This year has been one that I would much rather forget in many ways but there are other parts of it which have been absolutely brilliant. I am saving the highlights for my end of year post which I'll post ... Continue reading →
I would like to wish all readers - in St Albans and beyond - a Happy Christmas!
I wish all my readers, a happy Christmas and happy new year, and would like to give a thought for all those working over the holiday period, particularly those in my industry, rail maintenance who will be out working around the clock, in this winters extreme weather.
Young F researched this piece today and posted it elsewhere; he has given me permission to reproduce it here for reference. I decided to make a list of the missing Doctor Who episodes - which are often known as being 'lost in time', aptly... Statistics There are currently 114 missing episodes from 28 serials, including 12 completely missing serials and 45 episodes from 12 serials for Hartnell and 63 episodes from 15 serials for Troughton and the 6-episode Shada - unless you want to count the 11 black and white Pertwee episodes from 3 serials, including one full serial only ...
Christmas Prayer by Robert Louis Stevenson Loving Father, Help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts. May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our ...
Sunday 05 December 2010 Threatened with death in shop windows: Channel 4 News Midlands Correspondent Darshna Soni investigates allegations of hate crime against Ahmadi Muslims in the UK. It's not known exactly how many Ahmadis have settled in Britain - because many are too fearful to even admit they belong to the religion. They are a small, peaceful community who came here after fleeing persecution in Pakistan. But many Ahmadis are now living in fear for their lives - because they claim a campaign of hatred against them by other, extremist Muslims, is being exported from Pakistan onto the streets ...
No sign of Maurice on Skype this evening, and he hasn't left a message to say that he'd tried earlier. Bhante rang. The Forest Hermitage has been isolated by heavy snowfalls, and the failure of the Council to clear the side road to the monastery. And into the bargain, he's had a nasty bout of flu, from which he's just recovering. The forecast is that the zero temperatures throughout the country will continue over the weekend.
May I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a peaceful and healthy New Year.
Yesterday LabourList posted the results of their most recent survey of approval ratings for members of the Shadow Cabinet. While it would be unwise to place too much weight on such figures, they gave me cause to reflect on the current state of the political game. The survey indicated that the approval ratings for some ...
As reported in tonight's Evening Telegraph, this morning, I had the pleasure of attending the presentation of Christmas Pies (and sausage rolls!) to the folk at Magdalen House in Roseangle. The presentation was courtesy of the generosity of Greggs the Bakers and Lesley Christie from Greggs and I are pictured (right) at the presentation. Greggs have again been generous contributors to West End Christmas Week and we are most grateful to them.
Every year for at least the last twenty years my parents have issued a Christmas letter with what we have all been up to. Now sitting in their dining room, opposite my little brother Duncan who is reading about why does e=mc²?, and having just seen the other one Peter who is off playing taxi ...
Dear Fraser, What a run in to Christmas - snow, snow and more snow! The kids have loved it and community spirit has returned to Scotland's streets and pavements as we've dug out neighbours and their cars. But if you've been a traveller or commuter from Shetland to Edinburgh or Stirling to Glasgow it's been ghastly. Trains, planes and automobiles have all struggled. And the number one complaint? Tell people what's going on. Government at all levels, train operators and airport bosses had better learn that for the future. People need, want and expect accurate information about what's going on, ...
Identity cards were officially scrapped on Tuesday 21 December when the Identity Documents Bill was granted Royal Assent. Liberal Democrats have consistently campaigned against ID cards, a scheme introduced by the previous Labour Government. All existing ID cards will be cancelled within one month, and the National Identity Register will be destroyed within two months. The move has saved £845m in planned future investment over the next ten years. But what about the various finger-printing systems ushered in by schools to help them go cash-less for school meals or card-less for borrowing from the school library? They're still alive and ...
Oh beauty! You can always rely on those crazy Taiwanese animators to put our woes into (a strange) perspective. It's David Cameron firing a Taser gun at Vince Cable, reducing him in size by about 500%, which kills me. And it involves Ed Miliband (who is much more good looking in animated life) firing a hunting rifle. Fantastic stuff!
