Are we a Democracy really?

The Guardian Twitter feed very kindly guided me to an article about the British Prime Minister David Cameron being hamstrung when it comes to criticising Israel in relation to its recent activity in Gaza. Apparently he and Mr Hague had done so pre coalition and were lambasted by a number of Tory party donors. It brought me to recall a trip that Tony Blair, when Prime Minister himself, took to Libya when they were bringing Gaddafi out of the cold. He was accompanied by the CEO of BP. I remember the news reporting that he (The BP man) was the second most powerful man in the country. The most powerful man, it was said, was not part of the delegation. Conclusions can be drawn.

I shouldn't really speculate, but if I was a betting man I would put my shekels on most of the British public who make themselves aware of world events condemning the consistent killing of innocents, particularly children in Gaza. However it seems our leaders live more in fear of their Part paymasters than the public that votes them in. People who are at best answerable to their company shareholders and at worst only to themselves. Arguably the same or similar applies in most, if not all the world's prominent democracies. Obama's administration has only been able to use semi committal lawyer speak to condemn events because he does not need to be re-elected. Even then uses the UN schools as a shield from the powerful American lobbies. Principled it is not. Full of fear it certainly is. Oh and the US continues to ship the weapons that are killing these poor souls over. If I handed my friend  the bullets to shoot his neighbour then I would be an accessory. If I knew that said neighbour's children were standing in the way to stop him and he would shoot them too regardless then what am I? But I digress (I am half Welsh after all).

Democracy is what we in the Western world use as a verbal weapon against the nations that don't seem to tow the line yet we are clearly falling short in the application of same. The voting system in the UK, particularly when it comes to general elections, disregards swathes of voters intentions. Marginal constituencies were targeted at the last general election, for example, where the cash pockets of one individual funded the campaigns in these areas for one political party. And it is these areas alone that determine the political fate of the country every five years. In turn when these gentlemen and sometimes ladies are elected it seems they are often swayed by corporate winds and if not seem powerless to break them.

Understandably the establishment fears the results of true democracy. It is often considered that the masses are not educated enough to to truly understand the machinations of running a state. Though I would argue that too much democracy  may allow more educated people to have more say and hence more likely to dig more deeply at the roots of it. It is no wonder that there was little appetite for AV (Alternative Vote) in the political arena outside of the Liberal Democratic Party when the referendum came about. On the other hand maybe they were right as we were too stupid to understand it and despite its flaws it would have given us the electorate more control over our political destiny. No proof of course that it would diminish the powers of BP et al. Big Society anyone? How about a flower show and a sticky bun contest? Something for us to have a say on. Mind you there is always a local businessman leaning on the Vicar to make sure his wife's buns make the grade.

Haider Bahrani is the Managing Director of Sonneteer. The views aired here are his own.
haider@sonneteer.co.uk

Glasto, football and I missed Paxo's last stand. What else?

I'm 44 and I am watching BBC3. Glastonbury is on. I missed Jack White yesterday so I have promised myself a dose of iPlayer at some point. The kids will have to be asleep or maybe it's time the older one (3 and a half) had a dose of the sort of thing that got Daddy to owning 5 or so guitars and designing hifi. Hang on, I'm still scene setting. The title will make sense soon, I promise. Anyway, in between settling the little one and helping mummy with older ones over tiredness having come back from a soft-play birthday party I did manage to watch some of the Mexico vs. Netherland Quarter final. Typically every time a goal was scored (not counting the 94th minute penalty) I was distracted and only caught it on the replay, but yet again I seem to be digressing. But there's more. As we all know by now England is not on the menu football wise. I saw the last of that at the Bar at the Eurocamp we stayed at for our recent holiday. There were us two Dads cursing at the seemingly sub Championship standard of the football on display. Two so called powers of football, Uruguay and England playing like the Scout from Woking Town was watching and they were all a fluster. We were glad they were out as the Quarters would have been an embarrassment. I still do harp on about two years ago when the GB team at the Olympics playing with so much more heart (and structure) than England in the Euros a month or so earlier. Yes, still scene setting. Then came the worst thing. I was away for Paxo's last night on Newsnight. Did you watch it Friday night? Andrew Neal!? Well it was ok. Bit weird as I am used to him being a lot less serious on This Week. At least Kirsty is still there. RRRRrrr, but enough of that. Opening paragraph nearly over. So, What else? Cameron call Junker to congratulate him. Diplomat of the year.

Those who have kindly pressed their specs to the screen to read this blog from time to time may have noticed very little lately. Apart from the pleasure of nappy changing and late nights have filled the few holes in our schedules with I have also been exceptionally board politically. In the true spirit of the coalition I will defer all comment till after the general election.

Well maybe.

 Haider Bahrani is former hifi and technical book reviewer, sound engineer, wannabe poet, deluded songwriter, as well as one of the founders and the current Managing Director of Sonneteer, a British, high end hi-fi manufacturer.

Racism: Alive and well, living in Guildford, Surrey.

A subject I have been minded to tackle a few times before, but an incident today (Sunday 3rd of February 2013) has fired me up a little. 

