OK, I've been playing Starcraft far too much recently, which given it's a ten-year-old game is testament to how damn good it was on release. But even I'm not going to get as obsessed as some Koreans:via Gord (who lives in Korea and deals with this sort of thing daily). The song is basically the story of them getting home, but that's in the animation anyway.
If I were Conservative leader (and for my sake and theirs, I hope I never am) I would worry when the Daily Telegraph turned against me. Today's Daily Telegraph carries an interesting commentary from Gill Hornby, calling for David Cameron to speak up and speak out against his former man in Watford. It is time for him to start telling us what he stands for. When the Ian Oakley scandal first broke, the official Conservative response was that it would be "inappropriate" to comment. But now he has actually pleaded guilty to a three-year sexist vendetta, and still the new, ...
Yesterday I visited Creswell Crags on the Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire border. As its website says: Creswell Crags is a limestone gorge honeycombed with caves and smaller fissures. Stone tools and remains of animals found in the caves by archaeologists provide evidence for a fascinating story of life during the last Ice Age between 50,000 and 10,000 years ago.Further evidence came to light in 2003 with the discovery of Britain's only known Ice Age rock art. Creswell Crags was among the most northerly places on earth to have been visited by our ancient ancestors, a story that is unique on a European and ...
Under cover of an Olympic Games, Russia has invaded another sovereign state, with no UN resolution, and has deliberately bombed residential areas of Georgia. Whatever the Georgian's have done on their own territory to assert their own sovereignty, there is little doubt that the Russian's have overstepped the mark in a way that should send a shiver down the spines of the Baltic states and other former Soviet Republics. But our response to this has been almost laughable. Why ? Because we are utterly dependent on Russia for our gas supplies and we cannot offend the Russians for fear that ...
Just occasionally I find my newspaper commentators expressing my thoughts on a topical issue expressed almost exactly (and far better than I could have done.) This applies to the article by Mark Almond in today's Guardian: 'Plucky little Georgia? No, the cold war reading won't wash'. National/ethnic/border conflicts are usually complex and rarely have right all on one side. Yet, often prevailing left/liberal/democratic sentiment casts one side as the aggressor and the other as the victim. Closest to home this has been the case in Northern Ireland where Unionists were stereotyped as the bigoted oppressors and Nationalist claims to supercede ...
As pointed out in the comments, the BBC reports: A Gloucestershire county councillor has resigned his position on the county's police authority after accepting a caution for theft. Alan Preest, a Conservative councillor, was arrested on Friday in connection with an incident at a supermarket in Lydney and cautioned.
That sums up a significant proportion (but of course by no means all) of the Conservative responses to the Ian Oakley affair. The latest to enter the scene is Essex Conservative activist Steve Horgan who, in response to a comment of mine, asks: ...is this Liberal Democrats in a marginal seat trying to milk the Conservatives embarrassment? Readers can see the exchange and make their own minds up. But since Steve's postings are indicative of a strain of Conservative reaction, it requires some sort of response, which is as follows. Had the official Conservative party locally and nationally promptly expressed ...
I have just been reading Iain Dale's Diary. Iain has been featuring guest posts and he reports a comment that he received; "Labour Minister Tom Watson has just left this comment on the latest Guest Blog (well, I assume it is THAT Tom Watson...)... "Iain, These guest posts aren't great are they. They are too long and too dull. I come to Iain Dale's diary for comment by Iain Dale. If I wanted to read these other chaps I'd go to their lame blogs. I don't. I know I can just scroll past their useless writing, but do I have ...
The Courier interviewed Neil Gellatly of the City Council's Planning & Transportation Department and me last week about public transport initiatives in Dundee. The interview appears in today's edition and you can read it by clicking on the headline above.
Liberal Democrats in Hastings & Rye have welcomed proposals made by the party's Shadow Home Secretary Chris Huhne MP to tackle youth crime. The plans aim to deter crime and get young people involved in positive activities that benefit local communities. [See this link for full details] Nick Perry, Lib Dem parliamentary campaigner said, "I was shocked to read [...]
This morning the Scottish Liberal Democrat leadership candidates were addressing the members in the central belt, Edinburgh in the morning and Glasgow this afternoon. I attended the Edinburgh event armed with pen and not book to take copious notes in order to blog how the three fared in what I hope is a balanced way. The order in which they spoke was drawn by lot and after their 15 minute
Haven't done one of these in a while:
Most people I guess will watch the BBC, or watch catch TV on the Internet, or surfing the net looking for the results, and I don't blame them! The Olympics are a fantastic spectacle! Our team deserve our support and I will be cheering them on throughout the competition along with all the others who potentially on 'hiding for nothing'. However, behind the scenes the government appears to have got its priorities slightly wrong! Britain's Olympic squad will be outnumbered two to one in Beijing by politicians, civil servants and BBC staff whose trips to China will cost the public ...
