tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56232322011-04-21T22:04:17.365+01:00Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comBlogger1301100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1084223075235080052004-05-10T22:02:00.000+01:002004-05-10T22:04:35.236+01:00

My new hobby, for those with an interest, is buying gold bullion. A healthy hobby, in that one never totally loses all the money one spends on it, and stands to make a small sum too. Always wanted to own bullion ever since i was told as a kid that one wasn't allowed to buy it. Not the best time to be jumping into the market either, but fun none the less. Accordingly, daily gold prices have been

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1084222883674572392004-05-10T22:00:00.000+01:002004-05-10T22:01:23.676+01:00

Had a quick look at 'Frank'for the first time in awhile, and it seems like they've got many of their initial bugs ironed out and are doing some useful work. Glad to see that the section on quitting cigarettes notes that doing so will help with quitting cannabis smoking too. One of the forgotten elements of prohibition seems to be that many people get hooked on tobacco through smoking it with

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1083982112921808352004-05-08T03:08:00.000+01:002004-05-08T03:12:27.686+01:00

Many people have contacted me to start writing regularly for this blog again, the last of whom was Jade, and given that she's recently been skanked on a chris morris video, i point her, and all, across to the best chris morris site i know... and i hope to post soon...

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1078733434796340602004-03-08T08:10:00.000Z2004-03-08T08:12:48.610Z

This story amused as much as it disturbed me. I have often noticed the UV light toilets all across the Bristol - London line and thought them a rather foolish idea. As whilst heroin addicts should of course be discouraged from sticking needles in themselves in toilets, the UV light solution just moves them on, and doesn't deal with their problems in any meaningful way whatever. Yet another

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1076853242491841782004-02-15T13:54:00.000Z2004-02-16T22:41:15.246Z

Emerging blurry eyed and hungover from a most wonderful valentines day, the most excellent news arrives in my inbox. The Wildhearts will be being supported by Therapy? on their forthcoming UK tour. Oh my god, could it get any better? Two of my all time favourite bands together on one bill. On a friday night. Nurse, the screens...

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1076757929109577812004-02-14T11:25:00.000Z2004-02-14T11:27:19.856Z

and how better to mark such a day than with, erm, a map of places i've been to in the UK. On one level it's just more pointless blog filler, on another it says a surprising amount about me i feel... I've visited the counties in yellow.Which counties have you visited?made by marnanelmap reproduced from Ordnance Survey map databy permission of the Ordnance Survey.© Crown copyright 2001.

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1076366975344417422004-02-09T22:49:00.000Z2004-02-09T22:51:21.343Z

No time to post, but have ben terribly lax in not announcing the blog based existence of a good friend of mine. Ladies UNT gentlemen, Mr Tom Paul...

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1075911098476747412004-02-04T16:11:00.000Z2004-02-04T16:14:13.686Z

Funny things blogs, they need regular feeding and watering to stay healthy and happy. In the beginning, the lib dem bloggers were few and far between, and now there are myriad lib dem bloggers, which is a happy thing indeed. I used to be able to introduce newcomers individually, but the hordes have overcome me, and so here’s a list of the 'newbies' (some hardly new, but that's the scale of catch

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1075750872773860202004-02-02T19:41:00.000Z2004-02-02T19:44:41.716Z

took the geek test as jade did, and it seems, despite my mohicaned history and baggy clothes, i'm actually a geek. You are 54% geekYou are a geek. Good for you! Considering the endless complexity of the universe, as well as whatever discipline you happen to be most interested in, you'll never be bored as long as you have a good book store, a net connection, and thousands of dollars worth of

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1075675626913618872004-02-01T22:47:00.000Z2004-02-01T22:48:44.733Z

here's another couple for ya. First, some local drug worker has been interviewed by a local paper about local matters. She thinks moving cannabis to class c will cause more hard drug addicts because 'they start on cannabis'. Not got the time to lower myself into that demonstrable nonsense and all it implies, but the saddest part of what "Mandy Stevens, who as resettlement manager, works with

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1075522812278408622004-01-31T04:20:00.000Z2004-01-31T04:21:48.763Z

well, still not much time to blog when real life gets in the way, but a quick precis of cannabis stories might be of use i guess. First there's the coroner who found 'the first EVER death from cannabis toxicity'. A lot of his more fundamental errors have yet to be fully and publicly demonstrated, and i shall leave those who are working on such things to disprove that one. But interesting he's

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1075364283752031792004-01-29T08:18:00.000Z2004-01-29T08:19:38.373Z

Can it be any coincedence dear reader, that the weather gets colder and more dangerous on the day cannabis is reclassified. The gods are displeased, i tells ya... Pleasing to see a more balanced articles on cannabis today thoughOne featuring the government advisor Sir Michael Rawlins, who notes that the claims of schitzophrenia links are not new and not as strong as many have been making out

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1075329027590369982004-01-28T22:30:00.000Z2004-01-28T22:32:01.750Z

