And the Bafta for the Most Ridiculous Political Scandal goes to...

Oh Silvio, you just couldn't make this up...

For those who haven't heard, that bastion of political correctness and shining example of democracy in action, Silvio Berlusconi, is to stand trial. For sleeping with a prostitute. Who was underage. And then allegedly attempted to get her out of police custody for a separate offence. Because he thought she was the grand-daughter of another world leader.

Wait, it gets better... His trial is to be presided over by three female judges, and if convicted, he could face up to fifteen years in prison. Now, it is obviously not my place to say whether he's guilty or not - let's leave that decision to what is clearly an unbiased legal panel. But we need only consider his previous record, which includes allegations (proven?) of fraud, and a wealth of testimony from women young enough to be his grandchildren about his frequently successful attempts to seduce them, to get the impression that there may be some factual basis to these current accusations.

Oh, the benefits of high office... Image taken from the Daily Telegraph, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2971255/Silvio-Berlusconi-keeps-an-eye-on-the-new-Miss-Italy.html

To be honest, part of me wishes Berlusconi was British. I mean, don't get me wrong, our politicians aren't exactly saints, and they've produced many an amusing story in the last few years, but none manage to defy moral and political boundaries on such a frequent basis as Berlusconi. The closest we've got is a clip of Boris Johnson discovering live on camera that his wife had changed the locks to their house, moments after having told reporters gathered outside that, despite allegations of him having an affair, their relationship was as good as ever. Yet even Boris knows when he's done wrong, and is smart enough to concede this publically when evidence of his errors emerge. Compare that to Berlusconi who, when this story initially broke, replied to a packed conference hall with something along the lines of "Well, yes, but it's better than being gay, eh?!" What. A. Moron. Then again, if he was British, we'd probably be complaining less about the fact that he'd slept with an underage prostitute and more about the fact that he'd attempted to claim it on expenses.

While many Italians will hope that, even if he's not convicted, the media frenzy surrounding the trial might at least force Berlusconi to resign and allow Italian politics to regain some sort of respect and dignity (not that it ever really had any to begin with...), comedians around the globe will be praying that he survives intact, because if he does go, satire will have lost a loyal and devoted friend...

An Ode to Music...

Victor Hugo once said, "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent." Never a truer sentiment were said. I've never met someone who doesn't enjoy music of some description. That is an incredible thing, because it means that, for all our individualities, our different personalities, our different cultures and languages, for all our backgrounds, we can all be linked by this passionate expression of emotion. Some find it through rock, others through pop, through rap, R&B, opera or classical or the countless number of other musical styles, but whichever particular brand is the catalyst for you, music is virtually unique in its ability to evoke emotion in everyone.

Gigs demonstrate this unifying experience more than anything else. I'm lucky enough to have seen, in my opinion, some pretty great bands play some pretty iconic songs. One incident that springs to mind is seeing Oasis play Wonderwall, in the middle of which the sound system cut out, only for the crowd, with barely the slightest of pauses, to carry on singing all the same. And Noel, Liam et al. just stood there on stage, watching in awe, as 60,000 people around Wembley stadium belted out the lyrics to one of the most popular songs of our generation.

I love music, and have a crazy range of musical taste - anything in between Tchaikovsky and Metallica, and you're likely to find something that I'll enjoy. Yet for me, everything pales in comparison to U2, and particularly to seeing them live. Among my friends, that's often a controversial choice - Bono, despite his best efforts, is hardly the World's favourite person, and I can understand how his constant preaching can get on people's nerves. Personally, I'd like to think that he's a genuine guy, but who knows. Either way, he is the lead singer of what is, without question, my favourite band. U2 are music for me, because they're the first band I ever really listened to. I've grown up listening to their music, and as a consequence, their albums have become something of a soundtrack to my life. Particular songs stand out - classics like Beautiful Day, One, With or Without You, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, or lesser known songs such as the brilliant Ultraviolet (Light My Way), the emotionally charged Kite and In A Little While, or the more recent Breathe, which will always occupy a special place among my musical favourites for being the first song I ever saw the band perform live.

But one track stands out above them all. Any rock fan will acknowledge that Where The Streets Have No Name is a truly brilliant song, and one which, when performed live, is, for me, as good as music gets. Whenever it starts to play on my iPod, I am transported back to the Olympiastadion in Munich, where I saw the band play last summer. It's the encore, and Bono steps up to the microphone with his acoustic guitar and sings an eerie first verse of Amazing Grace. As he finishes the line 'Was Blind, But Now I See...', the undertones of an organ can be distinguished in the background, and the crowd starts to cheer...they know what's coming. And then that riff rings out in the Bavarian night sky, sending shivers down the spine and a wave of energy around the stadium, and as the tempo increases, the 80,000 strong crown begin to undulate in unison, electrified by the rhythm and held together by music so powerful that you can't help but scream along with it, as it physically draws the breath out of your lungs...

That is what music can do. I don't doubt that that song probably doesn't have the effect on most of you that it does on me. Indeed you may think my choice of music is utter crap, and that's entirely your prerogative! But I'm equally sure that a song does make you feel that way, and that you can therefore undertand the point that I'm trying to make - that music has the ability to make all of us forget where we are, what we're doing, any problems or worries that we might have, and can envelope us in a state in which there is nothing but the music and the rhythm, and where we feel, if only for a few minutes, that anything is possible. And every now and then, we all need that escape. So, if you've read this far, stop whatever else you're doing, and take the next 5 minutes to go and listen to a song, any song, that makes you feel that way.

And if anyone happens to be a fan of U2, here's a link to a great live version of Where The Streets Have No Name. It may not be Munich, but it's the closest I can find...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKC5qKTeJ9k&feature=fvw