The church of Holy Trinity in Rothwell has a bone crypt housing the remains of 2500 men, women and children. A BBC News story reveals an unexpected fact about it: Skulls and bones stored under a church date from 1250 to as recently as 1900, tests have revealed. Holy Trinity Church in Rothwell, Northamptonshire - home to one of only two 13th Century crypts in the UK - contains the remains of 2,500 people. Radio carbon dating found some skulls were older than first thought. But scientists from the University of Sheffield, who "assumed the ossuary was a medieval thing", ...
I really loved the style adopted by Kyra when making her predictions this time last year. Based on a little more than gut instinct (ie reading every public blog post that I could find by anyone which mentioned the Hugo in the last couple of months), I am copying her example and making my predictions for this year's Hugos, in the order that the results will be declared on Saturday night (early Sunday morning this side of the Atlantic). The John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer Who I think will win it: Andy Weir, slate's top pick this ...
The latest polling figures on the standing of the Liberal Democrats and Tim Farron nicely capture the 'recovered a bit but only a bit' theme running through my warnings about Premature Stakhanovite Optimism. Tim Farron is less unpopular than Jeremy Corbyn, but a long way behind Theresa May. The party overall, meanwhile is just (within the margin of error) less unpopular than Labour, SNP or, by some margin, Ukip. But again behind the Tories. That's the sort of background against which local council by-election campaigns can sparkle. But it's not the sort of background which suggests a sustained, major recovery ...
Second extract in third chapter: 'I'll introduce myself. Name's Lt John MacGregor, as a matter of fact, in the I.P.F.' 'Interplanetary Force,' goggled Fred. 'Precisely,' said MacGregor with an exaggerated bow. 'My man, you are now in the presence of the John MacGregor who has shot down seventeen of the Martian invasion fleet.' LIONEL FANTHORPE, Flame Mass This is a point-and-laugh collection of extracts from sf books and films which are grotesquely over-written or badly written, and does pretty much what it says on the tin. Some of the extracts are pretty glorious but I'm afraid most just made me ...
[IMG: Man-Filming-e1416917487757] A year and a half ago I did a blog on using video in local campaigning, here. Since then technology has moved on, as has the potential for using video and our experience in using them so I thought the subject worth a revisit. Video is becoming increasingly important in Facebook campaigning - it is [...]
No, this isn't a post about my garden .... although it could do with a good clear up!, but about the weeds in pavements and in the gutters. Northumberland County Council are aware of the problem, and are doing a programme of weeding throughout Blyth. The estate will be done "this week or next" ( their words ) I'm not sure if routine street maintenance is being done as I know that many staff have been diverted to the Tall Ships works. I'll contact NCC if they haven't started by Monday next ....
There'll be a proper post tomorrow, but I've got a few updates to make here. First, my book in the Black Archive series of books looking at individual Doctor Who stories is now available to preorder in paperback (the ebook ... Continue reading →
[IMG: planning] ALDC is producing more packs so that Liberal Democrats campaigners like you can easily campaign in their local community. This pack is designed to help you campaign on planning applications- whether large on small. Included in this pack are streetletter templates, website articles and email ideas to keep residents updated. There is lots of best [...]
Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesman Tavish Scott MSP today said too many pupils are still missing out on vital extra support as the First Minister visited a school in the Borders. During her visit today, the First Minister announced that 300 schools now benefit from the Scottish Government's attainment fund. This means pupils at more [...]
Scottish Liberal Democrat rural affairs spokesperson Mike Rumbles MSP today urged the Scottish Government to help give farmers in Scotland the stability they need. Mr Rumbles was speaking as the NFUS joined farmers across the UK in calling on devolved governments guarantee that Treasury funds are spent on agriculture as announced. "Any funding that is [...]
Claire Young and Ruth Davis at the potential Park and Ride site Earlier this year, we reported that the Conservatives were considering closing the Kingswood Civic Centre and extending their Badminton Road office to accommodate a council chamber and extra staff. They are now proposing to keep the council chamber at Kingswood but move the staff to Nibley, which still requires the car park to be extended. Your Focus Team requested and received plans that demonstrate this will still leave room for the planned Park and Ride. This now needs to be bigger than originally planned due to all the ...
[IMG: Merseytravel logo] Don't you think this is an odd article to appear in a Merseytravel staff briefing, it even name drops the Labour nomination for Manchester Mayor? I wonder if all the other to be declared candidates will get such publicity from this taxation funded public sector body? Labour selects Mayoral candidate Steve Rotheram will be Labour's candidate in next year's Liverpool City Region mayoral election. The MP for Walton beat Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson and MP for Wavertree Luciana Berger in a vote of Labour members in the region, with the results announced on Wednesday (10th August). ...
Tue 16th
11:20
A look at Trump's seven point foreign policy plan tells you a lot about a possible future
Donald Trump has announced his foreign policy plans. It boils down to seven points; let us look at them before going any further: withdraw the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. appoint the toughest and smartest trade negotiators to fight on behalf of American workers. direct the Secretary of Commerce to identify every violation of trade agreements a foreign country is currently using to harm our worker then direct all appropriate agencies to use every tool under American and international law to end these abuses. try and renegotiate the terms of NAFTA to get a better deal for US workers. ...
