The thrust of the BNP's party election broadcast tonight's seems to be on distorting the events surrounding the last two world wars and trying to make it fit their version of history.
Oddly, the BNP claim that Britain was fighting to stop a European super state from 1939-45. They do mention, in passing, the Nazis. But fail to mention how many members of the BNP are or have been involved in Nazi saluting, or other pro Nazi activities. They ask "Are you proud to be British ?" I am, but not when I see history being re-written in this way.
They also ask what those who have fallen in world wars would think if they saw the immigrant walking our streets today, claiming this is what the last two world wars were about. Actually, I imagine my ancestors who died fighting for this country would imagine how lucky we all are to have a free press, the right to travel freely and the rule of law in place instead of thuggery, hatred and protectionism.
When the BNP opened their broadcast claiming that all the other political parties were up to no good (expenses wise) and the BNP were different. I have to agree. After all the Tories, Lib Dems, Labour and UKIP are all led by people who are not convicted criminals. The leadership and executives of these parties are not made up of people with convictions for violence, racism and possessing weapons.
The BNP has a right under our freedoms to sell their message. However, it is a shame that they chose to distort history. I am making use of my democratic rights to say how much I oppose what they have to say, and I don't doubt for one moment that should their kind ever come to power these freedoms would disappear as quickly as they did in Nazi Germany in the 1930s.
5/26/2009
5/23/2009
On the ground in Norwich North
In the wake of the allegations against Ian Gibson, Labour MP for Norwich North, I thought it would be interesting to share with you comments that I have heard from constituents of Dr Gibson since the news became public.
I work in the heart of Dr Gibson's constituency and live on the edge of it and many of my work colleagues form part of his core electorate, and the reaction from them was akin to being let down by a trusted friend. Ian Gibson has been able to position himself in recent years not just as a Labour MP, but also as the anti establishment champion of local people and it is those people who felt that Labour had let them down buy Ian Gibson hadn't who feel most upset.
"I vote for him because he seemed like one of us and not one of them", said one colleague.
"Of all the MPs I never expected him to do this", said another.
But summing it all up for me was one colleague who said "I don't like Labour but I would have voted for him, but not now".
If you had asked me a week ago if I thought Ian Gibson would be named by The Telegraph, I would have said it was highly unlikely. Sadly, and I mean this genuinely as a Lib Dem and constituent of his, I feel what has happened is a great shame. Ian Gibson is that rare thing, an MP who does a good job of nursing his constituency who transcends political bias and draws his support from people who are actually bitterly opposed to the political party they represent.
Should he go ? Probably yes. Is it a shame ? Yes, I think it is.
I work in the heart of Dr Gibson's constituency and live on the edge of it and many of my work colleagues form part of his core electorate, and the reaction from them was akin to being let down by a trusted friend. Ian Gibson has been able to position himself in recent years not just as a Labour MP, but also as the anti establishment champion of local people and it is those people who felt that Labour had let them down buy Ian Gibson hadn't who feel most upset.
"I vote for him because he seemed like one of us and not one of them", said one colleague.
"Of all the MPs I never expected him to do this", said another.
But summing it all up for me was one colleague who said "I don't like Labour but I would have voted for him, but not now".
If you had asked me a week ago if I thought Ian Gibson would be named by The Telegraph, I would have said it was highly unlikely. Sadly, and I mean this genuinely as a Lib Dem and constituent of his, I feel what has happened is a great shame. Ian Gibson is that rare thing, an MP who does a good job of nursing his constituency who transcends political bias and draws his support from people who are actually bitterly opposed to the political party they represent.
Should he go ? Probably yes. Is it a shame ? Yes, I think it is.
5/20/2009
Star Trek
I went to see the new Star Trek movie last night and really enjoyed it. However, if there was one area I could fault it would have to be the dire accents.
The guy playing Checkov (is that how you spell it) seemed like an extra from "Allo Allo", speaking some sort of weird accent that sounded neither Russian not French, but somewhere in between. However, the worst criticism has to be for the usually very good and admittedly still very funny for Simon Pegg. He plays Scotty in a good comedy way, but his accent never really reached Scotland and got further and further south as the film progressed. We all like to criticise Americans attempting poor British accents, but surely Simon Pegg could have learnt something from those from the other side of the pond (the original Scotty and his fellow Canadian Mike Myers who does a great comedy Scottish accent ) or at least spoken to one of the many Scots living in the England in ordet to do the accent some justice.
As to the other actors, Kirk, Spock and the rest were great, but the best for my money was the guy playing Dr McCoy. Brilliant film though and well worth watching, even if you were never Star Trek fan.
The guy playing Checkov (is that how you spell it) seemed like an extra from "Allo Allo", speaking some sort of weird accent that sounded neither Russian not French, but somewhere in between. However, the worst criticism has to be for the usually very good and admittedly still very funny for Simon Pegg. He plays Scotty in a good comedy way, but his accent never really reached Scotland and got further and further south as the film progressed. We all like to criticise Americans attempting poor British accents, but surely Simon Pegg could have learnt something from those from the other side of the pond (the original Scotty and his fellow Canadian Mike Myers who does a great comedy Scottish accent ) or at least spoken to one of the many Scots living in the England in ordet to do the accent some justice.
As to the other actors, Kirk, Spock and the rest were great, but the best for my money was the guy playing Dr McCoy. Brilliant film though and well worth watching, even if you were never Star Trek fan.
5/19/2009
Norfolk MPs with nothing to hide print additional costs allowances online
Four Norfolk MPs who clearly feel they have nothing to hide regarding their expenses have decided to print their additional costs allowances details for the last four years on their websites today.
You can find the details at http://www.normanlamb.org.uk , http://www.richardbacon.org.uk , http://www.iangibsonmp.org.uk and http://www.charlesclarke.org.uk .
You can find the details at http://www.normanlamb.org.uk , http://www.richardbacon.org.uk , http://www.iangibsonmp.org.uk and http://www.charlesclarke.org.uk .
5/17/2009
Going against my better judgment and being proved right and wrong at the same time
I have always been a but reluctant to follow the crowd. This is probably why I am a Lib Dem and an Everton supporter too (my support for Norwich is a local thing, much like supporting England, but Everton are my first team). So when MP3 players started to become the ideal replacement for older music players, I was somewhat reluctant to follow, sheep like, all the way to Apple and their iPod. My wife was also less than keen on their rather box like simplicity and instead opted for another brand, and in an attempt to avoid lots of competing cables and chargers, I later bought the same as her.
Now, nearly 5 years later, our MP3 players were on their last legs and my wife decided she wanted a new one for her birthday. Somewhat inspired by seeing someone elses new iPod Nano in a flashy colour, my wife decided that the Apple iPod was the way to go, and again to avoid clashes between competing cables and pc based media players, I too have bitten the bullet and bought an iPod Nano.
Now for me, this is a big step. I have always slightly resented that fact that any one company can have so much of the market in the way Apple do. On top of this I react strongly to those who would buy anything with an Apple logo on it. There are some people I know who would buy cat shit if apple sold it as iCatShit.
So how am I getting on with it ? Well, sort of okay. The gadget itself is a simple and fairly straight forward device. My problem is the iTunes software. I am at a loss as to why some parts of it are counter intuitive ? Why did it refuse to recognise my iPod all afternoon until I went through several lengthy procedures in order to reset parts of the system until it again recognised my iPod ? It's not a great problem overall for me to work out a way around some of the problems. But for anyone not PC savvy, it would have been a nightmare and Apple's support both in terms of printed instructions and web support is not that impressive.
In truth, I am getting on with the iPod fine, but it is always somehow slightly satisfying to find that something you were resistant too (in this case the software) actually does justify why you have been against it for so long.
5/15/2009
Bar Chart Time
Update - This is intended to be slightly tongue in cheek. For all those who take it seriously and want to do % instead, I could ahve done this for MPs being accused of serious expenses fiddles (flipping, etc), and as I read it not one Lib Dem has "flipped" his or her second home. Indeed one Lib Dem MP is accused of getting Sky TV, which to me does not seem like an offence at all.
5/14/2009
Quote of the year from disgraced Tory MP Andrew MacKay
On Radio Five Live at about 5.15 this evening they were interviewing a reporter from Andrew MacKay's constituency regarding his somewhat dodgy second home expenses. The reporter told Five Live that they spoke to Mr MacKay yesterday before the Telegraph printed its allegations to him and before any stories about him were known, and Mr MacKay told them words to the effect of
"I have checked all my expenses claims fore the last four years and am sure I have done nothing wrong".
But perhaps worse is the fact that he claims to have checked his expenses and he saw nothing wrong in what he did. Doesn' this say something about his judgement ?
"I have checked all my expenses claims fore the last four years and am sure I have done nothing wrong".
But perhaps worse is the fact that he claims to have checked his expenses and he saw nothing wrong in what he did. Doesn' this say something about his judgement ?
Pressure being ramped on on Mr Speaker
A growig list of MPs are now coming out openly and saying they will vote against Michael Martin in next weeks confidence vote in him.
Lib Dem MPs Norman Lamb and Chris Huhne have today openly come out and other are expected to follow them in supporting the motion put forward by a Tory MP.
All I can say is it can't come soon enough.
Lib Dem MPs Norman Lamb and Chris Huhne have today openly come out and other are expected to follow them in supporting the motion put forward by a Tory MP.
All I can say is it can't come soon enough.
5/12/2009
The true cost of "Tory Dogma" over common sense when it comes to privatising council services
The "big thing" for Tory councils at the moment is to try and make out that they are attempting to save money for tax payers by privatising and outsourcing services that most people would consider to be essential core council jobs. However, it is far from clear if this ever saves money, and in the long term it can cost council tax payers considerably more.
Take for example Broadland District Council who privatised and farmed out their legal services jobs a few years ago ? Do they pay less now ? Do they hell. One Broadland Councillor told me that they now pay tens of thousands more now for legal advice than they used to when it was in house. On top of that, access to legal people for informal chats in council offices, often an important way for councillors to gather information, is no longer possible.
So why is the relevant ? Apparently some Norfolk councils and Essex County Council are also privatising core services too. What will be the benefits given the example of Broadland Council ? Probably none, and possible it might be detrimental, not only to the council coffers but also to local democracy. But it will allow the Tories to make out they are doing something.
The problem is though that certain core services that some councils want to push out to private companies involve highly trained staff with lots of qualifications who actually work for less than the market rate in order to work in local government. Whilst a lot of these people can be transferred across at these lower wages, they will, working in the private sector, inevitably have to be paid the market rate sooner or later and, as a result, it costs more in the long term to get them to do the job as private sector employees.
But who cares. It the electorate will buy in to the idea of making cuts and privatising, isn't that all that matters ?
Take for example Broadland District Council who privatised and farmed out their legal services jobs a few years ago ? Do they pay less now ? Do they hell. One Broadland Councillor told me that they now pay tens of thousands more now for legal advice than they used to when it was in house. On top of that, access to legal people for informal chats in council offices, often an important way for councillors to gather information, is no longer possible.
So why is the relevant ? Apparently some Norfolk councils and Essex County Council are also privatising core services too. What will be the benefits given the example of Broadland Council ? Probably none, and possible it might be detrimental, not only to the council coffers but also to local democracy. But it will allow the Tories to make out they are doing something.
The problem is though that certain core services that some councils want to push out to private companies involve highly trained staff with lots of qualifications who actually work for less than the market rate in order to work in local government. Whilst a lot of these people can be transferred across at these lower wages, they will, working in the private sector, inevitably have to be paid the market rate sooner or later and, as a result, it costs more in the long term to get them to do the job as private sector employees.
But who cares. It the electorate will buy in to the idea of making cuts and privatising, isn't that all that matters ?
5/11/2009
Michael Martin sickens me
Listening to "Mr Speaker", Michael Martin, during the commons debate on expense today was absolutely sickening.