It's Friday. It's five o'clock. Here's a fistful of lists that sum up the LDV week: 5 most-read stories on LDV this week Probably the most inappropriate Christmas card ever sent ... (2 comments) by Stephen Tall – from November 2009! Vince Cable: I could bring down the government (163 comments) by Mark Pack Vince Cable: stays in Cabinet, responsibility for takeover ruling moves (109 comments) by Mark Pack Opinion: It is time to get out of the Coalition (147 comments) by Paul Elgood Prime Minister removes all Christmas imagery from official Christmas cards (10 comments) by Mark Pack 5 ...
It shows how fast the pop music industry moved in the early 1960s that the Beach Boys released their third and fourth albums in the same month, September 1963, less than a year after their first. Little Deuce Coupe, their fourth album, suffered as a result – a concept album of sorts, based on car ...
This Christmas, spare a thought for those less privileged than yourself. You get the Dr Who Christmas Special, and John Hurt in Whistle and I'll Come to you my Lad. Here in Alberta we get A Conversation with the Prime Minister and repeats of Keeping up Appearances.
Thank you for visiting and commenting, I wish you all the best for Christmas and the New year. See you back here then and enjoy the break from politics. I will leave you with this Bracknell Igloo taken on 5th January when it also showed heavily. More detal can be found at deanphotography blog here
[IMG: christmas-libdems-cropped.JPG] From Left to Right - Julie Baum, Cllr Richard Baum, Cllr Steve Wright, Cllr Vic D'Albert and Cllr Mary D'Albert
Thank you to Niklas Smith whose comment on my earlier post draws my attention to Vince Cable's comments on his recent difficulties. As the Richmond and Twickenham Times reports: The Business Secretary said the Daily Telegraph's tactics had "completely undermined" the work of local MPs and he would need to be "more guarded" in the future. What is most worrying is Vince's comment that: I did preface what I was saying by saying if they want to have a conversation about a political matter as well as a personal matter it is confidential, and you do expect people to behave ...
Anna was delighted this morning to find a letter, on the thickest, most luxurious parchment from the man himself, Santa Claus. He certainly seemed to know a lot about her, so it's comforting to know that the naughty and nice list is evidence based. It appears that there's been a bit of a calamity with a couple of her presents, which came a bit of a cropper after the elf carrying them to the sleigh slipped on a slide made by some over enthusiastic baby penguins and landed in some fresh reindeer poo. He also asked her, as she's particularly ...
Once every few years I like to watch again the DVD of the classic 1984 BBC dramatisation of John Masefield's The box of delights. I am reassured to learn from Wikipedia that this is 'a nostalgic treat for followers of cult TV' rather than the equivalent of adults reading Harry Potter books. If I understood rightly from the first episode, the main character, Kay Harker, who must be about ten years old, is allowed to walk back from town to his guardian's house which is out in the countryside after dark. The book was written in 1935 and appears to ...
This song is taken from the compilation LP A Very Special Christmas 3, which was sold in aid of the Special Olympics. Like John Barleycorn Must Die, it came to Steve Winwood via the Watersons. It was sung by Lal Waterson on their 1965 LP Frost and Fire. Mainly Norfolk quotes the folk pioneer A.L. Lloyd's notes on the sleeve: This moralising carol was much used by beggars and others towards Christmas time. Its tune turns up over and again attached to such carols as The Fountain of Christ's Blood, Have You Not Heard of our Dear Saviour's Love, and ...
The planning application for the Vauxhall Island Site, at the centre of the one-way system, has been re-advertised by Lambeth Council's Planning Department, following the receipt of additional details, and some revisions, from the developer, Kylun Ltd.
We'd like to wish all of our readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you for all of your support during 2010. Lambeth Council will again be providing free Christmas Tree recycling, and we will post full details shortly.
I'm not proud of it, but last night I found myself watching ITV's Who wants to be a celebrity millionaire live. One of the contestants was Chris Evans, who despite being a famous Radio 2 disc jockey, was unable to answer a question about the lyrics to the Pogues' Fairytale of New York. As this is one of the best-known (and Christmas songs ever, it's a bit like Evans thinking that Bing Crosby dreamed of a purple Christmas. It puts me in mind of the late John Peel writing of his shock at discovering that one of his fellow Radio ...
