Cherio But Be Back Soon

I was watching The BBC's Oliver / Nancy find a new 'star' blah blah blah today Kwayedze, the token black kid, has been told he has made it through to the next round. I'm quite pleased about him as neglecting skin colour and politics, his voice is rich and beautiful.......But there is a problem with this damn show, it is not fulfilling it's criteria.

For one, didn't 'The Lord' say he wanted an Amy Whinehouse-esque rough around the edges singer to portray Nancy? So why are the majority of them professional performers with subtle namby pamby gentile voices - OK that last bit is not true but the first bit is. And I would expect the real Nancy to sound like she gargles with razors at least twice weekly. These girls wouldn't know how to gargle with a mouthwash!

The girls sang a selection of songs from female stars who had appeared on stage....at least I think that was what Graham said? Maybe he said something else and I misheard him....Maybe it was "Leading Ladies"? Because Jodie started the show off with a good rendition of the Dolly Parton classic 9 to 5. There are better Dolly Parton songs as shown on American Idol last week and Jodie has a much better voice as she showed herself last week. I have a soft spot for Jodie as she's working the clubs and not a true luvie in theatreland treading the boards. Then again, we want to be entertained and actors/musicians train for years to get to where they need to be and it is in some ways bloody unfair to take away a main role in a show from a person who has worked they're way up to the top.

So not sure how I feel about those girlies.....Can't stand Francesca whatever the case and it is not just because Denise VO is distancing herself and pretending "We're only acquaintances honest gov". Yeah right....I just don't like her voice, it grates.

My biggest beef is about the boys. Oliver Twist, that great Charles Dickens classic, was written about a poor orphan workhouse boy who runs away to London and tries to find his fortune. So why are the vast majority of the boys up for the main role living at the opposite end of the dear master Twist's original workhouse fate?
Did the BBC intentionally plan to visit the boys at their posh prep schools with the results of the "You could be Olivers" to show this huge difference in their lives?









Are boarding schools where children are sent away at the age of seven, any different from workhouses? Of course they are! However 20-30 years ago boarding schools were not such pleasant places and were only where the upper classes sent their their Tarquins and Cressidas. Nowadays, Jack and Chloe go along to public school at Lancing, Fettes and Uppingham, whilst Tarquin goes to the local grammar school because the trust fund has run out!
New money is paying for private education and how do I know? Because I'm a buyer of private education.

My son has a boy in his class who auditioned for Oliver, and we just about pay the school fees and I can't imagine how much those extra acting, singing and dancing lessons cost plus the agent's fees on top? But when your dad is a lawyer I suppose you can pay for more just like some of the parents of the young boys who sing each week on the Oliver shows. Bad enough trying to find the £100k or there abouts we will need for 5 years at public school. No he will not be a boarder!!!!

So basically life is not fair .......Life is still about money and status nothing about fairness. Yep that sums it up as eloquently as I can for 11pm on a Saturday night.

“He [the Prophet Mohammed] said Allah will never put together the kuffar and the one who kill him inside the jahannam [hell]. So my dear Muslim brothers to kill a kaffar for the sake of Allah in jihad, be a way to the jannah [heaven] inshallah [god willing].”

Abu Izzadeen or Trevor Brooks, as he was born, is a notorious former member of Al Muhajiroun 7/7, the now-banned groups Al Ghuraaba (the strangers) and the Saviour/Saved Sect and the above is just one of his orations. He has also called George Bush and Tony Blair Satan (not far wrong there), states that the “only true leader of the Muslims is Osama bin Laden” and said September 11 was “another great day in history when the biggest superpower was brought to its knees by 19 magnificent brothers with the assistance of the angels of Allah.” There are a few other sermons of his but I won’t waste my breath.

Yesterday, Abu Izzadeen was found guilty of inciting others to join a jihad in Iraq and other terrorism offences. Simon Keeler, 35, a fellow Brit born Muslim, who had changed his name to Sulayman, were the main players and both were found guilty and Kingston Crown Court yesterday. For Izzadeen, it was a double blow as it was his birthday.

Trev, as his mum calls him, could have been given a life sentence for his eloquence but instead he and Simon Keeler were only sentenced to four and a half years in prison today.
The judge said of Izzadeen; "I am left in no doubt that your speeches were used by you as self-aggrandisement and not as an expression of sincerely held religious views." And of Keeler he said was: "Someone with extremist and dangerous views. Not only the words themselves that you used, but the tone in which they were issued showed the depth of your fanatical zeal."

What does not help though is if we have people making stupid rules like ‘Male Muslim only swim sessions.’ This will lead to sectarianism via the back door and people like Trevor ‘Izzadeen’ Brooks (did he not like being name after a football player? – No that’s Brooking silly me,) will slither into our infrastructure like a creeping poisonous fungus.

I was listening the other day to how a male fungus from Jordan was being allowed to stay in our country. He had been inciting racial hatred yet no charges brought, He is claiming political asylum in our country because if he went back to Jordan he claimed he would be tortured because of what he has said. I am not one to wish pain on anyone as I suffer every day but if you go around inciting your evil ways which will cause pain and suffering to those in the country you claim to want to live in then I say “F*CK OFF SCUM”.

