tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10105217121023935852012-02-23T13:12:17.187ZJohn Ward in MedwayPolitical "realfacts", not convenient-but-false "goodfacts", from a former Conservative Councillor —
plus occasional posts on Technology, Humour and Cuisine...John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.comBlogger30431100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-6684908725753024242012-02-23T12:53:00.000Z2012-02-23T13:12:17.194ZLeft means TheftThere's one of my well-known catchphrases, proven yet again by this from the Tax-Payers' Alliance (TPA).
It is no surprise that Conservative-run councils continue to keep their Council Tax levels lower than others, by and large, despite all the manipulations in funding by the previous (Labour) government to favour their own councils, not all of which have yet been knocked out of the system, John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-25987750208391023342012-02-23T12:05:00.001Z2012-02-23T12:05:39.749ZAirport in the DRINKSomething I have been expecting for a little while has now happened: the formation of a pro-airport group, which is to be launched formally tomorrow.
They are calling themselves DRINK – Demand Regeneration In North Kent – and their beef is the opposition by local MPs to the proposals for a new hub airport at any of five (so far) suggested locations in and around the Thames estuary. Their demand John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-61636282842207051082012-02-21T15:00:00.001Z2012-02-22T23:01:22.417ZCute Pic of the Day – 21 February 2012Nok Tok's Naracar with the three "follow boxes" in use...
John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-81894899773184711392012-02-21T14:09:00.002Z2012-02-21T14:09:24.656ZHighly Select!Well, I have recently bought two copies of RISC OS Select, the subscription-based scheme started a decade or so ago. The second one is now classed as RISC OS 6, whereas Select itself was always version 4-point-something. For example, I have version 4.40 on the (currently inactive) A9home here, so am already familiar with it to some extent.
Every now and again, a sufficiently updated and improvedJohn M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-78011094326405211372012-02-20T12:41:00.002Z2012-02-20T12:41:52.361ZThe Views of Ken
In case there's any Londoner still thinking of voting for Ken Livingstone in the upcoming mayoral election, here's a cut-out-and-keep guide to just some of Ken's more noteworthy views as expressed by him over the past dozen years, and right up to last week in fact.
Thanks to the ever-excellent Andrew Gilligan, there are some choice quotations at the above link, presented in a handy form.
WithJohn M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-3917671612162248082012-02-20T10:22:00.001Z2012-02-20T13:40:40.383ZBusiness-friendly?Who is and who isn't business-friendly? A survey by City AM and PoliticsHome's "Voice of the City" panel gives the results (graphed by Tim Montgomerie) for various politicians and parties, past and present, and the biggest media, on a plus-and-minus percentage scale as follows (in highest to lowest score order):
George Osborne +62%
Conservatives +58%
David Cameron +50%
Coalition +10%
Brown John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-7133196379260718062012-02-19T19:03:00.000Z2012-02-20T08:54:02.621ZAirport UpdateJust to report that I have received some confidential inside information from sources close to Westminster that indicate that we have little to worry about regarding a new hub airport on our doorsteps. The campaigning is still needed, on principle, and will be until the outcome of the current review is known, but there is no need for panic.
I was intrigued to see that Medway and Kent Labour haveJohn M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-67352788578474272702012-02-17T21:47:00.000Z2012-02-18T10:25:14.103ZMonkey Going Into Permanent Recess?
Staunch Labourite and former election candidate Alex Hilton, who until a couple of years or so ago was probably best known as the blogger Recess Monkey, has today done something remarkable over at Labour List.
He has lost faith in the Labour party, publicly citing various reasons and complaints that are things some of us have realised (and written about) for a long time now.
It's sinking in, John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-61743765397026030892012-02-16T15:46:00.001Z2012-02-17T00:47:27.627ZThe Flinging Of MudThere are those whose lives are so miserable that they seem to spend nearly all of it flinging mud incessantly at those they don't like or oppose. It's a sad life, and compels others to clean up at least some of the mess, as one does after a naughty little boy.
Thus it is with local Labour councillor, blogger and press officer Tristan Osborne, whom I have mentioned on several previous occasions.John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-72612195849375063132012-02-16T10:05:00.000Z2012-02-16T10:05:00.420ZNight Garden DanceThis is actually quite delightful, and involves everyone, even the Haahoos and (if you look closely) the rarely-seen Wottingers...
John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-36239575913544310292012-02-15T17:15:00.003Z2012-02-15T17:43:22.624ZBBC Micro Coming Back Into Classrooms!
Well, sort of. The BBC Micro 2 isn't a hardware-based project but a coding development environment, supporting and encompassingbvarious popular, modern development languages and platforms.
C++, Python, Java all sprang straight into my mind, so I checked: yes, they are either there now or coming. It is all still at the alpha stage, so there's a way to go yet and stuff to be added.
This, like John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-23515347843751800692012-02-15T13:12:00.003Z2012-02-15T13:19:14.578ZIgglepiggle is Benny HillA brilliant spot and appropriate editing of this excerpt from In The Night Garden. You'll enjoy it, especially if you ever watched any of the Benny Hill Show end sequences...
