Fairytale of New York

Okay, X-Factor was knocked to the number 2 UK chart position for the Christmas number 1 single… beaten by a social networking pushed project – Rage Against The Machine took the number 1 spot as people stood up to the Cowell lead X-Factor machine.

The thing is it needed to be done – but no-one will argue that RATM’s song isn’t exactly “Christmassy”….

As such, just before Christmas I decided to push for a Christmas number 1 that is Christmassy…. and what could be better than “Fairytale of New York”….

FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK XMAS No.1 2010 and @FairytaleNY2010

Fairytale of New York has never been number 1 in the UK, yet is often voted as the best Christmas song out – so I figured it was about time we got it to number 1…

Added to this, it is the 10th anniversary of the sad and tragic death of Kirtsy MacColl, when she was hit by a speed boat in dive restricted waters whilst on holiday. This tragedy has never been properly resolved – and after 9 years of fighting for justice the case has finally run out of anywhere to go as the authorities have closed the door on it.

The day people will need to buy Fairytale of New York to make it count for a Christmas chart release is the day after the 10th anniversary of this untimely passing of Kirsty – so getting Fairytale of New York to number 1 will be a tribute, a return to a Christmassy song for Christmas, and another kick in the teeth to those that set up TV shows to force a manufactured number one.

Fairytale of New York is not a manufactured number one – Sure we will be pushing to get it there, but for over a decade it has been in the Christmas charts and it is a well loved song. It hasn’t just been made up to grab money for Simon Cowell…

This project is still in the initial stages, but much like RATM, we will be making sure Fairytale of New York does good. As such there will be a charity donation system set up. This will all be sorted as the project progresses.

I have contacted various people within The Pogues camp, and also to Kirsty MacColl’s mother. I would like them to be involved as this would be very important to the project.

There is a Facebook page set up : FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK XMAS No.1 2010

I won’t be able to do this on my own, so FTONY isn’t an “I” thing… it is a “WE” project – and I am currently being ably assisted by Phil Karn (met thanks to Twitter). There may be more people called in to help – and we’ll be grateful for any help!

I have started this group early as I want to build up the numbers of followers throughout the year. For most of the year the group will be a little quiet – just general chat and news – I don’t want people to burn out too soon!

As the time to buy draws near come November/December 2010 I shall then kick the group into action with group emails to ramp up the drive to get that number one spot.

You can also follow via Twitter with @FairytaleNY2010

If you want to get involved, you can email me at fairytale@sometimespace.com

Please spread the word!

Let’s get a Christmas song to Christmas number one – a song that has not been there before… and we can all remember Kirsty MacColl at the same time!

Thank you!

No cars, booze or bangsticks

This is one of my most visited pages – I’d love to hear some feedback as to why it is so popular – Thanks!

This day in history in 1919 saw America start prohibition.

Why on earth am I mentioning that then?

I was blindly surfing the net on my iPhone as I don’t have a great deal more that I can do at the moment (see earlier posts if you don’t know why!), and I found that the Volstead Act (Prohibition) came into being on this day in history…and it made me think.

I know a lot of Americans who are worried about the up and coming elections, and how it may well restrict their gun ownership. Many that I have talked to say that something as huge as banning all guns, or certain types of gun, just wouldn’t be possible – logistically it surely wouldn’t be possible – and anyway, it would upset far to many people and be far too difficult to enforce because too many people would oppose it.

A ban on alcohol over the entire United States. It may not have been hugely successful, but it was carried out, and stayed in force until 1933. Now I can’t help but think that banning guns is a darn site easier than banning a liquid that most people could make themselves (with a little knowledge and not much equipment). I would also think that more people enjoy a drink than own a gun – yet that mass of people couldn’t stand up to the Government of 1919… what chance is there against a Government with the technology and information of today?

So – Gun owning Americans, please don’t sit too comfortably on your freedoms, you’re not untouchable.

I’m all for the education of firearms, and not the all out banning. I shoot target rifle, and get really annoyed when the UK Government keep restricting use. They only do this to pander to the masses so they can win more votes. If anyone took a blind bit of interest they could see that firearms are not a serious threat – but peoples views on them are tainted.

Someone who wants a gun to commit a crime is not going to go through the health and Police security checks, the joining of registered government gun clubs, and the 3 to 6 months probation waiting period before they get a license.

They are not going to put Police approved security into their house and have the Police visit to ensure it is safe, and that the user has a valid reason to own the gun.

They are not going to go out and buy a firearm from a registered dealer who notifies the police so they know who the firearm is registered to.

They are also not going to put down a restriction on a license as to what firearms they can carry, and what the limit of ammunition is they are allowed to buy.

NO….. they’ll get a gun illegally and go out and commit a crime.

The trouble is, when one of these illegal gun owners go and shoot someone or hold up a shop, it is the legal gun owners… the ones who go through probation, back ground checks, Police interviews etc, that get further restricted…. and why? So that the Government can say they have reduced gun ownership in the UK…Yeah, great… you’ve reduced it from the ones that weren’t illegal.

This is like those idiots who steel cars and put YOUR insurance up!!! What have you done? Nothing!!! But the insurance companies can’t get money from some untaxed, unlicensed and uninsured idiot thief can they? No…. but they can get it from you.

The Government may as well ban all people who legally hold a drivers licence and have taxed and tested cars. Okay… it won’t stop those that are carrying out illegal driving in the first place, but who cares? Not the voters, because they’ll have seen that the government has reduced the amount of car drivers, regardless of the fact that the illegal drivers won’t care, and will still blitz around dangerously in stolen cars… and those illegals won’t lose their licenses because they didn’t even have one in the first place!!!

So you see, this won’t stop illegal road activity – thefts etc., but that’s how those in charge deal with firearms. They restrict the people they know legally own guns, because the legal gun owners are the only ones that the government know for sure have guns…

I blame statistics as well – or at least peoples misunderstanding of them – and the misuse of them. Statistics are warped and only reported in a way that works for the case in hand. It is the misuse of power by those in charge that scares me more than the very low gun crime in the UK (YES – it is low, don’t be mislead).

People need educating about firearms – In fact they need educating more on most things they vote about, because the group uninformed mentality of people is now starting to run the county – and not the educated vote of people who make considered opinions.

The Government seems to be in to win votes and to stay in power as long as the wave will carry them – even if that means making decisions that are not so great for the country, but WILL still keep them the vote. It’s like the X-Factor or Big Brother generation hold the future of the UK in its hands – and it is the political party with that X-Factor “Wow” that will win – and not so much the party with the countries best interest at heart.

Phew… that feels better.

Prohibition! Pah!!!

I need to get my back fixed so I can get out more…..