As for the inciting terrorism vermin who were sent to prison today, if only we could boot them out of this country but maybe at least we know where they are?.................IN PRISON.

And the others......
Take a butcher's a Trevor's uniform as I'm sure you can all get yours made up the same.

Abdul Saleem, 32, sentenced to three years, nine months for inciting terrorism and Ibrahim Hassan was handed a sentence of two years, nine months for the same offence.
Abdul Muhid, 25, found guilty of fundraising for terrorists, was jailed for two years. He will serve this sentence once he has completed his current jail term for soliciting murder during protests against the publication of cartoons in a Danish newspaper depicting the prophet Mohammed.
Shah Jalal Hussain, 25, who absconded while the jury was deliberating but handed himself in at court this morning, sentenced to two years for his part in the fundraising charge, and three months to be served consecutively for breaking his bail conditions.
Ibrahim Hassan, 25, was jailed for 2 years 9 months for inciting terrorism.

Rajib Khan, 29, was cleared of inciting terrorism and jury failed to reach a verdict on the charge of inciting terrorism overseas in his case.
Jury failed to reach a verdict in respect of Omar Zaheer, 28.

Picture 1 Trevor Brooks

Picture 2 Simon Keeler

He's Got The Whole World In His Hands

"Public pool bars father and son from its 'Muslim-only' swimming session"

In a round-about way I found the above story but while looking for the eliminated person on this weeks American Idol. Yes folks, the Americans even found this article appalling.......or is it appealing?

Originally in the Mail, (actually on David Toube, 39, blog) My Toube, a laywer, (oops), took his son to his local swim pool early last Sunday to be told; "You can't come in here mate, this is a Sunday morning session reserved for Muslim men only." According to Clissold Leisure Centre in Stoke Newington, north London, Mr Toube would not be allowed to swim with Muslim men as this would be against their religion!

Mr Toube, respected the rule and went home but phoned up some Muslim friends to ask them about it and guess what? Yes, the rule comes from that same place as Monty Phython's funny walks. Prphet Mohammed did not order the staff in Stoke Newington to refuse entry to Mr Toube.

Just another story to make us say so what or wave our arms in the air?
There are rules for Muslim men but they can swim with men and boys of other religions and to ban other religions swimming at the same time could cause massive outrage. The pathetic comment I've seen in print from Mr Toube is could racists ask for white only swim sessions.........Only WHITE racists Mr Toube! Racists come in many varieties now.

This story and the fact it has made that tabloid of truth, integrity and honesty, the Mail, (yuck I want to vommit), means middle England will be up in arms and believe all public pools are catering to "those immigrants".......Not my point of view I must add but I know someone who thinks that way. I know someone who believes everything that is written in the Mail and quotes from that rag as though it were the Koran or the holy bible in their case.

Apprentice - Cheers Simon

Fired

It was time to say adios to Simon last night and actually you knew he was going right from the start.

His team treated him poorly and the majority hung him out to dry, the only decent member being Sada and maybe ……that funny dancing bad singing one, forget his name? Is it David or Paul or Stephan?

Bitch Jenny was being less of a bitch until she reached the boardroom. Her eyes lit up with an evil glint when she saw the opportunity to get rid of Claire who herself is terribly annoying. Will she ever shut up! She reminds me of a more stupid version of Saira Khan who has of course done remarkably well on the back of The Apprentice.

Simon Smith was forth out and quite right I believe, but Claire was close behind and was nearly out the door. Instead Sir Alan interrupted her proclamation and told her to; "get back to the house. You will be project leader next week." Boy did I think he was going to say; "You are an exasperating, rude woman, full of hot air who needs to SHUT UP with a few swear words thrown in for good measure.

Cocktails

For the first time in the series, the teams were mixed up combining the girls and boys in a weird cocktail and nothing like a Pina Colada. Sir Alan hoped this might stop the in-house fighting. He was forgetting that Lucinda-Pillsberry-Purple-Tweed-Wacky-Buttersworth-Hencklewhite-Smyth has victim written on her forehead and as such plays the role well. I don’t mean to be cruel and I know she is being bullied nevertheless, she is an adult and therefore needs to realise that as an adult she must learn to stop putting herself in that role. She is after all an intelligent woman (allegedly but yet to show any signs of this) and I would had thought she had sought counselling to help strengthen her inner being so to speak?

But back to our main man today - Simon who showed himself to be an excellent second in command man but a terrible leader. The task was easy, or so Simon thought; it was to take photos of 'orange' customers at Bluewater, the largest shopping mall in the UK and flog the photos and other goodies for as much money as they could. Sir Alan appeared to have a soft spot for our excellent second in command man, however, there are no soft spots in business and Simon was promptly told; "with regret," and regret said for the first time this series so he must have felt a teeny bit sad about it?........

"Your Fired".

