And so, another academic term ends. My fourth term at university has finished and the winter break begins; as of this writing, I have completed ten terms of education in the United Kingdom. My university course has five more terms until its completion.
Classes do not resume until January 8th but I'll be working on existing assignments before then; if I don't, I'll have too much to do in January and that would not be productive.
Showing posts with label United Kingdom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label United Kingdom. Show all posts
Friday, 8 December 2017
Friday, 25 August 2017
EU applications for British citizenship
Since the European Union referendum here in the United Kingdom last summer, EU immigrant applications for British citizenship have skyrocketed:
This is to ensure they are allowed to stay here, assuming the EU-UK negotiations don't protect their right to stay. Ever since the referendum, I have been concerned at what will happen to the 3,000,000 EU immigrants who live here. None of them wanted to be in the situation where they could end up having to leave the UK through no fault of their own; topics like this were barely, if at all, discussed during the referendum campaign.
This is to ensure they are allowed to stay here, assuming the EU-UK negotiations don't protect their right to stay. Ever since the referendum, I have been concerned at what will happen to the 3,000,000 EU immigrants who live here. None of them wanted to be in the situation where they could end up having to leave the UK through no fault of their own; topics like this were barely, if at all, discussed during the referendum campaign.
Wednesday, 23 August 2017
"How College Loans Got So Evil"- a clip from 'Adam Ruins Everything'
I watched this on YouTube within the past hour or so:
I had wondered the American student loan debt was so bad. What we have here in the United Kingdom isn't as bad; although the debt is hardly a good thing, on current rules, you only start paying it back when you reach a certain income.
Before this evening, I most recently posted about Adam Ruins Everything here.
I had wondered the American student loan debt was so bad. What we have here in the United Kingdom isn't as bad; although the debt is hardly a good thing, on current rules, you only start paying it back when you reach a certain income.
Before this evening, I most recently posted about Adam Ruins Everything here.
Friday, 23 June 2017
The referendum...a year on
It has officially been a year since the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in the in/our referendum the country held last year. While the leave proceedings were activated back in March, negotiations to leave only began this week.
I still don't see what positives are going to come from leaving the European Union. The EU will want to protect itself from other countries trying to leave and so it will likely make an example of this country during the negotiations. Then there's the fact the recent election produced a hung parliament, so the current Prime Minister has less of a mandate than she did before. Beyond that, we still don't know how the country will fare once it is "out".
There were so many unknowns, as was noted often during the referendum campaign. Where this road goes...no one knows.
I still don't see what positives are going to come from leaving the European Union. The EU will want to protect itself from other countries trying to leave and so it will likely make an example of this country during the negotiations. Then there's the fact the recent election produced a hung parliament, so the current Prime Minister has less of a mandate than she did before. Beyond that, we still don't know how the country will fare once it is "out".
There were so many unknowns, as was noted often during the referendum campaign. Where this road goes...no one knows.
Sunday, 11 June 2017
London 2017 - National Express
My chosen method of travelling to and from London yesterday was via National Express - a coach company. While coaches take longer to reach London than trains do, they are significantly cheaper. Once I knew when I'd be travelling to London, I booked a month and a half in advance and paid a low fare for my tickets; the other trade-off besides the journey taking longer is that I was restricted to taking the buses at the specified booking times. For example, my bus from Nottingham was only the one at 6:05am and my return from London was at 9:30pm; if I'd missed them I'd have to have bought a new ticket for another bus and it would have been more expensive.
The route down was fun. While much of it took place on the M1 (the UK's main motorway from the south to the north), there was a brief stop in Milton Keynes and the route through London to the Victoria coach station took the bus through the Royal Borough of Kensington, which I'd never seen in person before. For the route back, it again stopped briefly in Milton Keynes but also went through downtown Leicester, which makes it the second time I've seen Leicester between 12:00am and 2:00am.
Will I travel via National Express again. Most certainly, yes!
The route down was fun. While much of it took place on the M1 (the UK's main motorway from the south to the north), there was a brief stop in Milton Keynes and the route through London to the Victoria coach station took the bus through the Royal Borough of Kensington, which I'd never seen in person before. For the route back, it again stopped briefly in Milton Keynes but also went through downtown Leicester, which makes it the second time I've seen Leicester between 12:00am and 2:00am.
