I cannot ignore the biggest political story of the week. Since others have covered the ground pretty thoroughly I will try to keep this post short. The government's rise in VAT to 20% has just come into effect. Shoppers will soon have to contend with an increase of 5p in every £2 on most goods - as soon as shops decide to drop the inane "we'll pay the increase" charade. There will be no change, however, to the following items on which the VAT rate is and remains 0%: Most types of food.Books, newspapers, magazinesChildren's clothesExceptional items such as equipment ...
Just over two years ago, I posted a couple of blog-posts about QR codes – the 2-d bar-codes that can be read by some mobile phones, and got some rather robust feedback on one where I expressed some scepticism about their future. During the election, the idea of a Twitter poster came up, and, more for amusement than anything else (although I also wanted to say thank you to my supporters on Twitter), we produced some – and included a QR-code on them. [IMG: Could these be the geekiest posters in the UK? :-) #gomartintod #qr] Imagine my astonishment when ...
I let Holly stay up a bit late tonight. We watched Mars Attacks! because it was on and she really loved it, which I am glad about because it is one of my favourite films. She is convinced that all the Martians are female, which puts an interesting spin on the gender politics of the film, and she kept referring to the purple-cloaked martian leader as the Martian Princess. She loved the scene with Jack Nicholson's speech to the Princess, and big brave Byron. And she wants to watch it again LOL. Good job I have the DVD somewhere... [IMG: ...
Nigel Pargetter is better off out of the Archers. Like almost every male character in the long running Radio Four soap, he has been a simplistic negative stereotype for far too long. Nigel has filled the role of upper class twerp, mummy's boy and bungling buffoon, whilst Elizabeth has done the long suffering wife thing, run the successful business at Lower Loxely Hall and heroically brought up the Pargeter progeny. As a former fan, I had to give up listening to the Archers years ago. With Vanessa Whitburn as editor, the series seems to pursue a relentlessly anti-male agenda. Virtually, ...
Lib Dems firmly believe in protecting the rights and freedom of the individual. I think one of the key freedoms that should be protected is freedom from fear. Everyone has the right to feel safe in their neighbourhood whatever their background, but sadly not everyone does, and fear of antisocial behaviour leaves too many people fearful of stepping outside their front door and unable to enjoy life to the full. Antisocial behaviour is not an insignificant issue:- In 2008-09, the police recorded more than 3.5 million incidents of antisocial behaviour-more than 10,000 a day. The Home Office estimates that responding ...
My first completed read of 2011 is a download from Google Books, rejoicing in the title: The Hiſtory of That moſt Eminent Stateſman, Sir John Perrott, Knight of the Bath and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, a 1728 edition of a manuscript probably written by his son Sir James Perrot in the 1590s, after Perrot's death but before Elizabeth I's. Perrot is important in my project on my ancestor Nicholas White in that they worked together in Ireland when Perrot was a senior English appointee and White one of the most senior Irish-born government officials; also, they both died in the ...
I love lights, but forget to turn them on And forget to turn them off.. So hooray for the timers! I now have them all set to come on when it gets dark, and turn off at bed time!
I not sure I glad to be out of coma. Paesano in Little Sicily sure get whiny in absence. Only today out in market wetting beak on fruit and tupperware stands when stall holders all gather round. "Why Don Clegg put up our protection Signor Liberali?" they wring hands at me "It so hard", "We struggle", "Customers no understand why price go up", "You try to take crusts from mouths of bambinos", "Signor Miliband his protection cost less"... and on, and on... "It 2.5%" I say "That not much." Pause to think really hard. "Can't tell you exactly how small ...
Here are some costumes I made today.This knights Helmet Another knight, this is a tunic which is supposed to be the chain mail And a red cloak with a hood, , but it can be a black cloak with a red lining
A second day at Bonkers Hall. Tuesday It is strange how new policies come to prominence. Until recently, we Liberal Democrats devoted all our efforts to helping the poor, but today a new cause has become popular amongst us - that of Not Terribly Bright middle-class children. If you don't support giving thousands of pounds to Not Terribly Bright middle-class children so that they can go to university, then you are no Liberal Democrat, or so some would tell you. These Not Terribly Bright middle-class children throng the streets, occupy libraries (which may, in all fairness, do them some good) ...
