Well no rest for the Royal Mail again today, although with only 2 stamps to produce it has been a little bit of a breather after yesterday's magnificent six. First up is the man who if he didn't get his own stamp it would be a great shock. But in making history as the most successful Olympic sailor Ben Ainslie with his fourth gold earns his stamp. They often say that you don't have to lead until the final line is in sight. Well this year that is just what Ben did never leading the regatta always chasing Jonas Hogh-Christiansen, ...
This is the third selection of blog posts that have caught my eye over the last few weeks. In fact it has been over a month since I last did this so there may well be a fair range in the choice. First off is Glyn Davies MP. Glyn is the PPS to the Secretary of State for Wales so his take on the Welsh Government's first bill on local government byelaws, why it has been referred to the supreme court by the Attorney General and the consequences for the proposed legislation on presumed consent with organ donation, is well ...
In many respects Jessica Ennis has been the poster girl of this Olympic Games - and she's repaid that in style with a series of personal bests in the individual Heptathlon events and a British Record overall. Indeed - she made sure of the record - and put on a show for the crowd - by running the fastest time in the 800m even though she had no need too. But if Jess Ennis has been the poster-girl, Tom Daley has been the poster- man. From a 14 year old boy in Beijing, he has carried medal hopes for this ...
A collection of 14 sf short stories, published in 1965; all of them are by men, and most are from the early sixties, but the two standout pieces, "The Marching Morons" by Cyril Kornbluth and "Barrier" by Anthony Boucher, are both a bit older (1951 and 1942 respectively). It may just be the editors' taste, but an awful lot of these seemed to be set in future dystopias with a strong distrust and dislike of the common herd. The collection is prefaced by an interview with C.S. Lewis conducted by Kingsley Amis and Brian Aldiss.
Every evening from Sunday 29 July to Saturday 4 August, as the Albert Clock struck six, people gathered in St George's Parish Church to spend 15 minutes with Christ. While there is nothing remarkable about people meeting in a church, what was significant was each of those 15 minute services was, like all of our ...
Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 285th 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 (29 July – 4 August, 2012), 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. ...
Ouch, this doesn't sound good at all re. the event to mark one year since his death in the shooting incident which triggered last year's riots: at the memorial for mark duggan. deputy council leader just highjacked podium discussing what they achieved for tottenham. absolute farce. — SymeonBrown (@symeonbrown) August 5, 2012
It always makes me smile when I get to this part of the HMRC tax return:
I was really impressed by this historical account of religious fundamentalism (well, of Christian, Jewish and Islamic fundamentalism) over the centuries up to 1999. I have not always been convinced by Armstrong's approach of parallelling changes in different cultures that happened at the same time, but this worked really well for me, disposing breezily with the importance of balancing logos and mythos, tracking the different religions' responses to the Enlightenment and modernisation, and then exploring the parallel rise of hardline fundamentalist reaction in all three traditions during the late twentieth century. For the most recent period, Armstrong also restricts her ...
When I entered the lottery for Olympic tickets my strategy was to go for a range of cheaper tickets in what I perceived as being the less popular sports. That way I get a chance of securing access to one or two events. Which is how I ended up with tickets to see to the weightlifting on the morning of the first Sunday of the Games. What I had tickets for were the men's 56kg and the women's 53kg Group B sessions. Weightlifting, a bit like boxing, is divided up into weight categories so that athletes of a similar size ...
A brief hiatus on the blog, but this post required a bit more research than normal, amongst other factors. But I don't believe in not finishing what you've started so here goes (hopefully I'll publish before Murray gets back on in the mixed doubles - edit: well nearly) Recently I read this "The combination of love and marriage is a phenomenon of a very recent history, and it's a volatile mix". In times past it was love and adultery that went together "like a horse and carriage". Marriages were arranged, wives were bought or traded. Such marriages were typically passionless, ...
