In 1979 I was a student at Warwick University camapaigning in the General Election for the late Audrey Wise, the tenacious left-wing Labour MP for Coventry. One of the small trotskyist clans at the University was urging students to "Vote Tory to bring down the Government". Their logic was that Callaghan was a reactionary Labour PM and was deeply hated by the unions. This had resulted in strikes and the so-called 'Winter of Discontent'. If Thatcher came to power, they argued, she would be even more reactionary and the unions would rise up against the Tories and a revolutionary situation would emerge. Bloody fine experiment that turned out to be! Audrey Wise lost her seat... although the truth is, Coventry lost Audrey. I'd like to meet with 'the comrades' who pushed that line back then (they are probably all New Labour or Lib Dem voting voting advertising executives now) and ask them to reflect on their advice. Reading this from Martin Kettle, I really do hope we are not all sitting back on May 6th wondering exactly what went wrong.... and watching the smarmy Howard quoting St Francis of Assisi..."Where there is discord, may we bring harmony. Where there is error, may we bring truth. Where there is doubt, may we bring faith. And where there is despair, may we bring hope." Look back in anger.

It's not just Iraqis who are abused... remember Zahid Mubarek, murdered five years ago this month.

We have got used to stories of the abuse of power in Abu Ghraib and Camp Breadbasket in recent weeks. Equally as horrifying, though, was the story on BBC last week showing the disgusting racism and abuse at Oakington Immigration Centre. The accounts by undercover reporters should be sufficient for the private company, the laughably named Global Solutions Ltd, to immediately have their contract terminated. However, a more disturbing question is: would the State sector do any better? Relatives of Zahid Mubarek would almost certainly not think so. Zahid was the victim of an horrendous series of racial taunts and attacks by his cellmate in Feltham young offenders institution. His murderer, known racist psychopath Robert Stewart beat Zahid to death with a table leg five years ago. Jack Straw initally, and then David Blunkett refused the family a public inquiry into the murder (and that should have been a bigger reason for Blunkett's resignation than some leg-over nonsense) before the Courts ordered him to do so. The inquiry is now underway and you can follow events on the Public Inquiry website. Last week the head of the Prison Officers Association said that officers deliberately placed people into the sort of situations where prisoners would be bullied, and then they gambled on the likely outcomes. I await the news of the prosecution of these officers... but I won't hold my breath.

"...outcomes can alter the balance of even a legal argument." David Aaronovitch in The Observer says we should not ask whether the Iraq invasion was 'legal' - we should ask whether it was 'good'. Or, as the Tankies used to say... "Don't ask if the Stalinist purges were right, ask whether they were good because the Russians helped to defeat fascism." A classic ends justifying the means argument.

Stop nuisance Lib Dems...

The Lib Dems are campaigning to Stop Nuisance Calls from Labour and the Tories. I don't think it is anything new though. The Lib Dems, (and their predecessors the ill-fated SDP and Liberals) seem to have been operating that policy in my Ward for the 25 years I have lived here. Not one nuisance Lib Dem phone call, not one Lib Dem nuisance knocking on my door telling me what they stand for, in fact, not even a single nuisance Liberal/Lib Dem leaflet explaining their views in more than 25 years. Idle bastards trying to disguise the fact by promising not to be a 'nuisance' if you ask me.

Two good contributions from The Guardian: Ken Livingstone - This is about Israel, not anti-semitism, and Robin Cook on the Prevention of Terrorism Bill.

If you want to know how Billie Holliday would have interpreted Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen... grab a listen if you can to Madeleine Peyroux's album Careless Love.

Andy Hamilton is a jazz legend in Birmingham. He is 87 years old, and has been leading jazz bands in the City for nearly 60 years. Before that he was musical director on Errol Flynn's yacht. Andy also encourages and nurtures young jazz musicians. Last week in Bearwood he introduced a 14-year old saxophonist and a 16-year old trumpet player, and they were terrific. Now, for the sake of a few measley quid his Sunday lunchtime jam sessions at The Drum have been axed. Come on, John Hemming... the City is proud enough of Andy to herald his achievements, so why not dip in the City coffers to keep Andy's sessions going, and who knows, he might let you on stage to jam. Anyway, tonight we're off to Bearwood Jazz to see Andy and Russian saxophonist, Oleg Kireyev.

Now this, I really like.

Google is a great search engine... but courtesy of Online Guardian, at first glance this is something else! For instance, if you type in Birmingham it gives you a mass of information which can be cross-referenced to other parts of the Web. In the left hand column it actually refers you to recent blog postings about where or whatever you have searched for. It even lists all the honours won by Birmingham City Football Club in their 130 years of trying. Now that must have taken some research.

Letter in The Guardian:
We were wondering if perhaps Hazel Blears couldn't help your overworked police force to identify terrorist suspects, by making dubious peoples wear some form of easily recognised symbol, for instance a yellow star. We have read this was highly effective previously in europe.
Cynthia Loemij
Clive Mitchell
Brussels

Worth it?

George Monbiot in The Guardian asks: How can MPs properly represent us when they are earning up to 95% of their income from outside interests? According to this, an average backbench MPs salary and expenses amount to over £175,000 a year! Well, I bet the people of Kensington & Chelsea think they are getting their money's worth out of Michael Portillo. According to the Register of Members' Interests, he squeezed them in somewhere in between this little lot.... be patient, no wonder he doesn't want to be Prime Minister anymore!

