This made me laugh when seeing it on the BBC Website. It appears that in New Zealand they cannot, by law, show photos of young criminals in order to name and shame them. But in this case, the criminal has been described as a 16 year old who looks like Robbie Coltrane. I have to say that whenever I see someone doing anything suspicious I always ask myself "who does the person look like ?" so that I can store a mental image, so this probably isn't as daft as it sounds.
Y'all have probably heard about the crazy Tory in Watford who waged a two year hate campaign against his Lib Dem opponent and when convicted on five counts of criminal damage and two of harassment, asked for a further 68 instances to be taken into consideration? I feel a sense of weary resignation that this sort of thing was bound to happen sooner or later. Given the hijinks that activists on campaign trails get up to all the time, I'm just glad it wasn't a member of my party who went a bit mental and took it several shades too ...
There's growing interest in our campaign to keep Finsbury health services local. As I blogged earlier this year, Finsbury Health Centre is under threat of closure by Islington PCT. Both the Islington Tribune and the Evening Standard have picked up on the irony of closing this health centre while promoting new polyclinics elsewhere. The good [...]
{community-chest.jpg} Like many other regions North East Lincolnshire was hit by last years floods, and many people had their furniture destroyed. Fortunately a local charity was on hand to donate furniture to those who were affected. Community Chest, has now been recognised at a national ceremony to thank the voluntary sector for their efforts during the devastating floods. General manager Neil Cartwright and vice-chair of trustees Sylvia Moss were invited to a glittering reception at 11 Downing Street, where they were presented with a certificate for their "...outstanding contribution to the community". The furniture re-use charity worked in partnership with ...
On a couple of occasions I have braved the traffic to cross over and mozzy around Parliament Square looking at the statues and watching the world go round from its comparative sanctuary. Indeed, I took the photo above recently. It's of the Lloyd George statue in Parliament Square, particularly trying to show the effect of the beans he consumed prior to posing for it. It's a shame then that
As Lord Bonkers would say, I am not one to blow my own trumpet. But in all the nominating for the Lib Dem Blog Awards and the Total Politics list, I have spotted some praise for Liberal England. Paul Linford: "Well-written, funny and wistful, it's about time Jonathan Calder (Lord Bonkers) achieved wider recognition." James Graham: "Still a great staple for commentary and odd miscellenia." Mark Valladares: "still churning out great work. Besides, as Lord Bonkers' diary secretary, he should be preserved for the nation." As Lord Bonkers would say, people are Terribly Kind.
Well it looks like annoying Halifax adverts are no more. I'm sure many of us will be pleased with this news. The reason why? He's too happy in a time of economic doom and gloom. So what will Halifax adverts be like without all the happiness? Are they really going to change to relate to the economic doom and gloom? Perhaps the adverts will get worse. (Okay, the entry may seem irrelevant, but it's quite interesting read the article on it)
I have to admit to being rather foxed by the story in the Guardian today, headed Lib Dems shy away from local income tax plan. Of course, this sort of story is part of a pattern established over many years. Over July and August we get a series of newspaper articles like "LibDems to slaughter first born" or "LibDems to cede ownership of UK to Germans" or whatever...."LibDems to...[insert
Whenever I recall Archbishop Runcie, I find it hard not to see a picture of him in my mind. He's painfully sitting on a fence and getting to the stage where he needs preventative surgery because he has been sitting on the fence so long and with such determination. That was over women priests. Such is the role of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Sit on the fence. Pour oil on troubled water.
Mark Pack on Lib Dem Voice has helpfully reminded me to vote in the Total Politics Blog Awards - not that I was disorganised enough to need a reminder...obviously... I have been debating on Lib Dem Voice with other bloggers regarding flimsy reasons for nominations and how nepotism rears its aesthetically-challenged head at times such as these, but hey, just because you complain about something it doesn't necessarily mean you can't indulge in it yourself. There are many brilliant new blogs appearing such as Alasdair and Steph. I would never have even thought about blogging at the age of 16. ...
