[Ed] Miliband is in a very powerful position. He has managed to control his own election through Union sycophancy, putting him in charge of the new face of Labour. To the common observer, it would seem foolish, therefore, for the wannabe Prime Minister to criticise the actions and public relations of Unite and Bob Crow. However, Unite are rendered helpless to Labour, like a new baby dependant on their mother. They cannot criticise Labour, because to do so would sever the political party link that gives them the power in the Left Wing field. The Press would relish the break ...
I'm still working my way through the HE white paper. Earlier on this morning I noted that I was intrigued by a reference on the BBC News website to idea that "local FE colleges will be able to offer Open University degrees" in future. Well, the white paper mentions the Open University by name twice. Once in section 3.5, where it talks about the National Student Survey (NSS). It says: ... It is noteworthy that three very different types of institution do consistently well in the NSS: the Open University, Buckingham and Oxford and Cambridge. What they share, in very ...
I tend not to write about personal things on this blog but as I have committed to writing about politics and other stuff (see tagline under my name), I feel that occasionally I should write about stuff. In fact, more stuff and less politics might be a good thing as there is only so much one can say about political ideas. So, this blog post is in praise of Wilkinson Swords Hydro 3. Over the years many different blades have caressed my face and some have even shredded my skin. For a long while I stuck with one manufacturer and ...
Finally; some good news as a result of the Guided Bus for people in the North of Cambridge! When the Guided Bus finally starts running (scheduled on the 7th August) Milton Road will get a new bus service. Whippet coaches have agreed that their hourly service along Milton Road will stop at the Arbury Road/Union Lane junction. The Monday to Saturday services will start at 0816 and run until 1816 southbound taking 10 minutes to get to the city centre and a further 9 to the railway station where they will stop. Northbound, the buses will stop every hour from ...
The website Northampton Underground Railways begins: The Northampton Underground was a railway system which ran in tunnels under the streets of Northampton from 1904 until 1934.Sadly, that is not true. There never were any underground railways in Northampton even if this photograph, borrowed from the site, appears to show one being built. But you have to admire the industry and imagination of whoever has produced the site. I found it while researching the old Northampton Corporation transport offices. And whoever it is, he is no stranger than whoever it is who is pretending to revice the Snailbeach District Railways. He ...
The entrance to Milnbank Gardens is a real mess - very overgrown - and I have received many residents' complaints about this. See photo - right. I have been in contact with the City Council's Planning Enforcement Officer for the area, who has contacted the developer who built the housing and has asked that the agreed planting maintenance be undertaken.
Heard on the car radio on the way to Grangemouth today. Absolute classic. An an enjoyable day in a sunny Grangemouth too!
"The number of my friends who assume that we just make up stories - even at reputable paper such as The Independent is startling."So wrote a youthful Johann Hari in 2003. The quotation is taken from an old Private Eye article, but that article does not include the arresting fact that Hari began his career as a researcher for Jeffrey Archer.
The House of Commons had a five hour debate on reform of the House of Lords. Last night's debate followed a two day extravaganza of special pleading by their Lordships, marvelling at the wonder of their unelected special status. Reform of the House of Lords was started by the Liberal government a century ago. The ...
In the last few days I've watched the final episodes of two television series I've liked a lot. In both cases this was their second season and in both cases they were cancelled earlier this year by the American networks which broadcast them. The first was Stargate Universe; part of the Stargate Sci-fi franchise which started with a major film of that name in 1994. Whereas the previous television incarnations had lasted ten years and five years, the latest — and now known to be the last — series was canned during its second season. And because that cancellation, announced ...
Get your hands on a copy of the Higher Education White Paper and take a look at what the university sector might look like in the future. The government is promising a shiny-bright student-focused experience for all as you make your well-informed choice from a multitude of quality providers jockeying to meet your every higher education need. Welcome to Uni-Mart, where the student -consumer is king. Except... their consumer experience won't feel very regal under these proposals, because this White Paper contains a major flaw: it wants to encourage competition between HE institutions in the belief that a market approach ...
Tue 28th
17:51
Is johann hari wrong to include what interviewees have previously written as quotes in his interview...
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Someone asked me the other day what I was thinking about at the moment and this was the answer. The role of Minimalism amongst young Silicon Valley entrepreneurs Bikram Yoga postures The process of making single-drip coffee Classic drum albums Neuroethics Marion Cotillard Micro-credit systems and Kiva If Benjamin Franklin was a royalist OEM contracts ...