Mr Martin, a man not averse to taking full advantage of the expenses system and perhaps, in some eyes, being seen as just as bad as those MPs now caught out by The Telegraph, decided to launch a fierce verbal attack on Labour MP Kate Hoey and Lib Dem MP Norman Baker, both long time campaigners for greater exposure of MPs expenses.
What made Mr Martin's responses to Ms Hoey and Mr Baker was the way he chose to lecture other MPs about their conduct but then criticised personally Kate Hoey for going on Sky news to talk about the expenses issue and accused Mr Baker of giving the press "exactly what they wanted to hear".
This is the same Mr Speaker who refused the advice of his own legal advisers and spent extra tax payers money seeking a second legal opinion on whether he could challenge previous attempts to allow public scrutiny of MPs expenses. He is also the same person who now six months after he was ordered to reveal the full details, has still failed to do so.
To call in the police to deal with the whistle blower rather than to ask the police to investigate possible fraud by MPs shows just how out of touch Mr Martin is.
The problems with parliament and expenses start with the systems within parliament, and Mr Martin, it appears to me, is more concerned with defending these indefensible systems and not with ensuring parliament is relevant and trusted by the electorate.
Mr Martin, a man not averse to taking full advantage of the expenses system and perhaps, in some eyes, being seen as just as bad as those MPs now caught out by The Telegraph, decided to launch a fierce verbal attack on Labour MP Kate Hoey and Lib Dem MP Norman Baker, both long time campaigners for greater exposure of MPs expenses.
What made Mr Martin's responses to Ms Hoey and Mr Baker was the way he chose to lecture other MPs about their conduct but then criticised personally Kate Hoey for going on Sky news to talk about the expenses issue and accused Mr Baker of giving the press "exactly what they wanted to hear".
This is the same Mr Speaker who refused the advice of his own legal advisers and spent extra tax payers money seeking a second legal opinion on whether he could challenge previous attempts to allow public scrutiny of MPs expenses. He is also the same person who now six months after he was ordered to reveal the full details, has still failed to do so.
To call in the police to deal with the whistle blower rather than to ask the police to investigate possible fraud by MPs shows just how out of touch Mr Martin is.
The problems with parliament and expenses start with the systems within parliament, and Mr Martin, it appears to me, is more concerned with defending these indefensible systems and not with ensuring parliament is relevant and trusted by the electorate.
5/09/2009
"I was working within the rules"
Everyone now knows that the rules concerning parliamentary expenses for MP were perverse, yet the constant flow of MPs claiming "I worked within the rules" seems totally at odds with everyone elses moral compass.
We all know now that MPs were working withing the rules, but we are all concerned that so many MPs lacked the common sense and decency to see that their expenses claim were totally indefensible to the electorate.
No wonder we have been told for many years that out MPs are the least corrupt in world because there was no need for overt corruption when there was a legal method for them to be corrupt.
We all know now that MPs were working withing the rules, but we are all concerned that so many MPs lacked the common sense and decency to see that their expenses claim were totally indefensible to the electorate.
No wonder we have been told for many years that out MPs are the least corrupt in world because there was no need for overt corruption when there was a legal method for them to be corrupt.
5/07/2009
Why was the UKIP Party Election Broadcast made for school children ?
My wife said to me as the UKIP election broadcast was being broadcast, "Why is the voice over sounding like it is being broadcast as a programme for school children ?".
A good point, and after rewinding it on Sky+, I couldn't help but agree. A slow deliberate slightly condescending voice over with some rather amateurish graphics spoke as if the person watching is a little bit thick. Explaining rather simple facts slowly, like someone was explaining to their grandmother how to use digital TV for the first time.
Rather bizarrely and in complete contrast, Nigel Farage, the UKIP leader, appeared to be entering a competition to see who could say the most words in 30 seconds, such was his hurried delivery.
Now I know UKIP are not as well off as other parties, but with such a simple message to sell and one that ought to appeal to so many people (including me to some extent), they could have done better.
Phil Woolas - New Labour Toady gets does of his own medicine
Wasn't it nice to see Labour Minister Phil Woolas looking embarrassed and unsure of himself when outflanked and our campaigned by Joanna Lumley on the Ghurkas issue today.
Phil Woolas is know to many Lib Dems as the man who allowed his campaign for election in 1995 to become dominated by innuendo, questionable electoral practises and ultimately saw the start of the way Labour had campaigned for the last 14 years. "Never let the truth get in the way of a chance to win votes", has been Labour's mantra since the 1995 by-election in Littleborough and Saddleworth, and in 1997 along with many other New Labour Toadies, Mr Woolas got himself elected.
Since 1997 Mr Woolas has been notable within Labour ranks for his unstinting loyalty, be this supporting illegal wars in Iraq, imposing laughably low increases to pensions, making students pay more, breaking election promises, supporting ID cards or any other number of things that would have been inconceivable back in his days as a student activist, Mr Woolas has defended New Labour unstintingly. .
Does opposing the rights of people who have served this country's armed forces with honour fit with Mr Woolas' previous membership of the Anti Nazi League ? To me, it seems slightly odd. But even more so, someone who was head of the NUS systematically supporting over a number of years things that have put ever more burdens on to students seems to me to be the actions of a man who would do anything to prove his loyalty.
But today, he was put on the spot, couldn't rely on a spin doctor to prepare and brief in the way that New Labour Toadies have become used to. And wasn't it good to see !
Now let's hope that the Lib Dems in Oldham East can pull their fingers out and finally unseat Mr Woolas next time because in my opinion, if there is any new Labour MP who deserves to lose his seat, it's Mr Woolas.
Phil Woolas is know to many Lib Dems as the man who allowed his campaign for election in 1995 to become dominated by innuendo, questionable electoral practises and ultimately saw the start of the way Labour had campaigned for the last 14 years. "Never let the truth get in the way of a chance to win votes", has been Labour's mantra since the 1995 by-election in Littleborough and Saddleworth, and in 1997 along with many other New Labour Toadies, Mr Woolas got himself elected.
Since 1997 Mr Woolas has been notable within Labour ranks for his unstinting loyalty, be this supporting illegal wars in Iraq, imposing laughably low increases to pensions, making students pay more, breaking election promises, supporting ID cards or any other number of things that would have been inconceivable back in his days as a student activist, Mr Woolas has defended New Labour unstintingly. .
Does opposing the rights of people who have served this country's armed forces with honour fit with Mr Woolas' previous membership of the Anti Nazi League ? To me, it seems slightly odd. But even more so, someone who was head of the NUS systematically supporting over a number of years things that have put ever more burdens on to students seems to me to be the actions of a man who would do anything to prove his loyalty.
But today, he was put on the spot, couldn't rely on a spin doctor to prepare and brief in the way that New Labour Toadies have become used to. And wasn't it good to see !
Now let's hope that the Lib Dems in Oldham East can pull their fingers out and finally unseat Mr Woolas next time because in my opinion, if there is any new Labour MP who deserves to lose his seat, it's Mr Woolas.
5/03/2009
Down to League One and justice has been done
Sorry to mention Norwich City on this blog rather than my Norwich blog, but my thoughts on this need as wide an audience as possible.
Let's not make excuses for Norwich's relegation this year. In truth, yes, we have had some abysmal refereeing decisions in so many games this year that it may well have cost us points, but in reality Norwich are down to League One for one reason, and that is because we are a bloody poor team, reliant on loan players and lacking any real backbone and spine aside from Sammy Clingan and perhaps Gary Docherty.
Norwich are apparently going to ask fans not to ask for their £72.20 rebate for going down to be refunded. Sorry, I am having it back. Call me what you like, but it is nothing to the names I would like to call those wearing Norwich shirts today.
5/02/2009
What the headline should really say
The fact is that this story should be titled "Labour MP scared he will lose his seat". Do you think Mr Clarke would be so concerned if he had a 17,000 majority ?
With a slim majority of the Lib Dems in Norwich South, Clarke really is starting to look more and more scared by the day.
With a slim majority of the Lib Dems in Norwich South, Clarke really is starting to look more and more scared by the day.
4/30/2009
19 Firsts Meme
I am not sure I should thank Irfan Ahmed for tagging me for a meme on 19 firsts, but here is my attempt at answering most of the questions.
First Job
Abbey National (YTS) aged 16. Soon left for full time properly paid job at Norwich Union.
First Real Job
As above,
First Role in Politics
Canvasser in local elections (1991)
First Car
1.0 litre Austin Metro - A375 LVF (still know the plate number).
First Record
I have Wombles records and Bay City Roller's records from 1973/74. But the first I bought was "Shut Up" by Madness.
First Football Match
Norwich City vs Everton, November 3rd 1979. A nil, nil draw.
First Concert
Hue and Cry, 1989, LCR at the University of East Anglia.
First Country Visited
France - Day trip with school in 1985.
First TV Appearance
Romper Room (Anglia TV kids programme) in 1975, aged 4.
First Political Speech
Lectured Mid Norfolk Tory Richard Ryder MP in 1986 on a school visit to parliament on selling weapons to Iran and Iraq. boy was I proved right on that !
First Encounter with a Famous Person
Miss Rosalyn (presenter of Romper Room who famously had to leave the show because she got pregnant). I stood slightly in shock at her entrance to the room. The first really famous person I saw was Larry Grayson walking along the road in Great Yarmouth when he was doing the Generation Game.
First Brush With Death
Slipped on breakwater/Coastal defences when I was about 10. Had a "life flashes before your eyes" moment and a minor panic.
First House/Flat Owned
First flat I owned was in Fakenham when I was 30.
First Film Seen at a Cinema
Star Wars (not in 1978 it was called Star Wars, not Episode IV and not "A New Hope".
First Time on the Radio
Radio interview by Radio Norfolk at an election count, probably in 1998.
Oops - Forgot that I spoke to jeremy beadle on the old "Talk Radio" back in 1994 !
First Politician I Met
Richard Ryder (Tory). First Lib Dem MP I met was in 1993 and was Alex Carslisle)
First Book I Remember Reading
Oh there are too many to name as I cannot remember the first one. I read from an early age and preferred newspapers.
First Visit to the London Palladium
Never...
First Election
1991. My dad won a safe Tory seat by 23 votes and still holds the seat now.
I won't tag anyone else and I hope you have learnt something of interest about me.
First Job
Abbey National (YTS) aged 16. Soon left for full time properly paid job at Norwich Union.
First Real Job
As above,
First Role in Politics
Canvasser in local elections (1991)
First Car
1.0 litre Austin Metro - A375 LVF (still know the plate number).
First Record
I have Wombles records and Bay City Roller's records from 1973/74. But the first I bought was "Shut Up" by Madness.
First Football Match
Norwich City vs Everton, November 3rd 1979. A nil, nil draw.
First Concert
Hue and Cry, 1989, LCR at the University of East Anglia.
First Country Visited
France - Day trip with school in 1985.
First TV Appearance
Romper Room (Anglia TV kids programme) in 1975, aged 4.
First Political Speech
Lectured Mid Norfolk Tory Richard Ryder MP in 1986 on a school visit to parliament on selling weapons to Iran and Iraq. boy was I proved right on that !
First Encounter with a Famous Person
Miss Rosalyn (presenter of Romper Room who famously had to leave the show because she got pregnant). I stood slightly in shock at her entrance to the room. The first really famous person I saw was Larry Grayson walking along the road in Great Yarmouth when he was doing the Generation Game.
First Brush With Death
Slipped on breakwater/Coastal defences when I was about 10. Had a "life flashes before your eyes" moment and a minor panic.
First House/Flat Owned
First flat I owned was in Fakenham when I was 30.
First Film Seen at a Cinema
Star Wars (not in 1978 it was called Star Wars, not Episode IV and not "A New Hope".
First Time on the Radio
Radio interview by Radio Norfolk at an election count, probably in 1998.
Oops - Forgot that I spoke to jeremy beadle on the old "Talk Radio" back in 1994 !
