How could ~I have learned so much and understood so little of your innate grace (more) |
ALDC by-election report, 2nd AprilThere were four principal council by-elections this week, of which all but one had a Liberal Democrat candidate on the ballot. One council seat was being defended by us. North Devon Council, Fremington In North Devon, the Liberal Democrats gained a seat from the Independents in Fremington. It should be noted that in 2023, both seats were won by Independents, before Councillor Frank Biederman joined the Liberal Democrats. The by-election was triggered by the sad passing of his ward colleague, who remained as an independent. Without any independents standing this time, it would seem there was a lot of unknowns ... (more) |
Good Friday in ShropshireFrom The Folklore of Shropshire by Roy Palmer: Until the 1860s, when the well was drained, it was the custom on Good Friday to dip one's hand in the water, deemed good for weak eyes, of St Margaret's well at Wellington. Much more recently, comfortably into the 20th century, the congregation of Lords Hill Baptist Church met at Snailbeach in the afternoon and perambulated the area, pausing to sing hymns to the accompaniment of a brass band. Until the 1930s, most places of work closed on Good Friday. People traditionally spent the time in their gardens, and this was considered ... (more) |
Clanger stolen 50 years ago recovered after deathbed confessionThe Telegraph wins our Headline of the Day Award. And for some reason, the judges were pleased to note, the story has escaped its paywall. (more) |
Cost of Living crisisNever a day goes by, or so it seems, without mention of the cost of living crisis and programmes on the television helping people to make their money go further. And yet according to the new Forbes billionaire list Elon Musk added $373.5billion dollars (or £373.5billion) to his fortune in just one year. That is £3.5bn more than the £370bn it was estimated the entire COVID pandemic cost the UK. And according to the Equality Trust, this is the biggest ever increase in one year with Elon Musk's total worth now the 22nd largest economy in the world, beating Belgium. ... (more) |
How politicians speak is sometimes more important than what they sayThere can be little doubt that the language used by politicians has coarsened over the past few years. Just look at this exchange between a Democrat pundit and the Republican White House as reported in the Independent newspaper. "In an expletive-laden video on the Politicon YouTube channel posted earlier this week, Carville said if the Democrats take control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, they will launch investigations into Trump and his family, which will eventually lead to the president's resignation. "The Democrats are going to investigate you to no end," Carville said. "Then they're going to go ... (more) |
mtDNA damage in human oocytesI am collecting links to papers which look at mtDNA damage in human oocytes. Mitochondrial DNA Damage and Its Repair Mechanisms in Aging Oocytes Human ovarian aging is characterized by oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction Mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid deletions in oocytes and reproductive aging in women Mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid deletions in oocytes and reproductive (more) |
All four seats change hands in council by-electionsThere were four principal authority council by-elections this week and all four saw seats change hands. All took place on Maundy Thursday, which old electoral hands will remember as a day that used to be excluded from election timetables, along with weekends and bank holidays. It became a normal day for electoral purposes following the Electoral Administration Act 2006, the legislation which also gave the Electoral Commission the power to performance standards for many Returning Officers. Elections on Maundy Thursday are now a normal occurrence. On to the results: [IMG: Jayne Mackie] Double council by-election winner Jayne Mackie. Fremington (North ... (more) |
Ex -Welsh Reform candidate issues warning about his former partyNation Cymru reports on the continuing disintegration of Reform's campaign for the Welsh Senedd, saying that one of the party's former candidates has issued a stark warning to Welsh voters, claiming that Farage's top candidates are driven by "power, money and self-interest" amid deepening internal turmoil. The news site says that following the publication of an image of lead candidate and former Conservative aide Corey Edwards performing a Nazi salute, Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg candidate Owain Clatworthy announced on Tuesday (March 31) he was leaving Reform UK, citing concerns about the selection process used to choose the party's top candidates for ... (more) |
2 April 2026 - today's press releasesSNP set to miss key child poverty target Welsh Lib Dems urge Reeves to scrap fuel duty hike as global instability drives rising petrol prices Cole-Hamilton sets out mental health plan with visit to therapy llamas Greene: Reform set to lose 26 constituency candidates by polling day, figures show Murray: Lib Dem 10p fuel duty cut will get Scotland moving again Welsh Lib Dems slam Reform's "fantasy" coal plans as a threat to jobs, bills and climate Reform candidate's Ukraine comments spark outrage as Lib Dems warn of "dangerous" pro-Kremlin rhetoric SNP set to miss key child poverty target Responding ... (more) |