Leaders Debate, Round 2

This time I watched the debate on the TV ? Until my wife found me dozing and transferred me to the computer. I don?T think I missed much so I was surprised at the result of the first poll for the Sun showing that Cameron was the clear winner with 36% of the votes, a result not sustained in other polls I should add. This time I thought the combatants more evenly matched indicating that there had been much hard work in the background since last week.

Again I thought the debate illuminating, not for what was said, but watching the facial expressions and body language when the leaders were not speaking. I thought Cameron looked the least confident, though much better than last week, while Clegg looked the most assured and Brown rather awkward. Most of the audience looked bored stiff with one member desperately trying to conceal a huge yawn.

The ?Get Clegg? Campaign fell badly after the Telegraph?S shameful attempted smear with ?Twitters? Picking up the thread and blaming Clegg for everything from the death of Kennedy to responsibility for Samantha?S pregnancy. The desperation of the press may be explained by David Yelland, a former editor of the Sun, who explained that previously the Liberal Democrats were deliberately ignored by the press.

Yelland said, ?Make no mistake, if the Liberal Democrats actually won the election ? Or held the balance of power ? It would be the first time in decades that Murdoch was locked out of British politics. In so many ways, a vote for the Lib Dems is a vote against Murdoch and the media elite.? Hmmm!

Postscript

More than 100 viewers have complained to the broadcasting regulator (Ofcom) accusing the debate Moderator (Sky News political editor Adam Boulton) of breaking strict impartiality rules by raising newspaper reports about political donations paid directly into the Liberal Democrat leader's bank account. There is no suggestion Clegg broke any rules and bank statements were produced to prove it.

Boulton -> Sky -> Murdoch - Hmmm again!

There's another interesting take on the broadcast in this Blog: http://www.Craigmurray.Org.Uk/archives/2010/04/sky_leaders_deb.Html

PPS

http://www.Bbc.Co.Uk/blogs/newsnight/michaelcrick/2010/04/polling.Html

- Hmmm yet again.

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For the beauty of the earth

These days I don't watch much television with programmes such as Prisoners Wives  offered as 'Entertainment' -(Lou  vows to give up her life of crime for Mason's sake [!], Gemma helps the police build the case against her husband, and Francesca reluctantly attends marriage guidance with Paul).

How refreshing, then, to watch Bees, Butterflies and Blooms  last night. All the gloom and doom reports about dwindling food supplies because of the loss of bees and other pollinating insects appeared to be solved simply by reverting to the beauty of the earth while saving money and scarce resources in the process. In one poll, the lavish, structured floral display created by Birmingham Council Parks Department came a poor second to the natural 'meadow' planting which attracted numerous bees, butterflies and other insects where the structured display did not. No more endless grass cutting and constant watering of plants which repel the insects we need for our survival. Just the simple beauty of the earth.

Some years ago I had the temerity to venture the opinion that I missed the boy treble voices that had formed most of our church choirs. I was immediately set upon for being sexist and failing to move with the times! Years later virtually everything has been turned on its head. Who would have believed when I made that casual remark that in years to come a nominally Christian, Tory Prime Minister of our nation would undermine the Holy Sacrament of Marriage in the guise of equality?

What in God's name are these people doing to us, changing everything that was alreadybeautiful and freely given, and for what? "Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these."

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Quartet

Source: BBC Films

Amongst the burgeoning diet of murder, violence and intimidation on TV, last evening saw the screening of the BBC's comedy drama, Quartet, a delightful film with a happy ending for a refreshing change. Some of the best comedy lines are repeated in a Review here.

Under the cover of senility the cast are allowed to say what they think without fear of PC dictatorship, a spirit which helped us get through difficult times when Nazism was our greatest threat.

What a shame we have lost the ability to laugh at ourselves. Free speech is constantly being challenged. In our Universities special interest groups seek to determine the rencana while on the national stage Donald Trump is in trouble for expressing his opinion. Parliament will now discuss whether he should be banned from UK after a petition gained enough signatures to force a debate while radicals continue to pour out their hate of what is left of our democracy.

One of the most effective antidotes to hate is ridicule but such humour along with free speech is being suppressed for political gain. That is the dilema MPs need to consider.

Meanwhile, escape the gloom:

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A step too far

Laverne Cox, Jeffrey Tambor, Ellen DeGeneres, Asia Kate Dillon and Ben Whishaw.

The great LGBT TV revolution   Photograph: Guardian design

LGBT+  promotion is back in the news, this time with an attempt to indoctrinate school children .

On this blog I previously commented on the extraordinary LGBT campaign to get Jeffrey John made bishop of Llandaff. In response there have been unsubstantiated claims that this blogger peddles lies. No doubt I shall again be branded as homophobic for this entry. So be it. The issue is far too important to ignore.

From Saturday'sGuardian applauding the high visibility of LGBT characters, ‘You didn’t win, we won’: the great LGBT TV revolution. If  viewers do not like what they see they can switch off.

The book by Andrew Brown and Linda WoodheadThat was the Church That Was: How the Church of England Lost the English People seeks to explain the disappearance of the Church of England from the centre of public life having lost half of its members and much of its influence since the Thatcher years. In a church in which you no longer appear to matter unless you are gay or a feminist you can  leave.

Toddlers and older school children do not have that choice. The National Union of Teachers have gone far too far in calling for the promotion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT+) issues to children, starting at nursery.

From Voice for Justice UK:We call on the National Union of Teachers to withdraw its motion promoting LGBT+ issues to toddlers.

You can sign their petition here .

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