From 1978 we skip back to 1966, and to Robert A. Heinlein. The Prometheus Awards, when they were revived in the early 1980s, started giving Hall of Fame awards to past works of libertarian-tinged SF, as well as awards to ... Continue reading →
Last November I visited the Great Central's Mountsorrel station and found everything locked up for the winter. This video was shot last month. It shows steam and diesel traction using the line. I went through Loughborough today and saw work going on to join the two halves of the Great Central by restoring the embankment and bridge over the Midland line. Exciting days.
Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable has said that the government's announcement on executive pay was even weaker than feared. Vince Cable, who as Business Secretary introduced reforms such as a binding vote on executive pay policy for shareholders, said: "The register of executive pay doesn't take us much further forward as this information is already publicly available via a quick internet search. "There is no mention of making shareholder votes on executive pay more regular, as the Conservatives promised. "Instead of making it obligatory to put workers on boards as the government announced amid much fanfare, companies will be able ...
Gavin Stamp says Big Ben is the least of the Palace of Westminster's problems: "The House of Commons still will not commit itself to leaving the building to allow the restoration to begin. This is both selfish and financially irresponsible, for the longer the restoration is left, the further the deterioration becomes and the greater the expense of repair." "The past has a value to the present, and you don't have to scrub it all out and start again." Rowan Moore argues that the restoration of Liverpool's Welsh Streets offers a lesson for national housing policy. Seventy years after it ...
The Liberal Democrats have accused David Davis of "destructive complacency" over Brexit, as the EU warned the government's "constructive ambiguity" is delaying progress in the talks. Commission President Juncker this morning described Britain's Brexit position papers as "unsatisfactory," while the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has warned the UK's ambiguity is delaying talks over a transition period and future trade deal. Chancellor Philip Hammond has reportedly warned the prime minister that failure to make significant progress in the negotiations by the end of the year would trigger a business exodus. Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake commented: "David Davis ...
72 venues across County Durham are offering free access to all residents to mark 'Heritage Open Days' annual celebration. Venues and events range from castles, gardens, museums and churches to open air music concerts, stone carving demonstrations and guided walks. You can find the full details here. The Heritage Open Day events run from Thursday 7th to Sunday 10th September 2017. The same comprehensive details of all events as on the link above are available in hard copy at Durham County Council's Customer Access Points, libraries, and tourist information. You can also obtain hard copies by telephoning 03000 267133 or ...
Jonathon Proctor, former chair and co-founder Labour Against Brexit, has just joined the Liberal Democrats. Explaining his reasons, he says: As many people are aware I was until very recently a Labour party foot solider and dedicated member. I campaigned all over the United Kingdom for the Labour Party, going as far down as Plymouth and as far up as Aberdeen South. I gave my all to the party. My Money, time and dedication. I was fighting for a Labour government. I wanted a Labour government .. that was until Jeremy Corbyn ruled out any chance of staying IN the ...
[IMG: Market Bosworth] The Leicester Mercury reports that two leading Conservatives on Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council - Chris Boothby and Stan Rooney - have stood down from the council's executive: Councillor Rooney, the council's lead member for planning, has quit the post and stepped down as member for Burbage, Sketchley and Stretton. Councillor Boothby has been removed from his post as executive member for housing and community safety services after falling out with Coun Rooney and council leader Mike Hall.You can read the Tory leader's explanation of these events in the Mercury article. Apparently Boothby has "done some fantastic ...
The Guardian has this opinion piece on its web site – see link above This is an interesting piece from Owen Jones who in my view has difficulty in being consistent. What's more he's a Corbyn backer and of course Corbyn's Labour Party wants pretty much the same as the Tories over Brexit, except that Labour has just announced that it wants to wait an extra year or so before the UK gets flushed down the pan economically. So any socialist backing Corbyn is on shaky ground indeed when it comes to Brexit But, having got that off my ...
I've just returned from a very enjoyable week at the Edinburgh Fringe. Unlike last year, we were fortunate enough not to encounter a bad show. However, the "star" system is clearly broken, as everyone's literature only ever owns up to four (or occasionally, five) star reviews. For example, here's a random sample that accompanied my gin and tonic at the ... The post Why I believe in the Loch Ness monster: Edinburgh Fringe 2017 appeared first on ten pence piece.
A new lecture block at Liverpool John Moore's University. Just one of our Universities that we need to fight for in the student numbers debate During the referendum campaign last year those of us on the Remain side continually raised ... Continue reading →
I got a little distracted, and forgot to finish the saga of our trip to the Arctic. So, here's the beginning of the end... Overnight, we had made haste to the Norwegian coast, for some more mainstream tourism, an outing to the North Cape, which involved a bus ride. Well, not all of the passengers, as Ros and I played hookey. We've been, two years ago, and we weren't that impressed the first time. It isn't as though it's actually the most northerly point - that's about a mile away to the north-west - and "Lonely Planet" not unreasonably describes ...