Will I travel via National Express again. Most certainly, yes!
Friday, 9 June 2017
Results of the United Kingdom general election of 2017
All results for the general election are through. Despite expectations that they would increase their majority - possibly drastically - the Conservatives instead lost several seats and with it, their majority in Parliament. As a result, in order to govern, the Prime Minister has had to make a deal with the Democratic Unionist Party, a party in Northern Ireland, who have enough seats to support the Conservatives and give them a small majority.
The Labour Party, which had long been expected to losses masses of seats to the Conservatives, instead gained 30 seats. Labour was able to seize long-term Tory seats such as Canterbury and Kensington, both of which (and other seats) were attributed to heavy turnout of the under-25s, which is estimated to have been over 72% this election. While Labour did lose a handful of seats through a combination of them being in Brexit-voting areas or the UKIP vote went to the Conservatives, Labour otherwise weathered the Brexit vote and also increased its margins in many Remain areas, taking out Tories in the process.
The Scottish National Party lost nearly half of its seats but nevertheless remain the largest party in Scotland and the third-biggest in Parliament. Their losses can be attributed to them overplaying their hand at another independence referendum; Scots mostly consider the matter settled and are likely tired of voting, seeing as they've had more national referendums to vote on when the AV from from 2011 is included.
The Liberal Democrats increased their numbers from 8 to 12 but had their margins reduced in some seats and their former leader, Nick Clegg, was defeated in Sheffield Hallam; his loss marked the first time that Labour has won that seat. Despite taking a heavily pro-Remain stance, Liberal Democrat gains were fairly minor.
The United Kingdom Independence Party/UKIP again failed to win any seats and its share of the vote severely collapsed, in both number and percentage. Many UKIP voters returned to the Tories although there were a large number who returned to Labour, too.
It is hard to predict where British poltics will go from here. Some are expecting another election in the fall but that will depend on how well the Tories can govern with their DUP-backed minority administration. It also depends on if any political infighting takes place within any of the parties; while Jeremy Corbyn appears to have emerged from this election unscathed thanks to his strong campaign and achieving the first Labour seat increase since 1997, many on the Tory side are annoyed with their leader for calling an election which they were supposed to win and, instead, ended up losing.
The Labour Party, which had long been expected to losses masses of seats to the Conservatives, instead gained 30 seats. Labour was able to seize long-term Tory seats such as Canterbury and Kensington, both of which (and other seats) were attributed to heavy turnout of the under-25s, which is estimated to have been over 72% this election. While Labour did lose a handful of seats through a combination of them being in Brexit-voting areas or the UKIP vote went to the Conservatives, Labour otherwise weathered the Brexit vote and also increased its margins in many Remain areas, taking out Tories in the process.
The Scottish National Party lost nearly half of its seats but nevertheless remain the largest party in Scotland and the third-biggest in Parliament. Their losses can be attributed to them overplaying their hand at another independence referendum; Scots mostly consider the matter settled and are likely tired of voting, seeing as they've had more national referendums to vote on when the AV from from 2011 is included.
The Liberal Democrats increased their numbers from 8 to 12 but had their margins reduced in some seats and their former leader, Nick Clegg, was defeated in Sheffield Hallam; his loss marked the first time that Labour has won that seat. Despite taking a heavily pro-Remain stance, Liberal Democrat gains were fairly minor.
The United Kingdom Independence Party/UKIP again failed to win any seats and its share of the vote severely collapsed, in both number and percentage. Many UKIP voters returned to the Tories although there were a large number who returned to Labour, too.
It is hard to predict where British poltics will go from here. Some are expecting another election in the fall but that will depend on how well the Tories can govern with their DUP-backed minority administration. It also depends on if any political infighting takes place within any of the parties; while Jeremy Corbyn appears to have emerged from this election unscathed thanks to his strong campaign and achieving the first Labour seat increase since 1997, many on the Tory side are annoyed with their leader for calling an election which they were supposed to win and, instead, ended up losing.
