The videos continue...

Hot on the heels of Gordon Brown's 'selective green policy' comes yet another golden moment of uncaptured politics.

Some may question our 'special relationship' between the UK and the USA but the proof is in...

Islamic Martyr?

Saddam Hussein has lost his 'appeal', he will be executed at some point during the next four weeks.

I am concerned that the Iraqi government (fully supported by the USA and the UK) will do nothing more than make things worse by taking the life of yet another human being in this so-called-war on terror.

Saddam may be guilty of war crime but how does anyone benefit from his death? How can anyone from these so-called 'civilised' countries, continue to bay for his blood?

Saddam will be murdered under the law, his execution will be fully condoned by the UK, a nation which supposedly objects to capital punishment and the fundamentalists will now have a new face for their battle of hatred. Thousands more will die under the name of Saddam, both in Iraq and probably the USA and the UK too.

I am sick of duplicitous governments talking justice and democracy whilst overthrowing regimes and executing their leaders. Its not good enough to claim the moral high-ground and then execute a man. They may try to say this is an Iraqi decision but they are fooling nobody.

Come on Tony... If we don't support the death penalty here in the UK then why don't you speak out about this and try to get the sentence commuted to life? I don't think this will happen but lets not be too surprised when the troubles in Iraq deepen. With Saddam's death, the Iraqi's, Americans and Brits have signed thousands of other death warrants too.

Working with Wigan Athletic

Some of my freelance work involves teaming up with Wigan Athletic FC where I work as a Schools Co-ordinator.

The club has a big blue 'We Are Wigan' bus that's kitted out with state of the art media production gear and laptops. The bus then rolls up to the venue and we deliver media-based schools work which usually involves the students creating a radio programme.

Needless to say, the bus is very popular indeed in the community and within the schools. especially if we have a few players onboard or other special 'guests' for our visitors to interview.

This last month, the bus has been visiting a special needs school in Wigan and we've all been working hard to make a documentary style video/radio programme to tell people what kind of things go on in school and how people's individual needs are identified and catered for. The pupils have all worked very hard on this project and although I am still putting the finishing touches to the video, it looks great!

We've had some help along the way from a few of the Latics players, Neil Turner MP and other people of equal importance, and for me, its been a real privilege to have worked in a school with such a positive and forward-thinking ethos.

Pictured in this post is Peter who visited the bus to receive a signed team poster.

Can you spot the difference?

Most people who have been keeping up with things over the last few days will know roughly whats going on in the USA.

The story is still unfolding and with one state yet to declare but anyone who lives outside the USA (and there are one or two of us) may wonder what exactly has changed since yesterday?

The President may still be sat in the Oval Office and he still has the authority to push some pretty nasty buttons but apart from that, pretty much everything has changed.

The USA runs as a 'republic' whereas the UK runs as a 'constitutional sovereignty'. There are lots of differences, some subtle, some not-so-subtle and one of the main differences center around the offices of President and Prime minister.

Here in the UK, the head of the 'ruling' party holds the office of PM but in the states, the two entities are quite separate. The President holds office quite separately from the 'ruling party' and thats whats changed yesterday. The old ruling party (Republicans) are out and the Democrats are in. Thats a little bit like Tony Blair waking up tomorrow to find that the 'Tories' are now 'in' but he's still Prime minister.

Thats why this is very big news indeed. For the remaining two years of George Walker Bush's presidency, his party won't hold majority rule in overall government. The way in which the USA runs will change and this could affect the war, the economy and maybe the way the USA faces up to environmental issues too.

I've often thought that some bits of US politics seem better, not just the fact that they see a new President at least every 8 years but it may be a case of the grass being greener on the other side.

So as all the dust settles, there will be some changes stateside and you may not need to look too closely to see some of them either.