This is Wayland Smithy, a neolithic long barrow and chamber tomb in Oxfordshire (above) in the pouring rain this afternoon. Walking along the ridgeway and visiting it was my birthday treat. I loved it – as I was in good company. It reminds me of my 21st birthday, which was celebrated in similarly moist conditions at the top of Rough Tor, Cornwall (below). I loved that too. I was in good company then, too, fortunately. [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
This is another welcome manifestation of the new BBC policy of commissioning Doctor Who books from authors who are well known outside the sub-genre. Colgan is the author of a dozen or more chick-lit novels (I think I actually have read her first, Amanda's Wedding), but here she has served up a tense and well-written story of Eleven-on-his-own landing in the tenth century in the north of what we now call Scotland, and encountering a fiery alien menace as well as Vikings. There are some brilliantly vivid descriptive passages and some nice character moments for the Doctor, as well as ...
Listen again to my Sunday Nation show on Sounds of Urban London radio here! [link to be posted shortly!] The full track playlist is listed at the end of this article. This week I was joined by special guests Marcia ... Continue reading →
This Olympic sport is very distracting. I've been thoroughly enjoying the excitement of these London games. Amazing scenes. Inspiring performances. But it does get in the way of other things - blogging, getting work done etc. I sit down to write and there is something important happening in the velodrome. I deal with that and there is a crucial medal race at Eton Dorney. I get a break and end up watching the tight finish of a women's basketball match. And so on.. Seriously, I'm not complaining! It has been fabulous. As I write this Andy Murray is collecting his ...
I've never been good at growing facial hair. When I was at university, I tried growing a beard for a play I was in. The play was a resounding success – my beard was not. Thin, straggly, patchy, and itchy. At the aftershow party, I put the beard's fate to a vote. All the men in the cast voted to keep my rugged pursuit of manliness. All the women voted to destroy the womp-rat nestling on my face – preferably with fire. So the beard went. I drunkenly staggered to the bathroom, drunkenly attacked my face with a razor, and ...
The first medal races in the Olympic regatta brought mixed fortunes for team GB boats. First up were Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson who had led the Star class all week. They just had to beat the crew of Brazil skippered by Robert Scheidt of Brazil (once Ben Ainslie's nemesis from Atlanta and Sydney), without letting the Swedish pair of Fredrik Loof and Max Salminen get too far ahead. In effect even if the Swedes won they could have finished 6th. The rounded the last mark in gold medal position and forced the Brazilians behind two other boats. The for ...
Another old episode of the Odanglesex Chronicles, very slightly amended. Councillor Waynflete is the Leader of the Council. Kenneth Spotlessnob: Hamish, can I have a moment? Hamish Carpenter: Woops. Certainly, Kenneth. Kenneth Spotlessnob: It's about the Odanglesex Volunteering Strategy. Councillor Waynflete wants to support it by volunteering for a half-day. Dale thought you'd be the person to suggest some possible opportunities. It must be local, of course, broadly within the scope of the Odanglesex Values and the Council's Vision, and not too controversial. External Comms will handle the publicity. Can I leave that with you? It needs to happen in ...
Pictured above are my colleague Councillor Fred Weavers with members of Southport & District League and Sefton Council Officers, by the soon to be refurbished Meols Park changing rooms. For several years footballers have complained about the state of the facility and, in particular, the lack of toilets. There are currently 3 "containers" which are used as changing rooms. They were originally planned to be temporary facilities but as money became tight they became permanent. Football has grown in popularity, particularly amongst young girls, and it has led to trees, the back of the containers and the shops across a ...
It's Sunday lunchtime and at the mid point of the London Olympics Team GB is 3rd in the medals table. We're on course to exceed our Beijing tally. But we've already secured more medals than the final score at Sydney, Atlanta, Barcelona and Seoul. We've matched the Athens final result from eight years ago. Atlanta ...
"The worship of youth has diminished - perhaps generally - in recent years." So said Vince Cable a couple of weeks ago in a newspaper interview which inflamed speculation he'd be partial to a tilt at leading the Lib Dems. It also prompted various politicians-are-getting-younger pieces in the media. LibDemVoice's Mark Pack took the time and trouble to dig out the data. He showed that while the trend-line in the first half of the last century was for prime ministers to get older, in the 50 years since there has been a movement towards younger premiers (James Callaghan being the ...
Sun 5th
13:06
How would a court treat a breach of the coalition agreement were it a binding contract?
