I tend to avoid remakes like the coronavirus, especially when an original film still occupies a special place in my heart. I don't know how many times I have watched Alfred Hitchcock's 1940 Oscar-winning black and white version of Rebecca but I can still see flashbacks from it if I close my eyes. So I [...]
"A decade of data shows that giving people cash instead of food or other in-kind aid empowers recipients, is harder to steal, and pumps money into local economies. In some settings, recipients' assets, nutrition, and even survival outcomes increase." Jina Moore explains why the Nobel-winning World Food Program is one of many agencies increasingly handing out cash rather than goods. Barry Eichengreen says Scotland needs a new currency if it wants independence "Those studies led to my questioning the story that our society told about those we call "mad," and I got a book contract to dig into that question. ...
If I'd known I'd still be writing Lord Bonkers' Diary 30 years after I dashed off a trial version for Liberator, I'd have given the old brute a better name - Lord Uppingham, for instance. The name Lord Bonkers was a tribute to Colonel Mad, who used to write about horse racing in Private Eye. I had already written a column as Captain Stark for what turned out to be the last issue of an obscure cricket magazine, though I'm sure it wasn't entirely my fault that it folded. Anyway, I thought it might be interesting now and then to ...
[IMG: Fair Council Tax] A motion to the 21st October Folkestone and Hythe District Council meeting proposed by Labour Group Leader Connor McConville calling to look at options for reduced or zero Council Tax for Care Leavers aged 22-25 in Folkestone and Hythe was passed tonight by 28 votes for with one absention. The motion was passed unamended and is at The motion was seconded by Lib Dem Councillor and Cabinet Member for Revenues and Benefits Tim Prater. In seconding the motion, Tim said: "I'm delighted to second this motion, and if its passed, to carry through the recommendations ...
[IMG: Fireworks] At the online Folkestone and Hythe District Council (F&HDC) meeting tonight (21 October), Lib Dems Tim Prater and Gary Fuller successfully moved a motion on fireworks that recevied wide cross-Party backing. The motion sought to introduce measures to reduce the distress that fireworks cause to the elderly, children, pets and other animals, while also recognising the pleasure that fireworks bring to many. It also sought to ban the release of sky lanterns from F&HDC land. After debate, the motion was carried with 27 votes for with 2 abstensions. In moving the motion, Tim said: "I'm sure that all ...
As mentioned yesterday, I'm following the multi-platform Doctor Who "event", Time Lord Victorious, with great interest. Yesterday it was webcasts and a book; today it's comics and audios Second frame for page three of each of the two volumes of Defender of the Daleks:, written by Jody Houser, art by Roberta Ingranata, colours by Enrica Eren Angiolini (NB an all-woman team): I really liked this. We start promisingly with the Doctor pursued to various destinations by the Daleks, who he eventually allows to bring him to their HQ. There he meets a battered Dalek strategist, with whom he strikes an ...
More selection news from Wales, ahead of the May 2021 Senedd elections. This time it's for the Vale of Glamorgan: Sally Stephenson has been selected as the Welsh Liberal Democrat candidate to contest the Vale of Glamorgan constituency at the 2021 Senedd election. From living in Cowbridge and owning stationery and local school uniform shop The Pencil Case on Cowbridge high street, Sally says owning her own shop has given her first-hand experience of the pressures of running a small business in Wales; from the day-to-day operations to the impact of business rates, Covid and Brexit. "I am honoured to ...
From Sunday 25 October, opening times for Birmingham's cemeteries and crematoria will change. The current pandemic has meant that the Council has had to respond to new guidance and changes around bereavement, with limited hours needing to be in place at cemeteries, crematoria, and surrounding grounds. This is to reflect the increase in numbers of funerals taking place and the need to maintain social distancing. This arrangement has now been reviewed following the changes with daylight saving hours. As such, all Birmingham City Council cemeteries and crematoria will be open on weekdays from 2-4pm (or 6pm where there is flood ...
I recently guested on Michael Bossetta's Social Media and Politics show, talking about... social media and politics. In particular, how the media coverage of election campaigns...