Of course, it's Igglepiggle's own fault. He knows as much as anyone that only Upsy Daisy is allowed to sleep in her bed. Daisy doo!John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-30895445247536916472012-02-15T12:49:00.001Z2012-02-19T23:02:13.957ZDo "The Muffin"One of the many delights of 3rd and Bird is the range of different endings, generally based on one or another character's own dance.
For example, Mr Beakman does the Toucan Twist in one such ending, then there's the Just Like Baby Jordan ending, plus Different Is Good – and then there's Do The Muffin.
Here's the original of that last one, performed by little Muffin herself...
...and here isJohn M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-54466444869698808012012-02-15T12:21:00.002Z2012-02-16T10:44:38.438ZBeam In Their EyeJust to keep this in perspective...
Although Medway Labour's claim that there are almost a dozen applicants for every job vacancy in this borough might (or might not) be correct, even at face value, it has to be said that making a fuss about it is somewhat rich coming from them.
Not only is this not a particularly significant figure (though it's not ideal – five to eight applicants is probably John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-86861586504726038782012-02-15T09:48:00.000Z2012-02-15T09:48:02.945ZEurope FailingAs I mentioned earlier this week, a large part of our nation's ongoing economic difficulties stem from the state of those with whom we have significant trade.
With the Quarter 4 GDP results from several European countries, as listed here by Bloomberg's Linda Yueh, we can see this more clearly (I have re-formatted the tweet to make it easier to read)...
2011 Q4 GDP:
Recession: Italy -0.7%, John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-7225753771608741102012-02-14T15:25:00.002Z2012-02-16T14:59:39.482ZEverything Must Go – Except for Unionised Services!In an obvious move to protect their own and their best buddies' personal and corporate interests, Medway Labour have today called for the closure of facilities and assets that our outside their control in order to preserve their own vested interests. It is interesting to note how little they value anything that isn't public sector Union dominated, when we pare away the layers of spin and falsity.John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-48907447955156516892012-02-14T00:41:00.002Z2012-02-14T01:30:44.584ZThe Invisible Man
Mark "Crash Bang" Wallace has been following the media mix-ups between the two Miliband brothers for some time.
Here is his latest post, concerning the usually excellent and accurate City AM who have posted a photo of David when their article refers to Ed[ward], with links to reports of earlier instances of the phenomenon.
This line from it is probably tongue-in-cheek, but who knows?
"It’s John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-14803371545560482322012-02-13T23:15:00.000Z2012-02-14T09:29:06.794ZGetting A Bit MoodyInternational credit agency Moody's has today downgraded the credit ratings of nine countries within the EU, but not the UK. We have, however, been put on a so-called negative outlook, which is a kind of (probably very) early warning signal. Not that we should place too much emphasis on what these agencies say, of course, just be aware of this.
My own reading of the 'warning' to the UK is that John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-54316961687209160972012-02-13T22:47:00.000Z2012-02-13T22:52:37.532ZYes We (Vati)can!
The frequently underestimated Baroness Warsi has been on a visit to the Vatican City for a private audience with the Pope.
This is an historic event, actually, and the Baroness takes with her what I think is a very balanced, intelligent and positive message. It looks exactly right to me, for the present time, as the world and Eurpoe stand today.
Read here (Telegraph) in her own words what John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-61120049074004348762012-02-13T20:41:00.000Z2012-02-13T20:41:33.987ZThis Might Be A Tad Excessive...
Yes, dear old Robocop went a bit over the top here, after being fed hundreds of directives, many of them no doubt mutually incompatible. The stepwise approach to dealing with tobacco-based drugs that has been going on for something like thirty years now is getting silly too.
The early changes in the law were largely in response to fires in the London Underground and cinemas, and were pragmaticJohn M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-28418728320932291212012-02-11T23:30:00.000Z2012-02-12T18:55:37.024ZDaniel Hannan at CPAC 2012This is superb, as usual from "Dan Han", at the American Conservatives' conference today. Reserve half an hour for the whole speech (note: apart from the first few seconds, which were missed from this recording)...
Interestingly, tomorrow will be the 203rd anniversary of the birth of America's sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln...John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-44173088562463781392012-02-11T15:42:00.000Z2012-02-11T15:42:33.897ZI've Seen The WottingersAlthough one frequently encounters the ten little Pontipines during In The Night Garden...
...their equally diminutive and numerous neighbours, the Wottingers, are rarely seen...
Today, though, I saw them for the first time – even though they were playing hide-and-seek. I can't help noticing how similar they are to each other, though there are differences (and not just the colour of theirJohn M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-7634068460529282652012-02-11T13:30:00.000Z2012-02-12T09:13:30.944ZLuncheon – 11 February 2012
Today's lunch was a mixture of (bought already made) Indian-style snack/starter items – onion bhajis and vegetable (sabzi) samosas – with Bombay aloo (potato) on one side and a cooling salad on the other.
The salad comprised herby leaves and coleslaw, plus some red onion to liven it up a little.
The whole meal turned out to be a particularly good combination, the parts working really well John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-40248768999015680362012-02-11T07:00:00.000Z2012-02-11T07:00:05.104ZMariarchi BandThis 3rd and Bird episode might not have quite the expected ending, but it all works out rather well anyway...