PORTILLO, Rt. Hon. Michael (Kensington and Chelsea) 1.Remunerated directorships BAE Systems PLC (non-executive). 2.Remunerated employment, office, profession etc.. Speaking engagements booked through Speakers for Business: 30 March 2004, speech at National Association of Estates Agents Lunch, London. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 31 March 2004) 1 September 2004, speech at Private Finance Initiative Journal Annual Dinner (Blue Box Group UK Ltd), London. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 20 October 2004) 7 October 2004, speech at Audit Commission Dinner, Daventry. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 20 October 2004) Speaking engagements booked through DBA Speakers Agency: 19 April 2004, speech at Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, East of England Supper, Hertfordshire. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 4 May 2004) 16 June 2004, speech at Chartered Institute Public Finance and Accountancy Conference Fringe Meeting, Brighton. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 8 July 2004) 6 July 2004, Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, East of England Supper, Norwich. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 2 September 2004) 19 November 2004, speech at Baker Tilly Conference, Surrey. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 14 December 2004) 2 December 2004, speech at Jane's Information Group Awards, London. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 14 December 2004) Speaking engagements booked through Parliament Communications Speaking Agency: 7 May 2004, speech at British Association of Communicators in Business Dinner, Warwickshire. (£5,001-£10,000) (Registered 8 July 2004) 24 November 2004, speech at Lloyds TSB Conference, Guernsey. Fee plus return flights. (£5,001-£10,000) (Registered 14 December 2004) Speaking engagements booked through the London Speaker Bureau: 25 May 2004, speech at Cendant Lunch, London. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 8 July 2004) 26 May 2004, speech at STP Annual Benchmark Awards, London. (£5,001-£10,000) (Registered 8 July 2004) 9 June 2004, speech at EMAP Automobile Conference, Birmingham. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 8 July 2004) 14 September 2004, speech at 100 Property Club Dinner, London. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 20 October 2004) 28 September 2004, speech at IChemE Awards Dinner, London. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 20 October 2004) 9 November 2004, speech at Thomas Byrne Lunch, Dublin. Fee plus return flights. (£5,001-£10,000) (Registered 14 December 2004) Speaking engagements booked through the Speakers Corner Agency: 19 February 2004, speech at Chartered Institute of Building Annual Dinner, London. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 31 March 2004) 13 November 2004, to IOD Dinner, Jersey. Fee plus return flights. (£5,001-£10,000) (Registered 14 December 2004) Speaking engagements booked through JLA Speaking Agency: 6 February 2004, speech at Scottish Legal Awards, Glasgow. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 31 March 2004) 26 March 2004, speech at Faculty of Building Great Western Branch Dinner, Bristol. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 31 March 2004) 27 May 2004, speech at Intellect Dinner, London. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 8 July 2004) 12 June 2004, speech at HVCA Conference, Harrogate. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 8 July 2004) 2 September 2004, Gramophone Classical Awards, London. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 20 October 2004) 5 October 2004, speech at CIO Connect Dinner, Surrey. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 20 October 2004) 12 November 2004, speech at Allen & Overy Conference, Amsterdam. Fee plus return flights and one night's accommodation. (£5,001-£10,000) (Registered 14 December 2004) Speaking engagements booked through Performing Artistes Agency: 11 March 2004, speech at Legendary Dinner, London. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 31 March 2004) 22 September 2004, speech at Knight Frank Estate Agents Dinner, London. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 20 October 2004) 26 November 2004, Institute of Export annual export lunch, Gatwork. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 14 December 2004) 30 November 2004, speech at Royal and Sun Alliance dinner, London. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 14 December 2004) Sky News occasional contributor as newspaper reviewer. (Up to £5,000) 8 February 2004, book review for Sunday Telegraph. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 31 March 2004) 12 February 2004, article for Mail on Sunday. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 31 March 2004) 13 February 2004, BBC Newsnight Review (for BBC2). (Up to £5,000) (Registered 31 March 2004) 22 February 2004, article for Sunday Times. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 31 March 2004) February 2004, article for Medlife Magazine. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 31 March 2004) March 2004, article for Square Meal Magazine. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 31 March 2004) 4 March 2004, speech at PAM Awards Dinner, London. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 31 March 2004) 14 and 21 March 2004, two articles for the Sunday Times. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 31 March 2004) March 2004, article for Mail on Sunday. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 31 March 2004) March 2004, article for The Observer. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 31 March 2004) Television programme (as a participant), BBC "Dinner with Portillo" series of six programmes November 2003-February 2004 (for BBC4). (£15,001-£20,000) (Registered 31 March 2004) 7 April 2004, speech at Ceridian Lunch, London, booked through Celebrity Speakers Ltd. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 4 May 2004) April 2004, two book reviews for the Sunday Times. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 4 May 2004) April 2004, article for Medlife Magazine. Fee plus return flight to Iberian Peninsula and three night's hotel accommodation. (Up to £5,000) April 2004, four articles for the Sunday Times. (£5,001-£10,000) (Registered 4 May 2004) 8 April 2004, BBC "Parkinson" (for BBC1). (Up to £5,000) (Registered 4 May 2004) 16 May 2004, speech at Brighton Festival Literary Lunch, Brighton. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 8 July 2004) 23 May 2004, participant in panel discussion at English National Opera. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 8 July 2004) May 2004, article for Square Meal Magazine. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 8 July 2004) May 2004, four articles for the Sunday Times. (£5,001-£10,000) (Registered 8 July 2004) June 2004, four articles for the Sunday Times. (£5,001-£10,000) (Registered 8 July 2004) Television programmes (as a participant), BBC `This Week' (for BBC1) January-May 2004, weekly series (£10,001-£15,000), BBC `Dinner with Portillo' series of six programmes May-October 2004 (for BBC4) (£15,001-£20,000), BBC `This Week' for BBC1 November-December 2003 (paid June 2004) (Up to £5,000) (Registered 8 July 2004); BBC `This Week' (for BBC1) June and July 2004, weekly series. (£5,001-£10,000) (Registered 2 September 2004), 30 July 2004, BBC Newsnight Review (for BBC2) (Up to £5,000) (Registered 2 September 2004) BBC `This Week' for (BBC1) August 2004, weekly series (Up to £5,000) (Registered 20 October 2004), BBC `This Week' (for BBC1) September 2004, weekly series (Up to £5,000) (Registered 14 December 2004), BBC `This Week' (for BBC1) October 2004, weekly series (Up to £5,000) (Registered 17 January 2005), BBC, presenter of a four part series on Political Cartoonists (for BBC4) (£15,001-£20,000) (Registered 17 January 2005). July 2004, article for Medlife Magazine. Fee plus return flight to Tunis and three nights' hotel accommodation. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 2 September 2004) July 2004, four articles for the Sunday Times. (£5,001-£10,000) (Registered 2 September 2004) August 2004, four articles for the Sunday Times. (£5,001-£10,000) (Registered 2 September 2004) August 2004, article for the Times Weekend Review (Up to £5,000) (Registered 2 September 2004) September 2004, article for GB Airways Medlife Magazine. Fee plus return flights to Gibraltar. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 20 October 2004) 8 September 2004, speech at Chiron Corporation Dinner, London. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 20 October 2004) 20 September 2004, speech at Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner, Gibraltar. Fee plus four nights' accommodation. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 20 October 2004) 29 September 2004, speech at JBP PR Anniversary Dinner, Bristol. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 20 October 2004) September 2004, four articles for the Sunday Times. (£5,001-£10,000) (Registered 20 October 2004) October 2004, four articles for the Sunday Times. (£5,001-£10,000) (Registered 20 October 2004) 12 October 2004, speech at 2004 Building Homes Quality Awards, London. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 20 October 2004) 18 October 2004, speech at T Rowe Price Dinner, London. (£5,001-£10,000) (Registered 20 October 2004) 19 October 2004, speech at British Businessmen's Club, Düsseldorf, Germany. Fee plus return flight. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 20 October 2004) October 2004, two articles for The Sunday Times. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 14 December 2004) November 2004, four articles for The Sunday Times. (£5,001-£10,000) (Registered 14 December 2004) 2 November 2004, speech at CDR Aldwych Dinner, London. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 14 December 2004) 11 November 2004, speech at Aeolus Lunch, Glasgow, booked through Gordon Poole Agency. Fee plus return flights. (Up to £5,000) (Registered 14 December 2004) 9 December 2004, speech at St Regis Paper Company Ltd lunch, London, booked through Catalyst World Class Ltd. (£5,001-£10,000) (Registered 14 December 2004) September 2004 and December 2004 Associate to Capgemini UK plc. (£5,001-£10,000) (Registered 17 January 2005) December 2004, four articles for The Sunday Times. (£5,001-£10,000) (Registered 17 January 2005) 5.Gifts, benefits and hospitality (UK) Complimentary membership of The Peak Health Club, The Carlton Tower Hotel, London SW7. Ex officio complimentary membership of the Chelsea Arts Club. September 2004, free Executive Medical Screen, Cromwell Hospital, London SW7. (Registered 20 October 2004) 6.Overseas visits 5-7 March 2004, to Venice, to attend British-Italian Seminar. Return flight and two nights' accommodation provided by the Italian UK Ambassador. (Registered 4 May 2004) 5-7 November 2004, to Madrid to attend British-Spanish Tertulias, who paid for return airfares to Madrid plus two nights' accommodation. (Registered 14 December 2004) 3-4 December 2004, to Potsdam, Germany for Club of Three conference. Return air fares to Berlin plus one night's accommodation paid by conference organisers. (Registered 14 December 2004)

