Plenty2say

Veteran news journalist Andrew Neil comments on the current alleged phone tapping scandal swirling around Fleetstreet and beyond. He’s spot on here. “Journalism should not be involved with this type of thing.” Glad there is someone out there in public life who has a decent moral code. Neil was editor of The Sunday Times, but now does the successful BBC Two Daily Politics show on weekdays, including PMQs.

Meanwhile, Tory leader David Cameron is standing by his ‘Willie,’ (Coulson) and believes in giving people a second chance. But guess what? Second chances, Gordon’s ‘Willie’ has already had two, a third cock up, and he’ll be for the chop?

UPDATE: It’s just been reported on Channel Four News that there will be no police investigation into the whole alleged phone tapping scandal. So what was all the fuss about? It would have been a non-story had it not been because the guy at the center of it, happens to now work for the future PM of the country, the current leader of the opposition David Cameron. Bet Labour are not happy with this new development.

FOR those of you who have been a regular reader of PLENTY’s blog, or just the occasional lurker, you would have realised by now that he has moved from the ‘free’ hosting of Blogger.com to (paid) hosting between Wordpress.org and the fantastic guys and girls at BlueHost. According to the top bloggers and internet gurus, BlueHost are the pinnacle in web hosting. It’s easy to see why. So far, PLENTY has received five star service. (No cocktails yet though) It’s not been all plain sailing though. For those who have been loyal readers , you are probably wondering, where is all PLENTY’s previous content? Sadly, it is still stuck in Blogger.com. That is the only pain that PLENTY encountered when migrating from blogger to Wordpress.org. Other than that, the journey was a doddle. However, he’s going to have to pay a small fee to guys at ezsitemove.com to get all his old content on here. Migrating blogs is a lot like migrating from one country to another with British Airways. The journey is almost pain free, until someone makes a cock up and puts your luggage on the wrong flight, or loses it altogether.

There’s a damning story in the Guardian today – which, suffice to say, does not paint journalists in a very positive light. It’s down now to the Tory Party leader David Cameron to act accordingly to the guy at the center of the controversy. If it’s true, the reports, then he should be sacked. If not, then obviously Andy Coulson Cameron’s ‘Willie’ should remain in his job. Simple? Nothing ever is in politics? The story involvesthe bugging of people’s mobiles in order to get news – in which some red-tops have paid out £1 million in compensation to victims of bugging news. Obviously, if you’re a tech wizz kid, then you know how to do it? Hacks are already held in low regard, this doesn’t exactly make their case for why they are useful any better, does it?

IT’S common knowledge that writers of all trades, whether it’s journalists, bloggers, creative writers, suffer at some point in their careers with writer’s block. If you are hit with the disease, then there are a few useful tips on how to shrug it off.

According to one Freelance Journalist, her best work came while she was in the Shower. Some of PLENTY’s best writing of any trade comes when he is ironically in the sauna. So there is a connection there with water, and steam. Is it hot or what?

Now with news journos, it’s easy to become lazy, and just copy and paste press releases. That’s what some of the mainstream are doing right now. Easy copy. With bloggers, writer’s block comes in the form of what blog post shall I write next? That’s easy to overcome. With creative writers, they’re often stuck for inspiration to constantly churn out a best seller, or poetry collection. But the link with all of these, in PLENTY’s view stems from motivation. You know what it’s like, you wake up one morning, and you really just can’t be bothered.

Well, here’s a quick tip. Word maps are a fine way of shrugging off writers block – for any writing trade. Get yourself a piece of paper, and write down any word that comes into your brain. Then, list words, or phrases, that link to that one word. By no time, you’ll then have ideas galore. It’s really that easy. This is good if you’re a magazine features writer, or indeed, a creative writer. Just remember, if you’re a news journo. News is all around you. You just have to have your glasses on the right way to see what’s in front of you….

This Congressman slams the hyped up news of Michael Jackson’s memorial service that became a viral obsession in the past few days. New York Republican Rep. Peter King was up in arms over the weekend about all the people honoring Michael Jackson. King thought that people should be honoring firemen and other heroes – He’s got a point?

Here’s a story that will probably depress our Prime minister – or have him reaching for the Nokia – again. It seems no-one on the virtual High Street likes him, no-one more so than virtual web retailer iffyton.co.uk who have slashed all their T-Shirts from £15 to ten pounds.

They proudly announce on their blog: “The thieving gits in parliament have continuously stolen from us, the man or woman in the street, and now they don’t have the backbone to get rid of (you know who). Well, enough is enough. As of now, until Gordon Brown and his over-expensed puppets get the tin tac, we are reducing all of our prices”

So head over there and bag one of their great T-Shirts, if only to pee off our Prime minister.

According to reports Michael Jackson’s memorial service last night topped the BBCs Eastenders, which only had 4.7 million tune in. I suppose watching Heather Trot and Shirley blubbing like two babies, over babies, was enough to put anyone off and tune in to the Jackson memorial show. On one more note, PLENTY really thought it was inappropriate that Jackson’s kids were on at the end, blubbering on National TV News over the death of their dad. Sad as it was, it really was poorly staged. Is this what the world has come to? Hooked on reality TV theatrical news – and blubbering little kids? Rupert Murdoch’s Sun and co have had a field day with it today. Wacko Jacko definately started something….

WHILE the Cats away the Mice will play, NOT. Today PMQs was very flat (and PLENTY is usually so enthused in PMQs that this week he just couldn’t be bothered – There was not the usual bouncing up and down from the Party leaders. This week it was the turn of the Deputies to battle it out over Labour spending and investment. That’s been the topic for the last four weeks – and it’s starting to get a wee bit boring. Deputy Labour leader Harriet (Hattie) Harman trotted out the normal line that the Tories would cut spending ‘right’ now, and that they were going to invest in capital spending in the future. Whereas the normally on song Deputy of the Tories, William Hague, was trotting out their usual line that Gordon and co were not being straight with the British people. Hague was not on his best form today. He was not his jovial self. Having said that Harman was also as flat as a stale can of Pepsi Cola. Nuff said PLENTY thinks….

UPDATE: Chancellor Alistair Darling has outlined some plans to stablise the banking system. It’s a pity they didn’t outline these ten years or so ago. What’s that we say about stable doors? We may have not have been in quite so much of a mess as we are now…BRAINLESS

OVER the next week or so, before the MPs retire to their summer homes, there’s a chance for campaigners to try to get those who lobby the government on issues, to reveal who they are. At present, lobbyists’ identities are kept secret – on behalf of the companies they lobby on behalf of.

The guys and girls at 38degrees want No more secrets behind closed doors.

Campaigner David Babbs writes: “We’ll be delivering our petition to the minister in charge, Angela Smith, as she starts her last week at work before her summer break. We know that this is when she’ll be deciding whether or not to introduce a register for lobbyists. We also know that behind closed doors paid lobbyists will be asking her to let them stay in the shadows. Let’s make sure we drown their voices out with a powerful public demand for change. “

They’ve teamed up with the Alliance For Lobbying Transparency and many different organisations, including the National union of Journalists and Greenpeace, who have seen the poor effects of secret lobbying and they demand the government acts now.

Babbs adds: “With politicians desperate to start to regain public trust, and influential groups of MPs on our side, now is our chance to clean up lobbying for good.”

The Public Administration Select Committee, has issued a report called “Lobbying: Access and influence in Whitehall” View PDF document here .

Sir Christopher Kelly, Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, also says he supports a register.

Well, it’s not far from the truth. Some people say the weak are controlled by the man downstairs!