John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-31226814669228335152012-02-10T15:53:00.001Z2012-02-12T17:42:23.864ZUncollected Council TaxHere's a good one, from the GMB (public sector Union) on uncollected council tax – and business rates – for the preceding financial year (i.e. ending over ten months ago) that shows my local authority at the head of the SE England league table.
So, what makes Medway the worst in the region? I don't rightly know if it is, as all we have are bald figures of amounts for each council. It does not John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-80815604784373857102012-02-10T09:55:00.000Z2012-02-10T10:56:09.601ZNHS ReformThe inside word yesterday was that ConservativeHome was going to press for the Health and Social Care Bill to be dropped, and we'd see their arguments today (Friday). Well, here they are.
On one level one can see the thinking, and it is particularly difficult to achieve much of substance anyway while the Conservatives are in coalition within government. It's worth going through at least the John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-71364715572587330482012-02-10T08:22:00.000Z2012-02-10T22:02:12.675ZQuestion Time 2012It has been interesting helping to moderate the Question Time (QT) LiveChats these past few weeks; but although it keeps me busy I have still been able to pay attention to what is going on in the programme itself.
So far this year, we have had a few QTs where the audience has not been to the BBC producers' own liking, nor to that of their good buddies in the labour party. Some genuine people hadJohn M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-78821105318551573992012-02-10T01:20:00.005Z2012-02-10T01:23:13.772ZHow Does Your Cat Sleep?
Cats who have shared one or other of my homes over the years sometimes get themselves into peculiar positions when sleeping, but perhaps never quite as awkward as these twenty-five!
I think my favourite has to be The Sunbather, shown at the right, possibly because it reminds me of something my good (late) friend Scooter liked to do...
(Hat-tip to Katrina Bryan of CBeebies "Nina and the John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-25128659293667967932012-02-09T21:53:00.002Z2012-02-09T21:53:17.853ZA Fair Cop
One relatively recent innovation in the political discourse field has been the fact-checkers, as with Cathy Newman's FactCheck at Channel 4, leading on to FullFact and a similar facility at the impressive City AM. No doubt there are others.
As one might expect, City AM is keeping a close watch on the London mayoral election campaignine that has been going on for some time, and today has put John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-81562227819411117452012-02-08T16:06:00.001Z2012-02-08T17:08:29.384ZMedway Council BudgetI see that Medway Labour are making their usual (deliberate) 'error' of claiming that "money spent = service quality".
In criticising the proposed Budget (as they always do, but for around ten years now have failed to offer an alternative budget, as they did before) they are interested only in inputs rather than outcomes. In reality, they are in fact interested almost entirely in keeping as muchJohn M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-19974354423073154842012-02-08T12:34:00.001Z2012-02-08T19:16:51.850ZHunt the ChatOne of the 'games' I have been compelled to play for quite a long time now is "Hunt the PMQs LiveChat" in order to be able to participate.
This has involved having both Guido's front page and a separate page with the 'PMQs' label opened and forcing a reload every half-minute or so, also keeping watch on Twitter, in the hope of finding out where it appears if and when it does (typically just John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-25006565239014566452012-02-06T20:39:00.001Z2012-02-06T23:55:26.795ZVisitors
One thing I do miss a little as a result of having moved from my former home is the range of visitors from the animal kingdom, as well as those resident in the pond and (at times) others living indoors.
For a couple of years I even had the same blackbird visit me almost daily and sing from its favourite perch high up in one of the trees at the foot of my back garden.
As the garden sloped, John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-77444998373037177742012-02-06T12:46:00.000Z2012-02-06T12:46:04.777ZIt's A Tough Life
(Hat-tip to Guido, where I found this)John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-12359582835833197442012-02-06T08:10:00.000Z2012-02-06T10:34:59.175ZBathroom Inspector
Here's my new bathroom inspector, looking very happy about the state of my bath.
Lau Lau's presence will help ensure I keep the room up to a good standard of cleanliness – not easy with rust still coming in with the water, but that should be solved soon, I am told...
Oh, and there's bubble bath in there as well!John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-13583355284723933092012-02-06T00:24:00.002Z2012-02-06T00:26:54.279ZIt's Beyond Me!
I try always to check out friends' on-line 'newspapers' – created at paper.li – as soon as I know they are up.
I have mentioned this facility before, and my uncertainties about it, which mean I continue to resist the temptation to become a mini-publisher myself.
Anyway, one I have just spotted has an "adult" section (see image at the right: click on it for a larger and thus more easily read John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-24574783516993393162012-02-06T00:10:00.000Z2012-02-06T00:10:00.700ZPolitical Porkies
Big Barn Farm's favourite piglet Petal – the cheeky one who never misbehaves – has seemingly been out canvassing as a Liberal Democrat, complete with rosette.
Well, who'd have thunk it! I wonder what her mum Mrs Snuffles has to say on the matter...?John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-81147736090556479762012-02-04T22:01:00.000Z2012-02-06T20:20:29.343ZSnow At Last!
Despite several promises (or threats, if you prefer to think of it that way) of snow arriving here in Kent during the past few days, only this evening has it finally fallen here, around Chatham railway station.
It's not really possible to take usable photographs tonight (though not for lack of trying) so I shall have another go in the morning and add a photo or two here then. UPDATE Sunday a.mJohn M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-4994223951337775492012-02-04T07:00:00.000Z2012-02-04T07:00:02.337ZShooting StarsThis 3rd and Bird story could be subtitled "How to get a Kiwi, who can't fly, up to the top of the tree"...
