In September, I wrote about the Government's suggestion that I return to my office. Admittedly, I thought that it was humorous, but no more than that. But now, Boris suggests that I should stop slacking - I paraphrase, although not that much. Well, I wish him the best of luck with that. Admittedly, in my case, I don't really have an office to return to - my old office closed on 28 February, and its replacement isn't ready to be occupied yet - but now that I am expected to work no more than three days in an office even ...
Today my nomination papers have been submitted and I am officially the Lib Dem Mayoral Candidate for Liverpool. I am looking forward to the campaign although, because of Covid restrictions, it will be very different to any I have fought ... Continue reading →
Continuing my posts on this year's BSFA shortlists (and again, this isn't a set of recommendations, it's confessing my personal quirks). Here I got two of my nominations on the ballot; the other two that I nominated unsuccessfully were "Rocket Man" by Louis Evans (Interzone, March 2020) and "A Voyage to Queensthroat" by Anya Johanna DeNiro (Strange Horizons, August 2020) It's quite a diverse bag. One of these nominees, at 154 pages, must be nudging up against the 40,000 word limit (and was also on the Best Novel long list); another is less than 2,200 words long. I'm defensive of ...
This week, the Free (Libre) and Open Source Software community are attempting to remove an activist (known for their repugnant and bigoted views) from the board of the Free Software Foundation, an important institution in the FLOSS community. The activist - Richard Stallman - founded the organisation and is widely considered to be the founder of the Free Software movement. He is also something of a cult figure amongst many, who respect his achievements and follow his leadership in all walks of life - something of a problem with leaders that (in a most charitable reading) are thoughtless about who ...
One of C Northcote Parkinson's observations in his seminal "Parkinson's Law" (published 1957 and still well worth a read) is that when successful organisations get round to building grandiose headquarters in London that usually means they they are past their peak and thereafter decline. I think there is a parallel here with Tory politicians' obsession with draping themselves with the Union Flag, or even two or three, whenever they present themselves in public. Indeed there are hints of a "mine's bigger than yours" competition. Of course associating themselves with imperial grandeur is nothing new for the Conservatives . I remember ...
Sun, 14:04: I'm at Pixel Museum in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Bruxelles-Capitale https://t.co/AN9EtWNtYL https://t.co/NabHRexmUR Sun, 14:48: RT @olivernmoody: I don't understand what the UK is trying to achieve with this line of argument. Germany spent €375m funding BioNTech, ~20... Sun, 16:22: RT @Nickpheas: @olivernmoody @nwbrux Of course you understand. Everything the brush government says is about ginning up their base to hate... Sun, 17:16: This is silly prejudice against New Who in operation. Eaters of Light is a lovely historical written by the only person to have contributed to both Old Who and New Who. The Time Monster is a mess in terms ...
The problems in social care during the pandemic was more than just a lack of PPE to care homes. Firstly, many more people receive care in their homes than in care homes, and secondly, the chronic shortage of funds for both adult and children's social care is an increasing problem. Overall, we should have intensive care beds in hospitals for 25,000 people to accommodate normal winter pressures. In pandemic circumstances, I'm not sure of the number, but I do know that, in the last year, people were repeatedly not taken to hospital despite the fact that they were very sick. ...
Many of us had suspected this for some time but it does not reassure to hear it from an authorative source, the Independent reports on the views of Michael Barton, the former chief constable of Durham constabulary, who believes that controversial new measures proposed by the government which allow the police to flex "their muscles" through officers on the ground, amounts to a major step towards a system of "paramilitary policing". Mr Barton compared the UK government to "repressive regimes" that exert power via their police: His remarks to The Observer come after riot police could be seen pushing people ...
i) births and deaths 29 March 1936: birth of Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, who wrote the incidental music for the story we now call The Aztecs (First Doctor, 1964) 29 March 1938: birth of Barry Jackson who played Ascaris in the story we now call The Romans (First Doctor, 1964), Jeff Garvey in Mission to the Unknown (First Doctor era, 1965) and Drax in The Armageddon Factor (Fourth Doctor, 1979). ii) broadcast anniversaries 29 March 1969: broadcast of fourth episode of The Space Pirates. Clancey and the Doctor try to convince Madeleine that Caven is behind the space pirates, but ...
DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 29 MARCH 2021 West Marketgait (northbound from Nethergate to West Port roundabout), West Port roundabout (south side of outer lane), Hawkhill (westbound from West Port roundabout to Brown Street) - closed for 2 weeks for Bus Priority Improvement Works. Forthcoming Road Works Riverside Avenue (at Wright Avenue) - off peak temporary traffic lights on Thursday 8 April for Scottish Water work.