We need to remember why we're in politics in the first place-to be a radical, socially progressive party of Government.
The perfect gift for pledge signing Lib Dem prospective candidates to avoid the farce of the Tuition Fee debacle and student protest revenge targeting. These self-adhesive stickers come in Lib Dem Gold with black lettering as shown (Lib Dem Gold on Aqua is 1.50p extra). Size: 16 x 8 cm should fit most pledge formats and with a strong adhesive to adhere to most materials. P&P inclusive.
St Albans City and District Council's refuse and recycling service has been affected by the snow and ice. Every effort has been made to collect as much refuse and green waste as possible during the snow and the vast majority of collections have been made. Any remaining roads which have not been accessible are listed at http://www.recyclingforapremier.com/ The Council has now made temporary arrangements to collect all waste that is put out in green or black wheelie bins. This means that as of today residents can put out both their black and green wheelie bins for waste to be collected ...
Christmas Steve*: Well jingle my bells if BBC1 isn't going to run its first series of Doctor Who repeats since (Daddy Alex tells me) 1993, showing Christmas Specials all next week, starting with, er, "The Runaway Bride"... Never mind, let's dial our anticipation for tomorrow's "Christmas Carol" Special up to eleven by getting Daddy Richard to look back on that OTHER Dr Woo story with "Christmas" in the title... "Christmas on a Rational Planet" by Lawrence Miles... What? It's not? Look: it's got bone masks, voodoo curses, and Time Lord continuity... are you SURE this one isn't by Mr Larry? ...
What did I get you for Christmas this year, the internet? I got you a YouTube Advent Calendar: In retrospect, committing to a song a day was a bit dumb when I didn't have any already written (ah, preparation) but finally it's complete. 24 songs written and recorded. Pick a door and watch a video. Many of them are funny. Most of them are intended to be. In my opinion, the best ditties are on days 4, 7, 9, 10, 11, 18, 20 and 22. And if you'd like the chose by title, rather than by an arbitrarily-assigned number, there's ...
I was dismayed to realise last weekend that this is in fact the second book of Cooper's famous Dark Is Rising sequence, not the first; but the majority of my friends on LiveJournal, Facebook and Twitter reassured me that if anything it's better to start here rather than with the first volume, Over Sea Under Stone. Well, it turned out to be pretty appropriate to be reading a novel set around Christmas time with unprecedentedly heavy snowfall. Eleven-year-old Will, the seventh son of a seventh son, discovers that he bears ancient powers, and is one of the Old Ones who ...
Long bus journeys and hours of torrential rain have made me grateful for the company of Michael Palin's "Halfway to Hollywood: Diaries 1980-1988" (Phoenix, 2010). The clown of Kentish Town is actually an accomplished writer as well as actor — not surprisingly, given the number of film and televsion scripts he has produced. Originally best ...
An intriguing tale of two space-faring civilisations who find themselves contesting possession of a Big Dumb Object, in this case a ship that appears to fade into another universe, with the Eighth Doctor and Sam arriving and getting mixed up in it. There's some good sfnal stuff about time paradoxes, though I was a bit sorry that Sam's character appeared to have lost all the development of the last couple of volumes in the series. Nice Doctory characterisation though, and generally clear writing.
...I'll be having my annual sherry soon at this rate. A very Happy Christmas to you, my dear reader. Thank you for reading this humble blog this year, and for all your stimulating comments. Here are Twisted Sister capturing the mood of today, I feel:
The final 'Laying bare the year of...' post looks at the year of Prime Minister David Cameron. [IMG: David Cameron] 2010 finally saw David Cameron achieve his goal of leading the Conservative Party out of the opposition wilderness and into government...with a little help from his new found friends. At the beginning of the year he looked a comfortable bet to be leading a majority government, but as winter turned to spring the polls closed in on him. A poor start in the Leaders' Debates and Cleggmania put him under more pressure, and he edged at least one of the ...