With the Liberal Democrat Federal Conference approaching (16-19 September), and less than a week away from the deadline for amendments (4 September), this is my highly partisan tirade on the agenda, here to provoke you into sending your views, either to us at Liberal Democrat Voice or to the good people at the Federal Conference Committee. The first party conference after a General Election is an opportunity for the party to reflect on the results, good and bad. While it is good to move forward, many of us expected more progress in the face of such a gulf in the ...
What with the dispiriting referendum campaign, a local by-election, and a General Election, there hasn't been much time to post on here. But I have been busy in the ward, and have been updating people on what's going on in Winnersh through the Winnersh Community and Hatch Farm Dairies Facebook groups. I will be posting on here more regularly from now on.... And the first thing to tell you is that work is going to start up again on the King Street Lane junction for the Winnersh Relief Road in mid-September.
Let's start with the obvious caveat here, i.e. that Project Fear turns out to be Project Fact, and that the British economy splutters to, at best, a halt or, at worst, begins to go into reverse gear. For, if Brexit creates the bold new future that we were promised, the Conservatives will be in power for a while yet. But let's say that negotiations drag on, as the dawning realisation emerges amongst the Cabinet that there will need to be some compromises, and that the apparently simple turns out to be hideously complex - the Irish question, seamless access for ...
When I last looked at the exchange rate at around 10am today, the pound was worth 1.07 euros. It's the worst exchange rate for a year. The pound's value collapsed after the Brexit referendum and only ever made a partial recovery against the euro. That recovery has now been lost. There are both benefits and drawbacks from a weak pound. Our exports are cheaper and we are a more attractive place
Mon, 12:56: RT @JakubKrupa: Yeah, I'm not sure if the EU will ever be able to recover after this killer move by Davis. https://t.co/Ns9NK1mW7U Mon, 14:26: RT @MarieAnnUK: *Brexiteers trying to make Brexit work* https://t.co/wUpTn9ApBU Mon, 14:56: RT @JenniferMerode: Sources @Elysee dismiss reports that France pushing to open trade talks on Brexit, as unfounded and not corresponding t... Mon, 16:05: Mothering While Brown in White Spaces, Or, When I Took My Son to Octavia Butler's Exhibit https://t.co/IEmBIeo8LT Ow. Mon, 18:54: RT @worldcon75: A huge thank you to the Head of the Hugo Ceremony, @JoshuaBealson for all his hard work putting ...
Over the weekend, Labour clarified its Brexit position. A little bit anyhow, which given how foggy it has been up until this point seems like a lot to most observers. Basically, Labour have said that during the transitional period, Britain should remain in the single market and the customs union. No further clarity on what Brexit should look like after the transition, mind, but at least the transition they have sorted. Sort of. They say it should last about three years, but maybe two, but that it seems we shouldn't overly worry about how long it should last for now ...
Dear Mum and Dad For years my one and only fear was for you to be disappointed in me. That I would in some way let you down and that you'd never look at me in the same way again. This fear has long forced me to work hard and to succeed in everything that I had attempted to do. It made me pass my exams and get to university. It had also caused me to lie to you and to the rest of the family and my friends. I have struggled with this fact for years. Denied it every ...
The Independent reports that UK Government Ministers have spent almost £40m in an "appalling" attempt to stop sick and disabled people receiving the financial help they are entitled to. They say that the hit to the public purse could also be far higher than the new data suggests because it is still unclear how much more the state spends running courts where sanctions are challenged. Despite this huge expenditure the vast majority of appeals were lost by the Government last year. The paper adds that early indications show the problem is becoming even worse in 2017, with a 77 per ...
The Bank Holiday weekend may well be remembered as a momentous one in British politics. Something happened that would have been inconceivable as recently as three months ago. Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party is starting to look fitter to be the governing party than Theresa May's Conservatives. The proximate event was Keir Starmer's statement about Labour's [...] The post How Corbyn's Labour Party may be growing up appeared first on Radix.
From the City Council : THE ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14(1) THE DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AS TRAFFIC AUTHORITY being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of Scottish Water mains repair works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Old Hawkhill (between Park Place and Hunter Street), Dundee This notice comes into effect on Monday 4 September 2017 for 5 working days. Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained. Alternative routes are available via Nethergate / Perth Road / Hawkhill For further information contact 433082. Executive Director of City DevelopmentDundee City ...
