In common with most politicos, The West Wing ranks among my all-time favourite TV series, within which the second season finale, Two Cathedrals, is, to my mind, the single best episode. Mawkish and a little too clever-clever? Probably. But sublimely scripted, directed, and of course acted – not least by Kathryn Joosten, playing the President's loyal and recently deceased secretary mrs Landingham, who has herself just died. Every scene in Two Cathedrals is a masterpiece. Here's just one of them. Posts Related to RIP Kathryn Joosten, aka West Wing's Mrs Landingham"That's not being a fan, it's having a fetish"I was ...
Talks of all sorts happen between different parties all the time, varying from the personal – such as a few quiet words over handling the consequences of a death in an MP's family – to the national interest – especially on security matters – and including, of course, the political manoeuvering. One rule however applies consistently across them all: if you're serious about discreet talks, you keep them discreet. Talking at length to the media, whether on or off the record, about talks is only what you do if the talks are out in the public (such as the Cook-Maclennan ...
Slightly sad to say that this is the last of the main sequence of Tenth Doctor novels for me to read. It's not a bad one, though my favourite remains Gary Russell's Beautiful Chaos. (It's also set partly in 2012, as was The Shadows of Avalon which I read earlier in the week.) Blythe brings back the Autons with a proper reboot, updating them to the new century in a way that wasn't possible for the TV episode Rose (which also rebooted the Autons, but much else besides) and actually paving the way slightly for the new wrinkles to the ...
Not an outstanding novel from Banks, and one that I felt was perhaps twice as long as it needed to be - gareth_rees had warned of some of its deficiencies and his criticisms are valid. The bits I enjoyed most concerned the story of the indentured slave Lededje Y'breq, unexpectedly liberated and preparing vengeance on her former master - the "surface detail" of the title appears to refer both to the tattoo that was the mark of her indenture and the new one she acquires from the Culture. But too many of the other plot strands were pursued at greater ...
Last night I wrote a post saying that the Liberal Democrats should vote with Labour if there is a Commons division on the conduct of Jeremy Hunt. An article in tomorrow's Observer suggests that this may happen. Toby Helm and Daniel Boffey write: Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, has refused to give unequivocal backing to Jeremy Hunt over his handling of the BSkyB takeover controversy as senior Liberal Democrats broke ranks to demand a new investigation into whether the culture secretary has broken the ministerial code. ...Labour will call a Commons vote on whether Hunt should be investigated, claiming ...
In conjunction with Changing Attitude Ireland and Accepting Sexuality, we are holding several events during Belfast Pride 2012. More details...
This is surely one of the better Eighth Doctor Adventures, in a series that I was somewhat losing confidence in a few volumes back; by odd coincidence, it is set in 2012. We start off with a good chunk of the novel exploring what's happened to the Brigadier recently (last seen, from his own point of view anyway, in the very first Eighth Doctor novel, The Dying Days) and the peculiar dimensional opening between present day England and the magical parallel world of Avalon, where humans and the reptiles sometimes known as Silurians struggle for mastery of the land, and ...
Today Kilby Bridge is little more than a pub and a few houses sited between the canal and railway and beside the old A50, and some of those houses appear to be derelict. There are also a couple of car lots and a boatyard. But at the end of the 19th century it was the site of considerable industrial activity. There is an outcrop of limestone nearby and lime kilns were built and linked to both railway and canal. According to an article in a Greater Wigston Historical Society newsletter from 1986, those kilns were disused by 1914. The quarry ...
I've not been that bothered about the Olympic Flame arriving until this evening. Then, sitting at Andrew's desk (mine is a bit buried at the moment) in our library, I heard the sound of an aeroplane overhead, looked out the window, grabbed the iPhone and took about 14 seconds of video of Firefly flying overhead. ...
Dodington Parish Council "had a field day" on Friday when they officially declared Kelston Close as a Queen Elizabeth II "Field in Trust" so that it will remain Playing Fields permanently. They ran a sports-themed event with children from Abbotswood Junior School, Culverhill School, and Phase Five Pre-SChool Playgroup. The field was officially "opened" by Dame Janet Trotter, the Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire. Two volunteers from Asda brought lots of freebies - thank you! Dodington Football Club provided very popular football activities, and Sports 1st ran lots of different sporting games. Paul Hulbert with the Diamond Jubilee Fields in Trust ...