Why Team Renaissance cocked up and make a loss?
Simon felt he was “making people smile” with his “David Bailey” photographic brilliance but alas Alex and Claire were sneakily sabotaging behind the scenes with their stupidity and lack of knowledge of how a memory card on a computer works. They would not admit that they were 'sabotaging' but it amounts to that. There were people there to ask.

Team Renaissance's theme was 'glamour' whereas Team Alpha's theme was sport and Lee McQueen photographed lots of willing volunteers with their Beckam look-a-like. Shame Team Alpha also were so frustratingly slow and 'Lucindalingly' poor when it came to computers and memory cards. It amazed me how these so called brilliant minds could not deal with a memory card yet they were going for a job with a man who started AMSTRAD!

Bullies

Yesterday we saw Helene, project manager of Team Alpha, pick on Lucinda Funny-Hat-Wearing-Person, and I expected better of helene. I liked Her and still do but why did she behave in such a way? It was almost as though she was trying to make Lucinda look worse than her but in the end she only made a fool of herself?

Lucinda had explained that she did not understand computers and could not even understand her own telephone so why project manager Helene put Lucinda in charge of……THE COMPUTER was beyond me? Helene and Lucinda were trained up to use the computer technical equipment which apparently the technical man said his little grandkids could use, still, Helene sat at a desk ignoring Lucinda's cries for help and decided not to shuffle her team around. Me wonders and so did Sir Alan and his team if Helene did what she did to get rid of Lucinda and OF COURSE SHE DID! This is our soap opera though isn't it? There's the single mum, the dipsy one, the bitch, the schemer, the one that sleeps around etc....... Take your pick as to who you think is who!

Alex
One very funny moment last night was when Simon asked Alex to be his second in command and Alex said; “Simon do not dilute your leadership” which was not what Simon was doing and in the end he asked Claire. Alex tried to make himself look better in the boardroom by saying Simon was putting decision making on others, but of course Margaret, Sir Alan's eyes and ears, had been observing the whole affair jumped in with; “Oh Alex when Simon asked, you stepped so far back you were practically out of the room.”

Maybe Margaret should win this?

I don’t get what everyone sees in Alex? I can’t stand him and have not liked him from week one. Those superman pjs made me despise him even more and his voice is a treble irritation. And then there's that hair! A nice short back and sides……Like Raef…….OK, maybe not.

Old Life, New Life
Simon has been given his old job back rolling out new technology for the National Lottery. I don’t think this is his future…….Simon if you remember, was the non commissioned army officer who specialised as a surveyor. He was sent to Bosnia, Canada, USA, Northern Ireland, Cyprus, and locations in the Middle East and struggled with a drugs problem but beat that addiction. He is now happily married and has a little girl. He has so much to offer in his working life especially with an IQ of 170!

I really liked Simon and doubted but doubted he had the true ability to win….I hoped I would and hope that Sir Alan will give him some sort of opportunity within his organisations. Simon Smith is a decent honorable, hard working man and deserves to do well. Good Luck.

BBC Exit Interview: http://www.bbc.co.uk/apprentice/newsarticle/cid/128.html
DigitalSpy Interview: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/realitytv/a93991/simon-smith-the-apprentice.html

Rhys Jones - CHARGED

The Guardian reports that; "A 17-year-old youth will appear today at Liverpool magistrates court charged with the murder of Rhys Jones, the schoolboy who was shot as he walked home from football practice."

The article goes on to say; "The youth will appear along with five others who are charged with assisting an offender: Melvyn Coy, 24, Gary Kayes, 25, and three youths aged 15, 16 and 17. The 16-year-old was also charged with possession of a firearm."

13 people were arrested yesterday and in the end three adults and a 16 year-old boy were released on bail with a 22-year-old released on Tuesday. Another 21-year-old woman was released without charge while a 20-year old man remains in custody for questioning by detectives.

The press are making their way into the magistrates court now as I write this (9am). No names for the 'youths'; shame........ They deserve to be named and shamed. They are scum.

Will update later as more news comes in.

That's Snot Good Enough!

David Cameron was down near where I live on the coast in Hastings today but that’s not why I am annoyed. Nor am I annoyed because a cheeky 15-year-old lad Kingsley Cardi (probably not his real name and if it is, what were his parents thinking?), wiped snot on his dashingly dazzling black suit; in fact that makes in laugh.

What makes me bloody angry is that the lad was arrested and given a police caution, yet if David Cameron was anyone else the police would have likely to had done NOTHING.

Cameron was down in the East Sussex seaside town trying to drum up support for the local tory candidate Amber Rudd and help launch it's new manifesto

Hastings has had a large amount of money spent on it to regenerate the place from the tatty town it has been for many years to a splendid settlement the government wants it to be. It has more work to get it there.

In the 2001 census, 18% of Hastings residents of working age, have a limiting long term illness, whereas the national average statistic is at 11%. The average life expectancy is lower for both male and femalein Hastings Town, GCSE pass rates A-C are lower than the national average although improving like every other authority……Need I go on?

