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After a strange heat-wave earlier this month, we’re now well and truly in to autumn. It’s now half term, and it’s been a while since I posted a particularly lengthy blog entry; so I thought I probably should. A quick update on life to start off with: I burnt a few bridges, trying to rebuild them now. Oh, Esher still fucking sucks! TV Programmes: FlashForward is simply epic, Grey’s Anatomy is still awesome, and Spooks comes back on the 4th of November. Question Time got people talking didn’t it?

I’m writing this with a heavy cold, so forgive me if it makes little (or no) sense. Oh and before you ask: I don’t have Swine Flu. Has anyone else noticed that whenever people get a sniffle or an ache they post on Facebook announcing they have Swine Flu? Surely if they had any form of flu, they wouldn’t actually be able to use a computer to tell the world. And plus: just because someone on the phone tells you to take Tamiflu, it doesn’t mean you have Swine Flu. You probably don’t.

Talking of Facebook, I deactivated my Facebook account last Monday. It wasn’t planned, I just did it. Spending time away from a site that I’m arguably addicted to made me realise just how much time I waste on Facebook, but I didn’t manage to turn that time in to something constructive.

The only thing I really missed about not having a Facebook account is not being able to share a link or opinion with a large amount of people. For example, whenever I post a blog entry, I always post the link on Facebook and Twitter. Facebook usually sends me about 30% of traffic, making it the largest referring. Twitter, which is used by far fewer people, sends about 21% of traffic to my site. I could probably live without Facebook but it would take a lot of effort. And with some people, you just can’t ask for a phone number within 5 minutes of meeting them. I’m back on Facebook now, but I’ll definitely be deactivating my account whenever I have a coursework deadline approaching.

While I’m on the topic of Facebook: their image application sucks so much! The image compression sucks the feeling out of the photographs. And it’s a bit of a slap in the face when Facebook notifies you when someone make one of your photos their ‘profile picture’ but the application doesn’t give you any credit. It credits you when you upload photos to groups. Flawed logic.

Last Wednesday, I started filming a documentary with Big Scary Monsters, an independent record label based in Oxford. If all goes to plan, it will be released on DVD as part of a package celebrating their 100th release. The project will lead me to meeting and interviewing Kevin Devine, who is probably my favourite singer-songwriter at the moment. So as you can imagine, I’m very excited for that. I’ll be posting some updates as well as video clips as the project progresses, so watch this space!

Mr Devine will be headlining the Big Scary Monsters Christmas tour in the UK. Another great artist, Shoes And Socks Off will be supporting throughout the nine dates. Other bands on the label will provide additional support at selected venues. This is really an unmissable tour, please try to make it to at least one date!

30 Nov 2009 – Deaf Institute, Manchester
01 Dec 2009 – Oxford Academy
02 Dec 2009 – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
03 Dec 2009 – Hamptons, Southampton
04 Dec 2009 – Academy 3, Birmingham
06 Dec 2009 – The Borderline, London
07 Dec 2009 – The Cockpit, Leeds
08 Dec 2009 – Captain’s Rest, Glasgow
09 Dec 2009 – Arts Centre, Norwich

Griffin: ‘Skin colour is irrelevant.’

And finally on to a topic that has got everyone talking: Nick Griffin’s appearance on Question Time. But before I talk about the actual content of the programme, I’d just like to take the chance to praise the BBC for giving the BNP an opportunity to be humiliated on Question Time. To deny a political party, regardless of how pathetic they are, a place on a programme funded by the tax payers is ridiculous. While there is a degree of bias in all forms of media, I am proud that the show was not censored.

Early figures showed that the programme averaged 7.8 million viewers. On Twitter, close to 55,000 tweets were recorded during the hour that the show was on air. An average of 12.5 tweets per second was recorded towards the end of the show. Equally, outrage over the Nick Griffin’s ignorant ideology was apparent among my friends on Facebook. It got people talking about what really matters: our country. It was refreshing to say the least.

Naturally, Griffin was clearly uncomfortable with the situation, trembling throughout the show. He seemingly avoided most of the questions; his only defence seemed to be his nervous laugh, sinister smile, and pre-rehearsed unrelated answers. One of those responses was: “I cannot explain why I used to say those things… (by) European law.” Despite Jack Straw, the justice minister, offering to bend the rules for the sake of the debate, Griffin refused to answer.

Without a doubt, Bonnie Greer stole the show, giving him a history lesson and offering him a pile of books to read. A lesson which promptly resulted in the BNP quickly replacing the entire website with a static temporary page, because y’know: their selective history was a tiny bit wrong. The site is back up now, if you want to laugh at them some more.

I guess at the end of the day, Nick Griffin can’t be a Nazi because he doesn’t ‘have a conviction for Holocaust denial.’ He also modernised the BNP from being a Nazi party to a… err, far-right racist party, which means that Nazis loathe him. Wait, if the Nazis loathe him and the ultra-leftists do too, then who exactly votes for this monster?

Do you have Swine Flu?
Could you live without Facebook?
You’re coming to see Kevin Devine, right?
Is Nick Griffin a total bastard?
What is a ‘militant homosexual’?

You can probably comment using the form below.

You should also follow me on Twitter here.