Hello Just to let you know i haven't forgotten you. Been manic round here again. As real politics takes off, blogging politics suffers accordingly. Can't talk about anything related to my job obviously, im taking the 'politically restricted' part of it very seriously indeed, but all is very interesting, and hopefully worthy. Just a quick update on cannabis i guess. As i type, the UK is an hour

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1074586938782795712004-01-20T08:22:00.000Z2004-01-20T08:23:44.466Z

9 days til reclassification of cannabis, and the anti lobby have finally gone that extra mile no-one ever thought they would dare to, they've claimed that Britain's first death from 'cannabis toxicity' has occured. Not only should the timing of this 'first death' make one very suspicious, the story is utter, utter, utter bollocks. It is technically impossible to overdose on cannabis. Overdose

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1074499913371014702004-01-19T08:11:00.000Z2004-01-19T08:13:18.123Z

So the Tories aren't opposed to tuition fees really, and have just borrowed a mutant version of our policy for the sake of political capital until next weeks vote has passed. Despicable. and in other news, 6 police forces have announced they don't intend to apply the changes in the cannabis laws when they come into effect on the 29th. Whether you agree with the changes or not, is no one else

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1074068337031742502004-01-14T08:18:00.000Z2004-01-14T08:20:16.763Z

seems blogspeak has gone down. Feel sorry for the guy who runs it, seems he gets more hassle than it's worth at times.

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1074036262261866432004-01-13T23:24:00.000Z2004-01-13T23:25:41.653Z

God, i love Urban75. internet forums have such great potential and 99% of them have fallen into cliquey groups of lunatics who just slap each others backs the whole time and feel better about themselves. Urban75 though is one of the most friendly and disparate web communities i've met. It welcomes passers by, it tolerates people of all political persuasions, from the maddest neo con to the

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1073895494282391742004-01-12T08:18:00.000Z2004-01-12T08:19:32.060Z

I guess as the 29th approaches, there will be almost daily news reports on the topic of cannabis, so maybe i should run daily updates. Shall endeavour to do so, time and god willing. So today it's all about how drug prices are falling. At least it's finally been acknowledged in the press that rising drug seizures do not indicate success in the 'war' on drugs. Obvious really. If you intercept

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1073857196910025152004-01-11T21:39:00.000Z2004-01-11T21:41:13.966Z

As january 29th draws ever closer, the drug prohibition lobby are spinning night and day, predicting doom and gloom for the nation's youth. As ever, a lot of what they argue is irrelevant in a larger policy context, but it was only a matter of time before outright lies emerged. The mental illness link to cannabis is the evil they've conveniently found to fulfil the need for 'new evidence'. As

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1073855668231212362004-01-11T21:14:00.000Z2004-01-11T21:15:45.610Z

This afternoon out house was in the middle of the most almighty thunderstorm. Hailstones the size of peas and lightning that literally made the house shake. Turns out this little bugger was the culprit. According to the news there was no damage reported, but sirens were screaming all round us for a good hour afterwards. Always humbling to remember how powerful nature can be, and just how

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1073382952030210012004-01-06T09:55:00.000Z2004-01-06T09:57:03.356Z

It's fascinating isn't it. Saddam Hussein had the intention to run an repressive regime and use WMD's, yet did not have especially sophisticated systems for doing either. The USA has WMD's and is rapidly setting up sophisticated systems for running a repressive regime, and yet, since they don't have the avowed intention to use them (apart from 'tactical battlefield nukes' of course) fewer people

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1073337011989213372004-01-05T21:10:00.000Z2004-01-05T21:12:29.716Z

Still not updating this mother as much as I used to, but new year based festivities and today's subsequent flu ridden bed bound existence have not helped. Thus a precis of the last few days... My major research area, school attendance, has hit the news, with the talk of 100 quid fines for unauthorised holidays finally getting some notice (the consultation paper was widely circulated months ago)

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1072648522212985902003-12-28T21:55:00.000Z2003-12-28T21:56:25.966Z

Found this amusing press release on the web, and whilst a bit long, it bears repeating here. I'm not a christian myself anymore, but it was to a good degree my christian upbringing that first influenced my liberalism. BY NATHAN MCINTIRE June 25, 2004 Fellow Christians, The Second-Coming of Jesus Christ was a magnificent and joyous day for all. Interrupting a brand-new holiday episode of

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1072346962006171272003-12-25T10:07:00.000Z2003-12-25T10:10:22.153Z

Well, here it is, merry christmas, hope everybody's having fun. I certainly am, christmas rules... Happy christmas everyone!

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1071734732348219292003-12-18T08:05:00.000Z2003-12-18T08:09:07.700Z

Updated my links a fair bit yesterday, that's them on the right, but there's one special introduction that needs making. Ladies and gents, Miss Jade Farrington. Hoorah!