Writing on Liberal Democrat Voice, Sara Bedford remembers the Lib Dem blogger Rachel Smith, who died a few days ago. Richard Davis has been to the Oldham East & Saddleworth by-election. So has Paul Walter of Liberal Burblings, who found himself stuffing envelopes with Tim Farron: "You'll notice that I wasn't quick enough with the posed smile ... but our esteemed President had his ever-ready 'cheeky chappy' smile on hand." npr ventures beneath New York. "The Artist Formerly Known as Captain Beefheart is a BBC documentary from 1997, on the late, great Don Van Vliet. Its presented by the also ...
Back in November I wrote here about the cancellation of funding from the NWDA for phase II of the Quays Gateway Masterplan, which involved moving the old and disused Quays Cargo Cranes to the M602 roundabout and the construction of three key 'supercrossings' that would be built across Trafford Road directly in front of the new Oasis Academy at MediaCity:UK. When the Manchester Evening News suggested that the whole plan had been scrapped, suddenly Salford Council came to the rescue and claimed the MEN had it all wrong (even forcing the paper to print a retraction and withdraw online versions ...
Is it me or has the BBC lost all sense of balance tonight's (4th Jan)main six o'clock news, seemed to lack the usual background that most stories carry. The top news story was the increase in VAT to 20%, from the serious tones used to convey the story you might have got the impression that the end of the world was nigh, rather than an adjustment to the tax system, caused by Labours years of squander, of which little explanation was given. The only plus point on the national news was that the recent BBC journalist's Liberal Democratic bashing, couldn't ...
Birmingham has attracted national media coverage as an example of one of the many Councils which have had problems collecting rubbish in the past few weeks. For many Councils, there have been difficulties caused by the snow which effectively blocked many side roads for the large lorries used to collect rubbish. The snow problem then combined with the normal Christmas peak period, when volumes of rubbish rise by around 30%. In Birmingham the problems have been made worse by an industrial dispute between the Council and the binmen. The problem here (to cut a long and complicated story short) is ...
Blogging has been thin on the ground these last few months (a new year's resolution may be in order to rectify that), but it seems that a new year has not brought a 'new' Labour. In fact, quite the opposite. Nationally, we see Labour claiming the VAT rise is "the wrong tax at the wrong time" – and while I'm no fan of the VAT rise, I do remember Alistair Darling publicly discussing the need to bring in a rise of 19%. Just what would Labour have done if they'd won the election (or, god forbid participated in a coalition)? ...
Some more things from the interwebnets that have caught my attention: Mail gets it wrong on US broadcast of 'Downton Abbey' – Tabloid Watch reports on how Downton Abbey isn't being dumbed-down for American audiences. I'm shocked – shocked! – that there's inaccurate and badly researched reporting going on in the Daily Mail. A Con-LibDem ...
Tomorrow (Wednesday) sees the first meeting of the Council's Internal Scrutiny committee, which I chair. It's a meeting with a single agenda item - potential charges to be levied for some non-core Children Centre services. The Cabinet Member responsible for these services has put forward proposals to start charging for them, and this proposal has been "called in" for further scrutiny by the committee tomorrow. It promises to be an interesting evening because I know the Children's Centres have been very popular and useful in communities since their introduction, and that up until now all of the services for which ...
So he's not too old to give up the dancing, but clearly old enough to go senile... "I have a nuclear option; it's like fighting a war. They know I have nuclear weapons, but I don't have any conventional weapons. If they push me too far then I can walk out and bring the government down and they know that. So it is a question of how you use that intelligently without getting involved in a war that destroys all of us. That is quite a difficult position to be in and I am picking my fights. Some of which ...
Earlier today both Chris White and Nick Barlow pointed out how the government's "localism agenda" (formerly known as the man in Whitehall doesn't know best) has taken two steps back this week. But for the two steps back, there are also two steps forward: with councils being given more discretion to decide what parking charges should be in their own patch (a piece of localism which will most likely see some Conservative councils downplay environmental considerations in setting charges, but if you believe in local decision-making...) and also, hooray, a scrapping of the "pre-determination rule" in England. You may have ...
