Yeah, I know, everybody else has already read it. I didn't like it, so this isn't going to be a long review. Something about the prose style put me off from caring about the characters, even though you'd think the titular Girl would be right up my alley. And I hated the torture porn and sexualised violence. In style it struck me like a less well-written Jeffrey Deaver - even down to the real life stats at the beginning of sections. I'm a big fan of Jeffrey Deaver. I wasn't keen on this. Won't be reading the next two - ...
Welcome to Broxtowe Enews, brought to you by the Liberal Democrats and edited by David Watts, the leader of Broxtowe Borough Council. A happy new year to all our readers, and a special welcome to all the new readers that we have. 1. Borough Community champions awardThe council is running the 2011 community champions award. These are presented for outstanding achievement in crime, business, health, cleanliness, children and young people, good neighbours and community. We're inviting nominations for these awards from local people, for local people. Nominations can be made via the web site (www.broxtowe.gov.uk) or by phone on 0115 ...
The news this evening that Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has been shot in the head and 5 others killed (including, tragically a nine year old child) at a constituency meeting in Arizona has shocked us all. Much has already been ... Continue reading →
I don't for a minute believe that Sarah Palin would ever seek to physically harm a political opponent. But the shooting tonight of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has brought the rhetoric and negativity of modern political campaigning into sharp focus. We all know that Palin loves her guns. She also likes to employ what she ...
A meme by MightyGodKing. THE IMAGINED SITUATION IS: The BBC has decided to air a one-time four-hour miniseries event of Doctor Who. The miniseries will be entitled "The Eleven Doctors" and feature every single Doctor as the cast, with a number of companions rounding it out. Paul McGann, Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith will play the Eighth through Eleventh Doctors. (Some suggested that at 51 McGann was too old to play his Doctor, but fans argued that he deserved a second chance to play the Eighth Doctor again and really, 51? That's not a big deal.) However, the ...
We're now slowly getting more information about the horrific events in Tucson, Arizona. The welcome news is that Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is hanging in there after surgery & the hospital's trauma director says he's as optimistic as it's possible to be in the circumstances. However, it's completely heartbreaking that a 9 year old child has died. The poor wee one. I can only imagine what his or her parents are going through & I feel for them so much. Much discussion is taking place on Twitter about an item on Sarah Palin's website which appeared during the recent mid term ...
I see that ConservativeHome are reporting two polls from Oldham East & Saddleworth which show a modest Labour lead as evidence that Labour will win a 'thumping' victory. I would take this interpretation with a pinch of salt. I well remember during the Hartlepool by-election in 2004 that an NOP poll for Channel 4 put Labour a whacking 33% ahead. The actual result? Labour won by only 6%. And it would have been less if the poll hadn't put Lib Dem helpers off from coming to help! There was a similar poll, IIRC, in Birmingham Hodge Hill. Parliamentary by-elections are ...
Two polls out tonight (so far – there may be a third) on the Oldham by-election: ICM for Mail on Sunday: Labour 44%, Lib Dem 27%, Conservative 18% Populus for Lord Ashcroft / Sunday Telegraph: Labour 46%, Lib Dem 29%, Conservative 15% UPDATE: New pollster Survation (who are applying for membership of the trade body, the British Polling Council) makes it much closer with Labour 31%, Lib Dem 30% and Conservative 6% (don't knows not excluded, hence the lower figures all round).
The penultimate day of our week with Rutland's most celebrated fictional peer. Saturday That unexpected sojourn on the island did at least solve the mystery of how Evan Harris has been getting on. After his sad defeat at the last election, he asked me if I knew of somewhere quiet where he could conduct his experiments. As the triumphal arch I had erected on the Bonkers Hall Estate built to commemorate Mark Bonham-Carter's victory in the Great Torrington by-election is currently undergoing renovation, I pointed him towards Rutland Water. While there with my fellow Liberal Democrat parliamentarians, I came across ...
