Free stuff from Gatenbys Giveaway
I can't believe this actually works - but this is my link to get free stuff Friday 16th February 2007
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I can't believe this actually works - but this is my link to get free stuff 10:31 pm
Cameron under attack... from Duncan
Just the other day we reported on Edward Leigh's outspoken attack on his leader. Leigh is , of course a Tombstoner, part of the Conservative "Moral Minority" faction. Alan Duncan hardly has the same credentials. But he has started Cameron bashing too. 10:04 pm
We can cut.........gun crime?
There are days when I wonder if I can be more upset or feel more powerless..........today is such a day. The spate of killings in South London, the horror of 15 year olds with their whole lives ahead of them gunned down in their homes beggars belief. I have spent most of my adult life working with young people, I believe in them absolutely and will defend them against the nonsense of ASBOs, the idea that having a hoodie makes you a prospective criminal (as my pal Tom Wylie says - I blame the Franciscans!) and the notion that at ... 8:51 pm
Chchchchchchchanges...
This isn't new, but Jon Alwyn's Facebook profile has it as a posted item, and it never ceases to remind me that Cameron is the new Blair and would have me in stitches, if my shoulder wasn't so much agony! 8:26 pm
Dulwich Leisure Centre set for £5million investment
The priority paid to the need to find investment for Dulwich pool by local councillors has paid off as Southwark Council’s Executive has confirmed a massive £5million investment to bring Dulwich Leisure Centre into the 21st Century. Dulwich Leisure Centre will be an early beneficiary of a massive and sustained investment in leisure facilties across Southwark that I am [...] 8:24 pm
Can you say who Eleftherios Venizelos, Constantine Karamanlis and Andreas Papandreou Are?
I remember who Andreas Papandeous is. But Eleftherios Venizelos and Constantine Karamanlis? I am struggling with them. At Madame Tussaud's today, I noticed that they smuggle in two or three Greek politicians into the display of waxworks. Why? Some explanation is given here. The Greek tourism minister unveiled the waxworks last November to secure Anglo-Greek relations and all that sort of thing. 8:19 pm
Blears causes hyperventilation
Stephen Tall reports that a nation holds its breath, and treats us to a Paxofest into the bargain. Medical advice needed. If you are getting too excited over Hazel Blears possibly about to announce that she may run for deputy leader of the Labour party, a simple brown paper bag may do the trick. Sit down. Breathe into the brown paper bag. ...Should calm you down. 8:08 pm
The Fear Merchants
It’s almost automatic that I recommend The Avengers each week, but while tonight’s on BBC4 at 11.30 remains head and shoulders above most TV, some Avengers are higher up than others. An ‘automatic’ feel is indeed the downside to this story of hi-tech business efficiency. The first colour episode shown was remarkably silly; this one by contrast is severe and colourless (except for Emma’s hideous mustard smock), but for a story all about fear, curiously un-thrilling. It’s not a patch on next Thursday and Friday’s showing of Escape in Time, where they suddenly turn on the colour and the fun. ... 8:07 pm
Soap Theft
More from Carl Sagan’s excellent The Demon-Haunted World. He tells us that, according to alien abductee Betty Hill, the pesky visitors from outer space “frequently help themselves to some of [the abductee’s] belongings, such as fishing rods, jewelry of different types, eyeglasses or a cup of laundry soap”. Remember that, and next time you see a [...] 7:46 pm
Cameron's load of old cobblers
I have an admission to make. In my darkest moments, at around 02.10 hours, when one wakes up and checks the clock and thinks "Oh no, how am I going to get back to sleep again?", I do think that David Cameron might actually be a liberal and that the Liberal Democrats might actually be....choose your words carefully Paulus, you've already written "cobblers" in the title and the vicar night read 
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Snuggery in Clun
From the South Shropshire Journal: A row between past and present members of a hall committee deepened this week after one group was alleged to have chopped down trees and bushes at a children’s play area through fear of paedophiles hiding behind them.What is snuggery? Explanation here. 6:49 pm
Osborne crouching amongst the yoghurts
My House Points column from today's Liberal Democrat News. Osborne's approaches were discussed in an earlier posting on this blog. Osborne overtures According to the Daily Mail, George Osborne has been trying to persuade senior Liberal Democrats to defect to the Tories. The paper has claimed that no fewer than three MPs have been the subject of these approaches. The way the Mail tells it, our MPs hardly dare enter their offices for fear of the shadow chancellor leaping out from behind the umbrella stand and trying to suborn them. “We’ll find you a safe seat,” he ... 6:42 pm
Ming more popular than Dave