In 2005, the local Hastings community put safety as priority so it is good to see local bobbies have got a handle on snotty teenagers. A beat officer who today caught the ‘shame faced teen’ apparently told him;“I don’t care whether he’s Tory leader or what - you go up to him and apologise.” What if he had just mugged an old woman? I know it is a different scenario and I am not saying that youth was a mugger…….just statistics…..and crime clean ups…..not bogey clean ups.

Cameron quickly wiped off the snot affair which I have dwelled on and talked to locals about local issues telling them; "I love Hastings, and it's a beautiful summers day. There has been lots of people coming to have a chat."
"It's a very competitive election ground and it will be a very exciting election."
He then went on to tell them to; "Vote for anyone but the British National Party (BNP)" and added; "They are the enemy of democracy. The BNP is just a despicable party."

Cameron prefers Labour then?

A Little Leona

A little bit of pleasant news as it’s not a very nice day today.

It seems Leona Lewis and the team behind her can do no wrong and they have played the American market perfectly.

Leona is predicted to debut at No.1 in the U.S. album chart this week, the first British woman to achieve this. This comes only three weeks after the talented 23-year-old landed herself in the record books with her first No.1 hit single "Bleeding Love” on America’s Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart.

Midweek sales figures indicate that Leona’s debut album ‘Spirit’ has sold 205,000 copies with the nearest rival from George Strait (who?) selling only 59,000 copies on the Billboard 200 album chart.

‘Our Leona’, has come a long way since winning the X Factor a little over a year ago and it seems she has a long way to go. I admit there are tracks on Spirit which I’m not particularly keen on and others which I love. I suppose this album has been made deliberately made this way to tempt everyone with a little of everything. I hope that will not be like this all of the time though as Leona is better than this. She has a magnificent voice and it would be unfair to make her a jack of all trades as her talent would not last as long as it deserves to last.

Well done Leona.

Link to her last US single (You Tube video) Bleedling Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sF84pIhP5UM

Pup Stars The Rovers

The musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is on tour and heading up to the Sunderland Empire but only if they can find a suitable mutts to perform in the show.

One of the shows ten trained mutts was dog tired and has had to pull out of the production and a replacement is needed. The producers are calling on all wearside dog owners to come along and audition; that is as long as your pooch is house trained, responds to commands and gets along with other dogs too. Do not bring Brutus the temperamental bully if he bites anything or anyone, Remember kids involved here!

Michael Rose, the producer of the show, generally does not care what variety of man's best friend you bring along to the audition next Wednesday afternoon: "We have had practically every breed of dog in the show, though we did have to ditch the greyhounds as they proved to be too slow and dopey.

Whichever dog wins through will star in a one-off performance in May and its family will be invited along to watch it on stage.

The show starts its run at the Sunderland Empire from Thursday 7th in June.

Rhys Jones

Not A Gang Member
On August 22 2007, 11 year old Rhys Jones was cycling home from football practice when someone shot him in the neck. Prime Minister Gordon Brown said at the time that “it was a heinous crime that shocked the whole of the country".

It was Rhys’ football coach, Tony Edge, 40, who broke the news to Rhys' mother, Melanie, before driving her to the scene at the Fir Tree public house. She held her son as his life ebbed away from him. I remember watching Melanie and Stephan Jones the day after they had lost their son making their televised plea for information and their numbness was still visible. I had an 11-year-old son at the time and I cried feeling their pain and anguish knowing the killer of their son was probably only a child too.

Witnesses and Arrests

The only witness at the time was a CCTV camera of a lad aged 13-15, height of 5ft 8 or so, riding a distinctive BMX bike wearing dark clothes. It was thought a stray bullet had hit Rhys when he was caught in gang warfare…….And that is still the belief but there is no evidence.

Yesterday 100 police officers raided homes in Croxteth and a total of 12 people were arrested in connection with Rhys’ death. A 16 year old, 17-year-old, 24-year-old and 25-year-old, all males, were held on suspicion of murder. A 16-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, attempting to pervert the course of justice and possession of a firearm and ammunition. A 49-year-old male and a 15-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and attempting to pervert the course of justice. Three women, aged 50, 54 and 21 and a 22-year-old man, were also arrested on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice. Later in the morning another 17-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

So maybe instead of arresting one person, they have decided to arrest everyone who is covering for the offender plus his gang member 'buddies'

Gangs

I’ve included a link to You Tube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp0oJ6HIolY
This particular clip does not show any violence but shows the cars, weapons, dogs and clothing of the Liverpool gangs. It is frightening sight and horrifying to believe that many children are indoctrinated into these gangs at younger ages all of the time. In fact these gangs use You Tube to bully each other and show off their latest weaponry.

Little Rhys Jones was a victim of crime and there are calls for guns to be banned but what good would that do? Makes no sense to drive things underground……..But educate kids now and empower them, give them confidence to know they can survive the big wide world on their own. Some of them don’t have any hope and so the only way they cope is to join gangs. They are scared and feel the gangs are there to protect them yet once they are part of them they have to do things to show they are part of that gang….I’m actually quite pleased I live in a nice part of my little world and don’t have to worry about such things.
"But aren’t I lucky!"