I've just completed the last homework (week 12) for 6.002x, so I'm running rather behind schedule as I haven't even looked at the lectures for week 13 yet. Normally, this wouldn't be much of a problem, but as week 13 contains the final two sequences that could be tested on the final exam, I need to get a move on. Fortunately, in line with MIT practice, there's no homework or lab for week 13. Equally fortunately, I'm very pleased that the Jubilee celebrations mean that I have Monday and Tuesday off next week too! All being well, these lucky breaks ...
Sat 2nd
21:05
Hunt out to dry? Clegg refuses to back Tory culture secretary as Lib Dem MPs push inquiry
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg is piling the pressure on Jeremy Hunt, whose closeness to the Murdoch empire has been embarrassingly laid bare by the Leveson Inquiry in the past few weeks, by refusing to endorse David Cameron's decision not to refer his culture secretary to the official adviser on the ministerial code, Sir Alex Allan. Here's how The Observer is reporting it: Nick Clegg refuses to back Jeremy Hunt as Lib Dems demand investigation Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, has refused to give unequivocal backing to Jeremy Hunt over his handling of the BSkyB takeover controversy as senior ...
A wise choice of Christmas present from manjushra, this is another in the sub-genre of books about the English and Englishness also pursued by Jeremy Paxman and Bill Bryson (and to an extent Stuart Maconie). It struck home particularly for me because Ó Briain is an Irish man married to a very intelligent Englishwoman, a situation with which I am not unacquainted, and because I like Ó Briain's sense of humour and occasional bafflement at the surrealism of life in general. (We also have a vague personal connection via the Byrne family.) The framework of the book is Ó Briain's ...
Queen Elizabeth II was crowned fifty-nine years ago today. Not being much of a royalist (having been responsible for a political party debating the monarchy for the first time in centuries), I'd been intending to review an appropriately celebratory Doctor Who story such as Jubilee or Snakedance (in which the Doctor doesn't enjoy the festivities) or perhaps The Pirate Planet or State of Decay (in which old Queens just keep hanging on). We went to a movie instead. Fortunately, here's one I prepared earlier; Doctor Who Magazine's Time Team marked the occasion this week with David Tennant's The Idiot's Lantern. ...
Regular readers will know I've been enjoying The Voice UK - and up until last week I hadn't thought any of the decisions (on the live shows at least) as to who should leave each week were drastically wrong. Last week in the semi-final, though, the public voted and that changed. My favourite contestant and tip to win the show was voted off. It was an unbelievable result as her competition in Sir Tom Jones' team was (imho) nowhere near as gifted. This was my initial reaction: Fellow Lib Dem blogger Jennie was a little more forthright, in her own ...
Sat 2nd
20:19
You Cannot Be Serious! Review as Alistair McGowan's new show falls short - drastically, woefully sho...
So I thought I'd give You Cannot Be Serious! a try this evening following the lacklustre England v Belgium game. The only saving grace doing such a thing has done is give me something to blog about and let's put it this way – very little or possibly none of it will be positive. First of all any dig at Roy Hodgson for his speech impediment is just not funny. I know he says he doesn't care but that really isn't the point. When you are using someone else's disabilities as a source of humour then you have a problem ...
A selection of pictures from the recent dinner held in Nottingham with our special guest the Rt. Hon. Dr Vince Cable MP, the Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills. For a wider selection of pictures please visit the ... Continue reading →
Person1: My cybermat has no nose Person2: How does it smell? Person1: EX-cellent [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
There's no prize at stake - just the opportunity to prove you're wittier than any other LDV reader... (Photo by CarlPendle.com) Here's Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, President Bill Clinton and musician and The Voice UK coach, will.i.am. What do you think might be being said or thought by or about them? And the winner of our last caption comp is... Some fantastic entries for our most recent caption competition, Vince & Dave "Watch your step" Edition. The winner, according to The Voice's judging panel of one, was this one by Paul: You'd better go first Vince, I need to ...
So a woman carrying a naked flame in a glass container has been allowed to cross the tarmac of one of Northern Ireland's airport. What did the police do? Well some of them just stood there and watched. Some of them exited a nearby plane and joined in. How times have changed! Picture from the BBC's live feed Of course the fact that the woman carrying the flame was the Lord Lieutenant of Belfast, a member of the British Olympic Association and Northern Ireland's own golden girl Dame Mary Peters may give you some idea as to what flame it ...