Tuesday, 6 June 2017
My vote for the United Kingdom's 2017 general election
The general election is nearly upon us. So how is it that the United Kingdom
is facing a general election now, after holding one two years ago? The answer
is that Parliament voted to hold one three years early, the reason being that
the Prime Minister wanted to seek a mandate for her vision of Brexit whereas
the leading figures of the opposition have been eager to challenge her, both to
claim a mandate for their own Brexit visions and to take the country in a
different direction to where it has been travelling for the past seven years.
The two primary figures of this election are Theresa May, who is the current Prime Minister and the leader of the Conservative Party, and Jeremy Corbyn, who's the Leader of the Opposition and the Labour Party leader. Minor figures include Nicola Sturgeon of the Scottish National Party, Tim Farron of the Liberal Democrats, Caroline Lucas of the Greens and Paul Nuttall of the United Kingdom Independence Party.
With all that in mind, for whom shall I be voting? For once, it's an easy decision: My vote this year will given to Corbyn's Labour and it will be the first time I've ever voted for the Labour Party. In the past, I've voted for smaller parties (not UKIP) because I long considered Labour, Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats to be three slightly different versions of the same party. Not anymore. With Jeremy Corbyn, a staunch progressive, in charge of Labour, we at last have a clear difference between our two main parties. Instead of proposing more austerity, more tax cuts for billionaires and more war, Corbyn is instead promising to re-invest in the country, such as reversing cuts that have been made to essential services like the National Health Service and the police. Other key policies will be to scrap student tuition fees, to re-nationalise several privatised services and to protect childcare and pensioner benefits, as well as to expand them where possible.While Corbyn's Labour will still be carrying out Brexit, they have promised to do so in a fair manner that benefits Britain, rather than a "Hard Brexit" (or "Brutality Brexit") that leaves the country with nothing, including stripping away human rights that citizens are afforded under European Union law.
For the 2015 election, while Ed Miliband was a leader I could respect, he was regularly sabotaged by his own cabinet, as he was unable to select whom he wanted and was forced to accept was the Parliamentary Labour Party chose for him. As such, whenever he tried to break away from the image of Labour being seen as a second Conservative Party, he was held back and the party's message was clouded; thus, I was not able to vote for Miliband Labour. By contrast, Corbyn has been able to choose his own cabinet and despite a rebellion to overthrow him last year, he has endured and the party message is from him.
Corbyn is regularly dismissed by his critics as an "idealist" with policies that are "unaffordable" and/or "unworkable". My response to that is why are people like Corbyn, who genuinely want to re-invest in this country and its people again, viewed in such a manner whereas nationalists, warmongers and austerity-pushers are all seen as "common sense"? In 1945, after World War II, the United Kingdom was in ruins and what was left of the British Empire was seeking independence; despite this, the Labour government that came into power under Clement Attlee that year established the support system that still exists today, despite erosion from neo-liberal (pro-corporate) policies. If 1945 Britain could do it, why not 2017 Britain? I’ve noticed that the "We are British! We can do anything!" attitude always seems to evaporate when it comes to, say, re-investing in our schools, redeveloping our roads or funding our National Health Service.
And Corbyn isn't someone who is promising a load of "nice things", only to follow up with the opposite once elected; he became an MP in 1983 - the same year as former Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown - and his voting record supports his message. This is a man who was arrested for protesting apartheid and was called a "loony lefty" for supporting gay marriage at a time when it was politically unpopular to do so. He has flaws, of course - he is a person, after all - but for the first time in British politics, there is someone I can believe in and trust, similar to how I felt about Barack Obama in 2008. Only this time, however, I can vote - and I shall do so.
The two primary figures of this election are Theresa May, who is the current Prime Minister and the leader of the Conservative Party, and Jeremy Corbyn, who's the Leader of the Opposition and the Labour Party leader. Minor figures include Nicola Sturgeon of the Scottish National Party, Tim Farron of the Liberal Democrats, Caroline Lucas of the Greens and Paul Nuttall of the United Kingdom Independence Party.