Shame

On average two women are killed by it every week. The police receive over 400,000 999 calls every year reporting it. On average there are 35 assaults before the victim gets round to reporting it. Less than 13,000 cases are prosecuted every year for more than half a million offences. One in four women in the UK are the victims of it. Unlike 'football hooliganism' you hardly ever read about it in your newspapers, but the level and severity of the attacks are much worse. Count how many times you hear ANY political party mention Domestic Violence in the next two months.

Lib Dem electoral fraud. Obviously, to use John Hemming's logic, the reason the Liberal Democrats supported the extension of postal voting was to enable their members to do this sort of thing. He has highlighted some examples of electoral fraud but so far this one seems to have been missed.

West Bromwich Albion footballer Lee Hughes was given a six-year prison sentence for causing death by dangerous driving. Birmingham City loan player, millionaire playboy Jermaine Pennant is due to be sentenced today after being caught driving his Mercedes car with a lampost underneath it whilst under the influence of drink. Pennant was already banned for drink driving and had no insurance. Birmingham manager Steve Bruce said "Pennant has had a tough life". You better believe it, transferred to Arsenal for two million quid aged 15, dropped from the England Under-21 squad for staying out of the hotel all-night drinking, earning more in a month than the overwhelming majority of the country earn in a year... life can't get much tougher than that! As Stan Colleymore said, just because you are mega rich, doesn't mean you don't have problems. No, Stan, just don't expect us to give a toss.

"We are turning into a nation of whimpering slaves to Fear— fear of war, fear of poverty, fear of random terrorism, fear of getting down-sized or fired because of the plunging economy, fear of getting evicted for bad debts, or suddenly getting locked up in a military detention camp on vague charges of being a Terrorist sympathizer."
The late Hunter S. Thompson tells it like it is.

Recorded on May 5, 1959 in New York City: John Coltrane's Giant Steps, a wonderful animation by Michael Levy. Takes a while to load... but truly marvellous.


(via growabrain)

Mark Alcock (and balls)

Mark Alcock, prospective Lib Dem MP for Barking (sorry, I mean South Ribble) has done his maths and he reckons the Lib Dems are going to win the General Election... and he's got a daft bar chart (or two) to prove it!

A good night to stop in and watch TV. Following on from Faith, a drama about the Miners Strike which has got Tory knickers in a twist because it is not balanced (maybe they want us to see the heartwrenching sadness of Ian MacGregor and the wicked witch of Finchley as they too endured the 12 month strike), and then you can switch to Channel 4 and watch Torture: The Guantanamo Guidebook. Seven people subjected to the conditions experienced by those hostages illegally detained and tortured by the United States Government. Wouldn't it be a good idea if we could have our own Big Brother type show where we could all phone in and nominate people to go into the Big Brother Guantanamo House. I just don't know how I could whittle the list down to seven though.

"Another Blairite minister admitted he had been taken aback by the hostility to the leader on the doorsteps..." Just exactly where have these people been for the last three years?

Politics matters

New articles on ZNet include a piece about Bush's newly appointed Director of Military Intelligence, When John Negroponte Was Mullah Omar. Also on ZNET The Case for Socialism in the Twenty-First Century, and if that interests you, you will probably want to read Tony Benn's review of Paul Foot's posthumously published last book.

Happy Birthday

This blog is 12 months old this weekend. It was inspired initially by Tom Watson and then by Tim Ireland's 'Why Politicians Need Weblogs'. My first commentors were Ingrid, who has published more good stuff on the crisis in Darfur than the entire British media, and Christine, who continues to entertain, and Tom Watson himself. Thanks to all those who have taken the time to contribute. It's a bit like canvassing really... you get one or two people who are really rude, but most people want to tell you what they think and enjoy the banter. At least the worst I get are a few sharp words, unlike Mohamad Reza Nasab Abdolahi (via The Committee to Protect Bloggers). So, here's to year two.....

Robin Cook on Britain's new Pass Laws. The Guardian also has a review of the new album by Rufus Wainwright, whose dad Loudon produced one of the great first albums... was it really 35 years ago?

"Mr Kennedy’s office said that it was still considering how to reply to Mr Sacranie’s letter of February 4."
Perhaps the slippery sod could reply for himself?

Military.... Intelligence?

If, as the Rev. Ian would have us believe, Sinn Fein have no place in the constitutional arrangements in Northern Ireland, even if members of their military wing were acting independently of the IRA... shouldn't he also want to exclude the British Government when it's military wing are guilty of this sort of thing? Also... why were there no Iraqis called to give evidence against their torturers? Was someone frightened about what they might say was even more horrific than the allegations against these soldiers? Call me a conspiracy theorist if you want..... (don't you dare!)

