Heart warming! That's what today was. I 'opened' a park bench. This bench is dedicated to the memory of Paul Eddington (of the Good Life, Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister). He used to live in Park Avenue North, in my constituency, and the Warner Estates Residents Association (WERA) - mainly in the form of Joyce Prosser - organised the fund-raising for the bench. Moreover, the bench is on Priory
Whilst the entire Education Lifelong Learning and Skills Committee, including all the opposition Education Spokespeople are in Denmark on a fact-finding trip the Minister makes a major announcement abolishing coursework for GCSEs. Coincidence? You tell me. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology it did not stop us commenting, but it would have been so much better if we could have scrutinised the proposal properly in Committee or by way of a statement in Plenary. It seems that we are firmly ensconced in the era of Government by press release.
The air, the air, twas God who made the air,The air, the air, that all of us must share,Why should we be beggars when democracy's our heir,God made the air for the people. (with apologies to the great political song...:) But it makes a point. The other day I said I wanted to return to one or two things that Chris Huhne said about climate change. Apparently carbon trading is better than carbon taxing because, said Chris, the incentive of being able to trade away your surplus allowance and make some money is a bigger incentive than simply saving ...
I really, really have missed the Internet: Image credit: The Great Architect via B3ta.
Rayleigh Lib Dems had our October walk along the Paglesham sea wall today. No politics , just fresh air and a chance of a chat. The weather was very kind... Trevor Powell used to be councillor for this area, but he now lives somewhere less urban.. The remains of HMS Beagle are in these waters... Paglesham Church ! And then lunch at the Punchbowl...
The repair to the mosaic in Tay Square is not yet finished as the photo (right) testifies to but I am assured by the City Council that its all in hand & will be finished soon. It'll be good to see the mosaic (in front of the Rep) properly restored. A busy Saturday helping my sister in law (Cllr Helen Dick) & her team deliver part of Strathmartine Ward - and - what a team! - delivered in no-time. Offered to help Sunday - not needed, all done! But I've a West End leaflet to write, so ...
Steve Levy has a fascinating article in the Guardian "Weekend" magazine today called: "Oh No, Not Steely Dan again". It relates examples where the "random" shuffle on the iPod doesn't seem so random. In fact, there have been reports of the shuffle mechanism taking on human characteristics or, going further, assuming the feelings of the iPod owner...Steely Dan tracks appearing every 10 minutes,
The struggle for action against climate change is one Lib Dems have played their part in, with a proud environmentalist tradition that has only got stronger in recent years. In arguing that climate change science is compelling, we are happy to make common cause with people from any other political stripe. To demonstrate the problem, [...]
Today was our first weekend open day for our college - you settle in new lower sixths and it's time to advertise for next year's intake! It's also just two weeks until half term. Teaching might be challenging and manic but there are a l' o' holidays too! Was in London on Monday for a 'Change up to functionalism' conference. I'll not be the only teacher on the planet who needs help to change-up to
It's holiday time! Can you guess where I'm going? I like the country; it's my kind of colour. PS Note to Mr Fenwick: it's ok, this time your membership sub isn't paying for my airfare. Though I probably won't be able to travel in such style as last time, boo hoo.
Going.... Going.... Gone Another brilliant community mosaic devised by Save the World Club is revealed to the world. And where can you see this one - and its sister mosaic not far away? Well, in the middle of a roundabout above the A3! Take any of the paths across the Tolworth Underpass and you will see these...
This is one of the families that took the oath of allegiance and became British Citizens today at a ceremony at the Guildhall. I really enjoy these occasions and find them quite moving.
Dyamics of Cats (what else could you call a blog on astrophysics?) wondered if the US was teeing up for a strike at Iran in October. The Yorkshire Ranter thinks not and has some pretty compelling arguments why not.
Two apparent potential terrorists have been arrested, in a raid that uncovered the biggest ever haul of explosive material found in Britain. So why is this not on every front page?
Lembit Őpik has famously claimed that his name was devised in a scrabble competition. Now the Culture Minister, Alun Pugh, has proved that scrabble is not necessarily a good game to get yourself into. Today's Western Mail reports that Mr. Pugh spent £2,000 of public money getting permission to use a picture of himself alongside the board game Scrabble on his official Christmas card. The paper says that: "the Assembly Government defended the spending, saying Mr Pugh, whose portfolio also includes responsibility for the Welsh language, was promoting the Welsh version of the game. The total cost ... 
... that's the cost of Royal Mail's mistakes in Oxfordshire. On 20th August, I applied to Royal Mail under the Freedom of Information Act for some information about how they handle complaints made against them: - how many are made in Oxford, - what’s the cause, - how many are upheld, and - what is the cost? A mere 31 days later - 11 days longer than by law they are obliged to respond - I’ve got
Friday: Mr Jack Man O' Straw started the day off by politely asking that lady Muslims please remove their veils when they are in his constituency surgery so that he can better communicate with them. This being politics, the story has of course spiralled out of control, but if we just stick to that polite request then I think I can say that Mr Jack OUGHT to be able to say that. After all, the Muslim lady can always say "No thank you" can't she. We live in a society where it is IMPORTANT that we are able to ...
