Isn't technology wonderful? It can open up political debate and here is a recent example. The Labour candidate asked me on Facebook what I thought about the coalition. I was able to reply that he could search politics for novices coalition and he would find my views and he could do this for most subjects. Soon after this the Labour Party candidate gave me a very nice link to my blog entitled 'Irresponsible Conservatives'. He may be having second thoughts as my next blog was called 'GCSE maths would help Labour' and he may be having further doubts when my ...
[IMG: IMG00321-20130413-1043] Today I planted some hedge plants at the Community Orchard, which is being created near the top of Mallard Close, just off the Warwick Road. Its quite remarkable what has already been achieved by the volunteers who have organised and delivered this project, turning was was an unloved area that accumulated litter to an attractive community asset. The Community Orchard is part of this year's Acocks Green's entry to the urban category of Britain in Bloom (last year the Village won a bronze award), which is being co-ordinated by Fran Lee. If you would like to get involved, ...
Just a brief note for those who are planning on buying this. The first three Science Of Discworld books, by Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen, were pretty good general pop-science books alternating with chapters of a Discworld novel by Pratchett that illustrated or commented on the science in Stewart and Cohen's chapters. This ...
Today at the Liberal International Executive in Beirut there was a special session on Syria, its title asking the provocative question whether the crisis and the international community's failure to find a resolution to it signals an end to the Responsibility to Protect. Keynote speakers included former LI President John Alderdice, who I have often ...
Friday This trouble about people passing off horsemeat as beef has put me in mind of one of my more successful seasons on the turf. A filly by the name of Buttercup won me several races, even though there were raised eyebrows at Uttoxeter and Plumpton when she won by a distance. There was even talk of my being "warned off" - at least I think that is what they said. Lord Bonkers was Liberal MP for Rutland South-West 1906-10. Earlier this week in Lord Bonkers' Diary... Monday: Digging up the Bonkers' Arms car parkTuesday: Why Welsh education is the ...
[IMG: CroxleyRailLink] The Croxley Rail Link has taken another significant step towards reality. Hertfordshire County Council, which is the lead partner in this multi-agency project, has appointed Taylor Woodrow to draw up the engineering plans for the project. The rail link will require a bridge to take the track from the existing Metropolitan Line across the A412 Watford Road, the Grand Union Canal and the River Gade to join the trackbed of the old line which ran into Croxley Green Station (closed in 1966). This will enable Metropolitan Line trains to run into Watford Junction to connect with London Overground ...
[IMG: The con is on 13-04-13] The Conservative party views welfare reform as one of the most popular policies it has pursued through the Coalition government. But welfare reform has been subject to sustained critique. Even the use of the term "welfare", rather than more neutral descriptors such as "social assistance" or "social security", has been subject to criticism. The change of discourse sends subtle signals about the values underpinning the system and the status of those who rely on it. This book brings together a collection of the essays focusing on the Coalition Government's welfare reform agenda that I ...
It amazes me that the Dept. of Culture are discussing state regulation of blogging this week, and British bloggers are so quiet about it. — Martin Robbins (@mjrobbins) April 12, 2013I agree with Martin Robbins. On Tuesday, so Sunny Hundal, Stephen Tall and William Perrin tell us, a number of bloggers met representatives of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to discuss how the legislation following the Leveson Report will affect bloggers. We don't know who else wast there and we don't know what they said when they got there. As Martin suggests in one of his many ...
I love catching the bus into town because everyone talks to each other and we have some real characters as drivers. But the vehicles themselves are often atrocious. Do our councillors know that the buses often run without ticket machines, doors that don't fully close and even without a reverse gear? Do they know that ...
The Daily Mail is obviously trying to outdo the Daily Express in the anti-immigration stakes. And with this headline (which brings Princess Diana into the mix), the Mail is surely onto a winner: All the Mail has to do now is find a cancer angle, and it will have a headline worthy of the Daily Mail-o-matic.
Oblivion (12A) Director:Joseph Kosinski (Tron:Legacy)Website: http://www.oblivionmovie.co.uk/ The cinematic language of science fiction has evolved into a landscape of its own as expertly demonstrated by this film. There are always limiting perameters to how an apocalyptic future vision of humanity can shape itself on screen, not least of all by sets and CGI (remember when Daleks couldn't walk up stairs?) We are, by nature, air breathing, fleshily soft, emotionally driven creatures which makes for several scenarios for our ultimate nemesis. From radio active isotopes to predators and aliens, by far the most chilling of these scenarios is when future technology tries ...