R.I.P. Terry

Terry Weir (centre), Aston Villa's acclaimed photographer for over 30 years, died today.

Acts of Faith

I am a confirmed atheist and more than a little frightened by those zealots who want to save our souls, but will condemn us to eternal damnation if we think they are talking tripe. This decision, taken after a piece of mafioso arm twisting by fundamentalist bigots, really does make you wonder about the sanity of these people. Some twerp was actually on the radio this morning saying they were making these threats "in the interests of people with cancer".

Vote for the President of the World. Bloggerheads' Tim Ireland wants your vote... but spare a thought for my man, the legend that is Sheephead.

Ken apologises? Does he hell! Good for him, and what a pity he didn't get the backing of his party leader.

Donald Rumsfeld comes to Wolverhampton

“Lets believe we can do it. Lets make the electorate, not only believe that we believe, But most importantly lets make them believe it too!”

Thanks to Tom Watson for highlighting what must be the election campaigning slogan of all time from Wolverhamton Lib Dem hopeful David Jack. Come on Charlie... give this to the nation!

Incidentally, David Jack scored the first ever goal in a Wembley Cup final... could they be by any chance related? Let's face it, to score in the Cup Final you've not only got to believe... you've got to believe you believe...

Last night we went to Warwick Arts Centre to see the African Soul Rebels tour. A terrific concert, starting with the hypnotic blues rhythms of the Toureg tribesmen (and one woman) Tinariwen. Next up were Senegalese hip hop rappers Daara J. Not entirely my cup of tea but real high energy stuff. My daughter Sian liked them best and before long she had forged her way to the front of the stage. Finally, Rachid Taha, an Algerian Rock n' Rai singer who looks like a cross between Pacino's Frank Serpico and early Bruce Springsteen, and the togetherness and fun of the band has strong echoes of The Boss. Three great acts... for less than £15, and the only sad thing was the fact the hall was nowhere near sold out. When you consider that Birmingham City want to charge £45 to watch a bunch of overpaid prima donnas ponce around for 90 minutes, the African Soul Rebels are real value for money. Still chance to catch them if you can get to Gateshead, Edinburgh,Shrewsbury, Leicester and London.

Daniel Brett, as so often, offers a thoughtful piece on Darfur, and warns of those who find simplistic solutions to complex problems. "It infuriates me that people with only a passing interest in Sudan, prompted by a few television pictures, can wade in and demand one or the other group be armed or favoured in any way."

"Labour candidates who opposed the war should not be punished;" Phew, that's a relief.

Ken Livingstone ups the anti and asks questions about the Daily Mail's Nazi theme party.

A popular local councillor... (Lib Dem chap also gets mention.)

Bloggers will rescue the right. In your dreams, Smithy!

Now that is truly shocking! Cunning stunt (via The buddah)

Regular readers of this page will know that the odious Blue Chip Casinos are attempting to convert a pub in my Ward into this monstrosity:


Local residents are up in arms over the idea of an all-night casino in the heart of a residential community. and have been blocking the proposal at Planning Committee and at a national Planning Inspectorate public inquiry. Eighteen months in, the latest battle took place this week at Planning Committee when once again Blue Chip’s plans were thrown out… to the delight of the dozens of residents in the public gallery. Once more the residents have spoken… we don’t want your bloody casino, now go away and leave us alone!

Casting the first stone...

It seems perverse to me that the man who refused to apologise to the nation for plunging the country into a war on a totally false premise, should be urging Ken Livingstone to publicly apologise for making insulting remarks to a journalist.

Rotten apples

Councillor John Hemming, Lib Dem Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council's Conservative dominated coalition is quite rightly upset over the issue of alleged fraudulent abuse of the postal ballot system by some individuals in the Labour Party last June. Where Hemming tips over the edge of sanity though, is when he accuses the Labour Party in general, or the Government of "undermining democracy." We need to be clear about this. The Labour Party issued strict written instructions to members about the use of postal ballots which made it absolutely clear that there should not even be a suggestion of interference in how individual voters cast their vote. If Hemming is suggesting otherwise he should put up or shut up. If the Labour Party has to accept the responsibility for people who "allegedly" (and that is important) fiddled the vote... will John Hemming and the Liberal Democrats accept responsibility for the Scottish Lib Dem MEP who so 'liberally' interpreted his expenses that he claimed mileage expenses in a single year equivalent to driving "three and a half times around the world?"

Also on his blog Hemming is getting concerned about kids and anti-social behaviour. A bit rich for a Party that have opposed almost all Labour's proposals on anti-social behaviour but who's Culture spokesperson wants to to reduce the legal drinking age to 16. That should stop the kids spraying graffiti... they'll be too busy getting pissed!

Lorenzo at Blogshake has put his vote up for bids on ebay. Watch out Lorenzo, Councillor and part-time sleuth John Hemming will be on your tail.

According to The Observer's Food Awards the best place for kids food in the North East is The Italian Kitchen, 229 Three Tuns Lane in, errr.... Liverpool???

On the subject of Liverpool... I cannot recommend highly enough the Kirkby Times. An independent working class website with some cracking stuff. Look at Blair's World and the blog of Kirkby Councillor Robin Bustard No.1 on the list if you type in Blog Councillor in google). All contained alongside some seriously good stuff about issues such as the Hillsborough disaster. Magic!

"No more 'Mr I know best'" Blair tells Labour's Spring Conference, and now he wants to build a "partnership with the people." It's his partnership with the little fellah in the White House that worries me though.

Labour will win the forthcoming General Election, says Roy Hattersley, because "The Prime Minister is a better One Nation Conservative than Howard will ever be." Sad, but sadly true.

Sunny Jim, the last trade unionist to become Prime Minister (and also possibly the last trade unionist to become Prime Minister, if you get my drift), is the age of 92 years, 10 months and 18 days, Britain's oldest ever former Prime Minister.

Microsoft's new Route Planner.. this really is worthwhile Try this:

MSN Maps & Directions - Get Directions

Select Norway for the country in both start and end

Start City : Haugesund
End City : Trondheim

Click Get Directions.

(Thanks to Jim at Slave to the 11C)

I know the xenephobes want an English manager, but surely they want some record of achievement, not any old English manager. Mr Potatoehead has now decided to throw his hat in the ring!