John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-53454933990011592152012-02-03T15:49:00.002Z2012-02-03T15:50:18.791ZCould It Be Working?An interesting and (as far as I know) original idea started at Medway Council here just months ago seems to be having the desired effect. This is their For the Record web page(s) that put the record straight on council matters that have been reported in the local media in a way that the council feels is incorrect and perhaps even misleading.
This is a classic case of cause-and-effect, as there John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-82665213125482198162012-02-03T13:53:00.000Z2012-02-03T16:10:59.976ZPolice Commissioner for Kent
News out this morning is that Medway Councillor Mike O'Brien is seriously considering standing in this November's election to become the first Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent.
I'm not entirely happy with that title, by the way, as I don't think it's planned to be part of the new post to "commission crime", as the title as it stands seems to suggest...
I haven't been able to get hold ofJohn M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-80508266550998626552012-02-02T15:13:00.001Z2012-02-04T15:09:41.130ZBan the Top Totty!
That is the big news of the day: the banning of a 'guest' beer named Top Totty – Blonde Beer from Parliament's Strangers' Bar, in response to demands from an "offended" female Labour MP (predictably), one Kate Green who is the shadow equalities minister. Ah, 'nuff said...
From the little I understand of the term (which comes up regularly on the BBC Question Time LiveChats) it seems to have John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-65790688983187803902012-02-01T19:50:00.000Z2012-02-02T02:53:30.836ZCounty CouncilsI have written before about the different tiers of government and the increased scope for clashes of policies between (for example) district and county councils. With Cornwall County Council in the news today (about four of its councillors who are/have been in arrears with Council Tax payment, so unrelated to my reason for thinking about the counties), this subject came back into my mind.
I John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-63526388745797370352012-02-01T18:33:00.000Z2012-02-01T20:33:55.041ZMove Over – DarlingAlistair Darling has been making a lot of media appearances during the past day or three, which is not his customary style of politics, and certainly not since Labour left government twenty or so months ago. There has to be something going on for this to happen.
Could it just possibly be that he is lining himself up – or perhaps it's others who are pushing – to take over the Labour party John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-70009427497412868992012-02-01T13:14:00.001Z2012-02-01T14:21:57.323ZComment of the Day – 1 February 2012From Tuscan Tony, right at the end of today's Prime Minister's Questions live chat at Guido...
"When an area is full of spongers it will be disproportionately affected by central spending cuts."
Although one might think this is obvious, it needed to be articulated as it shows how easy it is for Labour and similar to get their "client state" motivated in support of their own political ambitions, John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-29183324217420593572012-01-31T17:15:00.001Z2012-02-01T00:03:54.560ZVideo Oddity
Something strange appears to have happened at my YouTube channel. Ever since I started uploading videos (of which there are now seven in total) the number of views has been climbing steadily – until almost two weeks ago, when it reached 199, and there it has stayed.
UPDATE 1 Feb, just after midnight: It has just clicked over to 200 sometime during the past hour or so(!)
Suddenly the whole John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-15376149627878783282012-01-31T15:07:00.002Z2012-01-31T15:09:37.643ZWhen I Was Very YoungWhen I was still in junior school, and we had just got a TV set, one of my favourite television programmes was Rag, Tag and Bobtail. I don't know what (if anything) that says about me, but here it is anyway...
John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-26841693715790125102012-01-30T18:48:00.000Z2012-01-30T21:50:09.833ZUsing Good JudgementIn the Chuggington Badge Quest short Make or Brake, which has just become available on that iPlayer link during the past day, our three trainees are sent on a test to ascertain whether or not they have and can apply good judgement. The test, though, turns out to be only a means to that end and isn't the real test in itself. The judgement comes not only with (in this instance) braking but on how John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-70189231522839960782012-01-30T13:10:00.000Z2012-01-31T20:40:54.684ZMedway Council Election – TurnoutThis is just one of my seemingly never-ending musings on one aspect or another of last May's local elections here in Medway.
It has been niggling me for some time that turnout tends to go with political colour to some extent, and also indicates level of engagement. Thus the common and obvious enough conclusion that low turnout areas suggest less engagement of the electorate there with their John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-37279476833558561152012-01-28T23:39:00.000Z2012-01-29T15:07:11.473ZAlmost a Term...Yes, in just eight weeks from tomorrow I shall have been off the Council for four years – the equivalent of a full electoral term. How do I feel about that?
Well, I'm now fully accustomed to not being there, and also being free of the constraints, disciplines, codes of conduct and the rest of what is imposed (generally for good reasons) by party, council admin and external bodies. I have also John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-58548272087708108772012-01-28T23:22:00.000Z2012-01-29T15:30:10.725ZKilling Off City Status
The appearance of a letter from the Medway Liberal Democrats to their party leader Nick Clegg in yesterday's Medway Messenger (not on-line), asking him to reject Medway's bid for city status, is possibly the biggest mistake they have made for at least a decade.
It is their sheer negativity about locally important issues that has put them in self-inflicted difficulty before, always managing to John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-21558459021638236972012-01-28T18:58:00.000Z2012-01-28T18:58:21.417ZTalking ParrotOne of the best of these, of which there are several examples available in videos...
