Having recently been considering the ethics — and practicalities — of what people have a right to know, as opposed to just a curious interest in, and how someone discovering something being hidden from the public to their detriment I've just come across the Full Disclosure Policy. It is certainly an interesting and valuable policy and one I shall build in to my own software production and support dealings.

Posted by Alison Wheeler on AlisonW - caveat lector
Thu 24th
23:06

Christmas wishes

[IMG: merry-christmas.jpg]

Posted on Chris White

"Televised leadership debates will make for a welcome and long-overdue innovation in the run-up to our next general election. Mr Salmond will not be standing in that election. The debate will be between candidates to be the UK's next prime minister. This is not an office to which Mr Salmond aspires." Full Editorial

Posted by Kasch Wilder on Next Generation Frontline Left
Thu 24th
22:24

Merry Christmas!

Following my earlier post here, where I asked "Are these the best Christmas lights in Salford?" in answer to Tony Flynn's question over on Salford Online – Tony has now tracked down the owner of 37 Seedley Park Road and revealed that Donna McLoughlin is the genius behind the impressive festive display. [See post to watch Flash video] Salford Online retain full copyright of this video and it is re-published here subject to their consent. I still think these are the best Christmas lights in Salford and I love the fact that Ms. McLoughlin's display gets bigger and better each ...

Posted by Steve Middleton on Steve Middleton

To all my readers....I hope you all have a good day.....blog will be back Boxing Day but probably a little non-political....

Posted by darrellgoodliffe on Moments of Clarity
Thu 24th
21:42

Have a lovely Christmas!

[IMG: Christmas Supper Table] I won't be able to go to church this time, but Jonathan brought me my Christmas Communion last week. Thanks Jonathan!

As I walked up Epping High Street this evening - after some last-minute Christmas card delivery and Carols on the Green - there was a real sense of the town winding down for Christmas. Shops were shutting or had shut and families were drifting home or to the Crib Service at St John's Church. I took a moment to enjoy once again the Christmas lights decorating either side of the High Street. Even the traffic seemed slightly less congested. Despite the occasional frustrations of life we are fortunate to live in such an attractive and characterful place - and I ...

Posted on Jon Whitehouse
Thu 24th
20:15

Avatar

Avatar has hardly any plot, and what there is has as many holes as a good Gruyere. Characterisation is thin, in fact the word cardboard would come to mind if they weren't all electronic. The 3D adds little enhancement, certainly not enough to outweigh the disadvantage of having very heavy solid plastic specs slipping down my nose throughout. The half arsed green message just about keeps itself above being ridiculous. Having said all that, I loved it. It's just a great simple story, with magnificent effects, and in places some pretty decent music. It's all about the effects, and if ...

Posted by Rob on A comfortable place

So now we learn that the Prime Minister Gordon Brown and members of the Cabinet will not be giving evidence to the Iraq Inquiry until after the general election - what a bloody disgrace. I am starting to wonder if this is an inquiry or just a government funded whitewash? Sir John Chilcot's committee will wait until after polling day to interview Gordon Brown, David Miliband and Douglas Alexander. Although New Labour former spin doctor, Alistair Campbell, former attorney general Lord Goldsmith, Tony Blair, Des Browne MP, John Reid, Geoff Hoon, Jack Straw, Margaret Beckett, Lord Turnbull and Chief of ...

Despite all the wrangling President Obama's Healthcare Bill has passed through the Senate. Now the path is clear for negotiations between the Senate and the House of Representatives which has also passed a similar bill. The vote must be something of a relief for Obama whose political reputation is clearly closely tied to the fate of ...

Posted by darrellgoodliffe on Moments of Clarity
YouGov

Merry Christmas to all my blog readers. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year! Many Thanks for visiting, reading and interacting on this blog. I leave you with this link where you can send Political Christmas cards to your friends from Martin Rowsons of the Guardian here. I leave you with my Christmas card too you all from this site, hope you like it.

Posted by dazmando on Bracknell Blog

The return of Michael Schumacher to Formula 1 and his spiritual home of Mercedes may fill many motor racing fans with dread that he and Ross Brawn will repeat their Ferrari trick of the early part of this decade, and bore their way to Championship dominance (naturally bending the rules along the way, the cynics ...