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Written by
Greg Anthony James

Published:
23rd October 2009

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5 Responses to “Colds and overcoats”

  1. Samuel
    23rd October 2009 - 15:48

    I don’t have Swine Flu.

    I am currently living without Facebook.

    Probably not.

    I’ve never met him, or paid any attention to the BNP/Politics, so I really can’t comment.

    A homosexual in the military?

    [Reply]

    Greg
    October 24th, 2009 at 22:25

    A ‘militant homosexual’ is a gay person who kisses in public according to the BNP Party leader Nick Griffin. I know you don’t really care about politics, but try to watch the last episode of Question Time here. It was very interesting, 8 million people watched it.

    [Reply]

  2. James
    25th October 2009 - 14:01

    First I’m going to answer your questions.

    No, I don’t have Swine Flu… I did manage to catch a cold off Angi though…
    On of the few flaws of being in a relationship

    I probably could live without facebook, but I think it’s a very good platform to keep in touch with a large number of almost-friends that I wouldn’t otherwise speak to (For example people in college if I’ve forgotten homework or something) or a good way to organise get-togethers and make sure people come

    Never actually listened to Kevin Devine, though I keep meaning to… Any recommendations as to where to start?

    Nick Griffin and his Political party are both completely retarded, though they do combat some issues that other parties are refusing to tackle (i.e mass immigration) And although I would leave the country if they came into power, it might make some of the mainstream parties actually start thinking about the problem that is mass immigration.

    And a Millitant Homosexual is someone who is openly homosexual, and encourages others to be the same.

    And now onto the important part, the blog :P

    It did amuse me when you cancelled your facebook account and had it back by the end of the week :P
    Though it does start to make you wonder, what would any of us DO while on the internet if facebook didn’t exist… Being social would be a lot harder, our phone books would have many more numbers and we’d all still be on myspace…

    I’m quite interested about the documentary :P
    Is it part of your media coursework? Or are you just doing it to add to your portfolio?
    Either way I think it’s pretty awesome and I’m looking forward to being able to see it :D
    Also, awesome label name is awesome :P

    Question Time was a mess.
    I respect the BBC for sticking to it’s guns and letting Griffin on the show, despite massive opposition from the public.
    Though the actual show sickened me.
    People seem to have forgotten that it’s a political DEBATE program, not a “let’s make fun of the idiot” program. And the show ended up descending into pointless bickering.
    And although I oppose Nick Griffin and everything his party stands for, I think it was a little unfair for everybody to just take the piss, even going as far as name calling (“Dick” Griffin)
    I think the show could have been used MUCH more constructively, tearing him down in political DEBATE.
    Though that said, I’m very pleased with how it turned out. Now hopefully, a lot more people will have heard some of the rascist views he holds, instead of the bullshit he seems to spout about nowadays.
    I was SO hopeful that he might have actually changed his views and explain why he changed them when he was asked to… But no… The same evasive answers as ever…

    Anyway.
    If/when I get to vote.
    I’m not voting Labour because I think the government needs a little change…
    I’m not voting Conservative because they would do away with the NHS…
    I’m not voting BNP because it’s policies are retarded… Even taking away the racism (Forcing all able bodied men to serve time in the military for example)…
    I’m not voting Green because I enjoy technology too much…

    I guess that only leaves the Liberal Democrats and the Monster Raving Lunies…

    Though all of that said.
    Before I can vote, I think I should read more about each of the parties ideals to make a better informed choice.

    -James

    [Reply]

    Greg
    October 25th, 2009 at 14:33

    Before Facebook, I spent a lot longer on MySpace and actually talking to people on MSN. Since signing up to Facebook, while being signed on to MSN all the time, I’d prefer to use Facebook or text them. Sometimes, you don’t really want a full conversation with them, so just send a wall post on Facebook. Facebook is more friendly than MySpace, although it is still crap. Twitter FTW! I managed to last 7 days without relying on it, so I’m fine with that!

    The documentary is for my portfolio mainly, but also to help them out. It is going to be entered for my coursework too, but I probably would have done it even if it wasn’t for coursework. As for KDev: start with the album ‘Put Your Ghost To Rest’ then work backwards. Then listen to ‘Brother’s Blood’ last.

    I think the episode of Question Time allowed people to feel sorry for the party. It also allowed Nick Griffin to come across as being someone who wanted the best for British people, rather than showing his true colours (a racist homophobic pig); in turn it has made the party slightly more accessible to a larger group of people. One figure I read (from a YouGov poll) is that 22% of people would consider voting for the BNP in the next election, which is very worrying. But two-thirds of people would not vote for the BNP under any circumstance.

    I’ll definitely be posting more political related blog entries over the coming months in the run up to the next election. But the point is: don’t vote BNP or Conservatives.

    [Reply]

  3. Tallulah
    27th October 2009 - 20:12

    I thought Question Time was riiculous, the only person who made any sense was Bonnie Greer who made her points with quiet dignity and who had the biggest reason to be angry being both non-white and non-British born. I also think it’s terrible that more people have heard of Nick Griffon then Nick Clegg. Did the BBC do this to stand up for their convictions of did they do it for ratings? I’m not saying that showing how bad the BNP are is a bad thing, but were any opinions really changed?

    [Reply]

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