Silvio Berlusconi Turns Popstar

It didn't take Silvio Berlusconi long to find an outlet for his boundless energy and occupy himself. Barely a fortnight after stepping down from his position I hear he has released an album of love songs. Well, according to reports the ex Italian Prime Minister penned the lyrics to the songs sang by Mariano Apicella , a popular Italian singer and a friend of his. I haven't heard the songs yet, but anyone who has heard the songs should please let me know if I they are worth adding to my iPod playlist.

What next to expect from Silvio then? Judge on Italian  ex-factor?  A contestant on Italy`s Got Talent? Big Brother? The world is his oyster in this regard actually. Given that he owns a large swathe of the Italian media that should not be hard to arrange. Im not a great fan on reality television shows but one along the lines of Im An ex Prime Minister Get me Out of Here would be great to watch. There is no shortage of  possible contetants for such a show these days due to the wind of change blowing all over Europe and beyond. The spectre of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown jostling for our votes to win the contset is quite an appealing if not interesting one.

The Blair Exit

The worst kept secret was officially out in the public realm yesterday. Of course it's the resignation of Tony Blair. Foes and friends alike have since been passing comments and holding up score cards. Its hard to score the Prime Minister less than 5 in all fairness.Which invariably means that even though he has not performed with distinction(vaguely admitted to and subtly blamed on `too high expectation` in his valedictory speech),Tony Blair passed.Without an iota of a doubt the Iraqi invasion and most poignantly his earthshaking performance in the House of Commons re the `45 minutes` claim proved to be damaging to his legacy.


The world is a stage and we are all actors. Anthony Blair has played his part as the
British Prime Minister for the past ten years and its fitting he bows out. I personally think it's no where near the end of the road for him.If anything it is the beginning. He has a lot on his side. How much would these multinationals pay to watch his accomplished theatrics and listen to his soundbites? Ok let the bidding start now. 250k.Anyone?

Des Browne,The Press And The Navy

I have never been impressed by the Defence Secretary Des Browne.The recent fiasco concerning the freed naval personnel taken captive by the Iranians has only underlined any reservations one might have about Mr Browne. It`s now universally accepted that the naval officers were wrong to commercialise their experience by selling their stories to the Press. What has Mr Browne has to say? Not much other than he wasn`t informed before the decision was taking but only asked `to take note`afterwards. What did he do? Er er he did nothing. It was only after it generated so much backlash and disapproval that he thought fit to take action. Now the rule is to be enforced to stop future reoccurence of this inane and banal scenario. It is akin to locking the stable doors when the horse has bolted. On the whole the Defence Secretary comes across as not being in control of his department at all.

Without making light of the harrowing impression that could have been left on the officers` minds by their captivity i think the whole matter has been blown out of proportion.Bearing in mind that thousands of servicemen have lost their lives or been permanently damaged by injury sustained in this phony adventure otherwise referred to as war on terror,operation iraqui freedom bla bla or other nomenclature that catches Tony or Goerge`s fancy.So what has our Tony got to say about it all ? Of course the Prime Minister in his typical infinite self righteous moral highground mode went all rhetorical "Was it a good idea,No.Do i believe it would happen again? No. Were the people acting in completely good faith and honourably as far as the Navy were concerned ? Yes they were." There you go.

London Letter Bombs

What is going on ?.First it was the IRA,that was kind of sorted out by Tony who then got bored of not seeing Londoners bombed to bits so invited the Al-Queda and just as we seem to be getting used to losing leg and limb for daring to venture out we have some fellow/fellows(yet unknown)aiming to maim Londoners by mail.

A pattern is emerging in the episode. Seems someone or some people with a grudge against the Government and its policy(read seemingly unjustifiable,indirect taxation of car owners) have decided to take matters into their own hands.The first attack was on the offices of Capita. An outsourcing firm that handles the payments for the congestion charging scheme. We know the extension to the scheme is coming in less than a fortnight. Could this be a protest against the extension?

The DVLA in Swansea has also been sent one of these mail bombs. Surely some very very unhappy motorist has an axe to grind. Sending mails to these places would not bring any fruitful result. It only places ordinary pen-pushers going about their job in serious jeopardy.They do not make the decisoions in these places. Sooner the mail bomber realizes this the better.

The Levy Re-Arrest

It wasn`t so shocking the re-arrest of Lord Levy yesterday in connection with the cash-for peerage investigation.Yes it was not indeed. The Police investigators warned us they were making bold and fruitful steps in untangling the web under which the whole saga is buried and warned meddlers like David Blunket et al to keep their mouths shut, steer clear of the investigation and let the Police do the task they have been charged with the way they deemed fit.

One does not have to be Einstein to decipher what really happened here. I know one is presumed innocent until proven otherwise but ummm i can say without a doubt that the parties are guilty as suspected. Of course proving who said what to who,when and where would be a very tasking if not impossible job for the investigators.So if the trail of information can not be pieced together in a manner admissible in the courts where is the case? The Police probably found this out and are now changing tactics and toeing a different line of investigation:Obstructing and perverting the course of justice.

Something is clear though at this juncture-things may get nasty indeed. When Angus Mcneil the SNP parliamentarian first raised the issue early 2006 no one would have imagined it would still be raging on till today talk less of snowballing into something that could define and /or defile a political heritage. That of Tony Blair in particular and the other principal characters involved in the investigation. For if charges were brought,a custodial sentence couldnt be ruled out and if this were to happen then the Prime Minister`s position,more than ever before would be untenable. Even a pachydermatous character like Tony Blair would have no choice but to bow out under those circumstances. As it is,some might argue that the whole episode has vitiated the ofice of the Prime Minister.We have a situation where the incumbent Prime Minister is interviewed almost every other week (well) by the Police in connection with crime. I know Tony Blair likes to break records but to break his own record? Downing Street has to keep issuing statements to assure us that the Prime Minister was interviewed by the Police but not under caution. Fair enough.Hope it does not get to that.Or worse!

Is Lord Levy`s arrest the endgame or just another chapter in the unfolding saga we have to wait and see.

New Rules For Taking Liquids Through Uk Airports

What exactly travellers can and can not take through airport security has been a confusing matter since restrictions were imposed.The Department for Transport has published a guide to the new regulations and has other advice to help intending travellers.

The Department put up full-page advertisements in the newspapers last week.Supposedly to intimate people with the state of affairs regarding the issue.Good on them.