Eighteen months ago I visited Sir Thomas Tresham's Triangular Lodge at Rushton in Northamptonshire. Today I was a couple of miles away at Rothwell, where another of his symbolic buildings can be found beside the old market square. The best account I can find of its history is in Glenn Foard & Jenny Ballinger's survey of Rothwell from 2000: An agreement was drawn up for certain buildings at Rothwell Cross 'to be executed to the plot' drawn by the mason William Grumbold of Weldon. The leasing of extensive properties in Rothwell by the Tresham family, who had their mansion at ...
Over at The Guardian today, there's an interview with Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes following his recent appointment as the Coalition's 'advocate for access to education' despite having not voted in favour of the Government's tuition fees proposals. Simon talks about the difference between government and opposition: What is it like, being in power? What's it like, after decades of not a sniff of it? "It is entirely different, and it has taken me and other people in our party a bit of time to get used to, to be honest." Hughes, 59, has a calm, practiced warmth, and ...
In the middle of December, the government 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, every school in England will get £430 for each child in their school on Free School Meals. Based ...
We have been out today canvassing and delivering leaflets for the forthcoming election in the Marl Ward. Our candidate, Sue Shotter, is being well received on the doorstep.
I'm feeling really sad at the moment as I see the news from the US that 40 year old Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has been shot at a "Congress on your corner" event at a supermarket in her Tucson, Arizona, district. It had been reported that she'd been killed - and I waited until the BBC said it before I posted it, as they usually get facts like that right - but she's apparently in surgery and in a critical condition. Let's hope that she pulls through. At the time I'm writing this, it's not known how many other people have ...
Because of the numerous bank holidays over the Christmas period waste collections won't be back to normal until Monday 24 January. These are the remaining revised collection dates: Normal collection date –> revised collection date Thursday 6 January –> Monday 10 January Friday 7 January –> Tuesday 11 January Monday 10 January –> Wednesday 12 January Tuesday 11 January –> Thursday 13 January Wednesday 12 January –> Friday 14 January Thursday 13 January –> Saturday 15 January Friday 14 January –> Monday 17 January Monday 17 January –> Tuesday 18 January Tuesday 18 January –> Wednesday 19 January Wednesday 19 ...
The Liberal Democrat team was campaigning around the West End today - here's a photo (right) of a rather cold Fraser in Bellefield Avenue this morning! It was good to chat with residents on a variety of local issues - including graffiti and winter maintenance.
On Comment is Free, Compass' Chair Neal Lawson has outlined his ideas for the "good society" which he sees as a vision for the centre left. This follows on from an early December essay entitled "Welcome to New Socialism" in the New Statesman penned with John Harris, which I reviewed previously on Lib Dem Voice. In his CiF article, Neal Lawson fleshes out his philosophy for the "good society" mentioning Aristotle and the need for a more meaningful existence beyond what he succinctly sums up as our "learn-to-earn-to-spend culture". The philosophical bit is all very laudable and nothing with which ...
As promised, I have set up a new blog, And Another Thing... That's where I'll be posting from now on.
I have received complaints from residents that the lamp post on the west side of Shepherd's Loan opposite the mouth to High Mill is damaged (see right). I have ensured this is reported to the Street Lighting Partnership for repair.
Been out all day campaigning today. Spent the morning and early afternoon in Davyhumle marching against the Barton incinerator. I heard kids chanting 'Down With Peel' (not the first time I've heard that particular chant). Residents are concerned about the potential pollution from heavy metals and dioxins in an area that already has problems with pollutions ...
We all know that politicians have a life outside of politics and for the most part we don'thear about it until they do something rather silly. So today when I found out that Nick Clegg and his family had decided ... Continue reading →
[IMG: millenium-green-8jan11.jpg] The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress (pictured above) came to Acocks Green today to share in the celebrations for the 10th anniversary of the Westley Vale Millennium Green. As you can see from my picture they planted a tree and they also walked around the Green and chatted to residents and members of the Management Committee. It was a wonderful celebration of the Green with wassailing, a candlelit procession and the Scouts providing hot refreshments. There were even some fireworks and juggling. Here's to the next 10 years and the continued development of the Green!