With all that in mind, for whom shall I be voting? For once, it's an easy decision: My vote this year will given to Corbyn's Labour and it will be the first time I've ever voted for the Labour Party. In the past, I've voted for smaller parties (not UKIP) because I long considered Labour, Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats to be three slightly different versions of the same party. Not anymore. With Jeremy Corbyn, a staunch progressive, in charge of Labour, we at last have a clear difference between our two main parties. Instead of proposing more austerity, more tax cuts for billionaires and more war, Corbyn is instead promising to re-invest in the country, such as reversing cuts that have been made to essential services like the National Health Service and the police. Other key policies will be to scrap student tuition fees, to re-nationalise several privatised services and to protect childcare and pensioner benefits, as well as to expand them where possible.While Corbyn's Labour will still be carrying out Brexit, they have promised to do so in a fair manner that benefits Britain, rather than a "Hard Brexit" (or "Brutality Brexit") that leaves the country with nothing, including stripping away human rights that citizens are afforded under European Union law.
For the 2015 election, while Ed Miliband was a leader I could respect, he was regularly sabotaged by his own cabinet, as he was unable to select whom he wanted and was forced to accept was the Parliamentary Labour Party chose for him. As such, whenever he tried to break away from the image of Labour being seen as a second Conservative Party, he was held back and the party's message was clouded; thus, I was not able to vote for Miliband Labour. By contrast, Corbyn has been able to choose his own cabinet and despite a rebellion to overthrow him last year, he has endured and the party message is from him.
Corbyn is regularly dismissed by his critics as an "idealist" with policies that are "unaffordable" and/or "unworkable". My response to that is why are people like Corbyn, who genuinely want to re-invest in this country and its people again, viewed in such a manner whereas nationalists, warmongers and austerity-pushers are all seen as "common sense"? In 1945, after World War II, the United Kingdom was in ruins and what was left of the British Empire was seeking independence; despite this, the Labour government that came into power under Clement Attlee that year established the support system that still exists today, despite erosion from neo-liberal (pro-corporate) policies. If 1945 Britain could do it, why not 2017 Britain? I’ve noticed that the "We are British! We can do anything!" attitude always seems to evaporate when it comes to, say, re-investing in our schools, redeveloping our roads or funding our National Health Service.
And Corbyn isn't someone who is promising a load of "nice things", only to follow up with the opposite once elected; he became an MP in 1983 - the same year as former Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown - and his voting record supports his message. This is a man who was arrested for protesting apartheid and was called a "loony lefty" for supporting gay marriage at a time when it was politically unpopular to do so. He has flaws, of course - he is a person, after all - but for the first time in British politics, there is someone I can believe in and trust, similar to how I felt about Barack Obama in 2008. Only this time, however, I can vote - and I shall do so.
Friday, 26 May 2017
Hello, President Obama!
President Obama has been here in the United Kingdom!
He was here to attend a charity event, not just to golf but if he did come here to play, so what? He's a former president, he served his two terms and is no longer a government official. There's nothing for anyone to criticize here.
He was here to attend a charity event, not just to golf but if he did come here to play, so what? He's a former president, he served his two terms and is no longer a government official. There's nothing for anyone to criticize here.
Monday, 24 April 2017
Ken Clarke
When I lived with my grandparents during college, the MP for my consituency, Rushcliffe, was Ken Clarke, a Conservative. He initially stated that he was going to stand down in 2020 but since an election was called early, he is running again:
Clarke is probably the only Tory I have any respect for and I am glad he is running again, which is ironic since he's so far the only MP I've voted against. He voted against the activation of Article 50 for the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union, which is in line with the wishes of his constituency because Rushcliffe voted 57.6% for Remain. This surprised me on the morning of the result, although it later didn't because Clarke has always been strongly pro-EU and that permeated in Rushcliffe.
Clarke is probably the only Tory I have any respect for and I am glad he is running again, which is ironic since he's so far the only MP I've voted against. He voted against the activation of Article 50 for the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union, which is in line with the wishes of his constituency because Rushcliffe voted 57.6% for Remain. This surprised me on the morning of the result, although it later didn't because Clarke has always been strongly pro-EU and that permeated in Rushcliffe.
Thursday, 20 April 2017
University year 1, term 3
Yesterday was the start of term 3 of this academic year at NTU but my first day of sessions was this morning. As usual, it was my lecture and subsequent seminar for American literature.
