  • McLaren pace looks rubbish. 2012-04-22
  • Simple win for Nico. McLaren need to tidy up their race logistics. 2012-04-15
  • Why have McLaren pitted their cars into traffic. Three aren't that shot. 2012-04-15
  • Rosberg is looking very strong. Looking like a win and Merc have sorted their tyre issues. 2012-04-15
  • Don't think the Mercs will stay ahead. Webber or Hamilton to win I feel. 2012-04-15
  • Easter Monday. So it's wet. 2012-04-09
  • Person of Interest is a surprisingly good show. Maturing by the episode. 2012-04-08
  • More updates...

Theme derived from Grid Focus | All original content © Philip A. O'Malley | All rights reserved.