John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-25866916427280554242012-01-28T13:38:00.001Z2012-01-28T18:20:19.189ZSamuel's DancePerhaps to make up for there being no iPlayer episodes, so it's the only way to watch it if you can't catch or record it, several 3rd and Bird episodes are watchable on-line. I embedded one here a few weeks ago.
Here's another of them, called Samuel's Dance. I hope to feature a few others here during the next month or so, on Saturday mornings. They are in 16 x 9 (widescreen format) aspect ratio,John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-75682602210704853242012-01-28T07:04:00.000Z2012-01-28T11:20:19.591ZGotta Catch 'Em All
Well, not all Pokémon, necessarily. After all, even Ash Ketchum himself captured only somewhere around 40 types out of several hundred possibles – though he did acquire a whole herd of Tauros at one time, so certainly had his hands full until he was able to dump 'em all on Professor Oak!
I have never played the original GameBoy-type games, only Stadium and Snap on the Nintendo 64 console, soJohn M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-50933585237312289082012-01-28T00:36:00.002Z2012-01-28T11:09:44.171ZIt's Fun Being A SoftieBy now, regular readers will have become aware (if they didn't already know it) that I am just an old softie at heart. I have never made any secret of it, but I didn't broadcast it either.
I just love cute things (of which there is quite a lot in kids' TV, but not only there) and am really not keen on 'adult' themes, much of which I avoid completely and always have done. It is therefore hardly aJohn M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-25627080661925381422012-01-26T05:30:00.000Z2012-01-26T14:07:48.455ZCute Picture of the DayIt looks like it's going to be another miserable day weather-wise, so how about the colourful characters from 3rd and Bird to cheer us up – from the left: Rudy, Muffin and Samuel...
John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-63618689169480555172012-01-25T16:29:00.003Z2012-01-25T22:18:03.055ZNice Picture Of The DayJust to brighten up what has been yet another dull weather day, here's the delightful Rosie, from the programme's public Facebook pages...
John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-35164929502357040312012-01-25T16:25:00.002Z2012-01-25T16:25:50.269ZPal-tipine
An effect of one's brain going into "free association mode" is that odd words – especially odd names – that sound similar can get mixed together.
Those folk who have read Isaac Asimov's short story "I'm in Marsport Without Hilda" (from the Asimov's Mysteries collection) will be familiar with this topic.
Thus it is, I have found, with Palpatine of Star Wars fame and Mr Pontipine from In The John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-64702529953826528592012-01-25T14:48:00.001Z2012-01-25T14:48:06.337ZNot Treading on ToesRegular readers will probably recall that I have mentioned the care I take before and when putting a case for work to be done in my home area. After all, my aim is to improve matters that seemingly wouldn't otherwise be dealt with, not for the sake of building up a dossier of personal achievements (though that does follow on naturally from work that I successfully arrange to be done).
I am John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-1055212359497628692012-01-25T00:21:00.000Z2012-01-25T11:35:19.945ZHaving Trouble Counting?First it was the two Eds (Balls and Miliband) multiply counting the same chunk of money to be spent nine or ten times over if they ever got their hands on the reins of power and the Treasury again.
Now it's local Labour blogger Tristan Osborne (yet again!) who did a Monty Python "Buying a Bed" skit and multiplied the nation's debt by a thousand in this tweet, just a few minutes ago...
"John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-50000415583114832862012-01-24T19:26:00.000Z2012-01-24T19:26:04.432ZNew Yoda-phone AdvertOkay, so it's really Vodaphone, but a Jedi can be forgiven for making such a simple slip...
John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-35898807747770182082012-01-24T17:54:00.000Z2012-01-24T20:32:27.999ZLetter from MPs re possible AirportHere is the letter, signed by six north Kent Members of Parliament, sent today to the Prime Minister, seeking an urgent meeting regarding the possibility of a new airport "in or around the Thames Estuary"...
UPDATE @ 1845: Mark Reckless MP has now posted this letter on his own 'blog. There are also new indications that the idea of this airport is yet again fading. I think it always has been aJohn M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-79582706656836504322012-01-24T11:43:00.002Z2012-01-24T15:28:32.019ZStatement of Your Tax SpendingNow here's a brilliant idea – one that I have heard mooted before, but this time it looks like it could well happen. Each year, taxpayers already receive a statement of their tax; but in the interests of transparency, why can't it include a breakdown of how that tax money is being spent by the Government? ConHome has the story.
Ben Gummer's proposal to provide an itemised list of amounts taken John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-44766984697178581362012-01-24T01:57:00.002Z2012-01-24T01:57:27.072ZDrives AplentySince getting the Blitz interface from APDL and an additional 128 GigaByte hard drive to augment the one I already had as a backup drive, I have (after an initial trial that made one of my RiscPCs up to four 'slices' high!) settled on mounting this sub-assembly of interface and two drives into the one-slice RiscPC and making it up to a more manageable (than four) three-slice computer, with one John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-52260629228937108072012-01-23T23:09:00.000Z2012-01-25T13:35:31.909ZThat's ASDA Jobs!Chink-chink!
