Semi-related to my earlier post today I just answered a query elsewhere about the 'secret' of making good first impression. As I used to have to meet new people moreorless daily in past positions I submitted the following answer: In one job (Global Internet Program Manager, for CHS Electronics Inc) I spent my weeks flying around Europe and further afield and learnt one absolute. Always, but *always*, know how to greet someone in their own language, no matter that they will in all probability want to show off their ability in English. This doesn't mean just the people you are ...
We still have a lot of learn about Coalitionland. It is, certainly for Westminster politicos, a foreign country. As Mark Thompson pointed out at MarkReckons last Thursday, Labour seem unable to grasp the concept of compromise, which lies at the heart of successful coalition government. The idea that someone could simultaneously support a party policy ...
Minto Place in the West End today Earlier today, I wrote to the Chief Executive of Dundee City Council and the City Engineer as follows : "Can I specifically raise the need to lift fresh snow off residential streets and pavements before it turns to hard packed ice? During the December bad weather conditions, many residents pointed out concerns that when fresh snow is left in residential streets and on footpaths it quickly turns to ice and when hard packed it later required equipment such as excavators to get it removed - indeed there are still many residential streets with ...
A two-disc deluxe version of the 1970 Traffic LP John Barleycorn Must Die is to be issued next month. The Music Fix outlines its genesis: John Barleycorn Must Die is the Traffic album that almost never was but which is now commonly regarded as their definitive work. By 1970, still only 22, Steve Winwood had already served time at the heart of The Spencer Davis Group, as a founder member of Traffic album, and with the supergroup Blind Faith. What started out as Steve Winwood's solo debut, originally to be called Mad Shadows (a title later filched by Mott The ...
Ooops, not quite all good new on the snow myth-busting front. Despite good news from many parts of the country about councils laying to rest the myths around people being sued if they clear snow from outside their own homes, Wigan Council has gone for reinforcing rather than rejecting the legal myths: HOMEOWNERS and businesses could risk being sued for clearing snow from the front of their premises if someone slips or falls, legal experts at Wigan Council have warned... With more snow forecast for this weekend, Wigan Council's borough solicitor Kevin Lawson said: "It is the council's responsibility, so ...
I've never been much of a Strictly Come Dancing fan. Though I'm a Bruce Forsyth fan, the programme has never really grabbed me. But Dancing on Ice on the other hand has usually had me hooked to my TV screen each year. Why? Well, I can't ice skate - my flat feet probably have put paid to that! But I've always been a big Torvill & Dean fan. What they did in Sarajevo in the '84 Winter Olympics with their perfect 6's was mesmerising. Incredibly, after a 10 year absence, they returned and won European and British Figure Skating Gold ...
I was saddened to learn of the death of Margaret Davie, a former Broadland Councillor, school teacher, and fine Lib Dem councillor for Spixworth from 1993 to 2002. Margaret taught at Hellesdeon High School for many years, and was a school governor of many local schools. She was elected in 1993 in a by-election in August 1993, an election which saw me take charge for the first time of designing leaflets for a campaign. Margaret won by about 160 votes, and was then re-elected the following year by over 400 votes (she asked me to be her agent, and it ...
A beautiful 9 year old who was killed for no reason in Arizona on 8 January 2011 thereby ending her dream of going into politics to unite all the political parties in America. O Lord, hear my prayer. And let my cry come unto Thee. May the Almighty and merciful Lord graciously hear us. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Sun 9th
21:48
Consultation on a prescribed alteration to expand the size of St Laurence VA (RC) Primary School, Ca...
Not quite within King's Hedges but I know this will affect a great many people both in King's Hedges and Arbury. The County Council has started a consultation about an alteration to the current capacity of the St Laurence Primary school on Arbury Road. The increase represents approximately a 30% increase in capacity. The text below comes from the consultation letter; "Cambridgeshire County Council receives data annually from the National Health Service (NHS) on the number of children who have been born in Cambridgeshire. This data informs the pupil forecasts produced by the Council for individual schools. The Council has ...
In this week's Economist, the Lexington column says that Barack Obama has been reading Lou Cannon's well-regarded biography of Ronald Reagan for inspiration. The president could go to worse places. After all, Reagan's party did not have control of both houses of Congress. He too suffered from poor poll ratings and bad mid-term election results in his early years in office. Like Obama, Reagan inherited an economy in a parlous state. Yet he went on to triumph at the 1984 election, carrying 49 out of 50 states. Lexington argues, correctly, that Reagan's experience does not provide a simple formula for ...