In the paper last Friday (Guardian 16 October) was a short item saying that the heads of Germany's 16 federal states had agreed on new uniform restrictions to contain [coronavirus] outbreaks. Two examples were given: in cities and regions with more than 35 infections per 100 000 over a seven-day period, masks to be worn in all public places: .....with more than 50 cases, private gatherings be limited to 10...bars and restaurants ordered to close at 11pm.The item did not mention the role of the central government in coming to these agreements but this site: gives a fairly comprehensive ...
The Independent reports on the views of Mark Sedwill, who is the cabinet secretary forced out by the prime minister in June, that Dominic Cummings' flouting of lockdown rules "clearly undermined" efforts to win the public's support to fight the pandemic. He has branded the chief No 10 aide's notorious journeys to and around County Durham "a mistake" - after Boris Johnson claimed he acted "reasonably" and refused to sack him. He also acknowledged the government did not have the "exact measures" in place to confront Covid-19: "I think there is a genuine question about whether we could have been ...
Campaigners, outside Maghull Town Hall (June 2013) trying to save Sefton Borough's high grade agricultural land from development. I have said many times that there is no need to build on high grade agricultural land across England. As a Sefton Councillor, a Maghull Town Councillor, Lydiate Parish Councillor and then after coming off both Sefton & Maghull Councils I fought alongside environmental campaigners opposing the Sefton Local Plan which designated high grade agricultural land for house building. We LOST.... This is a matter I've blogged about far more times than I care to recall but the underlying feeling of those ...
Tue, 12:27: The Kalahari Typing School for Men, by Alexander McCall Smith As usual, the homely wisdom of the old ways wins out, sins are expiated rather than necessarily exposed, and everyone is back in the right place at the end. #nwbooks https://t.co/WtM50kW017 https://t.co/4TpFcN4QT4 https://t.co/0icjC9LBIi Tue, 12:56: RT @EbooksDirect: With deep regret, we have to announce that starting in January 2021, we will no longer be selling #ebooks directly to UK... Tue, 13:06: Pile: Petals from St. Klaed's computer, by Brian Aldiss, illustrated by Mike Wilks A superb depiction of the crazed architecture of the city of Pile (and its ...
After 2016, it's understandable why media outlets are taking care to emphasise that even polls showing Joe Biden clearly ahead of Donald Trump...
You will almost certainly be registered to vote if you are reading Liberal Democrat Voice, as you are a politically engaged individual. But are all your neighbours, friends and family also on the electoral roll? Feel free to share this article with them, as adapted for your local Council. If you are not registered to vote, you could be harming your chances of getting credit when you need it, and even your access to a home-delivered COVID-19 test. You are not automatically registered to vote, (included on the electoral roll), even if you have lived here for many years. You ...
Wed 21st
08:30
Whoniversaries 21 October: Alan Rowe, Peter Moffatt, Abominable Snowmen #4, Pirate Planet #4, Rosa
i) births and deaths 21 October 2000: death of Alan Rowe who played Evans and the voice of Space Control in The Moonbase (Second Doctor, 1967), Edward of Wessex in The Time Warrior (Thrd Doctor, 1973-74), Skinsale in Horror of Fang Rock (Fourth Doctor, 1977) and Garif in Full Circle (Fourth Doctor, 1980). 21 October 2007: death of Peter Moffatt, who directed State of Decay (Fourth Doctor, 1980), The Visitation (Fifth Doctor, 1982), Mawdryn Undead (Fifth Doctor, 1983), The Five Doctors (Fifth Doctor era, 1983), The Twin Dilemma (Sixth Doctor, 1984) and The Two Doctors (Sixth Doctor era, 1985). 21 ...
I was pleased to received an update last week that Police Scotland had given assurances that it is assisting in the city council's school road safety campaign by deploying officers to areas surrounding schools with the new school term starting this week. I have had numerous concerns from residents about safety outside our local schools and, in particular, the need for all drivers to adhere to the 20mph speed limit at schools to assist pupil safety. In the run up to the October school holidays I had, in particular, concerns raised about the speed of a minority of vehicles around ...