Thursday: Good News! For all lovers of shiny silver discs, the scratch on our laminated surface recently has been the impending WAR TO THE DEATH between the formats for the next generation of viewing delight. HD or Highly Desirable telly is on its way and the pictures are just TOO GOOD to go on my lovely DVDs: it is time to get a replacement which is able to hold lots, lots more of the little Lego bricks that are used for making the pictures on the telly. To compare: a DVD can contain 4.7 GB which stands for "gosh, ...
Wednesday: Yes, I KNOW this was on on Tuesday, but we RECORDED it in order that Daddy could get into a conniption about "The Ambitious Mrs Pilchard". But this was MUCH more MY sort of thing, with SPIES and HELICOPTERS and VATICAN NINJA SECRET-POLICE and everything. Not enough CARS though! So what's going on here then? Well, it is ITV so obviously they are breaking into the old vault and instead of filching an old detective ("Lewis", "Cracker", "Prime Suspect") they are going a bit further back and trying to steel the clothes of one of the classy ...
Today saw me back on the leafleting trail for the first time since returning from holiday. It was great to meet up with fellow Lib Dems again, as Cllrs Vic D’Albert, Andrew Garner and I headed out with fistfuls of Focuses. We leafleted Agecroft Rd today, and I did a bit more around my house when I got home. We were handing out the new issue of St Mary’s Focus, highlighting some of the issues I’ve
Can't help it - everytime I hear news about Afghanistan, my heart skips a beat. My nephew Matthew is amongst the latest deployment of troops sent out there. We have known he was going for months after his last promotion.It's what he wants to do and is a committed soldier - taking every posting in his stride. The family is extremely proud of him. Listening to Tony Blair addressing military personnel on the fifth anniversary of operations in that country on the TV last night - Blair promises 'more for troops' He says British ...
Ruth Carnall is the Chief Executive of the new London Strategic Health Authority. I wanted to see her because at the recent public meeting on Hornsey Hospital it was made clear that a parcel of land from the site is to be sold off. Now - it is one thing if it is sold and all the money comes back into developing a new health facility on the site – but another if the money disappears into some distant pot and we here are left high and dry without hospital, without the land and without the dosh! Where the money ...
Tuesday: The Nobel Prize for Physics 2006 has been awarded to John C Mather and George F Smoot, for their study of the COSMIC MICROWAVE BACKGROUND. This is IMPORTANT stuff about how the Universe began! "How did the universe begin?" I think we are all taught that it began with a "BIG BANG", but in these troubled days of CREATIONISTS trying to muddy the waters, perhaps it would be a good idea to know that the "Big Bang" is NOT just some theoretical ASSUMPTION but is something that scientists called ASTRONOMERS have worked out from EVIDENCE. You might say, "How ...
I expect us to beat Macedonia easily. A classical historian writes: Ah, but that's what the Athenians and the Persians said.
Monday: It has been announced that LIMBO is to be abolished! The decision has been DENOUNCED by the "Transubstantial Sporting Herald" as it throws into doubt the undecided spiritual realm's hosting of this year's inter-dimensional Jamaican dancing competition: " Limbo in Limbo in Limbo " read the headlines!
Now before I start I must say Jack Straw is fully intitled to make a gaffe as much as the next man, we life in a country where there is freedom of speech. However, one of the reasons he gives for asking women to remove their veil is that he thought we lived in a society where watching facial expressions was important for contact between different people. Look over your shoulder on the right Jack
Sunday: Nuff said
It was great to see a thoughtful piece about the coup in Thailand from Paul Cheesman in this weeks Liberal Democrat News. I don't know if the article is available on the web (if anyone does know please let me know) so I will attempt to precis what he had to say here. Paul Cheesman's Article Many people believe that the coup has stunted democracy in Thailand. However, this is not the case, democracy in Thailand was stunted in 2001 when the first single party government took power. Thai Rak Thai promised 45p healthcare for the poor, farmer ...
On {Checking out possible new locations for the police in Muswell Hill with the local Safer Neighbourhood Team} Thursday it was off with Sgt Paul Saunders, head of the Muswell Hill Safer Neighbourhood Team to look for suitable premises to re-house two of teams in the community. The Met Police are looking to put the community teams right in the heart of the community they serve - which is the right idea. The idea is to have four main central locations in Haringey for key functions: detention and custody; administration; response teams etc and then each neighbourhood to have ...
Thanks to MEP group leader Diana Wallis: she's spending the morning campaigning in Scarborough on our Green Tax Switch policies with PPC Tania Exley-Moore and Cllr Brian O'Flynn. This afternoon Diana and Tania are going to sea with a Whitby shell fisherman to discuss fisheries policy. Rather them than me: it's blowing a force five and it could be pretty wet and bumpy out there. I may pop down and interview them afterwards, and post the first political arthropodcast.
