English Opinion

It has taken me until now to calm down enough to write about the vital 2009 Budget that was announced today. In effect, it is the fiscal policy that will dictate the British economy actions and events until at least November this year and possible May next year should Alasdair Darling, the Chancellor decline to revise the budget beforehand. I cannot help thinking that we are all in a quagmire that is none of our own doing and the incompetant, UNELECTED Prime Minister in his previous role as Chancellor has effectively dragged us into the worst economic period in British history since World War II.

Britain’s domestic borrowing this year will amount to £175 BILLION. Who can even envision how much money that is? Bearing in mind our 60 million population and relatively modest GDP in terms of that of other countries and you will see just how far this reaches. We will be paying for it for years to come and so will our children. The unborn will undoubtedly suffer because of a deluded idiot that has somehow managed to cheat his way into power (at least, if you believe the allegations about smear campaigns coming from emails sent by his closest former advisor, Damien McBride). 

I really begrudge watching the Budget and seeing Gordon Brown’s smarmy face smiling as if he actually thinks he is doing us a favour by announcing measures that will get us deeper into debt as a nation and ultimately lie firmly at his door in terms of blame. Although public spending has not been cut as yet, Brown has used it as a tool to beat the Conservatives with. Public spending cust have been announced, most notably from the NHS, but will not come in until AFTER the next general election, meaning that the Torys will have to take the flack for it when they get in. He is also applying a 50% tax to those earning over £150,000. I really object to this. I earn nowhere near that much (trust me I wish I did) but why should people that have worked bloody hard to get to where they are have their salaries cut in half when the government and banks are to blame for the mess we are in? I know the argument - they can afford it etc etc but that is not the point. Would you like it if some politician knocked on your door, demanded half your salary, blamed you for a national debt that he caused and then got on the phone to his buddy in Whitehall who happened to be fiddling his expenses for him at that very moment? No! A bit melordramatic maybe but  I am so angry right now a rant seemed the only way to go!

Oh, and before some Labourite starts to comment on how wrong and pro-upper class I am I would just like to say that this is MY opinion, I am not a Conservative supporter and actually voted Labour when I was 18 (for my sins), I am allowed to object to a government that is ruining my country, I am from a working class background and I DID NOT ELECT Gordon Brown as my leader! I wouldn’t put him in charge of a goldfish let alone a country. Brown kissed butt and stabbed people in the back to get where he is and no member of the electorate has ever elected him… hopefully nobody ever will.

Rant over!

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I absolutely adore Italy. The country is beautiful, the people are incredibly friendly, the food is gorgeous and I married my husband there almost two years ago now. We often talk about moving to Sorrento or the surrounding area because it is a fantastic country but we are both well aware of the natural lay of the land, so to speak. Hell, we could see Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that buried Pompeii, from our hotel room. Italy is located on two of the most volatile tectonic plates on the Earth’s crust… as nature proved again a few days ago.

The earthquake that reduced L’Aquila, a 13th Century city, to rubble measured 5.5 on the Richter Scale. The death toll currently stands at over 270 with a further 1,000 being injured and 28,000 being homeless as a result. They are currently being forced to sleep in tents with nothing but basic amenities because they have nowhere else to go. My heart goes out to them, especially those that have lost their entire families. People are still being pulled out of the rubble, with one rescued alive today, but the huge aftershocks are not helping matters at all… and neither is their PM.

Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi demonstrated today just how out of touch he is with the people of L’Aquila. His comments are absolutely astounding:

They have medicaments. They have hot food. They have shelter for the night. Of course, their current lodgings are a bit temporary. But they should see it like a weekend of camping.

Does Berlusconi have any idea what his people are going through, what it feels like to have lost everything you have ever worked for in just a few moments? Does he know what it feels like to sleep four in a bed in a makeshift tent when the temperatures dip below freezing? Does he know what it’s like to see your whole family wiped out? No, the priviledged leader has no idea. He only opens his mouth to change feet anyway but this time he has seriously insulted his own people in as callous a way possible. I hate to say it but he actually makes Gordon Brown look good.

My thoughts are with the people of L’Aquila and I hope they can rebuild their city and their lives in the coming months and years.

When I was at university studying for my degree, I was lucky enough to have a compulsory year at a college in America. I spent it at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I was there from 2001 to 2002 and an awful lot happened that year both personally and in terms of the news (9/11). However, it was the most poignant year of my entire education. That is largely because I finally found out what it is like to have a loyalty and affinity to an educational institution. I hated high school with a passion. The two universities I have attended in the UK for my undergrad and postgrad studies were excellent and really gave me every opportunity to make something of myself, which I like to feel I have. However, the only educational institutin I feel loyal to was ironically the one I spent the least time at.

UNC will always have my loyalty and a special place in my heart… and I’m not entirely sure why! Unless you actually go to an American college or university I am not sure you can ever understand it. There is a different atmosphere and a different kind of spirit at UNC-CH to any I have ever experienced before or since. I may be English but Carolina Blue will always be a huge part of who I am and what I have done.

This is why I am still awake at 5.11am . I stayed up all night to watch the NCAA basketball final tonight and am pleased to announce that…

University of North Carolina beats Michigan State, 89-72!

Carolina absolutely dominated and were easily the best team in the entire tournament. They deserved to win. I’m just disappointed that I’m not with my UNC buddies in a bar somewhere watching it with them. I miss them so much. It may only have been a year but it formed much of who I am and I’ll always be Carolina blue through and through.

TARRRRRRRRRR!!! HEEEELLLLLLLLLLSSSSSSSSSS!!!

Hi all. I know I wrote a post a few days ago but aside from that, I have effectively been absent for well over a month. This is because I hve been struggling to cope with my depression and anxiety. Actually, struggling to cope isn’t the phrase to use - not coping would be nearer the mark. I’m currently getting help on the NHS, the British National Health Service, but am no closer to getting counselling. Why? Because I have to do a computer program (CBT - Cognative Behavioural Therapy) first before I can get access to a counsellor. Now I’m sure that there is a reason for that but when you’re feeling like you want to kill yourself every day a computer really does not help at all!

I am slowly but surely starting to get back on my feet and deal with depression. Of course, the economic situation and uncertainty in the Uk at the moment does not help but I am starting to get back into a routine with a few aids and tools. Aside from medication, I’m finding that Yoga helps me to relax no end. I can just float away mentally for a few minutes and return more balance. This is only a temporary fix but it is really helping me to get through tough days. I’m probably going to be writing more on this in the coming weeks so I’m going to leave it there for now (if I’m ever stuck for a topic I’ll have something to talk about!).