This week it is general election time in the UK. On Thursday 6th May the people will go to the polls and have their say. Or, at least those who still believe they can really achieve anything by voting… And so, a group of political reform campaigners, aptly called Hang ‘em, are encouraging voters to, er, do just that! Indeed, still reeling from the notorious “expenses scandal” which unfolded last year, some Brits might jump at the chance to have their politicians hung…

Fortunately (for politicians) , the phrase “hung parliament” has a strictly political meaning. Put very simply, it means that whenever no one party wins an “outright majority” of the vote (over 50%), power is “hung” between, or shared among, parties rather than assigned to just one.

At least, that’s the theory. In reality we could actually see the UK’s politicians, as the campaigners wish, effectively suspended, held to ransom – until they all see some sense and decide to renew democracy in Britain! …Could we really do this?! Or are these campaigners simply attempting the impossible, trying to put square pegs into round holes? It’s time we stood up to politicians, they urge, and we must do this by going out to vote in such a way that no single party actually “wins.”

What do YOU think? Should politicians just learn to get on with one another and work together? Rather than waste time justifying their own “superior” policies and past actions, shouldn’t they be devoting time to cooperation and achieving the best for everyone?  You may not be overly interested in politics, but how do you think society in general could be better governed?

This is your parliament!

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Could this be the Pope waving goodbye to the Vatican?

Possibly, thanks to Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchins who are planning a legal ambush to have Pope Benedict XVI arrested during his state visit to Britain “for crimes against humanity”.

If you aren’t aware of what the Popes crimes are alleged to be, then you can read about them here but basically, he has been accused of a child abuse cover up involving priests in America in the 80′s.

Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, is hoping to exploit the same legal principle used to arrest Augusto Pinochet, the late Chilean dictator, when he visited Britain in 1998. Dawkins said ‘This is a man whose first instinct when his priests are caught with their pants down is to cover up the scandal and damn the young victims to silence’.

His partner in vigilantiasm, Christopher Hitchens, also an atheist author said ‘This man is not above or outside the law. The institutionalised concealment of child rape is a crime under any law and demands not private ceremonies of repentance or church-funded payoffs, but justice and punishment’.

So, are they right? I mean, if you take religion out of the way, these are serious allegations (not “petty gossip” as one dim Cardinal put it) that deserve to be, at the very least, investigated. Just because he allegedly holds the highest position within the church and is arguably God’s voice on earth, doesn’t mean he can’t be made accountable does it?

Hundreds of children have been abused, they deserve a voice, and an answer too don’t they?

All comments welcomed please……….Amen.

Its just been announced that President Obama has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.  An almighty achievement and you can read a list here of previous winners. He’s in exceptional company. Of achievers.

So, one question, is it deserved?

Hi everyone, Lib here in Manchester, UK, wondering whether the UK has made another boo-boo.

Above is the remains of the Pan Am Flight 103 from London to New York that exploded 31,000ft over Lockerbie, Scotland, 38 minutes after take-off from London on the 21st December 1998. All 259 people on board the Boeing 747 were killed, along with 11 people on the ground.

On the 31st January 2001, Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi was found guilty of murder after the historic trial under Scottish law in the Netherlands. The judges recommended a minimum of 20 years “in view of the horrendous nature of this crime”. On the 24th November 2003,  Megrahi’s sentence was increased to 27 years.

And yet on the 20th August 2009, serving just over 7 years, Megrahi was released from prison on compassionate grounds due to his ‘advanced’ stage prostate cancer.

He received a hero’s welcome when he returned to his native home in Libya.

So, its a simple question I’m asking you really. Do prisoners have the right to be released on compassionate grounds?

Comments below please…..

My dad, Bo Snr, has asked me to post this in honour of Les Paul (1915-2009) who passed away yesterday aged 94. He is credited with developing one of the first solid-body electric guitars, which went on sale in 1952 and contributed to the birth of rock.

Without him there would be no Pink Floyd, no Guns n Roses, no ZZ top, no Joe Satriani, no Clapton, no U2, no Beatles, I think you get the picture of how big an influence he was/is within the music industry. Type in his name in Google and  more often than not pictures of guitars will appear rather than himself.

I’d encourage everyone to have a gander at Les Paul’s truly remarkable life here.

So, when were you introduced to your first bit of rock n roll? You haven’t? Well, there’s not much point in reading this post really, as I am asking everyone for their favourite guitar solo clips, rock n roll clips and any music memories that changed your life.

Plectrums at the ready…..

It should be pretty easy shouldn’t it?

If you had to put your life on it, you would probably pick the rather menacing character dressed as V.

But here in the UK , as I’m sure you are aware, London  recently played host to the G20 summit and as sure as David Hasselhoff likes a drink, there were some protests. Read the rest of this entry »

Wow.

I mean, seriously. Wow.

I don’t mean to be a sycophant but he’s quite special isn’t he? Not your average special or indeed the type of special displayed by Dubya in RYK’s post but truly special. The kind of extra-ordinary that would not give up when beaten in the democratic primary run for the U.S House of Representatives, but instead run for the U.S Senate. And win.

He’s in good company as well. It was famously said that ‘Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther King could walk. Martin Luther King walked so Obama could run. Obama’s running so we all can fly‘

Undoubtedly all of these people were and are special but what makes them so?

What makes these kind of people special/different/better/legendary?

Is it all pre-ordained? Or is it in us all?

Feel free to ‘define special’ and who you think should go on the list as well….

HI all from Ohio!

Since Barack Obama was elected president just last week, everyone has been kind of excited to see what kind of dog he gets for his two daughters.  In his acceptance speech he promised his kids a new puppy when they moved into the White House.  Now, we’re all talking about what kind puppy it’s going to be.  Not the most lively or pertinant topic of conversation I know, but it does pass the time.  Plus, puppies are cute!

One of the problems that the Obamas are having in the selection of their new pet is that one of the kids, Malia, is allergic. They need a hypo-allergenic pooch.  

I was a little surprised to learn that there are hypo-allergenic dogs out there, like the poodle. (Which I’d already known of, but didn’t realize was good for people with allergies!)  With these new fangled designer pets, the days when a family can’t own a pet because of allergies are long gone!  Below is just a funny picture of Obama and McCain when they were campaigning!

Wasssup! by adjustafresh on Flickr.com

5 weeks ago I moved into what I would soon find out to be, an Internet-free zone.  No connection in the apartment, not even wireless signals to mooch off of.  Finally, yesterday at 10 am, a cable guy arrived to install this glorious product of our information age and I must say, it’s better than it has ever been.  Although, the 5 weeks of no Internet (except for the university library) was rewarding, I am glad to once again have it in my reach.

Tell me, could you live though 5 Internetless weeks?

Last week we ran our 32nd Free Flowers Competition for a chance to win $60 of flowers delivered anywhere in the world courtesy of our partners Flora 2000, the International delivery experts.

To win you had to look at the picture below and come up with a short discussion they would have with each other if they were all stuck in the same room together.

And the winner is Kathleen with:

Well done Kathleen!

If you didn’t win or missed the chance to enter, you could always send flowers to someone right now, anywhere in the world . Simply click on the flowers banners and use promo code GSTF99 and you’ll be entitled to a bit of flower smelling discount!