Sunday, July 26, 2009

Irresponsible Government

These couple of paragraphs from Guardian.co.uk caught my eye this morning:

Ministers moved to quell swine flu hysteria last night, as concerns grew that the National Health Service might be overwhelmed by hordes of "unnecessarily anxious" people who could make a full recovery at home.

Amid rising government worry about how NHS staff will cope as the virus spreads, health secretary Andy Burnham warned that panic itself could push services to breaking point. Health Department officials said there was a danger of a "panic pandemic" that could hinder the treatment of more serious cases.


This displays the type of sensationalism that we are now accustomed to from this pathetic government who are clearly living in a different world to the rest of us. The only panic visible around the UK is from government ministers who are trying to convince the populous that they are looking out for our best interests.

The British public doesn't generally panic - it just gets on with life. I have yet to meet, hear or see anyone who is even remotely bothered by swine flu, other than the reaction from public officials who may prevent them from carrying out their everyday lives.

If our imbecile ministers have nothing genuinely constructive to say then why not just shut up for once. Enjoy your long summer holiday, and leave the rest of us in peace.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Forgotten Heroes and other things lost

In his article in the Daily Mail today, A.N.Wilson wrote about the modern phenomenon of outbursts of public mourning for celebrity deaths. He compared the grotesque scenes associated with the Princess of Wales, Jade Goody and now Michael Jackson with the dignity and solemnity that the British public used to display for its genuine heroes such as Wellington and Churchill.

Of course many of those people now wearing their hearts on their sleeves for their departed idols wouldn’t actually have a clue who Wellington or, possibly even, Churchill were, never mind what they achieved.

Spare some time in the next few days to mourn the loss of our history, values and sense of proportion.