GUEST POST In the cause of duty: Walter Stolworthy is remembered at Wymondham stationIntrigued by a sign on a Norfolk railway station, Neil Hickman discovers a story of selfless service. We take the people who work on the railways very much for granted. Sometimes, we get jolted out of our complacency, as with Samir Zitouni, who shielded passengers with his own body during the Huntingdon stabbing attack and was left hospitalised and fighting for his life. Now, a little while back, I got off the train at Wymondham, once an important railway junction, though no more - the ambitious plans for a new station for the Mid-Norfolk heritage railway near the main line ... (more) |
Johnny Bristol: Memories Don't Leave Like People DoI was all over chart music in 1974, even though I was dimly aware that the records I was hearing weren't as good as the ones I could just remember from the Sixties. So I remember this one clearly and am surprised to find it wasn't a hit. Johnny Bristol (1939-2004) recorded a few singles in the US from 1959, but he was best known as songwriter and producer at Motown. He wrote Love Me for a Reason for the Osmonds and was co-producer of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's classic Ain't No Mountain High Enough. He had a big ... (more) |
Tom Arms' World ReviewSudan – and gold Gold is currently selling at $4,038.05 an ounce. It has increased in value 121 percent in under five years. It is also financing a civil war in Sudan which, according to the UN, has killed 150,000 civilians, displaced 25 million people and left 30 million facing acute hunger. The two main Sudanese warring parties — the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) — now rely heavily on gold as a source of income. In 2024, gold production reportedly generated $1.7bn for Sudan via official channels. But then there are the unofficial channels, ... (more) |
Magdalen Green station #dundeewestendAt the start of last month, we posted a great photograph of Magdalen Green station from 1956 - the year it closed. Continuing the theme and with thanks to Tom Millar and Dundonian History for All, this is a rather superb postcard from the heyday of the station. (more) |
The Russian connectionOn the Nation Cymru website, Martin Shipton discusses the significance of former Welsh UKIP leader, Nathan Gill's imprisonment and its implication for Reform at the Senedd elections next year. His view that, while those who are enraptured by what they see as Nigel Farage's charisma are likely to remain loyal to his personality cult, more level-headed voters will pause to consider the implications of Gill's criminality, is certainly one that is worth exploring. My concern though, is that it will be mostly be old news by the time people come to vote in six months time. He writes that, despite ... (more) |
The Joy of Six 1439"The sections of Restoring Order and Control that mention children are chilling, suggesting that many asylum seekers bring their children not because they love and care for them but as a 'fact' to 'exploit ... in order to thwart removal'."Christopher Betram reads the government's new paper on its asylum and returns policy. Morgan Wild believes municipal bond markets can save Britain: "This is one way to give public servants skin in the game. The team delivering the project should also raise the finance. Their decisions matter to them - cost overruns mean higher local taxes - in a way that ... (more) |
US judge resigns after being disciplined for wearing Elvis wig in courtBBC News wins our Headline of the Day Award. "If judges are allowed to wear silly wigs in court, no one will take them seriously," said the judges. (more) |
Observations of an Expat: Four-sided Asia ConflictJapanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has re-ignited the tense Sino-Japanese relations that underscore the region's volatile politics. The roots of these tensions go back centuries and will doubtless last for centuries more. At the moment the main players are China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan with America playing an important peripheral role. Korea and Japan have a long history involving cultural links, wars and cruel colonisation. According to many historians, the Japanese imperial family originated in Korea. It is a fact that many prominent Japanese have Korean genetic roots. Much of Chinese culture reached Japan through the Korean Peninsula. This included ... (more) |
Latest voting intention and leadership ratings opinion pollsWelcome to my summary of the latest national voting intention polls for the next general election, along with the latest MRP projections and party leadership ratings. If you'd like to find out more about how polls work, how reliable they are and how to make sense of them, check out my book, Polling UnPacked: the History, Uses and Abuses of Political Opinion Polls, or sign up for my weekly email, The Week in Polls: General election voting intention polls PollsterConLabLDGrnRefLab leadFieldwork Opinium 17% (nc) 19% (-1) 13% (+1) 12% (+1) 32% (-1) -13% (vs Ref) 19-21/11 GB Find Out Now ... (more) |
'Sew and Share' from Ninewells Community Garden #dundeewestend'Sew and Share' from Ninewells Community Garden is on Monday afternoons between 2pm and 4pm. Bring along a project or something that needs mending - all welcome! (more) |