Emma Bagley's Blog

knowing when to turn back

2012-02-02T09:29:00.000-08:00

last night i checked out the Met office website for the brecon beacons. no snow due but low temps. so off i trundle up the M4 up past merthyr tydfil. my aim was to do some hillwalking. yet when i got 2 miles from where i needed to be the road was icy and there was a few inches of snow. i pressed on for a mile and then realised that a guy up in front was reversing. he helped me get back round to exit and even offered to push if necessary. yet back along the route there was nowhere to park that didnt involve a brown pants up or down to a car-park within 8 miles. so there we are - bridge money paid; half a tank of petrol down and i felt a bit disappointed. i had this walk down on my to do list and the weather looked right. no rain clear skies. a full day off and little one safe at the childminder. i suppose being a grown up involves knowing when to stop. after a handbrake-tastic descent down over a bridgeway and icy surfaces i knew when to throw in the towel. this walk was clearly for another day. i'm sure that mountain rescue and the rac will thank me for this.

blow those cobwebs

2012-01-05T08:02:00.000-08:00

with the cold front, walking has been a little thin on the ground this week. but here we are - the rains have stopped - so kay and i popped over the bridge, up to abergavenny and out around the skirrid. what a lovely little mountain it is. everything you want for a mountain but a little more pocket size. views across to deri and sugar loaf. footpaths that eat your feet in mud. then there's the howling wind that makes you wonder how you are actually standing up still. the winds were to high to take a view from the top. but the rugged rock and friendly sheep made up for it. normally i am bone dry and wont slip - today with the foot deep mud and sodden ground my bum got it! smears of mud up to the bum. driving home to the cafe in my waterproof bottoms. dum dee dum.

And so it comes to pass

2011-12-25T11:41:00.000-08:00

Whilst we are a secular nation I, understand that some will want to celebrate Christmas. Christians will want to attend a church service. Others will just settle for a more midwinter feast (with presents no doubt). I am happy to enjoy the peace and sentiment of others. My contribution will be small presents with a substantial donation to charities. I do not follow the Christian gospel so it would seem silly for me to pander to all things Christmas. Yet I will wear a fancy dress santa suit on christmas eve at work - just to cheer people up. I think that people over inner peace at this time of year. We can so easily bear attachments to material objects. Thinking that they will somehow make us happy. Yet unless we are happy within ourselves we will not find it from external influences.

So after sharing a moment of family opening presents I popped out for a soul heartening walk on the mendips. I parked up at the Coombe at Burrington, scrambled up opp Rock of Ages. Along Burrington Ham and over up tot he Beacon, weave past a bull and cows and down past Sidcot Hollow. The views were excellent across and out to the Bristol Channel. Thats better. At one with nature and the hill on Christmas day. Marvellous. Cobwebs away.

walking on dartmoor

2011-11-20T13:27:00.000-08:00

an interesting weekend plodding around the delights of dartmoor. i was finishing off my walk leader assessment. i camped out for friday and saturday. friday was eerie as i was the only tent on the campsite. needless to say access to hot showers and the toilet block was not an issue (unlike in mid-summer). but yes there was an eerie darkness to the campsite, whether i gave myself the whillies driving in past HMP dartmoor I dont know. perhaps a little mist was falling.

the next day, and as part of our assesment we took it in turns to navigate from map and compass. we were out form noon til just before 7pm. a tough day, over tufty grass, up on tors, and through boggy mires nr foxtor mires. i never want to walk through another bog again in my life (alas I fear this will not prove true). My feet were wet from an hour in. which meant wet boots for two days of walking. boo hiss. anyway, it came to pass that we meandered back to base, had a lovely hot shower and felt less creaky on my camp bed.

next day it was up over ryder hill - through the mist and up over the top. slow going but the vire was great ocne the mist cleared.

i ask myself do I like dartmoor. i'm not entirely convinced. it has a hard core edge to it. in that a lot of the ground is either tuft or bog. there are some great long drags of well maintained path but they seem few and far between. yet this is what maintains the beauty of the tors. all that granite 280 million years old. who'd swap that for the world. they sprout up like mystical beings - plop on the top of a hill. there is a story as to why - but me a drink and I shall divluge all.....

no 36 bus

2011-09-26T12:08:00.000-07:00

well the wick road safety petition has firmly been presented. at the start of september i toddled off to the council house. thanks to the bus system i had to do the 1000m dash in 5 mins to make the slot for petitions. i made it. this as received and i await the response from the executive member. i hope that some good comes from this as road safety is such an important issue here in brislington. there are some very hilly bits round here and the traffic does get very congested in parts. we need to do what we can.

then we move on swiftly to another form of transport. the no 36 bus has been a constant source of complaint amongst many locals. late buses, cancelled etc. over the last week the lib dems have sent out resident street letters asking for feedback. these have been delivered to everyone along the no 36 route. i hope for some current feedback as first bus are notorious for promises and then the grand plans vaporising into the ether when reality hits them. so we may need another visit to the council house for that one too.

a final point. very often in life as with politics some things take time. these two issues have been brewing for a while. it may take time but we will get there. eventually. sometimes the best things come to those that wait. very often we get stuck in a goal driven 80s and 90s mindset and forget that sometimes not everything has to go 99mph (unlike the no 36 bus it seems).

flying with an infant

2011-08-25T13:08:00.001-07:00

Well I never thought it could be like this? You innocently book up a flight.

Bristol:
1. Easyjet check-in desk at Bristol deny all knowledge that you can take a travel cot with you for free. Yes you can.
2. Bristol airport charge £2 for trolley hire - to go 100metres. So we decide to boycott this and get accused of leaving luggage when we cannot manage it all in one go. Security gone bonkers.
3. We get priority boarding - with hostile glares from everyone else. Grow up dudes!
4. Flight gets called 20 mins before departure and the gate is 500m from the terminal. Is this fare. A scrap for the boarding gate. An then it seem there are steps only down to the final gate to the plane. So there Kay is balancing a buggy for grim life down a flight of twenty steps. I am dragging the travel cot...ad nauseum.