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall Annual Review is out today. Oh boy, it's certainly a fascinating read – especially the 18% income rise from taxpayers. Charles, over the years, has accumulated numerous salaries due to ceremonial ... Continue reading →
Well, Bleeding Cool is certainly popular, isn't it? Just want to let the hundreds of you who've clicked through from there know that you're very welcome here, that the Seven Soldiers posts will be becoming a book soon, that there'll be another one up tomorrow, and that I do write about things other than comics ...
[IMG: bobcanIhavemymoneyback] PS I'd love that idiot from unison to tell me why I should have to subsidise him and everyone else in the public sector.
Lords of the Blog has a new contributor: Lord (Chris) Rennard, Lib Dem peer and former chief executive of the party. And in his maiden post, Lord Rennard explains why, even after having sat in the place since 1999, he still feels passionately about the necessity for the second chamber's reform. Here's an excerpt: New visitors to the House usually meet me at Peers' entrance and often ask fairly quickly about Lords reform. I point immediately to the progress made since I became a peer in 1999. I proudly show them my coat peg in the cloakroom and explain that ...
TweetOn the 28th June 1969 police offers raided The Stonewall inn, a notorious establishment for the LGBT community in Greenwich Village, New York City. For the first time a gay community responded. It stood up and said no to persecution. With the swing of the first handbag, and throwing of the first punch, a gay rights movement was born. Today is a day we should celebrate loudly, and yet it will pass by without notice. And that is the tragedy of the gay rights movement. I loathe to reference Wikipedia, but it has a pretty good account of what happened ...
Today, the kids at the school had a new skipping song (I work with 4-7 year olds, skipping songs are cool). It was very familiar to me, and now it's stuck in my head. Specifically, it was this one: I'm thinking I might need to Have Words with the teacher about teaching them to search YouTube so effectively. i've been trying to clear it out with other songs all afternoon, but even the normally trusted favourites like Sound of the Suburbs or Anyone Can Play Guitar have failed me. So it's your turn. I'd apologise, but, y'know...
I've just publish this article on Lib Dem Voice. This is about the Lib Dems' need to overhaul campaigning and administration, especially fundraising, but also to develop what I call insurgent campaigns.
Simon Hughes MP, the Government's advocate for access to Higher Education, has a piece over at Left Foot Forward today, on the confusion surrounding student finance. He cites the Sutton Trust's findings that more than a fifth of 11-16 year olds believe their families will have to pay for the cost of university tuition, while a further 10 per cent believe students paid for university with money they earned before and during their studies: This situation is clearly unacceptable. And now as we start a month where higher education is again back on the agenda, with today's publication of the ...
TweetIt seems that Johann Hari has been caught out. He's been caught cutting and pasting quotes, and not using the words he gained, simply taking them from other sources to make it "clearer" as to what the person said. The original accusation i believe came from BrianWhelan.Net and followed up by Toby Young over at The Telegraph Hari, is somewhat of a figurehead of leftist journalism, and i must admit some of his work on homophobia and his destruction of Richard Littlejohn are rather good. They represent the best of what he can offer. But there is also the high ...
...I'm happy for new laws to be brought in where abouts being a complete pleb is a crime of some sort. These thoughts are prompted by stories such as this one I read earlier today in everyone's favourite chip paper rag the Daily Mail. Sick joker facing jail for shouting 'bang, bang' and making gun gesture at policeman blinded by Raoul Moat. is the title and reading the piece you just have to think that sheer stupidity and disrespect deserves to be punished – and punished hard. Now I don't want to see her go to jail. That serves little ...
Hell have no fury like a sleep deprived blogger. This film was meant to bring peace and tranquility to my mundane world. Alas, it did not. And now I'm pissed. I'll be honest. I hate this film; really, really, really ... Continue reading →
Yesterday's Guardian reported that "Liberal Democrats start investigation into AV referendum defeat" . Either the Guardian is well behind the times (we reported this fact a month ago ), or Tim Farron has taken a very long time to get round to doing anything. Considered he maybe - dithering he ain't. And if Tim really has only just got round to ordering an inquiry then it will be a very shallow one indeed, given that the inquiry is apparently due to provide an interim report (to the executive) next week. No. Tim is infinitely more competent than this ... I ...
Good news for Irish (and Scottish, Dutch, Kenyan, Afghan, Canadian etc) cricket fans, the ICC have announced a reversal of plans to reduce the 2015 World Cup to 10 teams, instead there will be 14 teams taking part. I have blogged previously (here) on this issue and it is a great victory for common sense. If the governing body are serious about their wish to encourage smaller nations then they must give them the chance to perform at the highest level, this is still be biggest international tournament and they must be able to aspire to reach it. It has ...