Time to start being afraid

Values such as respect for political and human rights... "are the indispensable elements of an Iraq where the rule of law prevails, justice is served and freedom is guaranteed."... so writes John Negroponte, US Ambassador to Iraq in The Day We Defeated Fear. Unfortunately he uses El Salvador to illustrate the way fear can be defeated. El Salvador where death squads "abducted members of the civilian population and rebel groups. They tortured their hostages, were responsible for their disappearance and usually executed them." The "death squad option" was also evidenced in Honduras where the US Ambassador, one John Negroponte, looked the other way. Now the US are said to be preparing for the "Death Squad Option" in Iraq.

Start your own blog. So true.

Backing Blair

If you type 'Backing Blair' into google you not only get the splendid Tim Ireland campaign way out front... but you also get a link to this unlikely supporter of the Bloggerheads campaign.

Really, really sorry

A day to remember

It took 15 years for the British Government to admit they were wrong in locking up the Guilford 4. It has taken another 15 years for them to apologise. Why? And even when they do... the Speaker fails to catch the eye of the MP demanding the apology during PMQs, so they miss out on that very public apology. I had the good fortune to be present at the Old Bailey as a trade union observer on the day the Birmingham Six were released and the combination of euphoria mixed with bitter resentment at the way these totally innocent Irish/Brummies had been treated was electric. It was also tinged with sadness for the other victims, the families of those killed in The Mulberry Bush and The Tavern in the Town, who must have felt totally robbed as the real bombers had been allowed to escape by the bungling of the police in their desperation to find a victim... any victim!

You're 'aving a larf...

If the BNP website is to believed (and I wouldn't believe them if they said today was Tuesday without checking first) they claim one of their racist councillors in Bradford may have a case for race discrimination. Apparently he was lawfully sacked by Serco, but because he is in the BNP, and the BNP is exclusively white, he may have been unfairly discriminated against because of the "ethno-specific nature of the BNP as a political party."

Nice work if you can get it....

... but I suppose it helps if you are connected!
Formerly headed by U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, parent firm Halliburton showed Iraq-related revenue of about $1.7bn and $13m of operating profit in its most recent quarterly results.
From Bloggerheads via Friendly Fire.

Operation Iraqi Liberation (OIL) - George Monbiot tells how the US occupation regime helped itself to $8.8 bn of mostly Iraqi money in just 14 months.

Steve at Occupied Country has a pretty good musical taste. OK, so we're 'of a certain age' but I find most of the stuff that works its way onto his i-pod is music that I also rate very highly. So, prompted by Steve I decided to buy the Pat Metheny Group album, The Way Up. I'm usually wary about buying anything where I've only heard one track on the radio because I often find that the track I heard was the only decent thing on it. Well... The Way Up has only got one track, and its the only decent thing on it. It's absolutely stunning. I've played nothing else for a week, and on every listening it has got better, and delivered up things I had missed earlier. Great, great jazz rock. Thanks Steve.

A documentary celebrating the 40th anniversary of Malcolm X's visit to the Black Country is to be shown at venues in the area over the next two weeks. The local Branch of Unite Against Fascism have issued this press release.

Malcolm came to Smethwick in what turned out to be the last week of his life, at a time when he already knew he was in imminent danger of assassination. His arrival in Britain came in a period when Smethwick had become notorious as the scene of racial conflict, fuelled by local and national politicians seeking election in the area (does this sound familiar?).

In 1964 a Tory MP had been elected for Smethwick under the slogan of 'if you want a nigger for a neighbour vote Labour' and, over the following winter, the legacy of that campaign continued with the local Council's attempts to prevent the sale of previously White-occupied homes to Black people from the Commonwealth.

Malcolm paid a short visit to the town as an act of solidarity with the Black and Asian immigrants to the area (many of the arrangements for the visit were made by the local Branch of the Indian Workers' Association). At a press conference he said "the worst form of human being, I believe, is one who judges another human being by the colour of his skin".
He was asked what he thought of the situation in Smethwick and replied: "I have heard that Blacks in Smethwick are being treated in the same way as the Negroes were treated in Alabama--like Hitler treated the Jews".
Asked what he would do, he said "I would not wait for the fascist element in Smethwick to erect gas ovens ...".

Malcolm flew back to the USA the following day and was gunned down as he spoke to a public meeting in New York just a few days later. Twenty-two thousand people went to view his body as it lay in a Harlem funeral home.

To different people, Malcolm's visit has been a source of curiosity, outrage and inspiration. For anyone involved in the local campaigns against racism & fascism -- both then and now -- the visit of such an international figure is a welcome reminder that we are part of a global movement. The anniversary of his visit is also a reminder that the gains we have made against racism in Smethwick and elsewhere had to be fought for.

But the campaign isn't over. The General Election expected in May or June this year will see the fascist British National Party contest several constituencies in the Black Country and Birmingham. Now is surely as good a time as any to take Malcolm's message seriously.

For more information on the showing of the film, e-mail info@thepublic.com

"....for many Labour supporters, the whole point of winning an election is to create a fair, open society that reflects our decent, humanitarian values. A manifesto that promised them such a society might give them the motivation they need to vote and secure Labour a better chance of winning." Robin Cook in The Guardian on the Labour Party Manifesto.

Whitby's Poodle

When I got on the Council a few years back the legal officers were crawling all over us like a rash to make sure we declared any interest, financial or otherwise, in any matters under discussion. They were particularly concerned in respect of planning applications, for obvious reasons. So it came as something of a surprise to read that the Tory Leader of Birmingham City Council, Mike Whitby, had participated in planning committee debates about mobile phone masts, without declaring that he had over £2,500 worth of shares in vodafone! Now I have no reason to believe that Mike Whitby intended anything by this failure to declare, and in fact he stood a couple of times for election in this Ward before he "crossed the border" into Birmingham, and everyone round here speaks well of him. The interesting thing for me is how quickly his Lib Dem Deputy John Hemming was diverted from his main political obsession of counting the cost of the carpet in the Labour Group room to jump to His Masters defence and rush off a letter to the newspapers defending his boss because "his shareholding is too small to require a declaration." I suppose if you are a millionaire like Hemming, most amounts are of little consequence.... but most right-minded people would agree with the Ombudsman who said "Where a member has got a pecuniary interest in any matter they need to declare and withdraw from proceedings."

Justice... they call it justice!

It is very satisfying to know that we have delivered democracy and civilisation to the people of Iraq. Corporal Jonathan Petrice, a colleague of Larkin, initially said he had seen him ordering the Iraqis to undress. However, under cross-examination, but without being prompted, he said he was now confused as to whether it had in fact been Larkin.