Inverness
1. Charlie - a 15 month old gets frisked. Is this ethical? She gets upset and so do I. For goodness sake its not as though we have explosives strapped to her waist or drug muled her.
2. Boarders will not let priority boarders pass on the way to the plane. Have they experienced life outside of sipping a g&t recently?
3. Oh and how about the car seat debacle. The car seat we supply cannot be fitted by us but you can read these photocopied instructions. Youa re joking? Car baby seats are notoriously difficult to fit.

Spare me......

first aid the hard way

2011-08-20T12:43:00.000-07:00

I am doing some walk leader training. As part of the deal you need to do a two day first aid course. So I decieded to plump for the activity first aid course at Staverton lead by St Johns. I thought this would be dry death by powerpoint.

For a start our trainer was ex-london ambulance with a story of death gore and adventure at every angle. Working for NHS Direct I can tell you some of my stories were ona par. But her story of being held hostage and being shot at - well working in a call centre - you just dont get that sort of nonesense.

Also the other delegates ont he course had their own stories to tell. Because we were there from adventure type back grounds we had our own little tales. There were a couple of mad mountain bikers. One has his shoulder dislocate every other bike ride. Another said him mate got a mountain bike jammed in an electric fence. Asked how he got it out he said that his mate "manned up" and yanked it out.

Yes indeed this was the level of bonker I think the great outdoors gives you. You need to be slightly unhinged to yomp up big hills and scramble down the scree or coombes of this world. Even camping in some people's eyes is slightly bonkers. But there we are. Such is life.

walden

2011-08-03T13:10:00.000-07:00

sometimes - you hear of a book that you must read. well this was the one - i got ridiculously excited about it and even bought it off of amazon. well the preface is this - bloke in mid 1800s goes and builds himself a log cabin in new england and lives there for just over a year. for me this seemed a good idea and he dealt with nature and isolation and wildlife etc. i'm sure you get the giste. but here is the crux. i felt he was going all dickens on me. the chapters were not aportioned. the writing was turgid and dense. it was a bit drivelly and whingey. i think he went slightly loopy there; as the writing seems overly intense.a s though he is trying to hard to get as many deep thoughts into such a small space. the writing seemed claustraphobic - which is a contridiction to the subject. anyway, i gave up halfway through. and now sadly thebook lays on my book table. perhaps it will stay there for just over a year. to cntemplate its surrounding - just like thereau.

Walk to the doo...

2011-07-17T11:39:00.001-07:00

The rains were bad yesterday - yet after 1pm the sun popped out and the sun beamed. Great relief as I donned my walking sandals and victorian costume. Because today I am getting married. This is the second time so I wanted to make it special. As I am a bit of a greenie I decided that the only eco-travel, would be to walk. Also I am an avid hillwalker so the stroll down to the SS Great Britain from Brislington was no arduous. In fact I loved it.

I chose a quiet route - going down Sandy Park Rd, past Arnos and onton the St Phillips Greenway via Temple meads and onward. The latter route took in the riverside by St Mary Redcliffe and round to the busier waterfront and up past the M Shed to the SS Great Britain.

No problems with feet. I had to scoop up the dress most of the way so my arm was slightly heavy after a while. My red berghaus was over my shoulders - and a golf umbrella ready for action in case the weather turned inclement. I had only one comment - from someone on a bile saying nice dress. No negatives. A couple of smiles but a good number of people just giving zero eye contact. Perhaps the ensemble of my-fair-lady style dress and berghaus waterproof was less than traditional.

The route down the river and along the Greenway between Arnos and Bedminster was lushously green. Lots of great trees in bloom, the reeds on the riverbank rustled. And the gulls washed themselves in the river.

A most memorable walk - just an hour but it made the difference to make it MY day.

Walking in the clouds

2011-07-08T11:54:00.001-07:00

This afternoon I went for a circular walk around Kelston - up onto the Cotswold Ridge. The views were great although on the top it was lashing with rain (I think I was in the cloud!). There was a little thunder and lightning. On my way over the top I passed a dad and son out walking too. They were a mountain rescue call waiting to happen. Bearing in mind I had full waterproofs - they had an umbrella for the Dad (in shorts) and the son had a waterproof top. It does make you wander what they had in mind for the walk - as clearly they were very under-prepared.

IT free?

2011-07-04T12:13:00.000-07:00

I have started to read a book called The Winter of Disconnect by Maushart. Its a pluffed up book about how she and her 3 teenage children go free of cell phones, IPods and PCs for 6 months. I say fluffed up because really when it comes down to it she describes what happens when a vaccuum is caused in the status quo. She talks of how her children were horrified at having to put down gaming computers etc. How each found a way around the perception of boredom. She harks back to Therau's Walden quite a lot. Mental note to read this. I think I could quite easily live my life without 6 months. Although outside of work I loathe using the phone. I suppose it comes from being surgically attached to the phone all day at work. I love emailing now. I would miss it on hindsight. But I could live without it.

Coalition

2011-06-19T07:44:00.000-07:00

Thats it. The nasty party is back. I have been saying from the start of this coalition that we should have left the Tories to go into minority control and let them hang themselves. I relate my comments to a terrifying diatribe by Philip Davies who outrageously and calously infered that disabled people should work for less. As he believed that they would get overlooked for jobs. This is wholesale social injustice in glorious technicolour. Thank god he's not my MP. I immediately wrote to No 10 asking for the Tory party to withdraw the whip. Alas they probably have there noses so far up their posteriour that they will not be able to read my email. God help them if any of them have disabilities.....

lily allen

2011-06-11T12:50:00.000-07:00

I am studying for my next OU exam. Keeps the brain ticking. I am reading about social justice. In particular, thinking about Young’s Ideas about late modernity. That family and community is breaking down and consumerism and ideals of the individual are on the up. What theorists term ontological panic. In layman terms it about the poor expecting certain taken for granted things. Almost a social expectation. It’s the idea that to get where people expect to be they will take a shortcut such as crime to acquire material possessions.

Lily Allen – what does she know about Social Policy? Lots. Or at least she makes a point of social justice that is between the lines.