I hope that these arrests lead to something for the family of Rhys Jones. Witnesses MUST come forward and be willing to testify in court and not just say a name on the internet. It is easy to do that, anyone can!
Scouser1007; "Rys was hit by a stray bullet - it was not intentional, no one set out to kill Rys", "who da fuck is no one? It was Sean Mercer who killed Rys and everybody knows".

WELL SAY IT TO THE POLICE THEN!

Let’s see what happens today and if any charges are brought. Have links and pictures but will keep them under wraps and post the hooded BMX rider till charges are made which I hope they are.

Mark Speight Dead

Headline says it all.

Mark Speight's body was found this morning at 10am at a remote area of Paddington Station. He was not knocked down by a train and no further details have been given at this time. The official statement from a British Transport Police spokeswoman :
"At 10:00 on Sunday, 13th April, British Transport Police were advised that the body of a man was discovered at Paddington Railway Station.

Officers were called to a remote area of the station, away from public view, following the discovery of the body.
"The circumstances surrounding his death are subject to an ongoing investigation by British Transport Police, but police can confirm the deceased was not struck by a train.
"At this stage the death is being treated as unexplained.
"Investigating officers believe the deceased to be that of reported missing person, 42-year-old Mark Speight.
"Police have notified next-of-kin of the discovery."

"The body has been removed from the scene and CCTV from the station has been seized as part of the ongoing investigation."

Mark Speight was last caught on CCTV entering Queen's Park tube station in north London on Monday. This was only days after the inquest into the death of his fiancée Natasha Collins following a drugs overdose. He was initially charged in connection with her death but all charges have since been dropped but he admitted that they had been partying and a cocktail and drinks and drugs had been taken.

Friends had been very concerned for Mark's welfare and since his disapearance on Monday, sightings had been noted from as far as St Albans. He had only travelled a quarter of a mile from where he was last seen.

My children watched the news report of his death and are both sad. I had to explain about what had happened to him and his girlfriend too as they are both old enough to understand about these aspects of life. My daughter immediately thought about Mark's family and how selfish the act of suicide is. I had to explain how anyone taking their life does not think about others but did not have the heart to tell her that once I felt suicidal and I was a yong mother at the time.

It was my children that brought me back from the brink and it is so said that Mark Speight did not have anything in his life to bring him such happiness. It takes years to get over that sort of depression and sadly Mark's family will be left to pick up the pieces and the children of this country have been left with a gaping hole where SMART had a great presenter.

So sad.......

My best wishes go out to The Speight family, the Collins family and all of their friends.

American Idol Nets Gordon Brown Urgh

American Idol gives back was an odd affair this year.

There was an elimination for a start and what an elimination! Ryan Seacrest made a complete tit of himself with the words he used and he could have been more gallant. Michael ‘the aussie’ Johns was brutally booted out by Seacrest and anyone would had thought there was something going on between the two? Butch sexual chemistry? No……I think not. Michael was never going to win however he was not the right one to go yet. Funny Americans, must had been put off by the weird video from Mr Brown.

And what an odd affair to see a sanitised, gleaming white teethed, hair strictly combed, Gordon Brown. In fact, he had been ‘Americanised’ as he appeared in a pre-recorded video, shot subtlety with dewy eyes and not too much of his flapping dewlaps, (only spotted the once.)

In this pre-recorded video he promised to buy 20 million mosquito nets for malaria-hit countries. And said; “there was "nothing more amazing than saving a life". He went on to say; "All year on Idol, it's the talent of the American people we admire. But tonight, it's your generosity." And thanks to Mr Brown; "all families could sleep safe at night".

He’s such a nice bloke isn’t he?........What about OUR FAMILIES MR BROWN?

He ended his blurb with a sickly but All-American ending of "Thank you and God bless you all." Could you imagine if he did that in the UK? …..Standing in the Houses of Parliament while arguing with the tories and finished his dialogue with….”Oh BTW thank you and God bless you all." Yeah right.

Now let us look into this offer from Mr Blair sorry Brown…..I forget Mr Blair is no longer in charge sometimes. You’ve said you hope other world leaders will follow your example. Wow, you’re fantastic, we are in a recession, house prices have dropped 10% this year, one bank has had to be nationalised already and you think it is fine to give away 20 million mosquito nets to the value of 120 million pounds?

What about those families living in B&Bs because there is nothing out there for them?

While I appreciate they at least have a place to put their heads, a lot of those families do not have a place to stay during the day. To them that is like not living. We all have our own personal suffering and I wonder if Mr Brown forgets about us and thinks about the US (of A) instead.

We have seen a lot of the families on the Dewsbury Moor estate and I would not want to always pick on them however you can see there is a perfect example of an area which needs finances to improve their surroundings and financial support to help it build up its self pride. There are many Dewsbury Moor Estates in OUR COUNTRY MR BROWN.

