Just for your information

With only a few weeks to go for the local elections, you know at some time my enthusiasm for democracy will soon be displayed in some shape or form. Good friends of mine often despair at my customary rallying cry on forums, blogs, social networking sites for everyone to use their vote. I've recently been trying to find new political websites which can compile information from everywhere in the political arena. Sloth is terrible habit to develop, but is aided greatly by the web.

It was then I stumbled upon politicshome, a great beta site powered with ingenious Web 2.0 technology which pulls everything political in one place. Complete with up-to-date opinion polls, politico blog updates and carefully selected articles and videos from the daily press, this site is pure Eden for any political researcher (no pun intended). You might say it is a 'bit busy' from looking at it, especially as it can run rather slowly on low spec PCs (like mine). This said however, it is a marvel to think that all the information of the day in the sphere of politics pretty much sits on that page. It is like the Big Daddy of all pizzas - with all your favourite toppings put on one crispy base to enjoy in one sitting. Yummy.

But as I drool at the prospect of this mighty meat feast of current events and happenings, something doesn't feel right. I feel overindulged - rather unworthy of such news decadence. And then it hits me - as it hits me every time I search Wikipedia - do I have too much knowledge at my fingertips? At an age where the Internet can reveal any lost detail or forgotten fact, such as the name of that drummer in some obscure 80's band, or who was the last player to miss a penalty in a FA Cup Final, we can revel in such technology to put our minds at rest and solve any disputes which are raised over a pint or two at the booozer. After all we are only human.

What worries me though is if that in the pursuit for knowledge, does curiosity really kill the cat? Do we have too much information on our beckoned call? And is the quality of the information on sites like Wikipedia something we should be basing our core understanding of certain subjects?

In the typical dystopian society born out of sci-fi novels the lack of information is usually the tried and tested method of enslaving and stupifying the masses, but can too much free-flowing information only enslave and harm the very people that contribute towards it?

My paranoia over the way we pass on these tit-bits of information I guess is born from a video game. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty has a fantastically deep, philosophically littered storyline I still thoroughly enjoy playing - but I'm sure it is a game I will never fully understand (thank God I seem to be in the majority here!).

To sum up what is a very complex storyline, a particular scene states how the Patriots (believed to be a mysterious group which are the true rulers of the world behind the puppet masters in public office) sort and filter through the human garbage of information that we produce to ensure that society remains intact. In this short exchange of words, 'The Colonel' and Rose, representations of this seemingly 'inhuman' group, are telling the protagonist Jack/Raiden how the human race is not fit to govern itself:

Colonel:	Ironic that although "self" is something that you yourself fashioned,
	every time something goes wrong, you turn around and place the blame on something else.
Rose:	It's not my fault. It's not your fault.
Colonel:	In denial, you simply resort to looking for another,
	more convenient "truth" in order to make yourself feel better.
Rose:	...leaving behind in an instant the so-called "truth" you once embraced.
Colonel:	Should someone like that be able to decide what is "truth"?
Rose:	Should someone like you even have the right to decide?
Colonel:	You've done nothing but abuse your freedom.
Rose:	You don't deserve to be free!
Colonel:	We're not the ones smothering the world. You are.
Rose:	The individual is supposed to be weak. But far from powerless --
	-- a single person has the potential to ruin the world.
Colonel:	And the age of digitized communication has given even more power to the individual.
	Too much power for an immature species.

OK OK, if I'm talking about a dystopian novel dialogue, that would probably fit the bill quite nicely; it would probably look right at home in 1984 or Brave New World. And yes, this is taken straight out of a plot line which is as incredibly Japanese as a microphone in a Downtown Tokyo bar. But those words still resonate a harsh reality of whether there is too much of an opportunity for freedom of speech on the Internet.

Take for example, the ever-growing popular and controversial viral docu-film, Zeitgeist; a damning conspiracy theory of how the world's banking corporations are working towards a Novus Ordo Mundi or One World Government by linking religion, 9/11 and the US Federal Reserve. Pretty glass-shattering stuff, which you really have to watch with an open mind. Some interesting points, but for me the jury is still out.

Anyway - a subject which fits nicely with the Metal Gear storyline above - this film has gathered quite a following online, despite hitting home the message that 9/11 was an inside job and that religion is purely a construction by 'biblical' politicians to ensure hegemonic status in society. Ideas which are met with much resistance in any social sphere. And although these ideas would face very little credibility or support in the halls of US democracy, they have a powerful base online to inform and influence.

I don't mean to discredit Zeitgeist in anyway, especially as it claims to have been produced with extensive, accurate research. With more people fuelling their theories and posting them online, we could celebrate such a diversity of free thought. But offshoots from possibly credible theories drift nearer to fantasy. The fact that some of these theories can be devised on the basis of little truth or the assumed truth from the Wikipedia does lead to a harrowing conclusion - the fact that if an unfounded idea is popular enough, it has the potential to rock society to the core. Its like spreading rumours on a larger scale - and we all know that's how fires start.

But if a "single man does have the potential to ruin the world" and that "digital communication has given more power to the individual", maybe as a species we think about smartening up a bit. And to do that, maybe when it comes to big league stuff we should give 'Wikiing' a miss from time to time.