The No2AV camp are already resorting to a whole host of desperate arguments in its attempt to retain the completely discredited First Past The Post system for general elections. But there's one argument I find misleading to the point of nausea. I'll quote from an official No2AV leaflet, but you'll hear the argument used by many of their supporters: Fiji have had enough of AV and are about to ditch it They will always use this argument in isolation, without any explanation as to the reasons why Fiji is about to ditch AV. Why might that be? What they have ...
Throughout the festive season, LDV is offering our readers another chance to read the 12 most popular opinion articles which have appeared on the blog since 1st January, 2010. The second most-read LDV op-ed of 2010 was by LDV co-editor Stephen Tall, and originally appeared on 8th May ... Deal or no deal? Here's what I think Who would want to be in Nick Clegg's place today? For all the talk during the campaign that the Lib Dem leader would end up as 'Kingmaker', that now looks the least enviable position imaginable. I've read and absorbed lots of the commentary ...
Too sick to do much today (come down with some weird jaw infection – I think a glandular thing – that's made me absolutely exhausted), so the half-completed articles on Superman and Mister Miracle will have to wait til tomorrow (as will the emails I need to send). Meanwhile, have a few links: Lawrence Miles ...
We have just received this from the council.I write to notify you of the Authorities intention to close Old Fosse Road this Friday the 7th of January between 9.30am and 3.30pm to undertake urgent carriageway repairs. Following the recent thaw after the prolonged cold spell a number of areas of carriageway at Old Fosse Road have been affected (see attached example) and are in need of permanent
One of the key arguments made by defenders of First Past the Post is that it produces clear outcomes on which strong and stable government is based. New analysis published today by the ippr (Worst of Both worlds: Why First Past the Post no longer works) shows why this claim no longer stacks up. It shows that the last general election result was not an aberration but a reflection of long-term changes in voting patterns across the UK which significantly increase the likelihood of more hung parliaments in the future. Britain has evolved into a multi-party system, but it still ...
[IMG: Newsletter screenshot] First new year resolution completed - getting out edition number 1 of my new monthly email newsletter. I hope it'll fill a gap for people who find reading lots of blogs too much and reading Liberal Democrat News too little. You can read it here. Let me know what you think - and if you like it, do sign up for edition number 2.
Remember localism? That grand idea that Government ought to stop interfering in the business of local councils and let them run services the way they thought would be best for their residents. If you don't, don't worry. Turns out the Government – or at least the DCLG – doesn't either. Chris White did a good ...
This morning I posted about Cornwall Council's proposal to ignore Government advice on parking. Now ministers have issued guidance on bin collections and I wonder whether our local Conservatives will be ignoring this too? The new advice is aimed at helping those authorities which have adopted fortnightly collections to move back to a weekly service. The issue has come to the fore because of the recent bad weather. Some parts of Exeter, which has fortnightly collections, have seen black bag rubbish piling up for four weeks without being collected. In Launceston we have seen most homes miss out on collections ...
2010 was my first complete calender year of blogging, which saw me going from blogging around every 2-3 day to almost daily posts by the end of the year. I blog primarily for my own pleasure although I do check viewings of my blog on a regular basis. That said, the numbers remain, largely, contextless and (I imagine) relatively low. Nevertheless, I remain interested in what has been viewed and where those readers came from. So, here's a brief overview of how Google Analytics views my blog, starting with 2010's most read posts:This post on the RFL's tackling of the ...
The whole of VN Towers may stilll be in mourning and the cruel slashing of the Daily Show, but January will see the return of both the Glee show choir and the Walker Family on E4 and More4 respectively. We left the Glee show choir after their regional sing off, having just received a reprieve to continue for another year (obviously.) We expect more top end one liners from Sue Sylvester, and can't wait to find out who the guest starts are. Hard to imagine them beating Wicked ladies Idina Menzel and Kristin Cheneworth though.... Warm up your vocal chords ...