This will get some backs up. The BBC this evening is proving a rich source of spleen for me. They led their 10 o'clock bulletin with reports on the Beijing Olympics which kick off tomorrow, reporting on the smog in the city, the concerns of the IOC over the pollution, the human rights protests, the problems in Tibet, the mist over the Great Wall as the flame arrived and ll the problems. They somehow failed to major on the importance of this event to the Chinese. Now don't misunderstand me, I would not seek to defend this repressive one party ...
Bizarre news about Stamp Duty plans on the BBC this evening. Alastair Darling has been pilloried for 'not ruling out' proposals discused in the media for suspending Stamp Duty to boost the housing market, thus throwing that market into disarray. On the BBC news this evening, the interview where this issue arose was played. It was none other than Dim Jim Naughtie who asked Darling about this and Darling, er, said nothing of any substance - he neither confirmed nor denied this idea, saying simply that the government was considering a range of options. So the BBC started, fuelled and ...
The BBC is running with a new scare story about the risk of a measles outbreak because of the lower number of families immunising their children with the combined MMR vaccine. This decline follows reports over a number of years about the combined vaccine causing autism among children whose immune system could not cope with the three vaccines being administered at once. As the parent of small children, I went through the same agonies over this with my wife, although eventually we decided to immunise both our children. We were quite lucky to live in south west London at the ...
I've just picked up this message from local campaigner and Clerkenwell councillor George Allan, who is a former Chair of the Smithfield Trust. "I thought you would like to know that the good news that the Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government has refused permission to a developer (Thornfield, and the City Corporation) [...]
Thu 7th
21:21
There's a major problem at Ebay and Paypal about linking accounts but they've got their heads in the...
I wrote earlier about the problems with Ebay. It appears I am not alone and that this problem has been ongoing for about two weeks, but Ebay it appears have put their heads in the sand and are hoping it will go away. There are issues however with the ethics of what Ebay is doing. Technically, they are locking tens of thousands of people out of making purchases, but worse, tens of thousands of people are listing items for sale but a large chunck of their market is excluded from bidding. in effect, Ebay prices are being deflated because there ...
We in the west can't send troops to mainland Somalia to make peace. It would be a disaster. We should of course be providing resources to the AU mission to give African nations the confidence to send troops. However something we can do is use our naval forces to stop piracy in the Somalian waters. In particular to protect the UN World Food Program ships, that have been suffering from piracy. They are vital to bringing urgent aid to the country. Canada is leading the way, but a lot more help is needed. The Kenyan Prime Minister has been speaking ...
A number of my colleagues have already covered the story of Ian Oakley's ongoing campaign against various Watford Liberal Democrats. I won't comment further on his vile behaviour, except to say that it takes a particular level of commitment to stay in the public arena under such assaults, and local voters will, I trust, reflect on that when casting their votes. I thought, instead, that I might
Commenting on Ed Balls' announcement that the publication of Key Stage 3 results at local authority level is to be delayed, Liberal Democrat Shadow Children, Schools and Families Secretary, David Laws said: "Ed Balls' announcement on Key Stage 3 results is a complete dog's breakfast. It inspires no confidence at all in the quality of the results. "If the results are...
There has been a need identified for additional doctors in the Wycombe Marsh area to meet the increased demand from the influx of new homes and residents; unfortunately this need has been ignored to date. Local Councillors Trevor Snaith and Ray Farmer have recently initiated discussions with a doctor's practice and have found interest in bringing a new practice to the area. Ideally it will be situated to rear of Fitness First in the Wycombe Marsh Retail Park on land set aside for community use /doctors surgery. Ryemead and surrounding wards have seen over 400 new homes in the last ...