Posted by Jeremy Rowe on Jeremy Rowe

Welcome to this latest, Christmas Eve LDVideo instalment, featuring three of the most memorable video clips doing the rounds on the blogosphere. First up, is this simple but poignant 'Merry Christmas from the UK Border Agency' video, with a tip of our hat to Duncan Stott's Split Horizons blog. And now for something completely different, courtesy of Beau Bo D'Or: 'Politicians B-Roll video for naff political advertising'. (And if like me the concept of B-rolls was a new one on you, here's the Wiki run-down). And finally for today, here's the 'Gordon Brown stole Christmas' video doing the rounds of ...

Posted by Stephen Tall on Liberal Democrat Voice

Another in my little season of festive uploads!

Thu 24th
17:47

Winter maintenance

With all the snow over the past few days, the feedback from residents is that the Roads Maintenance Partnership has copied generally very well with gritting across the city. There have been issues about the gritting of some residential streets - inevitable given the 330+ miles of non-trunk roads the council has to cover - and I have raised the concerns raised by residents in a number of streets - such as Shaftesbury Road and Taylor's Lane (in the latter case, the 'top half' of the southern part, possibly because of access problems facing the gritter) - and also the ...

As early Christmas presents go, Lord (Peter) Mandelson's announcement of swingeing cuts to university budgets lacked something of the festive spirit – the BBC reports: The government is to cut university funding in England by a total of £398m for 2010-11 compared with this year, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said. In a letter to the Higher Education Funding Council For England (Hefce), he also asks universities to protect quality and access to higher education. His letter confirms efficiency savings of £180m and £83m – and makes a further £135m budget reduction. Liberal Democrat Shadow Universities Secretary, Stephen Williams, is none ...

Posted by The Voice on Liberal Democrat Voice

Hopes have never been high that Sir John Chilcott's inquiry into the Iraq war would provide a real sense of closure: it's come too late, and opinions are fixed. Opponents of Tony Blair's decision will forever believe that he knowingly mislead Parliament into voting for a war he believed was essential; those who defend his actions will forever believe it was right to topple Saddam Hussein with or without the UN's sanction. But those initial hopes for Sir John's inquiry are receding still further thanks to his decision to excuse Gordon Brown, David Miliband and Douglas Alexander from appearing before ...

Posted by Stephen Tall on Liberal Democrat Voice

Nice to get an email that wasn't just about trying to get us to work or get some money out of us! Merry Christmas everyone. Dear Chris, [IMG: Clegg Family Christmas Card] Best wishes and many thanks for all of your support this year - Happy Christmas from the Clegg family [IMG: Nick Clegg] Nick Clegg Leader of the Liberal Democrats

Posted by Chris Lovell on Christopher Lovell

The BBC report that the backlog of maintenance work for hospitals in Wales now stands at £505m. The findings published by the Welsh Health Estates show a rise of £37m in the outstanding repair bills for 2008 and 2009. Significant increases in the repair bill are reported for backlog costs at Morriston Hospital in Swansea, Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli, Cardiff Royal Infirmary and Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor which, between them, contributed more than £33m to the total. The Welsh Liberal Democrats have accused the assembly government of failing to prioritise the issue. Their health spokesperson, Peter Black said: "A ...

Posted by Freedom Central on Freedom Central

The final year of the decade and we are finally up to date. This may well go down as the year that people power fought the machine and won. One thing it does go down in history as is the first time that the UK number one was held by a record that was not physically available in any form in the shops, it was purely by download. Yeah after last year trying to usurp the X-Factor and Simon Cowells stranglehold on the Christmas number one spot, this year the campaign started before the final winner was revealed. The record ...

Posted by Stephen Glenn on Stephen's Linlithgow Journal
eUKhost
Thu 24th
15:59

Turkey Terror

The CBC today has an article on food safety headlined "Feasting without Fear".

Posted by Jane on My new LD Blog
Thu 24th
15:56

Snair Mair

One of Ian's colleagues has received a greetings card from a friend in Japan. The envelope is labelled "AIR MAIR".

Posted by Jane on My new LD Blog
Thu 24th
15:53

Santa is coming

As they have done on-line for the last 12 years Norad are traking Santa's progress across the globe here. At time of posting he is on Christmas Island. Here he is passing through Sydney, Australia. I blogged on the history of this tracking endeavour last year. Update: you can track Santa on Twitter too.

