I have a migraine so no new post today. But tomorrow there'll be two — a Batpost and a post on the Beach Boys
I was down in London today and decided to visit Little Venice. Coming from a family that had canal holidays back in the 1960s, when they were far less common, I have always known the name but have never been there. It is a pleasant area with interesting moored boats, and the expanse of water where the Paddington arm of the Grand Union joins the Regents Canal is impressive. But there are no small bridges, no backwaters, no gondolas and no Dirk Bogarde in pancake make up. At the risk of sounding provincial, most provincial cities have more interesting waterscapes. ...
"I'm not opposed to excellence. But the price of your Grammar Schools is too high," says Steve Guy. (We had a Midland Educational in Leicester too.) Paddy French looks at how Owen Smith's family connections in the Welsh political and media elite have helped his career, "The barely veiled implication, whichever version you consider, is that the people undergoing these travails deserve relatively little sympathy." Alec MacGillis and ProPublica on the demonisation of poor white Americans. Neil MacFarquhar looks at new evidence about the fate of Raoul Wallenberg. Fake news stories from Kremlin propagandists regularly become social media trends, say ...
Second paragraph of third chapter: It was indeed the stranger, tall and gaunt in a black cloak. Behind him hunched a short, gnarled old man, carrying a leather satchel over one shoulder. I enjoyed this more than any of KSR's books since The Years of Rice and Salt, with which it shares a fascination for the history of science. However, in this case we have not one alternate timeline, but two different epochs: the real historical life of Galileo Galilei as he first turns his telescope to the skies and gets into trouble with the church, and a far-future civilisation ...
As we reported recently, local councillor Claire Young is now the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Thornbury and Yate. Of course she has already campaigned right across the constituency in a number of elections, but now she has launched a campaign "Tell Claire", asking local residents about their views on the most pressing local and national issues. Your views and opinions matter to us, as they help us to ensure we campaign for the things that YOU care about. Please take a few moments to fill in Claire's survey here: www.southgloslibdems.org.uk/tellclaire. Please do also pass this email onto any friends ...
There have been two stories related to secret imprisonment reported today. One by PA has been published in a number of outlets including This one. The other was in the Daily Mail. The cases have a number of common features. Someone is imprisoned "for their own good". There are all sorts of assessments as to their capacity. In the end they have run away and are not now in the English and
One of my earliest childhood memories is of being taken to a shop in Birmingham called, I believe, Midland Educational to buy Eleven Plus coaching material. Apparently, this was because I was thought bright enough for Grammar School. At ten years of age this didn't really mean much, but I dutifully completed the exercises in the books and was sent off to do the exam which sealed my educational fate. Great news, my parents told me: you are going to the Grammar School. Your future is bright, how lucky you are. I'm not sure I felt all that lucky: none ...
Embed from Getty Images Those of us south of the border have been somewhat puzzled by the furore about the proposal for 'Named Persons' in Scotland. The Scottish Children and Young People's Bill proposed assigning a single point of contact – the 'Named Person' – to each child from birth until the age of 18. Throughout the lifetime of the child the actual person holding that role may change – starting with a midwife, then health visitor then one or more teachers. As a 'Named Person' they are to provide a common contact for any other professionals, such as social ...
Mon 8th
14:53
LDV at 10: Pick of the posts: The one where Labour thought vegetarians could be terrorists
On 27th August, LDV will be 10 years old. In that time, we've brought you over 24,000 posts and published over 337,000 comments. Over the Summer holidays, we'll take you on a nostalgic meander through a decade of Liberal Democrat history, seen through the eyes of our editors and contributors. We hope you enjoy our choices. Just in case you ever forget how awful Labour could be on civil liberties. With added video from Dr Pack. No, you didn't read that wrong. That's really what our lovely government has decided, courtesy of its system for keeping tabs on people who ...
New projections released today by Electoral Calculus show a frightening prospect for the Liberal Democrats based on their current share of the national vote if the proposed boundary changes to parliamentary seats go ahead. The official boundary commission changes will not be unveiled until next month but Electoral Calculus have based their projections on their [...]
Is Jacob Zuma currently the President of ANC and the Republic of South Africa now an electoral liability to his Party? As readers of this Blog know I keep in regular touch with local government throughout Africa but especially with ... Continue reading →
The rather glaring consequence (for bus users) of the clearance of the old Maghull Library site in Liverpool Road North is that those awaiting a Liverpool bound bus have lost the use of the bus shelter that once sat on the edge of the site. [IMG: Bus Stop at Old Library Site 07 16] The delay in developing the site caused by the demise of Netto, before a brick was even laid for its new Maghull store, means at least so it seems that replacing the bus shelter is now in the how long is a piece of string category. ...
[IMG: BEM] I lost my job following the General Election of May 2015 after nearly 35 years of working in and around politics. MPs are not generally held in high esteem but in my experience, they are overwhelmingly decently motivated. An exception is the blind spot of political parties, including on occasion the Lib Dems, for the political honours system. Lynton Crosby, said to have been paid £500,000 for his work on behalf of the Tories and with no long term commitment to the UK was the outrage six months ago. Now we have David Cameron's resignation list. And so ...
This morning's news that Labour acted illegally in blocking the right of members who have joined in the past 6 months to vote in the leadership election looks like being game, set and match for Jeremy Corbyn. Labour's National Executive decision always struck me as a bit of unsustainable gerrymandering by anti-Corbynistas carried out while the Corbynistas had momentarily taken their collective
[IMG: iplayer] On the 1st September, a TV license will be needed for anyone using BBC iPlayer. Below is a blog post for your MyCllr site to keep local residents updated. MyCllr Story GUIDE: UPLOADING MODEL STORIES TO MYCOUNCILLOR Download the text files you want to post (these should open in Notepad on your machine) Open your [...]