Liberal England used to have an unofficial proofreader in the shape of Helen Elsom from Cambridge. She was a regular commenter and also took the time to point out my more egregious typographical errors. See this post on Chris Huhne for an example. Helen died in the autumn of 2009 and I have recently come across an obituary of her by David Howarth in the Cambridge University staff newsletter at the end of that year. David wrote: Dr Helen Elsom, who died on 17 September aged only 52, was a pioneering classical scholar who moved from academia into hi-tech industry ...
The days just fly past. Another week at Bonkers Hall draws to a close. Sunday On returning from Divine Service at St Asquith's, I glance at yesterday's post. It is just as I thought: the mobile telephone company does not know what it is doing. The bill is far too high! These people would do well not to underestimate me, for I was the first person in Rutland to have a telephone (it never rang, because no one else had one, but you take my point). Previously at Bonkers Hall... Monday: Lembit in the jungle Tuesday: Not Terribly Bright middle-class ...
Saddleworth Well, I have had quite an extraordinary week. Due to a combination of work, LibDemmery and family duties, I have been criss-crossing the north-west. It's a relief to be home in one piece, but it's been quite an enjoyable jaunt. Highlights included enjoying: the beautiful views of Saddlworth moors and the countryside between Colne and Skipton the wonderful Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Colne, which has mind-blowingly spectacular mosaics on its walls having my car valeted by Soapy Bob's, Wigan's Premier Hand Car Wash. It was pleasure to see a business with such clear and attractive branding. Here's ...
Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 203rd weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere ... Featuring the seven most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (2nd – 8th January, 2010), together with a hand-picked quintet, normally courtesy of LibDig, you might otherwise have missed. Don't forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox — just click here — ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging. As ever, let's start with the most popular post, and work our way down: 1. Jeremy ...
In the wake of the shootings in Tucson, there has been a lot of discussion of who is to blame. Apparently either society is to blame, or the shooter is to blame. I can't tell you how much this false dichotomy infuriates me. Rather like the nature/nurture debate in biological science, it's oversimplifying matters to an enormous degree to try to paint this as a zero-sum game in which it must be EITHER one OR the other to blame when it's perfectly obvious that it's both. Of course the shooter bears personal responsibility for his actions and his decisions. But ...
Over the New Year break I received a letter from the DVLA requiring me to update the photograph on my driving licence (and, of course, to pay a substantial fee for the privilege of doing so!). Although the licence last can be valid for as many as fifty years, the picture must be replaced every ten, and that time has come around again for me. [IMG: My twitter icon] And it got me to thinking about the other images of me which are around and about and which people use to recognise 'me', especially those we all now use online. ...
I was invited along to a meeting of the Swinton and District Allotment group today to discuss the huge rent increases the council has imposed on allotment holders. For some the figure is a rent hike in the region of 60%. No explanation of why the raise has been introduced has been given, nor what ...
Here in Creeting St Peter, the Parish Council doesn't have vast responsibilities. Cutting the grass, lighting the streets, enabling planning consultation, that's about it. Accordingly, our precept is small, at around £40 per household. The money comes from our friends and neighbours, so we're fairly cautious about spending it. However, we are now being invited to take on new commitments. For example, the County Council want to cut the amount they spend on subsidising bus services. Fair enough, you might think, until you realise that their preferred outcome is that Parish Councils take up the burden. As a parish councillor, ...
Sun 9th
17:25
Why only a fool would predict the result of the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election
Well, you only have to look at the raw data from the latest survey by Survation: The raw, unweighted responses were as follows for the 549 calls Unweighted response Refused to state intention 256 46.6% Elwyn Watkins 89 16.2% Debbie Abrahams 85 15.5% Undecided 68 12.4% Kashif Ali 27 4.9% Another Party 24 4.4% 549 There's a huge number of "won't says". So huge, in fact, to make the election very wide open indeed. Interestingly the swings from LibDem to Labour have been exactly off-set by swings from Tory to LibDem. But the numbers are ridiculously small. 12 people who ...
David Cameron announced today that the regressive rise in VAT, which hits the poorest hardest will be kept, but the progressive 50% tax rate for high earners (something that was for many years a Lib Dem policy) will be scrapped as soon as possible. What does it say about this government's priorities that taxes that hit the poorest worst will be kept but the rich will be given more money back ?