First Politician I Met
Richard Ryder (Tory). First Lib Dem MP I met was in 1993 and was Alex Carslisle)
First Book I Remember Reading
Oh there are too many to name as I cannot remember the first one. I read from an early age and preferred newspapers.
First Visit to the London Palladium
Never...
First Election
1991. My dad won a safe Tory seat by 23 votes and still holds the seat now.
I won't tag anyone else and I hope you have learnt something of interest about me.
David Davis backs Lib Dem line on Trident
It is interesting to note that David Davis, the Tory MP, is effectively echoing the Lib Dem line on Trident, although you won't be surprised to read that Iain Dale has failed to mention this fact on his blog.
It will be a cold day in hell before Iain gives any credit to the Lib Dems.
It will be a cold day in hell before Iain gives any credit to the Lib Dems.
Confused of Norfolk writes on the subject of face masks and swine flu
The government are telling people that they believe that face masks would have little effect in stopping the spread of swine flu.
Is this a line that the public are going to swallow when in the very next sentences of the government statement they say that the government are urgently seeking new stocks of face masks for NHS staff ?
So do mask work or not ? If they are effective for NHS staff, why are they ineffective for the general public ? Or is it that the government are actually worried that if the general public but masks the government will not be able to get hold of any themselves ?
Is it any wonder that people seem very confused about this ?
Is this a line that the public are going to swallow when in the very next sentences of the government statement they say that the government are urgently seeking new stocks of face masks for NHS staff ?
So do mask work or not ? If they are effective for NHS staff, why are they ineffective for the general public ? Or is it that the government are actually worried that if the general public but masks the government will not be able to get hold of any themselves ?
Is it any wonder that people seem very confused about this ?
Is the government in cahoots with the travel industry
I note with some annoyance that the government are not going to tell people to not fly to Mexico, and for me personally I find this VERY annoying. Why ? Because I was due, in a few weeks to go on holiday to Mexico but now want to cancel. However my travel agent advise me that I cannot have a full refund unless the government explicitly says that travelling to Mexico should be banned. So instead I have had to cancel and will lose my deposit (which is not an inconsiderable sum).
It makes you wonder if the government are in cahoots with the travel industry on this matter.
It makes you wonder if the government are in cahoots with the travel industry on this matter.
4/29/2009
When did we stop speaking English ?
The silly advert on TV this evening promoting registering to vote in the European elections (no mention of English council elections by the way) highlights the fact that the people who put adverts together do not speak English properly.
At the end of the ad it says "Register by May 19th"
What ? May 19th ? 05/19 ? What the hell is going on ?
In Britain we say "19th May" and we write dates (and before 9/11 said dates) correctly stating the day before the month.
Who are these pillocks who think we speak American ?
At the end of the ad it says "Register by May 19th"
What ? May 19th ? 05/19 ? What the hell is going on ?
In Britain we say "19th May" and we write dates (and before 9/11 said dates) correctly stating the day before the month.
Who are these pillocks who think we speak American ?
4/28/2009
Proof that Labour CAN organise a piss up ... but not in a brewery
Okay, I know this was standard practise under the Tories too, but it does prove Labour do have the ability to organise a piss up somewhere.
Government's own Pandemic Plan is being ignored - Tamiflu is NOT going to people with Swine flu
The government's own pandemic flu plan was published less than two years ago, but already the government are ignore their own plans and advice, most notably in the areas of containment and treatment.
The government's plan stated that introduction of flu might be delayed by 3-4 weeks if aircraft were screened and new visitors to this country were monitored. This is not being done.
But more shocking than that is the way early UK victims of flu are being treated, or not, as the case turns out.
According to BBC News a couple who have just returned from Mexico with flu have been advised by NHS direct that they need to take Tamiflu, but it is not being provided to them.
What the hell is the point of this government having a pandemic plan if they are not going to initiate what it says until we reach pandemic levels set by the World Health Organisation.
It's much like having a plan to deal with flooding in your house that only comes in to operation when you have let the bath overflow. Why not simply turn the taps off ?
The government's plan stated that introduction of flu might be delayed by 3-4 weeks if aircraft were screened and new visitors to this country were monitored. This is not being done.
But more shocking than that is the way early UK victims of flu are being treated, or not, as the case turns out.
According to BBC News a couple who have just returned from Mexico with flu have been advised by NHS direct that they need to take Tamiflu, but it is not being provided to them.
What the hell is the point of this government having a pandemic plan if they are not going to initiate what it says until we reach pandemic levels set by the World Health Organisation.
It's much like having a plan to deal with flooding in your house that only comes in to operation when you have let the bath overflow. Why not simply turn the taps off ?
I'm not one of them ... honest guv !
For me there is nothing more tawdry than seeing an MP with a small majority trying to be a rebel on issues in order to make him seem more electable. But if there is one person that fits this billing in my eyes at the moment it has to be Charles Clarke.
Time and time again on issues upon which he seemed to be silent when holding important positions within the Labour Party he speaks out to me like he wants to be seen as the anti establishment, the anti New Labour candidate.
Personally, I'd prefer to judge him by the fact that he was a Labour loyalist during the war in Iraq, he was an apologist for all the economic problems built up under New Labour and just because now he has a major issue with Gordon Brown, it does not mean that the electorate should forget these things.
Time and time again on issues upon which he seemed to be silent when holding important positions within the Labour Party he speaks out to me like he wants to be seen as the anti establishment, the anti New Labour candidate.
Personally, I'd prefer to judge him by the fact that he was a Labour loyalist during the war in Iraq, he was an apologist for all the economic problems built up under New Labour and just because now he has a major issue with Gordon Brown, it does not mean that the electorate should forget these things.
4/26/2009
Re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic
Why am I left with the feeling that football, politics and to some degree the ongoing problems with the economy pale in to insignificange today compared with the potential flu pandemic.
We face the perfect storm or an economy in a mess and a potential pandemic flu. At present companies cannot afford to let people stay at home to look after children who may be at home if schools close, this means more companies going belly up or even greater government borrowing to tide the economy over. Meanwhile restaurants will close, pubs will stay empty, nobody will be spending any money, the economy will go through the floor, and whilst all this is happening thousands of people will be losing their lives.
Life, as we know it, is about to change dramatically.
We face the perfect storm or an economy in a mess and a potential pandemic flu. At present companies cannot afford to let people stay at home to look after children who may be at home if schools close, this means more companies going belly up or even greater government borrowing to tide the economy over. Meanwhile restaurants will close, pubs will stay empty, nobody will be spending any money, the economy will go through the floor, and whilst all this is happening thousands of people will be losing their lives.
Life, as we know it, is about to change dramatically.
Pandemic blindness - The shocking truth of a wasted 48 hours
I have decided to write on the subject of the swine flu outbreak in Mexico and the scandalous waste of 48 hours by the World Health Organisation and governments worldwide in tackling this virus.
The UK government, along with every other government worldwide (except Japan) has introduced no special measures for dealing with people arriving from Mexico despite the fact that the government's own Pandemic Flu procedures (based on Avian flu H5N1 mutating from the far east) say that travel restrictions and screenings of incoming flights should be introduced immediately to stop the spread of pandemic flu to this country.
And what are the World Health organisation doing ? They have raised their warning level to "3", which states that a new virus has emerged, but have not raised the warning level to "4" which would confirm that the virus can now be spread from human to human, despite evidence in the USA of people in close contact with people returning from Mexico suddenly becoming ill with Swine Flu. I read too that a group returning from Mexico to New Zealand are also ill with swine flu symptoms.
What worries me is this statement on CNN's websbite
"In Mexico, otherwise young and healthy people have been hit by the virus -- "one of the pieces of the puzzle that is worrying us," said the World Health Organisation's Gregory Hartl
Surely he should know that this is common with pandemic flu, like the 1918/1919 Spanish flu, which struck down far more young healthy adults that it did children and the elderly. If the WHO cannot recognise the signs then God help us all !
National governments, including are own, won't do anything until the WHO says it is a pandemic, but the WHO are totally useless and unwilling to make decisions that are obvious to everyone else.
The truth is that this virus, which has a mortality rate of about 5% is spreading, could be here in the UK within hours, given the nature of modern air travel. Yes, a BA crew member has been cleared of having the virus, but it is only a matter of time.
We have a world wide crisis about to start and we have totally wasted the 48 hours window of opportunity that existed to introduce screening at airports and stop its widepread early introduction to the UK.
Good luck everyone, make the most of your family over the next few weeks because if this is another 1919, there will not be a family in this country unaffected by the death of a loved one by flu.
Update : Comments on the BBC website suggest the number of dead in Mexico now numbers several hundred, not the 81 stated by the Mexican government. Secondly, this has been around for three weeks and the Mexican authorities have apparently done very little to stamp it out at source and other Asian countries as well as Japan have now introduced checks on incoming flights from Mexico whilst we in the UK have not. All very worrying.
The UK government, along with every other government worldwide (except Japan) has introduced no special measures for dealing with people arriving from Mexico despite the fact that the government's own Pandemic Flu procedures (based on Avian flu H5N1 mutating from the far east) say that travel restrictions and screenings of incoming flights should be introduced immediately to stop the spread of pandemic flu to this country.
And what are the World Health organisation doing ? They have raised their warning level to "3", which states that a new virus has emerged, but have not raised the warning level to "4" which would confirm that the virus can now be spread from human to human, despite evidence in the USA of people in close contact with people returning from Mexico suddenly becoming ill with Swine Flu. I read too that a group returning from Mexico to New Zealand are also ill with swine flu symptoms.
What worries me is this statement on CNN's websbite
"In Mexico, otherwise young and healthy people have been hit by the virus -- "one of the pieces of the puzzle that is worrying us," said the World Health Organisation's Gregory Hartl
Surely he should know that this is common with pandemic flu, like the 1918/1919 Spanish flu, which struck down far more young healthy adults that it did children and the elderly. If the WHO cannot recognise the signs then God help us all !
National governments, including are own, won't do anything until the WHO says it is a pandemic, but the WHO are totally useless and unwilling to make decisions that are obvious to everyone else.
The truth is that this virus, which has a mortality rate of about 5% is spreading, could be here in the UK within hours, given the nature of modern air travel. Yes, a BA crew member has been cleared of having the virus, but it is only a matter of time.
We have a world wide crisis about to start and we have totally wasted the 48 hours window of opportunity that existed to introduce screening at airports and stop its widepread early introduction to the UK.
Good luck everyone, make the most of your family over the next few weeks because if this is another 1919, there will not be a family in this country unaffected by the death of a loved one by flu.
Update : Comments on the BBC website suggest the number of dead in Mexico now numbers several hundred, not the 81 stated by the Mexican government. Secondly, this has been around for three weeks and the Mexican authorities have apparently done very little to stamp it out at source and other Asian countries as well as Japan have now introduced checks on incoming flights from Mexico whilst we in the UK have not. All very worrying.
4/16/2009
Oh, I just can't be bothered
I am wondering if it really is time to knock this whole blogging business on the head. After 30 months, thousands of postings, lots of ranting, and lots of time wasted, I really am finding it very difficult to summon up the energy to write anything that is not only interesting to someone else, but is of interest to me.
Things that used to get me bothered, things that really did put fire in the belly I just seem to be able to ignore, be this a council expenses scandal involving a local Tory (which I know about but cannot be bothered to write about) or national issues (of which there are many), I really cannot be bothered.
I will wait a few days, take a temporary break and see how I feel, but in truth, I've run out of steam and am preferring to spend my time with family rather than a keyboard.
Things that used to get me bothered, things that really did put fire in the belly I just seem to be able to ignore, be this a council expenses scandal involving a local Tory (which I know about but cannot be bothered to write about) or national issues (of which there are many), I really cannot be bothered.
I will wait a few days, take a temporary break and see how I feel, but in truth, I've run out of steam and am preferring to spend my time with family rather than a keyboard.