Thu 7th
19:56
Meet your Liberal Democrat Councillors on Rye on Saturday 9th August - Cllr Trevor Snaith
The Liberal Democrats district councillors have agreed with organisers of event to run a stand "MEET YOUR LOCAL DISTRICT COUNCILLORS " at the Rye community event on the Rye on Saturday 9th August Cllr Trevor Snaith the Liberal Democrat District Councillor for Ryemead said " Its about time councillors reintroduced local ward surgeries to meet local residents. This event will allow for councillors to meet local people and discuss local issues." Confirmed councillors are Cllr Julia Wassell , Lib Dem, Bowerdean. Cllr Chaudhary Ditta Lib Dem , Bowerdean. Cllr Ray Farmer, Lib Dem, Ryemead. Cllr Trevor Snaith Lib Dem Ryemead. ...
Alistair Darling may, or may not, announce a stamp duty holiday, or pause, or redefinition...or none of the above. As a result, house sellers are up in arms, estate agents are crying foul and the government is, again, in hot water for - in this case - actually doing nothing, and still making life worse for many people. Is there ever a case for announcing that you will do something before you do it? Well, liberals would I think argue that the pre-emption can protect in some instances. Announce today that you intend to tax immoral earnings at 20% above ...
Voting in Total Politics / Iain Dale's Top 100 UK Political Blogs closes at midnight tomorrow (Friday). We've discussed the competition before, but if you are intending to vote - hurry up and get your vote in.
I will have the TV off during the games. China said they would make a package of concessions for the olympic deal. Yet journalists are reporting limitations on internet use. Now two Brits have been arrested for human rights protests - for hanging a banner up. I'm an amnesty supporter so have kept a keen eye on developments. Now this.... Then there's all this nonesense of factories closing and traffic limitations to clear the smog. Environmentally it shouldn't be that bad in the first place. There's a clue in what they're doing. With global warming sustainability is key. They need ...
I took this pic of a juvenile starling in a supermarket carpark in Llanelli. The other one is a baby chaffinch I took in my back garden. The RSPB has recently come under some criticism from a Welsh Party political candidate. I have recently had the RSPB magazine put through as a member. I don't know where to start in my defence of this organisation in Wales. From managing Pembrokeshire islands Grassholm and Ramsey to the opening of Newport Wetlands centre. Purchasing Land for dedicated habitat in the Welsh desert region of inland Ceredigion to highlighting declines of certain birds. ...
With the impending start of the new school term on 19th August, my weekly surgeries are starting again. Over the past year or so, these have taken place on a Thursday at three locations - Mitchell Street Centre (covering the north of the ward), Harris Academy (covering the western part) and Blackness Primary School (the eastern part). However, many residents have said it would be useful if there was a choice of days, so I have altered my surgeries (starting on 21st August). On Mondays, there will be surgeries at both Mitchell Street Centre and at Harris Academy, and the ...
Just when the Nats and cybernats thought it was save to venture into Edinburgh without the threat of any more tram works because they're not cost effective, or there's no need for them as buses are better, or an electric train to Glasgow is a better way to spend the money etc. Or simply because Alex Salmond is always right even if every other party was against doing away with the investment. Cue
I think this letter from Brent Labour MP Dawn Butler should be filed in the "Things not to do" category.
A post on Duncan Borrowman's blog reminded me of the ongoing discussion of how the system of MPs' staff should be reformed following the Derek Conway affair. For non-UK readers: Mr Conway is a Member of Parliament who recently got into trouble for using public funds to employ one of his sons for research "work" that was apparently never done. One thing I haven't seen discussed anywhere is the diversity issues inherent in the current system, which allows MPs to recruit their own staff with little or no oversight. Large numbers of MPs employ family members under this system. MPs, ...
A few months ago I wrote about the meanness and short sightedness of Southern Rail in shutting the gate that allowed passengers to go straight onto Platform 1 of Sydenham station from Spring Hill Gardens and instead making them go all the way around and up and down a walk bridge over the platform. Annoying for those of us unencumbered but if you are in a wheelchair, pushing a pushchair or carrying luggage Southern Rails action seriously curtails your ability to use the station. It seems that the Sydenham Society has won again (it successfully campaigned against the reduction of ...