We had just parked up at Sainsburys, Burpham, Guildford. It was a busy Sunday as usual and we couldn't find a family parking slot. Our little two year old is quite alive and we need to hold her hand tight as we walk across the car park.
 As we walked past the family parking as one slot became available it was immediately taken by a Fiat 500 with an older gentleman and younger man with child seat, but no child to be seen. Admittedly I gave them an evil stare. They got out and brushed past us making a few unsavoury remarks which I would dare not repeat in the presence of children or polite company. The younger fellow then said well I've got a car seat in the back so I'm all right. An answer to a question that no one had asked out loud. My retort was perhaps a little devils advocate as I said "well stupid is as stupid does". The older man, I presume the father of the younger walked up to me and put his face to mine as he produced a string of expletives. Be minded that my little girl was holding my hand and mummy was to her side. I told him that he was a 'deplorable human being'. He walked away calling me a "bloody foreigner" and then stood at the entrance to Sainsbury's and produced a Nazi salute. I imagine all the CC TV cameras would have got a lens full. My Grandfather who saw the second world war first hand and many like him will not have been too pleased that a countryman of theirs behaves as such.

It might be worth mentioning that am slightly olive skinned and have curly hair. I am the descendant of Celtic, English, Arabic and (we believe) Persian ancestors. I am a Welsh Rugby nut and see myself as whole heartedly British. Saying that it should not be relevant. What was a minor non vocal and non violent displeasure at something small turned into an unnecessary racist tirade.

Do we blame ignorance? Do we blame education or the lack thereof? Does anyone have the right to be ignorant in this age of information? So is it pure for the, sake of it, hatred? Questions I do not have the answer for. All I can say is my experience is real. Does the younger man feel ashamed of the older one's actions I wonder? He too is a father. So let's hope so. If you'd like to know how it feels then imagine your stomach being pulled out and someone starts to rummage in your guts.

I said at the start that I have been minded to tackle this subject before. Compared to many my experiences are very few. The sources of them are often more shocking to me and almost always the culprits have been over 55. Our children should grow up to a better place than this. But they wont if we just walk on by. Flush them out and shame them. Let everyone know who they are. If others cheer then we know who they are too.

Dear Mr Osborne

So if I buy my employers shares i have to:

ARTIST: Robert Johnson
TITLE: Crossroads
Lyrics and Chords


[As performed by Cream]

I went down to the crossroads, fell down on my knee
Down to the crossroads, fell down on my knee
Ask the Lord up above for mercy, take me if you please

/ G7 C7 G7 - / C7 - G7 - / D7 C7 G7 - /

I went down to the crossroads, tried to flag a ride
Down to the crossroads, tried to flag a ride
Nobody seemed to know me, everybody passed me by

Well I'm going down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side
Going down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side
We can still barrelhouse, baby, on the riverside

You can run, you can run, tell my friend, boy, Willie Brown
Run, you can run, tell my friend, boy, Willie Brown
And I'm standing at the crossroads, believe I'm sinking down

reproduced from:

http://www.guntheranderson.com/v/data/crossroa.htm

If you need the chord tabs then just leave a comment and I'll add them later.

On the farm.

'Europe or bust', it said.  I am refering to an article in the Christmas week(Bumper Festive Double) issue of Farmer's Weekly.
We spend every other Christmas up on the Farm in North Yorkshire and we have regular jaunts up from 'the beautiful south' so that our little girl has regular contact with the Northern Grandparents and so they can see their little girl of course.

I am always fascinated culturally with the way of life and to the regular expression of political view which is often at least as complex as its urban equivalent.

Farmers are inherently conservative. They believe themselves to be and, on matters close to home,  I find this to generally be true. Which brings me back to the article I have referenced at the top. On the front cover of the magazine it read: Debate. Outside the EU, would British agriculture sink or swim?  I imagined on turning to the page there would be rant after rant of how awful Europe is and how we would be better off on our own and so on and so forth.  To my surprise,  the opposite was generally true.  The more learnered discussion was generally in favour(of Europe) while most of the voices against were made of populist sound bites and little substance.  This to me was a little disappointing as I was very intereted to hear (read)  a constructive debate.  The only problem the pro European arguments may have had here is that they were presented too academically.

So is there a grand misconception regarding the 'Rurals'? Much in the same way as I sometimes get the impression that out here they think all townies are unionist and Marxist? My impression is, of course, wrong (well slightly), their (the Rurals) impression is too and so is the general impression the 'Urbans' seem to have of the farming world. As every good politicians says at least once in their life, it is much more complex than that.

The only thing that confuses me is why a people who are as reluctant to embrace change as the next person are so anti trade union for that very trait?  Mince pie anyone?

The headless chicken raises it's ugly tail twice!

As a Fidelity client I often get letters when there is a little termoil in the equity markets. As you can imagine, I've had a few lately.The author of the latest was laying the blame firmly on the lack of leadership in political circles.  A sentiment I share and a frustration many are starting to bare. The HP debacle that seems to have been playing out over a number of months and which came to a head in the past week exposes a similar problem at the technology giant.

I have had this feeling myself sitting at tables in meetings watching people hoping someone else will tell them what to do. Oh Iggy 'Chairman of the bored/board' I'm so bored as they fiddle and things crumble beneath them.

I vote for the highly intelligent Rottweiler rather than the charming 'know it all'. 

'So you can't hear them scream'

A few weeks ago,  I couldn't attend a seminar at the local University Technology Centre on 'Selling in hard times' as I was baby sitting my daughter.  I asked a friend who had attended to give me a  summary. He eventually gave me copy of his notes which were well rationalised sales techniques,  but when we spoke about it the language was much more emotive. The notes were paraphrasing the speaker whereas here he was speaking of the collective sombre, anxious, defeatist sentiments from the audience. Most were apparently showing grave concerns for the austerity measures which were bringing their livelihoods to halt. What he actually said was,  ' if you are going to kill them,  slit their throats so you don't have to hear them scream!'.