4/13/2009
Sorry seems to be the hardest word
The story involving senior government advisors attempting to smear the Tory Party seems to have developed a life of its own because of the word "Sorry", and it seems to me that this has as much to do with the Tory attempts to get Gordon Brown to apologise for the economic mess we find ourselves in as it does to do with the smear story.
In itself, getting Gordon Brown to apologise for something beyond his control seems utterly ludicrous. Why should he apologise for somethig he did not sanction and why should he be responsible for the actions of every member of staff ? But when you read what the smears were, the seriousness of the false allegations that were to be spread, it does make you wonder if Gordon Brown might have received less flak if he had simply said he personally apologised that his staff had acted in such a way.
The big problem is though that for a Prime Minister to admit errors is seen as a weakness, and whilst it might seem to Gordon Brown that to admit an error would undermine him, what he fails to realise is that his government is already fatally holed beneath the water line. There is no chance now of a Labour recovery and his inability to kill this sort of story off by making the wrong political decisions simply makes the crisis his party faces much worse.
Personally, I would be very surprised if Labour did not suffer a total meltdown of 1997 proportions at the next election and smart money should be on any Labour MP with a majority of less than 6,000 to lose.
In itself, getting Gordon Brown to apologise for something beyond his control seems utterly ludicrous. Why should he apologise for somethig he did not sanction and why should he be responsible for the actions of every member of staff ? But when you read what the smears were, the seriousness of the false allegations that were to be spread, it does make you wonder if Gordon Brown might have received less flak if he had simply said he personally apologised that his staff had acted in such a way.
The big problem is though that for a Prime Minister to admit errors is seen as a weakness, and whilst it might seem to Gordon Brown that to admit an error would undermine him, what he fails to realise is that his government is already fatally holed beneath the water line. There is no chance now of a Labour recovery and his inability to kill this sort of story off by making the wrong political decisions simply makes the crisis his party faces much worse.
Personally, I would be very surprised if Labour did not suffer a total meltdown of 1997 proportions at the next election and smart money should be on any Labour MP with a majority of less than 6,000 to lose.
4/10/2009
Labour "talking up" the BNP again
A few weeks before the last local elections in London a Labour minister, Margaret Hodge, stupidly talked up the chances of BNP success in her Dagenham seat. The BNP seized upon this gift of publicity, ran with it, allowing the Labour Party and the press coverage to give it credibility, and as a result the BNP got a better result in Dagenham than even they could have hoped for.
You might have imagined that Labour might have learnt from this and previous examples where the labour Party have given the BNP much needed credibility boosts. Back in 1993 the Lib Dems took the blame for events in Tower Hamlet whilst Labour ignored the fact that it was their leaflet that claimed the BNP were set to win. People in Tower Hamlets knew that nobody was taking the BNP seriously until that labour leaflet.
So what is happening this year ? Harriet Harman is talking up the BNP again.
Anyone involved in politics knows that you avoid giving any credibility to those who are likely to steal votes from you. It again serves to highlight what an imbecile Harriet Harman is.
You might have imagined that Labour might have learnt from this and previous examples where the labour Party have given the BNP much needed credibility boosts. Back in 1993 the Lib Dems took the blame for events in Tower Hamlet whilst Labour ignored the fact that it was their leaflet that claimed the BNP were set to win. People in Tower Hamlets knew that nobody was taking the BNP seriously until that labour leaflet.
So what is happening this year ? Harriet Harman is talking up the BNP again.
Anyone involved in politics knows that you avoid giving any credibility to those who are likely to steal votes from you. It again serves to highlight what an imbecile Harriet Harman is.
4/09/2009
Apologies for my absence but ...
I have to apologise for my blogging absence of late.
I have for some weeks been suffering from agonising back pain which seemed to send my neck and shoulders in to spasm. It didn't stop me going to work every day, although I did have to lie down for 30 minutes at lunchtime on my reading carpet in my classroom (which got funny stares from colleagues) in order to reduce the severe pain, but as soon as I got home from work I needed to lie down and frankly working on a computer was not on my agenda.
Luckily the school holidays has allowed me to rest a bit more, the pain has started to ease and the spasm has gone so I should be back to full blogging speed over the next few days.
I have for some weeks been suffering from agonising back pain which seemed to send my neck and shoulders in to spasm. It didn't stop me going to work every day, although I did have to lie down for 30 minutes at lunchtime on my reading carpet in my classroom (which got funny stares from colleagues) in order to reduce the severe pain, but as soon as I got home from work I needed to lie down and frankly working on a computer was not on my agenda.
Luckily the school holidays has allowed me to rest a bit more, the pain has started to ease and the spasm has gone so I should be back to full blogging speed over the next few days.
21 pence to fight terrorism
Just think that a visit to THIS website would have enabled the Metropolitan Police to buy document wallets at a cost of just 21 pence.
It strikes me as odd that even as school teachers we ensure that our school reports are stored on encrypted memory sticks and that we do not leave them where they can be read by other children or adults, but seemingly the Metropolitan Police are less security conscious. At least Bob Quick did the right thing in the end.
4/08/2009
Book your holiday to Cuba quickly
One of the great joys of a holiday to Cuba, I am told, is aside from the alcohol, sun, sea, hospitality, and cigars is the fact that it is very difficult for any American's to go on holiday there meaning your visit to the island is usually shared with Canadians, Spaniards and fellow Brits.
Now I've nothing against Americans, but if you want a quiet holiday I would book it quickly as the US seems set to ease travel restrictions to Cuba meaning Americans taking holidays there, princes rising , big cameras, loud shirts and even louder voices.
Now I've nothing against Americans, but if you want a quiet holiday I would book it quickly as the US seems set to ease travel restrictions to Cuba meaning Americans taking holidays there, princes rising , big cameras, loud shirts and even louder voices.
Parky gets it all so right over Jade Goody
Michael Parkinson has put in to words what many of us felt about he way Jade Goody's illness and death were treated by the press and those around her who were supposedly acting in her "best interests".
Parkinson wrote that she was "the perfect victim of our times...brought up in a cesspit of poverty and died to an orchestrated chorus of exploitation".
He says a lot more too which is hard to disagree with HERE.
Parkinson wrote that she was "the perfect victim of our times...brought up in a cesspit of poverty and died to an orchestrated chorus of exploitation".
He says a lot more too which is hard to disagree with HERE.
4/05/2009
It's Sunday so it must be another Labour Minister's Expense scam
You know it's a Sunday because there is another revelation about a Labour Minister on the take by claiming expenses for things that might be okay by parliamentary rules, but to the ordinary common man in the street seem like a total scam.
Today's it's Geoff Hoon. Do we do a sweep stake on who it will be next week ?
Today's it's Geoff Hoon. Do we do a sweep stake on who it will be next week ?
4/04/2009
Troop increase paper of the cracks in NATO
The decision by a handful of NATO member to increase troop numbers in Afghanistan for a "limited period" falls well short of the necessary increase that is needed in troop numbers and serves to highlight that most of our so called European allies are as spineless as ever.
The false idea prevalent amongst our European allies that letting Afghanistan return to being a training camp for terrorists, and that "smaller" European countries who opt out of supporting NATO (the likes of Belgium) is hopelessly naive. The sad fact is though that there are many people in the country too who think that we can simply withdraw from Afghanistan and that the deaths will stop. True, the death of soldiers might stop, but we could soon replace this in far higher numbers withe death on the streets of the UK.
Whilst NATO leaders hail the agreement to send a few hundred soldiers for a few weeks to Afghanistan it does beg the question as to what difference this will make when they go home after their short six week stint.
The false idea prevalent amongst our European allies that letting Afghanistan return to being a training camp for terrorists, and that "smaller" European countries who opt out of supporting NATO (the likes of Belgium) is hopelessly naive. The sad fact is though that there are many people in the country too who think that we can simply withdraw from Afghanistan and that the deaths will stop. True, the death of soldiers might stop, but we could soon replace this in far higher numbers withe death on the streets of the UK.
Whilst NATO leaders hail the agreement to send a few hundred soldiers for a few weeks to Afghanistan it does beg the question as to what difference this will make when they go home after their short six week stint.
4/01/2009
Did the police give the protesters enough rope ?
Last night the TV news predicted that a possible high profile target for protesters in London would be the RBS building near the Bank of England.
So what happens today ? Protesters get to the RBS building, attack it, break in to it and attempt to set fire to it and there was not a single policeman inside the building in case of such an attack ?
How can the TV news predict something but the police not anticipate it ?
It looks to me that the powers that be were willing to let the protests to get out of hand in order to vilify all the protesters.
So what happens today ? Protesters get to the RBS building, attack it, break in to it and attempt to set fire to it and there was not a single policeman inside the building in case of such an attack ?
How can the TV news predict something but the police not anticipate it ?
It looks to me that the powers that be were willing to let the protests to get out of hand in order to vilify all the protesters.
When local news isn't local
Apparently there was no real news in the Eastern region today, not if BBC East and Anglia News is to be believed.
Instead of featuring real local news, ITV Anglia and BBC East decided that wasting nearly 15 minutes on the marches and protesters in London was local news simply because ;
1) Barack Obama landed at Stansted airport.
2) Some people from East Anglia work in London.
Presumably then because some people from the East of England also go on holiday to Spain, we will have local news live from Spain when they next have a general election ?
Local news makes itself irrelevant by aping reports that are already being covered on national news. In simple terms the protests in London are not local news to anyone except those living in the London region. If Anglia or BBC East are bored with local news then it shows them up to be poor journalists.
Instead of featuring real local news, ITV Anglia and BBC East decided that wasting nearly 15 minutes on the marches and protesters in London was local news simply because ;
1) Barack Obama landed at Stansted airport.
2) Some people from East Anglia work in London.
Presumably then because some people from the East of England also go on holiday to Spain, we will have local news live from Spain when they next have a general election ?
Local news makes itself irrelevant by aping reports that are already being covered on national news. In simple terms the protests in London are not local news to anyone except those living in the London region. If Anglia or BBC East are bored with local news then it shows them up to be poor journalists.
3/31/2009
France following form
Apparently France are threatening a walk out from the G20 summit in London.
It wouldn't be the first time the French have made an untimely and unwanted exit from a major world event. I seem to recall they did it in 1940 too !
It wouldn't be the first time the French have made an untimely and unwanted exit from a major world event. I seem to recall they did it in 1940 too !
3/30/2009
Throwing the baby out with the bath water
Why is it that because a few bad MPs have bent and twisted the second home allowance in order to pocket vast sums of cash that other MPs who have not been corrupt and live in rural constituencies some distance from the Westminster will miss out in the future ?
It strikes me that there must be many MPs who do their work in Westminster much better because they do have a small place of their own to store suits, fresh clothes and even a small desk to get some work done, things that are not always possible of MPs are to be asked in future to use hotels to stay overnight.
Simply clearing up the system and making better rules that work seems a far better option.
It strikes me that there must be many MPs who do their work in Westminster much better because they do have a small place of their own to store suits, fresh clothes and even a small desk to get some work done, things that are not always possible of MPs are to be asked in future to use hotels to stay overnight.
Simply clearing up the system and making better rules that work seems a far better option.
The Trouble with Boris - Channel 4 Dispatches
No doubt Tories will come out with a ringing endorsement of Boris Johnson after the Channel 4 expose of his first year in charge in the capital, but at the half way point through the hour long investigation the basic accusation against Boris Johnson is, as I understand it, that he ;
1) Is obsessed with gimmicks that have no meaningful effect.
2) Makes claims about making London more eco friendly but his policies have the opposite effect.
3) Writes letters to interest groups but then does the opposite of what he promises.
4) Seems to favour friends who employ him or offer him free rooms for his campaigns.
5) Consults with staff on the basis that they reply quickly so he can "get the story in to The Sun".
