This is the latest in my series of Random Thoughts posts with links, things found on the web and other stuff that has occurred to me. As there haven't been any for awhile this is a catch up post for December 2012. [IMG: A baby yemen chameleon] A year of zoo babies A feature of these Random Thoughts posts throughout 2012 has been new arrivals at Whipsnade Zoo. Here is a round up of all the baby animals born at the zoo — which is really just an excuse to include this picture of a chameleon. Fifteen years of BBC ...
Phew! That's the answer, reconfigure the tube map to give Saaf London all the tubes that Norf London currently has and, hey presto, we have a Silvertown Crossing. It's electric, it's public transport, it's quick and, er, it's imaginary. Oh and we lose North Greenwich and you can't commute into the City. I love this though and since ...
Martin Freeman. Star of The Hobbit. Former star of The Office. Inspiration for this inspired mash-up: h/t to the theonering.net's Facebook page for this! Andrew
For those who read the previous post and may have some concern about my health, I am fairly healthy at this point although it has been up and down. I've undergone a blood test (results late next week) and two (the first didn't show anything) ECG's (which I don't know when I get the results
Over at www.pepysdiary.com, they have again started issuing the great diarist's journal entries for each day, 1660 reflecting forward to 2013. I have syndicated to livejournal at pepys_diary. The opening months are particularly dramatic as he witnesses at close hand the collapse of the British government after ten years of the Cromwellian commonwealth and finds himself intimately involved, though at junior level, with the installation of the new regime in May. Strongly recommended.
[IMG: The cover of the Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope shows four adults, two men, two women, in Tudor clothing] In June of last year, I received a text message from Boston, telling me omg this book I am reading contains the American Civil War Scarlet Pimpernel and his name is PEACEABLE SHERWOOD. And that is the story of how I first read The Sherwood Ring. Then in November, a copy of The Perilous Gard arrived on my bedside table for reasons that I will not speculate. No, seriously, this is my life. The Perilous Gard is a re-telling ...
I've moaned before about the crap adverts on social networks. Facebook has suddenly been getting a lot worse. Today they decided that it would be great to show me adverts for a steak restaurant. Which, would be fine, if I hadn't been vegetarian for the last 13 years... Facebook have been spamming my wall with all sorts of rubbish - dodgy share trading deals, timeshare scams, PPI reclaim cons, malicious Android apps - really bottom of the barrel stuff. So, as I'm too weak-willed to abandon Facebook, I've started retaliating. At a basic level, I block the stories as spam. ...
"Labour's exploitation of popular fears to rubbish the government's supposed softness on terrorism is deeply cynical," says Sadakat Kadri on the London Review of Books blog. "The early years sector needs to rethink the way it presents itself to parents - currently many parents see an institution with professionals who will take responsibility for early years education. They simply don't understand the meaning of partnership. Nor do staff. The simple message in early years of partnership is neither understood nor put into practice in the way it should be." Tim Linehan on the British Politics and Policy at LSE Blog ...
Filed under: Ward
This is quite a tough one because there's nobody I've absolutely loathed all the time they were in the TARDIS. At the start, I absolutely could not stand Mickey, but he proved himself in the end, up to a point. I doubt he'd get away with treating Martha like his possession the way he did Rose at the beginning. I also never got the way he felt threatened by Captain Jack but not by the Doctor - although maybe, given the relationship she had with Ten, he knew her better than I gave him credit for. I tried very hard ...
(a list of the questions and links to all the answers can be found on this entry) Madame Vastra isn't an alien, because homo reptilia are earth creatures, so I can't choose her. Possibly it would be cheating to choose the Doctor himself. There's always Davros, of course, but I feel I haven't given the Welsh series enough love yet, so I shall say Commander Strax. Soldier, nurse, butler, and producer of magnificent lactic fluids. Odd that Strax is always referred to as "he" when it's specifically stated that as a member of a clone race, genders are alien to ...