The good folks from Tweetminster did a quick (79 seconds!) interview with me after I took part in one of the panels at the Netroots UK conference earlier today, talking about lobbying and campaigning online. Here it is, courtesy of Audioboo:
I've been following up on the debate on reform of the Irish Senate, and came across the Irish Labour Party's proposals for constitutional reform which has an excellent three-page summary at the end of why the Seanad should simply be abolished. A lot of the analysis is also relevant to the British debate on reforming the House of Lords: Why have two Chambers? There are really only three arguments for a bicameral parliament. The first is as part of a federal structure, which is not relevant to this State [ie Ireland]. The second argument in favour of bicameralism is a ...
Living in a small village does mean that you can expect to be a bit short of facilities. Activities are community-based rather than commercial and they rely on the efforts of volunteers. So, Ros and I were pleased to be invited to a coffee morning and produce sale in the Church Hall, at the end of The Lane, organised by the Parochial Church Council. Now, when people think of parishes, they tend to think 'Vicar of Dibley'. Ironically, the meetings that you see there are of the Parochial Church Council, but the concept is similar, church-based rather than quasi-political. We ...
This morning's Guardian marked England's Ashes victory in suitable style. It included an 12-page supplement with photographs, averages, all five scorecards and some good articles - the one by Mike Selvey is a good example. But their columnist Barney Ronay, writing in the main sports section, was not equal to the occasion: "Alastair Cook is precisely the type of English cricketer that Australians dislike ... He's so proper. So English," Sydney's Daily Telegraph opined this week, launching not so much a backlash as the continuation of an ongoing and perennial front-lash.We shouldn't be surprised at this. For a start it's ...
This half-year's Hungarian presidency of the EU has got off to a duff start: a new law on state regulation of the media has caused a great deal of controversy, perceived by many people as falling well short of the EU's human rights standards. I confess I hadn't been paying a lot of attention up to yesterday, concentrating on enjoying my winter vacation and then mopping up backlogs when I returned to work. I don't much like the Hungarian PM, Victor Orbán, who I met once a long time ago and whose career I have since been following with a ...
I attended the Better Mid Sussex Advisory group last Thursday and there was much of interest to East Grinstead residents. The project for new public toilets in King Street has been recommended to the Cabinet and plans have been drawn up for the building. This will replacement the "container" on site at the moment. Plans are also well advanced for a redevelopment of the railway station area. This will involve a new railway station, better integration to bus services, improved parking, better access arrangements and possibly a hotel. This is once again very welcome and will give this area and ...
From The Guardian: Cracking down on bankers' bonuses is a "moment of truth" for the coalition government, a leading Liberal Democrat has warned, amid mounting expectations that payments of at least £7bn will be awarded in the coming weeks... Lord Oakeshott, a Liberal Democrat treasury spokesman, said this was a moment for the coalition to act, particularly on forcing more disclosure from banks on the amount they pay. "This is the coalition's moment of truth on fairness," he said. "The first item on our coalition agreement is a promise to deal with unacceptable bankers' bonuses. Secret bonuses are by definition ...
Finally after a period of a few weeks of top players turning their backs on the Edinburgh Capitals and seeking new pastures, news of a new signing reaches the fans this morning. "Edinburgh Capitals today announced that Ex Capital Scott McKenzie will be signed on a two way contract from English Premier League team Telford Tigers, Scott has been signed as the temporary cover to allow us time to look at other options."Scott McKenzie will ice tonight when the Capitals face the Newcastle Vipers at Whitley Bay. At the end of last year Alex Kim, Chris St. Jacques and David ...