Sun 9th
16:50
Opinion: Liberal Democrats in government are protecting free speech and other cherished civil libert...
The Institute for Government was the setting for Deputy Prime Minister's keynote address on the Coalition Government's plans for protecting civil liberties - and for those of us keen to see Britain's tarnished international reputation on personal freedoms restored, Nick Clegg's speech was enough to brighten even the most dismal of days. Nick began with a nice touch, telling us why his belief in civil liberties sprang from an upbringing that "made sure that my brothers and sister and I grew up certain of one thing: you must never take your freedom for granted." This personal insight helped set the ...
I feel rather sorry for Roy Hodgson and rather less so for the fans of Liverpool FC. For weeks now they have been calling for his dismissal. For weeks they have been calling for the return of 'The Messiah' Kenny Dalglish. For weeks, they have had their heads in the clouds, unwilling to acknowledge the fundamental problems facing their team and instead, seeking a scapegoat for the poor form that has seen these giants of English football languish in 12th place in the Premiership. Roy Hodgson - A man of Integrity Now, I'm an Aston Villa fan but I'm also ...
If you think you've had a lot of snow in the UK, you have no idea.... We went to an Edmonton Symphony Orchestra concert yesterday evening by bus, because the car was snowed in. Despite the blizzard the bus arrived on time, and so did the bus to take us home. Snow ploughs and gritters were keeping the main roads clear. The way the city copes with the weather is impressive. After the concert we went to the Fairmont McDonald Hotel for soup while we waited for the bus. It's probably the cosiest place in Edmonton from which to watch ...
I miss Matthew Parris. I always used to read his Times columns but since that paper disappeared behind the paywall last year I have (so far) not succumbed to the temptation to sign up. But listening to him this week on Radio 4's Any Questions gave me a reminder of what I am missing. I was particularly impressed with something he said about the coalition government with respect to control orders. He explained that he is a card carrying Conservative member and always will be but that on this and related subjects he does not trust his party's own instincts ...
Theodoric the Ostrogoth conquers Italy with the agreement of the Eastern Empire and consent of the local Romans; he co-opts two remarkable Latin statesmen, Boethius and Cassiodorus, to his regime but the former is executed. It's a well-written chapter - frankly a bit better structured than the somewhat rambling end to the original third volume - though the accounts are of a dull set of Eastern successions and then a competent but unexciting consolidation of power in Italy and points west by Theodoric. If anything I think Gibbon could have made more of the remarkable circumstance of Theodoric appointing two ...
Lifted from the 'Stop the War Coalition' supporters Email is "SATURDAY MARCH 12TH: CONFRONTING ANTI MUSLIM HATRED, A CONFERENCE WITH SPEAKERS FROM BRITAIN, EUROPE AND THE US. Speakers include Tariq Ramadam, Robert Lambert, Mehdi Hassan, Salma Yaqoob, Peter Oborne, Lindsey German and leading Muslim and anti racist activists from France, Germany, Scandinavia and the USA.10 -5pm March 12th, London Muslim Centre, 92 Whitechapel Road, E1 1JX. As a supporter of this organisation I'm all for this initiative but it MUST go hand in hand with an initiative - led by the vast majority of those in the UK Muslim community ...
A couple of years ago the then Lib Dem led Council agreed a plan for various services in our local area. Camden agreed Emmanuel School needed expanding and should build on part of its long designated expansion site (160 Mill Lane -the "Open Space") Sington Nursery which was in long term temporary portacabins on the site would move up to a newly rebuilt Fortune Green Play Centre and, as a temporary measure, would move into the Community Hall in Broomsleigh Street. (This was purchased from the Church by the Council and refurbished partly as the temporary home for Sington Nursery ...
In the hope that I will actually get down to some reading this year I thought I'd note down the books on my reading list for 2011 (so far!). Kate Mosse ~ The Winter Ghosts Elizabeth Gilbert ~ Eat Pray Love Ian McEwan ~ Solar Carlos Ruiz Zafon ~ The Angel's Game William Boyd ~ Brazzaville Beach Robert Harris ~ Lustrum
The reality is that the country is skint. The coffers are bare and we are playing catch-up paying off our debts. There is only so long that printing money and bonds can go. It is sad that the squeeze needs to continue. No-one wants to pay more for goods or more on their taxes. It is human nature. Yet as VAT goes up there are choices that we can make. For example, VAT increases will encourage us to think more about what we are buyinh. The budgeting guru Alvin Hall always used to say do the three point test: do ...