We are used to the idea of the re-writing of history and the brushing out of persona no longer regarded as politically acceptable, but the rewriting, or rather non-writing, of contemporary events receives less attention. The expiration of the 30 year embargo on the release of UK Cabinet documents has produced lots of re-runs of Margaret Thatcher's tub-thumping speeches, along with Michael Foot's surprising acquiesce, flaunting determination to defend British Sovereign Territory, the Falklands, and their inhabitants so touchingly loyal to the British Crown, from invasion by Argentina At around the same time, some 30 years ago, arrangements were being ...
It is becoming apparent that in East Belfast this afternoon shots were fired at the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Irrespective of which side fired these shots the fact that this current state of unrest has escalated to such a stage that guns are being used against the Police is not the way forward. The ...
A new Reading blogger has set out, in some detail, the unhealthy aspects of the relationship between those who produce real ale, SIBA (the Independent Brewers' Association) whose delivery scheme gives small and craft brewers market access, and the debt-ridden pubcos who are allowed to get away with charging their lessees a massive premium for using the service. You can read the blog at http://jackolfrygte.blogspot.co.uk/. I have campaigned for a long time to protect community pubs, and have long been a member for CAMRA (an organisation which can now claim to be the UK's biggest consumer group). At this point ...
It's Saturday evening, so here are twelve thought-provoking articles to stimulate your thinking juices culled from all those I've linked to this last week. You can follow me on Delicious here. Political predictions: as the year ends, what does 2013 hold for the main party leaders? – Andrew Rawnsley sanely assesses the 12 months to come: 'Nick Clegg and David Cameron face more of the same. Ed Miliband's future is more complicated. He has choices.' No longer the dunce – Anne McElvoy whispers the shocking news gently: British schools are getting better. Oh, and there's no one system that works ...
In about two months' time Ealing Council will set its Council Tax. Although not confirmed yet, it appears that Ealing Council will agree to the Liberal Democrat proposal to take a Government grant to freeze its Council Tax for two years. When a Council sets its Council Tax budget you can see where its priorities lie. Over the past year or two, we have seen Labour-run Ealing Council make decisions that will severely affect the most vulnerable including the elderly or infirm: Closure of day centres, cuts to Alzheimer's and older peoples' services, or reductions in grants to charities and ...
R.I.P. Daphne Oxenford. Who she? It was her voice I first heard on a big wooden speaker in Mrs James' classroom in Bude Primary School in 1964 saying, so beautifully: Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin. [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
Sat 5th
16:11
A whisk, a knife, the removal of trousers and Reginald Perrin: yes Robin Meltzer has sent me campaig...
[IMG: Norbiton Train Station] I really should have learnt by now to expect the unexpected when Robin Meltzer asks me to come campaigning with him. So it is all my fault for having been surprised that this morning when out campaigning in Kingston I was variously been confronted by a whisk, someone removing their trousers and a man with a knife. The knife was less ominous than it sounds. I think I interrupted the person preparing some food and he came to the door forgetting he had it in his hand. It was only when I mentioned it that he ...
There is a certain kind of Beach Boys fan who, when presented with a pint glass containing half a pint of beer, will say not "that glass is half full", nor "that glass is half empty", but will rather start up an internet petition to have Mike Love arrested for stealing half of Brian Wilson's ...
This site is showing 498,470 page loads via statcounter.com as of today. Many thanks for reading and commenting. When I sat down to write my first post (about the local election results) on May 7th 2006, I didn't imagine that I would still be burbling on nearly seven years later and, most extraordinarily, that the odd person might saunter onto the site. Thanks to GoDaddy for their excellent hosting and to Google for bringing about half the readers here. [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
[IMG: US Capitol - Some rights reserved by hsbfrank] Quote of the day from National Journal via Political Wire, from newly elected Rep. Ted Yoho from Florida: Intimidating is going up to a growling Rottweiler and having to squeeze his anal glands, or going up to a stallion that weighs 1,200 pounds and telling him you're going to take his testicles off. That's intimidating. I think I can handle Congress. [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
Apparently, I am in politics to anchor our government in the centre ground. At least, that is what my Party Leader thinks. And sadly, he's wrong. A Texan Democrat once said that the only things you'll find in the middle of the road are white lines and dead armadillos. No, for me, the whole point of being a liberal is that I want to challenge the things that hold our society back, to enable people to take control over their lives, whilst ensuring that those who are vulnerable are protected and supported. Part of that is about personal responsibility, the ...