Take Lily Allen lyrics in the fear? “I want to be rich and I want lots of money, I don't care about clever I don't care about funnyI want loads of clothes and f****loads of diamonds”. She talks of the taken for granted ideas of money and goods. She later says “And I am a weapon of massive consumption, And it's not my fault it's how I'm programmed to function “. So an inbuilt right of passage of what she can have. Consumerism and goods. She continues ”And I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless, Cause everyone knows that's how you get famous” so not by graft but short-cuts of media sensationalism. Later Lily described the ontological panic that many find themselves in “I don't know what's right and what's real anymore, And I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymoreWhen do you think it will all become clear, Cause I'm being taken over by the fear”.

Ooohh. Deep for pop. But then Beatles wrote Eleanor Rigby. A social commentary on loneliness. Poetry to music.

a walk in the country

2011-06-09T11:48:00.000-07:00

this afternoon i went for a nice walk from doynton , dyrham and back along the monarh's way. the smell of wild garlic was quite strong in dyrham woods. passed the BMWs and big houses in dyrham. i passed a lot of different wild life: 3 diffrent types of butterflies, llamas, cows, horses and ladybirds. i think I saw a kestrel (not sure). a good blast around 5 miles. what was innovative was a message box found on a stilt in dyrham woods. left my message.

See weblink for piccies of the area...

Walking in the air

2011-05-14T10:45:00.000-07:00

Today I went on a hair swoshing 11 miler across the hills from Pontypool and back over the Beacons. The wind was back against us on the return. Sun was high. Wind was out. Achey legs now.

Election results

2011-05-06T03:01:00.000-07:00

Its seems we took a bit of a beating last night. Disappointing results across the City. We had some losses. Surprisingly Labour is the new protest vote. Three years ago Lib Dems were the protest vote.

Unfortunately Brislington East, despite our efforts, went to the Labour man from Fishponds. Another faceless labour man. Seems to be the in vogue - parachuting union men into seats. But then Peter Hammond is back...

But then if this is what Brislington wants then this is what they shall get.

Election day is nearly here

2011-05-04T11:07:00.000-07:00

Call me sad but it feels like xmas eve. Because I invariably find myself in work on xmas I am resigned to the excitment of polling day for my excitement. At least I can gauranttee that if I ask for this day off I will invariably get it!

So yes, all is building up. I've had pre-election anxiety for several days now. Wondering if we have done enough in the ward. Will it come off? Is there one more leaflet that could have been sent?

Nail biting continues until the bitter end when results will be learnt at 3am Friday 6th May 2011.

Footwear

2011-04-30T07:22:00.000-07:00

The importance of footwear cannot be underestimated! My father will be proud to hear this as he worked his way up a large footwear company for 3o years.

Yet during the election campaign ; the state of your feet can be make or break. With the correct cushioning, your shoes can protect vibration up through to the limbs. Neglect your shoes and you end up with blisters.

So this year, a la posh spice have been sporting a combination of footwear. First place goes to my Merrett low level walking shoes from Taunton Leisure. A world beater in comfort, support to the ankle over those pesky Brislington steps, and a nice big cushiony contoured sole for shock absorption.

Next in line is the Berghaus walking sandal. Now in year two, this crafty little number performs well hopping over low level walls and on dodgey walkways and badly surfaced driveways. Alas the only down point is walking them in for the first few outings of hot weather as the winter ankle has been cushed away in snug boots until spring! Some soreness but not for too long.

And a new entrant was today - my wedding sandals - cringe not! A variety of off white birkenstocks these were chosen for their simplicity, classic design and comfort. They have all of the edge to play well on the aisle as well as the dynamic to get me to the church on time. Worn today for the first time over 2 hrs of leaflet delivery - it seems they were the right choice. You can run in them (if late) and have some bounce (just in case of lunging to catch idle posy etc).The first outing was a triumph and a nice breaking in for the big day in mid-July.

Nah nah nah!

2011-04-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

Quality - The Sun today has 'cut out' Kate and William masks as a centre spread. OMG. Is this serious - although I was considering whether I would laminate them if I got a copy...food for thought mind! This has to be the worst Royal Wedding Special yet.....

Postal votes arrive!

2011-04-21T09:30:00.000-07:00

It seems the election has arrived - literally to my doorstep. Our postal votes arrived at noon today. I have done my bot for democracy, voted and the envelope is ready to go back down to the council house. One less thing to do in life!

I have been busy out in Brislington. We have a wide range of literature going out to the voters. A3, letters, cards, calling leaflets. I was out pounding the streets earlier in the sun dropping off blue letters. Great weather for it.

Not long to go - two more weeks. I hope Brislington does the right thing. Rejects new labour who got us into a sorry mess. And reflects, that whilst in a coalition with the Tories nationaly, that locally we are poles apart. We just just get more done.

Thank goodness no BNP but it seems we have a token UKIP candidate. What is UKIP intending to do from the council house for heaven's sake. If they want to be taken seriously they need a bigger presence in Europe not the council house. Just think it through guys...(eyes roll).

big society or big community?

2011-04-11T05:56:00.000-07:00

We seem to be stuck in a warp of niceties at the moment. In the bad old days the Tory party was the nasty party. Thatcher flexed her muscles and in a previous downturn we all had to get on our bikes. Yet today we seem to get a different flavour of conservatism? Its all big society, low interest rates and a penny off of the fuel duty. What is going on? I'll let you into a secret. The lib Dems may have a little something to do with this. We seem to be the dose of sanity that government was starved of. Whereas the Tories believe in Big Society - actually we have a better stance - let me call it Big Community. Power and decision making given to the lowest possible levels. Common sense dictates that this provides a bigger voice for residents and a greater inclusion. OK we don't have the neo-conservatist tendancies of a few on the far right, but we are in a coalition. Some argue that we are all in this together and plague on all your houses - Tories and Lib Dems. Yet as with all things, we cannot always get our own way. So it seems a little spoonful of Big Community will help the Big Society medicine go down.

are sheep more curious in wales

2011-04-07T10:32:00.000-07:00

I was in Dartmoor a few weeks ago, and the Black Mountains today. I have noticed upon reflection that welsh sheep seem a little more attentive, nosey and curious. They will let you a lot closer. Or is it like their human counterparts, that the Welsh are a little more friendly than the English. Hmmh!