Get your bids in now: As seen on the BNP website ("It's where I go for my daily shot of racism": B. Obama). ShareThis
In May Liberal Democrat Voice carried a piece from Lynne Featherstone about the lessons from May's elections, in which she laid out five challenges for the party including, We should ensure that we have at least a modest local internet presence covering every part of the country, helping point the public at more news about the [...]
Absolutely. We don't need government dictating education to us, but government thinks we are too stupid to be allowed to educate our own children.
There's a rare degree of consensus about at the moment on where Britain's political situation has got to, so I thought I would treat readers to my take on the current situation. Firstly, I don't buy this overall story that it's now inevitable that Gordon Brown is finished. The parallel most in my mind has been John Major's position in the spring of 1994. Then, as now, it was the accepted wisdom among political commentators that the Prime Minister would be ousted in a matter of weeks, and that inevitably, Ken Clarke (in 1994) would replace him in Downing Street. ...
I'm just starting to get a little fed up. The Bones Commission was constituted in some sort of 'Angel Delight - Instant Whip' process immediately after the leadership election to look at reforms to the way the party was run. The time it gave to accept submissions meant that the vast majority of the membership and local parties were not aware of it before it was all over. And now, apparently it has reported back and all sorts of reforms are proposed. The Press know more than I do apparently. And I'm just starting to get a little cheesed off ...
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The Liberal Democrats will not send youngsters to jail for Criminal Damage offences according to some new plans by the Party. Well i think the plans are great with Prisons full as it is the new plans to make the youngster get paneled then pay back all the money for the Criminal Damage is i believe the best way to tackle the rising problems. The Only Thing the Labour and Conservatives want to do is lock up the youth and most of them don't learn but if the plans from the Liberal Democrats were to be brought in it would ...
With speculation over the Labour party leadership continuing, pundits seem to have moved towards the consensus that Gordon Brown will need a new economic plan in September to reignite his Premiership. Rumours of what might make up this new plan have been flying about, including various proposals regarding a partial freeze on stamp duty. An editorial in the Financial Times today (A foolish freeze) makes the case against any partial freeze, identifying 4 potential problems with such a plan. The final problem identified in the editorial is perhaps the most serious for the government, in that it urges that house ...
Just seen on the Avon and Somerset Police website: The police helicopter was involved in a lengthy search of the Yate and Chipping Sodbury area last night, Wednesday August 06 2008. The helicopter was called out after a moped which was being ridden without any lights failed to stop for officers at about 11pm in North Road, Yate. The moped made off along footpaths, pavements and grassed areas as well as the roads around Yate and Chipping Sodbury. It was finally stopped at about midnight in Merlin Way, Yate. A 17-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of theft of ...
Definitely the best headline of the week. You know the credit crunch is biting when the Sport covers it.
My mate Mr Pink has just moved t'smoke and asks I can has social life?: Among the things I'd like to do as regards 'setttling in' is getting to know people, socialising, and generally doing stuff in London. Alternative music, general hanging out, geekery and gaming are the sorts of things I'm interested in. More specifically, I'm rather interested in finding a regular tabletop RPG session with room for me. Exalted being first preference, other White Wolf stuff second, but I'm open to just about anything. So, y'know, go talk to the smelly git... ETA: For the hard of thinking, ...
Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne, today accused both Labour and the Conservatives of 'falling over each other to be tough on crime' as he promoted his party's new plans for stopping young people from committing crimes. The ideas outlined in the document A Life Away From Crime (The full document is available on www.libdems.org.uk) also highlight how to stop children who have been found guilty of minor offences from committing more serious crimes. The main proposals include: Making young people pay back the damage caused to communities without involving the criminal justice system. The formation of a Youth ...
