Is it really a news story when we get snow? Given that I'm in the North-East of England at the back end of November and not in sub-Saharan Africa it seems a little strange that news coverage talks of little else. Perhaps we like to play up to our national stereotype but I'm always reminded of Oliver Hardy's attempt at small talk in "Way Out West" when he comments "What a lot of weather we've been having lately." I accept that local news, generally not known for its in depth coverage of major news stories, has a role to play informing us as to any disruption to transport or of school closures but it should be extreme and hazardous flooding or blizzards with the various consequences before being considered newsworthy of the national press.
It may appear that the North has been honoured to be mentioned as the normal pattern is to report on the onset of snow when a few flakes fall in Surrey and then go quiet when Northumberland spends the next two weeks under a drift, but it probably indicates a quiet news week. Saying that it is probably true at other times of the year when we are subjected to "Phew what a Scorcher!" headlines so that no matter what the conditions there is always something to report.
Friday, 26 November 2010
Thursday, 25 November 2010
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11837538
Strange to say but I think we can all start to relax now. All this business of the Conservatives acting all reasonable and pretending to be wanting to help just didn't sit right and it appears that some of them are starting to crack and show their true colours. After Lord Young's attempt to paraphrase MacMillan, Howard Flight has gone off message to claim that cuts to child benefit for middle class people will encourage the masses to breed more. Everybody is more comfortable with the Tories living up to their pantomime villain image as the nasty party as it is what we are used to and we all like a bit of nostalgia. Now all we need is for Cameron and Osbourn to drop all the pretence and admit that they really enjoyed the cuts and trimming the state back as much as they could is what they would have done regardless of the economic situation.
Strange to say but I think we can all start to relax now. All this business of the Conservatives acting all reasonable and pretending to be wanting to help just didn't sit right and it appears that some of them are starting to crack and show their true colours. After Lord Young's attempt to paraphrase MacMillan, Howard Flight has gone off message to claim that cuts to child benefit for middle class people will encourage the masses to breed more. Everybody is more comfortable with the Tories living up to their pantomime villain image as the nasty party as it is what we are used to and we all like a bit of nostalgia. Now all we need is for Cameron and Osbourn to drop all the pretence and admit that they really enjoyed the cuts and trimming the state back as much as they could is what they would have done regardless of the economic situation.
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