AV gone mad

2011-03-31T01:10:00.000-07:00

Has this whole AV debate just gone mad!! I realise that its a bit of a different concept. Technically, first past the post is the easiest to deal with. PR is a little bit different. But lets face it, the use of AV is not just in England. This is a once in a generational matter. Crucial. It is fairer because the view of minorities are held a little more. Not as much as true PR but this is a good compromise. Today I read on the internet that Baroness Warsi thinks AV will play into the hands of the BNP. Wrong. AV doesnt cause an uprising of Nationalism. Inequalities cuases this. Take a step back. After the Bradford riots the youth parliament was asked what their priorities were: racism, crime and transport. Even the young people of the disaffected area realised it's not all about racism. Yet engaging and listening with the population is the solution. Yet as human beings we will grasp what is fresh and new. Change is difficult for some. Fine. I can understand that. The future is not certain. But the way to tackle the BNP is common sense. Use good policies. Engage with the electorate. Consult. Listen. In our area, Brislington, we had some vile BNP literature pushed through our door. Equally we had a brilliant A4 leaflet from the anti-nazi league offsetting it. As a lib dem I have always felt a duty to ensure that we tackle what is right. We also have a duty to listen and help people whatever their beliefs. So whilst I may not like what I hear - I can talk through and signpost so that people know the truth.

Camping ettiquette

2011-03-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

OMG 4.30am - is that a sensible time to be up and about? Read on...... This weekend I did the training course WGL (Walking group leader). The campsite was in a fantastic part of Dartmoor. It was by Brat Tor and Widgery Cross. Brilliant views curing our two days there. The campsite was behind a pub called the fox & hounds - with rustic homecooked food and log fire. The only resounding feature of the camping field was its flatness. Apart from that it was grim. It seemed like it was a mecca for 10 tors training groups. teenagers prepping for 35 miles + ventures in 6 weeks' time. There were clusters of green tents everywhere. Everything was going fine until 430 am (old time). There was taking, running, shouting, swearing and the guy next door to me was spitting, hawking and kecking several times a metre away from my head. People seem to forget tent walls are 1mm thick (or should I say thin!). To top it all off the 'facilities' were grim. The toilets needed cleaning and the shower looked a bit dingy. The paintwork was all flaked and coming away. I had a wash from my water bottle both mornings inside my tent. Still the training was brilliant - the highlight for me - deciphering the difference between various animal droppings - can you tell a fox poo from a dog turd? I can - it has a twirl at the end!

ranjanis

2011-03-17T06:36:00.000-07:00

Ah Ranjani's! How can I describe it. It's a small warehouse in Fishponds where you can buy cheap nick-nacks. Anything you want - or didnt realise you wanted - can be bought here at knock-down prices.

This morning I went with the explicit aim of getting a red clown's wig for comic relief day tommorrow. I came away instead with a small box of tissues, some laminating plastic, an expandable filing wallet, a plastic car floor mat and some blu-tak. As you can probably tell I trawled the entire shop as to assemble this variety of items would require a lot of time. Yet no curly red wig. They had glitter wigs but this really isnt me. I would have ended up looking like a chav on a hen night.

What gets me is that Ranjani's never changes. Still the same cheap tat on the fringes, yet some decent bargains on the main aisles. And of course the obligatory few bins of out of date sweets. Who else in Bristol sells out of date sweets explicitly marked as such! The mind boggles.

Dog poo

2011-03-09T12:30:00.001-08:00

Oh - dog owners are testing my patience at the moment. Every time I step out of the front gate onto the path there is a fresh turd. 4 days ago there was a 2ft trail of dog diarrhoea. Please guys think and clear up. I am considering putting a sign up on the gate that mindfully suggests people should focus on what is good for them their dogs and others. A little kindness goes a long way. Or I could put a really shitty (no pun intended) and put up a caution that if anyone puts doggy diarrhoea right across the path again I'll feed it through a peg feed to them.

The urge for more

2011-03-09T12:29:00.001-08:00

That's it - after doing two lots of hill walking during the Crickhowell walking festival I am hooked again on really big hills. I read maps in bed. I ooze through trail magazine. I think about walking. I plan when my next trip will be. Too exciting....

Stroll up in the Beacons

2011-03-03T11:37:00.000-08:00

Well its a holiday week away from the office and a great opportunity to bag some walking. I found a nifty walking festival based out of Crickhowell in Wales. Its great with allsorts of walks of all lengths. It gets pretty booked up so I bagged my two walks a few weeks ago. Today's beastie was a 12 mile circut from Tir-y-nant which is north of Llanbedr and took in the ridge cirucit of Peny Gadair Fawr, Waun Fach and the slopes of Cwm Banw. I have no idea who measured the walk but by God it felt like 14 miles. A shocker but with absolutely phenomenal views. As we headed up the first valley and out onto the ridge the mist cleared and we started our circuit of the ridge. We were 12 in number. From various parts of the country. Some staying for the week - others like me up for the day. We walked between 930 and 430pm. Me fuelled on banana, dark chocolate kendal mint cake, choc flapjack, chees& pickle roll and water / hot chocolate. Mental note to get more kendal mint cake next time. It was awesome the route and I will never forget today. My limbs feel a little achey following the 1.5hrs trip in the car back home. Lovely hot bath just now! Hmmh!

dawning realisations about modern life

2011-02-28T06:13:00.000-08:00

Today I had a sinking realisation whilst out shopping at tesco. The shop took me 1hr 45mins door to door. Now usually I have paid for my shopping to get delivered and it costs me 3.50 for the privelege. I realise now that I will not be going back to the store again too soon. For one thing, I spent more, approx 12 quid more on the weekly shop. I found that as it was going through the til, you start to realise how much you have spent. Whereas online shopping you know automatically how much the total is - as you are going along. Real shopping also involves guessing where things are. Even shop assistants are clueless sometimes. Like where is the falafel mix? That one was nearly 10mins of searching. Next to the olive oil of course!! Another thing, was maneouvring the trolley. I managed to tip 20 wispa easter eggs onto the floor. The assistant rightly said that she was just waiting for it to happen. And yes, whilst maneouvring baby and trolley the wispa eggs decended southward. If you add on breaking your back lifting bags and nipping out in the cold to get there its evens on that I will online shop once more.

