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In the news today...
Three exciting news stories for you.
27/07/09

Government to Interfere with Train Fairs (about time)

Government to try to talk to the Taliban

Spotify hopes to become Iphone Ap.

The last one first, just because of this:
"The BBC understands that the application is designed to search for new music and let iPhone users download music to their phones." Which leads me to think that the BBC couldn't find anyone in the office who uses Spotify, so had to guess what it is.
Hobo Bonobo understands that Spotify allows users to legally listen to streamed music by acting like a radio station that lets you choose what to listen to. I suppose if you're not in a Wi-fi area, streaming might be out of the question, so maybe it would in some way download and queue the music up somehow. Anyway the doddering old BBC fail to make the point that what makes Spotify so good is that because you are not downloading the music to keep, you are not stealing it, and therefore it's legal. In addition you pay for the service, either by being advertised to or by paying a subscription. Great idea.

I don't have an iPhone, and nor do I use Spotify, but I can see the merits in each, and a marriage between the two would be most desirable.
Here's the BBC's uninformed take on the matter .

And now on to Afghanistan. I'll begin this by saying I know very little about the subject, but I reserve the right to state my ill informed views. The BBC website version of this story is quite different to the BBC Radio 4 news version. The radio version gives the impression that David Milliband has announced his intention to start talking to weaker members of the Taliban (a recourse that has been rejected by the UK from the outset), in order to try to lessen support for the Taliban. Irrespective of the kind of signals this could be sending (err... we've just noticed you've killed quite a few of our men, and we've run out of helicopters. Any chance of you backing down?) it brings to my mind the words of the late Harry Patch (last WWI veteran who died at the weekend age 111). Harry didn't talk about the war for 90 years, but he gave an interview in 2005 in which he answered the question "Do you think we learned anything from WWI" with "They never learn". Incidentally he added "WW3 will be chemical. I don't want to see it". Because of his great age, his voice was almost a whisper, and because of the subject matter his tone was very sad. If you'd just turned on the radio at that moment you'd be forgiven for thinking it had been taken over by a prophet of some kind.
Anyway the only point I have to make about Afghanistan (taking into account my ignorance) is this: Isn't it a good idea to try to talk to someone before you try to kill them, rather than several years into a war?
In contrast to the radio story, the BBC website the story is that the government plans to urge the Afghan government to talk to weaker members of the Taliban and attempt to 'moderate' them, whatever that may mean.
Both stories refer to a concern that the British public may oppose this move because of the relatively high number of fatalities our Army has suffered recently. I can only hope that I am not alone in being surprised to learn that it is the British public who believe the only solution to the world's problems is shooting at them, and not the British government as I had previously supposed. (Protests against the war in Iraq not withstanding).
Here's that story in case you want to make up your own mind.

And finally, Trains.
I was going to write a long tirade about the history of me and trains, and the first awakenings in me of 'Hate-Rail', but actually I have realised it will suffice to say that in my direct experience, rail fairs have increased regularly while the number of services and the number of carriages on the routes that affect me have been reduced.
In addition, I believe that it would cost the same to drive every day between Worthing and Hove as it costs to take the train, even with a monthly season ticket (particularly if you take for granted the fact that most people run a car anyway), which is appalling. The cost of driving is increased almost daily, and it is completely unacceptable that rail fairs are allowed to increase in line with this. The increased cost of driving should be an incentive to turn to other services, whereas in fact the trains at rush hour are almost unbearable and for the most part, cost the same or more. The vast amount of money we are taxed for driving apparently does nothing to reduce the cost of alternative services. So the end result is that we are ripped off no matter what we do. (It doesn't hurt to mention that the cost of taking the bus anywhere these days is little more than a not very funny joke).

And in defence of trains? Well, they are more punctual than they used to be, but why should we pay through the nose for what other European countries take for granted? On the radio this morning, the presenter interviewed a spokesman for one (or all?) of the rail companies. She mentioned that the government has accused the rail companies of taking their passengers for granted, and put it to the spokesman that people who use the trains have often have no alternative. His reply was that on the longer routes, eg London to Scotland, rail was competing with driving and with air travel, and still managing to pull in passengers by offering a greater service. So what? What about all the people who travel into and through London every day, and obviously have no other option? Not to mention the not insignificant number of people who can't drive, or are unable to park at or near their work place (often due to the wonderful 'Green Travel Plan' that aims to prevent businesses from providing parking for their employees). Radio 4 let me down by not asking these questions, which is why I am asking them now.
I can't be bothered to read the BBC's web story on this now but they did say on the radio that rail fairs might be reduced within months.

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Comments about This Article

What's a Rail Fair? It sounds exciting, can I go? Comment By: Excited, 28 Jul 2009, Rating: 5/5

You shouldnt worry about it and just come and live underwater with me. It's great, in fact, maybe we all should liver underwater? Hmm. I feel an evil plan coming on. Jaws, fetch my bathing suit. Comment By: Karl Stromberg, 27 Jul 2009, Rating: 5/5

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