Why were you on American Idol? (That US (of A) thing again....
Was this more of a publicity hunt…..if so, I feel ashamed to be British right now. I think it is great to support those in need but we have our own charities which help African countries; why could Mr Brown not give the mosquito nets to those charities?
Instead he chose to pick American Idol where actually his pre-recorded slush kicked out Clinton, Obama and the other one so that was some sort of coo. Apparently the American presidential candidates hade made their videos which were supposed to be shown on the same night as Brown’s but they were booted to the following night's show!

We all know they had only made these vid’s to try and bring in the ‘young’ voters and I think it is a vile game but the Yanks play it well. (No offence to any of my American friends but you have the upper hand on us although we are catching up fast).

Brown, you looked a buffoon. I feel ashamed, not proud to be British.

PS Shame Michael Johns was kicked off the show, should have been Syesha, but she sang well last night instead of her usual pop star copy.

Shannon-Gate 11 April Update, The Meehans

Craig Meehan
The stepfather of Shannon Matthews has appeared in court accused of possessing child pornography and been remanded till April 18.

Craig Meehan arrived at Dewsbury Magistrates Court shortly before 9am this morning in a white prison van. He was flanked by three security officers, as he appeared in a packed courtroom.

For some reason newspapers like to print what ‘arrestees’ are wearing? I’ve never got that? Does it matter if Craig Meehan is wearing a pair of converse or a pair of jellies? Actually that is a poor example because should he be wearing jellies on his feet we would know he had a psychological problem. But nevertheless, Meehan was wearing much the same as the last time in court - a Manchester United away shirt under a ‘casual waterproof coat.’ So I hope this excites the Trinny and Suzannas amongst you.
Legal arguments were heard which delayed the case and so it was adjourned until 2.15 this afternoon.

Bail declined
The charges are still the same; possession of 140 indecent images of children graded at levels one to four — on a scale in which one is the least serious and five is the most serious. Meehan has been taken back to jail until next Friday April 18, and bail refused probably for his own safety. The home he shared with Karen Matthews for five years, has been boarded up to prevent vigilante attacks and a meeting has been held at the local school by the police to try and calm down the fury of residents within the local area. Leaflets have been dropped and Chief Supt Barry South urged: “Whatever the anger and whatever you are feeling right now, for God’s sake put it to one side.”
Chief Inspector Vince Firth told the audience: “The main point of this meeting was to say thank you. I’ve never come across a community so committed to helping police.” Let’s hope it works.

Keeping it in the Family
As a side matter, Craig’s sister and mother were re-arrested yesterday with another sister; “All are being held on suspicion of perverting the course of justice at police stations in West Yorkshire." Said a statement from Detectives. Amanda Hyett, 25, Caroline Meehan, 29 and Alice Meehan, 49, spent the day chatting to officers. Caroline Meehan, a mother-of-two was reportedly astonished (well she would be), and declared she knew nothing; "I'm not worried because I've nothing to hide. What would I gain from something like this? "I didn't even know Shannon was missing until a day after she disappeared. I was as shocked as everyone."
Of course she didn’t know she was missing till the day AFTER! She would not be missing BEFORE!? Sounds fishy to me?
Pictured here are Alice Meehan and Amanda Hyett

Meanwhile……..
I’ve been thinking, If Craig and Karen have been living together five years then they got together when he was 17….. Yes I know it took a long time for the penny to drop but it paints that picture of how Karen Matthews chooses badly and adds Craig to the other four fathers of her seven children.

Karen is now in prison awaiting her next remand hearing next Wednesday. She has been charged with perverting the course of justice by; "repeatedly concealing information in relation to the whereabouts of Shannon Matthews in interviews and other contacts with officers with the West Yorkshire police and claiming to have no knowledge of her whereabouts.” She is also accused of 'willfully neglecting or abandoning nine-year-old Shannon in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to her health.'
When bail was declined last Wednesday, an audible “YES” was heard from the packed public area of the court. But outside a group of friends led by her sister-in-law and my old favourite, tenants association chair Julie Bushby is there also, stood holding hands all agreeing to stand by her - Some of them may be standing by her in prison.

There will be those who condemn Karen Matthews but anyone who has read my blog knows I support her. She is a victim in this as much as Shannon is. I think she has been parented badly by her own parents and when Shannon was taken I doubt she knew what was going on and was too scared to say or do anything about it. That’s called being a victim – Not a criminal.

She needs help to learn how to parent and I do believe her kids need some time away in foster care especially as she will be spending time in prison but she does not deserve to lose them for good. Any one of us who is a parent has made one mistake (or a lot more in my case). My daughter told me that her friend had a great relationship with her mum and they never argued and at first I felt a bit hurt, however then I felt proud – I’ve been the best mother I can be and I think my children should be able to battle with me! That’s called growing up. Life is not about giving in all of the time is it?