And here's to 2011! And here are two clips from one of the greatest Christmas movies of all time. It is rather pertinent given all that has happened in the last few years. Enjoy!
It's taken me over a week to post this but it's been a fairly hectic time, so: Deborah Hope Ogley, born 03:43, 16/12/2010 GMT by forceps delivery. Weighed in at 7lb 10oz. Mother and baby both doing well. As with Callum when he was born, I was able to pray for her in theatre after she was delivered. The timing – only just over a week before Christmas – has given me cause to reflect. No in depth thoughts here, just what's been on my mind (some would say there's never any in depth thought from me actually... ). The ...
Joining the traditional Nativity story of revelation followed by deliverance, this festive season we have been able to enjoy even more revealed truths about our world courtesy of Wikileaks, the Daily Telegraph and more or less any senior Army officer near a microphone. Although there are moral and technical differences between these sources of information, they have each attempted to lift the veil to reveal the 'truth' behind the public face of diplomacy, coalition governance and military strategy. But have we liberals been consistent in our responses to these revelations? With the diplomatic cables released through Wikileaks, there's been a ...
What follows is a rather geeky post about constitutions and the processes of government. No, please keep reading. This is important stuff. Last week the government published a draft "Cabinet Manual". This rather dry document, designed to be a "guide to laws, conventions, and rules on the operation of government", generated some rather overblown headlines. It was claimed to be a "major step towards written constitution" by the Telegraph and one Guardian columnist described it as "a manual for British dictatorship". Those of us with a better sense of perspective on these things should see it as a positive, if ...
May I wish you a joyful and blessed Christmas? Have a lovely day whether on your own or with others, whether in a stable or a palace. [IMG: Our crib, inherited from my parents ]
The government has unveiled further details of the Pupil Premium - a key Liberal Democrat policy which will ensure the most disadvantaged children in our country get the help they need. From April next year every school in England will get £430 for each child in their school on Free School Meals. Based on latest estimates this will mean at least an extra £1,701,510 for schools to spend on the students who need it most in Vauxhall. This is money on top of what is already being allocated for schoolchildren - no school will lose money as result of the ...
I was rather pleased by the so-called leaks about Lib Dem ministers, including Vince Cable, showing that they still believe in Liberal Democrat principles and are quietly fighting our corner for us. Oh you doubters! Have you ever tried to cope with ...
Transport for London has published travel advice for the tube strike on Boxing Day, Sunday 26th December. TfL has advised that Oval station will be closed, but that Vauxhall station will remain open. Stockwell station will be open, but only a southbound service will be available on the Northern Line; Kennington station will also be closed. Bus services will be operating on Boxing Day, as will the cycle hire scheme, making these both good alternative options if you need to travel. As always, it is important to check the TfL website before you travel - and good luck with any ...
This Christmas will see a major step forward in the construction of the Selly Oak New Road - the installation of the railway bridge.From midnight on Christmas Day until the early hours of Wednesday 29 December, the contractors (Birse) will take possession of the cross-city railway line at Selly Oak and:move the track and overhead lines itself; excavate and prepare the ground along the route of
Merry Chrsitmas to all my blog readers. I hope you have a peaceful, restful and cheerful time over the days ahead. Don't drink too much or eat to many mince pies! Well, it is Christmas so...go on then! Mark & Alyson
In the US the left, Liberals and indeed the Republican right are all unhappy with Obama over his compromise tax bill which averts tax rises for millions of Americans. This Bill also extends benefits payments for the unemployed. But I think this shows a Clinton type of compromise (something he had to do as he also had a lack of power in the house). There are some comparisons I can see between Obama and our very own Nick Clegg when considering compromise and hatred. As opposed to the differences like for example Obama not acting as quickly as the coalition ...
Fri 24th
10:25
The Liberal Democrat challenges for 2011: using members and supporters as a campaigning resource
Over the festive season we're running a series of posts on the main Liberal Democrat challenges for 2011. You can find all the posts as they appear here. Looking back through the emails I have received from the party centrally since the formation of the coalition, very few have asked me to do anything. Some have asked for money, requested I come to conference or suggested I go and help in elections -but even those, whilst being good stuff, have been drawn from a very narrow conception of what members and supporters can do. When it comes to policy areas, ...