6) Appoints people to high office within London who seem to be unqualified or have dubious qualifications for the role.
7) Pushes excessive new "social" housing in to Labour boroughs and away from Tory ones, in a way that I assumed to be a "Gerrymandering" exercise.
8) He has not got a clue about the way the Police have to remain operationally independent and that he sought to exert pressure on and intervene in police matters.
And we are only half way through the 60 minutes.
Labour had hoped that a Boris victory would let the cat out of the bag about what the Tories are like when in power. It appears they may be getting their wish.
1) Is obsessed with gimmicks that have no meaningful effect.
2) Makes claims about making London more eco friendly but his policies have the opposite effect.
3) Writes letters to interest groups but then does the opposite of what he promises.
4) Seems to favour friends who employ him or offer him free rooms for his campaigns.
5) Consults with staff on the basis that they reply quickly so he can "get the story in to The Sun".
6) Appoints people to high office within London who seem to be unqualified or have dubious qualifications for the role.
7) Pushes excessive new "social" housing in to Labour boroughs and away from Tory ones, in a way that I assumed to be a "Gerrymandering" exercise.
8) He has not got a clue about the way the Police have to remain operationally independent and that he sought to exert pressure on and intervene in police matters.
And we are only half way through the 60 minutes.
Labour had hoped that a Boris victory would let the cat out of the bag about what the Tories are like when in power. It appears they may be getting their wish.
Common sense on education ?
What a complete and genuine surprise from the government today. An announcement on schools which should be greeted by teachers, parents and learners alike.
The government, it seems, have woken up to the fact that school league tables really are no proper measure of how good a school is. It is clear to anyone who has any knowledge of the education system that league tables record only what is measurable and not what is important.
Instead of simple tables recording SATs results, the government wants schools to be graded in a similar way to that used in New York with grades given judging the "added value" that schools gives to children's results, the schools record on discipline, school attendance and a whole host of other measures.
Don't whisper it too loud but Ed Balls, the education minister, might not be as dim as he seems !
The government, it seems, have woken up to the fact that school league tables really are no proper measure of how good a school is. It is clear to anyone who has any knowledge of the education system that league tables record only what is measurable and not what is important.
Instead of simple tables recording SATs results, the government wants schools to be graded in a similar way to that used in New York with grades given judging the "added value" that schools gives to children's results, the schools record on discipline, school attendance and a whole host of other measures.
Don't whisper it too loud but Ed Balls, the education minister, might not be as dim as he seems !
3/28/2009
The sad irony
Today, in Scotland, the Dunfermline Building Society, Scotland's biggest such society, was taken in to government control after effectively going bankrupt.
This is sad news for the employees who may lose their jobs but it says something about Gordon Brown, doesn't it, that his constituency includes parts of Dunfermline ?
This is sad news for the employees who may lose their jobs but it says something about Gordon Brown, doesn't it, that his constituency includes parts of Dunfermline ?
Where on earth were the police ?
A man was assaulted and is now fighting for his life in hospital after being beaten up in the heart of Norwich's "clubland" down Prince of Wales Road.
The big question for me is how could this have happened at 1.00 am, in the heart of Norwich, an area where there has been a constant history of drink related violence late at night, yet the police were seemingly not there or failed to intervene before the victim suffered life threatening injuries ?
If I had to place police anywhere on a Friday night in Norwich is would be half way down Prince of Wales Road between Mercy and Chicago's, which was exactly where the incident took place last night.
The other issue is what were the numerous doormen doing whilst this was happening ?
A friend of mine some years ago was beaten badly in Norwich late at night whilst so called professional trained doormen shouted a warning to the men beating him up to "go now, the police are here", whilst when it came to court the doormen told the CPS that they saw "nothing".
People out on a late night in Norwich need the police to anticipate danger. If I know where the problems will be, why were they not there ?
The big question for me is how could this have happened at 1.00 am, in the heart of Norwich, an area where there has been a constant history of drink related violence late at night, yet the police were seemingly not there or failed to intervene before the victim suffered life threatening injuries ?
If I had to place police anywhere on a Friday night in Norwich is would be half way down Prince of Wales Road between Mercy and Chicago's, which was exactly where the incident took place last night.
The other issue is what were the numerous doormen doing whilst this was happening ?
A friend of mine some years ago was beaten badly in Norwich late at night whilst so called professional trained doormen shouted a warning to the men beating him up to "go now, the police are here", whilst when it came to court the doormen told the CPS that they saw "nothing".
People out on a late night in Norwich need the police to anticipate danger. If I know where the problems will be, why were they not there ?
3/27/2009
Google Street - Doing wonders for Norwich's tourist trade
Google Street is getting lots of headlines this week and Norwich is one of the 25 cities that Google decided to feature, although it is a Norwich I barely recognise.
Oddly, virtually every shot of Norwich seems to be in great weather and sunshine, things which I certainly don't recognise as being typical of Norwich. It did make me wonder when the city was photographed, but looking at specific shots of buildings I knew to be closing and area where building work was ongoing, I have worked out he photography was done during late July, which oddly was our sunny week last year.
So Norwich had better prepare for a boost in tourist numbers who having seen Google Street, will be under the false impression Norwich is some sort of tropical paradise. Oh how disappointed they will be,
Oddly, virtually every shot of Norwich seems to be in great weather and sunshine, things which I certainly don't recognise as being typical of Norwich. It did make me wonder when the city was photographed, but looking at specific shots of buildings I knew to be closing and area where building work was ongoing, I have worked out he photography was done during late July, which oddly was our sunny week last year.
So Norwich had better prepare for a boost in tourist numbers who having seen Google Street, will be under the false impression Norwich is some sort of tropical paradise. Oh how disappointed they will be,
3/26/2009
Michael Winner on Question Time ? A new low
I am not going to watch the rest of Question Time if the first question is any pointer to the rest of the show.
What is the point of having a guest like Michael Winner ? He offered nothing on a really important question about Iraq and couldn't really answer the subsequent question put to him by Dimblebore.
And as for Caroline Lucas .... ZZZZZZZZzzzzzz. Time to sleep
What is the point of having a guest like Michael Winner ? He offered nothing on a really important question about Iraq and couldn't really answer the subsequent question put to him by Dimblebore.
And as for Caroline Lucas .... ZZZZZZZZzzzzzz. Time to sleep
3/25/2009
Looking forward to the new series of The Apprentice
I am an unashamed fan of The Apprentice. I have watched it since the first series when it was slightly hidden away on BBC2 and have always found its production values and tasks to be of the highest order. However, this does not stop the moaners and whingers in society from slagging of the show or seeking to talk it down.
I heard on Five Live this morning some pillock arguing that the show was not suited to a recession and that Alan Sugar ought to change his catchphrase from "You're fired" to something more suitable for our difficult times. Honestly, it makes you want to scream at the radio to these idiots that :
1) It's an entertainment show.
2) Nobody is forced to go on to the show.
Probably the most interesting thing in the early shows is the way that people go in to the show claiming things like "I was born to make money" or "I don't understand the meaning of failure" or even "Making money is better than sex", only to find within a few weeks that these people have been shown to be hopeless individuals with no business sense, no people skills and a complete waste of space.
Still, when they get fired they could always find a job suited to people who cannot add up and know nothing about business. I hear RBS and HBOS are looking for Chief Executives.
I heard on Five Live this morning some pillock arguing that the show was not suited to a recession and that Alan Sugar ought to change his catchphrase from "You're fired" to something more suitable for our difficult times. Honestly, it makes you want to scream at the radio to these idiots that :
1) It's an entertainment show.
2) Nobody is forced to go on to the show.
Probably the most interesting thing in the early shows is the way that people go in to the show claiming things like "I was born to make money" or "I don't understand the meaning of failure" or even "Making money is better than sex", only to find within a few weeks that these people have been shown to be hopeless individuals with no business sense, no people skills and a complete waste of space.
Still, when they get fired they could always find a job suited to people who cannot add up and know nothing about business. I hear RBS and HBOS are looking for Chief Executives.
3/24/2009
3/23/2009
So I made a mistake ... but it could be worse
On Saturday night, rather late, I posted a story about how Iain Dale really didn't get it when it comes to Vince Cable. Due to the lateness of the day and a lack of sleep, I didn't really go in to the depth of research I my normally do. In short, I cocked up with some of my facts, perhaps made worse by the fact that when adding an update in Sunday I didn't check up on Peter Lilley and the fact that he had actually been shadow chancellor.
Iain Dale actually contacted me to point out my error, and I guess some would have deleted the story and hope people would forget about it. However, I get sick to death of bloggers deleting stories they have written in order to make out they have some sort of unblemished record of accuracy.
So I decided to leave the story in place. Iain linked to it and a received the abuse that perhaps I in part deserve. I also think that like our politicians, bloggers and journalists should hold up their hands and say when they have made errors. It is too easy for people on the internet to press delete.
I still believe that Iain Dale fails to given Vince Cable the credit he deserves, but before calling Iain names (even in jest), I need to double check my facts. Lesson learnt.
However, it could be worse. I love they way when anyone makes a mistake the anonymous trolls come out to play and leave silly and abusive comments. Many of them are anonymous, but you also get those who I think are lower in the food chain than the anonymous poster. Those are the people who register their Wordpress or Blogger ID, but choose to keep it anonymous.
These people, who snipe and hurl abuse, have neither the guts to write their own blogs or the bravery to put their name to their views.
So whilst I may make mistakes, and I am sure I will again at some point in the future, but I'd rather read another blogger like me who shows they are human, stands up to be counted and doesn't hide behind some electronic veil rather than be a sniper from the sidelines who offers nothing other than barbs and bile.
Iain Dale actually contacted me to point out my error, and I guess some would have deleted the story and hope people would forget about it. However, I get sick to death of bloggers deleting stories they have written in order to make out they have some sort of unblemished record of accuracy.
So I decided to leave the story in place. Iain linked to it and a received the abuse that perhaps I in part deserve. I also think that like our politicians, bloggers and journalists should hold up their hands and say when they have made errors. It is too easy for people on the internet to press delete.
I still believe that Iain Dale fails to given Vince Cable the credit he deserves, but before calling Iain names (even in jest), I need to double check my facts. Lesson learnt.
However, it could be worse. I love they way when anyone makes a mistake the anonymous trolls come out to play and leave silly and abusive comments. Many of them are anonymous, but you also get those who I think are lower in the food chain than the anonymous poster. Those are the people who register their Wordpress or Blogger ID, but choose to keep it anonymous.
These people, who snipe and hurl abuse, have neither the guts to write their own blogs or the bravery to put their name to their views.
So whilst I may make mistakes, and I am sure I will again at some point in the future, but I'd rather read another blogger like me who shows they are human, stands up to be counted and doesn't hide behind some electronic veil rather than be a sniper from the sidelines who offers nothing other than barbs and bile.
Tony McNulty is right, but also so very wrong
Tony McNulty, the Minister who has pocketed £60,000 by claiming expenses for a second home which he does not live in is write when he says he has broken no parliamentary rules. But so wrong when we look at what he has done as Joe Public.
The man in the street does not care that he has followed some archaic rules which allow some MPs a way of legitimising fraud on a massive. What the ordinary voter wants is MPs who understand what is right and decent and more than that, what is honestly earnt and honestly claimed.
So he is right when he says he has followed the rules but it is clear, and the voters of his constituency will no doubt take the opportunity to tell him that he is so wrong.
The man in the street does not care that he has followed some archaic rules which allow some MPs a way of legitimising fraud on a massive. What the ordinary voter wants is MPs who understand what is right and decent and more than that, what is honestly earnt and honestly claimed.
So he is right when he says he has followed the rules but it is clear, and the voters of his constituency will no doubt take the opportunity to tell him that he is so wrong.
3/22/2009
Who says the Premier League is boring ?
I am no Liverpool fan (I support Everton), but I have to take my hat off to them today for re-opening the title race after everyone seemed prepared to had the title on a plate to Manchester United.