Liberal Democrats at County Hall have condemned the failure of the county council to provide a proper support service for parents and children affected by strikes this week. Lib Dem Leader Chris White said: 'As happened two years earlier with snow closures the Tories have failed to realise how seriously parents and children will be impacted by random closures. There seem to be no plans to put school closures on the county's website. Parents with work responsibilities will thus have little idea when they drop their children at school whether the school is open and whether they might need to ...
At their meeting last week, South Glos Council's Development Control (East) Committee agreed to give outline planning permission to the controversial application for a Waitrose supermarket and 170 houses on the Barnhill Quarry site. Chipping Sodbury appears split down the middle on the issue. A poll carried out by Sodbury Town Council showed a narrow majority of residents against the development. Some traders have come out against the scheme, but the Chipping Sodbury Chamber of Commerce has commented in favour of it. More detailed plans will now be submitted to South Glos by the autumn, and Waitrose hope that the ...
A number of schools in Sutton are likely to be affected by the planned teachers' industrial action. Details of which schools plan to close and others which may have classes affected are listed and updated on the Sutton Council website. You should contact the schools direct for more detailed information. The strikes are scheduled to ...
I never ceased to be amazed by the obsession of the media with the money spent campaigning in local elections or referenda. This is particularly so given that by and large there is no public money involved. The vast majority of funds are raised privately. Nevertheless this Walesonline story today highlights that campaigners for a Yes vote in March's referendum on the Assembly's powers spent 35 times more than their No-supporting rivals. The site says that the figures, published by the Electoral Commission, show that those campaigning for a Yes spent just over £140,000 while those campaigning for a No ...
The plan to put down double yellow lines along the length of Cheadle High Street was approved at Cheadle Area Committee last week following a consultation. Currently there are single yellow lines. The idea is that the double yellow lines (with restricted loading times allowed for the shops) will discourage the illegal parking that can clog up the High Street. The details are on the committee meeting agenda below (a bit of hunting through required). Cheadle Area Committee 21st June 2011 full agenda
Local newspapers can be the bane of politicians, but they are vitally important in a lively democracy. I've had my own ups and downs with the Surrey Comet, but I do have to say that they have a strong team of reporters at present. There have been one or two in the past whose grasp of the issues has been lamentable, but people like the current David Lindsell and Martin George research their topics thoroughly and get the facts right. OK - that does look suspiciously like brown-nosing (a phrase that I hate, but I can't think of a better ...
The title of the post may not be the most exciting one used on the blog but the information it refers to shines a real light on the health of Sefton in comparison with the rest of the country and the levels of health inequality which exist across Sefton as a whole. Health Profiles are created by the Department of Health to try and improve availability and access to health and health related information in England. The profiles are produce annually by the Public Health Observatories in England. The Health Profiles for Sefton can be viewed here
I attended my first English Council at the weekend, the little-known body nominally supervising the party's administration in England. Amid the constitutional amendments and letting off steam about the evil Federal party, it was possible to reflect on the huge challenges the party now faces. Inevitably most of the attention is on policies and messaging. This is vital but not sufficient. But we also need to catch up with the way politics is now done. I don't think enough people appreciate the implications of this. We can overdo the analogies between politics and warfare, but some of the same dynamics ...
Via the normally excellent Chris Dillow, I have learned that there is a thing called Experimental Economics. Apparently, some of these experimental economists are studying something called Ego Depletion. This is the idea that we have a limited amount of self control at any given time, and that actions undertaken that require self control deplete ...
In the Nine Elms development there will be 15% target for affordable housing. This is much lower than the 40% target that Lambeth has set for all new developments. Wandsworth not having any targets have managed to exceed theirs! 15% affordable housing is also much lower than the old GLA target which Boris quickly got rid of as soon as he got in power. Cllr Govinda claimed there is a simple choice, the developers have a budget which they sink into either local infrastructure or affordable housing. There is a cost benefit analysis on how much to spend on affordable ...
Craig Thomson seen promoting a kids reading scheme It may be losing sponsors. It may the lose of fans. It may be the public outcry. But slowly the Jam Tarts aka the Jambos aka Heart of Midlothian Football Club or just plain Hearts are catching up with public opinion over Craig Thompson. Here is a brief recap of events. On 17th June the 20-year-old defender pleaded guilty to lewd, libidinous and indecent behaviour towards two girls, aged 12 and 14 over the Internet. He was fined £4000 and placed on the sex offenders register. A week later, 24th June, the ...
