THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE

Jude Redmond

Written for the Kemptown Rag, Issue 53, January 2009

Although it is important to be aware of, and involved with, local issues, it is necessary not to lose sight of what the Americans would call the ‘bigger picture’. There will always be people who are more angry about parking facilities in the town centre than about the situation in the Peoples’ Republic of Congo. Which is fair enough. Just a small peek at the national and international news of the moment is fascinating. In a desperate bid for credibility, Jade Goody now had cancer. Madonna is seeking divorce just in time for the release of her new album. After the crash of Icelandic banks in this credit mess that no-one saw coming, millions of pounds placed in high interest accounts by various Councils across the country have disappeared into the ether and the Councils concerned are seeking recompense from the government. Or, these Councils now want taxpayers’ money to replace the council taxpayers’ money that they lost gambling. In the small world of day-time television there has been an incident, known as ‘Katonagate’, which will have far reaching consequences. Wayne Rooney recently turned twenty-three. Television is now so poor that 90% of the little that is worth watching was made years ago. Despite the global financial lunacy and only a few starving billions, the space race continues unabated with China announcing a manned mission to the Moon. Millions are up in arms over alleged vote-rigging in the ‘X Factor’ while being unmoved by alleged democracy in Zimbabwe. Inexplicably, politicians seem to think that people still believe anything they say. Even stranger is that people do. Is any politician even vaguely trustworthy these days? Politicians and yachts seem to go together like untraceable cash and brown envelopes. It is all too easy to be cynical about the new president-elect of America. Not only was his grandmother white but she also died right on cue. While we all welcome the potential for hope, the world is still lacking genuine leadership. The affluent West is run by a village idiot, a failed accountant, a seeming heartless woman, a dodgy media tycoon and a small man less famous than his wife, to mention a few. Africa is even more anarchic than normal, former communist countries are embracing capitalism with frightening brutality. The world’s real money is now in the hands of people who are at best dubious. The Middle East becomes more and more like a ‘Tom and Jerry’ cartoon and the animated opening to ‘Have I Got News For You’ appears to be increasingly prescient. Apparently the Mafia now accounts for 6% of Italy’s GDP. There is always hope. As Obama shows that half-caste is the new black and we teeter towards optimism, the Statue of Liberty remains closed indefinitely. Meanwhile, it appears that Cheryl Cole might be worried about the possibility of a new stalker. Shocking. Mitch Mitchell (1966 – 2008) RIP.