Why Xi Jinping would vote for a president Trump America's political culture can be befuddling even for someone like me who hails from another English speaking democracy. Imagine how baffling it must seem to someone who's reference point is China. A twitter account called the Relevant Organs, which parodies the Communist Party's English language propoganda, had fun with [...]
... having baronesses soft soap me. I blame [IMG: [profile] ] sassyscot for this. I'm not going to lie. I'm weakening. [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
Sat 20th
19:35
Shropshire Council backs down on plans to ban oral public asking questions at council meetings
The new council leader has backed down on plans to prevent members of the public asking oral questions at full council meetings. He had proposed that members of the public would be allowed to ask questions in writing only, without the option of asking a supplementary question arising from the answer. Last week, I published... Continue reading Shropshire Council backs down on plans to ban oral public asking questions at council meetings →
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35502913 The BBC has an interesting article about the UK's most senior policeman whom I have commented on previously. See link below to my older posting:- The press are after Hogan-Howe but is it just a media frenzy pumped up by tabloid newspapers and dodgy politicians? I suspect it is and that Bernard Hogan-Howe is probably one of the best policemen we have seen in recent times. Certainly my experience of him when he was Chief Constable of Merseyside was very positive, as I have said before. I am probably the last person to defend the establishment because as ...
The Voice is only a success because of the interest and support from our readers. For many people just lurking and reading the site is all they want to do – and that's fine, we're grateful for people taking the time to read the site. You can though help us continue to produce interesting content for a growing audience. Here are four simple ways: 1. Let us have your tips for stories. Perhaps there's something outrageous going on in your local council? Or you're an expert in a particular area and have spotted a story other people have missed? Or ...
Meols Ward Lib Dem Councillors John Dodd, Nigel Ashton and Jo Barton are holding their next advice centre in Churchtownn We will be at Cafe Moo Moo on Cambridge Road (by the junction with Preston New Road, next to Boots) from 10:30 to 11:30 am on Thursday 25th February. We will be there to meet you and discuss any Council problems you may have. No appointment necessary. Just pop in. We also hold a monthly advice centre in Crossens, at St John's School, Rufford Road, Crossens every month (except August) on the second Saturday of the month from 11:00 am ...
The Nebula nominees are out. Full list is here. I've read three of the novels, four of the novellas, three of the novelettes, four of the short stories, and none of the Andre Norton nominees. (And seen two of the Ray Bradbury nominees.) The novels, ranked by Goodreads ownership (which is almost the same as LibraryThing ownership except for a swap in second and third pace), are as follows: Goodreads LibraryThing owners av rating owners av rating Uprooted by Naomi Novik 97,850 4.18 761 4.25 The Fifth Season, by N.K. Jemisin 31,351 4.34 318 4.37 Ancillary Mercy, by Ann Leckie ...
The Portsmouth News reports: A person using a fake identity has sparked outrage by sending out leaflets criticising two Lib Dem councillors and accusing them of not attending enough meetings... The two leaflets are the work of someone using the name 'Paddy Graham', who claims to be a Ukip supporter from Portchester. But there is no-one with that name or similar registered on the electoral role in the Fareham area. The News has also learnt that a Facebook profile picture Mr Graham claims is him is actually that of a man from Kent... The local Ukip party has distanced itself ...
Whole episode dubbed in French (except the songs): Episode 7: The Pop Singer First shown: 17 October 1970 (US), 4 February 1971 (UK) Director: Harry Booth Writers: Harry Booth and Glyn Jones Appearing apart from the Double Deckers: Melvyn Hayes as Albert the Street Cleaner Anthony May as Sidney, The Cool Cavalier Ivor Salter as the Policeman Plot The gang find a man sleeping in their bus. He turns out to be an unsuccessful musician, a singer of protest songs; they rebrand him as "The Cool Cavalier" and hold a successful concert, ending only when Brains' musical machine explodes. But ...
Amartya Sen's "perspective of [positive or, as he calls it "substantial"] freedom" is concerned with "enhancing the lives we lead and the freedoms we enjoy," in other words, "expanding the freedoms we have reason to value," so that our lives will be "richer and more unfettered" and we will be able to become "fuller social... More Substantive Freedom
Embed from Getty Images Responding to the EU referendum announcement, Lib Dem leader Tim Farron has written to all party members as follows: When we launched our national campaign last week to keep Britain in Europe, we didn't know when the Referendum was going to be. Now we do: June 23rd. That gives us just less than four months to identify millions of pro-Europeans and convince them to vote. We can do it! We are looking for pro-European, outward facing, open and tolerant voters: the people who think that Britain and Europe should work together. In short, we're looking for ...
Well, that headline clearly does not refer to you, dear reader. But it does apply to a large number of citizens of the UK, and, sadly, many young people. I have been keeping an eye – in an encouraging way – on Shout Out UK, which aims to get more young people interested in politics and political activism, by challenging them with news and ideas from their peers. It is strictly non-partisan. Shout Out offers a platform to young writers and filmmakers, as well as providing educational materials that can be used in schools. If you work with young people ...
From the Guardian: Cameron confirms – as expected – that the referendum will take place on June 23. The prime minister said that the question will be about whether the UK "will be safer stronger and better off working in a reformed Europe or out on our own." As expected, it was an address that was heavy on warnings of the risks to leaving the EU. Britain would be better able to fight crime and terrorism by remaining in the EU. We're now hearing about which cabinet ministers will campaign for "out". Update 13:26: The BBC has this list: Remain ...