Saturday: "Oh... you have caught me doing the washing up!" What a week it has been for Mr Balloon! Everybody has been watching his EXCITING, INNOVATIVE and NOT-IN-ANY-WAY-ENTIRELY-STAGED new home movie: "Candy Cameron" in which cameras hidden around his million pound mansion in Knitting Hill try to catch Mr Balloon in a series of embarrassing policy lapses. Hilarious! My friend Mr Will certainly thought so! Meanwhile, my other friend Mr Councillor Stephen Tall has been trying to take my place as the FURRIEST Liberal Democrat Blogger. ...
According to today's Scotsman a survey by the BBC shows that 565 of people support green taxes even in air transport and motoring become more expensive. Since Gordon Brown has been Chancellor green taxes have fallen from 9.3% to 8.3% of total UK taxation. He also talked of the threat to our planet from climate change at the recent Labour Conference but failed to say what he would do about it, so
When I got stuck queuing for my pass as the Lib Dem observer at the Tory conference on Monday, Francis Maude arrived to tell everyone he was terribly sorry about the cock up and it was all the fault of the police. I just happened to video it! The best bit is at the end. Enjoy. Francis Maude video
What Jack Straw said about Muslim women wearing veils has been "big news" over the last couple of days, and I was unsure myself what my own opinion was on the issue. It is rare that I have no opinion on any issue, so for once, I thought about it and did some reading. Firstly, I felt that Jack Straw has the right to say whatever he thinks on this issue given that we have freedom of speech and expression in the UK. There are those who would wish us not to have these rights anymore when it comes ...
I loved this quote from Frank Zappa that I heard on the radio documentary about him this morning: "If you want to get laid - go to college. If you want an education - go to a library."
wants entries. It's not considered egregious to nominate one of your own entries, so toddle over and give 'em some of your best real British Liberal thang.
England play against Macedonia today in a Euro Championships qualifier. I cannot remember missing an England game on TV in probably the last 20 years, but I have to go back almost as far to remember actually enjoying the experience. That isn't entirely true, I did enjoy England beating German 5-1, but aside from that, I always find watching England a little painful, a bit like having a dull stomach ache, generally, not a particularly pleasant experience. So why is this ? I was listening to BBC Five Live yesterday and they touched on to the issue, and ...
Wikipedia quotes an extract from Ali G's interview with Jacob Rees-Mogg: Ali G: So what if you got busy with my sister? You wouldn't like it 'cos she ain't the cleanest girl out there! Um, well it can be arranged. She'd be keen! Rees-Mogg: You speculating on my having a relationship with somebody I've never met and that leading to a child being born and then as to what class it might be is so ... uh ... far fetched ... um ... as to be ridiculous. I have no idea what.. Ali G: What you think ...
Hot Ginger and Dynamite notices the recent travails of Jacob Rees-Mogg and remarks: I’m sure he’ll be hoping for better luck than his predecessor as Conservative PPC for the seat, Chris Watt. During the 2005 general election, mischevious constituents visited the roadside farmland on which his large ‘WATT’ signs were displayed, and added a ‘T’ before his name. Photograph of Rees-Mogg by Colin McPherson.
The Observer Blog is asking readers to name what we think is the best football movie ever made. Too easy: it has to be Escape to Victory, released 25 years ago. Some cite Max von Sydow's sensitive protrayal of a Nazi-wth-a-heart. But, for me, it's the way Pelé acts Sylvester Stallone off the screen. It's either the worst best film ever made, or the best worst film. Either way it should win.
We see the hysterical results of Jack Straw's comments this morning. The Daily Express leads the charge with "BAN THE VEIL": "CONCERNED Britons gave massive backing last night to calls for Muslim women to ditch the veil." Jack Straw has a right to raise the issue of the Niqab. (I have to admit, though, that the idea of him asking ladies to remove their Niqab, while they are sitting in front of
New research shows that cannabis has further medicinal properties. It's time to rethink its criminalisation.
As we head out of Copenhagen I leave with another interesting fact about Denmark. A recent poll found that seventy four per cent of Danes believe that they pay too little in tax. Amongst the supporters of the right wing ruling coalition those who subscribe to this view amount to fifty four per cent. David Cameron must be jealous. The photo shows Jeff Cuthbert, Owen John Thomas, Janet Ryder and Christine Chapman getting acquainted with Copenhagen's famous mermaid statue.
The Independent highlights a new wheeze for attacking drug users: Motorists who take drugs face 'zero-tolerance' policy A policy of "zero-tolerance" towards motorists who take drugs and drive is being considered by the Home Office. Drivers caught with traces of drugs in their bodies, even if their driving is unaffected by the illegal substances, would be punished, under the tough proposals by police chiefs. At the moment, apparently, police have to use some physical tests to see whether the drug is impairing fuction - presumably a little like the old "go along the white line with ...
Well, do you reckon he asked Saudi Arabia’s Prince Saud Al-Faisal to take it off? Me either.
For the last few days, US politics has been in thrall to the revelations surrounding Republican Congressman, Mark Foley, accused of ‘sex chat’ with two underage male pages. This clip from Jon Stewart’s Daily Show gives the flavour: No-one enjoys a laugh at Republican expense more than me - but this report from the Washington Times might give us some pause for thought: The blogs giveth, but | < | October 2006 | > | ||||
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