Visit the webcameronuk channel on YouTube, and you can view the nine most recent videos recorded by David Cameron for his vlog. To date they have, collectively, been viewed a grand total of 377 times, an average of 42 views each. Visit the Liberal Democrats channel, and you can view the nine most recent videos recorded by Ming, Norman Lamb and Nick Clegg. To date they have, collectively, been 6:35 pm
Collection Box
Here is another opportunity for readers to help save ResonanceFM. Let me just point out that the station’s financial circumstances are dismal and Your Help Is Needed. A collection of rarities by (or including) your favourite Hooting Yardist is going up for auction. Many of these items predate the Wilderness Years (1993-2002), and this may [...] 6:29 pm
Bleary viewing
Inspiration for Friday’s regular YouTube clip was provided by Jonathan Calder’s sly post, Hazel Blears: A nation holds its breath, which has the nerve to suggest that an announcement of an announcement by the Labour Party chairman that she may, or may not, contest the deputy leadership is not the world’s most earth-shattering event. Anyway, this six-minute ‘Best of Paxman’ clip-fest includes the 5:27 pm
Ryanair... no frills at all
I have just flown back from Malta where I have had a splendid three days discovering the island, eating at wonderful restaurants and drinking chilled, crisp wine. I have to admit I flew by one of those low cost airlines, Ryanair and I am beginning to think I will never fly them again. Not only are you restricted by the weight of your luggage and then having your dignity stripped when your 5:22 pm
Calling All Stations Between Free And Fair
How is shipping fuel taxed? I ask for two reasons. Firstly, because for all the discussion of aviation taxes, the global economy does not yet revolve around air freight and all those ships have to burn oil and the results of that burning have to go somewhere. But secondly, and more importantly, I ask because I support fair trade and that does not make me guilty of liberal thoughtcrime. One of 5:21 pm
Hypocricy of BBC critics - Damned if they do, damned if they don't
Plans for the BBC to gain some revenue by including adverts on its internet services for overseas surfers, the British Internet Publisher Alliance (BIPA) has come out against the plans, claiming it will diminish the BBC's reputation for impartiality and will deny revenue to the BBC's competitors. When you realise that BIPA members include Trinity Mirror and Sky TV, isn't this a bit hypocritical ? Sky, for example, always claim that Sky News is impartial. But it carries adverts. Are sky now admitting that they are not impartial ? What about Sky constant complain that the BBC ... 5:18 pm
MyBlogLog and Gravatar
Just reading the MyBlogLog Blog and have discovered that they’ve been swallowed up by Yahoo! Hopefully new servers and stuff should mean that they have less downtime and better spam filters. Then whilst wandering about the web I noticed the Gravatar is back up and running, although as much as the claims about servers being [...] 5:18 pm
Residents wish their voice to be heard
I understand that following the resignation of two Lib Dem Buckhurst Hill parish councillors 10 residents have signed a declaration calling for a by-election. Subsequently there will be a by-election on Thurs 22 March. This is in stark contrast to Conservatives claims in the recent Grange Hill by-election where they complained that the election was being called 6 months before the next round of 4:20 pm
We would protect carers’ rights
Trust in Wales Ymddiried yng Nghymru Welsh Lib Dem health spokesperson Jenny Randerson, AM for Cardiff Central, said: “Carers perform a role in the life of our nation which is too easy to overlook, and impossible to overestimate. “The Welsh Liberal Democrats will introduce an Assembly Measure (law) for Carers’ Rights. This will include the right to information and the right to an independent assessment of their needs, which would include provision for respite care. “Carers are often so committed to others they don’t take enough care of their own interests. We know ... 4:17 pm
We would introduce better bus contracts
Welsh Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Kirsty Williams, AM for Brecon and Radnorshire, said: “An expansion in our use of public transport is a must if we are seriously to tackle climate change. But first we must make public transport services more responsive to what people actually need and want. “We will make it easier for local authorities and the Assembly Government to adopt and introduce bus contracts that will get the public out of their cars and onto buses. “Through quality bus contracts we expect to see councils or a partnership of councils have the power to ... 4:09 pm
Stuart Lee on Joe Pasquale
This is one of my favourites from Stuart Lee’s 2005 set. I saw him perform this live in the more intimate setting of Crouch End’s “Downstairs at the Kings Head”, however I think it works just as well in front of a big audience: 4:06 pm
Washingwell Woods and Watergate Park
Just a video I shot in the woodland and parkland near Sunniside, the village in which I live in Gateshead. Much of the parkland was a mining area but was restored in the 1990s. 3:57 pm
Get Your Act Together!