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black AM
Thu 24th
15:40

Happy Christmas

Just to wish everyone a very happy Christmas and best wishes for 2010. Bury Council has a good list of Christmas opening times and service changes here. Emergency Services Links to useful emergency contacts can be found on the BurySafe / Policing and public safety web pages. Emergency Duty Team Social Services Emergency Duty Team provides a social work service during the periods when daytime social work offices are closed. This usually means during the evenings, overnight, weekends, and Bank and other Public holidays. Security The Council has a security force which monitors buildings and grounds, responds to alarm calls. ...

Posted on Tim Pickstone

A Christmas poem, presumably sent to all Councillors, from the people at the Save our Suite campaign. Merry Christmas Dear Councillors and a happy New Year too. You all went to the Mayors Ball and enjoyed the Longfield Suite didn't you. This wasn't a one off, you must appreciate, next year you will be wanting to go again about the same date. So lets end the suspense and pointless chatter come on committee decide on the matter. For all to benefit both young and old the pleasures of the Longfield Suite just have to be told. We don't want it ...

Posted on Tim Pickstone
Thu 24th
15:14

Merry Christmas

As this blog approaches its first Christmas, I'd like to wish everybody who drops in a very Merry Christmas.

Posted on Jackie Pearcey

I work in Hebden Bridge, which is part of Calderdale Council. This was the scene arriving at work on 23 December 2009, you'll notice I work on a steep hill, but you'll also notice the refuse collection lorry collecting recyclables. [IMG: Hebden Bridge December 2009] This is was the scene back at home - this is the view near Heaton Park Congregational Street on Bailey Street. (Actually a day later, but the weather hadn't changed.) [IMG: Snow in Prestwich, December 2009]

Posted on Tim Pickstone
Thu 24th
15:10

Happy Christmas!

Wishing you all a Happy Christmas and a Healthy New Year! [IMG: xmas-tree.jpg] from Roger Harmer and the Lib Dem team in Acocks Green.

Posted on Roger Harmer
Thu 24th
15:00

Financing the Tories

The Guardian reports that David Cameron is facing pressure to explain whether the Conservatives have complied with the spirit of electoral law after the party accepted £100,000 from the British wing of a company controlled by a multibillionaire Lebanese former arms dealer. They say that the party accepted two donations of £50,000 from the British arm of Future Pipe Industries, controlled by Fouad Makhzoumi, an ally of the disgraced former Conservative cabinet minister Jonathan Aitken. Future Pipe Ltd donated £50,000 to the Tories one month before the 2005 general election. A second donation for the same amount was made in ...

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black AM

The Hendon Times reports the positive outcome of my talks with First Capital Connect about Thameslink. As the paper says, the company informed me of a new plan to compensate passengers on its Thameslink route, which covers Hendon and Mill Hill Broadway stations. Larry Heyman, a senior manager at First Capital Connect, told me that, in January, the company will inform regular passengers of how to claim a voucher equating to five days' free travel anywhere on First Capital Connect's network. The five-day travel vouchers will be available to holders of season tickets and weekly, monthly and annual travelcards. He ...

Posted by Matthew Harris on Matthew Harris for Hendon

I have now had it confirmed that the planning application for Belle Vue was received on Tuesday and validated today, Christmas Eve. The process of consultation including statutory publicity can now start and expectations are as follows: Beginning next week neighbour notification letters will be prepared. When these go out people will be encouraged to make comments within 28 days. The site and press notices are likely to go out some time after the neighbour letters into January. If this is the case these will have the standard 21 days period for comment but will tie in as far as ...

Posted on Owen Temple

This is the view outside our house - or at least it was yesterday morning. Not much has changed since then except it's got colder. I am completely pathetic about it and just won't go out in it. End of. No exceptions. I fell on ice and couldn't walk for 5 months in the early 90s and that's left me with an almost phobic hatred of the stuff. The snow itself is very very pretty and nice to look out on. I'm just very very glad we don't have to travel anywhere and am very grateful to my husband and ...

Posted by Caron on Caron's Musings

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from your local Focus Team.

Posted by Paul Hulbert on Focus on Sodbury, Yate and Dodington
Thu 24th
14:01

Clegg on Gaza

Writing in the Guardian two days ago, Nick Clegg highlighted Palestinian suffering in Gaza: On 27 December last year, Israel launched Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, an overwhelming exercise of military force aimed at silencing the Hamas rockets which had terrorised Israeli towns and villages. The immediate effects of the invasion are well known: 1,400 Palestinians dead, mostly civilians, with many more wounded or displaced; 10 Israeli soldiers and three civilians killed, dozens more injured; and thousands of families in southern Israel forced to flee to other parts of the country. The rocketfire from Gaza into Israel has slowed but ...