All off to Maastricht

2011-02-19T11:26:00.000-08:00

With the advent of the increase in student fees some are getting creative. I heard through an acquaintance today that people are sending their kids off to Maastrich now. What's the deal. Well I checked out their website - and yes the fees are only 1600 euros. Also they have programmes that are in english. Gosh! Who'd have thought that the answer would be a hop across the channel. So if the 9k fees of cambridge are all too much lets jump on easyjet and scoot off to holland. A very cosmopolitan education. Combine travel, new living and education.

a sunday off!

2011-02-12T10:24:00.000-08:00

It seems I have sunday off tommorrow. I have been saving up for various items so have been doing all the weekend shifts that I can to bump up my wageslip. I cant quite remember the last time I had a sunday off mind. But after xmas I promised myself that I would put in for a couple of sunday's off. It is a very wierd feeling. You get used to doing certain days. My 9-5.

cuckoos

2011-02-09T00:57:00.001-08:00

what an eye opener? i have just finished reading the middwich cuckoos (john wyndham). at the end was a curious chapter. in short a village had a day of which everyone slept through the act of a random impregnation of every woman of child bearing age. what was given birth was half boys half girls. each boy knew what the other was doing. same for the girls. they had terrific willpower over othrs and were very intelligent. they ended up in a special school as the village couldnt cope with them. in the end, there came a point when it transpired that as a minority they were different and more emotionally and intellectually powerful than the indigenous humand of the village. in the end one of the villagers blew up the school after several villagers were murdered - in a pre-emptive defence (the children said).

what comes from this story was a powerful notion of what was right and wrong. what was democratic. how as beings we should live with minorities. because in this case, the minority became more powerful than the majority. whereas generally in life minorities are repressed and stigmatised and suffer from inequalities.

the struggle was most notoriously poignant when one child said that as a nation you will struggle with us. factions will want to sustain us. others will not. this will cause conflict and the downfall of the society. this is a very curious and thought provoking concept. will we see this in our time. or do we notionally repress minorities to prevent this?

do we take life too seriously?

2011-02-06T11:45:00.000-08:00

yep we are in the middle of a recesion. yep it's the middle of winter. and yes there is always stuff to do when there is an 8 month around. I dont take life 100% seriously. Sometimes people do take life seriously. And there is quite obviously a time and place for everything. Yet as English we still have a hint of the stiff upper lip. I do quite a responsible job so naturally a little humour here and there doesn't go amiss. People appreciate you being down to earth. I just hope that as a nation, at this miserable time of year I can infect a little perkiness. Was the santa suit worn on xmas day not enough...

the middwich cuckoos

2011-01-29T05:54:00.000-08:00

I recently started reading this John Wyndham book (the author of Day of the Triffids). It is an interesting book. I previously read Brave New World and 1984. These types of books really make you think.

In this case the scenario is that a 'Dayout' occured in a small village in middle - england. People were knocked out by something within a mile radius and all of the women of child bearing age were suddently pregnant.

Outsiders from the civil service gave hints that they should keep it quiet so that the media did not clamour.

There are similes with modern information ladden society. The wikileaks certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons. Whether this was safe to release the info is a difficult question as a certain amount of diplomacy is required. But for leaders derided for hypocracy was this more just?

Forests for sale?

2011-01-27T12:43:00.000-08:00

Today I went for a late afternoon walk around Leigh woods and the avon basin. There wasa very cool chill in the air. Around 10 mins into my walk I stumbled on a camera crew and BBC presenter. They had their camera pointed in the direction of a fallen tree which had been carved into the form of a crocodile. I'm not quite sure what the story was. I asked whther it was about the forests story of the day and they said yes.

The whole forests issue has just exploded today. As a walker and climber this is a very difficult issue. The country is skint. Yet the stewardship of the forests is a tricky issue that if got wrong could have an impact on the eco-system. The idea of using trusts is an interesting one but I think we need to see more detail to see if access can be held in any covenants over the land.

how far have we come?

2011-01-23T02:43:00.000-08:00

Part of my studies at the moment is to look at social policy. I am rading about security and insecurity. This is a fascinating area.

As residents we have a whole range of security issues: financial, emotional, physical and health.
Children have more delicate issues involving families and the wider society. An interesting area of debate is how children have been become seen as a risk and risky themselves. For example, ther are risks to children of abuse, neglect etc. Yet children, particularly tennagers are seen as risks often to more vulnerable members of society such as the elderly.

This is nothing new. I read recently a journal by Golden who reminded us that during the 19th century they had problems with juvenille delinquent - with the flame on feckless mothers and the like. Yet in the 21st century we still seem to be stuck in this finger pointing of an underlass and a blame culture.

Yet who is to blame. Thatcher during the 80s notoriously annoced that there was no society. But in other cultures we often hear that a child is brought up by a village. What do we do when familes and children bring risk to others? The interventions we hear about are sometimes a bit questionable. Take for example the Dundee project. A paper I read by Garrett looked at these projects. Whilst there were some successes there were discussions of the projects using coercion to get families there. And using tactics that seemed as he says to infantisize people into certain patterns of behaviour.

The issue of security and behaviour seems to be age old. What can we do. There will always be those who will not want to conform to what some mays eem as the right morals or behaviour. But in whose frame of reference. Garrett reminds us also that the SS used segregation and black triangles to deal with what term as 'asocials'. Sure this cannot be right. Clearly the final straw in those times was the concentration camp. An abhorent thought.

The sign of age

2011-01-20T01:07:00.000-08:00

I am 36 years old now. Not mega young but equally not ancient. Yet I attempted to roll over in bed this morning and it didn't happen. I was stiff as anything. I had been out for a walk yesterday - up and over the mendips. To be fair it was quite hilly. I was creeking this morning! So on went the deep heat and I ahve a wheetie behind me now resting on my lower back. I dont think its anything more than posture and creekiness.

What else is showing my age? I am reluctant to go to a nightclub anymore. Yes I am in my mid-thirties and the thought of staying up beyond 10 at night is bad enough. A friend said I should be in the WI (and that was 5 years ago). But really jam making and jerusalem? Maybe not a lesbian mum of one. Although I jest, there is an ultra-modern WI group on IoW that does seminars including divorce law so perhaps the WI is thawing.