Trevor Snaith has criticised local Tories over their running of the Councils recycling scheme. “It is a joke, we are told to recycle, yet turn up at any recycling point and you are often faced with overflowing bins with rubbish everywhere” said Trevor Snaith this week, “local Tories need to get their act together and start [...] 3:37 pm
Today, Lib Dem Blogs, tomorrow, the North East!
A few weeks ago our North East regional morning newspaper, The Journal, announced they were setting up what is effectively a blogs aggregator of people in the region and invited bloggers both current and prospective to be included. So I sent off an email. The editor has just sent me this message: We're hoping to roll our Journal Blog Central in the next couple of weeks. I've been meeting most 3:29 pm
From lecture theatre to court room; reflections on the U.S.
Not mine, though; those of Prof. Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, as published in The Independent. I have been writing about the U.S. rather a lot in the past week, but I was reminded of this thoughtful and insightful article by my reflections on the American South of the other day. "No one truly knows a nation," said Nelson Mandela, "until one has been inside its gaols." Last week, after living in 2:59 pm
Paris, Plenary and Party People
Friday 12th February 2007 - Another one of those weeks when you start to wonder if you should have stayed in bed for longer and avoided all the hassle!! A delay to my flight on Monday from Manchester to Paris meant I missed the connecting flight to Strasbourg and had to spend the night in the French capital and continue my journey on Tuesday morning. It was not as if I could even use the time in 2:53 pm
Less Labour bloggers than Bloggers 4 Labour would have us think
I thought I'd try and dog out a few more Labour bloggers for my blogroll this afternoon and got very frustrated by the blogroll on the Bloggers 4 Labour (B4L) blog. Firstly, I thought I'd check out the East Anglian bloggers. The very top blog under B4L's heading "Current bloggers" is Anne Campbell. Anne was MP for Cambridge until being kicked out by Liberal Democrat David Howarth on 5th May 2005. This happens to also be the last time she updated her blog, yet B4L list her as a "current blogger" ? Looking down a few more on ... 2:11 pm
Ouch!!!
Warning when walking down streets. Watch out for falling roof slates. They hurt, hurt lots. Not only that but they can cause a large amount of blood to appear. Yesterday as I just left the doctors surgery a roof slate fell off of a house on Portland Street and straight on to my head. Blood was [...] 
2:10 pm
Liberal Democrats beat the BNP in Brunshaw and outpoll Labour in Burnley by-elections
Press release from Burnley Lib Dems: A sixteen percent swing to the Liberal Democrats saw local campaigner Allen Harris elected Councillor for the Brunshaw Ward in a Burnley Borough Council by-election last night. Allen and the Liberal Democrats comfortably beat the British National Party for the former Labour seat. The BNP vote dropped from their May 2006 [...] 2:10 pm
Kids, Kids, Kids: Steve Webb and the Scandiavians.