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1071676427024613792003-12-17T15:53:00.000Z2003-12-17T15:54:39.686Z

well i remember being told by the pro war lot when protesting earlier this year that I "should count myself lucky that i can protest, because iraqi's can't" Well, in Iraq plus ca change i guess, as this report from reuters seems to indicate... "Look me in the eye. Let me make something very clear," the American officer told the man over tea at the governor's office. "If our ears and eyes see

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1071405840991159792003-12-14T12:44:00.000Z2003-12-14T12:44:49.890Z

Hoorah, so they’ve captured Saddam Hussein, and all will now of course be fine and dandy in Iraq. If you’re to believe the naïve simpletons on the BBC messageboards, attacks on American forces will end, democracy will be put in place and everyone will be happy. More likely, attacks on American forces will continue but will no longer be able to be explained away by the thought that Saddam is

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1071363966917624182003-12-14T01:06:00.000Z2003-12-14T01:06:55.890Z

i just have to say that Bush is unelectable and dean is totally electable

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1070956888296090232003-12-09T08:01:00.000Z2003-12-09T08:02:12.640Z

According to the papers, yesterday's rugby world cup celebrations were an unrivalled success, the people rejoiced, drink was quaffed, new loves were struck, etc. But there seems to have been no mention that such a large gathering of people could be an excellent target for 'terrorists' and as such people should stay at home rather than take to the streets. Strange that, given that that's what

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1070903149466268232003-12-08T17:05:00.000Z2003-12-08T17:06:33.123Z

well, not really a game, but amusing none the less. (note for humourless right wing types - it's satire, ok?)

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1070618290199997672003-12-05T09:58:00.000Z2003-12-05T09:58:50.716Z

So scientists want to see sale, possession and use of tobacco become a criminal offence. Are these people stark raving mad or what? I heard one of them on the Today program this morning, citing, as scientists tend to like doing, the ‘hard facts’. Smoking kills 120,000 per year, costs the NHS £1.5 billion a year, 70% of smokers want to give up, etc, etc. All well and good, those are, I am sure,

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1070476953487166732003-12-03T18:42:00.000Z2003-12-04T20:20:09.030Z

Come across this nameless lib dem blogger and i must say, i like his style. His approach to the 'formidable intellect' of Mr Kamm is refreshing in the least. However, he laments his lack of readership so, dear reader, do check him out.

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1070381613910681102003-12-02T16:13:00.000Z2003-12-02T16:14:11.543Z

Well, haven’t I been lax in updates of late! Busyness is the primary cause, that and extreme party based action with a bunch of old uni friends over the weekend. Still haven’t much time to write right now, but may I introduce a weblog involving a good friend of mine, Kidgloves. Braving the music world that used to form my life too, and to which sometimes, given the stultifying world of

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1069951381618189802003-11-27T16:43:00.000Z2003-11-27T16:43:34.090Z

TORIES: Norris aide quits to join Lib Dems, attacking 'uncaring' Howard A top aide to Conservative London mayoral hopeful, Steve Norris, has quit to defect to the Liberal Democrats after criticising the 'uncaring' new Conservative leader Michael Howard. In a letter to his employer Mr Norris, Edward Lord spelt out why he could no longer 'summon up the enthusiasm' to work for the

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1069946095410468192003-11-27T15:14:00.000Z2003-11-27T15:15:28.030Z

following the plog trend, here's mine "Statistics are like lampposts, as much for drunks to lean against as they are for illumination". attributed to David Brent from The Office, though sounds to good to be originally from him. As a stats monkey, it made me smile.

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1069888065455286192003-11-26T23:07:00.000Z2003-11-26T23:08:17.513Z

Well, my job has nearly run its course. Presented my evidence to the select committee tonight, they were by turns impressed and disturbed by what I had to report, and hopefully I was one of the first non-excuse making and up front people they’ve heard. I didn’t ask them for extra money for my department either, which is also a first. So sitting here with a glass of wine, a fag and a cigarette,

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1069854975123348082003-11-26T13:56:00.000Z2003-11-26T13:56:46.950Z

Well, just watched the last ever Concorde flight. Rather moving really, more so than I expected it to be. It’d been raining hard all morning, and the low cloud made it look as though we wouldn’t be able to see anything, but at around 12:15 the rain suddenly stopped and the cloud cleared leaving blue skies. Wandered up to the Clifton suspension bridge admiring the fine shops on the way. Took up

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1069767274216533322003-11-25T13:34:00.000Z2003-11-25T13:35:04.496Z

Been in Bristol for 6 years or so now, and unlike other placed I’ve lived in, I’ve yet to pick up a bristolian accent, or even been able to imitate it as well as other accents (my black country accent is spot on, but guess that’s a home town thing). So now an American woman has developed an accent that’s a cross between Cockney and West Country due to her having had a stroke. I really don’t

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1069691854617325402003-11-24T16:37:00.000Z2003-11-24T16:38:03.966Z

A few choice quotes from the recent British Institute of Human Rights Lecture by Anne Owens, the HM Chief Inspector of Prisons “It is particularly the marginalised who need the protection of human rights: by definition, they may not be able to look for that protection to the democratic process, or the common consensus. And most of those in our prisons were on the margins long before they