I am sick to death of Ebay at the moment. If I go to purchase anything using PayPal, Ebay's own credit system, Ebay tells me that I have no PayPal account (I've had one for many, many years). So then I "link" my accounts, as it asks, and it then still refuses to admit I have a PayPal account, even though within Ebay's own settings I can see that it lists my PayPal account. And to top it off, promises that it will be dealt with as soon as possible by Ebay have turned out to be utter rubbish. Why ...
It won't only be the 'usual suspects' such as the civil liberties group Liberty who will likely baulk at new proposals outlined in today's 'Guardian', based on a confidential report from the Future Group of interior and justice ministers from six EU members states: the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Portugal, Slovenia and Sweden. While some of the [...]
The Adventure playground in Jubilee Way is taking shape - and it's emerging as a mini landscape with hills to climb. Mature trees have already been planted. I posted the plan and a fuller description a couple of months ago, but here are some photos of the construction. It should be finished in September or October.
This (pasted below) is the press release about the Lib Dem new policy paper on youth crime. There's a full paper also which you can get to via www.libdems.org.uk Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne, today (7 August) accused both Labour and the Conservatives of 'falling over each other to be tough on crime' as he promoted his party's new plans for stopping young people from committing crimes. The ideas outlined in the document A Life Away From Crime also highlight how to stop children who have been found guilty of minor offences from committing more serious crimes. The ...
This is an issue that pops up fairly regularly in the Liberal Democrats, with some internal contests seeing candidates given contact details for the electorate (e.g. when selecting Westminster Parliamentary candidates) but others not (e.g. federal committee elections). So it's interesting to see how a similar debate is playing out in another party. The Greens are [...]
For a long time I had been aware that Federal Policy Committee colleague Sal Brinton had been the personal target of a harassment campaign in Watford, where she is Lib Dem PPC. It must have been a horrible experience and she has my heartfelt sympathy. Ian Oakley, the Tory PPC - as he was until unmasked by undeniable evidence - has now pleaded guilty to multiple offences, and they are repulsive. There is an almost Balkan intensity to the spite and malevolence that must have dominated his mind. I want to understand the motives that drove him to such extremes ...
... Is over at Total Politics' Daily Politico Q&A here. Find out about Stephen's childhood links to Michael Foot, what he would have been doing in 1940, why he has no hobbies, and much more.
Having spent most of my working life in drafty decrepit youth centres and on badly lit street corners (as a detached youth worker I hasten to add!)............the grandeur of Canary Wharf never ceases to amaze me. Cheek by jowl with some of the most deprived areas in the country, this fantasy city looms out of the mist (aka smog)..........a private estate, squeaky clean, towering metallic structures housing a virtual small town of 70,000 plus people. The virtually relocated "city" doesn't on the surface appear to have suffered due to the credit crunch. The classy jeweller still sells pieces for £1000's, ...
I have a confession to make. We have succombed to the lure of Sky and now have a Sky Plus box in the living room. Most of the extra channels we've now got seem to be endless repeats of US dramas like CSI, Law & Order, etc. I'm not complaining; but friends recently returned from [...]
A colleague unearthed a wonderful curio recently: an election address from a 1950 by-election in Hove. The Liberal candidate produced a simple leaflet of such eloquence it makes you really question modern English. The following is the paragraph he sets out on his politics, which is as relevant today as it was then. 'I am a Liberal. I am opposing two Conservatives, one official and one unofficial. I think a very real need exists for an active and Liberal voice to be heard in the Council Chamber of the Hove Borough. There are two historic strands in Liberalism - the ...
It was at 8:15am, 63 years ago yesterday, that the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. It should rank as one of the worst atrocities ever committed. Hiroshima was predominantly civilian with industry and a few military bases nearby. What is now called colateral damage seems to have been deliberately sought and the attack was [...]
