Itisi - Latest Comments in The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Kate — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 11:11:00 -0000

Jack - I laways think David Cameron looks like a plump Tony Blair, or a hamster. He is very hamstery.

Politicians seem to make the same promises everywhere, but nothing ever really changes. Actually, one thing has, since Labour came into power a lot of prices have gone down. They did bring us into line with the rest of the EU in terms of pricing. Apart from that, it's business as usual.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 05:17:00 -0000

And yes, of course, David Cameron! I can’t even picture the man.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 05:16:00 -0000

The policies might be the same and rather unimaginative. Here in New Zealand, if you work out the sums, we are really talking plus or minus 10 per cent in terms of spending for each area. You hear the same thing in Britain each time: tougher on crime, more efﬁcient NHS and a promise to redress the balance with declining educational standards. (Actually, you hear the same stuff here.)

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Kate — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 13:45:00 -0000

I had to think about that too. I knew his first name was David, but the surname escaped me. It's David Cameron, but I had think about it LOL He's a complete wet lettuce whatever it is.

Maybe having two such boring leaders will be a good thing, lets face, it neither are going to win an election based on their sparkling wit LOL They will have to talk about policies which will be refreshing.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 08:52:00 -0000

Brown is as dull as the Tory leader (whomever he is—see, I have forgotten already after discussing it) is invisible. British General Elections have become “presidential” thanks to Blair, something that has harmed Gordon Brown’s chances. I think he would do dismally on a campaign, especially in these spin- and image-led days.
I know it’s not Michael Howard, but I would be darned if I could remember who the Tory guy is.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Kate — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 07:58:00 -0000

It does seem hard to imagine him as anything other than the dour chancellor, but he seems to be the hot favourite at the moment.

I just wonder how he would do in an election though, I don't like personality politics, but it does help if the candidates have one. Brown just seems incredibly dull. Sometimes he tries to appear jocular and even fun, but it never works.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 05:10:00 -0000

I can’t visualize Brown as PM, and the weird thing was that I could visualize Major in the role, even when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer. Still, anything is possible.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Kate — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 11:32:00 -0000

I think they will go the way of John Major's government too. It seems inevitable. I think Brown will get one term, during which everyone will realise things are no different, then he will be out.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 09:46:00 -0000

We are seeing minor parties here take greater hold, too. If the Tories can get a half-decent leader, they will have a chance, but if the status quo is preserved at the next General Election, I agree with you: it’ll be New Labour for ﬁve more years, with an even more reduced majority, and possibly a minority government. Labour may still suffer a Major-like defeat: losing because the electorate never forgave it for winning the last one.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Kate — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 08:56:00 -0000

LOL @ the Straw Man

The alternative. I have no idea. As we have said before the Tories don't constitute a real opposition. The Lib Dems are in a stronger position than before, but still not strong enough to make a serious election challenge. That just leaves New Labour, and I do think they will get another term.

It's no surprise that we have such apathy amongst the electorate at the moment. When people repeatedly see a party they didn't vote being returned to power they will start to feel disillusioned.

My big worry is the rise in the popularity of extreme parties. The BNP have won a few (council) seats, not enough to be considered an serious political force I admit, but I find it worrying none the less.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 10:38:00 -0000

A simple mea culpa would have been more effective for the Straw Man. Sad. So, Prescott hits people because of ‘instinct’ and Jack Straw shakes hands with dictators because all “darkies” look the same. This Cabinet needs to go at the next election, but what is the alternative?

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Kate — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 13:06:00 -0000

I think he did actually say something like 'it was dark and they all looked the same' It's really not what you expect from someone who was paid to represent us abroad.

I was amazed he kept his job after that. Which ever way you look at it he was wrong. He should never have shaken hands with the man in the first place, but having done so, to make such an awful excuse just made it so much worse. It came at a time when the government were receiving a lot of criticism for their lack of action over Zimbabwe, and Straws actions did make it look as though they were tolerant of Mugabe in some way.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 11:53:00 -0000

That was a massive gaffe, almost to the point of “all blacks look alike”.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Kate — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 07:39:00 -0000

Feedback I have received from the PM and my mp tends to be more like spin than any kind of concrete answer. Unfortunatley, my mp is a staunch Blairite, so I suppose I am unlikely to receive anything but the party line.