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1069678271088427862003-11-24T12:51:00.000Z2003-11-24T12:51:40.903Z

Apparently our rugby world cup win wasn’t just a nice one off in small and oddly violent sport. According to this article, Bristol traders alone will have made £5 million in extra revenue, and we can expect a burst of births in 9 months time. Who’da thought it? Wonder if similar effects were noted after May 1st 1997? Odd for me though this result. I always hated rugby at school and only got out

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1069508030853076772003-11-22T13:33:00.000Z2003-11-22T13:34:18.153Z

This kind of story depresses me. People can sit back and maitain that drug prohibition can work, whilst at the same time reporting... "A police officer in Fermanagh said: "At the minute a drug dealer can buy an E tab for as little as 70p. They're just getting cheaper and cheaper. No matter how many are being seized the dealers can buy them for 70p. The users are then buying them for as little as

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1069412167809795192003-11-21T10:56:00.000Z2003-11-21T10:56:33.700Z

With just two weeks to go before I leave this post, work is more than hectic, so blog updates have been somewhat sparse of late. Once again though, the BBC forums have sparked me into writing. The topic is whether you support the protests against bush or not, and it sickens me to the core just how polarised and ill informed the debate has become. I would agree with Mr Kamm to a degree that some

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1069171003228921912003-11-18T15:56:00.000Z2003-11-18T15:57:06.356Z

I was hoping to take part in an anti bush demonstration in Bristol as well, possibly tomorrow, depending on when it was. However, I’ve just received notification at work that the planned demonstration is….invading Bristol council house. Where I work. It’s hardly a great way for me to demonstrate, partly because it’d piss off people I work with, and partly because it wouldn’t be that impressive.

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1069143521301296382003-11-18T08:18:00.000Z2003-11-18T08:19:04.733Z

greetings pop pickers, a small question for those who care to answer. Girlfriend's sister has been asked to write an article on the possibilities for and consequences of abolishing the party system and voting for individual politicians purely on their policies. I have my own thoughts on this, but what do those out there in the great wide web think of this notion? david, it's over to you...

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1069081560340148672003-11-17T15:06:00.000Z2003-11-17T15:06:23.200Z

Went to something rather fun at the weekend, the ‘Totterdown art trail’. Had heard rumours of this area of Bristol being full of arty types and the like, but never quite believed it, north Bristol always seeming the place for arts and media type things. This trail definitely put paid to that assumption, as it was a trail around 30 or so houses in an early Victorian estate, each marked by a flag

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1069068090190726732003-11-17T11:21:00.000Z2003-11-17T11:21:52.670Z

I was kinda planning a post on the justifications for my attending the Stop Bush march this Thursday, but I can’t be bothered at the moment. It’s a pretty detailed analysis that’s required, and I just don’t have the time. Maybe this time constraint is what causes others to go along with the sub key stage 2 style analysis of “it’s us against the ‘terrorists’” rather than looking at the more subtle

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1068819210875515112003-11-14T14:13:00.000Z2003-11-14T14:13:50.716Z

Lunch is usually a mundane affair in my world. A half hour break from the eye bending monotony of school data analysis, tempered only by the charming presence of my dear sweet lady friend. However, this lunch was different. Sitting by the window of a sandwich shop on college green, Bristol, I noticed a friend of ours walk past. Odd, as we never usually see our circle around this area, but she

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1068728286396017482003-11-13T12:58:00.000Z2003-11-13T12:58:24.530Z

I can’t even be bothered to go into this one. Read the article for yourself, the lords appear as ignorant of the facts as all the others I have noted on this blog before. The important thing is that the change, pointless and open to postcode policing as it is, has been passed. One step forward, two steps backwards, that’s the nature of this government it seems. I still find it incomprehensible

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1068655160220591122003-11-12T16:39:00.000Z2003-11-12T16:39:17.310Z

I won’t indulge in a big rant here, I’ll just keeping taking deep breaths and try to remain calm. But skipping through various blogs, I’ve come across Melanie Phillips’ assertion that ‘cannabis causes cancer and brain damage’ and also ‘wreaks personal and social devastation’. The cancer thing has been ‘fisked’ (I must avoid adopting that term, it’s horrible) thoroughly by Action on Smoking and

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1068653306491134612003-11-12T16:08:00.000Z2003-11-12T16:08:23.990Z

I’ve been arguing for ages now that the boom in the housing market is unsustainable, and that people could be looking once again at being caught in negative equity as occurred in the last decade. The response to such comments has always been more vociferous than might have been expected, perhaps due to my addressing these comments to homeowners, and they have all thought the idea utter nonsense.

