Did anybody see Chris Eakin from the BBC during the reporting of the Somerset floods? I think he was a bit p**d off at having been sent out in the rain with his wellies on. You could tell from his little cross face. He was interviewing a lady whose house had been flooded since around Christmas time and he actually asked her is she would move house!!! Dimwit. She said, "who would buy a house that's been flooded for 5 weeks?" and looked quite upset. If I was that lady, I would have grabbed Chris Eakin by the neck and plunged his head (and held it down) into the nearest very deep puddle.
On a more positive note, there are many brilliant people who are helping as much as they can in Somerset and other flooded areas. There is the lovely Ravi Singh from disaster charity, Khalsa Aid, who has worked non-stop in Somerset, travelling from Slough where he lives. (http://news.sky.com/story/1208653/disaster-charity-khalsa-aid-helps-flood-victims), farmers from all over the country are sending animal feed to the Somerset farmers and offers of help are coming from many ordinary citizens. The politicians, meanwhile, have another COBRA meeting over tea and biscuits to discuss the next meeting and then the meeting after that. Don't worry, I'm not getting into politics, mes amis, it's just not my thang.
And another thang...thing..why hasn't there been a national fund raiser for the people who have been flooded? Where are all the celebrities who are so quick to organise concerts for Africa and other places? Bono, where are you? Are you organising a concert in Africa for the Somerset floods? People in the UK are so generous when it comes to raising funds for other countries. Now that people in our county are in trouble and some of them will need extra financial help, the celebrity world seems to have gone very quiet.
I am now quietly hoping that a huge wave will come over and take Kay Burley (Sky News) with it.
Stay dry and keep yer wellies on.
Well, being someone who believes that charity begins at home, I am totally with you when it comes to celebs, or people like Branson (loaded), not sticking their heads above the parapet and offering to do something to help. Of course, they could be doing it quietly.... but that doesn't seem likely otherwise you wouldn't get people donating/helping would you? Prince Charles put fifty grand up front to help farmers, and I noticed that Harry and brother were physically helping out too. But it's not enough is it, and like you said, the politicians all seem to be having plenty of meetings, all saying money will be there, but there to do what with? And whilst some of them are taking advantage of the situation for their own gains (they hope), whilst others are slagging each other off, whilst there are photo shoots of PM and his pals visiting the areas affected, nobody has said just what they are going to do. Selfish though it may be, and much as my heart goes out to them, I am so pleased that we haven't had to cope with the flooding like they have, it must be heartbreaking. I wonder, would you leave your house if the Environment Agency recommended it, or would you stay to protect it?
ReplyDeleteUnless the water was waist deep, then I think we would stay. I don't listen to the men in suits any more. I could have held Chris Eakin's head under the water again when he announced to the UK that the houses behind him were empty, especially when people were clearly worried about looting.
ReplyDeleteI do love it the way everyone is helping each other and showing that they can do it without the nitwit politicians.
Why isn't anybody organising star-studded concerts for Somerset and the Thames Valley? I mean we had them for Ethiopia and Nelson Mandela. I can see it now Bono, One Direction, Cheryl Cole, Coldplay and Adele all linked together on stage while the rest of us hold lighters or illuminated mobile phones in the night air, swaying to "Michael Row The Boat Ashore" or "Drowning" by the Back Street Boys. And of course the concert would finish with Paul McCartney alone at a piano - straining but missing every note before being wheeled back to his residential home.
ReplyDeleteLaughing about Paul McCartney. I think he looks like an old woman now. You forgot about Bob Geldof screaming to the camera "Give us yer chuffin' money NOW!"
DeleteI loved the way 'Call me Dave', stung into action, said 'Money is no object!'
ReplyDeleteHang on a sec,,, no money for the NHS, no money for potholes, no money for schools (insert rest of very long list), over a trillion in debt, everyone tighten their belts, stiff upper lip, the spirit of the blitz, eat carrots so you can see through the power cuts... Where's this money coming from?
Or was he just lying?
I personally feel that rather than blaming central government (of any hue) they should hang the corrupt council planning officers (of every hue) who reclassified green flood plains as prime building land.
They need to hang the Environment Agency jobsworths as well. The rivers haven't been dredged for years, to save the wildlife, according to them.
ReplyDeleteYes, 'Call me Dave' is a first class numpty.