McCanns
We then have the McCann’s who I can’t stand but the Europe-wide Child Alert system is a fantastic idea. Yet the sleazy tabloids have to have a go at them and take a sentence out of context from a conversation the day before and make them look like poor parents. Yes they made a huge mistake the day they lost their daughter – I think they know that! What has been ignored is what they were publicizing - the Alert System which would be fantastic. If only Maddy's money could go on something like this instead of paying detectives to NOT find anything which is what is happening now. I hate to say it but I think they need to find her body and grieve and the McCanns probably know that too.

To the people of the Dewsbury Moor Estate, (as if anyone reads my blog ha) I grew up in a council home and did not have much. My parents did not have a car until I brought one at the age of 17 and my mum commandeered until I passed my test. I do remember one thing though, there is a spirit of camaraderie and I wonder if that still exists? It looks as though it was still there when searching for Shannon, remember she was missing in her eyes. I’m sounding like Jeremy Vine now and I hate that so I shall shut up. Hope Shannon is seeing her siblings and father (the real one). Doubt he had anything to do with this.

My hope still as always goes out to Karen Matthews………She needs confidence and friendship.

Willie Gets His WIngs

Prince William was awarded his Royal Air Force wings today.

William, who is second in line to the throne, has been on attachment with the RAF and today his beautiful girlfriend Kate Middleton, watched on as William received his Royal Air Force wings from his father, Prince Charles. (Ahhhh) The Duchess of Cornwall was also present at the event showing a family unity after the recent ‘Diana-gate’ events in court.

Must Be love
After the short ceremony, Kate joined William for lunch fuelling speculation in the media that they are more or less marriage material! Poor souls do not stand a chance. I think I quite like young William…..although the poor boy has been brought up in a upper class society with no real understanding of what life is truly like for those in society ‘beneath’ him, I believe he will make a less of a mess than his father has.

I’m not a royalist, but I do feel we need a royal family. It is great for the tourist industry and nobody can deny that go up to London and all you can see is Americans and Japanese outside Buck House snap shots. The royal family HAVE to adapt to survive and it must be hard for an 80+ year-old lady to understand what a modern world wants. I have an 80+ year-old neighbour and she cannot understand contemporary life!

King
But back to young William who will eventually be head of the all the armed forces as King of our country. Learning to fly solo has been his childhood ambition and 12 weeks of training at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire, have ensured that this dream has been successfully fulfilled:
“Going solo is one of those things - if you had a list of the top 50 things to do before you die, it would be in there," William said.

Air Chief Marshal Glenn Torpy told the graduates: "This is probably one of the most significant milestones in an aviator's career. It's something that not many people can do and you should be very proud of what you have done."

Prince William graduated from Sandhurst in December 2006 and spent a year with the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals before his four month attachment. His next attachment will be with the Royal Navy in June. Such a shame that he will probably never see action like his brother has….shame his brother only saw a few weeks of action.

I don’t know what the plan is for William after he completes his ‘attachments’. It must be horrible being born a royal because your life is not your own. It is mapped out - prep school, Public School, Armed Forces or Uni depending on how thick you are but always Armed Forces. What if you are not the army/navy/air force sort of person? Tough if you are a top royal. If you're a minor royal then great! All the celebrity status with the money to go with it........As long as no money from the CIVIL list goes to those minor money grabbing, sitting on their arse all day or playing golf royals, then I'm happy.

Other Royal Aviators
William is not the first Royal Prince to gain his wings, his father Prince Charles also gained his Royal Air Force wings, as did the Duke of Edinburgh. William’s great-great-grandfather Prince Albert, later King George VI, was the first royal to serve in the RAF, between 1918 and 1919.

Ian Stringer the Tw*t - Your Fired

Ian Stringer - That's Tw*t with an 'A' not an 'I' by the way.

Quote "Prior to the show, 26-year-old Stringer had stressed his business credentials, writing on the BBC website: "There are two kinds of people in the world: winners and ... I don't know how to spell the other word. I can't say it. Apparently he meant the word LOSER but I could think of a few more names for that idiot after last night......No I did not warm to him.

The Task

Pub grub was the name of the day and the boy's Renaissance team made less money than the Alpha girl's team in the restaurant-running task. Stringer was appointed project manager by Sir Alan and should have had this task in the bag; he had after all spent his life in and out of pubs since the age of 14 and his dad is a chef.

The boys took more money with their Italian themed night which was decided because kevin Shaw had "eaten in lots of Italian restaurants". That sounds like a great idea.........So Kevin was appointed head chef too because he had eaten lots of Italian food and describes himself as a "culinary adventurer." so would know how to cook too....wouldn't he? My stomach started to turn when he talked of a carbonara sauce with saute potatoes. Apparently it is all the rage in Guildford!
Is Stringer a good leader? NO He asked half of his team to do a job but because they would not do it he had to do it himself. He was scared to make decisions and I knew he would never be a player in this game. Lee McQueen was of course fabulous but I am going off him a bit. Simon is my favourite at the moment and Stringer was to hack me off further later on........

