News and Views from January 08
By Rob Ellerington
January went by with plenty of controversy! Rob Ellerington - a Media Development Officer gets us up to date with a little perspective and quirky insight.
Pessimists must be breathing a sigh of relief. After bearing the season of good-will-to-all-men and heart-warming choruses of Auld Lang Syne, January 2008 has brought them a few late Christmas presents. The threat of recession, rising petrol prices, a near plane crash at Heathrow, more dodgy fund-raisers in the government and a super virus spreading across the nation… what more could they want?!
Piggy Babanks raided at dawn!
Even the most positive economist would have to admit that January has seen somewhat of a wobble in the world money markets. Even George Dubya admitted that there has been concern ‘at kitchen tables across [America]’. It turns out that all that talk about ‘sub-prime’ last year wasn’t in fact a new Burger King brand. As I understand it, we’re having these problems now because banks in America decided to give a bunch of people mortgages (sub-prime mortgages) they couldn’t afford. Whoops! Perhaps a return to responsible lending would be a good idea after all.
How much!!
The price of petrol is now around treble that of twenty years ago, with the average litre of unleaded setting you back a hefty £1.04. Don’t we all wish it were 1988 again? Actually, no, we all wish we lived in Venezuela, where a litre of petrol costs 0.7p! Then again, the politics might not to be everyone’s taste!
Flying lower than low!
The plane crash at Heathrow has to be one of the most incredible stories of recent times. When the news broke, a sense of unbelief struck the nation, as to how the plane had managed to miss the perimeter fence and, more importantly, the nearby homes and businesses. When the story unfolded, it became clear that it was the heroic and skilful actions of the crew that averted disaster. Although shocking, the crash landing of flight BA038 was ultimately a much needed dose of very good news. Pilots, we salute you!
Truth or dare?
Not so inspiring was yet more mud-slinging in the House of Commons. Accusations of undeclared funds and, more recently, over-payments to family members, are the last things we want to hear our MPs banging on about! Let’s hope Peter Hain does indeed clear his name and is allowed to get back on track with the job of representing his constituents.
'Pass the bucket dear'
Finally, the Norovirus – the so-called ‘super bug’ – has been up to its usual tricks, plighting stomachs across the land. I say ‘usual’ because the virus is, in fact, nothing new. Reportedly, there were more recorded cases last year, prompting accusations of ‘media-hype’. The hype didn’t stop my sister-in-law catching it though. Needless to say, I didn’t pop over with a bunch of grapes.
Anyway, 2008 is proving a doddle compared to 1812. A new study for the BBC’s History Magazine has revealed that the 19th Century year was in fact the worst ever in Britain’s history. War, high taxes, bad harvests, a mad king and the assassination of our Prime Minister all made it a pretty hard slog!
A few pence more on the petrol pumps isn’t so bad after all, is it?
Rob Ellerington is a cheeky chappy with a radio voice to rival Blind Date's 'Graham' - unfortunately he wasn't available for the returning hit show Gladiators. Rob works as the Media Development Officer at the University of Sheffield Union of Students. He along with his wife Helen enjoy walking their gorgeous dog called 'Riley'.