Posted by NewsHound on Liberal Democrat Voice
Thu 24th
13:53

Schumi Returns

I'm going to diverge a bit from politics today, partly because it's Christmas, and partly because I want to rant about this waste of space. It's the news I really didn't want to hear. Michael Schumacher, Formula One's most successful driver is returning to the grid next year with Mercedes – three years after retiring. Okay, so he's won more than anyone else... but people are forgetting what a bad sportsman he was. To win the title in 1994: And in 1997 (thankfully his plan did not succeed): And Monaco 2006 to stop Alonso getting pole in qualifying: Yes, he ...

Posted by admin on Mutterings of a Liberal
Thu 24th
13:48

Fire Plan Ploy

Last week the Conservative Council Cabinet announced delays to the decision to close Warwickshire Fire Stations. With a General Election only months away my fear is this is only a ploy to delay the decision until after the election. Local people deserve better than an open ended plan to bring proposals back 'some time in the future'. I would like to see these ill thought through plans scrapped altogether. The closures have proved deeply unpopular. Even our own fire fighters and neighbouring fire services have criticised the plan. Plans put forward by the Conservative cabinet at the county council, would ...

Posted by Alan Beddow - Lib-Dem PPC Warwick & Leamington on Alan Beddow.

The US Senate has finally passed their Health care reform bill by 60 votes to 39. Particular congratulations go to the 92 year old Senator Byrd, who obviously voted – at about 7 o'clock in the morning. The New York Times puts it very well: If the two chambers can strike a deal, as seems likely, the resulting product would vastly expand the role and responsibilities of the federal government. It would, as lawmakers said repeatedly in the debate, touch the lives of nearly all Americans... If the bill becomes law, it would be a milestone in social policy, comparable ...

Posted by Paul on Liberal Burblings
Thu 24th
13:28

Christmas Message

Well it's been one of the busiest run-ups to Christmas ever for Kirsten, Glenn and I. I'm posting this a little later than planned! It's been a busy old year for us too and we're we all looking forward to a bit of a rest over the Christmas holiday period. It's time for us to hang up our clipboards, mobile phones, keyboards, to spend some quality time with family and friends. 2009 has been a difficult time for many people in Reading struggling to cope with the impact of the recession and lately extreme weather. Thanks for all your good wishes - they ...

Posted by Cllr Daisy Benson on Redlands Liberal Democrats

As promised I have now had time to read the damning report from neighbouring Hereford & Worcester fire service on the plans to close fire stations across Warwickshire, including Warwick. Its simply not good enough to postpone the decision, possibly until after the General Election. (do the Tories think we are stupid!) Its time to put an end to these plans altogether. Here are some extracts from the report. Page 57 - points 12 and 17 their Chief Fire Officer, Paul Hayden summarises his concerns. Our evaluation suggests that the scale of reductions being proposed will leave Warwickshire without sufficient ...

Posted by Alan Beddow - Lib-Dem PPC Warwick & Leamington on Alan Beddow.

I've been asked to post a list of roads being gritted. This is the information I've received from the Council. I pass this on as-is. An Ice Grit to routes 1-10 starting at 19.00 to 00.01 then a Snow Grit to routes 1-10 starting at 01.00 to 07.00 Plus designated Car Parks , Footpaths and Bus Routes Routes 1-10 are: PRIORITY ROUTE 1 - WINTER GRITTING ECO CENTRE - TRAVEL TO TRAVIS BROW TRAVIS BROW TO GEORGES ROAD GEORGES ROAD A6 TO MANCHESTER BOUNDARY CROSSLEY ROAD TO BOUNDARY A6 TO DISLEY BOUNDARY A6 TO MACCLESFIELD ROAD MACCLESFIELD ROAD TO POYNTON ...

Posted on Iain Roberts
Thu 24th
13:10

Merry Christmas

May I take this opportunity to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Peaceful, healthy New Year. Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i bawb. Tonight I hope to be in Conwy with my family to see Father Christmas and watch the firework display.

Posted by Mike Priestley on Mike Priestley

I am dismayed at the decision of developers Elan Homes to abandon the residents of Kensey Valley Meadow to dangerous roads and unsafe footpaths. The roads and footpaths of Kensey Valley Meadow in Launceston have been particularly badly affected by the recent snow and ice and are still dangerous to use. Residents have been unable to drive to and from their houses and have found the footpaths to be dangerous. Some residents are trapped in their homes. Many residents of Kensey Valley Meadow have been in touch with me about the dangerous state of the roads and footpaths on the ...