The Renaissance boys left out the potatoes probably because they forgot to but them in Tescos. They completely overspent buying all of their food at the supermarket, whereas the girls Bollywood-themed menu which only cost just over £100 was brought at the cheaper wholesalers.

Alpha team girls missed their lunch clientele because their food was terrible. You can't make a good curry without garum masala and they did not have half of the spices needed to make any curries. Sara Dhada, project manager's answer was to, wing it and adapt - YOU CAN'T! A curry's flavour is made by a compliment of different spices and if you don't have them, you've lost. A good job then that the girls sold tickets to their Bollywood Night which brought them in £250 to start with before they had sold any food. Bitch Jenny wasn't so nasty this week but then again she wasn't with Lucinda-Blueberry-Berret-Fruitcake. Thought I'd like Bitch Jenny but the fact I am calling her bitch Jenny says it all.

The Money
The boys took £844 but only made a £300 profit. The girls made less money but bollywood-danced away with £600 profit. Their own bollywood-dancer was more like a stripper which was rather frightening and incredibly ugly, (IMHO)

Sir Alan bluntly says to project leader Ian; "I'll tell you what annoys me, about this loss, is this is the epitome of blowing in to the wind. (Did he really want to say p*ssing but was worried the BBC would fire him?)
"You went out and took £844, you actually worked hard, you were beavering away, and what was the end result?
"Nothing really, because you made fatal errors, that's what annoys me."

Sir Alan has a shout at all of the men and tells them how worried he is about all of their business credentials

Hooray Alpha Team. Off you go to a Country house hotel cookery school where you will go to learn how to cook.......not curry, by the way.

Boardroom
Ian who I've now have decided I really do not like, takes Kevin, the 'head chef' and Simon, (why?) into the boardroom. He claims it is Kevin's fault for poor menu planning and pricing problems, but also says Simon, has a "difficult communication style" - Oh that's why Simon was brought into the boardroom. Bad move because Sir Alan was never going to kick Simon out.

Sir Alan tells them, "I am bitterly disappointed... you haven't got a ***** clue!"

Kevin argues his case and tells how he even called a team building meeting before service which Stringer claimed never happened. Now I am really hating Stringer, Never lie on TV, you'll always get caught out.

Simon argues his place in the competition and talks about how he is a grafter and I think we can all see that and we want to see him lead and so does Sir Alan; "I know you can graft, but can you inspire?" His final words to Simon were before turning to Stringer who has now shown himself to be a complete liar

Says Sir Alan, "Ian, this was a total disaster. I think you lost it. Ian... you're fired".

Post Boardroom Report
Ian Stringer's life has been in the tabloids in recent weeks. The silly boy had an affair with 23 year old Angela Rawson while his 28 year old wife Kirsty, was pregnant with his son Owen. Not only that but the mistress was at their wedding - shock horror.

The tabloids exploit the story and tell of how Stringer has abandoned Kirsty, his daughter Isla now two and year old Owen and how Kirsty has had to move out of the home they shared because Stringer was paying their mortgage and she cannot afford it.
"The BBC should never have let him take part... what about the effect it has all had on me and the children. And all for the sake of a TV show. (Doubt they knew about the affair and what has that to do with the TV show?)
"I couldn't believe it when he was going on about being a winner, not a loser, on the show.
"Ian's the biggest loser of all. He's thrown away his marriage and given up on his family."
She added: “His behaviour has been absolutely appalling. He cheated on me when I was pregnant. What kind of man does that? The stress has been awful.
“His little daughter Isla was missing her daddy and would wait for him by the door in the evening and get upset when he did not come home. (Very emotive reporting)
“Even some of his own family are disgusted with him.” (Mum and dad love him as seen on TV last night)

Not only did Ian leave home, but soon after he stopped paying the mortgage and other bills meaning Kirsty in now in the process of selling their home and moving into rented accommodation. Here's a link to the Mirror if you would like to read more:

http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/sunday/2008/03/30/apprentice-love-rat-ian-stringer-left-wife-three-weeks-after-she-gave-birth-to-their-son-98487-20367729/

Ian's Retaliation

"The size of the mortgage that people find themselves with these days—that is what happens...it's called a marriage break-up. (Don't like him but I agree)
"I'm trying to be the best possible father that I can."
And Angela said: "He didn't leave Kirsty for me. He wouldn't do that to his children. He's a wonderful father."

Sleaze over let's see why Ian Stringer really did the Apprentice?

Ian is currently working as a sports reporter for BBC's Three Counties Radio and Radio Leicester so basically this meant that radio listeners knew he had been fired before last nights show.
Ian insists: "I have been working for radio because the BBC told me it was fine to do so – I was not breaking any guidelines.
"I love working for radio – and I plan to carry on doing so. It's the best job in the world."

We hear you Ian.......That no.8 spot in the charts gave you a taste of fame you wanted more and local radio is just where you belong. ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

As for who should have been fired;"Kevin Shaw should have gone, not me.

Who should win according to the LOSER:
"I hope Lee McQueen goes on to win – he's the man."