feu

where now for europe then? the french electorate have given a gallic shrug and voted "non" towards the eu-constitution, leaving it potentially dead in the water. the irony is that france has been at the fore of european integration for decades now. the coming months will be interesting indeed.

i'm no euro-skeptic, far from it, but the fact of the matter is that i reckon that the "big" european states are too stuck in their ways to go ahead and adopt a separate euro foreign minister, closer integration etc etc. france especially has done its best since the days of de gaulle to try and stay influential in world politics, and whilst the electorate voted no for a myriad of reasons, i don't think the french are ready to haul down the tricolour and replace it with the eu flag just yet.

the dutch vote on wednesday to ratify the constitution, and if another founder member rejects it, then the europe of the future could be very different to the united states of europe that many countries have promoted. the upcoming uk presidency of the eu will add spice to the argument. i have a feeling that i'll be watching a lot more news 24.

fight

the kids of today need music appreciation lessons.

coldplay (the biggest band in the world) have been beaten to the number one slot in the uk charts by a very annoying, bastardin animated frog going "rimm-da-da-dimm-da-da-da-dimm..." etc etc (repeat until fist is firmly lodged in radio). what a shite state of affairs. the country that gave the world the beatles, sex pistols, the smiths, stone roses, oasis, blur, and coldplay has regressed to a state where a ringtone can hit number one in the charts.

i realised that the charts meant nowt ages ago, but this is like a swift kick to the knackers of music lovers everywhere. i hope the mobiles of any burberry clad dobber who bought this burns into their hand as it rings out with this ringtone of satan.

n.b. at this point is should be noted that the rest of the top ten is actually pretty decent. talk about being shat on from a great height...