Never mind The State of the Union... this is the speech Bush should have given in 2002.

One of the most frquent complaints I receive as a councillor (apart from that bloody casino proposal) concerns the car parking charges for visitors to the Sandwell General Hospital. Although we called the issue in for scrutiny we were not succesful in getting them to reduce the charges, so people continue to block up side roads outside the hospital. It now seems in Dudley, they've got an altogether different problem.

A good mate of mine, Andy Goodall, managed to get me a copy of The Revolution Will NOT be Televised. A must see. What a fantastic film. Much of it shot from inside the Presidential Palace as the US inspired coup against Chavez takes place in fron of our eyes... and then unravels as the popular protest builds. President Chavez, this week, closed the World Social Forum in Brazil with a tribute to the people of the United States : "One day the decay inside U.S. imperialism will end up toppling it, and the great people of Martin Luther King will be set free. The great people of the United States are our brothers, my salute to them."

Shock! George W Bush is bigger than Jesus! (That must mean Jesus was a pretty short geezer).

The 101 dumbest moments in business awards for 2005.

I like this one:
"Hormel Foods is forced to recall 104,000 pounds of Stagg canned chilli— labeled "hearty beef with a kick of green chilies"— after the kick turns out to come instead from the ground-up parts of a plastic handheld calculator."

OK, in response to a request from Balders... here it is. The egotistical old get of a Chairman apparently playing football. Don't ask me which one he is supposed to be (perhaps he's the figure running the touchline in the background)

Three days left before the transfer window slaps us in the face again and the disgrace that is our Chairman has spent less on new players than he has on his own fat salary. I know it is wrong to wish harm on people, but the thoughts I have about Ellis are only equalled by the same hateful thoughts I harbour about Thatcher.

The BNP accuse the Tories of playing the race card! Pot to kettle... come in please.

On a more positive note, the Philosophy Football (click on dissenters) people have produced a T-Shirt designed around an image of Great Britain and Ireland created from the names of almost 100 refugees from Isabelle Allende to Emile Zola who have made such a positive contribution to our culture. Less than a tenner... all profits to The Refugee Council.

Sandwell Council's Planning Committee are (once again) to consider an application to turn a pub in a residential area into an all-night casino. Once more into the battle, comrades. We live here and wdo not want this Casino.

Shurely Shome mistake! Shouldn't that be "Compulsory - Make the Tories History"

Good question

If there is a war against terrrr, George Monbiot asks "Why isn't Mark Thatcher in Belmarsh?"

I was never that hot at economics, but...

...I thought I understood the law of supply and demand. From the early 1980's the Tory Government's council house sales programme encouraged tenants to buy their council houses for whacking great discounts. Local authorities were not given the capital receipts to plough back into housing, and in any event, who was going to build new houses when they knew the tenants could buy them and leave the council with the debt. Building Works Direct Labour Organisations were privatised with compulsory tendering, did everything as cheaply and proftable as they could, and those houses that were not wanted by purchasers fell into decline. Councils governed by all three main parties started selling off whole estates (or their complete stock) to so-called social landlords who prided themselves on charging 'market rents' comparable to the private sector.

The result? Less houses for those on average to low incomes, greater demand for the 'Barretts Boxes" that were being built... house prices rise due to the shortage, making it even more difficult for those on low incomes to find somewhere to live. Followed by politicians from all three political parties making fatuous remarks and blaming each other. No doubt the construction companies and Rachmanite landlords are rubbing their hands in glee. Those who have got somewhere to live can feel smug about their rising property values... and the banks and building societies jump for joy in anticipation of those self same smug owners having to remortgage to try to get their kids on the property ladder. The economics of the madhouse.

Shock eh? Rat leaves sinking ship!

Just remember this... although a hung parliament is only in Cheesie Charlie's dreams
Letter in The Guardian:
"I'm delighted to answer Mr Smith's question about hung parliaments (Letters, January 19). I am quite clear that the Lib Dems will fight this election on an independent ticket. We will put forward our own policies for government and we would not prop up an unpopular Labour administration which had lost a three-figure majority.

But I am equally clear that there is no question of joining forces with the Conservatives. There is little in their emerging policy platform which I agree with, and there is an irrevocable divide between us on the issue of Europe. If you vote for the Lib Dems at the next election, you will vote positively for us; and I suggest that if there had been more Liberal Democrat MPs in this parliament, with a smaller Labour majority, our opposition could have averted the disastrous entanglement in Iraq."
Charles Kennedy
Leader, Liberal Democrats

Tell that to the Lib Dem voters in Birmingham who saw their votes go to a Lib Dem/Tory coalition!

Images from the war in Iraq (many of which are best not viewed on a full stomach) including some horric photographs taken after the 'liberation' of Fallujah.

.. and Robert Fisk provides the commentary.

Oh gawd...

Apparently Charles Clarke wants to educate young black people on "inclusive citizenship" so that they can learn about our national heritage. Should be interesting!

Tom's back... but will it last this time, or will he be further promoted after the next election and be forced to stop by those nasty whips?

Art or what? Join the debate at Occupied Country.

Lib Dem President Simon Hughes told Radio 5 this morning that it was not right for MPs to defect and that if they did they should resign their seat and fight a by-election. Hmmm. Does anyone remember the Liberal Democrats saying this when Paul Marsden and Emma Nicholson defected to them? (Via Lib Dem Watch)

Not to mention the Founders of their party, David Owen, Roy of the Radicals, Shirley Poppins and Bill Rogers, who all stood as Labour candidates and the switched to the SDP. Come on Hughes, vent your bile on them.

In an age of prima donna millionaire sportsmen, where even the mediocre whinge if they have to put their boots on for less than twenty grand, the sheer hard work, enthusiasm and genuine commitment of Matty Hoggard make him my nomination for Sportsman of the Year for 2005 whatever else happens in the next 11 months.

Lest we forget

On the day the Tories start their election campaign The Guardian has some photographs taken by Don McPhee in his 33 years in their Manchester office.

Battle of Orgreave

The summer of 1984 and the Miners Strike witnessed some of its most violent scenes as battle lines were drawn between the police and pickets at the Orgreave coking plant near Sheffield, South Yorkshire.

Making ends meet

Striking miners pick coal from pit waste sites during the 1984 strike.

Please, don’t take this personally, but in all honesty, if you are asking us “Isn’t the world a safer place without Saddam?” think again, because you have got the wrong person Mr. President.

The world would be safer without you too, and the likes of you.

There's more about the phantom weapons at antiwar.com.

"Thank god my father wasn't around to see this..." (shame about your mother though.....)