I have been surprised by Jack Straws success. At one time he was seen as a bit of a subversive. Personally, I did't think he was clever enough to be subversive, and this was confirmed with the Mugabe hand shake incident.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 18:27:00 -0000

The PM’s ofﬁce was mildly helpful, but not totally. More spin, really. But at least he did not disagree with me. I did meet some civil servants once who worked with Jack Straw when he was a pimply faced geek, and their comments were, euphemistically, that they were surprised that he rose to a Cabinet position.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Kate — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 08:29:00 -0000

"I had to write to so many people before I got a response from the PM:"

That in itself is proof of your Britishness, this is a nation of letter writers! I do it myself. I'm not surprised Jack Straw ignored you though, he seems to live on a different planet.

Did the PM help in any way?

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 09:11:00 -0000

I agree, Kate. A British subject is a British subject is a British subject. I had to write to so many people before I got a response from the PM: my complaints about “British apartheid” were ignored by the British High Commissioner, the Foreign Secretary, and the Shadow Foreign Secretary.
I can understand why the Irish would get a nicer welcome. The country has a clean, green, friendly image. I usually travel with my New Zealand passport, which is ﬁlled with stamps, and I reserve the British one for entry into the UK.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Kate — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 13:46:00 -0000

"But if I go through, say, Waterloo on the Eurostar, I have had ofﬁcials tell me that the British National Overseas passport is not British, and I am an alien!"

That is really unfair. A British passport should be the same wherever you were born.

Having an Irish passport is an advantage. I have dual nationality, and have only ever gone abroad as a Paddy. I have to say, you do get a warmer welcome than you would if you travelled as a Brit. That's not why I chose one, that goes back to the political situation in the 70s and 80s, but it was a welcome bonus.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 08:55:00 -0000

I prefer a constitutional monarchy in the absence of a credible alternative, and right now, the republicans haven’t come up with one. It’s not like China in 1911, when it was clear the Ching Dynasty was not operating in the interests of its subjects.
I can sympathize with Spike and he may have saved himself a lot of trouble by remaining Irish. If I go through Heathrow, I have no problems with my passport, which has all the usual trappings of ‘Her Majesty the Queen’s Secretary of State’ blah, blah. But if I go through, say, Waterloo on the Eurostar, I have had ofﬁcials tell me that the British National Overseas passport is not British, and I am an alien! Fortunately, the PM (in a letter) agrees with me. It’s British apartheid—just because I am British but not born in Britain.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Kate — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 07:09:00 -0000

Ah, Spike Milligan - he was so funny. I love his book 'Hitler - My Part in his Downfall' It was disgraceful that the British government wouldn't give him nationality. I suppose in those days anyone with a surname like Milligan was automatically considered a bit dodgy.

As for the Royals, I don't mind the Queen,and Prince William seems to be ok, but I don't think much of his father. I'm a bit undecided about the whole concept of monarchy vs republic. In an ideal world I would prefer the latter, but then you look at countries that do have that system and to be honest the Queen seems like a better deal.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 09:53:00 -0000

I get a good laugh from Mohammed’s site, because he is so open in what he says—and he has the pounds to back up any potential lawsuits. The Anglophile in me does have a spot of affection for the Windsors, though I have been known to make the odd joke against them (as the late Spike Milligan did).

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Kate — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 08:06:00 -0000

Jack - they say she adores him, but I bet that is just PR ;-) Although, maybe she does, it takes all sorts.

Thanks for the link, he's not a fan of the Royal family is he. Under the circumstances that is understandable.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 18:56:00 -0000

I think the Queen gets some novelty value from the Duke by surﬁng to Mohammed Al-Fayed’s web site and seeing what he has to say about ‘Philip the Greek’. Word has it, though, that she ‘adores’ the Duke of Edinburgh.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Kate — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 11:14:00 -0000

Jack - That's true, I'm surprised she hasn't smothered him in his sleep. LOL Poor woman, you'd think they could have found someone better than that for her, after all she must have been quite a catch in her day.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Kate — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 11:02:00 -0000

Rob - Cruise was good in the closing scenes of An Interview with the Vampire, it was the only section of the film were he seemed anything like the character in book. Mind you, Bradley Pitts was useless in that too, and his teeth looked completely false.