My former employer (of some ten or more years ago) ASDA has announced the creation of some 5,000 new jobs this year. They're always doing this kind of thing, year after year; and it is a mark of their confidence that they are still able and willing to open new shops and depots, and re-fit existing stores, even at this time of economic difficulty.
I always found them a good store John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-42854180665324791832012-01-20T13:31:00.001Z2012-01-21T18:54:16.489ZThe Hub is the Nub – and the RubLearning the lessons of the Internet
(This is additional material regarding the review of Britain's civil aviation needs and future plans, separate from the environmental and other such issues that I and others have covered in numerous places already.)
The whole idea of a so-called "hub airport".such as the variants that have over recent years been proposed for either the Hoo Peninsula or the John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-83954282100009274242012-01-18T21:32:00.000Z2012-01-18T22:15:53.009ZEstuary Airport – Epilogue?
I have been keeping a weather eye out during the day for any significant news on the airport capacity consultation that began today.
If what has appeared in the media this evening turns out to be correct, at least the "Boris island" estuary airport idea is dead. This opening paragraph from a piece in The Guardian this evening suggests an own goal by the London Mayor...
"Downing Street told John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-81547721808613657212012-01-17T21:55:00.000Z2012-02-09T16:23:52.939ZCartoon Character VoicesHaving a range of distinctive voices is important in any production, whether it be on stage, in the cinema or on the television. With cartoon characters it can be even more important – as the faces are less expressive than real ones so it can be less obvious who is speaking from visual clues alone – which I suspect is why there tends to be a broad mix of accents in a lot of cartoons, both modern John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-77191170881763928332012-01-17T15:28:00.000Z2012-01-17T20:28:47.575ZFacing Both Ways
(More apt but © cartoon here)
On today's Daily Politics Harriet Harman confirmed (though not without considerable attempted wriggling) what Ed Balls' latest utterances on how Labour would handle our economy already told us – that Labour are trying to face both ways at once.
Unfortunately, as usual for the BBC, the video clip cannot be embedded here so you'll need to follow the above link for John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-82454963832137376542012-01-16T16:02:00.000Z2012-01-16T16:02:47.773ZRoadworks in Medway
Image copyright of Ordnance Survey
This is something I started work on several weeks ago, after discovering (from a couple of my sources) that Medway Labour folk had been claiming that they were being discriminated against when it came to expenditure on road and footway repairs in the wards they represent. No evidence has been presented to support their claim.
This didn't make sense to me, John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-37594507885973357322012-01-16T00:58:00.001Z2012-01-16T11:41:28.939ZBig Defection
The just-announced defection of Blaiirite adviser Luke Bozier to the Conservatives, just as an ordinary member, is significant indeed, as The Independent reports this morning, and as Luke himself has tweeted during the past hour or so.
Just follow the link and read the story: it is a more powerful way to realise just how big a blow this is to Labour and to Ed[ward] Miliband in particular than John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-61467150297367418582012-01-16T00:30:00.000Z2012-01-16T00:30:02.223ZEd Miliband's Personal Ratings
Every week YouGov ask those they are polling what they think of the way each of the big three party leaders is performing. Any one week's "snapshot" tells a partial and limited story, but only the trend over time tells the real story.
Thus it is that The Spectator's Jonathon Jones reports on the latest figures, along with a graph covering the past three months' figures for Labour leader Ed[John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-91727695457106076332012-01-14T14:41:00.000Z2012-01-16T16:50:59.178ZChild Poverty in MedwayI see that one of our local newspapers is looking at child poverty ward by ward in Medway, seemingly prompted by local Labour who are trying to make a party political point (as per a predictable enough quote in the article) but it is an important matter regardless of that aspect. The article doesn't appear to be on-line, so I cannot link to it.
Regular readers will probably recall that I looked John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-24547324301166614672012-01-14T12:16:00.000Z2012-01-16T12:17:38.844ZShop At The PentagonSo says this rapper L.Kilah, and you know: I think he has a point, especially on this bright (if somewhat cold) Saturday...
John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-59301168762405917562012-01-13T21:48:00.001Z2012-01-13T21:53:57.990ZShall I Stay Or Shall I Go?
Ed is toppling – to the left, of course
That old song might well be reverberating in Ed[ward] Miliband's head right now, as the word is out that he might be about to step aside as Labour party leader.
The clues are there to suggest this as a possibility – it is not a certainty by any means.
Political Betting has the 'gen' on what has come to light so far, including what seems to be little John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-80134826410640037892012-01-13T00:04:00.000Z2012-01-16T00:28:24.800ZMedway Council Meeting – 12 January 2012
The first meeting of Medway Council in 2012 was a relatively productive and largely orderly affair, although with a larger-than-usual "Public Sector Unionised" occupancy of the public gallery it was obviously going to be noisy at times – and that proved true, though they were far from being the worst we have had, to their (admittedly small) credit.
At least it showed that the staff hadn't beenJohn M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-81721522440262408442012-01-12T14:24:00.000Z2012-01-12T23:02:03.789ZDealing with Lefties
I have now been on Twitter for a little over a year; and sometimes for any of a number of reasons I find myself in a Twitter exchange with either someone I already know to be, or what turns out to be, a Lefty.
I ignore most of them, but just occasionally one is trying to twist something quite mundane into party politically-charged spin/rhetoric/whatever.