An endearing profile of "Thickie" Thatcher... the multi-millionaire bonehead who seems to have bought his way out of the slammer. Apparently a banner saying "Save me mummy" was draped over a building opposite the court.

OK... it's official... there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. All those palm trees hiding missile silos, lorries converted into rocket delivery systems, sattelite pictures displayed at the UN by Colin Powell, all absolute and total rubbish. It would appear that the people who didn't tell us in advance about the plot to crash aircraft into the World Trade Centre were the same incompetents who did tell us about weapons of mass destruction that didn't actually exist. Perhaps someone could give us a ballpark figure, to within a million pounds or so, of just how much money this country and the US spend on "Intelligence" every year.

Oh yes, could someone also tell us, if there were no chemical or biological weapons, exactly what did "Chemical" Ali do for a living?

The emerging Farmers' Market in Bearwood is back again this Saturday. If you are in the locality, give it your support. As featured on the excellent Big Barn website. (Type B67 into the postcode box to find us). Also, if you know a local (to us that is) vegetable producer who may want a stall... let me know.

Just why is this buffoon so upset about not being able to get diet coke?

"Brown wants something better than compassionate Conservatism. Blair does not." So says Roy Hattersley writing in The Guardian. Well it may or may not be true, but at least Hattersley attempts to explain some sort of ideological difference between Blair and Brown, whereas most of the chattering classes appear to define the split along the lines of: I want your job... You can't have it. If Gordon Brown is going to present a credible alternative to Tony Blair, then I would expect Labour Party members to want at least some explanation of the policy differences that divide them. I for one will not just accept Gordon Brown because he is not Tony Blair (although many might do so) or because he is "one of us". i.e. Labour not New Labour. I wouldn't expect Gordon Brown to articulate an opposition to the invasion of Iraq unless he was going to resign, but he has consistently showed himself to be a Chancellor close to the City of London and the US Treasury. Brown has pushed ahead with PFI even more fervently than the Major government, and it was Brown who argued for sticking to the Tory spending limits from 1997 when the first government lost much of the momentum created before the election. So, without more clear policy differences, the Jury is still out for me.

Letter in The Guardian:
If, to restart the peace process, photographic evidence was required of decommissioning, would it not also be in order to require photographic evidence of bank-robbing before abandoning the peace process (Raid was IRA's work, says chief constable).
Neil Hanson
Huddersfield, W Yorks

I'm sorry sir, none of our policemen are available at the moment.

Well, maybe they are, maybe they're not, but this chap tested the theory.

Internment without trial for suspected bankrobbers? Not even Blunkett suggested that!

"..Neither Hugh Orde nor the Government has any interest in framing the republicans. On the contrary, this revelation is a source of acute embarrassment for the Prime Minister."

Leaving aside the fact that the British media, including the BBC who are not supposed to have a 'political' stance, have swallowed what Hugh Orde said about the IRA without a jot of supporting evidence, is it not also possible that other people may have a vested interest in 'fitting up' the IRA? Loyalists, of course, dissident republicans possibly... or the British Intelligence service, deeply wounded over Iraq and facing redundancy if their playground in Ireland is taken away? If Hugh Orde is basing his claims on the evidence of people who informed us that we could be under attack from non-existant weapons of mass destruction in less than an hour, should the media and the public not be reaching for a pinch of salt?

Supermarkets move into a thriving high street.. use their purchasing power to force the closure of the local greengrocers, bakers, butchers etc. ... and then get swallowed up by bigger chains or simply move on to an out of town green field hypermarket development. That is what is happening in our town of Bearwood. These companies have no commitment to the local community beyond extracting the maximum amount of profit from them. When Morrisons goes it will leave behind a shopping centre of charity shops, estate agents and fast food burger bars, with tumbleweed blowing down the street. Thanks very much George Monbiot on supermarkets.

Shamed

Vodafone (annual profit 10 billion pounds) have donated onetenthousandth (one million pounds) to the Tsunami Disaster Appeal. BP gave 1.6 million pounds on a 9 billion pound profit. Puts those kids selling their Xmas presents to shame doesn't it... eh?

Disturbing rumours... (from Ophelia)

Steve at Occupied Country points out that Bob Geldolf has emphasised the distinction between "Acts of Nature" and the "Acts of Man"... i.e. the unavoidable and the clearly avoidable. For instance....

• Number of people who died of hunger on Boxing Day 2004*: 24,000
• Number of children killed by diarrhoea on Boxing Day 2004*: 6,020
• Number of children killed by measles on Boxing Day 2004*: 2,700
• Number of malnourished children in developing countries: 149 million
• Number of people without access to safe drinking water: 1,100 million
• Number of people without access to adequate sanitation: 2,400 million
• Number of people living on less than one dollar a day: 1,200 million
• Number of African children under 15 living with HIV: 1.1 million
• Number of children without access to basic education: 100 million
• Number of illiterate adults: 875 million
• Number of women who die each year in pregnancy and childbirth: 515,000
• Annual average number of people killed by drought and famine 1972-96: 73,606
• Annual average number of children killed in conflict, 1990-2000: 200,000
• Annual average number of children made homeless by conflict, 1990-2000: 1.2 million
*Assuming annual deaths were evenly spread.
(statistics from New Internationalist)

Let us all hope that Jeb Bush's appearance on the international stage is not an indication of things to come.

I've been a bit lax with the blogging after celebrating the New Year watching the incredible Steve Ajao playing blues to cry for. Steve is better known as a superb jazz saxophonist, but also plays wonderful Hendrix-style blues guitar. His solo version of Robert Johnson's Crossroads and John Lee Hooker's Boogie Chillun which started off solo and finished off Hooker and Heat style were truly breathtaking... and Foxy Lady and Hey Joe were fitting tributes to Jimi. A great, great night and the Bathams flowed freely... Oh, my head.

Every death is a death, but Comparing the death count from the Tsunami to the deaths at the World Trade Center gives a sense of perspective. (via Manic who has loads of links about the horror)

The Premier League Chairmen have pledged £1 million between them for the disaster relief. That's £50,000 from you then Doug! Not out of your personal wealth estimated at over £20 millionthough, eh? Well worth a gong!

The War on Want

When the Coalition of the Willing declare their intention to spend as much on helping the victims of the Tsunami as they have spent on waging war in Iraq... I might start to believe their motives.

"To The People Of Islam:
Just think: If we'd invaded your countries, killed your leaders and converted you to Christianity YOU'D ALL BE OPENING CHRISTMAS PRESENTS RIGHT ABOUT NOW!
Merry Christmas"

No... not a sick joke... these people believe this stuff!!!

