THIS WEEK 24/04/2010 — So, this week in Blighty we had the Leader's second TV debate. The day started with the Tory newspapers spreading muck and lies about Nick Clegg. It was such an obviously orchestrated campaign, that just about every one of the readers probably saw right through the plot. What a bunch of Tory plotting losers! As if they think their newspapers can decide the winner. The people will vote. The people will decide. Not the newspapers and their financiers, Mr Murdoch.
Meanwhile, the Mail Online is running a poll. Who won the 2nd debate between Brown, Clegg, and Cameron? Being the Mail, they didn't report the outcome today. Clegg is getting 80% !!! LOL!!
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THIS WEEK 18/04/2010 — Monday: Annual Towns Meeting. No members of the public attended. A reporter came. And so did Cllr Sue Goodchild. The meeting lasted 12 minutes.
Tuesday. Lib Dem local Branch Executive meeting. 2 hours.
Thursday evening. Nick Clegg scores much credit over Cameron and Brown, boosts LibDems in ratings.
Friday. Helped NH in South Oxhey delivering leaflets.
Saturday. Walk over Dunstable Downs. Great weather. Great excuse for a coastline.
Tuesday. Lib Dem local Branch Executive meeting. 2 hours.
Thursday evening. Nick Clegg scores much credit over Cameron and Brown, boosts LibDems in ratings.
Friday. Helped NH in South Oxhey delivering leaflets.
Saturday. Walk over Dunstable Downs. Great weather. Great excuse for a coastline.
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Mural Plans Postphoned 28/01/2010 — Jon Boswell, Head of Stronger Communities, Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity, has responded to the reaction of our town council saying "we have no wish to install a work that does not have the backing of the Town Council." Well, that's a small win for consultation requests. He acknowledges that they should have built more public consultation into the overall project. He is hopeful that they will come back in May or June to engage possibly with a local school to create a new design for the wall frieze to go up in Bedford Square.
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A Bit of a Rumpus over a Mural 26/01/2010 - Last night's Houghton Regis town council meeting was a productive affair, setting the year's increase in the parish precept up 1.92% for a Band D property, or an extra £2.43 a year. Plenty of value from the Lib Dem-run council in a year that will see the building of a new pavilion for the bowls club and footballers and the completion of two new playgrounds.
But the smallest item on the agenda produced possibly the biggest annoyance of the evening. Late last year we were told (i.e. not asked) that the town would be getting a giant beech nut (even though an artistic licence is applied and it will actually look more like a horse chestnut), along with a mural to be hung on the side of the Tesco metro store in Bedford Square. Well, a picture of the mural was shown to us town councillors last night of what we would be getting (again, without any consultation) and this was tempered only by the fact that planning permission would be required, even if we aren't the planning authority. This mural features the local All Saints Church. This could be construed as being divisive, as there are 3 churches in the town, besides which the placement of the mural will make it look as if commercial sponsorship is involved. Not only that but if one looks around the corner from where this is to be placed you would be able to see the real thing!
Okay, so the town isn't paying for it, it's coming from an Art fund, but people are going to think the Town council approved it. And the truth is we weren't even consulted.
But the smallest item on the agenda produced possibly the biggest annoyance of the evening. Late last year we were told (i.e. not asked) that the town would be getting a giant beech nut (even though an artistic licence is applied and it will actually look more like a horse chestnut), along with a mural to be hung on the side of the Tesco metro store in Bedford Square. Well, a picture of the mural was shown to us town councillors last night of what we would be getting (again, without any consultation) and this was tempered only by the fact that planning permission would be required, even if we aren't the planning authority. This mural features the local All Saints Church. This could be construed as being divisive, as there are 3 churches in the town, besides which the placement of the mural will make it look as if commercial sponsorship is involved. Not only that but if one looks around the corner from where this is to be placed you would be able to see the real thing!
Okay, so the town isn't paying for it, it's coming from an Art fund, but people are going to think the Town council approved it. And the truth is we weren't even consulted.
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Around the World in Eighty Days 6 Jan 2010 — Snow fell last night, and I concluded it worth my while taking a days holiday from work.
So, today I started to read Michael Palin's Around the World in 80 Days. It was one of a series of Palin books I recommended my children to buy me for Christmas. In addition, I treated myself to a large Collins World Atlas as a companion to the travels I am about to follow. So far, I have read up to Day 10. I feel I have embarked on an epic journey of my own, and if I succeed it will probably take me many more than 80 days to complete reading the whole set.
Now, I'm not blaming Michael for this, but why is it that reading sends me to sleep? I've long known that reading is an excellent way to send myself off to sleep at night, but why should that also work in the middle of the day? Had I kept awake, I am sure I would have read more.
Palin's ground-based travel is a time-consuming way to traverse the planet, but surely the only way to travel if you are a reporter like Palin who wants an insight into many cultures and customs and loves to report on the immediate sights. Anyway, I've learnt about the Corinth Canal today. This canal saves the ship traveller a 200-mile circumnavigation of Peloponnesia, a consideration that doesn't even enter the head of an airline passenger travelling to the Greek islands from the UK in a matter of a few hours.
The other great benefit of this series of books is that somewhere in my head there is a vague recollection of having watched the filming of the adventures on TV. So I was laughing out loud when, on Day 8, I was reminded of the camel episode in Giza. Palin describes the inevitable commercialism of this famous tourist spot, in which vendors almost bend over backwards to be the tourist's best friend.
So I am now in Suez, enjoying my one-day off holiday, in my mind if not in reality. In reality, I must face the treacherous icy roads of Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire tomorrow morning and evening, as I take up the slog of daily life in snow-bound England.
Now, I'm not blaming Michael for this, but why is it that reading sends me to sleep? I've long known that reading is an excellent way to send myself off to sleep at night, but why should that also work in the middle of the day? Had I kept awake, I am sure I would have read more.
Palin's ground-based travel is a time-consuming way to traverse the planet, but surely the only way to travel if you are a reporter like Palin who wants an insight into many cultures and customs and loves to report on the immediate sights. Anyway, I've learnt about the Corinth Canal today. This canal saves the ship traveller a 200-mile circumnavigation of Peloponnesia, a consideration that doesn't even enter the head of an airline passenger travelling to the Greek islands from the UK in a matter of a few hours.
The other great benefit of this series of books is that somewhere in my head there is a vague recollection of having watched the filming of the adventures on TV. So I was laughing out loud when, on Day 8, I was reminded of the camel episode in Giza. Palin describes the inevitable commercialism of this famous tourist spot, in which vendors almost bend over backwards to be the tourist's best friend.
From the book:-
"What is your name?"
"Michael."
"My camel's name is Michael!"
So I am now in Suez, enjoying my one-day off holiday, in my mind if not in reality. In reality, I must face the treacherous icy roads of Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire tomorrow morning and evening, as I take up the slog of daily life in snow-bound England.