Sat 5th
14:35
"Globalization, Economic Change and the Welfare State: The 'Vexatious Inquisition of Taxation'?", Co...
'It has become something of a popular truism that globalization spells if not quite the passing of the nation-state itself, then the demise of inclusive social provision and with it the welfare state. The competitive imperatives of a borderless world characterized by the near perfect mobility of the factors of production, it is frequently assumed, reveal the welfare state ... Keep reading →
Lt Harold Newgass was a Garston hero who helped prevent an explosion during the war when a bomb threatened to destroy the gas holder, and the nearby houses. Some time ago I, and some Lib Dem colleagues, started trying to get his contribution marked in a public way. There already was a plaque in a local church, and there had been meetings discussing the events, but we thought that something on the library wall, or a street naming, would be a good idea. I spoke to Lt Newgass' daughter to get permission from the family to go ahead and we ...
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... How Labour can learn from Roy Jenkins | Andrew Adonis | Comment is free | The Guardian One lesson is importance of pluralism > How Labour can learn from Roy Jenkins | Andrew Adonis http://buff.ly/TQBwWr which Adonis now rejects. Lib Dem Fooks wants better access to council noticeboards (From Banbury Cake) Councillors banned from using council noticeboards (incl my old colleague Jean Fooks) http://buff.ly/TQAt9b Can see why but odd/sad decision. MPs 'should consider banning Frosties', says Andy Burnham – Telegraph Tbh, I'm more worried abt kids who go without breakfast entirely > ...
Lib Dem Voice polled our members-only forum recently to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. Some 550 party members have responded, and we're publishing the full results. [IMG: Ad Lib magazine - cover of first edition] h3>Thumbs-up for new party magazine Ad Lib from Lib Dem members The first issue of Ad Lib, the monthly magazine replacing Liberal Democrat News, was sent free to all members in December. What is your overall impression of it? 20% – Positive: I will probably subscribe to it 27% – Positive: ...
"Sources in Westminster" (as they say in the proper newspapers) have informed Liberator of a strong rumour that David Laws is about to be given the job of writing the Liberal Democrats' 2015 general election manifesto. Is this what Nick Clegg means by getting his message across? The symbolism of appointing Laws would not be lost on Clegg, given Laws's notoriety for holding views on economics well to the right of most party members. The party's 2011 policy document Facing the Future suggested that the next manifesto was likely to be a rather timid affair (which is why David Boyle ...
I intended this slot to be for Youtubes of Monty Python and daft jokes, but nothing today is going to beat the silliness of the former minister for health, who wants to ban Frosties. Yes, childhood obesity is an issue. Yes, Frosties are high in simple carbohydrates. Yes, it'd be nice if people chose to eat things the establishment approves of (from the point of view of the establishment, anyway). Why the instant Labour response to anything like this is bansturbation is beyond me, though. Surely it's treating a symptom rather than a cause? People choosing unhealthy foods is not ...
My latest New Year message from the New Statesman. Do pop over and see the original for the traditional comments fun We're bumping along in the polls at around 10 per cent, we have the most unpopular leader of all the major political parties, and in the last three Westminster by-elections we came third, fifth and eighth, losing our deposits in two of the three campaigns. You might think the Lib Dems go into 2013 with a large black cloud hanging overhead and an awful sense of impending doom. You'd be wrong.The grassroots are surprisingly chipper. In the most recent ...
Continuing the reposted, improved (hopefully) tale of Odanglesex's aspirational striving to be green. FROM: Calandra Larkins, Spatial Diversification Officer (Upper) TO: Reema Narlikar, Hilary Hannah, Rob Methuen, Alex Knollys, Tom Kydd, Chris Marlowe, Anne Hathaway, Frances Hogg, Oliver Oldknoll, Samantha Macgillivray, Chris Van Hummel Colleagues: I thought that was a fantastic meeting yesterday! I hope you felt the same. The first analyses of energy use across County Hall will be e-mailed to all employees next week, so please look out for them and in particular any hot-spots which show particular offices or work-stations have items such as printers or monitors ...