(I never realised how difficult it was to take a pic of a pile of Xmas Trees!) This is the second huge heap of trees left for recycling on Fortune Green. The first one looked like a forest! Fortune Green is just one of Camden's tree recycling sites and the use of it has grown and grown over the last few years. Interestingly, most of the trees there this year seemed to be of the "non-dropping" variety which shows how popular these have become. I had one this year and it certainly lived up to its title although I had ...
I remember "Sorrow" from David Bowie's version of the song on his LP Pin Ups. Released as a single in 1973, it reached number 3 in the UK singles chart. Bowie used much the same arrangement as this Merseys version of the song, which has been a hit seven years previously. That was, in turn, a cover of a B side by the American group The McCoys, but the Merseys' version, featuring a bowed bass played by Jack Bruce (according to Wikipedia), is far more interesting. More about The Merseys (and their earlier incarnation as The Merseybeats) on the official ...
We reported last night the results of the three opinion polls published ahead of the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election this Thursday. Let's take a look now at the only two questions that matter when reading these polls... 1. Will the opinion polls prove accurate? Opinion polls in by-elections have a notoriously patchy record — unsurprisingly, as the pollsters are unable to refine their techniques over time and measure their snapshots against actual results as they are able to with their general election predictions. For example, pre-by-election polls in Glasgow East (2008) and Blaenau Gwent (2006) showed the wrong winners. ...
Over at Liberal Democrat Voice, the party's Deputy Leader in the House of Commons, Simon Hughes, writes in defence of the Coalition Government's tuition fees policy: The one criticism that cannot be levelled at the government's proposals is that it will make university unaffordable for future students. The system of financing for the teaching of higher education which is proposed by the government will be free for everyone during their studies. Payment will only be made after a graduate has finished their studies and only if they can afford to pay once they have a decent income. If they cannot ...
I'm hoping to have at least one of the two pieces I've been working on for the book up today – either the one on Superman or the one on Mister Miracle. Possibly both. I'm *hoping* to have a finished draft of the book finished by tomorrow or Tuesday, and the book out within a ...
Doesn't this look delicious? It's a brace of pot roasted pheasants, the sort of thing you see on those rather fancy cookery programmes. The only catch is that they're quite expensive and one pheasant only really feeds two people. Or not, if you live in mid Suffolk, where an oven-ready pheasant costs £3.00, and there is plenty of game available, supplied by people who shoot for sport or as pest control. And at that price, braised in madeira, for example, they become very reasonable. As a long-time 'big city' person, I grew used to eating pork, beef or chicken. Lamb ...
Are Newcastle the new Liverpool? I asked in a post two years ago - written in a scuzzy internet cafe in the Victoria district of London, if I recall rightly. The answer this weekend is pretty clearly yes. Ray Hodgson has been sacked for not challenging for the Premiership, even though he inherited a team and squad that are manifestly not up to the task. Now Kenny Dagleish has been called upon in the hope that he can recapture past glories. Maybe he will revitalise things, but I seem to recall Kevin Keegan returning to manage Newcastle with similar hopes. ...
It is unusual for me to write two blogs on the same day but I couldn't let Alan Johnson's remarks go without comment. I have just seen him on the news and it was only for a few seconds but he managed to say "it is really significant that we start the year with a broken promise because both parties (he meant in the coalition) said they wouldn't increase VAT". Oh dear. Alan happens to be the Shadow Chancellor and he doesn't know what the Liberal Democrats said before the last election. How does he get away with it? In ...
I've already had my say on how I feel that yesterday's awful events in Arizona should make politicians on both sides of the Atlantic think again when they use, or just as importantly, fail to condemn the use of violent metaphors in political debate. Thanks to my friend Maria Wolters on Twitter, who pointed me in the direction of this moving and wise post from one of Gabrielle Giffords' constituents, an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Arizona, who lives about 5 miles away from where the shooting took place. If you do nothing else ...
In The Observer series 'diary of a civil servant' today they outline the strengths of the Lib Dem ministers which is worth noting: Officials across government agree that Lib Dem junior ministers work harder and better than their Conservative colleagues. Perhaps they have more to prove or it is down to their experience in local ...