After tomorrow, this term will have three additional weeks of sessions and then an exam near to the end of May. Academic years at university usually end in May/early June here in the United Kingdom, as opposed to colleges and regular schools, which end anywhere from mid-June to late July.
As for my assignments, they are all due three weeks from tomorrow (on May 12th), so I'll be extremely busy for the next 21 days.
After tomorrow, this term will have three additional weeks of sessions and then an exam near to the end of May. Academic years at university usually end in May/early June here in the United Kingdom, as opposed to colleges and regular schools, which end anywhere from mid-June to late July.
As for my assignments, they are all due three weeks from tomorrow (on May 12th), so I'll be extremely busy for the next 21 days.
Wednesday, 19 April 2017
General election 2017
Yesterday, the Prime Minister called for an early general election and today, Parliament approved it:
The reasons for this early election are because the Prime Minister is seeking a mandate for her vision of Brexit and because the polls are saying the opposition party, Labour, are polling poorly. This is a risky move, given that polling has been notoriously inaccurate as of late.
This new election will occur on June 8th.
The reasons for this early election are because the Prime Minister is seeking a mandate for her vision of Brexit and because the polls are saying the opposition party, Labour, are polling poorly. This is a risky move, given that polling has been notoriously inaccurate as of late.
This new election will occur on June 8th.
Wednesday, 29 March 2017
Article 50 activated
It's official: The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom has activated Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty and the 2-year countdown to the United Kingdom leaving the European Union has begun. I'm still very much against leaving and for the following reasons:
1. The referendum was an advisory and non-legally binding poll; despite this and the narrow margin of victory (52% Leave to 48% Remain), it is being used an an excuse undertake a "hard Brexit" and some Leave supporters want to use it to pull the UK out of non-EU European organisations, such as the European Court of Human Rights.
2. The Leave campaign lied on key promises. For example, when it said the £350 million the UK sends to the EU each week could be spent on the National Health Service instead, this promise was redacted merely a few hours after Leave had won the vote.
3. Thanks to Nigel Farage, the former and now-disgraced leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party, the referendum last year became a vote on immigration rather than a genuine debate about the EU. Instead of discussing pros of the EU (redevelopment projects, education funds, equality laws) versus cons (too much power to corporations, more elections needed for the EU government), Farage poisoned the well with his anti-immigrant rhetoric and stirred up the far-right (which, down the line, helped cause the election result in the United States late last year).
4. Similar to #1, the 48% who voted Remain are having their views ignored completely, as are the Brexiters who voted against the EU for reasons that had nothing to do with the far-right. The latter didn't vote for Brexit for a far-right, non-EU UK to emerge.
5. The Leave campaign never had a plan in place in the event Leave won. Flying by the seat of the pants is hardly a sound policy when extracting a country from 40+ years of integration in an international orgnaisation.
But hey, what do I know? My side lost and the current consensus in Western democracies seems to be that if your side loses, you have to "get over it" and cease all debate (unless, of course, the losing side is the alt-right/far-right, who seem to be allowed to continue their protests even if their policies are soundly rejected).
1. The referendum was an advisory and non-legally binding poll; despite this and the narrow margin of victory (52% Leave to 48% Remain), it is being used an an excuse undertake a "hard Brexit" and some Leave supporters want to use it to pull the UK out of non-EU European organisations, such as the European Court of Human Rights.
2. The Leave campaign lied on key promises. For example, when it said the £350 million the UK sends to the EU each week could be spent on the National Health Service instead, this promise was redacted merely a few hours after Leave had won the vote.
3. Thanks to Nigel Farage, the former and now-disgraced leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party, the referendum last year became a vote on immigration rather than a genuine debate about the EU. Instead of discussing pros of the EU (redevelopment projects, education funds, equality laws) versus cons (too much power to corporations, more elections needed for the EU government), Farage poisoned the well with his anti-immigrant rhetoric and stirred up the far-right (which, down the line, helped cause the election result in the United States late last year).
4. Similar to #1, the 48% who voted Remain are having their views ignored completely, as are the Brexiters who voted against the EU for reasons that had nothing to do with the far-right. The latter didn't vote for Brexit for a far-right, non-EU UK to emerge.