Perhaps ageing is a steady decline in fitness and marbles. I once got a palm reading book and it says that a particular line shows how your fitness will go. If I follow this then I read on my palm that at about 60 something major will happen to me. The line splits and then this line splits into another couple again. I'm hoping that it will at worst be a sprained ankle - but really in life, we should be making our own luck. Fate has its part and certainly there are life events which, upon reflection, have happened to allow other things to happen. Yet, as I say, and to a certain degree we do make our own luck.

A walk in the country

2011-01-19T09:13:00.001-08:00

Today I went for a walk around the mendips west of cheddar. I passed the oddly named Totty Pot through Bradley Cross and Draycott. Taking in the fantastic views from Draycott Speights.

On my travels I came across an array of dead animals. A sheep carcass. A squirrel on the road and massres of sheep skulls and bones. What is going on? They were not great veggie moments.

What did frustrate me - when landowners construct great swathes of fencing - which is not marked on the map. I spent a long while on cheddar head wondering if I was in the right place.

Still the sun was high and the mists low over the levels. Great views.

Playspace or crazyspace

2011-01-15T11:03:00.000-08:00

My mindfulness was tested to the max today. I went to a kids playcentre called Playspace in St Phillips Bristol. Its one of these places that has a kids soft play, adventure zone and plastic balls to throw around. Adults have a central area with access to a coffee bar and junk food dressed up as home baked and real food. Anyway, what I found disappointing was the baby zone of the soft play. Basically it is a space 1.5m by 1m with a few of the coloured balls, a slide and a couple of soft stuffed square things. You could have had more fun in a padded cell. Seriously. After 5 mins of that and trying to fight off the older children I went into the baby den. This was invaded by older children. I flagged this up to the mum. I said the zone was for babies and crawlers only. It was clear that her children were not babies and as they were standing up were not crawling. So she took one out. I asked how old the 2nd one was - I dont know and shrugged it off and looked away. What can you do - I couldnt physically tip the kid out of the play area - but couldnt leave my 7 month old alone to flag this up with a member of staff. I just pity the parenting and the role models this kid was getting. Apart from throwing cheesy wotsits around a baby play area she was clearly grown out of this kid wasnt living life to the full. Exit left. After an hour of being there I decided the white noise was leaving me in a less than mindful state. Thank God we'd been for a relaxing stroll along the river beforehand otherwise I would have wanted to have poked my eyes with hot pokers.

mindfulness

2011-01-13T06:41:00.000-08:00

Here I sit on a day off. Considering whether mindfulness is something I can work on or should let naturally evolve. Being is not doing. And mindfulness is about the focus on being in this moment. Yet unless we think about being mindful how can I be mindful. Or are these thoughts not really mindful at all. Attention back to the breath.....

vat and freecycling

2011-01-09T06:58:00.000-08:00

The reality is that the country is skint. The coffers are bare and we are playing catch-up paying off our debts. There is only so long that printing money and bonds can go. It is sad that the squeeze needs to continue. No-one wants to pay more for goods or more on their taxes. It is human nature. Yet as VAT goes up there are choices that we can make.

For example, VAT increases will encourage us to think more about what we are buyinh. The budgeting guru Alvin Hall always used to say do the three point test: do you need it, can you afford it, can you get it cheaper.

In a recession the mantra still holds. But, there is a fourth and fifth element to this. Can you recycle it or freecycle it. These really should come first and second rather than fourth and fifth. I am very much into my freecycling. We have got a lot of items for the baby via this route. I recently gave away some furniture I no longer needed. Each way everyone wins.

indian head massage

2011-01-06T10:07:00.000-08:00

today i had an indian head masage for the first time. bizarre. normally, i have an aromatherapy massage on neck and shoulders once per month - but wanted to try something new. an indian head massage it seems involves keeping your clothes on and the practitioner massages and uses manipulations through the t-shirt. There is some movement of joints as well as massage and conventional strokes. some pummelling occured at one point. I opened my eyes towards the end and noticed her hand hovering in front of my face. not sure what to make of it all but i think i am more relaxed. in life unless you try these things you never know....

Common sense

2011-01-05T10:23:00.000-08:00

I watched with horror a tv programme called helicopter heroes on itv 3 (or some channel like that). Now I'm really into tv docu-soap style medical programmes. Watching the paramedics zooming around in a helicopter in the mountains etc. Marvellous! I thought it would all be high drama stuff. Yet one call out was for a toddler who had had too much sun. Now an overheating child, this can be serious stuff - but ultimately fully preventable. The grandmother seemed to have lost the plot. Given that she brought up her daughter did she not use common sense and reflect on her ubringing? Considering that this service costs 7 grand per day to fund I would have been red-faced if I were her. In my view, the child needed a. to be taken in from the sun; b. given fluids; and c. taken home. To end up needing to be rescued by a helicopter for the effects of the sun. People need to get a reality grip as this sort of service should be for life threatening situations like RTAs, chest pain and breathing difficulty. It takes me back to those stories of what 999 gets called for - squirrel dead on M32 etc. Bonkers.

New Year's Walk

2011-01-04T04:22:00.000-08:00

What a good walk? I lead another Walk for the Brislington Health Walks this morning. We went on a circular walk taking in Arnos Park and the top bits of the cemetry. It got a little slippy so we took slow at stages. With 23 of us walking I felt like a shepherd at a couple of points making sure that everyone was safe. Nice cup of berry tea at the T-Cup cafe afterwards.

climbing into the new year

2010-12-30T09:46:00.001-08:00

I have been looking to get some climbing gear for a while and with my 'christmas money', and a little self-funding I have found what I need. I started off yesterday trying to shop at Dick's climbing on old market but alas he was closed. This is a shame as he is great, knowledgeable and with a brilliant selection. So off I trot today tho Ellis -Brigham - Clifton. What a rubbish range of harnesses - with one of the ladies' harnesses being lilac (yuk!). The guy was trying to convince me that I needed to wear it partially on the hips and around the hips rather than above the hips. This would mean I fall out if I had to recover myself from a slip!! Anyway, I did see some reasonable other bits and pieces so I bought a 'biner and an ATC. Then later on I took a detour to Snow and Rock in Filton. Now usually I discount them from the equation as they seem to just be interested in over-priced ski gear and price inflation. I was truly stunned. I managed to get what I wanted albeit after asking where the harnesses were. I had to point in a brochure and out he came from the stock-room with a black and grey harness that fit first time. No hint of a pink or lilac. This guy knew what he was doing, and even offered me to have a hang. Well this I had to do. The had a length of rope hanging from the ceiling. He unleashed the rope. I hung the harness onto it and dangled there with my full weight on it. The sensation took me back to my childhood. Yes here comes the halcyon days - but dangling on a rope from trees age 7. So there we are - all kitted out and ready to roll. Snow and Rock do rock - they gave me 10% off for being a member of undercover roack aswell - bonza - thumbs up guys.