Those Tories still don't want to make any official comment on Ian Oakley, but they continue to suggest how he should be treated. I am thankful to the current Chair of the Watford Conservatives and failed Watford Mayoral candidate Steve O'Brien for the following: We have the finest police force in the world and I don't think that anyone would argue with that. It must be terrible to do your job with your hands tied behind your back. It must be sole (sic)destroying to arrest some thieving little toerags, to take them to court and for them to be let ...
No don't be alarmed they aren't adding dye to Scotland's favourite dram but Diageo are linking up with energy company Dalkia to create a bio-energy plant at Cameronbridge, Fife. Using two of the distilling industries bi-products the wash and steam used at the plant to create the largest non-utility company plants of its kind in the UK. The net effect of using 90,000 tonnes of residue that would
Ace photographer, Doug Moody of the Evening Gazette, has put together a suberb selection of pictures from the Yorkshire Day Parade at Guisborough. They really illustrate the colour and fun of this proud day for the Borough of Redcar & Cleveland. They also show, from the faces of the huge number of people who turned out to watch the Parade, that being part of Yorkshire is something special. Click here and be amazed.
So Harriet Harman has come up with a typical New Labour answer to the Derek Conway affair. Ban MPs from employing their kids. Typical New Labour. Instead of addressing the issue, ban something! The solution should be that MPs should only employ staff on merit (and I actually think the best person to run their office is their spouse). Also the issue isn't that Conway's sons worked for him. The
Today's Guardian speculates that the Liberal Democrats are tinkering with the current Council Tax rather than straight forward scrapping in favour of a local income tax:
Youngsters who commit minor criminal offences or get involved in antisocial behaviour should not face effective restorative jusstice rather than prosecution in the courts, the Liberal Democrats said today. Our new crime strategy will mean that children who admit their guilt would be punished by panels of local people, and would have to put right their crimes through such punishments as cleaning up graffiti. A pilot project involving young people is currently underway right here in Prestwich. Our new proposals also include the formation of a new youth volunteer force to carry out community projects, which will serve to create ...
I write from Brighton. In fact, I'm in the bar at the Hilton Metropole. A client has asked to meet me here. I can't help but feel the ghosts of several Lib Dem conferences. It's strange to see this place empty except for a few senior citizens on holiday and one strikingly attractive [...]
There's been a lot in the media recently about youth crime, not all of it helpful. It's important to remember that while young people are responsible for some crimes, they are actually statistically more likely to be the victim of crime than adults. The government recently unveiled it's Youth Crime Action Plan , and today Chris Huhne, Lib Dem Home Affairs Spokesman launched a new youth crime policy paper called A Life Away From Crime. Although the policies of all three main parties are moving closer together on this issue, particularly in regards to the need for earlier intervention to ...
My Alan Moore on a Train Meme is finally getting some results, which are proving interesting. Meanwhile, I finally got around to looking up the Alan Moore (with Art Spiegelman and Dan Clowes) guest appearance on the Simpsons. It's brilliant - I particularly love the DVD Milhouse asks Moore to sign: Share This
Bath MP Don Foster has submitted just over 1350 signatures to Post Office Ltd, calling for a post office to remain in the Southgate area of the city. Don will also be submitting the 288 on-line signatures against further post office closures in the city. Commenting, Don said, "It is absurd that the Southgate redevelopment is about to take place and Post Office Ltd have no plans to maintain a...
Nomination papers will be available next week for the party's biennial internal elections. The committees up for election are the Federal Executive, the Federal Policy Committee, the Federal Conference Committee and the International Relations Comittee. Also up for election are the delegation to the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party, and there's the Interim Peers List [...]
