Reborn!

We're still here!

The last time I posted on here was February 2012. Since then, I've dabbled with a few other blogs, but  the Young Journo is reborn!

I'm 19 now. I'm in third year, and in less than 18 months' time I'll be leaving university and stepping out into the big bad world where I won't be able to get away with shelf stacking for a well known supemarket that isn't Asda, Sainsbury's or Morrisons at the weekend as my only source of income!

The idea is to post at least once a week on stuff I've seen, what I've done, people I've spoken to and so on.

So here goes!

State of the SPL address...

Could closing the gates of Ibrox lead to the SPL eventually closing its gates as well?

With Rangers announcing their intention to enter administration, the possible impact on Scottish football has to be examined. Rangers are one of the most successful clubs in the world football. Their 54 league titles are a record for domestic championship victories, and the club has a long and proud history dating back to their foundation in 1872. However, since Craig Whyte's takeover in May 2011 Rangers have been constantly dogged by off field problems. Now, the almost unthinkable has happened.

 It may be unfair to place the blame at Whyte’s door. Though rumours circulate that it was always his intention to take the club into administration, and his admission that Rangers’ tax bill may rise to £75 million, the decisions of previous regimes must be questioned. I’m here to talk about what the problems at Rangers may mean for the future of the SPL, and I’m sure in the coming days more will be revealed about the way the club is run, so we’ll move on.

 Rangers' looming administration spells disaster for Scottish football. So much of the advertising revenue the SPL brings in depends on the Old Firm’s presence. Sky and ESPN’s interest would quickly deteriorate in the Scottish game if all they had to show to a worldwide audience was Dundee Utd against St Mirren four times a season. Indeed, there is a clause in the broadcasting contract stating that both Rangers and Celtic must be in the SPL for the deal to continue.

 Looking at the average home attendances of the other clubs and comparing them to when Rangers are in town gives another reason why Rangers’ demise may equal SPL demise. Taking Kilmarnock as an example, though this applies to most clubs with the possible exception of Hearts, taking away their twice a season visit from Rangers would result in a huge loss of income. In a stadium the size of Rugby Park, Killie attract an average attendance of around 5,000, and that figure includes visits from both sides of the Old Firm this season. The attendance doubles as Rangers bring enough away supporters to fill both stands behind the goals at least, and missing out on this four times a season pay day (including Celtic’s visits) could mean that if Rangers do go into administration, or worse, they could take the likes of Kilmarnock with them.

 Without one half of the Old Firm, the league would perhaps become more competitive with Motherwell, Dundee Utd and the Edinburgh clubs realistically challenging for the title, but the question must be asked how long Celtic would stay in the SPL before seeking new challenges elsewhere. Unfortunately, no Rangers in the SPL may mean no Celtic. It may mean no TV deal, and that would certainly mean no money for the rest of the clubs. Rangers’ demise could lead to the demise of the SPL as we know it. The whole Scottish football landscape would change beyond recognition if one of the major powers in our game.

 No doubt the story will develop in the next few days as we learn more about the true turmoil at Ibrox, however for the moment, if I was a Celtic fan I would be putting the ice-cream back in the freezer.

The Secret State

Today, December 19, 2011, the world was informed of the death of Kim Jong-il. The North Korean leader died on Saturday, as a result of a heart attack brought on by "fatigue." He died on a train just outside the capital Pyongyang, at the age of 69. A national period of mourning has been announced, extending until 29 December. It is believed that his third son, 28-year-old Kim Jong-un, will succeed him.

How can the rest of the world believe this? North Korea is the only remaining Communist ditatorship in the world. Everything there is strictly censored. People are told what to think, who to believe, what to wear, what to say, how to behave- there is no freedom whatsoever. This is, or at least was, a state built around the leader, the all powerful cult of personality Kim Jong-il. His father, the founding father of North Korea, Kim Il-sung, is the religion. He died 17 years ago, but the propaganda of the leader has been engrained so far into the minds of the public that some refuse to acknowledge his death.

As a journalist, North Korea is a country that I would love to visit. For one day, I would love to be able to pull back the curtain that has blocked this totalitarian state from the view of the rest of the world, and catch a glimpse of what life is really like there. It's motto, "Powerful and Prosperous Nation" is a rich claim- a South Korean journalist once secretly filmed a young North Korean girl picking grass to eat. It seems that in North Korea, the Soviet Iron Curtain still has a hook to hang on to yet.

The world was offered a rare window into life in North Korea during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, when the national team played in the group stages. However, the country's government ensured the secret of life in the state remained- the "fans" were rumoured to be actors employed to wave North Korean flags at the games, with select others hand picked by Kim Jong-il himself. Their uniform appearance was exactly as the leader desired, and offered no light on the every day life of the people.

I would like to offer a few theories on the death of the leader. Firstly, though the news was announced this morning by a tearful newsreader on state television, Kim Jong-il could have been dead for any length of time. How do we know that he didn't die last month or last year? The announcement of his death could have been delayed until the government felt the time was right. His age- given as 69- is a mystery, and official propaganda would have you believe that he was born in the North Korean mountains as two rainbows lit up the sky. It is believed that he was actually born in Vyatskoye in Soviet Russia.

Is it any coincidence that on the day of his death South Korean officials reported North Korean missiles being fired? This may have been yet another propaganda ploy, to show that North Korea is still strong even at a time of weakness. The footage of the people weeping in the city is also bizarre. There seems to be a robotic pattern to their grieving, like they are puppets on a string. To outsiders looking in, North Korea is a strange and intimidating bubble.

The death of Kim Jong-il could be a chance to burst that bubble. Politicians worldwide have encouraged the nation to step forward into the twenty first century, move on and grow out of the depths of Communist despair. This will not happen. North Korea will press ahead with its nuclear programme, its space programme,  its overall  theatre production, and although Kim Jong-il no longer plays the starring role, the people are still, and always will be the puppets.

Look out world.

Signing out.

What I have learned....

I have been a student now for 3 months. Having just finished my first semester at uni, I wanted to share a few things I've learned since starting in September.

Firstly, buses are always late. Trains are always late. And both are always full, of inconsiderate and ignorant commuters. I would've moved my bag no problem, Godzilla, there was no need for you to pick it up and throw it on the floor so that you can sit next to me, with your bad smell, and massive elbows, wedging themselves into me. I have encountered many Godzilla commuters on my travels, and they annoy me.

Secondly, I am always skint. Always. This is mostly down to spending money I don't really have on things I don't really need. For example, pre-owned games, countless sausage rolls, and sale rail clothes. Then, I take my newly purchased pile of pointless junk home, and moan about not having any money. Lack of money will not prevent alcohol consumption though, there is always enough for that. Or not, based on my current bank balance.

Thirdly, I always leave things to the last minute. The rush to learn ridicolous shorthand squiggles for the exam in ten minutes a particular problem. Test tomorrow? No worries, I'll go out/play FIFA all night/whatever, and study in the morning. That has also happened, still passed though!

I have learned plenty, not just in the classroom! I love being a student, despite all of the above.

On that note, two essays are due in the next week, and here I am frittering away time, again.

Signing Out!

Blog Debut!

On the advice of my uni tutors, I have started my blog. They have called blogging a shop window for journlists, and essential for those who want to achieve things in journalism, which I do. So here we are.

I am going to use my blog as a tool for posting my views about anything and everything, covering a whole range of topics, with some of my uni work thrown in as well.

I have to be honest and say that when it comes to blogs, I'm clueless. So, to whoever finds this first - share it, tweet it, comment it, follow it, whatever you want - thank you!

The Young Journo blog is born!