Mr Walter? Yes I am calling from the technical department and we believe you have a problem with your Windows computer. Is that right? Which computer is that? I have seven. But they all use the same internet connection, right? No. Wrong. I have several internet connection methods. But you have a problem with your insection which we can help you with... "Insection"? I don't know what that means. Please turn on your computer. Which computer? I have seven. Look, let me make this easy for you. I have worked in the repair department of a multi-national computer company for ...
We are into the first week of 2013 and, as is the custom, it's time to look back at the old year and look forward to the new. To simply matters I've compiled a list as follows: 2012 The Good OlympicsBradley's Yellow JerseyQueen's JubileeOlympic TorchGaining 2 new seats for Lib Dems in SouthportMy ward colleague Maureen being reelectedThe weather in early springGaining temporary employment Our new kitchen and wood burnerHoliday in FranceHoliday in Scotland 2012 The Bad Holiday in ScotlandThe weather in summer Having to pay for new kitchen and wood burnerLosing my position on Sefton's cabinetLosing control of Sefton ...
Rotherham was a fascinating by-election for students of UK politics - a good example of a Labour safe seat that has been so for decades. Denis McShane had to resign over expenses, a national scandal. One might assume that people would vote against his party, the Labour party in protest. But this didn't happen, at least not enough to have the seat change hands. Mike Beckett - Lib Dem candidate in Rotherham, follower of this blog and in my opinion, a good egg, answers a few questions I put to him about being a candidate in this election Mike married ...
Here's 2013′s first set of links: In an EU referendum, what does NO mean? – Jon Worth looks at Cameron's latest European strategy and wonders where it might lead. Behaving in politics as if we were normal people – "prefigurative action" – Jon Worth again, this time on the disconnect between politics and real life. 20 obsolete English words that should make a comeback – It might jargogle at first, and using them could make you seem ludibrious, but ignore those who brabble about the perissology and think how illecebrous it could make you. You might kench at least. Happy ...
How to avoid being affected by the Frosties ban. Step 1: Buy Cornflakes. Available from pretty much every local grocery store and Supermarket. Step 2: Buy Sugar. Also available from pretty much every local grocery store and Supermarket. Step 3: Put Cornflakes in a bowl. Step 4: Using a spoon, apply sugar to Cornflakes to taste. Step 5: Consume. Don't tell Nanny...
Today's Western Mail reports on new figures that show that ambulances wasted 12,700 hours in three months waiting outside Welsh hospitals during long and inefficient patient transfers. The emergency vehicles are supposed to spend no longer than 20 minutes at hospital after arriving with a patient, under Welsh Ambulance Service handover targets. But inefficiency forces ambulance to wait for longer especially at over-crowded hospitals where there are no beds available, leaving patients having to remain on ambulance trolleys. The paper says thay opposition politicians have called on the Welsh Government to "get a grip" on the problem - the equivalent ...
The Guardian highlights the latest moves by the Liberal Democrats in Government to deliver a flat-rate pension of £140 a week for all pensioners. The paper says that a document updating the policy tasks still facing the coalition since the publication of its first coalition document in 2010 will be presented to Cabinet on Monday. They add that the paper will also emphasise improving school standards and cutting childcare costs by changing rules including those governing staff-children ratios. The promise of a single state pension of about £140 a week is good news even if it will come into force ...
Those who know me well know I am a lot of a sci fi geek, and high up on my list of favourite shows is Dr Who. But for me it is much more than a show. Along with the Tim and the hidden people series of books the Dr Who novelisations published by target ignited my love of reading that I have to this day. In this respect the show has shaped who I am today. In November this year the show will celebrate its 50th anniversary and this blog will be celebrating the longest running science fiction show ...
[IMG: Chris Rennard] Don't splutter on your Saturday morning cornflakes, but the Guardian has today published two intelligent articles on the Lib Dems and the strategy which the party is hoping will see us through to the other side of the 2015 election intact. First, there's Patrick Wintour's analysis — Liberal Democrats bank on ground war to hold on to seats — which uses as its springboard an analysis by Lord (Chris) Rennard, the party's former chief executive and elections guru: [Lord Rennard] insists it should not be ground down by low national polls. "The fate of our MPs and ...