With the looming by-election in Oldham East & Saddleworth and each candidate eager to win, with each of their respective parties hoping to be able to boast about the win for years to come, I'd imagine the people of OE&S are probably scratching their heads. A Labour party that endorsed the Phil Woolas who combined pretty much everything we hate about politicians in his lies intended to stir racial tensions? A Liberal Democrat party that, let's be honest, is not the most glamorous of groups at the moment, still reeling from scandals and broken pledges? A Conservative party barely even ...
We exiled Montrose supporters don't get much chance to see our heroes. So I am savouring the highlights on the BBC website of yesterday's 2-2 draw in the Scottish Cup against high-flying Dunfermline, who are two divisions above Montrose and currently at the top of Scottish Division 1. Goalscorer Paul Tosh's tentative dive onto to snow-covered artificial pitch after his injury-team equaliser is amusing to watch. There is a full match report on the club's website. Here's hoping for similar (indeed even greater) heroics in the replay. With both Watford and Coventry City winning yesterday, it was an uncharacteristically good ...
Winter arrived in November with a blizzard of siberian proportions, leaving behind a garden hidden from view, blanketed in deep snow. Over the last few months the snow and sleet, mist and fog, murky and freezing days have reminded me how temperate and pleasant our weather normally is. Today is one of those rare, frosty blue-skied days that have been lacking so far this winter. But in every snow-laden storm cloud there is a silver lining and for a few months the garden has been full of birds. Robin, wren, dunnock, wood pigeon, collared dove, blue tit, great tit, chaffinch, ...
A year ago I deleted all my book reviews from Amazon. Yesterday and today, sparked by Amazon's antics in Illinois (which I first learned about from the estimable shsilver, covered in more detail here), I have invested a tedious but necessary hour or so into pulling all my Amazon affiliate links from my website. This doesn't hurt me very much - I see that I have earned the glorious total of £8.32 since 2005, so my personal finances can take the hit for my principled stand - and while the absolute monetary impact in lost sales to Amazon will be ...
Another win for Southport this time against high flying Newport Co who are managed by Dean Holdsworth. You can hear Southport Manager Liam Watson's comments here. Dean Holdsworth gave a post match interview here. A full report will doubtless appear on the club website soon but in the meantime the BBC has the bare facts Once again it was the second half display that earned Southport the points.The first half seemed to go on and on and it was mighty cold. By contrast the second half flew by and nobody spoke of the bting wind. From where I was sat ...
The shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords yesterday and the murder of six other people, including a nine-year-old girl, a federal judge and a member of Giffords's staff is a hugely offensive crime that cannot be tolerated. Eighteen people in all were shot indicating an horrific murder spree by an individual or individuals who can only be described as deranged. The Observer says that at a press conference following the murders, the Pima County Sheriff, Clarence Dupnik, blamed political vitriol for fuelling the attack: "People tend to pooh-pooh this business that we hear about all the vitriol we hear inflaming the ...
From today's Independent on Sunday: To try to calculate the case for different voting systems by party advantage (or disadvantage) is not only wrong, it is also a mistake. Although we can guess how past elections might have turned out under AV, based on opinion-poll evidence of voters' second preferences (as we report today, there might have been a hung parliament in 1992 and a Lib-Lab deal might have been more possible last year), people would behave differently under a different system. Now it is time, therefore, to consider the philosophical or pure case for the alternative vote. In this, ...
My Welsh Assembly campaign contact email address is mp4am@aol.com
Welcome to my weekly round-up of two blogging highlights from the past week: the post that I found most interesting or enjoyable to write and the post from someone else that I found most interesting or entertaining. A post from me...Why the Ark Royal doesn't feature in social media presentations I am rather a sceptic about some of the excitable points which are made about how, particularly thanks to social media, the world is meant to be changing in an unprecedented and accelerating way. Previously I've pointed out how fifteenth century technology is still hanging on despite repeated predictions of ...
I watched the news coverage of the attack on Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords with great sadness. It is obviously terrible for her and her family and they have my sympathies. But it is also an attack on democracy. Giffords was doing exactly what an elected representative should be doing: getting out and meeting the people she represents. This sort of attack is sadly not unique to America. Lib Dem MP Nigel Jones was attacked at his Cheltenham office in January 2000. Labour MP Steven Timms was stabbed at his constituency surgery in May last year. Elected representatives may be held ...