Traffic problems on Booker Avenue are being raised at a Council committee later this week (17th). It's in a motion written by Lib Dem colleagues including Cressington Lib Dem Richard Oglethorpe. I've pasted the text below: The Select Committee to consider the following motion by CouncillorsRichard Oglethorpe, Erica Kemp, Richard Kemp CBE and Tom Morrison...... "This council recognises the difficulty residents and school children currently experience in trying to cross Booker Avenue near the 2 primary schools due to the volume & speed of traffic and calls on the Cabinet Member for Transport and Climate Change to bring forward funded ...
So, just shy of 10,000 people in England want your vote to get them some coercive power over some of your money and liberties in local councils next month. Say they average two campaigners each, that gives 30,000 people grubbing around for votes. In 2010 we were told that 5,000 dedicated "community champions" would be required to make a "Big Society" (remember that?) work. In May, about a quarter of those candidate will be victorious, many with something along the lines of 15% of their electorate's support or less. For the other 85% most will not vote and those that ...
[IMG: 1337_big] The current issue of Private Eye is well worth reading, especially for the full page on "Press Regulation: The insomnia of reason". Also included is this: Correction of the fortnight prize goes to the Daily Mail, which last week clarified its claim on 25 February that "half of all decisions on Disability Living Allowance are made without any medical evidence". "We are happy to clarify that this referred to any additional information above that already accompanying reports from GPs, consultants or other health professionals," announced the paper. Apart from that, though, nothing. [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This ...
The Friends of Garston Park group has been shortlisted for an award in this year's Liverpool Echo environment award. It's in the category called "Take Notice of Our World" which is for organisations doing work to improve the environment in one way or another. The actual award winners will be announced next month at a special event. I filled in the form for our (FOGP) entry so my fingers are crossed!!! Meanwhile, if you want to get involved in Friends of Garston Park, we've got an AGM coming up on Friday 19th at Long Lane Church. If you are not ...
See how Liberal Democrat policies are working to make a fairer society by following this link: A tax cut promised. A tax cut delivered.
Here's another of Ros's interventions that I hadn't covered, from 26 March 2012... Ros does like to work with our local councillors to help them with their work, and when Wendy Marchant was campaigning to obtain an access ramp for the southbound platform at Needham Market station, she was happy to do what she could to help... Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat) To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the timetable for determining grants for applications made under the Access for All scheme for railway stations. Earl Attlee (Whip, House of Lords; Conservative) Since April 2011, Access for ...
For the past few days, traffic in Launceston has been pretty chaotic as there have been road works on St Thomas Road. These are happening to allow a pedestrian crossing to be installed on the hill and so that the pavement on the Newport Industrial Estate side can be widened. Hopefully, the works will be finished in a few days, but traffic will continue to back up in the meantime. At the moment there is no safe crossing between the Priory and the town centre. So people living in St Stephens, Lanstephan, Ridgegrove and Priory areas of town have to ...
I have been broadly uninterested in the interminable debate over the passing of Margaret Thatcher; arguments about whose disgust and loathing is better justified hold little appeal (that being said, there's an interesting article here which ontology fans may enjoy). Even more tedious has been Twitter, which is now the domain of an intense competition ...
I was about to post a short review of Lawrence Burton's excellent Faction Paradox novel and Phil Purser-Hallard's equally excellent Senor 105 novella (a post which will go up tomorrow or Monday instead), when I went to the Obverse Books website to get links to put in the post, and saw this. Obverse are putting ...
Tory Chairman Grant Shapps was in Cornwall this week to launch his party's local election campaign. Sadly for Mr Shapps, all did not go to plan as he lambasted councils which use town centre car parks as cash cows at the expense of local shops and businesses. Tory led Cornwall Council is, of course, one of the councils which does just that. On the issue of parking, it has been the Liberal Democrats who have campaigned for more reasonable parking charges for the entire four years of this council. We have highlighted how high parking charges affect local shops and ...