Sci-Fi Short story written a few years ago. The Final Vote October 22nd 2007 'And this works?' 'Yes, it does. It's very simple really. The fusion of the two technologies has been very successful. I think you'll find the nanobiobes are a valid and effective inclusion into this new entry system you propose. Nano tagging is the way forward.' Dr. Harris Hope leans back in his chair, fingertips lightly pressed together, elbows resting on the polished granite slab that passes for a conference table. In front of him, his computer screen takes a second or two to refresh; they were ...
Anne Francis with Robbie the Robot in a still to advertise Forbidden Planet As Jennie and others noted yesterday the acting world lost Pete Postlethwaite, but the day before we lost one of the stars who warranted her own line in Science Fiction Double Feature the opening song over the titles of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Yes Anne Francis may have starred in Forbidden Planet (1956) but her career spanned almost 70 years from 1936-2004. Starting as a child model aged five to help her family through the great depression before taking to the Broadway stage at the age ...
With thanks to Murray Nicoll of the Tay Valley Family History Society, here's some more photographs from last week's public appeal launch :Above : I introduce the speakers Above : Stuart Morris of Balgonie addresses the audienceAbove : The cast of Five Pound and Twa BairnsAbove : Some of the descendents of the victims of the disaster, who attended the event : Standing rear row, left to right : Nick Brand related to victim George Ness; Stuart Morris of Balgonie related to victims Elizabeth Mann and Elizabeth Brown (grandmother/granddaughter); Robert Thomson related to Robert, David and Robert Watson (father and ...
I've had a busy, and rather emotional, couple of weeks and haven't been online much. My nan, who had been ill for some months, died just after Christmas. The family had gathered together and we all were able to spend some of Christmas Day with her. But it has been a sad time. She was a kind woman with somewhat conservative views, whose gentle and diminutive appearance hid a very strong and determined spirit. She had remained fit and active well into her 90′s and will be very much missed by those who knew her. For New Year I joined ...
Ridgeway will be closed this week due to flooding. It'll now open next Monday 10th rather than the planned date of Thursday 6th. Biffa crews are still trying to clear the backlog of missed bin collections. By tomorrow evening (Wednesday) they hope to have caught up with all missed green bin collections. Missed grey bin ...
Residents in South Gloucestershire are encouraged to get their electric blankets tested for free on Tuesday 18 January at Patchway Fire Station. South Gloucestershire Council is providing the free blanket testing in partnership with Avon Fire and Rescue Service to help prevent the risk of fire caused by old or faulty blankets. Nationally, it is estimated that old or damaged electric blankets can cause 5,000 house fires a year and older people are at greatest risk according to the charity, Age UK. So if you, or a family member need to get your blanket tested, please book an appointment by ...
httpI am somewhat surprised, although I guess that I shouldn't be. But it has been announced that HMRC will be experimenting with Twitter in the run-up to the Income Tax Self Assessment deadline. So, for your tax fix, follow @HMRCgovuk. Curiously, they signed up on Twitter on 22 January last year, but with the first tweet on 21 December, and just 607 followers, they could do with some more friends. If you're an accountant, or simply interested in tax stuff, why not join the 607?
It is a sign that we may be the only ones playing the 'new politics' game, but I'm intrigued by the mutterings coming out of the Conservative right wing, and the conjecturing of the supposedly intellectual media that there will be some sort of deal between Liberal Democrats and Conservatives before the next General Election, perhaps even a merger. Intrigued because I find myself wondering which Liberal Democrats they are talking to when journalists write this stuff. Nobody ever talks to me about electoral pacts or merger, either within the Party or without. That could be because none of us ...
I understand the need to raise revenue, I really do. I understand that Osborne thinks a VAT rise is less damaging than an income tax rise. What I don't understand is why he"d implement a policy that he knows will lower retail sales when retail sales are already decreasing. An export and manufacturing-led recovery can ...
2011 New Years started with a trip to Oldham East and Saddleworth, I drove up with three others as part of the Team London's continuing efforts to help the Lib Dems get Elwyn Watkins elected on the 13th January. We arrived in the early evening and joined the team in the office and got straight into ...Read the Rest
Over the weekend it was thought Deputy PM Nick Clegg had scored a big victory by winning the debate to get control orders scrapped. This is obviously close to the truth as their has been a backlash against the proposed move. First Lib Dem Lord Carlile said that while he disagrees with the orders, the 'coalition will not be forgiven if a 7/7 style terror attack occurs', deeply worrying from a man that advises the Government on counter terrorism. Former Home Secretaries Lords Howard and Reid, as well as Tory stalwart Malcolm Rifkind, have weighed in too. One of the ...
