Death of Democracy ?

The Death of Democracy ?

There is a sadness in that in the same week that we have Remembrance Sunday, we have elections for the Police & Crime Commissioner with the lowest electoral turnout ever.

I have always argued that it is the duty of everyone on the electoral register to vote. In general, I would say that people died in two world wars for our freedom. Specifically, and on a more personal level, I have two great uncles who died in World War 1. My Paternal Grandmother had a cousin who died in Anzio, Italy, in World War 2. So, out of respect of them, I vote.

I may have different political opinions from you. That's fine. That's what democracy is all about. Nearly 4 years ago, a dear friend of hours passed away but when Ernest was alive, we used to have some heated political debates. We were at apposite ends of the political scale. Ernest was a devout Tory. I absolutely was not, am not nor ever will be. I would often tease him when I found out he shared his birthday with Tony Blair. But, we remained good friends. This is what a free democracy us all about.

So, we have had the elections for the new position of Police & Crime Commissioner. The general consensus of opinion is that no one knew who to vote for. More specifically, why they should vote for someone. We had no information posted through the door. Those of us who are internet 'savvy' could research. But what of those who have no internet access ?

One of the highest voter turnouts was in Humberside with 20%. A ballet box in Doncaster had a grand total of four (yes, 4) ballot papers. A quick turnround should there be the need for a recount. A constituency in Newport had a zero % turnout. No one voted.

This is what my Grandfathers brother, George Arthur Hopwood, died for. To give us freedom.  Freedom to vote. Freedom not to vote. Freedom to vote for a specific candidate. Freedom to spoil the ballot paper. Freedom to not be bothered. Freedom not to care.

Do I aim those last two comments just at the voter ? Absolutely, I do not. The great briitsh voting public need to be informed to be engaged. The great british public was not informed so the great british public was not engaged with this election.

Politicians need to wake up to this. The excuses given out yesterday by those in power were just that - excuses. Lame excuses.

It has been suggested that the new commissioners do not have a mandate. If a candidate won by getting 50% of the vote, that is only 50% of the 20% that voted. Now, maths was never my strongest subject. However, in such a case, 50% of 20% is 10%. So, I reckon 90% did not vote for you. Hardly a mandate to run the county police service. And remember that 20% turnout was the highest. Many areas were lower. Much lower.

So, what to do ? I will always be passionate about voting. I always will vote. I believe spoiling a ballot paper is as valid as voting for someone. I am not convinced that to not vote at all is valid. However, I will defend the right to not vote. That is democracy. That is what my maternal grandfathers brother, Charles Peter Dykes, died for in World War 1.

The great british public need to engage. That they have not engaged with this election, however, is not entireley their fault. We should have been more informed.

Too many scandals in recent times have disengaged the public from their political leaders. Expenses. Phone hacking. People in positions of influence have betrayed the trust of the public. 'Aunty Beeb' has a host of problems at the moment. Poor inaccurate journalism. The BBC 'belongs' to us. We expect more than to tarnish the reputation of innocent people.

Great British Public - engage with your democracy,

Politicans - engage with the great british public. You are political leaders. Lead.

Sat around the table at my better half's parents recently, my dear wife and our three children were very busy talking......but in complete silence.

All 4 were on their mobile phones or iphones, texting, facebooking or whatever modern day equivalent of good old fashioned conversation they wanted to use.

Having spent some time earlier on this year doing some family tree research on the 1911 census, I wondered what my grandparents would have made of this modern digital era.

At the 1911 census, my maternal grandparents were 8, my paternal grandfather was 4 and my paternal grandmother was just a couple of months old.

15 years before John Logie Baird's demonstartion of moving picture tv, this was an age so very very far from the multi channel cable or satelite tv that we know and love (or maybe hate) that we have today. What would my grandparents think of multi-channel TV with the packaging that comes with it ? How would my children deal with just the 3 or 4 channels we grew up with ? When the BBC closed down at midnight with the national anthem ? The only viewing on TV in the early hours was good old fashioned ceefax pages.

As much as technology is what my job is all about, I am still old fashioned in some ways. I may love facebook and enjoy the quality of SKYPE conversations to family in Australia. However, nothing better than an evening playing Monopoly or burying myself in a good book.

I've always enjoyed reading from a very young age and have many books which have been re-read many many times. Currently going through a True Crime phase (currently reading a book on Jack the Ripper and having just read Beyond Belief, about Ian Huntley). As I look at my bookshelf,  I have covered World War 1 & 2, local history (Stockport, Colne, Crew & Nantwich and Cloughton near Scarborough), I then move on to family history books. On the landing upstairs, I have a small bookshelf with Star Trek novels and a collection of Dr Who novels collected during my childhood.

I do have a sense of achievement in that all three of our children read and between them, have a good collection of books and enjoy their own taste in what they read.

Recently, my dear wife wanted a new wardrobe; however, the one she wanted from IKEA had full length door mirrors. Now, for some reason, I hate big mirrors. But I was able to use this to my advantage; Bec got her new wardrobe with full length door mirrors and I got a new set of book shelves for the bedroom and out came lots of books we had stored underneath the stairs.

Technology is indeed a wonderful thing in all it's many formats. Our grandparents would be amazed at the internet (for all it's good & bad uses), the ability to make a 'video phone call' half way around the world and have several people hold a video conversation as if we were in adjacent rooms.