About 100 years ago the Birkdale and County Liberal Club held their annual picnic. In 1913 they visited Childwall Abbey. Undoubtedly the most significant figure in the photo is Charles Brumm -Birkdale's own 'CB'. He is fourth from the left. Brumm was German by birth and had become a naturalised UK citizen in the 1870's . He was President of Birkdale Liberals and held in very high regard as the last verse of this Election song shows: A year later with WW1 looming the annual picnic took them the Rufford-Hesketh Arms. In the picture of that event Charles Brumm is ...
[IMG: Leveson report front page] I was one of those invited to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) this week for what was termed a 'Small scale blogger stakeholder discussion'. A quick reprise of why: As I posted here three weeks ago, concerns about the legislation are widespread and include both those who are pro-Leveson and anti-Leveson. Civil servants at the DCMS are now scrambling within a very short timescale to try and make sense of the cross-party legislation passed by the Commons to implement the Leveson Report through a Royal Charter. In particular, they are having to ...
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... Gay marriage: And now on to polygamy | The Economist No logical reason why not. Good reason state shdn't be involved > Gay marriage: And now on to polygamy http://econ.st/171zJCd Mark Zuckerberg: Immigrants are the key to a knowledge economy – The Washington Post +1 >> Mark Zuckerberg: Immigrants are the key to a knowledge economy – The Washington Post http://wapo.st/171y1Rh Race and the Republican Party: Rand's grand stand | The Economist Paul Rand worth at least one cheer > Race and the Republican Party: Rand's grand stand | The Economist http://econ.st/17w0D8n ...
[IMG: Photo 5 Knights Enham School] Residents in Tintagel Close have contacted me about the crossing on KIng Arthur's Way from Tintagel Close to the local school (picture above). Although there is traffic calming (single lane traffic, and 20mph limit sign along the road) this crossing is not as safe as it could be. I agree and so do the local police and school staff. I have contacted Hampshire Highways asking for improvements here in particular can they install -safety barriers along the pavements as they have further along, barriers to prevent children running or cycling straight out from the ...
Sat 13th
12:45
Every day it's 'more empty shops, limited school places, unemployment and increasing housing waiting...
"What's GOING on?" That is what Marvin Gaye asked and that's certainly what a lot of people on the doorstep and in the city ask me! Like what? Well, for example, the Tory controlled City Council buying London Road - then the club don't pay the rent? Previously, we have seen the Council tell children not to play in Cathedral Square Fountains, we've seen the Tory Council flog off their council housing stock, museum and libraries and various services leaving hundreds of qualified "former" Council staff without work! Every day we see empty shops in the city centre, parents facing ...
Earlier this week, I wrote about the Future of AudioBoo. I'm sure the service is going to be just fine - but thought it would be an interesting exercise to liberate my data from there just in case. As I begin the move to decentralised services where possible, I think it's important that I take responsibility for my own data. The API docs for AudioBoo are very clear, so here's a quick guide on how to download all you Boos and (most of) their data. Get All Your Boos The AudioBoo API - unlike some - doesn't require any authentication. ...
This kind of sums up how I'm feeling about a few things at the moment... I won't explain why, but those who know will know what I mean.
The British political processes are a stupendous thing. You should never under-estimate their ability to seize on some symbolic element of what might be something quite important, and worry it to death - and then, when they have solved it, think that somehow the whole issue has been resolved. Something similar seems to be happening over the completely pointless row over the Ding, Dong song. It is pretty tasteless to celebrate a death, and perhaps the BBC is in a difficult position - I don't know. But really, on the storm in a teacup scale, this is about Force 8. ...
The word 'radical' is to welfare reform what a pot of paint is to a wall full of cracks. The less you really know what to do to fix things, the more you slap it about all over the place in the hope that it will cover up things. When you peer carefully at the detail of what is said after the roaring demand for radical reforms, you see what usually follows is either an absence of quite what form the radical action should take ('radical, radical, we must be radical; just please don't ask me how') or simply by ...
The Daily Show's recent satirical report on North Korea has been an internet hit in China, attracting 2.8 million views. The Washington Post blog reports: "The Daily Show" is not big in China. But when the popular Chinese Web portal Sina posted an eight-minute segment from the show discussing the latest North Korean provocations, it racked up an astounding 2.8 million views and counting, as well as tens of thousands of comments, many of them praising the show. That appears to make it one of the most-watched "Daily Show" clips ever. It also raises questions about whether China's flagging support ...