Earlier today, I had the pleasure of taking part in the official opening of Dundee Museum of Transport's very informative and impressive exhibition trailer. Taking place beside the Old Steeple near to the Overgate Shopping Centre, in addition to vintage vehicles on display, there was a real carnival atmosphere, including a pipe band. The Museum of Transport project is moving forward positively and today's event was well-attended and a great way to promote this very worthwhile initiative. Here's a couple of photographs from the event: One of the classic vehicles Children's activities
The Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills, The Right Honourable Dr Vince Cable MP visited the East Midlands on Thursday 31st May and spoke to a mixed audience which included members and Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) business ... Continue reading →
First day of the Jubilee weekend and I joined a wide variety of other people for some gardening in the centre of Launceston. The event was organised by Ben Robbins of the Eden Project and Margaret Wills of Launceston in Bloom with the help of a lot of the Barefoot Games volunteers. We had plants, compost and equipment kindly donated by a range of people including Homeleigh Garden Centre. (I have to say, I'm quite glad that I live in a flat with no outside space as the digging took it out of me!) Also out and about in town ...
You think you're all getting a bank holiday on Tuesday for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. My Republican friends can take some comfort from the fact that the day is Anna's birthday and are welcome to celebrate that instead, as we are. We went today to get her the first of her birthday presents. She's recently started playing the guitar and wants one of her own. It's slightly more complicated because she's left handed so we started looking, at the shop everyone recommended to us, Guitar Guitar in Corstsorphine, Edinburgh. We went in a couple of weeks ago and they said ...
Maybe it's a first in British politics but it would appear that, Kent Police, in issuing Cllr Mike Harrision with a notice under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, it may well have, the consequence of directly interfering with Thanet Council business. I'm told a decision on Cllr Mike Harrison's future in the Thanet Labour Group has been passed on to the Party's chief whip for consideration also advice has been sought with TDC's legal bods, clearly since no charge has been made or accepted this is different to Cllr. Gregory's situation. Still I just wonder whether implications of the ...
Ever had that experience where you've seen a flag and thought: "Which country is that?" Finding the answer involves scrolling through long lists of pictures of flags and trying to pick out the one that you saw. I've just discovered a solution to that problem. The World Flag Database has a searchable feature where you can plug in characteristics of the flag and it suggests answers. A neat tool if you're a flag nerd.
On her Broken Barnet blog, a blogger who writes as Mrs Angry has written an interesting article: and I disagree with some of the points that she is making. If she is going to blog like this about our local Greek and Jewish communities, then she cannot be surprised if some people beg to differ from the points that she is making. She writes, with reference to Barnet Council, and those councillors who are Jewish or Greek: "...but there are many far more positive cases where the Jewish community, like the Greek Cypriot one, benefits from - and indeed ...
You can catch up with many of the recent appearances of Lib Dems in the media on LibDemVoice's 'Video' page. Lord Oakeshott: Osborne 'should focus on the day job' Mark Oaten: No politician fit to rule on BSkyB Andrew George supports GreenpeaceUK's Be a fisherman's friend
I can be absolutely certain that I have never voted in this category before, because neither has anybody else. I'm not a big podcast listener - my audio enjoyment tends to be Big Finish plays, Doctor Who-related audiobooks, and the odd documentary or drama from the BBC. I did listen to the Big Finish podcasts regularly at one point but have lost track of them recently. I'm therefore judging the Best Fancast entries largely - but not entirely - on the basis of what's in the Hugo voter packet - a single release from each of the series, though a ...
The Royal Barge has been parked in Richmond for the last few weeks - it will lead the flotilla tomorrow. And here's a quick snap. Rather nice you can get so close to it. Not sure who will be on it tomorrow (the Queen is on a larger boat apparently). But still, quite a thing. #hamishollywood
You just can't win, can you? Said Nick Clegg this week. No he wasn't talking about the upcoming general election but the accusations from Labour of policy U-turns and climb downs from the proposals in the budget. Are they U-turns or are they listening exercises? The Government has made some "embarrassing" climb downs this week over Pasty tax, VAT on static caravans and Charitable donations but is it as bad as the media and of course the Labour party are saying? I think it;s quite right for a government when people say, 'Look something's not going to work' or 'We ...