Katrina (again)

2010-12-29T10:21:00.000-08:00

I watched the second DVD of Spike Lee's DVD epic about the destruction of hurricane katrina on the new orleans area. What I found striking were the comments of the civil engineering. It transpires that the army corps built the existing levees - and over the last few decades they have not been adequately maintained. When this came to the fore the people were admitedly a little cross.

The insurers and FEMA dragged their feet. People were promised trailer homes to put on their land - but these took at least 6 months to transpire - sometimes more. Even then some complained they were falling apart. I sometimes think you shouldnt look a gift-horse in the mouth but to be fair it seemed that some parts of those homes were actually falling apart.

The insurers seemed to wiggle on the hook. Some had home insurance with a top up of flood insurance. Then when the poo hit the fan the resident put in the claim and the claim was declined. The home insurers said they did not cover water damage. The flood insurers said it was wind damage. The wind damage caused the roof to fall off and then the rain came in and damaged the house. So each were chasing their tail. One poor man just was able to claim for the shed - but even then they said it was repairable as a tree fell on it - so they only gave partial repair.

I digress again - back to the levees. The civil engineers went on a fact-finding trip to the netherlands - where plenty of the country is underwater. What they found they said left them embarassed. There were ornate massive steel structures which looked brilliant in comparison the sheets of steel used at the outskirts of new orleans. But as Kanye West said on TV "Bush doesnt like blacks" (or words to that effect) so we know why the administration never gave the new orleans residents the engineering epic that they deserved. No Hoover Dam. No empire state building. Disbelief when 25% of all oil and gas production is just out offshore past the waterlands in the louisianna sound. The local authorities had clocked this and now try and carve deals for royalties to fund levee improvements.

Food for thought.

Ho Ho Ho

2010-12-25T03:23:00.000-08:00

So it comes to pass. Christmas is upon us. I am wearing my santa costume - I could say in a bid for thermal efficiency to get the layers up - but alas despite my best efforts I have succomb (or slipped) from my eco high ground into a hint of christmas commercialism.

And when we look back upon the year what ahs stood out the most. Is it the alledged world cup fifa corruption, wikileaks, an election year or the burgeonign recession.

Well this year my partner and I had the arrival of a little one who is 6 months now. Whilst I do not feel like I am a parent (who does) I suppose I have a different outlook on life. I have greter isnight to kiddie situations at work and in general life. It also questiosn what you see - and how other people do it - I guess I tut at some but then equally some will tut at us back.....

Happy eco christmas

2010-12-22T07:06:00.000-08:00

This year the most un-green thing I will be doing is having conger eel for xmas dinner. Carbon footprint from the channel to here - 200 miles?

I hope my family do not read this. My partner and I have made a bug box from spare wood and bean canes. One for my mum. I have done flu stockings for other family : old hockey socks with tissues, honey, anti-bac gel, soup sachet and paracetamol. Recycled tags abd string.

I will be in work xmas day so that will save on power consumption at home.

Who says xmas need not be green!

Thought for the day

2010-12-21T01:17:00.001-08:00

I listened to thought for the day yesterday. It is a regular slot before work that I hear with all sorts of mostly religious contributors. This time was a prescher from the Iona community. He had something quite poignant to say. He reflected on the state of airports and stations full of people stuck because of the snow. There had been news reports of some of them whinging of how it was somebody else's fault for this - wanting the authorities to do 'something'. yet we are here on this earth - open to all of what the weather throws at us. Very often we do not know what life will throw at us - and this is the beauty of life. The variety keeps us on our toes. Yet as the earth keeps turning we should work with it reather than berate it - people will sometimes look for someone to blame - but in this circumstance there is just ourselves. With global warming people wonder why this is happening. OK there are North Atlantic oscillations that bring on the deep changes - the former cheif emdical scientist Mr king said so today. Yet we need to be mindful of the weather and to some extent just go with the flow. It is no good getting cross about snow. It won't melt.

when the levees broke

2010-12-16T11:22:00.000-08:00

Today I watched a DVD by Spike Lee. It was the first disk of two. All about what happened when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. It was far more balanced than some of the books and web pages that I have seen. There were interviews with all sorts of people - residents, policy makes and even sean penn (does he live there??). I digress. It was good to see more shots of the convention centre and the superdome. There was a lot of hype but the fact remained. Once the evacuation plan was hatched there was very little federal backup. The finger pointing was put to a guy called cerchov. Once he said it was a national emergency then federal aid could be given. Until then it was local resources which to be fair were wholly inadequate. It seems it took days to get the resources to people. By the people had literally died. When they were evacuated by bus or airplane they didnt know where they were going and ended up in far flung places, families scattered as far away as Utah. What a calamity. Did no one have the forethought to see that if you put someone without the wherewithall to 'get out' or New Orleans, then they may never be able to 'get back'. Doh! What I did think was good were shots of the army leader who eventually went in. Cultural sensitivity was used and the guy calling the shots was black. Given that the last of the residents left were in the main black this was a poignant note. What stuck in my throat was that there may have been political influences. The mayor, a democrat did not support the eventual state governor during her election despite being a fellow democrat. There were rumours that there was a spat that put working relationships on edge. Anyway, enough serious talk....