Asian men in Derby have been arrested for drugging and exploiting young girls between the ages of twelve and eighteen years.The men would find their victims at train stations, council estates and even walking home from school. The men would be nice to their victims at first, they would do this by giving them expensive gifts and taking them out. This practice by Asian men in the North has been the subject of an investigation by The Times. What is worrying is the attitude of these Asian men towards White girls. Sometimes, we have to appreciate that multiculturalism also includes ...
Bow Street: an entry on the Monopoly board, the former residence of Oliver Cromwell, the site of the Bow Street Runners (London's first proper police force) and home to Bow Street Pizza Express. It's not blocky, nor is it airport lounge. Instead it is - for a prime central London site - surprisingly spacious. The full height windows and large mirrors help the effect, but it's also a venue that has chosen quality of venue over quantity of seats at the margin. Throw in wooden beams in the ceiling, flock wallpaper on the walls (always a good place for wallpaper) ...
Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine appears naked in the February 2011 issue of UK's Cosmopolitan magazine. You can see a photo below, but while enjoying the eye candy, please remember the important side of why he has done this. The pictures are part of a major campaign to raise awareness of testicular cancer and encourage men to regularly check themselves. You can read all about testicular cancer and the importance of regular checks on the Macmillan Cancer Support website. I'm very jealous of the woman in the photo! Rugby player and strictly star Gavin Henson has previously stripped off ...
[IMG: 026.JPG] This morning was the first Saturday Surgery of the new year, so thanks to everyone who came down and said hello. Particular thanks to those who signed our petitions to keep Prestwich Library open 7 days a week and to scrap Fairfax Road parking charges. I made the near-fatal error of forgetting both coat and gloves! As you can see from the photo above, my ward colleague Cllr Mary D'Albert made no such mistake. Don't worry if you couldn't make it down. We'll be back next week at the same time and in the same place for another ...
Rightly or wrongly, the Liberal Democrats are as seen as the most pro-European of the three main political parties. The UK debate on the European Union is often framed in terms of "Europhiles v Eurosceptics". However, it's my experience, after 2 and a half years as the European Commission's head of media in the UK, that most people don't really have much of an opinion either way. They care about things that affect them personally, and probably don't see the EU very present in their daily lives. European debates, either in the UK or at EU level, have a tendency ...
Yet again, a Doctor Who annual where the art is rather good for the Doctor but pretty awful for the companion - in this case, the lady on the right is supposed to be Leela, as played by Louise Jameson, but doesn't look in the least like her. Since this came out in September 1978, and she had left the programme several months before, maybe the compilers of the Annual and the BBC were hoping we had forgotten what she looked like. The picture here looks if anything more like Mary Tamm's Romana wearing a wig and a bad bra. ...
Plans to charge householders for pre-planning application advice have been put on hold by Test Valley Borough Council thanks to Romsey councillor Mark Cooper. The Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee was asked to approve the proposal by Head of Planning,Paul Jackson, at its first meeting of 2011. Most the pre-application fee levels suggested to Councillors were mainly on a sliding scale* dependent on the size of the application. However, pre-application advice for householders was recommended to a flat rate of £40 by Mr Jackson. Councillor Cooper said that a flat rate would be perceived as inherently unfair. "It is reminiscent ...
The us Department of Justice subpoena (PDF link) in the Twitter Wikileaks case asks for the following information: 1. Subscriber names, user names, screen names or other identities 2. mailing addresses, residential addresses, business addresses, e-mail addresses, and other contact information 3. connection records, or records of session times and durations 4. length of service (including start dates) and types of service utilised 5. telephone or instrument number or other subscriber information or identity including any temporarily assigned network address 6. means and source of payment for such service (including any credit card or bank account number) and billing records ...
Critical thinking and reasoning take many forms however a problem-orientation remains the favoured approach in politics today. Whilst a problem-focus is criticized by some, it remains largely unchallenged as the guiding light to politics. While all political parties seek to understand problems better than the others, thus showing their 'competence', it leaves the country no ...