Google's Public Policy Blog has the news: [IMG: Google Logo from Robert Scoble] Not many of us like thinking about death — especially our own. But making plans for what happens after you're gone is really important for the people you leave behind. So today, we're launching a new feature that makes it easy to tell Google what you want done with your digital assets when you die or can no longer use your account. The feature is called Inactive Account Manager — not a great name, we know — and you'll find it on your Google Account settings page. ...
Sadly the East Dulwich ward dedicated Safer Neighbourhood Team have'nt been so dedicated for some months now. This table shows when the team members were sent away, or abstracted, to other non East Dulwich tasks: October 2012 November 2012 December 2012 Sergeant 1 x Royal Visit PC 1 x Local Demo. PCSO 3 x Op Oconto PC 2 x Aid (Off Borough) 1 x New Years Eve 5 x Op Oconto 2 x Op Dragonet PCSO 4 x Local Control Room 3 x Op Dragonet Sergeant 1 x Op Dragonet 1 x Local Control Room 1 x New Years Eve ...
I love this tune. If it's in the chart, the chart shows should play it.
Mythbuster: "Strivers v Skivers" | the new economics foundation Brilliant, clear, understandable post packed with facts. (tags: ) Street harassment: an faq for men (tags: ) BBC News - Samsung unveils 6.3in Galaxy Mega smartphone "Look at the size of THAT thing Doctor!" "Yes, Jamie, it IS a big one!" (tags: ) BBC News - How environmentally friendly are electric cars? (tags: ) Mum did to Maggie what she'd done to Kermit - Telegraph Blogs This is the only thing I'm going to link to about Thatcher, and that's because it's not really about Thatcher, it's about the relationship between ...
South Glos have announced two new courses designed to improve local people's IT skills: IT for the Workplace This course is specifically for those requiring skills for the workplace (including voluntary work) - Do your IT skills need an overhaul to keep up with the demands of your job? - Do you want to improve your IT skills for your CV? This FREE course will equip you to use Microsoft Office software for use in an office environment The course will include: • Word • Excel • Internet • Mail Merge Yate Library Wednesdays 6.30pm-8.30pm 8 sessions starting Wednesday 5th ...
The posting of a position statement by the current editor of the South Wales Evening Post justifying their campaign over a decade ago against the MMR vaccine was extraordinary enough, but the latest development in a saga that has now led to nearly 700 cases of measles in the wider Swansea area is just breath-taking. According to the Independent the man who started the controversy in the first place, Andrew Wakefield has now stepped into the fray with the unbelievable claim that this outbreak justifies his stance. To be honest it is difficult to follow his argument, but it seems ...
On Tuesday April 16 the ping-pong stage of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill will commence in the Commons. As readers of LDV will be aware the majority of Lib Dem peers supported Baroness Jane Campbell's amendment to the section of the bill that proposed the repeal of S3 of the Equality Act 2006, the section that sets out the Equality and Human Rights Commission's central purpose. As has been eloquently pointed out by Baroness Meral Hussein-Ece and many others there is a clear read-across between S3 and the preamble to our Federal Constitution. There are however several other reasons ...
You have until 15th May to have your say on the draft Health and Wellbeing Strategy for South Gloucestershire. This is the document that will set out the priorities to make sure that local health and care services meet the needs of local people in the coming years. The draft strategy includes priorities such as health and care providers making it easier for people to make healthy lifestyle choices, for example by providing advice on stopping smoking or taking more exercise. It also highlights the fact that health is generally poorer in some parts of South Glos than others. You ...
My friend Isabel Hardman of The Spectator Coffee House blog wrote an interesting piece yesterday entitled "Seven awkward questions for the Tories" which was itself prompted by the seven questions Tony Blair had recently posed for Labour. I thought I'd have a go at posing seven questions for my own party as we move into the final two years of this parliament. 1) How can the party fight the next election running against numerous Tory policies that they don't like but have allowed through? There is a difficult and delicate line to be trodden between making it clear what distinctive ...
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the longest running science fiction show in the world I am taking a weekly look at some of my favourite Dr Who episodes focusing on one Doctor a month. This month it's the fourth Doctors turn. What do you get if you cross an isolated haunted house, creepy atmospheric night shots and an evil skull hell bent on taking over and destroying the world? Yes, It the last of the great Dr. Who gothic horror tales....the image of the Fendahl. In an isolated country house a team of scientists lead by Dr. Fendahlman are ...