This morning the Scottish Liberal Democrat leadership candidates were addressing the members in the central belt, Edinburgh in the morning and Glasgow this afternoon. I attended the Edinburgh event armed with pen and not book to take copious notes in order to blog how the three fared in what I hope is a balanced way. The order in which they spoke was drawn by lot and after their 15 minute
... it might be time for him to say something. Via LDV and Liberal Burblings comes the news that even the Torygraph is calling for David Cameron to say something about the Ian Oakley scandal:It is time for him to start telling us what he stands for. When the Ian Oakley scandal first broke, the official Conservative response was that it would be "inappropriate" to comment. But now he has actually pleaded guilty to a three-year sexist vendetta, and still the new, modern, forward-thinking, women-friendly party has failed to come up with even a line. Could we perhaps, future prime ...
It's time to see how Shropshire is getting on without me. And it's not looking good. From the Shropshire Star: Two campaigners dressed as penguins were removed from Telford Town Park after being told they would need a criminal record check and risk assessment to hand out leaflets.One of the penguins, Rachel Whittaker, 34, from Wellington said: "It was only a fun thing. I was saying to people 'Hello I'm a penguin and my ice cap has melted so I've ended up in Telford - can I give you a leaflet'. People were loving it."But officialdom was not to be ...
{radisson-hotel.jpg} It has just been announced that a new multi-million-pound hotel complex could be completed in Grimsby by 2010. This news comes only days after the Planning Committee met to approve the multi-million pounds Wharf Retail Development. An application for a Radisson Park Inn hotel - including 132 rooms, a gym, shops, a bistro restaurant, and a bar - has been submitted to North East Lincolnshire Council. If approved, the complex would be built on the site of the former Stones brewery, on Birchin Way, just across the road from the new Shoreline Housing Partnership offices. Applicant David Jason, director ...
There are now reports that in addition to attacks on the Georgian cities of Poti and Gori, and the continuing fighting in South Ossetia, Russian troops are "invading" the other separatist province, Abhazia. If this is confirmed, then it is quite clear that we are not looking at a response to any Georgian moves in South Ossetia, but a much bigger operation: an attack on the territorial integrity of Georgia that must have been plned for some time. Russia appears to be attacking its smaller neighbour on all fronts: In the separatist provinces, in Georgia proper and also it has ...
This morning the Scottish Liberal Democrat leadership candidates were addressing the members in the central belt, Edinburgh in the morning and Glasgow this afternoon. I attended the Edinburgh event armed with pen and not book to take copious notes in order to blog how the three fared in what I hope is a balanced way. The order in which they spoke was drawn by lot and after their 15 minute
{john-fraser.jpg} Yesterday, I went over to West Marsh Community Centre to see one of the last events of the West Marsh 'Week of Action', and according to the various people I spoke to it's been a great success. Today's event, event was a re-run of last weeks event held on Grant Thorold Park - it was Football in the Community. I took time out to watch the football before the press turned up, and also talked to PC Paul Casswell who organises many of the football events in North East Lincolnshire. Paul was able to demonstrate to me the level ...
I see in this week's local guardian a local BNP councillor is again slating the council for proposals to The Broadway in Debden. Probably unbeknown to the councillor, this letter comes a few weeks too late. In his letter the councillor stated that the consultation was still going on. In fact this ended on 18 July. Our parliamentary candidate, Ann Haigh, recently carried out a survey to find out
It is wonderful to see new council homes being built for the first time in a generation at Boleyn Road and Armour Close. I visited the Armour Close site last week and can't wait to see the finished homes. More than that, I'm working with Lib Dem MPs across the country to help councils [...]
I am sure that many of you reading this blog have been following the progress of the City of Bath Male Choir on the BBC 1 Television show The Last Choir Standing. Well the Choir are on Television again tonight and I will be watching keenly to see how they get on. Many of these lads that are singing come from our local communities and everybody in Bath can say that they...