There's a report for the think tank Demos out recently. In it it has some interesting findings about attitudes towards Britain's treatment of gay people. One of the findings is that 47% of muslims agreed with the statement "I am proud of how Britain treats gay people". However, just under 20% disagreed with the statement - something which, predictably, has had the denizens of ConservativeHome complaining about muslims and how they don't fit in with our culture and whether they should be treated as British or not and all sorts of other islamophobic comments. So, I think it's time for ...
Dangerous things, conspiracy theories. I wanted to read David Aaronovitch's book on the subject, but when I went to the bookshop, agents of the great conspiracy (presumably paid by the Illuminati) had removed all copies after following me there. There is a well-known former broadcaster who believes that the Queen is a disguised lizard from outer space, which is why Her Majesty is called Elizabeth, that being a cunning mask for her real name: "E-lizard-beth". It is not inconceivable that anyone who believes that to be true is - I really don't need to finish that sentence, do I? Away ...
Another barnstorming speech on Lords reform, this time by Duncan Hames MP in last night's Commons debate. Duncan reiterates the suggestion he made earlier in the debate, that unelected peers should have speaking rights only: Does the right hon. Gentleman think that bishops voting in the House of Lords adds in any way to the expertise they are able to offer through what they say in that Chamber, and might they find it easier to remain in that Chamber if they were to desist from taking part in Divisions? The speech in full: It is a privilege to follow Rory ...
Or so Richard Littlejohn writing in the Mail today would have you believe. Here's the piece of drivel that's his excuse for an article (don't worry, you can follow the link without giving the Daily Mail any user traffic). In it he brings up the old story that England is to be broken up with parts of it being merged with other European countries. What he's referring to is the Arcmanche region, shown on the map below. Littlejohn rants and raves and practically froths at the mouth over this attempt to force southern England and northern France into one entity. ...
Saturday was another great Garston Fun Day (although the weather wasn't quite as good as last year) The organisers, mainly the local churches, did a fantastic job and there were plenty of stalls with things to do for both children and us older lot. I spent quite a bit of time on the Friends of Garston Park stall. Our tombola and our bird box making was very popular. The picture here shows a crowd round the stall while Mark (one of our committee members) helped a visitor make a bird box. (You can't actually see Mark. He is too hard ...
The debates about schools and education so far in this parliament have largely focused around free schools and academies, with occasional diversion into the content of the curriculum and the E-Baccalaureate. I've touched on some of these issues before, but just whilst there's still time (just!) for a change in the Education Bill as it passes through the committee stage in the House of Lords, I wanted to highlight the threat posed in the Bill to school governors appointed by Local Education Authorities. I should say at this point that I have been an LEA appointed governor for nearly eight ...
People scoffed at me when I was excited that Boom Boom Afridi was joining Hampshire for the defence of their T20 crown. People said he was yet another big name that Hampshire didn't need. Whilst we won last year with a plethora of home grown stars whenever you get the chance to add arguably the best T20 player in the world to your side then you have to look at it. Hampshire did and by teaming him up with Imran Tahir then suddenly the side have a dynamite spinning pair and that means the groundsman will prepare turning pitches and ...
I blogged yesterday about the strange goings on at Hearts Football Club and their disappointing decision to keep Craig Thompson in their squad. I am therefore pleased to read (in a much clearer, concise statement) that the club have suspended him with immediate effect, shame on them that it's taken such public pressure to do so. Hopefully the club will see sense and extend this to revoking his contract, then the club, the girls (and relatives) involved and the player himself can move on - out of the spot light and away from having an influence on children.
Norman Fraser is the interim Secretary of the Social Liberal Forum (Scotland) and has written this brief report of some of the themes that emerged from the Forum's meeting in Glasgow last Saturday. A small but vocal group of Lib Dem activists came together last Saturday in Glasgow to debate the current state of and prospects for the Party in Scotland. Although mostly drawn from Glasgow and the West of Scotland members travelled from as far afield as Irvine, Bo'ness, Edinburgh and the North of England. The meeting lasted slightly over two hours but covered a lot of ground. Caron ...