You may have read in the news that Bury Council are proposing shutting Prestwich Library on Sundays to cut costs. Whilst we appreciate the need to make cuts to deal with the deficit and debt, we have said all along that those cuts should come after adequate consultation and wherever possible not hit front line services. This proposed cut fails both of those tests. Our "Priorities for Prestwich" campaign has highlighted that the library is a massively popular community asset. In addition, Sunday closing particularly affects the Jewish community who can't use the service on Saturdays. Given that there are ...
I don't have a problem with the indiscrete things that Liberal Democrat ministers have said about their Conservative opposite numbers within the Coalition. I expect most Liberal Democrat party members will be reassured to learn that their ministers have not been subsumed into Conservative culture, and despite an amicable working relationship the two parties within the government remain very definitely distinct. In fact the indiscrete comments will help us in all sorts of situations: "You think we LIKE having to work with the Conservatives? Well now you know, we don't, but it's the price that has to be paid for ...
This newspaper was put out by the Liberals in the October 1974 General Election, where Michael Winstanley, who'd won in February, was defeated by the Conservative Tom Arnold in Hazel Grove. Arnold would hold the seat until replaced by Lib Dem Andrew Stunell in 1997. It's interesting that the paper openly discusses the possibilities of the Liberals being in coalition or forming a minority government: If no party has an overall majority (and there are many who blame "strong" Tory and Labour governments for the mess we are in today) there will have to be inter-party talks which could lead ...
The Western Mail reports that BBC Wales were forced to apologise after inadvertently slurring the Deputy First Minister on a live radio phone-in. They say that a listener sent a text to BBC Radio Wales' Jason Mohammad phone-in claiming he was given the rude gesture by the Plaid Cymru leader, whose portfolio includes transport. Mr. Mohammad read the message live on air, saying: "I've just seen Ieuan Wyn Jones skating down the street eating a flaky pasty. "I asked him to a get a grip of the roads and he gave me the finger." The text, from a listener identified ...
A Happy Holiday to all our readers.
Finals Week: The Rise of Women in Horror Fandom and Film | Fangirltastic Interesting, if somewhat patronising, essay on the fact that male horror fans have suddenly noticed "hey, there b wimmenz here". (tags: horror feminism) F- YEAH, JAMES MAY » Feel better soon, James! An explanation for James's new hairdon't? (tags: topgear) What Focus leaflets owe to Florence Nightingale « Strange Thoughts Andy talks about one of my heroines. (tags: thought libdemmery)
I have seen some misreporting by LGBT activists over the last few days which I felt I should point out, stemming from the fact that people are typing "LGBT" without thinking. Please consider when reporting on things that a win for LGB folk does not necessarily help Trans people. The first instance of a non-T "LGBT win" is the real of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. The changes will not, according to any source or discussion I can find, allow Trans people to serve in the US Miltary. The text of the motion merely "provides for repeal of the current Department ...
Earlier this month the first ever commercial space craft - SpaceX's Dragon capsule and Falcon rocket - pressurised so it COULD have carried astronauts had its initial test flight. It was a complete success. It took NASA three attempts to have its first safe test flight. This is a landmark in changing access to space from the military and governments and the odd mega rich space tourists to just super rich people. But eventually it will become cheap enough for many people to experience space.