Sing for Cardiff - or Wales?

Yes another football post from me and also another about my beloved Cardiff City, who have recently reached the FA Cup Final for the first time in 81 years. What can I say- these are exciting times for Bluebird fans!

So Barnsley have become the latest to bite the sword of Dave Jones’s men after a nervy semi final at the Twin Towers of Wembley. We were all shaking like a leaf when Odejayi had that clear-cut chance at goal, but just as if the Lord had offered his own divine intervention, the Tykes hitman put the ball wide. It’s another trip to Wembley, another scramble for those ‘golden tickets’ and another chance for the young Welsh stars of Ledley and Ramsey to showcase their talents to audiences across the globe.

However, as my last post highlighted, this amazing cup run has also brought up new complications of nationalities and technicalities, which threaten to undermine the FA Cup’s rules and tradition. Europe is one thorny issue for the FA bigwigs to untangle, but now it is the turn of our own politicians to stir up another qualm at Lancaster Gate.

The latest episode in the FA Cup saga has been instigated by the Sports Minister for the Welsh Assembly Government, Rhodri Glyn Thomas, by calling for the Welsh national anthem to be played on FA Cup Final day with God Save the Queen.

The minister has stated: "I hope the FA is going to be sensible about things because there will be great disappointment in Wales if we're not allowed to sing the national anthem”. With little surprise, his view has been echoed by proud Welshmen and Welshwomen who would love to hear Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau to spur on Cardiff City into beating Premiership high-flyers Portsmouth.

The fact that City have made the final has truly added to what has been a great year already for Welsh sport; from the Grand Slam rugby heroes to the Swans earning their promotion to the Championship. There’s no denying its great to be Welsh right now.

Welsh or not, commentators from both sides of the border have played down the idea of the national anthem being played at Wembley on May 17. Gwyn Davies from the Valley Rams Supporters Club is among those against the idea, as well as the Western Mail’s Head of Sport, Paul Abbandonato. The latter of the two fears that two anthems will encourage booing from rival fans, which is not appropriate for such a prestigious day in the fixture list. Talk Sport presenter Mike Parry, who was clearly incensed by the idea, has rather foolishly and tactlessly stated that Thomas’s role in Wales could be adequately covered by sports counterpart Richard Caborn at Westminster; a comment which could be taken very much as a slur on Wales and it’s very political process. A comment that I certainly do not agree with.

However when it comes down to it, I have to agree that Mae Hen should play no part in the FA Cup Final. I fear that the more we dress up City’s run as uniquely a Welsh phenomenon, the more we jeopardise any chance of them becoming a top-rate club in the Premier League. I agree that City should go to Europe, but Cardiff have to face the facts and become ‘English’ to do that. I’m not saying we should ‘drop trou’ to the FA as it were, but just remember to abide by their rules in their league as the ‘invited guests’ we are. If that means that we should be respecting time-old FA Cup traditions by allowing certain anthems to be played, we have to accept that.

I believe that we stand on the abyss at the moment for Cardiff’s future in the Football League, as Cardiff need to play ball with the FA to ensure that they can observe all the privileges they can possibly deserve. As all this furore goes on over the FA Cup, in the background the FAW are looking at ways it can reform the Welsh Premier. It is likely now that the Welsh Premier will be split into two leagues of ten teams, to increase competitiveness and maintain the integrity of the league. This is a reaction to the previously unpopular idea of having Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham field reserve squads in the Welsh Premier to give them a chance of earning European qualification via the Welsh football pyramid. To sum up, the subject of the ‘Welsh Exile Limbo’ hasn’t gone unnoticed by the FAW.

The FA will also be monitoring this closely, as they will have to reconsider the status of the Welsh Exiles for the long term. But as we in Wales continue to play both ends against the middle by wanting English league status with Welsh perks to boot, we should tread with caution. It would be devastating if one day Cardiff did break into the Top Four only to be denied entry to the Champions League because we pissed off the FA about aspects like these just to assert our nationality when it isn’t needed.

To emphasise the argument from Davies and Abbandonato, this isn’t England V Wales – no matter how much that duality seems glaringly obvious. Cardiff V Portsmouth is not a clash of nations, but simply two teams who play within the English football league. Although the Welsh factor is certainly some zest to the final, this should be a day about Cardiff City – who reached the final at the expense of other Welsh clubs, such as Swansea, Wrexham, or even Merthyr Tydfil or Newport County.

It begs the question whether the fans of those Welsh sides will actually root for the Bluebirds or will remain faithful to the regional rivalries which are well-known in Welsh football. The majority of non-Cardiff fans I’m sure will be supporting the South Coast club when the day comes.

If I were lucky enough to get to Wembley, I would belt out Gwlad, Gwlad until my lungs gave out if it meant the lads would be fired up by it. But in all honesty, I’m sure Men of Harlech, the anthem of Ninian Park, would have a much better effect on the likes of McPhail and Co.. A Welsh song through and through, I have no doubt the 25,000 Bluebirds will be raising the roof with the words to that immortal City hymn (or by replacing them with da-da-da-da-da-City, as it usually goes). This day is for Cardiff – and the rest of Wales if they are willing to wear blue for 90 minutes.