The car, in 1911, was barely 26 years old. And now, we have cars that have lifetime warranties; cruise control, cars that can self park, cars with far more computing power than put man on the moon and service intervals of 20,000 miles. I remember when I started work back in 1980, working at a Citroen garage in Cheadle, oil changes were every 5000 miles. My present car, a VW Golf, even tells me when it needs a service.

Life has indeed changed and in many ways, for the better.Science and technology has greatly contributed to this.

The Kindle allows you to carry a library in your pocket. The internet grants instant access to great sources of information that once would have meant hours of research in a library. Indeed, I have made great use of the internet in researching my own family history.

Entertainment is so easy to obtain in this digital age via computers, tv, and phones, iphones, ipods, ipads, etc. But, occasionally, just occasionally, let's not forget good old fashioned stuff.

Close friends and family know of my extreme liking for monopoly in many different variants. From a 1960's version to Star Trek and Dr Who monopoly and a couple with a sporting variety, namely the Olympics version and one with a FIFA 2006 theme. Many a happy hour playing this wonderful game around the kitchen table, starting at 7:30pm and many times not completing till 1in the morning.

In this last week, we had a games evening at Church; no electrical or electronic games allowed; just good old fashioned games such as monopoly, dominoes, jenga, etc. A good time was had by all.

So, to finish, technology is indeed a wonderful thing - but let's not forget good old fashioned tried & tested stuff; real conversation where people make eye contact and speak words; books; board games; and maybe, just maybe, sit down and write someone a good old fashioned letter !

Confessions of a Babbling Diabetic.....

For those that know me well, you will be aware I work 4 days on, 4 days off. So, while most of British civilisation was winding down for the New Year Festivities, I was hard at work, doing my bit to keep that part of the U.K railway industry for which my employers have given me responsibility, up and running.

This arrangement strangely suited me, as, during the festive season, I am much more of a Christmas person than I am a New Year person. More of a Christmas person, possibly because of my Christian faith and also due to a couple of family birthdays that immediately follow on from the big day itself.

I find the New Year strange. By that, I mean the expectations society puts on itself strange. Surely, as night follows day, 1st January follows 31st December. Life goes on. Even back at the start of the so called Millenium, life went on. Perhaps no greater dissapointed than was the great Peter Snow on that night in that the only failure seemed to be some Japanese nuclear reactor fire alarm that failed safely. It went off, seemingly due to the millenium bug, as much as because of the lack of a fire.

Do I make New Year resolutions ? No, I certainly don't. I have no issue with those that wish to. Giving up smoking, less booze, dieting, being nicer to their neighbours, etc, are all good aims and intentions. However, I feel that we shouldn't need the start of a New Year to encourage us to do tese things. I heard a comment on Radio 5 this week that, in fact, the reason that most New Year resolutions fail is due to January can be such a depressing month after the build up to Christmas and the New Year, that people fail. Perhaps society should encourage Mid Year resolutions ?

Does that mean I have no aims or goals ? Indeed, no, it does not. I have plenty of aims, both in my work and personal life.

I am sometimes teased at work that, whenever we are supplied with new technical documentation, an engineers manual, technical newsletter, etc, that I always read it cover to cover, like I would read a novel. I always aim to know as much as I can about the equipment I have to maintain and repair whilst doing my day job.

Away from work, I have just this week had a conversation with a good friend of mine who is going to teach me how to play Chess. I may, depending on how this goes, move on t learning Backgammon later on this year.

BUT - I don't need to make New Year Resolutions to do this. NYR's almost dictate that you need to implement these decisions immediately. If that doesn't happen, then have I failed ? Indeed, not ! If it is February or March before I lay my hands on a Chess board then so be it.

As I worked over the New Year weekend, I pondered that, as Christmas day had now been and gone, people had stopped wishing each other a merry christmas and were now asking how christmas had been before wishing each other a happy new year. Discussions abound as to when christmas decorations were to be taken down. My better half had taken all ours down by New Years Eve. I sometimes think they should be kept up until the 2nd January as by this date, Christmas day is in the past, New Years day is in the past, and we are, by the 3rd, back to work. Back to normality, whatever that may be. Some will leave the decorations up til the 5th January, the 12th day of Christmas. Does that mean we can still wish people a merry christmas till then ? Hmmmm........ Christmas did seem to last a lot longer when I was a child, but that seems so long ago now.

Now, as I write this blog, I am now starting my 4 days off work just as most are heading back to the grindstone.

2011 has had it's ups and downs for me. Far too many downs, nowhere near enough ups. Too many visits to hospitals. Had more blood samples taken than I ever thought I had. Getting results on Wednesday from last blood sample taken for my first annual diabetic checkup. Started the year off at 14, back in May was 9.6, July down to 9.3. The experts were then looking for about a 6. So we shall see what happens tomorrow.

Having had my last company car written off by a Lorryist, I am now enjoying a new company car in the shape of a white VW Golf 1.6 Turbo Diesel with blue motion. Great car, with the proven ability to achieve 60mpg. Collected end of October with just 88 delivery miles on the clock but already, at the tome of writing, has passed the 9000 miles mark. The beauty of the life of a service engineer covering the north of England......

Well, all that remains is for me to wish you all a happy New Year, and I suppose as we have not yet reached the 12th day of Christmas, may I also wish you a very merry Christmas.

I suppose if I were to make a New Year Resolution, it would be to finish everything I......