Another interesting question is that of the inter-relationship between democratic accountability and the rule of law.For some time there has been a campaign to refer the matter of BSkyB to the competition authorities.Many politicians have taken a view on this. This means that they have pre-judged the decision. Given the debate about the question as to what extent politicians are bound by their
There has been an interesting debate about the question as to whether or not there are limits to protest.I have always taken the view that there are limits to protest. The limits are determined by the consequences of protest. If someone dies or is seriously hurt as a result of the protest then the protest has gone too far. Similarly if there is serious vandalism then also the protest has gone
Pithy descriptn of how to judge fidelity – by intent not deed. [Finkler Question, Jacobsen] http://amzn.com/k/GR9QWBTIQHJ5 #Kindle # Share this on Facebook Email this via Gmail Email this via Hotmail Email this to a friend? Send this page to Print Friendly Tweet This! Email this via Yahoo! Mail
Today's Daily Telegraph revelations have Foreign Office Minister, Jeremy Browne giving his private view of the Conservatives. He told their undercover operatives that Tory immigration policy is "driven by uncharitable instincts" and the party's political allies in Europe are "an embarrassment": Speaking of the Lib Dem contribution to foreign policy, Mr Browne said: "The government's policy on Europe, because I'm a foreign office minister... is seen as far more amenable and civilised than the European Parliament would have expected. "I mean, I had a breakfast meeting about three weeks ago with the Danish ambassador, the Swedish ambassador, you know, I ...
The kids were supposed to go to school today, even though it is Christmas Eve. But the roads were slippery enough yesterday evening, and more snow has fallen overnight, our back garden showing that the total depth is about 30cm: manjushra, scattyme and child, liberaliser and Mrs liberaliser, all will arrive in time for one of the bigger New Year celebrations we've had here. And Doctor Who is on tomorrow!
i) births and deaths 24 December 1925: birth of Innes Lloyd, producer of Doctor Who from The Celestial Toymaker (1966) to The Enemy of the World (1967-68). 24 December 1941: birth of John Levene, who played Benton in various UNIT stories from 1968 to 1975. ii) broadcast anniversaries 24 December 1966: broadcast of second episode of The Highlanders. Polly and Kirsty capture Ffinch; the Doctor tricks solicitor Grey; but Ben, Jamie and the Laird are trapped on the slave ship. 24 December 2006: broadcast of Combat (Torchwood), the one with the fighting Weevils which was written by Noel "Mickey Smith" ...
Dear Peter Lilley MP, On hearing your comment's on BBC Radio 4s Today Programme, I thought I would explain from a campaigning perspective, in Scotland, why you are wrong. Initially when you said; 'I can conceive that we might fight as a coalition,'I did think initially you had perhaps overdone the Christmas sherry somewhat, either that or you were talking out your backside. On closer inspection however, I feel it is because you have the Liberal Democrats in second place in your own Hitchin and Harpenden constituency and it would therefore provide you with a job for many years to ...
Vladmir Putin sets the standard for Prime Ministers everywhere. What songs will Cameron and Clegg perform to meet the challenge?
I believe any referendum is an abdication of responsibility by our elected representatives. The proposal in the European Union Bill that any further shared sovereignty with the European Union should be subject to a referendum is clearly populist nonsense designed to tie the hands of British negotiators and stifle the development of the EU itself. This extract from the Christmas Newsletter of Peter Luff, chair of the European Movement, puts the matter well:. As the Guardian editorial of 21 December put it extremely well: "It remains, as ever, a tragedy that we are led by government who insist that British ...
My f-lists are getting too big again. I am going to be doing a cull before new year, probably after my birthday.FacebookThis is going to big the biggest cull; I aim to get my personal f-list down below 100, and a definite maximum of 150. The people I am going to remove will be people I have no interaction with in real life; if I only speak to you online you are likely to fall into this group. At least 50 to 100 people are going to be removed, possibly more. If you are on my facebook f-list and wish ...
PaulCornell.com: The Twelve Blogs of Christmas: Eleven Paul on the numinous. (tags: religion) The Blast Shack "For diplomats, a massive computer leak is not the kind of sunlight that chases away corrupt misbehavior; it's more like some dreadful shift in the planetary atmosphere that causes ultraviolet light to peel their skin away." (tags: wikileaks)
Blackburn Rovers recently acquired new owners and one of their first actions was to sack manager Sam Allardyce. Nothing new there then. It seems that in football contracts are not worth the paper they are written on. Don't get me wrong. I don't feel sorry for the players or the managers as they earn enough to get by even if their contract is broken after a few weeks. I know there are lots of things that cause me to write blogs about football, but this time what bothers me is the attitude that contracts don't matter. Christopher Samba, the Blackburn ...