The police authority will be running a focus group on the police budget in the Yate area on Tuesday 11th January 2011. Their focus groups bring together a group of 6-8 local people in a meeting room, to participate in a discussion led by a facilitator. The facilitator puts questions to the people in the focus group, encouraging open debate and discussion between everyone present. The discussions are recorded and the conclusions are fed back to the 17 Members of the Police Authority to inform their decision making. If you would be interested in participating please contact the Police Authority ...
South Gloucestershire Council has approved its draft Core Strategy, for the period 2010-2026, which will include the building of approximately 21,500 houses. At the Council meeting on December 15th, Bloor Homes once again tried to get the Council to include their site, in the area surrounding the Yate Town Football Club, for houses and light industrial use. This was not agreed, and is therefore not in the draft Core Strategy.
It is now more than 10 years since the then Labour Government produced two reports which I thought were superb, seminal and might actually change the course of urban history and the long decline of many urban areas since the ... Continue reading →
I've decided to try and take a photo a day in 2011, to create a visual record of my life. I'm uploading them to my Flickr stream - I'm CaronLindsay on there if you want to add me as a contact. I thought I'd do a weekly summary on here so you can see what I've been up to. I didn't have the idea to do this until I saw other people's on 2nd January, so I posted two on that day, but the first had been taken in the early moments of the year. So, here we go: Saturday ...
Undoubtedly the Lib Dems are a victim of heavily biased reporting in the news media. It is so flagrant now that it can effect electoral outcomes, and that undermines democracy. News media (newspapers and online content) readers are being misled by half-truths and and opinions feigning news. The second problem is that the mainstream TV and radio news (including the BBC) adopt the same rules and style and typically pick up the same newspaper headlines and angles - to replicate the news off the news-stands. There is a distinct difference between the reporting of a story on say News 24 ...
The Examiner have reported that Lockwood-based engineering company David Brown are considering a possible relocation of part or all of their facility. The Penistone Line runs alongside part of their site and the junction with the disused Meltham Branch Line ... Continue reading →
A while back I wondered that the results might be if voters were polled on whether they would vote for the coalition, irrespective of the two parties in it. The polling agency Angus Reid has done just that and you can read the results care of ConservativeHome. It doesn't make encouraging reading for those in favour of an Oyster Card election but it is early days.
As we've done in previous years, Colchester Borough Council will be giving away 2011 trees and plants this year to help make the Borough a greener place. This year's giveaway will be on Saturday 22nd January at Rowan House. Full details: Trees for Years 2011 will be taking place on Saturday 22nd January. The free trees will be given away from the Council Offices car park at Rowan House in Sheepen Road. Over 2000 trees will be available on a first come first serve basis. Residents can collect up to three trees/plants per household and community/volunteer groups, Schools and parish ...
Highlighting what is working well is an important part of the solution focused approach. Today the Guardian finds areas to praise Nick Clegg's speech and admits that the Lib Dems are making a difference in this coalition: It takes a certain generosity of spirit to defend the rights of those who attack you. Nick Clegg ...
How far do we want to permit detention without trial? If Control Orders are regarded as an unacceptable deprivation of liberty under Article 5 of the ECHR legislation, what are we to make of police officers who summarily impose long curfews on those arrested but not charged with any offence? Fanciful as it may seem, it is perfectly possible for a police officer to arrest someone, take them to a police station, have an interview with them, and then release the person on police bail for four weeks but impose a curfew from 9pm to 6am requiring the person to ...
[IMG: Hello subjects.] [IMG: Creative Commons License] photo credit: Rob the moment I can't believe that a Liberal Democrat-partnered government is going to give an exemption from the Freedom of Information Act to the Royal Family. The Independent reports today: The Royal Family is to be granted absolute protection from public scrutiny in a controversial legal reform designed to draw a veil of secrecy over the affairs of the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William. Letters, emails and documents relating to the monarch, her heir and the second in line to the throne will no longer be disclosed even if ...
Once again, we're at the Arbury Community Centre on Campkin Road. If you've got a problem that you'd like to discuss, we're here until 12, or you can always contact us with our details on the left hand side.