Posted by Alex Folkes on A Lanson Boy

Your local team would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas, and a safe and prosperous new year. (And we used the delayed post feature of blogger to do this!)

Posted by Mike on Focus on King's Hedges

It is Christmas Eve. So here are some variations of a theme. After all if Lord Lloyd Weber can do his Variations of a Theme by Paganini....what you mean you don't know this? Then I can present some Variations of a seasonal 18th Century English, or is that French, classic. So here is the theme, so over to the Muppets 30 years ago in 1979 and John Denver. Personally I fell sorry for Mr and Mrs Bear for the performanace of their son Fuzzy during this. First up of our friends we go to the land of Far Far Away ...

Posted by Stephen Glenn on Stephen's Linlithgow Journal

Commenting on today's statement from Sir John Chilcott which reveals that Gordon Brown, David Miliband and Douglas Alexander will not appear before the Iraq inquiry until after the election, Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary, Edward Davey said: "Giving special treatment to Labour ministers not only undermines the perception of independence of the inquiry but will damage the public's trust in politics further still. "This looks like a deal cooked up in Whitehall corridors to save Gordon Brown and his ministers from facing the music. "Gordon Brown signed the cheques for the Iraq war, and he should explain that decision before ...

Posted by Aberavon & Neath Liberal Democrats on Aberavon & Neath Liberal Democrats
Thu 24th
12:34

Missing collections

Due to the bad weather there has been several bins missed. To this end, WLDC are now going to allow you to put out refuse sacks with your bins. This obviously is a major problem with the Triple Bin System, which it was claimed that the vast majority wanted. Now WLDC have issued a press release: I hope that everyone is able to

Posted by Kristan Smith on Kristan Smith
Thu 24th
12:08

Olive the Other Reindeer

At 12:40 on E4 Matt Groening's tale of the forgotten one of Santa's reindeer is being shown. Rudolf of course gets all the attention, even getting that song sung about him by Johnny Marks based on the book of Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer that his brother in law Robert L. May produced in 1939. Plus most of the rest of us also know, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen since 1807 from the poem 'Twas the Night before Christmas by Major Henry Livingston, Jr. With only a passing reference in Marks' song is the misspelt Olive the other ...

Posted by Stephen Glenn on Stephen's Linlithgow Journal
Thu 24th
11:59

Snow-go area!

[IMG: Thirlmere and romany] Well, shortly I'll be packing up my sledge and heading off to family for Christmas, but before I do I still have some work to do to help residents who are struggling on local icy roads and pavements. Days after the heavy snow falll it seems that many parts of Reading are still not back to normal and this is causing problems for many residents. The picture above was taken by a resident of the Thirlmere Avenue/Romany Lane junction in West Reading. [IMG: Kendrick Road]   This is a picture taken of Kendrick Road earlier today. Twitter is still ...

Posted by Cllr Daisy Benson on Redlands Liberal Democrats

It was on Tuesday of this week that I posted how the local council here back home were unable to respond to the chaos on residential streets in this area caused by the freeze of thawed snow. Well today is bin day. However, I walked out to the shops to get some last minute messages, the the temperature was -9c here last night. So the frost was harsh again. The roads were still quite fierce as were the pavements. Having gone downtown to get some wheaten bread and some other things I returned to find the road had miraculously become ...

Posted by Stephen Glenn on Stephen's Linlithgow Journal
Thu 24th
11:39

Heading south

We are currently in the car at the moment heading to London and just passing the Nene Valley Steam Railway. We will be in London and Kent over Xmas. Andrew, my older brother is temporarily moving into our house in Sunniside over the Xmas break as it beats sleeping on Dad's floor whilst he is up visiting the rest of the family over Xmas.I am also doing a bit of photography and video in London

Posted by Jonathan Wallace on Jonathan Wallace
Thu 24th
11:09

Untitled

[IMG: xmas-tree.jpg] Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy Christmas p.s. Don't forget the Bury Council Emergency Out of Hours Phone number is:0161 253 6606

Posted on Vic DAlbert

One of the most ubiquitous aspects of any event in a political party is the Christmas Raffle. Some now coalesce to form mega-raffles across their area and others buy into national raffles that have better prizes than any local party can offer. But, a local party with thousands of members like North Cornwall in the 1960s ...