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1068546421038622202003-11-11T10:27:00.000Z2003-11-11T10:26:58.560Z

I’ve been pondering the new Tory shadow cabinet for the last 24 hours, and have finally reached some conclusions. It is, in a way, a difficult one to call. It’s definitely, as that loathsome car advert used to say, ‘a new piece of thinking’ and could go one of many ways. Initially, it seems like a ridiculous idea. Not having someone covering each government post seems just utterly stupid. For

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1068477686070930632003-11-10T15:21:00.000Z2003-11-10T15:21:56.533Z

The weekends, I find, always leave one feeling rather flat afterwards. This weekend was especially lovely, drinkies after work Friday, most useful after an unusually stressy day dealing with the incompetence of those that only seem to find jobs within the public sector. Saturday was spent scouring charity shops for useful items and a day of tidying and general collection of thoughts followed on

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1068220148320106512003-11-07T15:49:00.000Z2003-11-07T15:49:06.126Z

This news comes as a bit of a shame really. Good to see Portillo had been offered a job in a way, there were rumours of him as shadow home sec, which would have made the party marginally more tolerable. But now he’s leaving altogether. A great loss to British politics. Perhaps he’ll be back, though I doubt it.

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-106813760604403952003-11-06T16:53:00.000Z2003-11-06T16:53:23.730Z

One of my first memories of political blogs is some Tory or other claiming that the best way to wind up a lib dem is to ‘ask them if they’re a left lib dem or a right lib dem’. An utterly pointless task and distinction, as I noted at the time (i believe I should say that I ‘fisked’ it, but that just sounds like some silly playground term to me). But pleasing, in a way, to note Anne Widdecombe on

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1068058239240762322003-11-05T18:50:00.000Z2003-11-05T18:50:37.106Z

This morning in the post, I was very pleased to receive a copy of “100% drum&bass” that I’d bought a while back on ebay. If you don’t yet own this record, I beseech you to. Sitting here listening to some of the greatest ambient and jazzy drum n bass ever written is utter, utter chilled out joy. It might not sound like much of a record, but it was one of my firm favourites a few years back,

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1068019517739687342003-11-05T08:05:00.000Z2003-11-05T08:05:16.286Z

An odd thoughtlet hit me last night. Certain people's blogs seem to be being upgraded and improved at the moment. Some for the better, some in a somewhat contrived way. Could it be that these people are entering the guardian blog competition? All well and good if they are, but many who seem to be also profess an absolute hatred for the guardian, its mores and its writers. Yet again, what do

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1068019260106918012003-11-05T08:01:00.000Z2003-11-05T08:00:58.713Z

I must declare an interest in this topic. I love fireworks and bonfires. Some of the happiest memories of my somewhat unusual childhood come from bonfire nights, they were one of the best times for our family to come together and all enjoy the same activity. So I’m pretty dismayed by the news that once again, in the face of isolated problems, the government is taking a sledgehammer to a nut and

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1067953416544838282003-11-04T13:43:00.000Z2003-11-04T13:43:34.633Z

as predicted on this blog at the time, the police haven't got anywhere with their attempted prosecution of the undercover BBC reporter who exposed racism in the ranks. Nice of the police to use their powers self interestedly though. Wonder how much this pointless attempt at prosecution cost us?

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1067873841768777042003-11-03T15:37:00.000Z2003-11-03T15:40:03.323Z

Today was meant to be a nice simple update on yesterday's last day of conference and the fun that happened there. Not the most successful of days, due to a large drinking session round Cambridge the previous night and resultant hangover, but tolerable enough. However, heading gently back to Bristol last night, I emerged from the underground at Paddington to find my phone ringing. T'was a lady

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1067693894518785672003-11-01T13:38:00.000Z2003-11-01T13:38:13.096Z

In Cambridge at the moment at LDYS conference. All nice and fun, lots of the usual sort of debates, start well, get bogged down in procedural motions then end swiftly and suddenly in a series of votes. The GM motion i was summating got passed and more pleasingly, I got a youth crime motion shot down in flames. Well intentioned, but inherently wrong. I shall spare you the details, as i haven't

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1067596493777880332003-10-31T10:34:00.000Z2003-10-31T10:34:52.530Z

Two small items of news today. First, Scientists are complaining that the GM debate has been hijacked by opponents to GM and the government hasn’t stepped in to help the scientists and correct errors and misinformation in the debate. For which read, we’ve lost the debate and are now trying to get the government to do the task we failed to do. If these scientists think that the debate has been

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1067525593769316232003-10-30T14:53:00.000Z2003-10-30T14:53:03.016Z

My Society has gone live today, and they’re looking for good ideas for projects to use for the launch of the charity. So what’s it about? Basically, it’s a charity set up to fund web or electronic media (SMS, etc) based projects that will cost little but have a large beneficial impact upon society. Things like faxyourmp.com and liftshare.com are good examples of the web being used to bring

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1067520686053401092003-10-30T13:31:00.000Z2003-10-30T13:31:16.050Z

Interesting watching the news at the moment. Seemingly there won’t be a leadership contest, which is going to make for less interesting news than might have been the case. However, reading the local papers’ reactions through a Google search shows that there may be severe issues ahead with regards to the grassroots Tories. One might think that, if they are as annoyed about infighting as they claim