Today's increase in VAT from 17.5% to 20% — announced in the Coalition's emergency budget last year — has triggered a fresh burst of criticism from Labour. The "wrong tax at the wrong time" claims their leader Ed Miliband. How Labour's last Chancellor backed a VAT rise I suspect there's a Labour MP we won't be hearing from today, though: Alistair Darling*, Chancellor until the party's defeat in May. As Mark Pack noted here last July, Mr Darling was a strong advocate of increasing the rate of VAT in order to tackle the UK's massive deficit, with The Guardian noting ...
Sefton's chief executive has apologised on the council's web site and this week there will be a detailed Town Hall debate at Southport Area Committee on the subject. A detailed report highlighting things that must be done better and suggesting different practical ways of tackling snow and ice has been put together by the Liberal Democrats based on the complaints and suggestions of local Southport councillors and the views of residents and businesses. This report, with specific recommendations, directs council officers to address quickly the shortcomings of the current winter weather programme and make sure that Sefton is properly prepared ...
It is quite blood-curdling. I'll leave others to decide whether this falls in the category of "porcine" thespianship. Surely not in the Archers?
So we start the year with a 2.5% VAT increase on most goods/services for sale - excepting certain exempted items such as childrens clothes, most food, newspapers and a few others. Of course Labour are bleating that it's bad for all and sundry. Well it certainly will not make anybody any richer. BUT it will play a major part in balancing the books and plugging the massive budget deficit Labour left us. It's all very well Labour opposing every turn of this coalition Government's attempts to balance the books but if they are to be taken seriously they will have ...
...and on Sunday, I was! I'm a darts lover and have been since I was a child. For me, New Year since I was a child has always meant watching the World's Strongest Man competition, the New Year's Day Concert from Vienna on Radio 3 and BBC2 and the BDO World Darts Championshiop live on the BBC, from the Lakeside complex at Frimley Green. All of which I would do with my father. A Childhood Love of Darts My darting recollections begin from around 1992 when Phil Taylor beat Mike Gregory for his 2nd world title in a sudden death, ...
What a good walk? I lead another Walk for the Brislington Health Walks this morning. We went on a circular walk taking in Arnos Park and the top bits of the cemetry. It got a little slippy so we took slow at stages. With 23 of us walking I felt like a shepherd at a couple of points making sure that everyone was safe. Nice cup of berry tea at the T-Cup cafe afterwards.
It's VAT Rise Day today. The Opposition, the self-appointed "Taxpayers' Alliance" and the Beer Retailers Association have all made noises opposing the rise. So what are the alternatives?The first is to do nothing. This may be comfortable for some commentators and is often a line adopted by some in the Labour Party. It saves their having to put forward an alternative and proffers the scenario of
I think it best if I just reproduce the article on the front page of the Sefton MBC website that appeared this morning following on from our posting last night Severe Weather Sefton Council Chief Executive, Margaret Carney, said: "Following the severe weather conditions witnessed just before Christmas, I wish to sincerely apologise that we didn't achieve better outcomes despite extensive gritting and the efforts of all staff concerned. "We will learn lessons which will include looking to invest in new equipment and mobilising staff more quickly to manually clear the snow, particularly in town centres. "While the weather conditions ...
who's burgled the house and returns saying `isn't it terrible how the insurance company are putting up your premiums`. Tsk – it's nowt to do with me guv.
A couple of weeks ago, Andrew asked me to make out a family tree - and that he would do the same (not yet seen-Ed.) - as he would like to know who is who in my family. I decided finally to go to ancestry.co.uk and see what I could do. I know that my ...
Andrew Stunell told Lib Dem Voice in December: 'The Localism Bill presents a lot of positive news for local government.' I don't demur from that but there is much we need to challenge in this Bill. Take for instance the much vaunted General Power of Competence. If you open Volume 1 of the Bill (yes, it is that long) you will find that the Secretary of State 'may by order make provision preventing local authorities from doing, in exercise of the general power, anything which is specified, or is of a description specified, in the order.' Basically the Secretary of ...