Posted by johnault on Alter Ego...

My son is watching the Childrens TV channel Cartoonito this morning. So of all the companies advertising on Christmas Eve on a children's channel, what is being advertised ? A "Pay Day" loan company offering to loan people money that would be in their account by 2.30 this afternoon, repayable at an interest rate of 2356% APR ! Talk about a shameful way to behave. Knowing that many parents will be finding it very hard this year to afford to buy gifts for their children and saying to those parents "We can give you some money ... at a price". ...

Posted by Norfolk Blogger on Norfolk Blogger

I hope you have a very happy seasonal break and a good New Year (you can tell I've had my diversity training. Psssst – Happy Christmas!). As a little bit of seasonal nonsense, especially if you have young children around, try this wonderful site from NORAD which tracks Santa using high-tech satellites "positioned in geo-synchronous orbit", Google Earth etc etc as he delivers his presents all over the world on Christmas Eve. Sadly, my offspring is now rather too old to particularly appreciate this web site, but the memory of when the tracking of Santa caused joy and amazement is ...

Posted by Paul on Liberal Burblings

 

Posted by Jonathan on Liberal England
Thu 24th
10:07

Merry Christmas

As well as wanting to wish you Happy Christmas and New Year, I just wanted to round off this year's blog posts by saying thank you to all of you who respond to my emails, blog posts, facebook and tweets. Many of you respond to each of these - and the feedback I get is hugely appreciated. It really helps me know and understand how any particular issue impacts on people living here - and informs my views. And you are a vocal group - let me tell you! Many have been particularly vocal during the last few days about ...

Posted by Lynne Featherstone on Lynne Featherstone MP » Blog

 

Posted by Mary Reid on Mary Reid

Melquisedet Angulo was the only marine who died in a military operation in which one of Mexico's most notorious drug barons was killed last week. In an apparent revenge attack, his mother, aunt, brother and sister have been slaughtered only hours after his funeral. This is just the latest chapter in a shocking era of drug-fuelled terror that the Mexican government is clearly failing to contain. We need to ask ourselves what is the best way to help the Mexican people end this war. And from where I'm sitting the answer is fairly simple. The only way to prevent ...

Posted by Ewan Hoyle on Ewan's liberal musings

Camden has just been named best council in the country based on its Audit Commission corporate assessment. So you might think I'd be happy. Well of course I am. And proud. But I'm worried that the new school in Swiss Cottage and the proposed new civic offices in Kings Cross will not be exemplars in terms of energy efficiency. I'm worried that we're missing a golden opportunity to prove that we are the best council in the country. Our draft Local Development Framework (planning rules) says that developers should aspire to the Passivhaus standard, which was devised by German engineers ...

Posted by Cllr Alexis Rowell on The Eco Councillor
Thu 24th
08:57

KitKat Time

After scouring for political inspiration this morning, it has dawned upon me that the boredom of British politics is continuing. More stories about bonuses, expenses, Iraq and, of course, the mildly bad weather which has dominated the news cycle for days. In fact, the last story has really pissed me off so much that I think ...

Posted by The Futility Monster on The Futility Monster
Thu 24th
08:47

Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to say Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all my blog readers and commenters! Blogging will be light to non-existent for a few days whilst I over indulge! Cheers.

Posted by Mark Reckons on Mark Reckons

Last Friday I checked the weather forecast before work. According to the Met Offce, Norwich International Airport (2 miles from where I work), should have been having a heavy snow shower. The weather was bright sunshine ! On Saturday, according to the weather forecast on TV, there was, by teatime,no snow in Norfolk. This is contrary to the fact that it had been snowing here (two miles from Norwich International Airport which gets its own forecast on the BBC Weather website) for three hours hours. The weather forecaster even told us that the East of Angland would be "dry,k with ...

Posted by Norfolk Blogger on Norfolk Blogger
Thu 24th
08:31

Its snowing - again

The forecast for last night was spot on. I got up this morning to a fresh covering of about 4cm. AsI finish checking emails and sorting out the jobs for the day there's more snow falling - big soft flakes from a leaden sky. The first white christmas in many years is coming closer.A message this morning from the leader of the council says that an extra salting run has already started at 8a.m.