Then, I might respond. Remember: it's John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-13673751782598879492012-01-12T14:08:00.001Z2012-01-12T23:02:56.672ZScotland ReferendumI am really looking forward to the referendum on the next steps toward possible detachment of Scotland from the United Kingdom, whether it happens sooner (as the national Government wishes) or it the autumn of 2014 as is the SNP's preference.
I have mentioned one or two of the reasons for my viewpoint in the past; but primarily it is so that we can get rid of a load of largely whining Lefties John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-58708877204411283822012-01-11T22:56:00.000Z2012-01-11T23:01:16.156ZAir Travel – A Rational IdeaI have mentioned the expansion of Birmingham Airport as a better way forward to dealing with increased air travel demand than the impractical (despite what some might claim) Estuary or similar brand new hub airport here in Kent.
This ninety-second clip makes the case clearly and succinctly: it really does make sense...
If a moderate local increase is unavoidable in this county, then Manston John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-81031609521107141962012-01-11T18:22:00.004Z2012-01-12T00:31:32.360ZRail Fares at PMQsEd[ward] Miliband brought up the topic of rail fare rises at today's Prime Minister's Questions, which was a mistake on his part, as he not only got it wrong on the matter of fare rise capping, but it was so easy to prove that he was wrong and David Cameron was right.
Typically Guido beat my own sources to it, with this small snippet from an official document. He has posted the full document John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-22427551728634781582012-01-10T16:20:00.000Z2012-01-10T19:30:30.668ZWelcome to SPOCEM
(Photo found at Guido's place)
That's the new offshoot/re-branding of SaveEd.org, the Society for the Prevention Of Cruelty to Ed Miliband.
This seems to be an ongoing venture, not one of those jokesy single web pages that appears and then remains static, so there should be some good entertainment value to be had from that website for some time to come, that is if Ed-M manages to stay on as John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-91525433263210206842012-01-10T11:30:00.000Z2012-01-10T14:43:17.818ZEdwin Drood in RochesterI can't embed it here (typical BBC!) but do take a couple of minutes to watch this clip about the filming of The Mystery of Edwin Drood quite near where I live, just along the way in Rochester.John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-88231510750442754112012-01-09T20:28:00.001Z2012-01-09T21:26:36.200ZChugger on University Challenge?Dunbar the training chugger has changed a lot since leaving Chuggington (in series 3, Skylar the crane-train takes over). Here he is in this evening's University Challenge, with a picture of his former self as a reminder...
John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-21748089811956569602012-01-09T18:53:00.000Z2012-01-17T10:55:42.405ZThe Narrated Waybuloo
So, the new edits of Waybuloo programmes have started being shown from this evening, now just ten minutes long and with the new feature of Dave Lamb as a narrator.
I recognise him from Big Barn Farm (I have never seen Come Dine With Me, for which he is more famous) and he did his best in this new endeavour.
Did it work, though? Hard to tell this early on, but I suspect not. The show doesn't John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-63793268061180680782012-01-06T22:52:00.002Z2012-01-06T23:49:07.217ZQuotation of the Day – 6 January 2012
This comes from the Heroes of Comedy programme (a very interesting series) on Gold this evening.
This evening's programme was on Hattie Jacques, and included some very thoughtful contributions by Miriam Margolyes (and many others) of which I think this one was most telling, as we saw little of Hattie's serious acting and other abilities outside of comedy...
"She died too young for us to John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-50676174184360187342012-01-06T22:34:00.001Z2012-01-07T09:47:03.473ZLoad of Rubbish!
Thus might former broadcaster Derek Jameson have described the following that was today re-tweeted by local Labour councillor Tristan Osborne (yes, the very same, yet again) both on his own Twitter account and as "Medway Labour" whose Twitter a/c he operates too...
"Keep Britain Tidy. Except on Medway Council's collection days, when the
bin men never fail to leave a trail of litter through John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-36224768883573247772012-01-06T17:52:00.001Z2012-01-07T17:26:38.222ZPromises, PromisesRed Ken Livingstone is prolific in making promises, but not so good at keeping them. Here's a reminder of just a couple of 'em...
Andrew Gilligan has looked in detail at Ken's "three lies in under four minutes".John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-67698873462461972912012-01-05T15:59:00.001Z2012-01-09T01:08:19.190ZHackneyed Expression
Today's almost-non-story is about Hackney MP Diane Abbott's apparently "racist" remarks on Twitter. In today's Britain, they probably were. As Medway Politics has tweeted, re-tweeting a quote of (local to me) MP Rehman Chishti...
"RT @jonlaurencesky: Chishti: I would say these remarks were racist, if Ed Miliband weren't so weak we would have seen stronger action"
Here'sn image of the tweet, soJohn M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-73508191387687685942012-01-03T11:32:00.003Z2012-01-05T12:13:48.715ZAdvice or Device?
The latest 'blog post from Labour's Dan Hodges in The Telegraph yesterday is interesting because it illustrates yet another stage in Ed[ward] Miliband's quest to find something to give his leadership substance.
That has been the single biggest problem he has had to face up to, continually for this past year and so many months, and he is still going nowhere fast.
Everyone else can see it, and John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-20498231976467747372012-01-02T18:25:00.000Z2012-01-05T18:45:48.102ZTrain-tastic!