One of mine (kids, not Scandinavians) was up all night - teething I think. I spent a few hours of darkness brooding on the response to the Unicef report. 1:25 pm
Hazel Blears: A nation holds its breath
An overexcited BBC reports: Labour chairman Hazel Blears will announce "soon" whether she intends to stand for the party's deputy leadership, the BBC has learned.I love that "the BBC has learned" to make it sound like an exclusive. What did the BBC imagine Blears would do? Wait until after the contest? Forget to make an announcement at all? 12:36 pm
Casino Boyale
David Boyle has written an illuminating article in Lib Dem News about Black Hawk, Colarado where gambling has been legalised for more than a decade now, and advises people to visit their website as a taste of what might be to come for Manchester: We might point out that if you visit Black Hawk, leave your [...] 12:30 pm
European Parliament slams the British Government over rendition
Earlier this week the European parliament accused EU governments including Britain, Germany and Italy of turning a blind eye to CIA flights taking terror suspects to countries where they might be tortured. A report that was adopted by 382 votes to 256, with 74 abstentions, criticises Britain for cooperating with the CIA in sending three UK residents on rendition fights. 12:17 pm
Arrival in Inverness
I wonder if there are any Highland Terriers I could pop in to see around here? 11:57 am
Video: From the Belgium Tourist Board
Last weekend, I went to Brussels where I foolishly agreed to record this exciting short film. 11:34 am
Orange are my new iPod
As of this morning the only thing about my phone that is the same as it was on Monday is the SIM card. And it still doesn’t work. 11:02 am
Stop the War/No New Trident protest in Birmingham tomorrow
The Stop the War Coalition and West Midlands CND are calling on people to show their opposition to the war in Iraq and demand British troops are pulled out at a rally at 4pm on Saturday at the Council House, Victoria Square. 10:37 am
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Always look on the bright side of life
I had a tremendous sense of deja vu this morning when I read in the Western Mail that a small Welsh group of self-appointed guardians of our morals have reacted angrily to plans to turn controversial comedy Life of Brian into a musical. When the original film came out I was a student at Swansea University and was outraged that it was both banned in my adoptive City and in the area of my birth, Wirral. As a result it was some years before I saw it. When I was elected to Swansea Council, I made it my ... 10:26 am
Petty Concerns
Tony Blair won’t back down on nuclear energy, nor will President Ahmadinejad. In Australia, John Howard won’t back down on Iraq in the face of mounting opposition pressure and here in the blogosphere Guido refuses to back down to the Charity Commission’s demands of immediate disclosure of his dirt on the Smith Institute. Happy Friday. 10:16 am
Common DNA
Today's Daily Telegraph is right to be sceptical about proposals to give Police across the European Union free access to Britain's DNA, fingerprint and car registration databases. Apparently, the Home Office has agreed to a deal that will set up a network of national crime records across 27 states. All member states will have access to other countries' DNA and fingerprint data, as well as direct online access to vehicle registries. The exchanges could be up and running as early as next year and might eventually lead to the creation of a single Euro-wide database. The ... 10:01 am
Coppell is top
The League Managers Association has published its Managers Performance Table for the 3rd quarter of the season up to the 12th February and Steve Coppell is top! Not surprising given the performance of Reading this season and the lions share of credit has to go to him for the way in which he has built a team out of players who by and large did not cost much and have not achieved much prior to their time at Reading. 10:00 am
Nicol Stephen "sounds death knell" for Independence referendum
Nicol Stephen has given an interview to the Scotsman, which you can read for now online (I think their stuff gets moved behind a subscription firewall pretty fast) In an interview with The Scotsman, Mr Stephen was asked: “Are there any circumstances under which you would accept a referendum as part of a coalition with the [...] 9:57 am
Street Signs
I recently highlighted: * Residents' complaints about a graffiied street sign at McGonagall Square* The very worn street sign at the east end of Abbotsford Street I have received the following feedback today from Planning & Transportation: "Thank you for notifying street name plate defects at Abbotsford Street and McGonagall Square. These will be checked and I will update you as to timescales in due course." 9:53 am
Hands up if you are bored by Peter Hain's attempts to get press coverage ?
