Spooky, or what?

We travelled from South Devon to a family wedding near Ross on Wye in Herefordshire last weekend. The most direct route was via the M5 then M49 and M4 over the Severn Bridge into Wales and onwards via Monmouth to return to England and our destination, Much Marcle.

We have the radio on but it is turned right down, too quiet to hear, as we know it will go louder if there is any traffic news.

About two hours into our journey, as we crossed the Severn Bridge into Wales, (just after paying the £5.70 toll on the bridge - or is that the entrance fee for Wales?) my wife, Glynis, decided to turn up the volume on the radio to see what music was playing.

Just as she did this, Chris Evans put on a recording of a Welsh male voice choir who just happened to be singing the Welsh National Anthem.

I admit I don’t normally listen to Chris Evans Saturday Radio show on Radio 2, so I am not familiar with what sort of music he normally plays, but I believe that most of the time it is pop music.

The following thoughts came to mind:-

- When we set off from Devon the radio wasn’t tuned to Radio 2, it has changed stations on its own on the way up the motorway.

- This is a usually a pop music station.

- We have just crossed the border into Wales.

- Radio 2 is playing the Welsh National Anthem, sung by a male voice choir.

- My wife randomly decided to turn up the radio so she can hear what is on.

I should point out that all my wife's ancestors are Welsh, she has no English blood, she is a medium (and possibly a white witch), and she had a maiden name of Evans! (Same as the DJ)

Furthermore, when we crossed back into England later in the journey, we turned the radio up again and it was playing pop music again (no English anthem!)

Personally I found this a bit spooky!

I voted for AV

I voted yes in favour of the AV system.

I like the idea that in an AV system I will be able to protest about the incompetence of the main parties by making the Monster Raving Looney candidate my first choice. I won’t feel that I’ve wasted my vote, if he gets eliminated in the first round as my second choice candidate will then get my vote.

Just think though, if everyone thought and voted like me, the Monster Raving Looney would win the 50% required and would represent me in Parliament.

I may, of course, have difficulties spotting the difference between him and the MP that previously used to represent this constituency! He though it was ok to spend £80,000 of public money on work at his £1M mansion in Devon including around £50,000 on the 500 trees there, allegedly claiming they were essential parliamentary expenses as they gave off oxygen that kept him alive.

MP gives excuses for spending over £88,000 of our money on his mansion in Devon.

I am a little confused why this particular AV system is the one on offer, as even the Lib/Dems who wanted the change are not too keen on this particular version of AV and would prefer a proportional representation system, like the one used to elect Euro MPs.