5. The Leave campaign never had a plan in place in the event Leave won. Flying by the seat of the pants is hardly a sound policy when extracting a country from 40+ years of integration in an international orgnaisation.
But hey, what do I know? My side lost and the current consensus in Western democracies seems to be that if your side loses, you have to "get over it" and cease all debate (unless, of course, the losing side is the alt-right/far-right, who seem to be allowed to continue their protests even if their policies are soundly rejected).
Tuesday, 14 March 2017
Another Scottish referendum - possibly
As a consequence of the United Kingdom voting last year to leave the European Union, Scotland is appearing to move forward with another referendum to leave the United Kingdom:
The argument being used by the Scottish National Party - the largest part in Scotland's devolved parliament - is that since Scotland voted decisively to remain in the European Union, it should leave the UK and rejoin the EU. In reality, it's more likely that the SNP is using last year's referendum as an excuse for another in/out referendum of their own, as the long-held goal of the SNP is to split the UK.
Of course, the SNP is banking on the EU approving Scotland's ascent back into the EU should Scotland leave the UK. This is a risky issue on which to campaign, for there's no evidence that the 45% who voted for Scotland to leave in 2014 are supporters of the EU or that any pro-EU voters who backed Scotland staying in the UK are more loyal to the EU than to the UK; in addition, for a country to join the EU, it must have approval from all member countries. Spain, with nationalist problems of its own, is likely to block a hypothetical independent Scotland from being in the EU.
In the event Scotland does declare independence, then anybody who voted for the UK to leave the EU on the basis that the UK was "strong enough" on its own ought to eat their words and be ashamed for helping to cause the destruction of the UK as it exists now.
The argument being used by the Scottish National Party - the largest part in Scotland's devolved parliament - is that since Scotland voted decisively to remain in the European Union, it should leave the UK and rejoin the EU. In reality, it's more likely that the SNP is using last year's referendum as an excuse for another in/out referendum of their own, as the long-held goal of the SNP is to split the UK.
Of course, the SNP is banking on the EU approving Scotland's ascent back into the EU should Scotland leave the UK. This is a risky issue on which to campaign, for there's no evidence that the 45% who voted for Scotland to leave in 2014 are supporters of the EU or that any pro-EU voters who backed Scotland staying in the UK are more loyal to the EU than to the UK; in addition, for a country to join the EU, it must have approval from all member countries. Spain, with nationalist problems of its own, is likely to block a hypothetical independent Scotland from being in the EU.
In the event Scotland does declare independence, then anybody who voted for the UK to leave the EU on the basis that the UK was "strong enough" on its own ought to eat their words and be ashamed for helping to cause the destruction of the UK as it exists now.
Saturday, 31 December 2016
As 2016 finishes
Here in the United Kingdom, 2017 is less than six hours away while in other parts of the world, the new year is already here. I had intended to have my next blog party post up today but due to changes in plans, it'll have to wait a day or two.
I hope you had a good 2016 and are looking forward to an even more productive 2017.
I hope you had a good 2016 and are looking forward to an even more productive 2017.
Tuesday, 29 November 2016
"Just One Day (Melou Remix)" - Mighty Oaks
Most of the time, I prefer the original version of a song to any remixes that follow it; however, sometimes there are exceptions. This is one of those songs:
It's the Melou Remix of "Just One Day" by the Mighty Oaks. The Mighty Oaks are a German band, although its members are American, British and Italian, respectively. I came across the Melou Remix by accident on Soundcloud; funnily enough, I was linked to it after coming cross another song that I'd heard on SoundCloud by chance.
The original version of "Just One Day" can be found here. The original is still an awesome track - I just happen to prefer the remix.
It's the Melou Remix of "Just One Day" by the Mighty Oaks. The Mighty Oaks are a German band, although its members are American, British and Italian, respectively. I came across the Melou Remix by accident on Soundcloud; funnily enough, I was linked to it after coming cross another song that I'd heard on SoundCloud by chance.
The original version of "Just One Day" can be found here. The original is still an awesome track - I just happen to prefer the remix.