Whilst the Premiership might be a closed shop in respect of the top four nearly always being the same, there is no doubting that the Premier League really is the envy of the world.
Whilst the Premiership might be a closed shop in respect of the top four nearly always being the same, there is no doubting that the Premier League really is the envy of the world.
Would you feel safe living near this place ?
A mental institution in London that holds serious violent and sexual offenders has had yet another escape.
This report makes it clear that this is not the first recent escape. Would you feel safe living nearby ? Who is in charge of the security at this place ?
Put simply, why on earth is this allowed to happen over and over again ?
This report makes it clear that this is not the first recent escape. Would you feel safe living nearby ? Who is in charge of the security at this place ?
Put simply, why on earth is this allowed to happen over and over again ?
Iain Dale just doesn't get it
Iain Dale asks where Vince Cable was in 1997. One would have hoped Iain would know this but Vince was only newly elected that year.
Secondly, for the second time this week he is trying to claim that the Tories were first to predict the economic crisis. Oddly his justification for this last time was a quote from Robert Peston (the BBC economic guru) that stated the Tories were asking questions about the economy before Labour. What the Peston quote didn't say was that the Tories were first to say it. But this didn't stop Iain from taking the quote and claiming it showed the Tories were first and said it before the Lib Dems.
But now he is saying that Peter Lilley, back in 1997, was saying that there were problems ahead. This is odd in itself as it seems to be that Peter Lilley, a Tory, was saying just as the Tories were leaving office, that the Tories policies were wrong. And given that Labour pretty much adopted Tories spending for the first two years of their government, clearly Peter Lilley must have been saying that the Tories own policies were to blame ?
It might make Iain feel better to make spurious claims that the Tories were right, but the country and the press know the truth, and a few postings like Iain's are not going to persuade people otherwise.
Update : As Iain points out to me in the comments, Peter Lilley was explicitly referring to the government decision (Labour) to set up the FSA. I accept that this is not a direct criticism of Tory policies up to 1997 but does beg the more important question as to why it is that Peter Lilley has been sidelined by the Tories since the late 1990s. It seems his criticisms were not welcome in the Tory party, a party reliant on hedge funds managers and city types making large donations from their bonuses. So let's be kind and accept that one Tory might have made a good point. Out of all the Tories in parliament you might bless at least one of them with a brain. You can say he spoke for the Tory Party at this point but when the Tory Shadow cabinet hasn't exactly been repeating Lilley's line since 1997, it tells you where the Tories stand on the issue.
Compare this to Vince Cable who speaks for the Lib Dems officially and remains a key member of the Lib Dem team and there is your difference Iain.
Secondly, for the second time this week he is trying to claim that the Tories were first to predict the economic crisis. Oddly his justification for this last time was a quote from Robert Peston (the BBC economic guru) that stated the Tories were asking questions about the economy before Labour. What the Peston quote didn't say was that the Tories were first to say it. But this didn't stop Iain from taking the quote and claiming it showed the Tories were first and said it before the Lib Dems.
But now he is saying that Peter Lilley, back in 1997, was saying that there were problems ahead. This is odd in itself as it seems to be that Peter Lilley, a Tory, was saying just as the Tories were leaving office, that the Tories policies were wrong. And given that Labour pretty much adopted Tories spending for the first two years of their government, clearly Peter Lilley must have been saying that the Tories own policies were to blame ?
It might make Iain feel better to make spurious claims that the Tories were right, but the country and the press know the truth, and a few postings like Iain's are not going to persuade people otherwise.
Update : As Iain points out to me in the comments, Peter Lilley was explicitly referring to the government decision (Labour) to set up the FSA. I accept that this is not a direct criticism of Tory policies up to 1997 but does beg the more important question as to why it is that Peter Lilley has been sidelined by the Tories since the late 1990s. It seems his criticisms were not welcome in the Tory party, a party reliant on hedge funds managers and city types making large donations from their bonuses. So let's be kind and accept that one Tory might have made a good point. Out of all the Tories in parliament you might bless at least one of them with a brain. You can say he spoke for the Tory Party at this point but when the Tory Shadow cabinet hasn't exactly been repeating Lilley's line since 1997, it tells you where the Tories stand on the issue.
Compare this to Vince Cable who speaks for the Lib Dems officially and remains a key member of the Lib Dem team and there is your difference Iain.
3/21/2009
Fred the Fraud
Tomorrow's papers are apparently full of revelations regarding Sir Fred Goodwin, the man who liked to be known as Fred the Shred for his costcutting.
Apparently various newspapers and the Lib Dems have found out that his office was decorated with wallpaper costing £1000 a roll, his limo bill per month was £100,000 and on top of this, in the very height of decadence, he liked his fruit to be flow in on a daily basis from Paris.
Isn't it about time he was referred to as Fred the Fraud ?
Apparently various newspapers and the Lib Dems have found out that his office was decorated with wallpaper costing £1000 a roll, his limo bill per month was £100,000 and on top of this, in the very height of decadence, he liked his fruit to be flow in on a daily basis from Paris.
Isn't it about time he was referred to as Fred the Fraud ?
3/20/2009
So spectacularly wrong on so many levels
Peter Mandelson took it upon himself today to give a lecture to the few remaining car companies producing automobiles in this country today, advising them to make the right decisions to ensure their futures. I am sure the car industry could barely control their excitement at getting advice from the UK government.
What is clear so far is that the UK government have got it so wrong when it comes to supporting industry in this country during the depression and sadly seems so completely unable to recognise successes in other countries. In the case of the car industry, Britain should be taking a lesson from the Germans.
Our Labour government are handing out the prospect of large sums of money to support car companies and stop them laying off workers, although no payments have yet been made by the UK government. This means the depression is deepening, the prospects for these manufacturers is getting worse, and so we have a catch 22 situation which the money from the UK government will do little to put right. The UK is expecting 500,000 less new car sales this year. That is the state of the hole we are in.
Compare this to Germany where the government is subsiding people who want to sell old inefficient cars and buy new cars to the tine of 3000 Euros (£2500). This means that in Germany this year they are expecting to sell 200,000 more new cars this year than last year.
So perhaps Peter Mandelson should shut up and listen rather than giving lectures.
Update : Iain Dal e-mailed me very late last night to tell me that I had spelt "shut" with an "i". A Freudian slip from me ?
What is clear so far is that the UK government have got it so wrong when it comes to supporting industry in this country during the depression and sadly seems so completely unable to recognise successes in other countries. In the case of the car industry, Britain should be taking a lesson from the Germans.
Our Labour government are handing out the prospect of large sums of money to support car companies and stop them laying off workers, although no payments have yet been made by the UK government. This means the depression is deepening, the prospects for these manufacturers is getting worse, and so we have a catch 22 situation which the money from the UK government will do little to put right. The UK is expecting 500,000 less new car sales this year. That is the state of the hole we are in.
Compare this to Germany where the government is subsiding people who want to sell old inefficient cars and buy new cars to the tine of 3000 Euros (£2500). This means that in Germany this year they are expecting to sell 200,000 more new cars this year than last year.
So perhaps Peter Mandelson should shut up and listen rather than giving lectures.
Update : Iain Dal e-mailed me very late last night to tell me that I had spelt "shut" with an "i". A Freudian slip from me ?
3/18/2009
Only a week late
Iain Dale tagged me a week ago to take part in a small challenge/meme which asked if I had seen any of the 25 DVDs that Barack Obama had given to Gordon Brown.
Shamefully I didn't see the e-mail saying I was tagged until last night, so belatedly I am taking the challenge.
Those I own are
1) Star Wars (No, I will not call it "Episode 4" or "A New Hope". I saw it at the cinema in 1978 and it was simply called Star Wars.)
2) It's a Wonderful Life. Surely one of the greatest films ever made ?
Those I have seen are
1) Schindler’s List - Brilliant
2) ET - Brilliant
3) Gone With The Wind - A Ripping Yarn
4) Singin’ in the Rain - Harmless Fun
5) Lawrence of Arabia - Incredible
6) Vertigo - Tense and brilliantly made
7) The Wizard of Oz - Always bored me
8) 2001 A Space Odyssey - Again, always bored me.
9) The Graduate - Fun, of its time, a good film.
10) Psycho - Brilliantly made
11) Some Like it Hot - Classic film, brilliant acting.
12) The Godfather - A must see film.
13) To Kill a Mockingbird - Incredible. Show it to any racist and see them squirm.
14) Casablanca - Seen it, pleased I did, wouldn't bother to watch it again.
Not Seen -
City Lights, Sunset Boulevard, , The General, The Grapes of Wrath, Citizen Kane, Raging Bull, The Searchers, On the Waterfront, Chinatown.
So I score 16 out of 25. Not too bad I think.
Shamefully I didn't see the e-mail saying I was tagged until last night, so belatedly I am taking the challenge.
Those I own are
1) Star Wars (No, I will not call it "Episode 4" or "A New Hope". I saw it at the cinema in 1978 and it was simply called Star Wars.)
2) It's a Wonderful Life. Surely one of the greatest films ever made ?
Those I have seen are
1) Schindler’s List - Brilliant
2) ET - Brilliant
3) Gone With The Wind - A Ripping Yarn
4) Singin’ in the Rain - Harmless Fun
5) Lawrence of Arabia - Incredible
6) Vertigo - Tense and brilliantly made
7) The Wizard of Oz - Always bored me
8) 2001 A Space Odyssey - Again, always bored me.
9) The Graduate - Fun, of its time, a good film.
10) Psycho - Brilliantly made
11) Some Like it Hot - Classic film, brilliant acting.
12) The Godfather - A must see film.
13) To Kill a Mockingbird - Incredible. Show it to any racist and see them squirm.
14) Casablanca - Seen it, pleased I did, wouldn't bother to watch it again.
Not Seen -
City Lights, Sunset Boulevard, , The General, The Grapes of Wrath, Citizen Kane, Raging Bull, The Searchers, On the Waterfront, Chinatown.
So I score 16 out of 25. Not too bad I think.
3/17/2009
F1 becomes a cup tie
It strikes me as odd to change Formula One from something that means the most consistently good driver ends up as champion to a lottery whereby luck now becomes more important than consistency.
Changing from the F1 champion being the one with the most points to the one with the most wins opens up the possibility of the F1 champion next year only finishing three races, winning them all, and then beating in to second place another driver who finishes all the races, wins two and comes second in all the other races. Fair ? Hardly.
It all seems a little desperate and turns what is a league based on real results over a whole season in to one of chance more akin to a cup tie in football.
Changing from the F1 champion being the one with the most points to the one with the most wins opens up the possibility of the F1 champion next year only finishing three races, winning them all, and then beating in to second place another driver who finishes all the races, wins two and comes second in all the other races. Fair ? Hardly.
It all seems a little desperate and turns what is a league based on real results over a whole season in to one of chance more akin to a cup tie in football.
The worst possible thing to find on your doorstep ... a racist leaflet full of lies from the BNP
The people in my village are probably arriving home this evening to find their doorsteps littered with something even more unpleasant than a cat turd. Yes, the BNP have been out delivering hate filled leaflets full of contradictory myths that they claim to be fact.
I cannot be bothered list all the errors and lies they claim as "facts" in their leaflets, but needless to say if you are blaming the EU and immigration from Europe for the vast majority of immigration in to the UK, you can hardly claim that the UK will have white people as a minority in 50 years time, after all, most people from Europe are also white people.
As I said, it doesn't take a large brain to work out that if the BNP cannot get this simple fact right then there is a good chance that their other "facts" are equally wrong and misleading.
Still, there are plenty of thick people about who believe such rubbish or articles in the Daily Mail claiming we will be overrun in 50 years time.
A good argument stands on its own merits, but if you'll have to lie, you've lost the argument.