Howden Park, Livingston, last Monday morning, so I'm told, looked like a total wreck. People walking their dogs were horrified that those who had been sunbathing and having picnics in the park in the weekend sunshine had just walked away and left their rubbish. There was left over food, bottles, cans, plastic wrapping, foil, all the detritus of an afternoon in the sun. Whatever happened to putting it in a bin bag and taking it to the bin? Or taking it home and putting it in your own bin? Chicken bones left lying could easily cause a small dog to ...
A few months ago the YPLA gave its damning verdict on The Charter School admissions policy – YPLA decision. Since then the Ordnance Survey have been to add the pedestrian and cycle route that links Abbotswood with Nairne Grove/Dylways. They took a little persuading but I'm glad to say this has occurred – appears bizarre oversight by the council when this route was created all those years ago, at the behest of Southwark Cyclists which I then led, that it wasnt correctly reported into Ordnance Survey by Southwark Council. Fingers crossed The Charter School admissions policies are transparent and fair ...
I'm a bit concerned that my write-ups of the Hugo nominations so far have been too grumpy. Perhaps it's due to my listing the nominees in reverse order of preference; writing about the ones I didn't like puts me (and possibly my reader) in a bad mood before I reach the ones I did like. So for the next few lists I'm going to apply the principle of listing the nominees in the order I intend to vote for them, and hope to say more nice things as a result. Once again, Best Fan Writer is a category I don't ...
Labour MP Graham Jones has kicked up a fuss over his attack on the government's plans to extend high speed broadband in rural areas, saying it will just mean "faster internet shopping for millionaires". The MP for Hyndburn went on to say that the rural broadband investment "is just about faster internet shopping for wealthy people". Liberal Democrat MP David Heath begged to differ, telling the House of Commons that: "The honourable gentleman is deeply mistaken on this subject ... If we do not invest properly to allow every member of every community in the country to have access to ...
The closure orders for the next three days can be found by following the link below: TempOrderQueensDiamondJubilee
Even the newer, redbrick universities have their traditions, and our next stop was the University of East Anglia, for University Court 2012. This wasn't an 'official visit', although the event is an opportunity for the 'great and the good' of Norfolk and Suffolk to mingle with the academic establishment. However, both Ros and I did our degrees there, and so we were amongst the relatively small group of alumni present. The event is formally intended to hear the financial report and to receive a presentation on the work of the University over the past year, and I have to admit ...
Independent councillor joins, then quits, UUP Another glorious political triumph. (tags: northernireland ) Woman Who Couldn't Be Intimidated by Citigroup Wins $31 Million In case you thought the banks had learnt anything. (tags: economy ) Stuxnets are Not in the US National Interest: An Arsonist Calling for Better Fire Codes | Atlantic Council The normally hawkish Atlantic Council disapproves of state use of cyber attacks. And rightly so. (tags: cyberspace ) A Look at the Conduct of Graham Linehan and Steven Moffat on Twitter Excellent piece on the hierarchy of social media. (tags: twitter socialmedia )
Over on Liberal England there is a posting today charting the decline in Western Civilisation as it is reflected in railway advertising. Jonathan chooses as his example of the best in advertising the 1925(?) picture by Fortunino Matania of Southport. This is just one of a number of collaborations between London Midland and Scottish Railways and Southport Council to promote the town. When The Atkinson art gallery re-opens it's doors visitors will be able to see the original artworks again. Initially Matania was commissioned by Southport to produce six paintings of 'Sunny Southport' The same poster that Jonathan uses was ...
The best post-crash indicator of the coming decade is Japan in the 90s: "The lost decade" as they call it. Understanding that the current malaise will continue for 5 to 10 years means we need to be thinking now about how we will be boosting the economy in 5-10 years and preparing it for growth in the decades after that. The answer has to be infrastructure. Not only is the construction industry among the hardest hit right now, but infrastructure activity has amongst the most stimulating effect on the economy, and also it creates "facts on the ground" – useful ...
I'd like to think that willingness to listen and amend proposals in the light of public discussion is one of the strengths of coalition government, in contrast to the "carry on regardless" attitude of governments with a large and docile majority, of which Thatcher and the poll tax is just the prime example. However, the "U" turns of the last 72 hours seem to indicate either lack of preparation or feebleness in the face of bullying by vested interests. The one exception is the Justice Secretary's watering down of his proposals for certain trials to be held in secret, apparently ...