I've started constructing one of my (now quite numerous) spreadsheet databases in FireWorkz-Pro in order to encapsulate all the useful facts I can find about the chuggers at Chuggington.
This has already been an interesting task, and I have been slotting pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together, culled from a number of on-line sources.
Nowhere has a complete knowledge base, even the dedicated John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-79108516718795811802012-01-02T01:13:00.001Z2012-01-02T13:48:35.492ZNew Year, Old Politics
Well, a day has passed in the New Year of 2010, and so far Labour is the only party locally to have re-commenced posting, on their own 'blogs and on Twitter.
Sadly they have not learned from the past year, and are continuing to peddle the same tired old lines – which I and/or others have authoritatively debunked and countered with hard evidence in a form I could post on here, to show that the John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-61751584540362362712012-01-01T20:39:00.000Z2012-01-03T13:48:44.587ZBBC Complaint by LabourThe Observer (Sunday Guardian) is reporting on a complaint by Labour to the BBC about its "impartiality". Yes, it's happening again; and as before gives the appearance (rightly or wrongly) to the more perceptive and knowledgeable observer that it has been cooked up between Labour and the Corporation as a kind of PR exercise to show that they aren't really Left-biased after all.
The probable John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-8915257595844062672011-12-31T23:59:00.000Z2012-01-01T00:59:06.542ZPolls for 2011
Another year has passed, and it's again time to publish my graphs of all the year's national "voting intention" polls – this time with the daily (YouGov, top graph) polling figures separated from those of the less frequent surveys conducted by the various other pollsters (lower graph).
It looks like it has been worth doing it this way, so I shall continue the practice next year and beyond.
AsJohn M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-7368168748016770522011-12-31T23:00:00.000Z2011-12-31T23:00:12.114ZBig Stories of the Year 2011 (2)There are plenty of others out there, but this time I wish to concentrate on those smaller, yet still of significance, featured here.
I don't often blow my own trumpet, and tend to do so somewhat diffidently on those rare occasions, but looking back over the year has reminded me that even this seemingly modest and comment-quiet 'blog marks and makes public a number of issues. Many of these John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-35407430345687163802011-12-31T21:24:00.001Z2012-01-01T00:34:01.155ZNew Year's Eve 2011–2012
No doubt I shall stay up as usual to see in the New Year. This has been an interesting year in a number of ways, and 2012 looks set to be equally interesting for its own reasons.
I therefore decided to have an interesting meal this evening, comprising Farmhouse Chicken (stuffed with a cheese-and-herb filling and wrapped in bacon), croquette potatoes, watercress and a Chinese stir-fry vegetableJohn M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-74075564823943769082011-12-31T16:54:00.002Z2011-12-31T16:54:55.483ZJust ManureI assume this must be Labour's new slogan for 2012. It would have the merit of being a more accurate description of their policy position than anything so far...
"Just Manure". Image from Ed Miliband Has Long Arms
John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-36897825610614040582011-12-31T14:22:00.000Z2011-12-31T14:30:51.760ZComputer Gaming Then and NowI've been looking at the old Acorn games scene during this holiday period, as it was quite an inventive part of our market, bearing in mind that we were generally behind almost everyone else in this field.
Nevertheless, it was games released for the Acorn platform, written by choice on Acorns by talented programmers, that occasionally rocked the world and ended up being ported to other systems. John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-17377599579935406862011-12-30T22:49:00.000Z2012-01-14T10:07:59.002ZWhat A Silly Mili !Just a few Ed[ward] Miliband images as we approach the end of the year. You might have seen a few of them already, though I suspect that others will be new to most people.
I invite suggestions for captions to be left in the Comments. UPDATE: I didn't get any suggestions, which is a little disappointing, so have added my own instead...
1 – "Our policy? How should I know?"
2 – "I know our John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-35513859642350935112011-12-29T21:44:00.000Z2012-01-05T18:49:06.502ZWheels to the Rails
That's what the trainee locomotives say in Chuggington. Yes, they talk, and much more besides! Each has a distinct personality.
It is a very well devised, designed and produced series, with the engines (known as "chuggers") even based on real locos, such as Brewster being a Deltic, albeit with only one cab, so perhaps a "Deltic lite". Olwin is a Gresley A4 Pacific steamer, and so on.
There John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-10204117166673061082011-12-29T14:24:00.001Z2011-12-29T17:54:19.911ZLuncheon – 29 December 2011A simple enough cold collation today, but presented well so it also looks appetising! This comprised Napoli salami, Feta cheese & olives (in olive oil), vine-ripened tomatoes, Florette salad from a pack, and a dollop of spicy tomato & red pepper chutney.
Today, the wash-down was alcoholic for a change: Hardy's Classic Shiraz...
John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1010521712102393585.post-3850751019226373792011-12-29T10:50:00.000Z2011-12-29T15:07:38.811ZEd Miliband's New Year Message for 2012Not on video (which some might be relieved to learn) but in written form only, reproduced here. I shall say nothing about it, but leave it to the excellent Pete Hoskin to do his usual perceptive job on it at The Spectator, and the almost equally forensic Dan Hodges at the Telegraph...
Politics can make a difference: Ed Miliband New Year Message
29 December 2011
Britain John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0