I took an hour off from campaigning in Rowlands Gill on Saturday to go to the Crawcrook Fayre. The live music wasn't quite to my taste but there were lots of stalls that were of interest. I spent quite some time talking to the soap-makers who were selling their goods. Some of the what I produce - honey, honeycomb, goats milk - are used by soap makers and I'm also looking for soap makers to join
We had another action day in Rowlands Gill on Saturday. Our aim was to deliver 800 leaflets and knock on 400 doors. That was exactly what we achieved! We have not worked this ward since before the Coalition years so the response of people to us in what was effectively virgin territory was always going to be interesting and revealing. As people opened their doors to us, the initial response was
Instagram Spike is helping me watch Voyager American Nazi Chair: Trump Win Would Be "A Real Opportunity" For White Nationalists - BuzzFeed News RT @mrjamesob: American Nazi Chair: Trump Win Would Be "A Real Opportunity" For White Nationalists via @BuzzFeedAndrew BBC Radio 4 - Radio 4 in Four - The Classic TV Monsters Quiz RT @BBCRadio4: What's that coming over the hill? Is it a MONSTER QUIZ? hollymath | #biphobiabiggins and Being Friends with Bigots The only post you need to read about #biphobiabiggins Networks Have Begun Fact-Checking Trump's Lies In Real Time And It's Ruining Trump's Life | If ...
Embed from Getty Images The Sunday Telegraph has revealed that Theresa May is planning to introduce new grammar schools in England. (Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are responsible for their own education systems.) The original ban on new grammar schools was brought in by Tony Blair around 20 years ago, although he did not make it easy to close existing ones. Tim Farron has responded: The Liberal Democrats are the party of education and I am utterly opposed to any plan that will bring back grammar schools. I am happy to work with people on all sides, from modernising Conservatives ...
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie MSP today said Ministers cannot sit back and watch as oil and gas decommissioning contracts leave Scotland. Mr Rennie was speaking following reports that Maersk's Janice platform will be towed to Norway for decommissioning after Scottish and UK firms lost out on the major contract. Commenting, Willie Rennie MSP [...]
One of the things that has stymied Labour moderates thus far (and looks set to continue) is that they are still trying to fight conventional warfare while Corbyn goes guerrilla style. Take the mass resignations from the front benches – the idea was that he couldn't possibly hang on if they did so. Yet here he is, after 80% of his parliamentary party voted against him in a vote of no confidence, not only fighting to win another leadership contest but the favourite to win it. When I say this looks set to continue, take most members of the PLP's ...
Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesman Liam McArthur MSP called yesterday for prosecution guidelines for the controversial Offensive Behaviour at Football Act (OBFA) to be looked at again. Mr McArthur was speaking after it emerged just 22 people have completed a scheme designed to keep low-level OBFA offenders or at risk groups out of court [...]
Nicola Sturgeon should support UK wide Liberal Democrat efforts to retain membership of the European Union now that support for Scottish independence has dropped below 50% again. Willie Rennie says that a referendum on the formal Brexit agreement is the best way to maintain Scotland and the UK's place in the EU. At a meeting [...]
In the past several weeks, I’ve become involved in two grass roots activist movements seekiing to redress some less than brilliant local…
The Press from York wins our Headline of the Day Award.
DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT REPORT FOR WEST END WARD WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 8 AUGUST 2016 Riverside Drive - closed overnight (8.00pm - 6.00am) [from Sunday 7 August] for 5 nights for road resurfacing works. Scottish Water Clatto East mains renewal - Perth Road (Hawkhill to Nethergate) - closed eastbound for 3 weeks. Glamis Road (at Glamis Terrace) - temporary traffic lights for one week for gas main repair. Scottish Water Clatto East City Road DMA (Mains Renewal) - Annfield Road, Annfield Street, Blackness Road (Glenagnes Road to Bellfield Street), Blyth Street, Benvie Road, Fyffe Street, Fleuchar Street, ...
Despite their electoral success in recent years, UKIP in Wales remains a fairly small party in representative terms. Having been a member of a group of six and then five on the Welsh Assembly myself, I know how difficult it is to cover all the committees, to properly scrutinise legislation and to hold Ministers to account when you are trying to do a number of jobs at the same time. If therefore UKIP proceed with their plan later today to expel their only MEP, who is also one of their seven AMs, for what are effectively process issues, then there ...
The Truth about Jeremy Corbyn Another former supporter's loss of faith (at great length, with rambling). (tags: ukpolitics ) The bright ghosts of antiquity The wonderful Loeb library. (tags: books latin greek ) 20 killed in floods in Skopje Crumbs. How awful. (tags: climatechange macedonia ) How Did I Get an Abortion in Texas? I Didn't. The grim reality of restricting women's rights. (tags: sexandgenderandsexuality abortion Uspolitics ) John F. Kennedy Donated His Entire Presidential Salary to Charity This is true. (tags: uspolitics history )
Mon 8th
02:02
The Impossible Has Happened: The Life and Work of Gene Roddenberry, Creator of Star Trek
Before I start this review proper, a couple of notes. Firstly, to apologise to my Goodreads friends, who will see this both on my blog feed and in the reviews — an unfortunate problem with having one's blog syndicated to ... Continue reading →
There's been a lot of speculation that the UK's impending exit from the European Union might lead to the break up of the longer lasting union of nations on these islands. Scotland voted most strongly to remain, while England voted most emphatically to leave. Northern Ireland voted to remain while Wales voted the same way [...]