I cannot be bothered list all the errors and lies they claim as "facts" in their leaflets, but needless to say if you are blaming the EU and immigration from Europe for the vast majority of immigration in to the UK, you can hardly claim that the UK will have white people as a minority in 50 years time, after all, most people from Europe are also white people.
As I said, it doesn't take a large brain to work out that if the BNP cannot get this simple fact right then there is a good chance that their other "facts" are equally wrong and misleading.
Still, there are plenty of thick people about who believe such rubbish or articles in the Daily Mail claiming we will be overrun in 50 years time.
A good argument stands on its own merits, but if you'll have to lie, you've lost the argument.
3/16/2009
Why do the BBC and Eastenders get politics so wrong so consistently ?
Eastenders apparently prides itself on getting its facts right on issues. So what do they get it so wrong when it comes to politics ?
When it came to mark Fowler getting HIV, they spoke to people from the Terrence Higgins Trust, they spoke to people in the NHS, the spoke to real people who had HIV/AIDS.
When they dealt with Diana Butcher running away from home they spoke to groups who deal with the homeless like Shelter, they spoke to charities who help children with problems like Childline.
In fact, on every social issue the BBC and Eastenders make great efforts to be as correct on the issue as possible and avoid sensationalistand factual errors.
But for politics who do they speak to ?
When Iain Beale stood for the Walford East by-election back in 1998, there were a series of factual errors, not the least of which is the assumed belief that candidates do not know the result until it is publicly announced. So have the BBC spoken to anyone since then ? Obviously not.
There is in Eastenders at the moment a by-election in Walford East again. Peggy Mitchell is the candidate. The by-election is in three weeks time (2nd April). And that brings up the first error. Why is it on a Monday ? No explanation and a clearly odd day for an election, especially given that Thursday is an Eastenders day, but clearly the producers of the show decided that holding an election on a traditional day for elections was not important.
The second "gaffe" from a political hacks point of view was that Peggy handed in her nomination papers about a month ago. this would have been seven weeks before the election day. Any political hack or former election agent knows that you cannot hand in papers this early as the election timetable has a clear window for the handing in of nomination papers. You could argue that Peggy might have been pro-active in this case and got them in advance, but this is a by-election and things are very strictly controlled in such elections with less chance of being pro-active when it comes to nominations.
This second gaffe though was compounded by a third gaffe as Peggy Mitchell got her nomination papers handed in during the evening. She even made comment about the fact that she "handed them in". Oh that we could all live in Walford where council offices stay open so late.
Perhaps though the most common gaffe in TV is the belief that a public meeting is still the centrepiece and deciding factor in any election campaign.
Tonight's episode of Eastenders featured a public meeting of candidates which was attended by all of 20 people yet Peggy's performance was enough, in front of only a handful of people, to make people think that she was set to win ? Public meetings might have been decisive in the period up to the 1960's, but I have yet to go to one that has made any difference to a campaign.
And what of Walford East ? How big would the ward be ? 3000 houses ? More ? Yet no mention is made of canvassing or delivering leaflets. A leaflet was shown in one episode but it was like something from the 1950s and nothing like leaflets 90% of people get through there doors at election time. So it begs the question why one landlady in one pub would be so well known outside of Albert Square. Clearly the Eastenders producers think that local council wards are made up of 50 houses only.
In truth, none of this is important and for 99.9% of the viewing public, none of the machinations of politics is of any interest, but if Eastenders can go to the trouble of doing such great research in to serious issues which require lots of explaining, couldn't they speak to someone who knows something about politics to ensure that at least they get the very basics right when it comes to elections ?
3/15/2009
The truth the Tories won't acknowledge
Vince Cable pointed out at the Lib Dems Scottish conference that whilst the Tories might be apologising now for calling for less scrutiny of banks and the City of London and for not seeing the current financial crisis coming, there is something the Tories don't want people to know. Speaking about "Call me Dave" Cameron, Vince said
"It would have been rather bigger of him if he had also admitted that the Liberal Democrats did see this coming, and we did warn about it,"
Indeed I seem to recall the Tories attempting to ridicule Vince Cable for what he was saying 18 months ago. Still, when your party is essentially funded by hedge funds managers and people with their noses in the trough in the City of London, you cannot expect the Tories to really do anything about it.
"It would have been rather bigger of him if he had also admitted that the Liberal Democrats did see this coming, and we did warn about it,"
Indeed I seem to recall the Tories attempting to ridicule Vince Cable for what he was saying 18 months ago. Still, when your party is essentially funded by hedge funds managers and people with their noses in the trough in the City of London, you cannot expect the Tories to really do anything about it.
Another example of biased reporting towards Apple
I am not an Apple fan. The company's obsession with seemingly making their technology not work with other manufacturers equipment is something that I find hard to fathom in the modern digital world whilst those who would buy a dog turn if it had an Apple badge on it also turn me off their range. And to prove just how biased the world is in favour of Apple, look at THIS article on the BBC website which hails the new Ipod shuffle which "tells you what song is playing". Every MP3 player I have had since 2004 has told me what song is being played via the built in screen, so the fact that Apple have failed to add screens to the Shuffle in the past and are now finding away around the absense of a screen should hardly be sold as a feature, but its a sign of the massive bias towards Apple from the press.
3/14/2009
Are Cheshire Police "institutionally racist"
It seems that if you are a man window shopping in certain parts of Cheshire, not only is your custom unwelcome, but the local constabulary will turn up mob handed and try to make out that you are about to rob the shop.
What is so ludicrous in the case from last Wednesday was that not only was the person that the police did this too a Premiership footballer, but he was on crutches having undergone a major operation after suffering cruciate ligament damage in the Everton match against Newcastle some weeks ago and the police tried to take his crutches away from him.
Oh, and of course the player, Victor Anichebe is black. One might wonder if his teammates Philip Neville, Leighton Baines or Dan Gosling would have received such treatment from the Police. I doubt that those white men would have been treated in the same way.
What is so ludicrous in the case from last Wednesday was that not only was the person that the police did this too a Premiership footballer, but he was on crutches having undergone a major operation after suffering cruciate ligament damage in the Everton match against Newcastle some weeks ago and the police tried to take his crutches away from him.
Oh, and of course the player, Victor Anichebe is black. One might wonder if his teammates Philip Neville, Leighton Baines or Dan Gosling would have received such treatment from the Police. I doubt that those white men would have been treated in the same way.
3/13/2009
Student Loans Company - Not fit for purpose
Last year, after an enormous amount of effort from both myself and an amazingly helpful member of staff who deals with teachers pay, I finally got the Student Loans Company to admit I had repaid my Student Loan in full. The Student Loans company wanted me to carry on repaying my Student Loan for another year, whereupon they said they would repay me a year's worth of repayments at the end of the financial year.
Now, some 11 months later, the Student Loans company have sent me two further letters claiming I owe them different amounts.
To describe the Student Loans Company as "not fit for service" is to discredit other government agencies that have also been given this label.
The SLC are the student version of the Child Support Agency. Incompetent, unhelpful and totally unfocused on helping customers.
Now, some 11 months later, the Student Loans company have sent me two further letters claiming I owe them different amounts.
To describe the Student Loans Company as "not fit for service" is to discredit other government agencies that have also been given this label.
The SLC are the student version of the Child Support Agency. Incompetent, unhelpful and totally unfocused on helping customers.
3/11/2009
Teaching in 6 months ? Idiocy from Labour
The government's latest bright idea is to say that the way to improve standards in education is to bring in a load of people with no educational experience, no previous inclination to want to teach, and get the trained in six months. What a joke.
I did a PGCE to qualify to teach, a one year course, and I would argue that even that is not really quite adequate to teach, but just about covers everything briefly. However, I cannot see how bringing in so called "high flyers" and offering them a shortcut to teaching is going to actually raise standards in education.
It seem that teaching is constantly treated as a second thought by ministers in government. We wouldn't offer doctors a 50% length course to qualify. They wouldn't offer RAF pilots a half length course in order to fly RAF Typhoons. I doubt that the government would consider allowing Royal Navy officers a shortened course in order to steer ships and submarines. However a teacher, who in effect controls the standard of education a child gets in one year of their life, they believe, can get a shortcut through the system.
What I fail to understand is why high flyers, with no experience of classroom management, rules, laws, teaching standards, school ICT, or lesson planning and structures can't go through a full one year PGCE like everyone else. If the government believe that making them do an extra few months will put them off, then what does it say about these people and their commitment to young people and education.
More to the point, what does it say about this government that they think this is a good idea.
I did a PGCE to qualify to teach, a one year course, and I would argue that even that is not really quite adequate to teach, but just about covers everything briefly. However, I cannot see how bringing in so called "high flyers" and offering them a shortcut to teaching is going to actually raise standards in education.
It seem that teaching is constantly treated as a second thought by ministers in government. We wouldn't offer doctors a 50% length course to qualify. They wouldn't offer RAF pilots a half length course in order to fly RAF Typhoons. I doubt that the government would consider allowing Royal Navy officers a shortened course in order to steer ships and submarines. However a teacher, who in effect controls the standard of education a child gets in one year of their life, they believe, can get a shortcut through the system.
What I fail to understand is why high flyers, with no experience of classroom management, rules, laws, teaching standards, school ICT, or lesson planning and structures can't go through a full one year PGCE like everyone else. If the government believe that making them do an extra few months will put them off, then what does it say about these people and their commitment to young people and education.
More to the point, what does it say about this government that they think this is a good idea.
3/09/2009
Pathetic army excuse about base security does nothing to answer the questions
In the wake of the death of two British soldiers in Northern Ireland, am I the only person who finds the answers coming from the British army in Northern Ireland to be totally lacking in an awareness of the shocking way base security has been treated.
The head of the British Army failed to properly answer questions about why base security guards failed to fire a single shot in return and instead asked the press if they expected security guards to fire in to a group of people that included British soldiers. Quite clearly the press did not want security guards to shoot at British soldiers. What the press were asking was why it was that three terrorists could shoot for more than 30 seconds, why they could approach and fire further shots at those they wounded and why they could then withdraw on foot without a single shot being fired at them.
Furthermore, we all ought to be asking why it is that at a time when it is known that Islamic terrorists have wanted to target British soldiers and when the terrorist threat level had been raised in Northern Ireland, why are British army bases protected by civilians with the same powers as a special constable ? Why are they only lightly armed with pistols ? And why is it that when UK armed forces are specially trained in base security (the RAF Regiment stands out as being expert at this), why on earth are the armed forces not responsible for their own base security ?
As it is I found the army's response to questions about base security to be very poor and reminds me of the way equipment failures and shortages in Iraq and Afghanistan have been constantly excused by the armed forces, only to find a few months later when a senior officer quits that he speaks openly and says what he really knows to be true.
The head of the British Army failed to properly answer questions about why base security guards failed to fire a single shot in return and instead asked the press if they expected security guards to fire in to a group of people that included British soldiers. Quite clearly the press did not want security guards to shoot at British soldiers. What the press were asking was why it was that three terrorists could shoot for more than 30 seconds, why they could approach and fire further shots at those they wounded and why they could then withdraw on foot without a single shot being fired at them.
Furthermore, we all ought to be asking why it is that at a time when it is known that Islamic terrorists have wanted to target British soldiers and when the terrorist threat level had been raised in Northern Ireland, why are British army bases protected by civilians with the same powers as a special constable ? Why are they only lightly armed with pistols ? And why is it that when UK armed forces are specially trained in base security (the RAF Regiment stands out as being expert at this), why on earth are the armed forces not responsible for their own base security ?
As it is I found the army's response to questions about base security to be very poor and reminds me of the way equipment failures and shortages in Iraq and Afghanistan have been constantly excused by the armed forces, only to find a few months later when a senior officer quits that he speaks openly and says what he really knows to be true.