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1067516936251214022003-10-30T12:28:00.000Z2003-10-30T12:28:46.923Z

Haven’t the time at the moment for much of an update, but might just point out something mildly ironic. The advertising at the top of blogger sites seems to be tailored to the content of the page. Worrying then that the advert at the top of the ‘Save IDS’ blog is for ‘liberal future’. Don’t get me wrong, I’m quite a fan of liberal future in a way, but if even a computer thinks they’re the most

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1067430298217174792003-10-29T12:24:00.000Z2003-10-29T12:24:57.363Z

So I had an interview yesterday for a policy research post at the Greater London Assembly. A fun day out of the office and in the big city that is the nation’s capital. Didn’t really get up to much in the way of sightseeing, just went, did the interview and came back. Did wander through the market by London Bridge station on the way to the GLA though, and was pleased to see that Westcountry

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1067424942319420322003-10-29T10:55:00.000Z2003-10-29T10:55:41.056Z

The Save IDS blog has not been updated as much as I would have liked it to have been, but just had another look, and it has to be a joke surely. Not for supporting IDS, that’s fine and dandy, but for the way it vacillates between positions from one post to the next. The BBC covering the leadership plot is apparently bias as it’s stoking the fires of a non event, yet the Guardian not covering it

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1067273696018251642003-10-27T16:54:00.000Z2003-10-27T16:54:55.743Z

Found this on the ‘back IDS’ site that’s doing the rounds on blogs at the moment. Meant to be a worst case scenario, it actually sounds really rather appealing. Hope it’s got some elements of truth in it, as if it has then sack IDS or keep IDS, either way it will be great for the lib dems.

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1067265846519748882003-10-27T14:44:00.000Z2003-10-27T14:44:05.796Z

There was a most amusing letter in the guardian last weekend. I can't find it on the net, but simply put, it was "If Michael Howard is the answer, then we should have a serious look at the question" I couldn't agree more. Was pleased at conference to go to a fringe with Mr Howard's prison policy advisor of the 'prison works' era was on the panel. That phrase has always ranked as one of the

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1067264670828293262003-10-27T14:24:00.000Z2003-10-27T14:24:30.293Z

Been in my main job since June now, covering maternity leave, and it’s been confirmed that the woman’s coming back at the start of December, thus the clock is ticking on my involvement with school attendance research. So what now? Well, got a job interview tomorrow for a policy research post in London. Sounds interesting, and £28k per year would be a nice way to make the somewhat inevitable move

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1067242110178524662003-10-27T08:08:00.000Z2003-10-27T08:08:29.833Z

These have to be some of the best glasses in the whole of contemporary UK politics. Who said the tory party wasn't interesting?

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1066996254184987182003-10-24T12:50:00.000+01:002003-10-24T12:50:54.356+01:00

This has to be one of the most stupid things I’ve heard from the government in a while. In the press release “NEW SERVICES TO TACKLE DRUG CRIME BY YOUNG PEOPLE” Caroline ‘I smoked cannabis but the law acted as a deterrent, honest’ Flint apparently said "It is vital that we intervene and help young people before they enter a cycle of crime and drug addiction.” "We will be running pilot arrest

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1066994672503332312003-10-24T12:24:00.000+01:002003-10-24T12:24:32.250+01:00

“A man ordered to stay away from pop singer Britney Spears is suing the star for causing "emotional distress". Reminds me of that excellent Beavis and Butthead episode where Beavis sues one of his classmates for sexual harassment. Judge “so you claim this girl keeps sexually harassing you?” Beavis “yeah, heh heh heh” Judge “and what form does this sexual harassment take?” Beavis “She keeps

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1066840392990402752003-10-22T17:33:00.000+01:002003-10-22T17:33:12.796+01:00

I knew what i meant to mention. Looking at various national deprivation indicators today, and noticed that the City of Bristol unitary authority seems to extend well into the severn estuary for census purposes. I would be grateful if anyone could tell me why this is so. Do they have to count the occupants of the ships in the estuary on census night? Only reason i've been able to think of so far...

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1066840123352559212003-10-22T17:28:00.000+01:002003-10-22T17:28:43.193+01:00

Another update free day. Perhaps some were expecting my vitriolic reaction to the police program last night, but in the end, it was not that note worthy. The officers involved were a hell of a lot more racist than I’d imagined they would be, and I’ve been pleased to watch the number of them resigning growing during the day (it’s currently 5 as I type, but they may be more). The most depressing

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1066748219903953382003-10-21T15:56:00.000+01:002003-10-21T15:56:59.270+01:00

Interesting news on the force that first inspired my concern about certain things going on within the policing in this country. The news is hardly surprising to those who actually read their recent audit commission report, but must come as a shock to the evening post who reported when it was released that the audit commission said everything was great. “Police in Avon and Somerset have come

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1066727645568646302003-10-21T10:14:00.000+01:002003-10-21T10:14:05.510+01:00

