This isn't how Democracy works

Due to France's NO vote on the EU Constitution yesterday, Downing Street are showing signs that a referendum on the Constitution in Britain is not going to happen. Now, this is very dangerous. The way Democracy works is that the people decide, but Mr. Blair seems to think that if you are not going to win, you should not hold a referendum. So, instead of the British people deciding what will happen to their country, they will only be allowed to have their say if it agrees with the government. Mr. Blair needs to do some serious thinking.
However, it is not so important in this particular matter, as France have voted no, and the Dutch are about to, the EU Constitution is dead. Who knows what will happen next?
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Execution Day?

Today, the French hold the future of their nation, and quite possibly the future of Europe, in their hands. Today, they vote in a referundum on the new EU constitution. The "NON" campaign, in which blogs have played a large part, looks like it is going to come out victorious. (Just as a by the way. The "OUI" campaign used the argument that if the French voted no it would make the British happy. Is this xenophobic attitude the sort of thing we want in the civilized world?) The question is, what would this mean? It may mean many things: It could be the end of the new EU constitution, which would almost certainly mean the death of the EU, as the old constitution needs replacing soon. This would mean that Europe would lose a lot of its power and influence, and that they would be replaced as the second most powerful political entity by Japan and China. It could also put paid to any plans of a public referendum in this country as Blair may decide that it is to big a risk to give this sort of power to the people.
The real question is: Would a French NO vote be the death knell of Europe?
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A few things.

OK, here's what's going on:
I met Sarah on Tuesday, which was great, she's really nice, and I'm thankful for her company, because otherwise I'd have to invite someone like Dan...
What else is happening... not a lot, there's too much music this week, and I'm starting to feel strangely unhappy, oh well, it'll pass, I'm sure.
Right, I'm feeling Socratic, so I'm going to ask a few questions:
Why do people feel the need to act differently aorund others?
Why do people find talking to members of the opposite sex difficult (yes, some people do)?
Why can't everyone get along?
Why do we get things like Columbine?
Why do I feel lonely in a crowded room?
Why don't people take an interest in what's happening in the world?
Just what is happening to the world?
And society?
What drives someone to commit a crime?
And the eternal, ultimate question:
WHY?
Please can you answer these questions, I can't.
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ADDITIONAL: The change of name has been enforced by various people for various reasons. It's quite easy to guess what it means, just don't post it here.
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Free Speech and Trial By Jury

I'm fed up of not being allowed to argue with rude teachers. Earlier this week I walked into my maths class late. This was ok, as I had an reason, I was in a rehersal for some piece obne of the groups I'm in is playing next week. We had a cover teacher, and I told him that I had been to a rehersal and that I was sorry for being late. Now, the usual response I get is: "OK, sit down, here's the work you need to be doing." But no. This man spends about ten seconds thinking and then says:
"Evidently it wasn't a rehersal for getting here on time." Now that's just plain offensive. Not only that, it took him a while to think of it. I wanted to tell him that actually I was at a rehersal for a piece of music and that I objected to that sort of treatment, but decided against it, and here's why.
If you say something that a teacher thinnks is out of line, especially the strict ones, like the man in my maths lesson, you're liable to get punished. Now, this wrong on two levels. First of all it contravenes the principle of free speech, I should be allowed to say what I like for all sorts of reasons that I won't go into now. But secondly it's actually illegal. The government acccords me certain rights, and one of those rights is the right to freedom of speech. This right is being oppressed by schools everywhere, and so is another:
The right to Trial By Jury. Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, you can be punished without evidence. Not only that, the punishment is erratic, with one teacher, you may get away with something, with another, straight into a double detention. And while it may not be the worst of punishments, it is once again against the principles and the laws that govern this country.
On a lighter note, I'm now owed three sachets of sugar, all because someone at DYO thought I couldn't play the piano at all, and that I didn't remember debts, and now I've started charging interest, one sachet for every week he fails to pay, I stand to get a lot of sugar.
Expect more on rights and their oppression at school in the future, and Democracy and Freedom and Peace and stuff like that.
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A Grim Day

Yesterday started out well enough. It was the day of the concert at St. John's, Smith's Square and I missed all of school, (except English, which is pretty relaxing anyway). This was great because I played for a couple of hours and then went to Pret with Michael Chan (the First Horn) and we had a drink and something to eat. I then went back to the College, almost fell asleep in English and then returned to London for a meal at Pizza Express on Millbank and the concert. The first half wasn't great, but the second half was amazing. We had Elliot giving a beautiful rendition of Grieg's Piano Concerto and then the first movement of Cesar Franck's Symphony.
However, as we did this, the nation made a great, and potentially terrible decision: They re-elected Blair. Although with a majority of only 63 instead of 180. Incidently, Blair recieved the lowest share of the vote that has formed a government for a long time.
Some other interesting things hapened in the election. We had the lowest number of votes for a single party ever: 1. It was the Vote for Yourself Party.
George Galloway's R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Party won Bethnal Green, and I must say the Paxman's conduct during his interview with Mr. Galloway was shocking. His sole question was "Do you feel proud to have defeated one of the few black women in Parliament?" You can't ask that, it's quite frankly offensive and Galloway was right to rebuke him. I bloody well hope Paxman apologises very quickly for this disgraceful behaviour.
Well, I think that just about covers it. Another five years of Blair then. Good luck, ladies and gentlemen.
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On this day...

On this day in 1945, the troops of the Soviet Union marched into Berlin and raised the Red Flag over the Reichstag, thus ending the Second World War. Now, say what you like about war, but I would not be here without it. For, without the Great War (That's the World War before this one), I would not be alive, as my great Grandfather met my Great Grandmother's brother in the Royal Army Medical Corps.
The 20th Century is known as the Century of Total War, and it's not hard to see why. However, this century seems to be a continuation of this theme. We've had the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and there have been conflicts in many other places, and it would appear that there is more to come. Yesterday, North Korea fired a nuclear missile into the Sea of Japan. The purpose of this test, which came at the beginning of talks with on the subject of North Korea's weapons, is presumeably to show that they are serious. Another thing hapened today, which was that Tony Blair's plans to upgrade our own Nuclear arsenal were released. It would appear that the next world war will be the first to see major use of nuclear weapons (no I haven't forgotten the two dropped on Japan, but two is not exactly what I had in mind).
Ahhh, yes. Our esteemed Prime Minister Tony Blair. Arch-Liar of Great Britain. On this day in 1997 he began his time as our Prime Minister, what fools we were. I'm told that Thatcher was a lot worse, but at least she had good reasons for taking us to war, even if it was over the Falklands. Maybe we need a new breed of politicians, ones that don't lie. It's possible that our generation, tired of the lies of the old, will change the face of politics, but I doubt it.
Some things to think on there.
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