The Brexit effect: First hard U.K. data arrives this week - MarketWatch RT @CapX: The Brexit effect: Get ready for the first hard data on the U.K. economy Instagram Somehow I find it comforting that the blue screen of death is still blue after all this time.... Long Road to Boston by Mark Sutcliffe — Kickstarter RT @_MarkSutcliffe: Thanks to dozens of generous supporters, the campaign to launch my next book is almost halfway there! Brexit delay claims are 'idle chatter,' says John Redwood - BBC News RT @BBCPolitics: Downing Street is coming under pressure to clarify when the UK ...
Much has been made in the media in recent days of Labour Deputy Leader Tom Watson's claims that the party has been taken over by 'Trotskyist Entryism' on an industrial scale, the implication being that most of the 300,000 new members that have joined the party since Jeremy Corbyn became leader fall into this category. [...]
The local Lib Dems are hoding their annual summer BBQ this Sunday (21 August 2106), kindly hosted this year by Cllr Mary, and Vic D'Albert. 2.00pm onwards. The guest speaker is Baroness Pinnock of Cleckheaton, Lib Dem Lords Spokesperson on Children and Families. Friends, supporters, members all welcome to this informal and friendly event. The BBQ is £10 per person (£4 children) which includes all food. Tickets available here.
Members of the Nuclear Weapons Working Group are presenting their personal views as part of a wider consultation process into the party's future policy on nuclear weapons. The full consultation paper can be found at www.libdems.org.uk/autumn-conference-16-policypapers and the consultation window runs until 28 October. Party members are invited to attend the consultation session at party conference in Brighton, to be held on Saturday 17 September at 1pm in the Balmoral Room of the Hilton. Embed from Getty Images Last year, Conference agreed to review our nuclear weapons policies. As a party member committed to achieving a nuclear weapons free Britain ...
More information has been published on the 'Greater Manchester Call for Sites'. All ten local authorities in Greater Manchester are working together to produce a Greater Manchester Spacial Framework. This will be a joint plan that identifies land to provide the new houses, jobs, infrastructure for the future – an estimated 225,000 new houses are proposed for the next 25 years. The call for sites has been asking landowners, developers, interest groups and others to identify sites that they think may be suitable for development in the future. All of the sites we receive through the call for sites are ...
The brother of the late Victoria Wood, Chris Foote Wood, has is running a 'crowdfunding' appeal to fund a permanent memorial for Victoria. The appeal has so far raised over £8,000 of it's £20,000 aim. You can donate to the appeal here. Bury Council has announced that the venue of the statue is to be in Library Gardens on Silver Street in the Town Centre. Victoria was born in Prestwich, but brought up and schooled in Bury – it does feel a shame that this won't in Prestwich, but obviously the wishes of the family will also be very important ...
Politics is dominated by historical myths, about which the different political camps disagree. Examining these myths critically is one way that societies can find reconciliation. While "austerity", the favoured shorthand for government cutbacks, is fast sinking as an issue in British politics, long since overtaken by Brexit, its mythology remains a defining issue. This mythology has ... Continue reading Was the coalition's austerity policy a colossal mistake? →
Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP today said that more needs to be done to help paramedics save lives. Mr Cole-Hamilton was speaking as new figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats revealed that people suffering life-threatening accidents or illnesses had to wait more than 20 minutes for an ambulance to arrive on 4350 [...]
Bury residents will soon be receiving a form through their letter box asking them to confirm that their details on the electoral register are correct. The canvass is conducted every year to ensure that everyone who is entitled to vote is registered to do so. Throughout August, Bury Council staff will be delivering a household enquiry form to 84,000 homes across Bury. It only takes a few minutes to confirm the details on the form. If all the information is correct, you can reply through one of the following options: – Post your signed form back in the pre-paid envelope ...
My involvement increases left-to-right so add your own desirability scale...
I have recently had complaints from residents in Forest Park Road whose flats back onto the Royal Mail's Central Sorting Office and Depot in Edward Street about the very overgrown foliage from the depot protruding into their back garden area. I contacted Royal Mail and have had the following positive response : "I have checked with the manager who had put a request in with our facilities helpdesk to get this work done and is chasing this up as a matter of urgency."
Liam Fox tried to wrest control of Foreign Office duties from Boris Johnson Move along, nothing to see here. (tags: ukpolitics eu ) Inside the Failing Mission to Tame Donald Trump's Tongue Going horribly wrong! (tags: uspolitics ) How I led a country out of the EU My old friend Uffe reminisces. (tags: greenland eu denmark ) Brexit: Enough David Brent, this is serious! Another lucid explanation. (tags: eu ukpolitics ) "My girlfriend elaborately made me homeless." For once, do read the comments. (tags: sexandgenderandsexuality law ) NASA: Last month was Earth's hottest in recorded history Again. (tags: climatechange ) ...
It is my strong view that where there is public money involved in the appointment of any position then there should be a proper and transparent process involving advertisment and competition so as to ensure that the best person gets the job. To avoid doing so not only opens the door to cronyism and favouritism, but it also undermines equal opportunities and potentially discriminates against minorities because they do not have a chance to apply and be assessed on their own merits. This is certainly the case in North Wales where, as is reported in the Daily Post their police ...