Lib Dem Manifesto p.74 "We will make prisoners work and contribute from their prison wages to a compensation fund for victims" The government's sentencing green paper included proposals for 'working prisons' to get prisoners used to working regular hours, and to contribute toward financial reparations for victims Lib Dem Manifesto p.75 "We will give people a direct say in how petty criminals and those who engage in anti-social behaviour are punished by setting up Neighbourhood Justice Panels" The sentencing green paper also included proposals for increasing the opportunities for communities to become involved in local justice through Neighbourhood Justice Panels ...
Tue 4th
11:54
Here I am with Tim Farron, LibDem President, stuffing envelopes in Oldham yesterday afternoon
When I saw our venerable and newly minted President entering the Oldham East and Saddleworth HQ yesterday, I was determined not to ask for a photo with him – even though I really wanted one taken. In the end, I didn't have to ask. There was a spare space at the stuffing tables next to me and he came down and sat down for half an hour's stuffing. Someone came round to ask to take a photo of him, and I asked them to take one of me and him also. My goodness me, he can talk for England. I ...
In the UK, the story is usually about how it's ok to remove snow, as you won't be sued if someone still falls over. In the US, however, the story is reversed - with the fear of legal action being about if you don't remove snow: John Merian spent four hours on Monday morning shoveling his Brockton driveway. Then he headed downtown to shovel out his Main Street business, Tuxedos by Merian. It's a routine the family has followed for 60 years. But thanks to a summertime court decision, business owners like Merian now have an added incentive to clear ...
Having missed the lunar eclipse two weeks ago due to the snowfall (still not completely cleared), I managed to see the partially eclipsed sun rising this morning as I drove to Tienen (where U now spends two days a week). In fact it was pretty difficult to miss, directly in front of me along the line of the motorway, huge and crescent; it would have been terrifying to people in prehistoric cultures who might see such a sight once or twice in a lifetime. No wonder that the ancient Babylonians buckled down to eclipse prediction as soon as they could. ...
The following is taken from Sefton's website: Severe Weather Sefton Council Chief Executive, Margaret Carney, said: "Following the severe weather conditions witnessed just before Christmas, I wish to sincerely apologise that we didn't achieve better outcomes despite extensive gritting and the efforts of all staff concerned. "We will learn lessons which will include looking to invest in new equipment and mobilising staff more quickly to manually clear the snow, particularly in town centres. "While the weather conditions were unprecedented, it is clear that the lives of our communities were significantly impacted and I apologise for that."
The idea that there will be the introduction of a happiness index in the UK which intends to map happiness in the country was met with a mixed reaction. While many may believe this is folly there is an opportunity here to move away from the traditional measure of success - GDP. The Lib Dems ...
This is my fourth monthly round of blog figures for anyone who is remotely interested in who reads my little blog. These stats for the month of December come courstesy of google analytics. A Record Breaking Month After a busy first few months, I expected to settle down into a calmer pace of blogging this month. As it turns out, it's been my busiest yet. I wrote 38 blog posts this month, double the 19 I wrote in November. It beats my previous high of 30 in September. The bulk of these were from my 'enthusiasm' for the Coronation St ...
Shadow Chancellor Alan Johnson told Radio 4's Today programme this morning that a Labour government would have removed the UK's structural deficit by 2015.....except he just told Laura Kunnesburg that is not what he said: So he needs to double check his own economic plan. With a controversial rise in VAT kicking in today, perhaps it would have been a good idea to do your homework over the Christmas holidays AJ?
This morning's Daily Telegraph reports that the Government's Localism Bill will contain measures so that local councillors will no longer be prevented from taking crucial decisions because they have already expressed an opinion on whether a controversial project should go ahead: It will mean an end to councillors who have been elected to halt a closure or development being barred from sitting in judgement. Under current Town Hall "pre-determination" rules, councillors are unable to vote on matters if they have expressed an opinion. But last night, Grant Shapps, the local government minister, wrote to all English councils and told them ...
