An hour of Meadesian goodness as the great man discusses his recent cookery book.
The Today programme this morning, which featured Michael Gove's deeply unfunny joke about Harvey Weinstien, was a self-congratulatory affair marking its 60th birthday. I gave up listening to Today once I acquired a digital radio and discovered the old comedies on Radio 4 Extra, which are a much better way to start the day. It's not just that the news is so depressing these days: I find I was moaning about Today in Liberal Democrat News years ago. One of the many problems with Today is John Humphrys. Too often his interviewing his based on his prejudices, which became tedious ...
For many Ludlow people, it's the second most exciting night of the year. (The most exciting of course being the night the May Fair opens). The Gallows Bank firework display is a community event with a huge display of fireworks. It's a free event. Food is available afterwards at Rockspring Community Centre. The evening is organised by Ludlow Area Youth Partnership, with the support of Connexus, Ludlow Town Council, Shropshire Council and the Furniture Scheme. It is free. A collection will be made towards the cost of next year's fireworks. Children love fireworks but pets don't. The Blue Cross provides ...
Anstey lies outside the boundaries of Leicester, on the way to Bradgate Park.It used to be an industrial village, but most of the factories have been razed and had houses built on their sites. This medieval packhorse bridge spanning the Rothley Brook stands on what was once the main road to Leicester, close to the centre of the village.
What right-wingers usually think of positive discrimination As a general rule people on the right tend not to like so-called 'positive discrimination'. Take this op-ed from America's most venerable conservative magazine, the National Review: Excellence should be celebrated wherever it is found, and affirmative action policies undermine colleges' ability to search for it. Or the [...]
As with yesterday's entry, I'm presenting these without much commentary, except for Best Series. Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form 1. Black Mirror: "San Junipero" - I thought this was brilliant and moving. It came second both in votes and nominations. 2. Doctor Who: "The Return of Doctor Mysterio" - last year's only Who episode, which I feel now presaged the distinct uptick in quality of this year's episodes. Came fifth in the vote. 3. Splendor & Misery [album] - Brilliant to see music getting on the list for a real concept album with an SF narrative theme. Scraped onto the ...
This week there were 7 seats up for grabs in 6 seats in England, with a mixed, although largely positive, set of results. Most pleasing is that we've continued our trend since the General Election of standing candidates in the vast majority of seats, standing candidates in 3 seats where we didn't last time, leading to an overall increase of our share of the vote of 5.7% in last night's seats and 6.0% over all of October. Derbyshire Dales DC, Ashbourne South – Conservative hold Con 495 [46.2%; -9.1%] LD Rebecca Goodall 334 [31.2%; +31.2%] Lab 242 [22.6%; -1.9%] Grn ...
I wonder whether the effectiveness of this idea from Iceland would wear off over time or if widely used, but it's certainly eye-catching.
For those who didn't hear the segment this morning, here is a transcript of the offending moment: [IMG: a transcript of a conversation between John Humphries, Michael Gove & Neil Kinnock] How many things are wrong with this conversation? Let me count the horrific implications that occur to me off the top of my head:Sexual assault is funny.People who are sexually assaulted are making fools of themselves.People who have been sexually assaulted have lost their dignity.Being interviewed by Humpty is worse than being sexually assaulted - which simultaneously implies that groping isn't that bad, and minimises all the horrific things ...
The situation in Catalonia is incredibly worrying. I can't help but think about what this would be like if it were happening in Scotland and am grateful for the wiser heads (i.e. ours) in the Coalition that facilitated a legal referendum that settled the issue at least for then. Both the Madrid and Barcelona governments escalate this situation in a text book "what not to do" approach. Miriam Gonzalez Durantez, writing in the FT, looks at this polarisation at the extremes and sees a need for reconciliation and moderation. Both are wrong. Someone has to do something right, and soon. ...
There has been controversy in Swansea of late over the council's decision to no longer collect soft plastics for recycling, despite the fact that these materials are capable of being processed. This was an issue I raised at a recent council meeting. The response I got was very comprehensive. Essentially, the market for recycled plastic has effectively collapsed following China's decision, as reported here, to ban imports of 24 categories of recyclables and solid waste by the end of the year. Their decision to no longer import yang laji, or "foreign garbage", applies to plastic, textiles and mixed paper. It ...