Going to be watching this with interest tonight. David Blunkett criticising it implies that it probably has got hold of something important. It’s increasingly clear that he’s a big, big fan of policing in all its forms, and an adherent to the ‘don’t ever criticise them’ school of thought, an approach that does neither the police nor the public any favours as outlined before. Mr Blunkett

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1066440815538099172003-10-18T02:33:00.000+01:002003-10-18T02:33:35.336+01:00

so, Banksy has got into the mainstream news by sneaking a work of his into the tate and hanging it without anyone noticing. Horrah for Rob! I used to work for him at times, my boss was his manager and i've been a huge, huge fan of his since '97 and my arrival in his home town of Bristol. I will, once my website is restored to its former glory (when i get the cash), do a full section on bansky and

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1066404250811775812003-10-17T16:24:00.000+01:002003-10-17T16:24:10.640+01:00

Presumably, those who insist that Leviticus 18:22 is still valid and binding today will also insist that other laws laid down in the Old Testament are equally valid and binding. For instance, Exodus 35:2 states that anyone who works on the Sabbath should be put to death. And presumably no one eats shellfish (Lev. 11:10). And how do you deal with the rules laid down in Leviticus 15:19-24? Or

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1066394905627461162003-10-17T13:48:00.000+01:002003-10-17T13:48:25.136+01:00

A few weeks ago the Commission for Racial Equality told the conservatives to ‘raise their game’ at a local level to stop the BNP winning any more council seats. Seems the advice was a little misplaced, as the Lib Dems have again beaten off BNP challengers to win two seats on Burnley council. Whilst the fact that the BNP won any votes at all is worrying, it’s good to know that in another area of

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1066306189570393192003-10-16T13:09:00.000+01:002003-10-16T13:09:49.600+01:00

As a lib dem, I am in absolute support of the leadership of Iain Duncan Smith. He’s a great man and should stay as leader of the conservative party for as long as possible, ideally forever. With this in mind, I am happy to draw your attention to this blog. Let’s all unite and stand up for the man who is doing so much for Lib Dem politics up and down the country. Don’t know if anyone heard by

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1066212309763127942003-10-15T11:05:00.000+01:002003-10-15T11:05:09.843+01:00

Walking to work this morning, I was planning a big blog rant against all this continued talk of zero tolerance at the moment, and making being young an arrestable offence. I was concerned that I’d made these rants already, but luckily there is new but related news to bring an air of topicality to an otherwise covered subject. At about 4am this morning, after the papers go to press but before the

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1066132063840159652003-10-14T12:47:00.000+01:002003-10-14T12:47:43.500+01:00

Just read the BBC version of today’s cannabis story, and it’s now more clear than ever that it’s just scare mongering propaganda. The new angle to the story is… “Dr Burkman said it was unclear whether fertility would recover after men stopped smoking marijuana. But she warned that THC remained stored in fat for a long period. "We can't say that everything will go back to normal.” That’s the

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1066127850948697612003-10-14T11:37:00.000+01:002003-10-14T11:37:30.586+01:00

Thanks to nick for pointing this one out. An endurance game show to see how long you can go without sleep. Having done 79 hours without sleep over the millenium (wednesday 9am to saturday 4pm) i'm going to apply. Hell, if i can get on bargain hunt, i can get on anything...

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1066122971861496702003-10-14T10:16:00.000+01:002003-10-14T10:16:11.866+01:00

Right, the news came out this morning that cannabis can cause a fall in male fertility and, this news being unscientific rubbish, I want to see if can I get the first rebuttal of the research published anywhere on the net. Shall probably have to watch out for my networks censorship software, so from now on, the substance in question shall be called, well, soma… So, the news is that taking soma

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1066120994603358732003-10-14T09:43:00.000+01:002003-10-14T09:43:14.330+01:00

Two Tory aides have been arrested over an attack on a gay policy adviser. Hoorah for the police. Wonder if these young tories are now still so keen on a tough police crackdown on young thugs brawling in the street?

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1065722794784678252003-10-09T19:06:00.000+01:002003-10-09T19:06:34.823+01:00

I remember james graham a while ago pointing out that many of the more bizarre and fanatical liberal books on amazon were more often bought by the far right than the radically liberal, seem the same is true of blogs. Since the end of the tory conference, viewing figures for my site have shot back up. So welcome back tories one and all, hope you're well, don't suppose you brought me back some

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1065718755031240462003-10-09T17:59:00.000+01:002005-03-01T11:08:22.933Z

So yesterday we see the true colours of the Tory party, still as backward and reactionary as ever, now today something I’ve been saying for while has been confirmed, that putting more police on the streets increases the fear of crime. First the Tories. Oliver Leftwing has tried to make the Tories appear to have a more evidence based policing strategy. His work on ‘the conveyor belt to crime’ was

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1065704456750542842003-10-09T14:00:00.000+01:002003-10-09T14:00:56.896+01:00