Christopher Caldwell has a piece in the FT (registration may be required) about "Tarantino's crusade to ennoble violence" that seems underwritten by that old classic, white privilege. Ostensibly it about Tarantino's explicit violence. That would be an argument with some weight, although I've enjoyed Tarantino's films personally. What Caldwell has taken from that initial abhorrence, bearing in mind that Caldwell is a fairly traditional right wing sort of chap, is however what I suspect is picking and choosing what kinds of people can extract retribution – and slaves just don't seem to qualify. As I commented online: "The points about ...
School design can affect a child's grades hugely (tags: ) interesting argument about censorship in the Graun (tags: Interesting ) Why Labour's proposal for a replacement to the work program won't be much better (tags: ) TUC research on what people believe about benefits rather than the facts Quite terrifying. (tags: ) FREEDOM FROM POVERTY - A Real Alternative to Welfare Millennium examines the numbers behind the benefits bill. It's an old post, but it's a good one. (tags: ) The wisdom of Sandi Toksvig (tags: ) J.K. Rowling may — may — be writing a Doctor Who story 11 ...
The Guardian's Michael White has hit the south coast to see how in some parts of the country the Liberal Democrats keep on winning: [IMG: Gerland Vernon-Jackson] Lib Dem power is visible just along the M27 corridor in the naval city of Portsmouth, its history still embodied in Nelson's formidable flagship, Victory. Lib Dems took office here as a minority regime in 2004, with 16 seats out of 42, and were expected by their rivals to fall apart. Instead they keep their squabbles private and now boast 25 councillors to 12 Tory and five Labour ones. All this despite Clegg's ...
Space Station tour: Commander Sunita Williams shows you her orbiting home. Wow. Just, wow. (tags: space ) Inside disputed Western Sahara Al-Jazeera gets into it. (tags: westernsahara ) The Discworld Reading Order Guide All in one nice graphic. (tags: pratchett sf ) Swedish Academy reopens controversy surrounding Steinbeck's Nobel prize ...as he beat Robert Graves and Lawrence Durrell. (tags: nobel books )
Sat 5th
07:44
Sign here if you want to try and persuade the county council not to sell its land to Helioslough
One of the lesser known facts in the appalling saga of the Radlett-Park Street freight terminal is that some of the land needed to make it all happen belongs to the county council. If you think the county council should reflect local views and not release its landholding the sign here.
This university vacation marks, I was slightly shocked to discover, the half way point in my degree. Three semesters down, three to go. Shocked in the sense of a sudden feeling that time does indeed fly so quickly when you are enjoying yourself. Because whatever else I might say or write, about higher education in general, about what the university does and how it does it, it remains true that doing this degree is the best thing I've done. It's not that I particularly feel I have been challenged academically - it's looking like I'm on course to continue averaging ...
The Time 4 U service provides carers with the chance to have a break from caring. If you look after or support a person aged 65 and over, this service may be able to help. Time 4 U is being piloted on a trial basis in Dundee and is funded by the Scottish Government's Older People's Change Fund. The Dundee Carers Centre operates the service and they are working together with social work services and other providers to ensure that carers are supported to get meaningful breaks. Further information is available from the Dundee Carers Centre on 200422.
Hi All, Well I suppose later today as it is now Paddy returns with the next season of the dating show Take Me Out. Apologies that it has taken me a while to get the photos uploaded and live on the blog but I've actually, shockingly had a life this week. It is lucky I'm sitting down when typing that I know. Luckily it's only the first week of 2013 and I'm positive my social life will dissipate over the coming days and weeks (although I'm already busy tomorrow, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and next Saturday) crazy – it's like I'm ...
Welcome to this, my twentieth weekly collection of blogs which have caught my eye. Let's crack on... First up, Jonathan Calder on Liberal England reports on a little-know 1955 radio production of The Lord of the Rings, featuring Prunella Scales and David Hemmings! Last week's Saturday Six had a link to a Liberator article on the new (or latest) Lib Dem messaging strategy. Caron Lindsay and George Potter have both written their own responses. George has also written this piece on why it is fair to raise welfare payments in line with inflation - in bad times as well as ...