Fri, 12:56: Albert Einstein's happiness note sold for $1.6m https://t.co/hsTRwJhbHT "A calm and humble life will bring more happiness than the pursuit... Fri, 14:26: A giant. @ Nelson Mandela Square https://t.co/4tLux5opmF Fri, 15:57: RT @BBCBreaking: Catalan parliament votes to declare independence from Spain, just as Madrid looks set to impose direct rule https://t.co/S... Fri, 16:05: Me and My Job: Ivan O'Brien https://t.co/BBi6vIcEkc My old friend @ivanobp on publishing. Fri, 17:47: RT @AYdiplomat: Belgian PM gets it. #Catalonia https://t.co/dYfrLjyKuc Fri, 18:57: The 2017 short fiction Hugos - how I voted https://t.co/20v70rJvUH Fri, 20:05: This was utterly amazing. #LIEC https://t.co/9zlahRh1SW Fri, 20:48: ...
Vince Cable has called on the government to urgently take action to ensure UK organisations don't lose out on loans from the European Investment Bank (EIB). The housing association Stonewater has said it may build around 300 fewer homes, after its application for a £100m loan ground to a halt because the EIB is waiting for assurances from the UK government. Other projects still waiting for approval by the EIB include a £500m loan to upgrade signalling on the London Underground, a £375m loan to build Bombardier trains, £100m to upgrade a hospital in Hampshire and £60m for economic development ...
It could have been a watershed moment for the party or, if I am being optimistic, even British politics way back in 2013 if the party's leaders had taken seriously allegations made by female members on their encounters with Lord Rennard. If the leaders had acted differently on the claims and given the women the respect that they deserved it may very well have opened the Pandora's box of sexism within British politics. I say this not as though it were a missed opportune moment for party political kudos but rather as a lost opportunity for a Liberal party to ...
New research by the London School of Economics Centre for Economic Performance and the Liberal Democrats has revealed just how damaging a no deal Brexit will be to Neath Port Talbot. A no deal Brexit will mean an economic hit of £370,000,000 to Neath Port Talbot. David Davis and other members of the cabinet have recently been talking up a "no deal Brexit", but this data show that the country simply couldn't afford it. If the UK exits the EU in March 2019 without a deal, Britain's economic output (gross value added) in the five years after Brexit would be ...
Vince Cable has warned that a rise in personal debt and insolvencies will get worse if the Bank of England goes ahead and raises interest rates. It comes as figures showed that the number of people registering as insolvent in England and Wales hit a five-year high in the three months to September. In total 27,807 people in England and Wales registered as insolvent between July and September, the biggest total since the third quarter of 2012. Applications for individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs) - a way to manage personal debt - reached a record high of 15,523. Liberal Democrat Leader ...
Cycling or indeed walking around Switch Island to go to say Aintree Village or ASDA from Maghull is a bit of a performance because you have to go around the island in an anti-clockwise direction and out of your way. This huge vehicle junction where 3 duel carriageways, 1 single carriageway road and 2 motorways join has evolved over time rather than been planned or so it seems. It's far from being pedestrian or cyclist friendly, indeed its a dangerous place altogether as the numerous weekly vehicle accidents prove. Highways England are you listening? However, if you know your way ...
Sat 28th
09:31
LibLInk: Paul Scriven: Jared O'Mara's comments are "the most disgusting I've seen in 30 years of pol...
Paul Scriven has been writing for Politics Home about the behaviour and comments of Sheffield Hallam MP Jared O'Mara. He says that they are the most disgusting he has seen in politics. I have to say that's quite a high bar, remembering what I do about the negativity of the Labour Party in Sheffield when I lived in that area. He makes the point that O'Mara was going for elected office not long after the comments were made and there are recent episodes which suggest that the journey he says he has been on is pretty short. hese outbursts are ...
The title of Eric Frank Russell's science-fiction novel Wasp comes from the idea that one wasp in a speeding car can annoy the driver to the extent of causing a crash and hence damage out of all proportion to the wasp's size and strength.
From Sheena Wellington : Wighton Heritage Centre, Central Library - today - Saturday 28th October, 11am (doors open 10.30am) Cappuccino Concert with Alan Brown, singer, songwriter and raconteur. Tickets £5 (tea/coffee available for small donation). Alan Brown was born and raised less than half a mile from where the present day Wighton Library stands and Dundee has been a major influence on his career to date. Exiled from the city since 1970 he is difficult to pigeonhole: singer, songwriter, musician, composer, novelist, journalist, after dinner speaker, playwright, poet, standup, tour guide, and is probably best summed as - an entertainer! ...
Originally posted on kilfoyleonpolitics: I am in no doubt that there are two key elements to the success or otherwise of the Liverpool City Region. One is the governance arrangements; the other is the lead given by its biggest constituent...