When I was involved with the postal game hobby, "Dave Stone" was an in-joke, a pseudonym used by zine editors to conceal the real author of some mildly controversial piece of opining (usually by said editors themselves). When I first encountered the name of the Doctor Who author, I assumed that this might be continuation of the same tradition, but Wikipedia and other soruces assure me that this is not the case, and Mr Stone is a real person. This is the first of his books that I have read, though I've listened to two of his Bernice Summerfield audios ...
The City Council is undertaking the following works at the access point to the Fox Hollies Leisure Centre off Shirley Road: (1) Widening the road corners into/out of Fox Hollies Leisure Centre Access Road, to provide improved turning for vehicles to/from Shirley Road (2) The Zebra Crossing is to be relocated between 5-10 metres further west of the widened junction (3) Associated measures in support of the alterations to the junction (e.g. relocation of street furniture, removal/replacement of one tree outside Nr 326 Shirley Road). Work is anticipated to start during week commencing January 17th 2011 and to last for ...
From the 1990s - and featuring a young Lembit Opik, not to mention David Allworthy - this video was produced to encourage Liberal Democrats to recruit more party members: Also available on YouTube here. Thanks to Pete Dollimore and Rob Fenwick for their help in rescuing this footage from an old and battered video tape.
Sat 8th
09:15
Whoniversaries 8 January: William Hartnell, DMP #9, Day of the Daleks #2, Face of Evil #2
i) births and deaths 8 January 1908: they don't get more fundamental than this: birth of William Hartnell, who played the First Doctor from 1963 to 1966, and returned for The Three Doctors in 1972-73. ii) broadcast anniversaries 8 January 1966: broadcast of "Golden Death", the ninth episode of the story we now call The Daleks' Master Plan. Both the Doctor's Tardis and the Monk's arrive in ancient Egypt, pursued by the Daleks and Mavic Chen. 8 January 1971: broadcast of second episode of Day of the Daleks. Jo is captured and brought to the 22nd Century; the Doctor is ...
Here's your starter for ten in our Saturday slot where we throw up an idea or thought for debate... Government policy on drugs: what should it be?
From Stockport Council: Stockport Council is highlighting a scam targeting local businesses as part of the Safer Stockport initiative. Unsolicited calls to businesses are being made by rogue publishing companies trying to sell advertising space in a publication such as a diary or wall planner. They claim that the publication will be distributed to the emergency services, schools or other seemingly good causes. More information, advice and a contact number click here.
I have today launched my January 2011 update to West End Community Council. Subjects covered include : * Thomson Street road closure * Bus services * Stopping Up Order - Hillside Terrace * Postal Deliveries You can download the update by clicking on the headline above. The Community Council meets this coming Tuesday (11th January) at 7pm at the Logie St John's (Cross) Church Hall.
As I am spending the whole day in Oldham East and Saddleworth blogging will be light to non-existent today. Here, though is a video to keep you occupied. I will not be campaigning for this guy:
The Welsh Assembly Government have repeatedly urged at-risk groups to have the seasonal flu jab and yet they are unable to meet demand. Despite the low uptake last year among the at-risk groups the government should have prepared for the possibility of a full uptake. In October The Welsh Liberal Democrats raised the issue of the effect of winter on health and wellbeing and how the government was going to prepare for it. Yet again the Labour-Plaid government responded with complete arrogance and a refusal to listen to anyone but themselves. The result is that we now find ourselves in ...
(At least when Brian Jones was around).
What people in general and politicians in particular believe is most important, closely followed by what they say. This has been the main point of the last two blogs and then along comes an example when Ed Miliband is interviewed by Jeremy Vine. One question was about commitment. Should Ed be committed to marriage in order to show commitment to his policies? Mariage may call for a deeper commitment than a couple who are living together but it is quite possible that non-married couples show greater commitment than married ones. The trouble for Ed is that he wants to show ...