Reading blogger Not Yet Out of the Woods has come up with an idea to make VAT more progressive. A Luxury rate of VAT that could be charged on expensive luxury items only. It has been done before by the 1974 Labour government. See the post 'Progressing the VAT debate'. This is something I advocated as an idea on Twitter but was shot down by people claiming that it would be 'to difficult to administer'. Well I don't see how. We currently have many different rates of VAT. All that would be required is a list of services or items ...
The Daily Telegraph seem to have become converts to Mr Clegg of recent months and again highlight what they think are strengths in him. Interestingly they think that this will bring more voters to the Lib Dems in the long run (see here): we are learning more about Mr Clegg's successful transformation from a politician ...
[IMG: John Whitehouse with Ann Blacklock outside Kenilworth Youth & Community Centre] As chair of the management committee of the Kenilworth Youth & Community Centre, I am leading the local campaign to save the Centre in the face of massive budget cuts threatened by Warwickshire's Conservative administration. The proposed cuts would remove ALL county funding from the Centre within 2-3 years. Can the Centre survive as an independent entity? We don't know yet, but the management committee are working hard on a new business plan, and looking at all options such as charitable status and social enterprise models. What is ...
From Stockport Council: The Mayor's Charity Fund was set as an independent charity designed to benefit residents and small charitable and voluntary groups who may need assistance. Grants up to a maximum of £500 are available from the fund. Applicants must live within the Stockport borough and the money must be spent locally. Further application information can be found here.
There are many good and legitimate arguments to be had about tuition fees and whether they are the best way to fund our higher education system. These include the big concerns about intergenerational inequality, and whether the market system is the best way to drive forward excellence in our higher education institutions. Liberal Democrats have long opposed tuition fees for these and other reasons, including of course the additional concern that fees are a barrier to access into higher education. But the one criticism that cannot be levelled at the government's proposals is that it will make university unaffordable for ...
Endless, useless discussion about how to control bankers' bonuses. Why does no politician suggest the bleeding obvious - higher rates of Income Tax on higher incomes ? What's wrong with that, except the Tories would never agree to it ?
South Gloucestershire Trading Standards would like to warn residents to be extra vigilant when dealing with unexpected callers at the front door. There has been an increase in the number of distraction burglaries where offenders are claiming to be from the Water Board to gain entry into people's homes. In one instance the offender claimed there was a problem with the water supply and that they had put colouring in the system to identify the fault, and he needed to check it was running clear in the victim's home. Whilst he was in the kitchen with the resident, another offender ...
Housing Advisory Group The group considered the latest draft of the Housing Strategy 2011/12 and beyond which had been updated for the latest government announcements on housing policy. I highlighted that one of the strategic aims was to promote excellent housing management standards across all tenures and this led to a discussion around the authority's ...
From Stockport Council: Residents will have the chance to win £500 in Recycle For Greater Manchester's latest campaign. Residents should look out for comic genius Dave Spikey coming through their door as he spearheads Greater Manchester's recycling campaign to encourage residents to recycle the right items. Residents will receive an information pack through their door from Monday 10th January, featuring Dave Spikey. This will help then distinguish between some of the common things that are often mistakenly put into their brown bin. Residents will also receive a sticker which can be put onto their bin or notice board, reminding them ...
Sartorial Differences WARNING! CONTAINS SLASH FIC! It's Six/Ainley!Master, though, so that's ok. (tags: doctorwho fic) The sound of gunfire Sara talks about the political angle on the horrific events in Tuscon in a sensible manner. I'm still too stuck in horrified mode to post about this, but my hopes are with those wounded that they pull through, and with the families of those killed. (tags: usa tragedies) Should you join a gym in January? No. | The Lay Scientist Tessera lists all the reasons why you shouldn't join a gym. (tags: funny advice) BBC News - Glasgow pantomime dress broke ...
Hello world! Here are things to interest you: Beware those who sneer at 'human rights imperialism' – Comment is Free finally publishes a counter-argument to their worst article of 2010. Sohrab Ahmari makes some powerful points explaining just why universal rights are important. Browne's Gamble – Probably linked to and seen by a lot of you back in November, but I've only just discovered it. A rather depressing look at what the effects of the Browne Review will be on higher education. The barren weeks, the amnesiac years – Excellent post by Phil Edwards at The Gaping Silence on some ...