Posted by Maureen Rigg on Maureen Rigg's Blog

Good morning, and thank you for trudging through the snow and ice to Daily View. It's Christmas Eve, and the staff at LDV Towers are expecting a half-day holiday if they get through all their work. Across Europe, it's today (rather than tomorrow) that many continental children receive their visit from Santa. Is that enough date-related trivia? Hell no! Carol Vorderman, Caroline Aherne and Barry Chuckle were all Christmas babies and are celebrating birthdays today. Literary giants Harold Pinter and William Makepeace Thackery both died on Christmas eve, albeit 145 years apart. And in events on Christmas eve: in 1946, ...

Posted by Alex Foster on Liberal Democrat Voice
Thu 24th
07:25

Some light success

On Saturday I reported quite a few faulty lights around Cheadle and Gatley. To be honest, I wasn't expected much to be done right away, with the bad weather and it being the week before Christmas. So I'm quite impressed that some have been fixed, including the Christmas star outside Barclays Bank in Gatley (where just about everything Christmassy seems to be working now) and the lamp near my house on Frances Avenue. The light in the Gatley Green car park is fixed too (I reported that one a little earlier). I would have gone round to check the progress ...

Posted on Iain Roberts

The last few days of snow has seen me regularly removing the top layers of snow from the road immediately outside my house, I have been breaking up the ice as it thaws, and trying to make a clear driving line up my part of the hill. Meanwhile, some neighbours have not bothered at all. Now it has been raining all night, my part of the road is totally clear. My neighbours ? They have packed ice with water on top meaning the people over the road with the Golf cannot even get their car of the driveway because they ...

Posted by Norfolk Blogger on Norfolk Blogger

This video is dedicated to all local government officers trying to satisfy councillors' and residents' demands with inadequate resources!In this film, James Garner plays a new sheriff who is provided with a brand new jail - the only things is, the bars haven't arrived yet. So he has to manage by using a little bit of red paint and his strong powers of suggestion....

Posted by Chris Black on Moonlight Over Essex

During the Great War of '14-'18 an unofficial truce took place near Ypres in Belgium. On Christmas Eve 1914, German troops began decorating their trenches and singing carols, including Stille Nacht. The British in their trenches responded by singing English carols. The two sides shouted Christmas greetings, and soon across "No man's land" gifts were exchanged, comrades buried, prayers said, and indeed a football match played. In the 1970s Mike Harding wrote and sang a brilliant song called "Christmas 1914", well worth a listen to. "Christmas Truce" by Malcolm Brown and Shirley Seaton is a superb book covering the subject. ...

Thu 24th
00:46

Acts of god

All the recent media coverage about weather-related transport service problems has brought to mind that on this night exactly thirty years ago I caught a train home from Euston Station to Watford, where I then lived. I'd spent the evening out with friends and was so catching a BR 'staff' train at 01:50 on the Watford DC line. In those days the last 'public' service left Euston a few minutes after midnight, but regularly not arriving there until much later — and having to wait for the first train of the day — I'd very helpfully been invited by BR ...

Posted by Alison Wheeler on AlisonW - caveat lector

Revellers travelling home by taxi after a night out are being urged to check that the taxi or private hire vehicle they use is operating legally and has been issued with a licence by the local licensing authority. Licensed taxis and private hire vehicles are generally a safe way to travel because they are regularly tested and are required to meet minimum safety standards by the local licensing authority, which for the St Albans City and District is St Albans City and District Council. Checks that the vehicle is properly insured will have also been made. The drivers will have ...

Posted on Chris White

News has reached me this evening via two constituents that Reading Borough Council's housing department in it's wisdom has written to all tenants just DAYS before Christmas to seek views on it's plans to vary all RBC tenancy agreements to pave the way for the introduction of service charges. The letter says: "We are writing to let you know that the council would like to change the terms of its standard secure tenancy agreement...the way in which the council would like to change your tenancy agreement is by adding the following additional clause: - Section 2, the Council's responsibilities, additional clause 2.4: 'We can introduce service charges for ...

Posted by Cllr Daisy Benson on Redlands Liberal Democrats

Why do people play the lottery? Mathematically it is not the thing to do to win money but you can certainly gain a thrill at the prospect of winning a lot so there is one reason to play. However the main reason is because we are dreamers. We want to change our lives. Maybe we want to stop working. It might be that dream holiday is out of our reach. The dreamers who play the lottery are saying that fundamentally they are unhappy with their lives. I don't think you need to think too deeply to realise this. The argument ...

Posted by Michael Gradwell on Politics for Novices

 

Posted on Brian Mathew