Adobe's legal department have gone a bit nuts and come out with guidelines on the "Proper Use of the Photoshop Trademark": The Photoshop trademark must never be used as a common verb or as a noun. The Photoshop trademark should always be capitalized and should never be used in possessive form, or as a slang term. [...]ShareThis
Is this the best park ever or am I biased? I love Kilburn Grange Park for it's history, I love Fortune Green for it's community focus, West End is superb for it's sheer cheek and atmosphere. But as an all in one Queen's Park is pretty impressive. It's owned/run/maintained/held in trust by the City of London Corporation: But crucially it is deceptively large - when you stand at the corner of say Kingswood Avenue you can see the whole length of it, but when you actually walk about it is much much larger than the eye at first appreciates ...
http://www.funnyordie.com/ After reading about it on the BBC website I had to check out Paris Hilton's spoof 'running for President' ad at Funny or Die. A brilliant bit of 'straight back at you and then some' attitude, after McCain used her to highlight Obama's 'celebrity' status. You go girl!
I am pleased this morning to be mentioned by Peter Black. The master mentioning the newcomer!
Wow, like a baby emerging form the womb I find myself blinking, astounded at a completely new sensation. Today I find myself disagreeing with the Magnificent Vince! According to the Grauniad, (http://tinyurl.com/6r62m7) Vince wants to see us ease off the pressure to abolish the hated Council Tax and instead to focus on its reform in a first LD government, with abolition in a second government. This is a sensible, cautious policy which recognises that the SNP wants to introduce a local income tax in Scotland and it makes sense to review this first. However, it abandons the drive to get ...
My immediate response to recent events have been along "thank God it's over" lines, and to reflect on the courage and dignity shown by Sal Brinton in the face of the vile activities carried out by the former Conservative candidate Ian Oakley. I'm fascinated that David Cameron isn't going to comment, on the grounds that Mr Oakley is no longer a member of the Conservative Party. Does this mean Cameron intends keeping silent on everything from now, unless it happens to about a member of his own Party? No, it won't wash I'm afraid. The man who aspires to be ...
Nassim Nicholas Taleb's book "Black Swan" is an expansion of the ideas that he put forward in his book "Fooled by Randomness- The Scandal of Prediction" . As regular readers will know, I think that the philosophical ideas that Taleb puts forward have profound political implications. In particular ideology as a Grand Theory- that is a systematised explanation of everything- falls to pieces in the face of the uncertainty that is the basis of empiricism. Intuitively I have always distrusted grand theories, and as an undergrad and as a research student I proceeded from the basis of a partial theorist- ...
The Guardian publishes today what appears to be a well-briefed article suggesting the Lib Dems are thinking of deferring plans to scrap Council Tax in favour of a local income tax: Liberal Democrats are planning to soften their support for a local income tax to replace the council tax, a key policy for at least three [...]
Thank you Times Newspaper for crediting Liberal Democrat Voice for the story about Boris Johnson and light bulbs, so I hope it isn't too churlish to ask, "Why is the story in the Women's section on your website?"
As somebody who has been backing the campaign for Wales to have its own top level internet domain name for some years I am fully supportive of the £20,000 grant given to the DotCym campaign by the Welsh Assembly Government yesterday. Back in 2006 I argued and won the case for the then Assembly's House Committee to support this campaign and subsequently the Shadow Assembly Commission also supported the move. I would like to see the Assembly's own website using a DotCym TLD and all the Assembly Members' e-mail addresses incorporating it as well. The significance of this move is ...
Predicting which companies and software are going to prosper and which are going to fizzle and disappear is a notoriously unreliable business, but it certainly looks at the moment as if Facebook, Myspace and Bebo are pretty well entrenched as the major social networking sites not only in the UK but also in many other [...]