I am currently involved in something of a debate on Liberal Democrat Voice. It was all started by Norman Baker's proposals to scrap the oath of allegiance. Let's be perfectly clear; MP's allegiance is and always should be to the people that elect them, to represent them and their interests. It should never be to an unelected head of state who only represents the interests of one tawdry, over-mighty and over-endowed with wealth and power, family. It is a total misconception to see the monarchy as 'purely ceremonial'. Powers undemocratically reserved to the monarch are either held in reserve in ...
(that's anti-monarchy republicans, not American members of the GOP) They're such sanctimonious, holier-than-thou, patronising ARSEHOLES. If you don't want to murder the queen in her bed and dance on her grave, you're anti-democratic!!! Oh FUCK OFF. Have you ever considered that as the majority of people in this country want to retain the monarchy, it is YOU, you dogmatic fuckwit, who is anti-democratic? Just because YOU want to subject us all to the expense and annoyance of an election every however many years for a SYMBOLIC POSITION, doesn't mean you have the right to enforce that view on the rest ...
While enjoying the sport from Beijing, spare a thought for the many Chinese whose human rights are still repressed. Like Chinese bookshop owner Shi Weihan (aged 37) who was arrested on 19 March but is yet to have a court hearing. No formal charges have been made against Shi but his arrest is believed to be [...]
{radisson-hotel.jpg} It has now been announced that a new multi-million-pound hotel complex could be in Grimsby by 2010, and this comes only days after the Planning Committee met to approve the multi-million pounds Wharf Retail Development. An application for a Radisson Park Inn hotel - including 132 rooms, a gym, shops and a bistro restaurant and bar - has been submitted to North East Lincolnshire Council. If approved, the complex would be built on the site of the former Stones brewery, on Birchin Way, just across the road from the new Shoreline Housing Partnership's flagship new offices. Applicant David Jason, ...
When I chose to read Chinese for my undergraduate degree at Oxford, nearly 40 years ago, most people thought I was cracked. The Cultural Revolution was in full swing and China was essentially cut off from the rest of the world. But how things have changed since then! The spectacularly choreographed opening ceremony at the Beijing [...]
So writes Gill Hornby in today's Telegraph: When the Ian Oakley scandal first broke, the official Conservative response was that it would be "inappropriate" to comment. But now he has actually pleaded guilty to a three-year sexist vendetta, and still [...]
I am a bit late in commenting on this news story but it is an important one nevertheless. A few days ago The Times reported that new microchipped passports could be cloned and manipulated in minutes and would then be accepted as genuine. This clearly has serious implications for the security of the Government's £4.7 billion identity card scheme, which also relies on microchips similar to those cloned by a computer researcher as part of tests conducted for The Times. Surely this white elephant of scheme must be dead in the water by now and yet the Government insists on ...
Yesterday was a great day for sport with the opening of the Beijing Olympics (if a less good one for human rights...). And it was a significant day for Islington with the sentencing of Martin Dinnegan's killers. So it felt right that last night I was part of a small but important meeting looking at [...]
Political Betting's Mike Smithson makes a good point about Sen John McCain's age and the effect viral videos might start to have if he continues to have "senior moments" over the next few months. Those of us who are of a certain age will remember the way Ronald Reagan was lampooned for being a few cents short of a dollar (this is before his illness set in) and his age was certainly starting to be a concern. I remember him calling Princess Diana "Princess David", and that was just the tip of the iceberg. There is a real danger that ...
I don't usually take much notice of web polls. But this poll on CNN.com caught my eye: Is U.S. President George W. Bush in a good position to criticize China's record on human rights and free speech? So far 4274 have voted yes. 12281 have voted no. It is difficult to think of any recent US President who would receive such a "no" vote. Recently, LibDem Voice ran an entertaining competition about
{jon-paul-howarth.jpg} On Thursday, I visited the Grange Forward Meeting and Steve Ryder was present to talk about the Community Press; he brought copies of the community magazines. I was particularly interested in an article which was written by Jon-Paul Howarth (one my fellow East Marsh Colleagues). I had heard that there was an article in the 'Voxx' Magazine, but notably Jon-Paul had not let me know. I am often asked, how is Jon-Paul is getting on by local residents, council officers and other councillors? Well, I can tell you all he is getting on remarkably well! He was elected at ...
Today's Daily Telegraph carries quite a staggering report. It claims that in the last year the government has spent £55 million on polls and surveys. It seems that the Department of Transport is a huge culprit, two of the most expensive polls were conducted by it. One, looking at the feasibility of charging motorists for every mile they drive, cost Ruth Kelly's department £566,111. A second, asking the public about their attitudes to climate change, cost £411,500. Ipsos-MORI, have been paid at least £31m over the last two years are big beneficiaries of government largess. Defending the outlay, a Cabinet ...