The Electoral Commission sent out the following message to returning officers this week: [IMG: Electoral Commission Bulleting on Welsh nomination papers] Interested in more stories about how our elections are run? Follow my dedicated election law channels on Facebook or Twitter.
You can answer using your Facebook or Twitter logins if you aren't on Livejournal. View Poll: #2037438 Once you have answered, check here for historical comparison.
Embed from Getty Images Nigel Farage told the media last year, "I am saying that if we have an Australian-style points system, immigration would not be a problem." He made the point again earlier this month, speaking to Sky News. The fact that inside the European Union we can't adopt a more restrictive Australian-style points immigration system is for many the single biggest reason there is to leave the EU. Rid ourselves of the shackles of Brussels, crack down, and, as Farage himself said, "immigration would not be a problem." It's a point summed up by their migration spokesman, Stephen ...
Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, has just responded to David Cameron's EU deal: "...Despite the fanfare, the deal that David Cameron has made in Brussels on Britain's relationship with the EU is a sideshow, and the changes he has negotiated are largely irrelevant to the problems most British people face and the decision we must now make. His priorities in these negotiations have been to appease his opponents in the Conservative Party...."
miss_s_b | The Blood is the Life for 19-02-2016 posted The Blood is the Life for 19-02-2016 on #dreamwidth Instagram Spike's BEAUTIFUL new collar from Celtic Hounds arrived :) Instagram Disdainful Goth Roxy has a new collar too, but it's subtler and more understated than Spike's :) miss_s_b | Celtic Hound Collars: the SB seal of approval applied posted Celtic Hound Collars: the SB seal of approval applied on #dreamwidth [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
The sudden disappearance of cash points at the station has been explained. We have received this explanation from Thameslink: The supplier of the ATM service is changing and new machines will be installed within the next couple of weeks. The new cash points will still be free to use. The previous supplier should have left [...]
The unlikely sight of Nigel Farage and George Galloway, almost arm-in-arm at last night's anti-EU Grassroots Out rally must have put off many people from the cause they are now locked into together. And according to The Independent their joint appearance certainly has an impact. The paper says that over a hundred people reportedly walked out as George Galloway took to the stage as the event's special guest speaker: The appearance of the Respect Party leader prompted shouted complaints from many people at the QE II Centre in Westminster where supporters of Grassroots Out campaign (GO!), a movement urging Britain's ...
Embed from Getty Images Given the huge number of past activities to cover in Jeremy Corbyn's life, and how little had been written about him previously, Rosa Prince's Comrade Corbyn is impressively comprehensive in the range of information pulled together so quickly. From Corbyn's relatively prosperous upbringing, through his early politics being heavily influenced by seeing huge inequality overseas, and on into this career as a Labour politician, Prince traces the story with fulsome detail. [IMG: Comrade Corbyn by Rosa Prince] I am not sure she ever really gets under the skin of her subject to explain what makes him ...
RemaIN That is all
A number of the sheltered tenants at the Morven Terrace and Ancrum Place sheltered housing (see right) have mentioned to me that the external stairwells are badly needing painted. I asked the Housing Department when the external cyclical maintenance programme that covers such repainting will next take place. I am pleased to advise that I have now been informed that : "Please be advised that the sheltered housing at Morven Place/Ancrum Place will be included in the 2016/2017 ECM Programme."
In the end, Cameron got the deal he was after. You can say it's a good deal for Britain, you can say it's a bad deal.....you can say that a renegotiated position within the EU is a great place for Britain to be, at least for the moment, or you can say that we're just stopping the EU from doing what it needs to do with a bunch of Anglo-Saxon demands. Whatever – Cameron got his deal. It's on, and in the timing he wanted, a timing that is almost certainly the best shot we have of staying in. Barring ...
Sat 20th
08:27
Senseless Labour cut will make it harder to safeguard children and the vulnerable properly
The decision by the Welsh Labour Government to withdraw funding for the Disclosure and Barring Service checking of those involved with children's' sports and activities is potentially disastrous for the third sector. The Welsh Government presently funds the Wales Council for Voluntary Service to provide a free service to clubs and charities in Wales who need to make sure that people who volunteer to work with children and vulnerable adults in all kinds of sporting and other settings are properly vetted by the Disclosure and Barring Service. This funding is being withdrawn as of 31st May this year. This senseless ...
Last night, just in time for the Ten O'Clock News, David Cameron got his deal with the 27 other EU member states which will allow him to return to London and campaign for Britain to remain a member of the European Union in the Referendum that will almost certainly now take place on 23 June. [...]
No not a piano but a Baby Grand tram as this particular type of tram became known as. The one I am talking about (former Liverpool Corporation tram 245) was restored to working order at Birkenhead Tramway Museum during 2015 but despite a number of trips over to Birkenhead I have still not been able to ride on it. [IMG: IMG_7427] I thought last night's 'Night at the Tramway Museum' event was cert' for a ride as it was definitely running. However, Murphy's law intervened as it broke down at the Woodside Ferry Terminal end of the line before Jen ...
Thatcher's poisonous legacy @RobinLustig on UK/EU relations. (tags: eu ukpolitics )