Another day, another "Peter Hain says ... " headline. This time, its free TV licenses for poor people, presumably he has costed this proposal ? Actually, if it is as well thought out as previous proposals from Peter Hain, it probably isn't. I guess Peter Hain is trying to appeal to the Labour electorate in order to become deputy leader, but he is, in my opinion, one of the most vain and morally vacuous Labour MP's going and it doesn't matter what he says or what he does, he is still going to sound like someone pretending to believe ... 9:40 am
Vultures gathering
Vulture funds are those who invest in difficult situations, such as following a credit default and then squeeze a higher return through a variety of different legal methods. Usually the defaulted credit is a bankrupt company. However as the Telegraph reports this morning, a Vulture Fund: Donegal International, registered in the British Virgin Islands, has managed to put the squeeze on a deeply impoverished Southern African state: Zambia. After paying $2 million to the original creditor (in this case, Romania) to gain control over the $15 million credit, Donegal has used a loophole in the agreement to write ... 9:36 am
"And Conservatism"
Oh dear. David Cameron on the radio this morning: We believe in freedom AND compelling fathers to stay with families. Freedom And Compulsion? That has got to be pretty dangerous, given the number of men who are violent and abusive. Not to mention the not insignificant number of mothers and kids who don't know who the father is... Muddle headed thinking like this does not bode well. 8:37 am
My Verdict
The Verdict on BBC2 took a few knocks from critics, but it was in fact a rare piece of valuable and illuminating television. I have sat in Court before, as a law student. I was bored as hell by it and didn’t learn anything about the judicial process. To see a televised cross section of the whole system, rather like one of those Dorling Kindersly children’s books, was genuinely fascinating. The programme was based on a fictionalised rape scenario, with the key protagonists played by actors, supported by experienced lawyers, Judge and court staff. Clearly its imperfect, but it’s the ... 8:19 am
Burnham congratulates new radio stations
Trust in Wales Ymddiried yng Nghymru Welsh Liberal Democrat Culture spokesperson Eleanor Burnham has congratulated two community radio operations which have just been awarded new licenses. Ofcom announced today that Brynmawr, Blaenau Gwent and Tircoed Forest Village, Swansea, will be able to broadcast news, views and music in their areas. Ms Burnham said: “I believe that the digital revolution gives communities across Wales a great opportunity to be the producers, editors and presenters of their own news. It’s great to see two new projects starting up to offer a voice to people locally. ... 8:12 am
Rhodri joins George W Bush on the wrong side of green debate
Rhodri Morgan was today likened to US President George W Bush in his attitude towards climate change, during First Minister’s Questions. Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly leader Mike German picked up on remarks Mr Morgan made to business leaders saying that global warming would "hardly be unhelpful" to Wales' economic development. At question time, Mr German, AM for South Wales East, said: “This is the sort of do-nothing attitude that many of us have come to expect of your government. Do you not find it uncomfortable being on the same side as George W Bush in ... 8:08 am
Harrogate Conference Agenda and Fringe Guide
In two weeks time the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference will take in Harrogate. The most interesting motion is on Trident but there are also motions on Crime and Regeneration. There will of course also be a keynote speech from Sir Menzies Campbell and a presentation from the Welsh Liberal Democrats. 7:14 am
First impressions
I'm not really awake right now, but I just thought I'd pop on to give my immediate reaction to the new climate change deal: YES! *tap-dances in dressing gown* 4:37 am
Stanton meets with Met Chief
Nick Stanton has met with Sir Ian Blair, Metropolitan Police Commissioner, to discuss the current problems with gun crime in Southwark and surrounding boroughs. Commenting on the meeting, Nick Stanton said:"I thanked Sir Ian for arranging the meeting. The problem of gun and knife crime is clearly at the top of the Council's agenda at the moment and it appears to be at the top of the Met's as well” “In recent days we have seen much closer co-operation between the Police, Council and community to tackle gun crime and Sir Ian has now asked me to join a special ... 12:34 am
I love the sound of breaking glass
How much do people change between the ages of 20 and 40?So asks Stumbing and Mumbling, and goes on: This question is the key to whether David Cameron is fit to hold any political office 12:09 am
Day 2236: Valentine's Day Massacre
Wednesday: a.m.[*1] {Posted by Picasa} p.m.[*2] {Posted by Picasa} [*1] après manger [*2] yum yum yum, in some translations Romance was also in the air for Mr Millipede today, when he received this LOVE LETTER from Mr Frank Failed, the former Minister for the Unthinkable in Pursuit of the Inedible. "Oh Millipede, how I love you…" writes Mr Failed "… Mr Frown is besmirched by a decade in power, toiling in the workshops of that vile Lord Blairimort, he cannot ... 