This morning's Western Mail has its second successive story about the internal workings of Plaid Cymru suggesting that all is not well with Leanne Wood's brave new world.Yesterday it was the failure of Bethan Jenkins AM to attend a couple of meetings at her taxpayer-funded trip to the British-Irish Council. Today it is a complaint about remarks made by the former Presiding Officer, Dafydd Elis Thomas at a private dinner in Brussels, in which he is alleged to have expressed concern at his new leader's decision to boycott a meeting with the Queen.It is claimed that another Plaid Cymru AM ...
Blake's 7 Writers' Opportunity - News - Big Finish Open submissions at Big Finish for Blake's 7 (tags: ) Global cancer rates to 'surge' by 0.09% Boss clearly has too much time for blogging on the train... (tags: ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
[IMG: Twitter logo] If you're interested in the Liberal Democrats and you're into Twitter (start drawing that Venn diagram now), here are three lists which help you get the best out of the social network: Liberal Democrat MPs (37 currently) Liberal Democrat peers (12 currently) Liberal Democrat MEPs (11 currently) The first two are curated by myself and the third by Andrew Burgess. As ever, if you spot any errors or omissions do let me know. Finally, if you're wanting to get the most out of your own tweets, I'd heartily recommend using Buffer.
Here's a novelty. A piece I wrote in The New Statesman that someone has actually written something nice about. It must be wrong then. :-) Oh no, another cleft stick not of the Lib Dems' making. This time it's Labour's call for a vote on the conduct of Jeremy Hunt.Other political parties don't like it much when you interfere in their internal machinations. Labour knows what this feels like - remember when Nick Clegg suggested any post-election deal with Labour probably couldn't feature Gordon Brown? So, when David Cameron announced (with perhaps the sort of breakneck decision-making on-the-hoof that ends ...
Being a republican in this country is definitely a minority sport, telling people you are one is likely to make you as popular as a fart in a lift, actually probably much like being a Lib Dem these days. However, I persist in my view that an unelected head of state, is a terrible idea, and that we should abolish the monarchy. Am I proud to be a republican? No not particularly, but here is why I am, and why I'm not proud. So why am I a republican? Well the idea of having an unelected head of state based ...
It was an interesting day yesterday, in ways that one might not expect, especially north of the Waveney. Having taken the day off, we drove up to Norwich, where Ros was scheduled to take part in the Lords outreach programme (you didn't know about it?), in a visit to Notre Dame High School, right in the heart of the city. I'd not been to one of these before, so I was intrigued to see how such visits worked. As we made our way up the A140, I read the briefing notes provided by the Outreach Office and noted that our ...
So today is the 59th Anniversary of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II*. Here, therefore, is a rendition of God Save The Queen. Please be upstanding: Andrew *As she is commonly known...
Sheena Wellington gives the latest update from Friends of Wighton: Sheila Stewart MBE We are proud to announce that the Queen of Scottish traditional singers and doyenne of storytellers, Sheila Stewart MBE, will give the Friends of Wighton Lunchtime Recital on Wednesday 6th June at 1.15pm. Sheila recently announced her impending retirement so this may be her last public performance in Dundee. If you have seen Sheila before you will already be putting the date in your diary. If you haven't, don't miss the chance to see this consummate performer who combines a compelling voice, a huge fund of knowledge ...
It's being reported by the Daily Mail that it's likely that the House of Commons Clock Tower will be renamed after Elizabeth Windsor. If true, this is totally unacceptable. The House of Commons plays a key role in the British Constitution: it is what makes Britain a democracy. Throughout our history, it has fought to secure its rights and privileges against both the Monarchy and against the House of Lords. The Clock Tower itself is probably the single most recognisable monument in the country. When people think of Parliament, they think of the Clock Tower. Consider the symbolism of renaming ...
One of my reasons for running this blog is 'documentary'. Friends and relations who are interested in what I am doing with all this political nonsense often wonder what it is all about, what happens when you get involved politics, and they are interested in my experience of it because they know me. One thing that occasionally happens if you're me is that you write critically about what someone else has written on another blog, and the universe implodes. You write: "I don't agree with Mr Smith's comments about proportional representation, and I don't know why Mr Smith calls his ...