Some Liberal Democrat spokespeople have over recent days come to favour the analogy of the coalition agreement as a contract between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, deeming the Conservative failure to support Lords reform as the first breach of the ... Continue reading →
Its official the Medway Towns are the second least satisfied area in the South of Britain. Strangely, I'm not that surprised. Lets be honest, what is there to look forward to in the Medway area? It is run down, dirty, a shell of its former self, a Council that seemingly care more about big projects than the day to day lives of the residents, raising personal debt, 11500 children in poverty, no good high streets, expensive rail and bus services and low incomes. There is nothing to look forward to, apart from the Olympics and Jubilee, just the same old ...
Stephen has dusted off 5 on the 5th for a Summer Special! My photos are from my trip up to London yesterday. I wanted to try and soak up some of the Olympic atmosphere, see the Damien Hirst exhibition (review to follow at some point), and take the Cable Car across the Thames from Greenwich. I succeeded in two of those aims and also met my Uncle, Sister and Brother-in-Law for drinks and a lovely meal. An enjoyable day which has generated stories a few family stories - thanks to my lateness in meeting the others and then a trek ...
Instead of worrying about a flag that's forty years out of date - perhaps we should look and think outside the box for a new one for Northern Ireland.
It looks like the police commissioner contest in Devon and Cornwall could be about to get a bit messy for the Lib Dems, with the news that the Lib Dem leader of North Devon Council Brian Greenslade plans to run as an independent — even though the party plans to choose an official Lib Dem candidate. Here's how This is Cornwall reported it earlier this week: Lib-Dem turns independent in battle for top police post Councillor Brian Greenslade, once Devon County Council leader, will be an independent candidate at November's election for a US-style police and crime commissioner for Devon ...
Now it is clear that Cameron is not going to be able to get enough of his backbenchers to support Lords reform there is lots of talk about how the quid pro quo for this will be the Lib Dems blocking the boundary changes. There is also talk about how the precise wording of the coalition agreement does not commit the Lib Dems to vote for the changes. Even though it is dressed up in the language of principle, the argument essentially goes "You didn't deliver the change we wanted so we won't deliver the change you want.". In some ...
When I am puzzled I turn to the Shropshire Star: Church Stretton's Jake Buchanan is bringing Shropshire hip hop to the masses on YouTube, y'all. Move over, rap stars with your flash cars, pimps and ho's, because the SY6 are here, and they've got tractors, and wax jackets, and hoes (and garden forks as well) ... The idea began when Jake sampled the chorus of a 70-year-old Billy Merrin song called We'll Make Hay, which featured in the BBC series Pennies From Heaven, and added a hip hop beat. Then he roped in some musically-minded friends who added their own ...
Could this be you next time? Interested in cycling? You might well be now after, the brilliant British successes at the Olympics! Well, I'm pleased to be able to report that Dacorum Borough Council is supporting British Cycling's national programme of fun, friendly, free bike rides – Sky Ride Local . It's a summer-long programme of different kinds of rides in Dacorum, from short Ride Easy ones, suitable for beginners and families, to the more demanding Ride Well and Ride Strong categories., suitable for the more experienced cyclists. Every Sunday from now until the end of September, there'll be at ...
Over the last couple of months, Conservative MPs and commentators have made great play of the fact that the Coalition Agreement does not explicitly commit the Tories to voting for House of Lords reform. Let's remind ourselves of its words again: We will establish a committee to bring forward proposals for a wholly or mainly elected upper chamber on the basis of proportional representation. The committee will come forward with a draft motion by December 2010. It is likely that this will advocate single long terms of office. It is also likely that there will be a grandfathering system for ...
If a week is a long time in politics then it certainly makes a huge difference in the Olympics. A few days ago the French President was in London teasing the David Cameron at Britain's failure to match France's medal haul. Britain at that time was in 21st spot on the medals table, France was third. Today, Team GB is third in the medal table with 14 golds, 7 silvers and 8 bronze, a total of 29. France is fifth with 22 medals of which 8 are gold. It has been a fantastic effort from the whole team and an ...
Last month, I highlighted the issue of the need for more free to use cash machines across the city. I mentioned that I had written to a major national retailer about an ATM at one of their stores in the West End Ward to see if the company nationally was willing to consider contributing to the costs of this particular ATM so it could offer free cash withdrawals in the future. I am pleased to advise that this retailer - the Co-operative Group - has reacted positively and has converted the AGM in question (at their store at the junction ...