3/08/2009
More lazy journalism from the BBC politics team
I am a fan of the BBC, but I also feel there is a large amount of laziness amongst journalists which is endemic within the BBC. Locally the BBC news team in East Anglia, and I am sure in other regions too, miss real political news stories and instead only print what is sent to them in press releases by the councils. This means we get a half baked version of the news, and this is true beyond the politics arena too. Too many journalists wait for a press release rather than finding a story themselves. So what does a BBC journalist do when sent to a Lib Dem conference if they want to be seen as a "go getter" or "investigative" ?
They revert to one of two stories that have been used over and over again. Either they report about what delegates are saying "off record" about the party leader or they ask people who the Lib Dems should work with in a coalition government. Interestingly they never ask the second question to Tories or Labour members at their conferences ?
So why should I be surprised that BBC journalist Brian Wheeler went for the coalition question this year ? The party are united behind Nick Clegg, so there is no party leader story to make up this year, so Mr Wheeler went for the other option.
It's just another example of very lazy journalism from the BBC. How about something original ? How about some proper in depth political analysis ? I won't hold my breath.
They revert to one of two stories that have been used over and over again. Either they report about what delegates are saying "off record" about the party leader or they ask people who the Lib Dems should work with in a coalition government. Interestingly they never ask the second question to Tories or Labour members at their conferences ?
So why should I be surprised that BBC journalist Brian Wheeler went for the coalition question this year ? The party are united behind Nick Clegg, so there is no party leader story to make up this year, so Mr Wheeler went for the other option.
It's just another example of very lazy journalism from the BBC. How about something original ? How about some proper in depth political analysis ? I won't hold my breath.
Lock her up
Whether you like Peter Mandelson or not, and I fall in to the "not" category, he is a minster, he ought to have had proper protection from any potential terrorist threat (especially as he was Northern Ireland Minister), and as a human being, he has the right to walk along our streets free from harassment and physical assault.
I tend to agree with what Peter Mandelson said on the Andrew Marr program this morning when he questioned why it was that some broadcasters (and the BBC were very much to blame in this case) seemed overly keen to offer the protester the oxygen of publicity, seemingly rewarding her illegal behaviour with the reward of an instant interview and a chance to pedal her politics live on air.
The way she was pandered to by Nicky Campbell on Radio Five Live with a total failure to question her methods, allowing her to claim she was standing up for democracy, and a lack of tackling her on her claims that she spoke for "the majority who oppose airport expansion", showed me that some radio broadcasters are nothing without briefing notes given to them by researchers.
I hope the police take the proper action against this woman and that she learns to accept that we do have democracy in this country and she can exercise it at the next general election.
One of the best reasons why you should have a Lib Dem MP
Irfan Ahmed points us to the a poll by Politics Home which shows that people who have Lib Dem MPs rate them as more local, independent, approachable, experienced, independent and perhaps best of all, they keep in touch more often than MP's of other parties.
If you are really undecided about whether to vote Lib Dem or not, take a closer look at the poll and put your "x" in the correct place.
If you are really undecided about whether to vote Lib Dem or not, take a closer look at the poll and put your "x" in the correct place.
3/06/2009
Tories lead by example when it comes to the credit crunch
News reaches me that one Tory run council is offering staff a 0% pay rise this year whilst the councillors themselves took a large increase in allowances and in addition to this, another council (Broadland) has seen the Tories ignore Lib Dem pleas at the last full council meeting to halt plans for a further rise in allowances in order to "show solidarity with council tax payers at this difficult time". Sadly Broadland Tories felt a pay rise was more important.
Isn't it odd that at this particular time some Tory councils are notably unaware of the credit crunch and the need for councillors to lead by example.
Isn't it odd that at this particular time some Tory councils are notably unaware of the credit crunch and the need for councillors to lead by example.
Tories humiliated in Norfolk by-election
The Tories in the new Broadland constituency were given a salutary warning about the prospects for the Lib Dems when the Lib Dems sensationally took the Buxton seat on Broadland District Council from the Tories in a massive reversal of fortunes.
The Lib Dem candidate, Barbara Rix, won by 354 votes, gaining 555 votes to the Tories 201. The Greens trailed in a miserable third with just 22 votes.
The Broadland seat is a new Lib Dem target seat and the Tories, aware of this, pushed an enormous effort in to the campaign with dozens of Tory activists outnumbering the Lib Dems on some campaign weekends still unable to stop the Lib Dem Juggernaut in Broadland.
The Tories produced some high quality looking literature, but as ever, their campaign themes missed the point, failed to address real local concerns, and many voters are now starting to realise that Broadland District Council, under the Tories really offers nothing to those outside of the city fringes.
A big well done to April Pond (Broadland PPC) and her team who can look forward to the County elections with real hopes of further gains.
The Lib Dem candidate, Barbara Rix, won by 354 votes, gaining 555 votes to the Tories 201. The Greens trailed in a miserable third with just 22 votes.
The Broadland seat is a new Lib Dem target seat and the Tories, aware of this, pushed an enormous effort in to the campaign with dozens of Tory activists outnumbering the Lib Dems on some campaign weekends still unable to stop the Lib Dem Juggernaut in Broadland.
The Tories produced some high quality looking literature, but as ever, their campaign themes missed the point, failed to address real local concerns, and many voters are now starting to realise that Broadland District Council, under the Tories really offers nothing to those outside of the city fringes.
A big well done to April Pond (Broadland PPC) and her team who can look forward to the County elections with real hopes of further gains.
3/05/2009
My memories of the miners strike
I was thirteen years old when the miners strikes started 25 years ago. I was not, perhaps, th best placed person to make judgments on the strike, but neither was I your typically stereotypical ignorant teenager. Yes, even then I was interested in politics. So what do I remember of that time ?
Most abiding memory was that the NUM and Arthur Scargill refused to allow a vote by members of the union on whether they should strike which for me was the key reason why I could not, back then, support the actions of miners. And as I recall this was the view of many people from non Tory midle class families who were probably union members but saw the NUM as being on a political crusade more than representing their members.
I cannot deny that Thatcher was playing politics too and it is well know that the government had prepared for the strike for 18 months in advance, but if Arthur Scargill had had any sense at all he could have called for a ballot, which at the start of the strike I am sure they would have won, and could have removed one of the government's key arguments from the debate. The constant government line that the NUM did not want to consult its own members because it was scared it would not get support for the strike was vital.
The winter and New Year of 1985 also stood out in my mind as a time when we genuinely feared that power cuts could come back. My parents were not overly stressed by this, they still had hundreds of candles from the 70's and the power cuts back then, but as a teenager with no real memories of such disruption, I found myself back then wanting to see the government win. Selfish, I know, but as I have got older and wiser and can see the very real reasons why miners went on strike, but can also still see why the government felt they had to take on the unions.
The saddest thing is that the scars of the strike still run deep with so many, even 25 years later. I used to go out canvassing in North Norfolk with fellow Lib Dem who was a former Kent miner. He said he had learnt to get on with the police and by moving to Norfolk he felt he could trust them, but back in Kent he could never speak to a policeman, couldn't help them and would never trust them, and he assured me that if I had witnessed what they did I would feel the same.
I cannot coment on whether he is right, but it is sad that the strike affected people so that they can still feel like this.
3/04/2009
How many standing ovations would you trade in ?
So Gordon Brown has received a number of standing ovations from the US Congress for what was a proficient and actually rather fluent speech to them today.
I wonder how many of them he would trade in for some good news at home ?
I wonder how many of them he would trade in for some good news at home ?
3/02/2009
In praise of the SNP
Which ever side of the argument you sit on over the thorny issue of raising alcohol prices with the aim of reducing excess alcohol use, you have to be impressed with the SNP's willingness to take the issue on, make unpopular decisions and not shirk the responsibilities that come with the trappings of office.
I heard a member of the alcoholics excuse group (also known as The Portman Group), an organisation funded by alcohol producers to ... erm ... well let's be clear, their job is simply to promote alcohol whilst pretending to want people to drink less or, as they say "drink responsibly". This is the same group that tells publicans to promote very alcoholic cider by "pouring it in a long class with ice". Anyway, I heard him wetting himself with fright on the radio this morning because the Portman Group will now be found out one way or the other.
If Scotland does see a fall in alcohol related illness, if alcohol consumption does drop north of the border and the SNP are proven to be right, then the credibility of the Portman group will be destroyed.
If, however, alcohol consumption does not change and the only result of the price increases is more people paying more and the SNP suffering a backlash the SNP can, in the short term, rely on the unpopularity of the Labour Party and can expect to retain much of their support for this simple reason.
So although it appears to be a gamble, the SNP really don't have much to lose and, more than anything else, it shows them to be willing to take risks and think the unthinkable.
So I raise my glass to them with cheap English bought Port. Cheers !
I heard a member of the alcoholics excuse group (also known as The Portman Group), an organisation funded by alcohol producers to ... erm ... well let's be clear, their job is simply to promote alcohol whilst pretending to want people to drink less or, as they say "drink responsibly". This is the same group that tells publicans to promote very alcoholic cider by "pouring it in a long class with ice". Anyway, I heard him wetting himself with fright on the radio this morning because the Portman Group will now be found out one way or the other.
If Scotland does see a fall in alcohol related illness, if alcohol consumption does drop north of the border and the SNP are proven to be right, then the credibility of the Portman group will be destroyed.
If, however, alcohol consumption does not change and the only result of the price increases is more people paying more and the SNP suffering a backlash the SNP can, in the short term, rely on the unpopularity of the Labour Party and can expect to retain much of their support for this simple reason.
So although it appears to be a gamble, the SNP really don't have much to lose and, more than anything else, it shows them to be willing to take risks and think the unthinkable.
So I raise my glass to them with cheap English bought Port. Cheers !
3/01/2009
BBC investigating University Challenge winners eligibility
The BBC are investigating whether one of the winning team in University Challenge was actually a student at the college at the time of the filming.
Perhaps the contestant should be taken away from the police and given a "Slumdog millionaire" style interrogation by the police ?
Perhaps the contestant should be taken away from the police and given a "Slumdog millionaire" style interrogation by the police ?
Labour hypocrisy
When I first started this blog more back in 2006 one of my first blog posts was about a former Lib Dem activist, something of an "odd bod" if you understand what I mean, who had after some rows and internal party issues (to do with him thinking he was more important than he actually was), jumping ship to the Labour party. Subsequently to me posting my original story I was told he was actually rejected by the Tories, so in effect Labour were his last port of call.
Anyway, back in 2006 this person wrote a letter to the Eastern Daily Press attacking me in my position as a councillor and used this letter to also totally misrepresent the Lib Dems new policy on the Post Office.
Now, interestingly, Labour have in great part adopted about 50% of the Lib Dem proposals on the post office, only leaving out the Lib Dem proposal to hand 30% of the Post Office to staff so they can be shareholders in their own future.
So it is very odd that 30 months on from Labour members attacking the Lib Dems over a policy, Labour themselves are actually now flipping 180 degrees and largely agreeing with the Lib Dems.
It does though rather make an idiot of this former Lib Dem colleague of mine who attacked me personally, but then again, if you knew him (and I am sure many Norfolk Lib Dems will have a good idea who I am on about), you'd know it does not take much to make him look like an idiot !
Anyway, back in 2006 this person wrote a letter to the Eastern Daily Press attacking me in my position as a councillor and used this letter to also totally misrepresent the Lib Dems new policy on the Post Office.
Now, interestingly, Labour have in great part adopted about 50% of the Lib Dem proposals on the post office, only leaving out the Lib Dem proposal to hand 30% of the Post Office to staff so they can be shareholders in their own future.
So it is very odd that 30 months on from Labour members attacking the Lib Dems over a policy, Labour themselves are actually now flipping 180 degrees and largely agreeing with the Lib Dems.
It does though rather make an idiot of this former Lib Dem colleague of mine who attacked me personally, but then again, if you knew him (and I am sure many Norfolk Lib Dems will have a good idea who I am on about), you'd know it does not take much to make him look like an idiot !
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