Once again Cornwall Council is set to ignore Government advice and local people are likely to suffer as a result. This time, the issue is parking and small towns such as Launceston will bear the brunt of local Tories decision to put cash above communities. As I have blogged many times in recent weeks, parking charges are set to rise hugely in our area and I believe that the impact will be devastating on local shops and businesses. The charges will hit both shoppers and shop workers. Shoppers will be hit by average charge rises of 42% and shop workers ...
When I transferred my SIM to my new phone I also transferred all my contacts via bluetooth as V-cards. For some reason, after restarting my phone after a software update, it lost all the phone numbers I had transferred. I went to the Bluetooth received files folder, and the list of all the V-cards was still there, but when I clicked on any one of them it said they didn't exist. Foolishly I no longer have the contacts in my old phone. I thought they would be safe after a successful transfer. Having googled, it seems a hell of a ...
This comment (by timak on a Lib Dem voice post about whether VAT is regressive) is quite instructive as an indication of how very often the Lib Dems get the blame for things that are not really their fault whilst getting no credit for the influence they have had in government. I have quoted the comment in full below: I used to believe the Lib Dems were on the side of social justice, progress politics and equal opportunity before I started to read this site. 40,000 families own 70% of this country, both in assets and investment terms. If they ...
I support the Coalition. Or, more precisely, I want to see Lib Dem policies and principles actually changing people's lives, not just piling up forever more in some dusty old cupboard of policy papers and manifestos past, and right now the Coalition is without a doubt the only game in town when it comes to achieving that. But what about all those horrible compromises we're having to make? What about the compromise on tuition fees and many other areas? What about the 35% of the Lib Dem manifesto that's not in the Coalition Agreement? How can we live with those ...
A lot of stuff has been written today about the VAT rise, including many soothsayers who are convinced that it will all end badly. As ever with these matters we should take these things with a pinch of salt, remembering that they are making predictions not stating facts. In the case of economists I apply another rule: they are very good at predicting the past. Here is one example of the sort of nonsense that the opposition have come up with, this time from August, when the Welsh Government put out a press release predicting that the Welsh health service ...
This is a fun little exercise - seeing which books were published 50 years ago, 100 years ago, 150 years ago and so on. I've imposed arbitrary cut-offs based on LibraryThing ownership, which means that, for instance, we lose Brian Aldiss' The Primal Urge and Harry Harrison's The Stainless Steel Rat, but it's a diverse enough array as it is. View Poll: #1664046 I invite further discussion and recommendations (or dis-recommendations) in comments.
Tue 4th
09:28
Whoniversaries 4 January: Daleks #3, Krotons #2, Robot #2, Castrovalva #1, Greatest Show #4
broadcast anniversaries 4 January 1964: broadcast of "The Escape", third episode of the story we now call The Daleks. Susan meets Alydon the Thal in the forest, and returns to the others in the city, where they capture a Dalek. 4 January 1969: broadcast of second episode of The Krotons. Zoe and the Doctor take the test and enter the machine; the Krotons manifest themselves. 4 January 1975: broadcast of second episode of Robot. K1, the robot, kills a cabinet minister and threatens to kill the Doctor. 4 January 1982: broadcast of first episode of Castrovalva first full story with ...
Re-post: How does biology explain the low numbers of women in computer science? Hint: it doesn't. | Geek Feminism Blog An oldie but a goodie. (tags: maths sexism) The (Nonexistent) Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Consequences of Enthusiastic Consent « Brilliant, brilliant post about the concept of of enthusiastic consent. Some may find it triggery for discussion of rape, especially rape myths. (tags: rape feminism) What Could Have Been Entering the Public Domain on January 1, 2011? Stupid bloody copyright laws (tags: media copyright drm)
It's always tempting to view the verdict of investigations through a partisan filter – if 'your side' does not get punished, it's a great result by a wise team of investigators; if on the other hand it does get punished, it's a muddle-headed verdict from dangerously ignorant investigators, whether that means the police, the courts or a regulator. However, the case of Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith's election expenses raises important issues which deserve a more careful consideration that the immediate partisan filter. Some are longer-term ones about how regulation of election expenditure is changing as the methods people use alter; ...