More economically competent than Labour, fairer than the Conservatives – that's what many at the top of the party hope the message will be come the next general election. If the economy is not doing well at the time of the next election [insert post-watershed phrase of choice]. However, if it is then the party will need the right combination of economic policies to support that proposition. That is why people such as Danny Alexander are starting to sketch out possible tax policies for the next general election which will involve giving tax cuts to the least well off, paid ...
I've been reflecting on my visits to ED Harris Boys Academy, Kingsdale School and Goodrich School. In southern Southwark Kingsdale School being close to the southern point of Southwark admits around 50% Southwark kids. The remainder come from Lambeth and Lewisham. Sadly quite a few SE22 kids failed to get places at a Southwark secondary school and this year were offered places at unpopular schools even as far away as New Cross in Lewisham. It would be impossible to change Kingsdale admissions policy to favour by geography without fewer kids coming from Southwark which would exacerbate existing problems. Suggestion: That ...
Well, it doesn't seem like a whole load happened on Thursday 28th June 1951. Not on the face of it anyway. In the US, a highly dubious show, Amos 'n' Andy, which drew protests from the NAACP aired for the first time on TV. In the UK, a baby called Sarah Ward, who would adopt the stage name Lalla and play Romana in Doctor Who and marry Tom Baker, was born. Here she is with some daleks and Noel Edmonds. Which is scarier? In the House of Commons, an MP for Sheffield Hallam, Roland Jennings, who fought as a Conservative-Liberal, ...
VN, you may have noticed, is not normally nice about the Honourable Member for the Rhondda, so sit down when you read this – VN agreed with a speech Chris Bryant MP gave. He spoke fantastically well on House of Lords reform last night, and while it was not quite in the league of the Lord ...
I have made a mistake - of sorts. My old physio, Anne Dickins, now a 24hr mountain bike competitor (mad), introduced me to Kate Potter, elite cyclist, and in lieu of donations to the cause (now at £8,000 - yay!), Kate has designed a programme for me and Anne is trying to get me to use the right muscles for cycling. Who knew it was so difficult. Evidently, I need to be gently compressing my TVA(s?) to maintain core stability and stillness of pelvis with back, shoulders and arms completely relaxed. Hands compress the bars like holding a small bird ...
Last week, Angela kicked off a firestorm with her article about abuse of public money by Action on Smoking and Health, the anti-tobacco pressure-group. Now, Liberal Vision does not need to dwell on tobacco regulation. There are countless infringements on individual liberty out there to discuss, and we don't want to develop some single-issue hobby-horse. But tobacco regulation is a good proxy for plenty of other government interventions, and the activities of the anti-smoking lobby are echoed by paternalists in other parts of the public health establishment and beyond. It is therefore worth teasing out some of the issues that ...
As you may have read in the current Gazette, from 30th June NHS South Gloucestershire intend to stop the extended evening hours of the X-ray facility in the new Westgate centre, with the facility closing at 5pm. They say that very few people have been using the evening service, so it's not worth running. This raises several questions: Why didn't they consult anybody locally about this? They didn't tell anyone that numbers were low, despite all the excellent joint working in the run-up to the opening of the centre.Why are the numbers low? Have people been told that they can ...
The Guardian reports that the Party has decided to hold an inquiry, headed by James Gurling, into the Yes to AV campaign. I wrote a piece for Lib Dem Voice back in May calling for an inquiry and since then more and more information has come to light about the shambolic and incompetent way the Yes campaign was run. What does seem rather odd is that there has been no announcement to Party members and activists that this inquiry was taking place and asking for their input. I asked a couple of Lib Dems who had been highly active in ...
The give away of shares in RBS and Lloyds has good intentions but will not work, either for the tax-payer or the Liberal Democrats. The idea was first proposed by co-chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Treasury committee Stephen Williams who wanted the tax-payer to share some rewards from the bank bail outs, which cost the Treasury £66bn. The government now owns 83% and 41% of RBS and Lloyds respectively as a result of the Labour government's desperate nationalisation move that followed a crisis that was partly of its making. The share give-away evokes the 1980s Thatcherite spirit of citizens ...
Thanks to Paul Walter (@paulwalteruk) for posting David Miliband's speech in The House in favour of Lord's Reform. It's a corker and well worth a read. I suspect there will be a few members of the Labour Party reading it with their heads in their hands, wondering if they picked the right brother. However, when you read it, you'll notice that he spends some little time at the start giving Nick a right old kicking. As per my post yesterday, It would seem the elder Miliband understands well that our unpopularity has little to do with our association with the ...