That was the theme of the Dutch National Jamboree that ended last week. Over 3,000 Dutch Scouts along with Scouts from 31 other countries, including 31 from my Scout Group camped together. As with many large scale activities there were a lot of good points, as well as some improvements, that made the camp a success. It is amazing the warm welcome a Scout uniform gains. In my hour of need, a
You may have read last nights Grimsby Telegraph and seen the online responses. The 73 responses were mostly attacking the North East Lincolnshire Council. In many ways the article appeared as though we were anti-smokers. The headline used in the report was "No Butts for Litterbugs", which I am sure antagonised many smokers. Then, it went on to say 'Litterbugs have been fined almost £3,000 in a day of prosecutions for dropping cigarette butts. In total, 15 people were fined at Grimsby Magistrates' Court in just one day after dropping litter on the streets of North East Lincolnshire'. It was ...
All this week, Lib Dem Voice is publishing the results of our first ever survey of party members. Some 133 of you accessed the survey via our private members' forum. We don't pretend it's a representative sample, but that doesn't mean it's without value either. We hope you, LDV's readers, find it interesting. Perhaps the [...]
Thu 7th
07:43My Mother's a "Big hearted" person too, but I wouldn't necessarily trust her to turn the economy aro...
Bill Clinton seems to think that Gordon Brown can turn the economy around because he has "a big brain and a good heart". It makes me wonder, is that all you need ? A big brain and a good heart ? My mother fits that category, so does my dad, my wife too for that matter and Mother Teresa of Calcutta, she too would have made a good Prime Minister too, so would any number of people in the world who all fit the bill as being "big brained and warm hearted". The truth of the matter is that you ...
Bob Innes has a very good point. Have the Assembly Government been photoshopping photographs on their website? This photograph used to include Rhodri Glyn Thomas on the right handside but he has been cropped out. Somebody has obviously taken George Orwell's 1984 home for their summer reading. The Ministry of Truth lives on in the Welsh Government.
I do, he's been great to me. And I warn you now though I hope I don't have to, ANY comments along the lines of "yeah it's just because you're a young woman", either online or in person, will take you down like a lead weight in my estimation. I can be a very stubborn and forthright girl. Some might even say arrogant and belligerent. I find it gets me taken seriously in spite of my age and gender, so I cultivate it. My deep-thinking introverted caring-sharing half is, when occasion demands it, locked in a special box until a ...
I'm taking James off to the Cropredy Festival tomorrow and the forecast looks a bit wet. Unfortunately we missed Cropredy last year - Fairport's 40th - in the aftermath of the floods. It's a great line up this year with The Levellers and Supergrass headlining along with Fairport - excellent festival bands all. The Family Mahone and Stackridge should provide a bit of light relief and there is also a performace of the folk-opera version of Lark Rise to Candleford. The least Cropredyish act is probably Midge Ure. For those of you not able to join us here's a taste ...
Interesting one this one. The attention-grabbing title is a bit cringeworthy, but once you get beyond that, there's some good stuff here. Essentially, the plot follows a disaeffected young man who accuses a teacher he is upset with of inappropriate behaviour, creating an unholy alliance between the PTA and the local press which seeks to hound him from his job. The show is musically not memorable
Quite straightforwardly the funniest student sketch review I have ever seen. Well written, well performed, and simply very funny, this is an hour of perfectly formed comedy. It doesn't do crappy little smart-alec throwaway bits (except for when it does and they're very funny), it makes the effort to actually provide us with an over-arching little plot device and a reason for the show's name, and
Nick Doody Nick Doody opens with a rather overdone little video taking the piss out of Orville and some pretty lame material about how awful crowds of drunk Englishmen are, and his delivery could be more assured. Those things said, I loved this man's stand up, once he got into it. This point came almost exactly when he launched into the material squaring up against fundamentalist Islam ("
Wednesday: Great Britain has a housing market where it is too expensive for essential workers to buy a house; where people were encouraged by greedy banks to take out mortgages that were way too much for them to afford; and where, thanks to runaway house price inflation*, investing in property was seen as SUCH a one-way bet that it led to the credit crunch and now no one can get a home loan at all and repossessions are going through the roof. Forgive my pun. So... when did it become a BAD thing for house prices to be going down? ...