Yes, he's back again, and this time it's our local bus services that are under threat. As Suffolk County Council continue their hapless mission to cut spending without any thought for the consequences, the latest news is that they want to cut £2.3 million from the public transport budget for next year. That would be out of a budget of £4.2 million, i.e. a 55% cut. Apparently, young Mr McGregor is negotiating with officers and cabinet colleagues to save some of the routes potentially under threat, but he'll probably struggle. And, ironically, one of the places most at risk is ...
Originally written in 1988 and published in 1990, The Hope is Lovegrove's first novel. Set on a giant ship that's on a generation-long journey to a promised land, it's presented as a series of vignettes depicting life on board the ship across all the different levels of it. At first, this does seem like you're ...
Old & Sad may be a jokey abbreviation for Oldham & Saddleworth - but it also suits the discredited Labour Party. The Coalition has been forced to put right Labour's disasterous financial mismanagement using a variety of painful, but unavoidable, measures. However, a marginal increase in VAT that few would notice will be an effective way to plug the spending gap with minimal pain. But Labour Leader Ed Milliband couldn't resist traipsing up to the Oldham By-Election - caused by the disqualification of the Labour Candidate whose May campaign was based on misrepresentation and untruths - and attacking one of ...
As this post goes live, I will be in the process of getting ready for the return to work after the Christmas and New Year break. A break which has also seen my posting levels decrease from what had become an almost daily occurrence to just twice in the past 9 days. Now, though, it's time to drag myself out of holiday mode and commence posting again. Plans for the weeks and months ahead include:Completing the "An A-Z of My CDs" series. Continuing to contribute to Stephen's "5 on the 5th" Increasing the frequency of my "Great Buildings" series -as ...
The Liberal Democrats have published a list of 67 manifesto commitments delivered or on their way to be delivered in eight months of government. Below and in subsequent posts we reproduce that list: Lib Dem Manifesto, p.76 - "We will end the detention of children in immigrationdetention centres" On 16th December, Nick Clegg announced the ending of child detention for immigration purposes. Lib Dem Manifesto, p.83 – "Through our policy on Capital Gains Tax, ensure that those who use second homes as speculative investments will pay tax on enhanced capital value at the same rate as on earned income, not ...
In a word, no. This post is not immediately topical. That is to say, I have not seen a current news item which has inspired me to write this. However, that doesn't mean that it isn't relevant. For example, it's an idea which attracted the attention of the NUS a while back. They decided to support minimum pricing in an attempt to put a stop to the cheap alcohol deals which many students take advantage of on a night out. Now, I'm not a big drinker. Despite being a student, I have no personal vested interest in opposing any minimum ...
The consultation on Hertfordshire school admissions arrangements for 2012/2013 opens today. The county council is seeking feedback from parents, carers, schools and community groups on its admission arrangements for September 2012. After last year's decision to change to a system of straight line measurement for home-school distances, the county council is proposing no major changes to its admission arrangements for 2012 to allow a period of consolidation. However, some changes are proposed to published admission numbers and 6th form arrangements. Feedback is being sought on * The nursery admissions oversubscription criteria * Admission arrangements for all community and voluntary-controlled schools ...
Well the rise in VAT to 20% is upon us and according to Ed Milliband it will cost families £389 per year. He didn't work this figure out as he just took it from a Liberal Democrat poster from the general election. As this figure is at least eight months old and was based on what the Tories would have to do in order to pay for their other tax promises and as we have had so much turmoil in the government finances, it would seem to me that this figure is out of date. It has not only been ...
Ambling Along the Aqueduct: The Pleasures of Reading, Viewing, and Listening in 2010, pt. 28: Haddayr Copley-Woods Review of Sex at Dawn: The Prehistoric Origins of Modern Sexuality by Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jethá. "I have not read such delightful, convincing, and readable science writing since the dearly lamented Stephen Jay Gould. This book is funny, absorbing, clear-eyed, and deeply anti-patriarchal in a way that feels incidental to the facts rather than rising from any agenda -- which I find utterly, gleefully vindicating and deeply satisfying." (tags: sexandsexualityandgender) Asking the Wrong Questions: The 2011 Hugo Awards: An Appeal to the ...