Why is it, that if it is a diplomat abuses a domestic worker, it is unacceptable, but if it is a standard domestic worker, very few papers bat an eyelid. I refer to the Guardian's report today that embassies are cloaking abuse of domestic staff in diplomatic immunity and forcing them to work 16 hours a day, seven days a week for below minimum wage. Diplomats will be delighted to know that they can do this in the UK without the cloak of immunity as the coalition government decided not to support the International Labour Organisation's proposal of equal employment ...
The latest information that the Council is giving on Schools which are open and closed on THURSDAY are: OPEN St Margaret's primary St Mary's primary PARTIALLY OPEN (for some year groups) St Monica's Heaton Park Primary Our Lady of Grace CLOSED Parrenthorn Prestwich Arts St Hilda's Park View Butterstile Sedgley Park (closed as planned, not because of strike action) There is more information which is being kept up to date on the Council's website here
In written questions last week, Ian Mearns MP (Labour, Gateshead) asked the Government about the postcode lottery in Trans Healthcare. For those not in the know, this is a hot topic in the Trans community, with folk living in some areas such as Wales having been completely unable to access Trans-related healthcare. Earlier this month, the Government Equality Office's own survey of the community identified health as the top priority. Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to ensure that no GP consortium shall refuse treatment to an individual diagnosed ...
The girls were out last night, so I could watch BBC Parliament without stinting. It just happened be the Lords Reform debate on. A golden back of the net moment. Ok, there was the normal procession of dinosuars from both sides of the chamber: Laing, Jenkin, Pound, Bell etc. And the normal element of Clegg-bashing. But amongst all that, there were three reasons for optimism for Lords reformists: 1. Chris Bryant, Labour's spokesman on these matters, is full square behind reform. His bookend, Sadiq Khan, is rather anti. But Bryant, to give him his due, is full on in support: ...
I have been camapigning for the Liberal Democrats to hold an inquiry into the Yes campaign so was very pleased to see this story in the Guardian: This is good news although it does seem rather strange that it has come out via the Press and Party members and activists have not been asked ...
Ok, quick explanation of why all the government cuts are necessary, very much in layman's terms I am leaving out GDP, as that figure has nothing to do with government income and only has any point if tax was at 100% Lets look at a family, they are comfortably off and earn £51,400 per year after tax. They have been spending too much on credit cards though so owe £77,100 (this is 20% more than they earn) to credit cards and don't have a mortgage or house to secure these on, so there is nothing to sell to repay them ...
Labour MPs yesterday split three ways in a Commons vote on one of the government's key environmental proposals The committee vote came in the House of Commons on the statutory instrument (SI) for the fourth carbon budget, on whether or not to accept to accept the Committee on Climate Change's recommendations that total emissions in 2023-27 should be set at 1950 MtCO2 (a 50% reduction from 1990 levels). Labour MPs Dennis Skinner and Geoffrey Robinson voted against, Nic Dakin and Ian Mearns abstained and the other Labour MPs voted in favour, as did all the Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs. ...
I see from the report on the BBC website that the long-awaited HE white paper is finally due out later on today. While most of the comment currently seems to be concerned with the idea of ranking universities according to graduate employment outcomes, I'm intrigued by the idea that "local FE colleges will be able to offer Open University degrees" in future. I shall resist the temptation to publish what I think about all this until I've had a chance to read the white paper itself. Update: 28th June, 9.40pm – some first observations: The HE white paper - mentions ...
i) births and deaths 28 June 1951: birth of Sarah Ward, better known as Lalla Ward, who played Princess Astra in The Armageddon Factor (1979) and then the second Romana from 1979 to 1981. ii) broadcast anniversary 28 June 2008: broadcast of The Stolen Earth, featuring the Tenth Doctor, Martha, Donna, Jack, Ianto and Gwen from Torchwood and Sarah Jane and her adopted son Luke from the SJA. The Earth is moved to the Medusa Cascade by the Daleks and Davros; the Doctor is caught by a Dalek extermination beam.
Monday: Over the weekend Mr Mark Reckons wrote a piece I'd recommend reading on "Whataboutery", which is the way to play politics dirty so that you can attack someone who's proposing a policy you actually agree with. This is the FALLACY of the RED HERRING: introducing an irrelevant case into an argument. I'd like to give you a companion to Mr Mark's piece with one on another FALLACY, the fallacy of the FALSE DICHOTOMY. Most famously presented by the former-Monkey-in-Chief, President Dubbya, as "you're either with us or against us", we've been seeing a LOT of this at the moment. ...