Sat 13th
08:30
Planning Application: Units 12,13,17 & 18, Trafalgar Way, Bar Hill, Cambridge, CB23 8SQ
A new planning application has been filed with South Cambridgeshire District Council to improve the roofing of a four units on the Business Park (for La Salle Investment Management). You can view the information in detail by going to the link; And then searching for the planning reference; S/0500/13/FL A direct link to the application form is available here. The planning application covers a new roof covering and installation of horizontal and inclined fall arrest / restraint system. Plan Overview
It is depressingly true that if a lie is repeated often enough it comes to be received as accepted wisdom. We can see this now when the coalition government is repeatedly claiming that it is "clearing up Labour's economic mess" when in truth the "mess" was caused by the collapse of the financial system as a result of the deregulation introduced by Mrs Thatcher's government and strongly supported by her Tory successors both in and out of power. Now her death has revived the twin myths that in the 1970s Britain was the "sick man of Europe" and that there ...
Further to the concerns I recently raised on behalf of residents, I have now received assurances from the City Council Environment Director that the issues that caused problems last Saturday at the Riverside Civic Amenity Centre are being tackled. Last Saturday, residents bringing recycling to the site first thing in the morning found they joined a long queue of people unable to deposit recycling as the skips were full from the night before. I received a number of complaints from constituents about the situation at Riverside and I have now received a response from the City Council's Environment Director indicating ...
A higher quality PDF of this poster can be downloaded here.
The Western Mail reports the views of the former head of BBC Wales and S4C, Geraint Stanley Jones that current arrangements left too much power in the hands of managers, and that the National Assembly should have a formal role in scrutinising BBC Wales, ITV Wales and S4C, as well as commercial radio stations: Dr Jones, who was controller of BBC Wales from 1981 to 1985 and chief executive of S4C from 1989 to 1994, said: "In my day at the BBC there was a Broadcasting Council which was responsible for scrutinising the resources devoted to different kinds of programmes. ...
Title: Maxil in the Genesis Ark Prompt: Monsters Characters/Pairing(s): Maxil, daleks Rating: PG for some mild swears. Word count: 1087 Spoilers: very slight for Army of Ghosts/Doomsday and even slighter for Arc of Infinity Warnings: none Summary: The daleks were never alone in the Genesis Ark... Disclaimer: Doctor Who is not mine, but I am eternally grateful to the creators for making such an amazing sandbox for me to play in. Author's note: It always seemed odd to me that the timelords would put all those daleks in the Genesis Ark, running around loose without a guard. This is me ...
Caroline Pidgeon, LibDem GLA member, who is Chair of the GLA Transport Committee and a member of the Police Authority visited West Hampstead on Friday to meet the local Lib Dem Councillors and look at various issues. These included the complicated relationships around the three West Hampstead stations and the future of local policing and the police station in Fortune Green Road. Flick Rea explaining to Caroline Pidgeon how difficult it is at West Hampstead for parents with buggies, the elderly and disabled and those with luggage Starting at the tube station, Flick Rea explained that there was ...
It seems that West Hampstead is always under water somewhere! This week the local papers published a letter from me adorned by this rather splendid Ken Pyne cartoon.For the umpteenth time in the last few months, last weekend West End Lane was closed, buses were diverted and traffic congestion clogged surrounding streets. And all because of a cascade of water pouring out of the pavement by Sumatra Road.For months now, our email in-boxes and answer machines have been overflowing with complaints about mains bursts and water leaks. West End Lane, Westbere Road, Hillfield Road - there's hardly a road in ...
The agenda for tonight's Parish Council meeting is; Open Forum1. To receive apologies for absence and any declaration of interest2. Approval of minutes. To approve minutes of Parish Council Meeting held on 21st March 20133. Matters for discussion and decisions to be made from Previous Minutes3.1 Midas Care Ltd - Signing of lease agreement3.2 The Farmhouse - update on new tenant and requirements3.3 Minutes of FOOTPATH - sent prior to meeting3.4 Village Hall - update and drainage costs3.5 Village Green - update3.6 Wildlife Enhancement Scheme - update4. General Correspondence Received. Correspondence List circulated in advance to Councillors5. Clerks Financial Report5.1 ...
