Over 17 years ago, USA President  Barack Obama  burst on the scene with a stirring "Yes, We Can" . Many of the American population, especially the youth, were galvanised into action, having been in some despair about the Bush years. They saw Obama's vision, they could feel the possibilities, they loved his speeches and jumped on to his bandwagon. The rest is history as he stormed the White House. Towards the end of his presidency there was some talk of voters being 'disillusioned', of him lacking 'leadership', of the president being 'weak', of falling approval ratings, and all such negative perceptions. But was that really the case, or did some people just expect too much of a mere mortal?  More interesting, are we operating in entirely different times which need a different political approach and reaction, if any leader is to be perceived as achieving anything of value? Can any future politician cut the mustard and please the people all the time...

There is another by-election on the horizon in the UK, one that is totally unnecessary, but was triggered by power hungry folks who seem to prefer instability and chaos at a time when confidence and calm reasoning are needed.The campaigners are already out in force, but how will the people of Makerfield vote? And what will prompt them to vote that particular way? It is tempting to believe that most people base their election choices on careful intelligent analysis to get the best person to represent them. But  democracy  encourages transience and fickleness. Hence people tend to base their election votes primarily on  emotion , though a little intelligent reasoning does come into it, especially when they are aware of the facts relating to a particular candidate. Emotions play a big part in voting choices because we tend to be drawn to anything that makes us  feel   comfortable and secure , that  reflects our values  and  aspirations , and feels in...

Look Mum, No Computer performing their entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 I’m an unashamed fan of the Eurovision Song Contest. Having watched it over many years, I have loved the way it brings countries together annually to celebrate music and creativity, and have actually marvelled at the evolving change over the years in style, fashion and actual songs.   The 2026 competition was a far cry from even 40 years ago, particularly in staging, outfits and musical emphasis, to the extent that our entry was described as "bonkers' on social media. But, regardless of the inevitable changes, the Eurovision Song Contest guarantees an entertaining night. Sadly, it has increasingly turned sour for the UK entries. To see the extent to which our fortunes have changed dismally, we only have to contrast our performance during the first 12 years of participation with the most recent 12 years of the competition. This comparison shows a massive shift in recognition of our entries, wh...