Friday, 25 November 2016
"Murder on the Dancefloor" - Sophie Ellis Bextor
Another song I heard from this past summer:
"Murder on the Dancefloor", however, is from 2001, not 2016, and comes from Sophie Ellis-Bextor's debut album, Read My Lips. This song is the only track I really know from Ellis-Bextor's work; I'd first heard of her sometime in the late part of the 2000s decade but have only started knowingly hearing any of her music since my family returned to the United Kingdom in 2010.
"Murder on the Dancefloor", however, is from 2001, not 2016, and comes from Sophie Ellis-Bextor's debut album, Read My Lips. This song is the only track I really know from Ellis-Bextor's work; I'd first heard of her sometime in the late part of the 2000s decade but have only started knowingly hearing any of her music since my family returned to the United Kingdom in 2010.
Sunday, 9 October 2016
"Perfect Illusion" - Lady Gaga
Before I left for university, this song was gaining traction on the radio:
It's "Perfect Illusion" by Lady Gaga and it's the first single from Joanne, her fifth studio album, which is set for release late this month. "Perfect Illusion" has a different sound compared to much of Lady Gaga's previous work, leading some to refer to it as a "flop" (a nonsensical claim, as it debuted at #1 in the charts of some countries and reached the top 20 in the United States and United Kingdom), but the song has otherwise received strong praise and it would be silly for Lady Gaga to engage in anything resembling the releasing every couple of years of what sounds like the same song.
Nope, Lady Gaga is still as great as she was back in 2008, perhaps more so now than then. Go, Gaga!
It's "Perfect Illusion" by Lady Gaga and it's the first single from Joanne, her fifth studio album, which is set for release late this month. "Perfect Illusion" has a different sound compared to much of Lady Gaga's previous work, leading some to refer to it as a "flop" (a nonsensical claim, as it debuted at #1 in the charts of some countries and reached the top 20 in the United States and United Kingdom), but the song has otherwise received strong praise and it would be silly for Lady Gaga to engage in anything resembling the releasing every couple of years of what sounds like the same song.
Nope, Lady Gaga is still as great as she was back in 2008, perhaps more so now than then. Go, Gaga!
Tuesday, 6 September 2016
"Babylon" - David Gray
Here is "Babylon":
It's by David Gray, a British musician. "Babylon" was released in July 1999 and comes from White Ladder, Gray's fourth studio album. In addition "Babylon" being his most successful single, White Ladder itself charted for over three years.
While I think I might have heard the song at least once while I lived in America, I associate it most with Heart radio, as it is often played on the Heart radio network.
It's by David Gray, a British musician. "Babylon" was released in July 1999 and comes from White Ladder, Gray's fourth studio album. In addition "Babylon" being his most successful single, White Ladder itself charted for over three years.
While I think I might have heard the song at least once while I lived in America, I associate it most with Heart radio, as it is often played on the Heart radio network.
Saturday, 27 August 2016
"All Together Now" - The Farm
A worthy choice for today's song is "All Together Now":
It's by The Farm, who are a band from Liverpool in the United Kingdom, and it's from their album Spartacus. The song, which contains an anti-war theme, is about the Christmas truce of 1914 during World War I, during which soldiers from opposing sides lay down their arms to celebrate and season and play football.
In 2014, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Christmas truce, a multitude of British musicians, under the banner of The Peace Collective, recorded their version of the song:
This version was dedicated to the soldiers who ensured the truce held that day.
It's by The Farm, who are a band from Liverpool in the United Kingdom, and it's from their album Spartacus. The song, which contains an anti-war theme, is about the Christmas truce of 1914 during World War I, during which soldiers from opposing sides lay down their arms to celebrate and season and play football.
In 2014, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Christmas truce, a multitude of British musicians, under the banner of The Peace Collective, recorded their version of the song:
This version was dedicated to the soldiers who ensured the truce held that day.
Friday, 5 August 2016
Most common last names in Europe
I came across this article in The Independent; it shows a map of the popular common last names in Europe and what their meanings are:
It made me smile that on both maps, the United Kingdom had "Smith" as its most popular last name! To my knowledge, Smith is still the most common last name in America, too.
It made me smile that on both maps, the United Kingdom had "Smith" as its most popular last name! To my knowledge, Smith is still the most common last name in America, too.
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