Fantastic news tonight. Apparently the odious Blue Chip Casinos have decided not to convert one of our local pubs into an all-night gambling den following protests from residents in the area. The people of Bearwood could not have had a better Christmas present.

Tonight we went out to celebrate at the Bearwood Corks Club and listened to some cool jazz from Andy Hamilton and his incredible Blue Notes... and assorted celebrated jazzmen. A great night was had by all... especially Big Chris Price, a legend in many a lunchtime!

Have a nice Xmas everyone.

A satirical portrait of George Dubya composed of monkeys swimming in a marsh has been placed on a billboard at the entrance to a Hudson river tunnel used by thousands of commuters, a week after it was removed from a gallery in Manhattan amid allegations of censorship.


Of course, it's nothing new. If you type the words Bush and Monkey into google you will come across numerous sites like this with pictures which compare Dubya's expression with primates.

Guardian photographer of the year Dan Chung selects his favourite pictures of 2004 and explains why...



Looking out...Zainab Hamid, now 10, lost her leg and 17 family members in the Iraq war.What Dan said: "This girl was one of the lucky ones. A journalist brought her back to Britain and had a prosthetic leg paid for by Heather McCartney!"

Thank heavens it is not just Sandwell that suffers from this assault on good taste and light pollution.

Still, as Howlingspoons reminds us... its downhill all the way from today until Summer.

With God On Their Side

I can remember the ridicule heaped on the head of busy-body Mary Whitehouse when she wanted Python's Life of Brian banned on the grounds of blasphemy. Well frankly, these people deserve the same. There are so many people who want to force their faith on the rest of us... and many of them have the sort of levels of intolerance that beggar belief. Last week on the radio I heard someone calling for a law against religious persecution who, when challenged on the attitude of the catholic church to homosexuality nearly blew his gasket. If a religion is not strong enough to stand its ground against a book, play or film, it has got big, big problems.

Tony Blair says we must maintain the right to detain foreign people without charge (or even telling them what is alleged against them) "on the advice of the security services". Yes... well... that will convince everyone I suppose.

Whitby Watch

Over the last few weeks Lib Dem Watch has been succesfully exposing Birmingham City Council's Deputy Leader, Lib Dem millionaire John Hemming, as a total opportunist. My beef, however, is with his coalition Leader, Conservative Councillor Mike Whitby. You see, Mike Whitby may lead Birmingham City Council... but he lives in my Ward in neighbouring Sandwell and only jumped on the Birmingham Council bandwagon after the people of Sandwell had rejected him a number of times. To complicate matters there is a local park just 300 yards from Whitby's house that is in Sandwell... but is owned and managed (due to an accident of history) by Birmingham City Council. It is by far the most run down and desolate piece of land in the area, with footpaths that are virtually impossible for anyone with a pushchair, wheelchair or anything short of a mountain bike to navigate, and no improvements since Aneka Rice parachuted in about 10 years ago. Community groups in Bearwood are now planning an all-night torchlit vigil outside Whitby's house in protest at the state of the park.

With apologies to Comrade Hallam (who used to be an MEP) for looking at the bigger picture, but can there be anybody, outside of the most Eurofanatical Lib-Dems, that is the slightest bit surprised by this story about our European partners?

This could not have happened to a more deserving person.

Steve Bell on Blunkett and Prescott.

Don't listen to the miserablists. Eat, drink and cheer up. Life cannot be all about guilt.

The debate about assisted suicide rumbles on... perhaps they should ask him for some advice.

Spooks?

This letter writer to our local newspaper, The Express and Swastika, purports to be responding to the BNP and then uses the letter to attack the Labour Party for "political correctness". My kids are a bit too old now for Postman Pat.... but I've never heard anyone accuse him of that! Is it true? Or just another Tory fantasy?

This is the end....

A nice letter in the Guardian Obituaries about the late Kevin Coyne... who can now discuss the finer points of rock and roll with Jim Morrison.
An interesting medical proposition?

Bloggerheads has had a revamp

Now with new, added comments!

Sad song

The great Kevin Coyne, rocker extraordinaire, is now the late, great Kevin Coyne. I've got his debut album on vinyl somewhere, recorded and produced by Peel on Dandelion Records. News courtesy of the Fat Buddah who has replaced the extremely ugly picture of a Birmingham City shirt.... with a picture of himself (out of the frying pan...).

A Telephone Scam

If you think Spam is bad... wait until you read this I have been sent by West Midlands Police Fraud Investigation Unit.

"I have been advised of a telephone fraud currently in operation (this applies
to home and/or work telephones - land lines and mobiles):

”If you do receive one of these calls, upon answering the telephone, you will
hear a recorded message congratulating you on winning an all-expenses trip to an exotic location. You will then be asked to press 9 to hear further details. If you then press 9 you will be connected to a premium rate line that costs approximately £20 per minute.

Even if you disconnect immediately, it will remain connected for a minimum of 5 minutes, costing around £100. The final part of the call involves you being asked to key in your postcode and house number which, as you all no doubt know, has serious other consequences.

After a further 2 minutes you will receive a message informing you that you are not one of the lucky winners. The total bill will be £260. Since the calls are originating from outside the UK, BT and other telephone companies are left relatively powerless to act. The only safe solution is to HANG UP before the message prompts you to press 9; even safer is to HANG UP on any unsolicited 'free offer' calls.

This appears to be a variation on a theme, warnings have been circulated
previously regarding calls made by individuals claiming to be engineers
conducting a test on the line and asking for 9,0# and text messages similar to
the routine described above. Do not dial 9 (or 9,0# or 0.9#) for anyone. BT are aware of this and have confirmed the details as being true.

There is yet another scam operating on Mobile Phones. A missed call comes up. The number is 0709 020 3840. The last four numbers may vary but certainly the first four numbers will remain the same. If you call this number back, you will be charged £50 per minute. People have complained about their phone bills, once they have realised the cost of the call but obviously too late for any action to be taken. Therefore do not call back any numbers beginning with 0709."

The Welsh Assembly is suspended because a Labour Member objected to the Queen being referred to as "Mrs Windsor". Love a bloody duck...how much further into the abyss will some of these people drag the Party of Hardie, Bevan and Benn. I'm at my wits end!

Another pin in another balloon

One of the most popular stories about Ronald Reagan was that he was originally cast for Bogart's role in Casablanca. It ain't true.


He wasn't in this either!!! The man was a fraud.