Three polls were published last night showing voting intentions in Oldham East and Saddleworth. They are as follows: ICM: CON 18%, LAB 44%, LDEM 27% Populus: CON 15%, LAB 46%, LDEM 29% Survation: CON 6%, LAB 31%, LDEM 30% All show ... Continue reading →
In his younger days Jack Straw was president of the students' union at Leeds University, but his name has now been chiseled out of the "honours" board which lists those who have held that post. Whatever Mr Straw's finer qualities, tact and diplomacy are not among them. Some years ago his complaints about Muslim women wearing the niqab or full veil provoked quite unnecessary controversy, and now his linking of the grooming of of teenage girls for sexual abuse particularly to Muslim youths of Asian origin offers an open goal to the BNP and their ilk. Several well-informed commentators, including ...
Sun 9th
06:59
Whoniversaries 9 January: The Rescue #2, Terror of the Autons #2, Jack takes over Torchwood
i) births and deaths None. ii) broadcast anniversaries 9 January 1965: broadcast of "Desperate Measures", second episode of the story we now call The Rescue. Koquillion is unmasked as Bennett; the Didonians kill him, and Vicki leaves with the Tardis. 9 January 1971: broadcast of second episode of Terror of the Autons. McDermott is killed by the chair; the older Farrel by the doll; and the Doctor and the Brigadier are abducted by Auton policemen. iii) date specified in canon 9 January 2000: Jack Harkness becomes leader of Torchwood Three, as explained in Fragments (2008).
The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here's a high level summary of its overall blog health: The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads This blog is on fire!. Crunchy numbers A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 1,600 times in 2010. That's about ...
Batgirl Rising - Writer: Bryan Q. Miller. Pencillers: Tim Levins, Trevor Scott & Lee Garbett. Inkers: Trevor Scott, Dan Davis, Aaron Sowd, Sandra Hope, & Oliver Nome. Colorist: Guy Major. Letterer: John J Hill. Covers: Phil Moto Jeez, you can't just say "by" with a comic book, can you? I have been inactive in Batfandom for a while now - since the Long Halloween, really - although I've kept up with some of the important stuff via Debi. So I knew there was doing to be a new Batgirl, and I knew that she was going to be ex-Spoiler and ...
For those of you who are interested in Feminism, I contribute to the blog Kent Feminista from time to time. Posts you may be interested in; KentFeminista: A Few Thoughts on Representation of the Female in ArtKentFeminista: Kent Feminista's Response to Ashford Borough Council's Consultation on Licencing and Regulation of Lap-Dancing Premises
With the sale of Royal Mail, apparently there was a possibility that the buyer might decide to discontinue the use of the Queen's image on UK stamps. At a time of economic difficulty and significant fiscal pressure, with the news today featuring shootings in America, and a significant by-election over here in Britain, it is obviously worthy of everyone's attention that there was apparently a remote chance that a woman's face might be removed from stamps. It also quite clearly required government intervention. Sarcasm? Just a bit! There are, I submit, two aspects of a stamp which are significant - ...
Thirty Six Days of Me - Day 03: Your parents, in great detail They both read this blog, although I'm not 100% sure which platform they do so on. Nevertheless, I'm relying on them to correct factual errors, and to tell me what is and isn't appropriate for me to share here. [IMG: My parents] John was born to Ernest and Mabel on 27th May 1943 in Salford, near Manhcester. With a secondary name from his father, his given name was listed second, because his mother was leery of landing her son with the initials JEL – L at the ...
Yesterday I described Ed Miliband as a politician who wants political advantage but for some reason said that he didn't when describing his attitude towards marriage. He visited Oldham East and Saddleworth to support the Labour candidate - nothing wrong with that. He was looking for political advantage. What I object to is how it was reported. Amy Welch described Ed's visit for Granada Reports. The first bit was alright: "more big-name politicians have taken to the streets". I am sure that prominent politicians from all parties have made visits and she did mention William Hague and Chris Huhne. However ...
European politics: What the Hungarian minister said | The Economist 'I will not identify the minister unless he chooses to put up his hand. However I should clarify two points. Firstly, the reference to Tokaji wine was intended to give a sense of the flow of time and of argument over an extended conversation, not to imply that the minister's tongue was loosened by the flowing alcohol. My interlocutor was sober; which makes his admission all the more brave and interesting. The second point is: what precisely was the minister referring to when he acknowledged that the government had "fucked ...