Although I believe in Decentralisation, I have to sympathise with what President Evo Morales is trying to do in Bolivia. He is trying to channel more money from the gas-rich east to the poor west majorities. But I guess some things have to be centralised and others not. In Bolivia there is a need to get more money spread from the east to the poor majorities. But there may not be the need to take away regional powers on different departments like Health and Education. The eastern regions did have referendums for greater autonomy which were won. But the President ...
Gill Hornby in the Telegraph calls for Cameron to break his silence on the Ian Oakley disgrace in Watford: It is time for (Cameron) to start telling us what he stands for. When the Ian Oakley scandal first broke, the official Conservative response was that it would be "inappropriate" to comment. But now he has actually pleaded guilty to a three-year sexist vendetta, and still the new, modern,
Perhaps the most conclusive proof yet that the Conservatives don't want Brown to be replaced. (He's too good for them). No more nods and winks. No more muffled attacks at PMQs. William Hague has actually come out and said that David Miliband shouldn't challenge Brown yet. Hague bases his advice on his own experience, saying he became leader of the Tories too young, or at least too early. The
Georgia has been a bit of a thorn in Russia's backside. A tiny country on the south western border of Russia and an ex-Soviet State. It's pro-western Government has been winding Russia up by trying to join Nato. Mikhail Saakashvili was elected President in 2004 (and re-elected recently) and he promised to win back Georgia's lost territory. As there are two small regions that declared independence (unrecognised by the International Community). One of them is of course South Ossetia. The separatists there have had escalating battle with Georgian forces and now of course Russia has joined in and things are ...
I have an appalling confession to make. I didn't touch either of the books on my summer reading list on Lib Dem Voice last month. In fact, I didn't even take one of them with me. I don't even possess them! Should I do some sort of penance? You know the sort of thing. Should I [...]
You know the tune...... sing along..."Nice work if you can get it" Britain's Olympic squad will be outnumbered two to one in Beijing by politicians, civil servants and BBC staff whose trips to China will cost the public almost £7 million, (according to the Telegraph)How obscene is that, when we have people living in poverty in this country? How ever high the cost of living rises there will always be some free-loaders who will milk the system. Don Foster, the Liberal Democrat spokesman on culture, media and sport, said: "I'm simply staggered by the amount of money being spent by ...
Our Liberal Democrats Bebo Supporters Group is growing with 105 members when i last checked we are catching up to the official Conservative Group that has only 254. So if they is any Lib Dems reading this who yet haven't found a united platform for Lib Dems on Bebo then become a member of www.bebo.com/libdemsupporter And Remember this is the largest group and if you would like to become a moderator of the group and leave comments then contact me via email.
I don't know if there is a local CAMRA branch - I assume there is - but wow could North london benefit from a local pub guide. There are some great local hostelries and this one in England's Lane is no exception. The Washington is always assumed to be named after American President George, but in fact it's not at all. The pub is in fact named after Mr Washington who was the principle builder when the development of Eton Avenue was taking place. Edward Bliss was the landowner who led the redevelopment of England's Lane and was probably the ...
As far as wars are concerned, it usually pays to be pretty sceptical, as American Senator Hiram Johnson said in 1917 : "The first casualty when war comes is truth". However, with regard to the Russian-Georgian conflict that has turned hot over the past few days, the truth is actually quite clear. Russian troops are fighting inside territory that Russia, along with the international community, recognises as Georgia. The attack by Russian planes, now confirmed, against the Georgian city of Poti, is an attack by the Russian Air Force against Georgia directly. Russia has attacked Georgia- not the other way ...
Just watched the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics on NBC. Annoyingly, when it got to Team GB they missed their entrance by still talking about Latvia, had a quick shot of Tom Daley and then cut to Nicholas Sarkozy! God I miss the BBC. Still , the drummers were cool.
Thursday: Boo! Evil Mayor Bojo of London seeks to establish himself as Clown Prince of Climate Crime by cancelling Mr Mayor Ken's order for a fleet of hydrogen powered vehicles and abandoning plans to rescue Parliament Square from being a glorified car-clogged roundabout. And he cancelled the proposal to increase the C-Charge on the most polluting vehicles. Mr Balloon will soon need to have his bicycle followed by his Lexus in order to carry his OXYGEN TANKS along with his shoes. We never realised that: Vote Blue Go Green meant LITERALLY turn GREEN as you CHOKE TO DEATH ON SMOG! ...
