Politics

My cousin Kez got selected for the Labour Party’s shortlist for the Glenrothes by-election which is expcetionally good going.  Unfortunately she wasn’t selected, although I’m sure the chap who was will do a good job.  Though whether people in Fife will be able to vote for a man called Lesley is uncertain.  Anyway seeing her on the front page of the BBC News website led me to go and read her blog and then have a wee look at some of the other Scottish political blogs. 

It’s been a while since I looked at any political blogs.  I used to have a wee job in politics and as a matter of course would look at several fairly often every day.  In fact I used to run a blog.  It was called Lost In Westminster and I went under the pseudonym of Hamishmac.  It used to get a fairly decent amount of hits and was featured in the Herald and the Scotsman a couple of times.  In fact (I think) it might have been of the very first Scottish political blogs. 

I used to write it from an insidery and gossipy style, and was not always very flattering about the party I was fighting the fight for.  So when my boss found out – I had hidden it from her thinking I could keep it secret, obviously I couldn’t- I had to take it down or be fired.  In fact even when I took it down I really should have been fired.  However my boss was far too forgiving and let me keep my job. 

In a way it was a shame losing the blog because it could have led on to other things and I really believe I could have made it a lot bigger.  But who knows, and there’s not much point putting too much though into it.

However, in the few years since I was regularly active in the Scottish Political Blogging Scene it seems to have exploded.  There’s hunners of them now.  Iain Dale has even compiled a list of the Top 40.  Which seems ridiculous.  Surely there can’t be that many?  Is it like the Scottish Baftas where you get the feeling it’s not so much about quality and relevance but how many times you can fit the word bawbag into something third rate?  And essentially anything that’s vaguely Scottish is nominated?  Maybe that’s a bit harsh.  I’m sure most Scottish political blogs are much better than the shite that gets nominated for a Bafta.

Looking at the Top 40 it was quite nice to see people like doctorvee and Freedom and Whisky who were around was I originally blogged are still here.  Maybe with a bit of effort, a bit more politics and a bit less whimsy I can get in the Top 40 for next year.

This is the sort of post I would have if I was running a political blog.  I’d probably mention this because it’s a lesson learned from politicians, and in my view they’re the best kind. 

You can tell Hurricane Gustav, and now it seems Hurricane Hannah, is serious because Bush, Mcain and Obama are all on tv without their ties on.

This is how politics works.  When some shit’s going down and the politicians needs to look like they’re actively doing something - get them to take off ties off and roll up sleeves.  It works.  Seriously.  If you’re in the office tomorrow and you regularly wear a tie.  Take it off and roll your sleeves up, suddenly all your colleagues will think you’re working extra hard.

Seeing as I’m mentioning New Orleans it gives me an excuse to add this youtube vid.  You might have heard me play it on last Sunday’s show.  After Katrina the Hot 8 Brass Band kind of became a bit special.  They seemed to capture what was so special about the city.  I hope the place is okay – Christ knows it’s had a hell of a time.