This is really frustrating, been trying to put up a blog post this morning, and the PC at work won’t let me due to the number of questionable words. I really can’t see that many in the post, and even after I’ve cut them out, it still has problems with it. Censorship software really is ridiculous, as people in Scunthorpe found to their cost. Maybe my post mentioned the word ‘Tory’ too often, as it

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1065518666702596792003-10-07T10:24:00.000+01:002003-10-07T10:24:26.593+01:00

Lack of update round here for a few days. Have had a delightful few days off with my charming young lady friend, and shunned the online existence for the real world for a few days. If you’ve never been up Glastonbury Tor, I heartily suggest that you do when in the area. Anyway, it seems following on from IDS’s ‘truth or dare’ style assertion yesterday that he will be the next PM (it had to be a

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1065235869570308802003-10-04T03:51:00.000+01:002003-10-04T03:51:09.776+01:00

so, the partially clothed civil servant has adorned the mantle and become no more. Shame, because of all the blogs that keep me entertained at work, and that i look forward to reading, his was up there with the best. I also only met him for the first time at conference a week or so ago, and it's always a pity to lose someone who knows what they're talking about from one's team. i wish him all

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1065210562825903902003-10-03T20:49:00.000+01:002003-10-03T20:49:22.420+01:00

gosh, i'm nearly a googlewhack! Someone came onto my site earlier having searched for LSAT Test In California 10/04/2003. It's only me and one other sucker in them ratings baby...

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1065180507895267172003-10-03T12:28:00.000+01:002003-10-03T12:28:27.636+01:00

Ugh, yet more government spin that will go nowhere and is not wanted by anyone working in the field. The issue today is truancy, and the new government plans to introduce spot fines for parents found with their absent children during truancy sweeps. Bit of a hot topic for me here, as researching school attendance is my main job at the moment, and it’s a really interesting field. There are many

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1065110026945903092003-10-02T16:53:00.000+01:002003-10-02T16:53:46.350+01:00

I’ve held off from mentioning the Iraq war to any great degree on this blog before. Despite being a student of International Relations, the issues involved have been going on for so long now that I’d argued them all out to the nth degree with people I knew already. I wasn’t about to begin massive board wars here over the rights and wrong of gulf conflict. However, one thing has really annoyed me

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1065093923805233522003-10-02T12:25:00.000+01:002003-10-02T16:56:25.926+01:00

David Blunkett has stated that one of his biggest tasks is freeing people from the fear of crime. So why then is he proposing a ludicrous identity card scheme, massively expensive with few real benefits, yet more police and a raft of new legislation? Surely the simple answer to reducing the fear of crime would be to ban the Daily Mail and make an understanding of the crime figures compulsory for

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1065019399195529872003-10-01T15:43:00.000+01:002003-10-01T15:43:18.753+01:00

Well, probably a bit late for conference reports right now, that flu’s affected my health, wages and topicality. Dammit. But one thing worth reflecting upon is some of the fringe meetings I went to at conference. On the whole, they were brilliant. Free food, free booze and, above all, some really interesting high-level discussions on current issues. Got me thinking about certain things in many

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1064998788752228962003-10-01T09:59:00.000+01:002003-10-01T09:59:48.056+01:00

It’s all so horribly depressing. As a proponent of using the internet for political campaigning, I’m all for political groups using forums, debates and message boards to get their points across and encourage political debate. But this BBC 'Have Your Say' forum on Tony Blair’s speech has been so over taken by political posters, it’s hard to tell if there are any genuine members of the public

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1064607486589590542003-09-26T21:16:00.000+01:002003-09-26T21:18:06.576+01:00

Well, thought i'd be able to update loads after conference, but have worn myself out doing stuff in brighton and now have raging flu. Shall update when the world outside of bed becomes a tad less shivery.

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1063886103975381432003-09-18T12:55:00.000+01:002003-09-18T12:55:03.340+01:00

Well, Lord Archer seems to have adopted my recommendations on this blog a few weeks ago, and suggested using prisons as a place to re-educate and reform those who have fallen by the wayside. Whilst I don’t particularly like the man, his recommendations do seem fairly sound and well informed by experience. It’s especially interesting that he’s suggested lower penalties for cannabis smokers in

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1063884328507182222003-09-18T12:25:00.000+01:002003-09-18T12:25:28.270+01:00

On a day when all eyes are turned to Brent and its by election, here’s my contribution to the news. According to the provisional national data released yesterday (see below), Brent LEA has had the biggest fall in secondary school attendance of any LEA in England from the academic year 2001/02 to the one just ended. Who said blogs aren’t fascinating…

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623232.post-1063816418694581752003-09-17T17:33:00.000+01:002003-09-17T17:33:38.363+01:00

Sorry for the lack of update today folks, been out at a departmental award ceremony and general pep talk/feedback session. I hadn't the heart to ask the hard quesions that need asking, hell i'm only here for a couple more months. Then at another select committee tonight. A 13 hour working day, hoorah. i shall just leave you with the news that has been filling what spaces i've had in my day - the

Gezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01267224386633021152noreply@blogger.com