Providence -a housing experience

2010-12-12T02:38:00.000-08:00

I have recently finished reading a book - all 360 odd pages of it regarding a south london housing estate anonymously named 'providence'. It was a legend of a book and I was completely absorbed by the interviews.

what I can say is this. this is palced back in the 80s yet the characters are just as placeable today. when i was a city councillor I certainly met enquiries about housing and social need. yet i was coming from a view as an elected representative. this book came from the view of an observer. as a social scientist and researcher. he spent 5 years interviewing people from tower blocks, low rises, squats. not only this but the so called outsiders - lcoal drs, health visitors, housing officers and coppers.

there is a subliminal view from those who lived there that do-gooders need to clear off. some who come to the estate with middle class liberal views to come and somehow save the residents from the hell that is the estate. yet others such as the priest and doctor and arthur the constable came from a more pragmatic view of living life on the level and dealing with residents as nothing special, dealing with people as peole and respecting the ways of life and leaving things flow a little more. weaving with the ebb and flow.

this was an interesting book and i take many lessons away from it.

The world cup

2010-12-05T13:55:00.000-08:00

What a bit hoohah hey! I was there the other day watching the build up on BBC News with the coverage from Switzerland. But I had to go out so heard that it was Russia and Qatar. This isnt terribly surprising. This is a political move, startegic to develop football in new regions. That's what they did with South Africa. Russia and Qatatr represent new reaches for the world cup bandwagon. Lets face it whilst some would have wanted the fiesta to come to UK its much more interesting to go somewhere abroad. And for me, not being a footie fan means that 2018 will be a footie-free summer in the UK (thank goodness, it would have been painful).

Dreams

2010-12-01T23:46:00.001-08:00

Ever since I had flu a couple of weeks a go I have been hving vivid dreams. I have no idea why? Anyway, last night I had a dream that the NHS would only deal with people who have a diagnosis. This is a thought provoking and ethical concept. I shall tell you why.

Very often people will see and continue to see health professionls because they do not have or have not found a successful diagnosis. There was a time in my early 20s that I saw consultants and doctors for a my hand - they could never really diagnose or pin down and with time it just went. So can professionls only do things within their field of expertise or within 'what is foreseeable'.

Also in terms of cost, how much is spent on people who are not ill. There will be those with munchoasens - fair enough that is a condition but the professional will not know that this is the stem. For those who do not have munchausens then there will be those who find 'being' in the system comforting. Those who will use the NHS as a means of securing peace and comfort in a bid to stem the chaos or distress in their lives.

I'll recall another story. When my ex-partner's father was in hospital her mother spent a great deal of time around and inside a hospital. What she found was that some people spent a large amount of time in the hospital as part of their day to day living. Those who are lonely, or cold or greiving would spend time there. To pass the time. To take a meal. To just find solace. There was a community within a community. I was never aware of this until she discussed this with us. We will enver know the extent of this.

So what is the NHS for? I work for the NHS and probably do not get exposed to the range of situations that I discuss. I work on a phone line so this detail is probably in the domain of those professionals who deal with the public face to face. But my dream has lead to me thinking of the ethical concepts of where the NHS should start and end.

book crossing

2010-11-23T06:35:00.000-08:00

I'm quite excited about this. I was reading a fantastic book called Live on a pound a day for a year. The story of a Bristol woman called Kathy who did just that. In her book she mentions about bookcrossing. What it is is a scheme whereby people release books into the 'wilds' by putting little stickers on the inside label, letting other publi rad them and it all gets tracked on the internet. Theya rent books that I would get het up over losing, some are classics though so a good read. Titles like Kim or To kill a mockingbird. I released two so far - one in the udnercover rock climbing centre - the other in the T-cup cafe on Sandy Park road. As part of a more green existence I think its visceral to us all to embrace such shcemes. I had heard of it a couple of years ago but now having redsicovered the scheme have taken it upon myself to release some books and to see what happens to them. Watch this space!

Social exclusion

2010-11-13T13:24:00.001-08:00

I am reading a book by David Smith - On the margins of social inclusion. This is an academic text which is rich in ideas about social exclusion and the economic realities of our time. It is a bit turgid in the introductory chapters. And really this is a little offputting. He tries too hard trying to cram in as much technical speak and jargon as is feasibly possible. Yet the main thrust of his ideas are interesting.

What I learn the more I read about social exclusion is that I do not like the term exclusion and inclusion. This is a very grey area as exclusion gives all sorts of connotations to do with economic, social, consumption - and exclusion from whom and to whom. Its all a bit messy. And a little inwardly focused on the paternalistic and consumption driven state that we find ourselves in.

A bit dire in deed. Considering that a lot of the previous new labour nanny state social engineering was to do with making the excluded more integrated. More in tune with those who were 'included'. I mean what did the new deal actually deal. Given that in economic terms there is so far you can go shoehorning the unemployed into jobs that dont exist or part time or more flexible jobs.

The reality is that no western country has ever been able to acheive 100% employment yet we kid ourselves, no matter the political persuasion that this ideal of 100% job status is an ideal. For one thing it makes us consider that to be without a job is somehow bad - or is at least a downer on the self esteem.

Yet if we think about it not all cultures work like that - given that roles in life are associated with worklessness - such as unpaid work and rearing of children or caring. Or is it the paternal society we live in that demarks us into worth and worthless people depending on whether we work and more importantly, if you are male, whether youa re employed. Because that is the crux of the last 20 years. Yet another reality is that becuase of our society being consumer driven and materialistic in the main people need or prefer to live withing two income households which then drives others to need to both go out to work and the spiral of costs goes on ad nauseum.

This troubles me. We shall ponder some more....and read more of the book.

lets all live in sweden!

2010-11-07T10:10:00.000-08:00

I am continuing to read...

What the author tries to convey is the impact that income equalities have on society. For example in the US there are great income inequalities that have impacts on health etc. Sweden and Japan come out consistently better yet have less income inequality.

So I was looking at the swedish tourist board website. Wow - the shops are open less and banks dont seem to 'do' weekends. IKEA is alright, but the pictures of serene snowy landscapes and crisp sumemr harbours were idyllic.

We are paralysed by a shop til you drop culture in the UK with the car parks full at weekends. I work weekends as this gives me time off during the week to do stuff when there are less people around. Not many buy into this ethic and savour weekends. Yet where does this get us - nothing is really open, we clamour to make appointments at evenings and on the fringes. Yet having time off midweek allows me to really live life. Perhaps I shall change my mind in a few months. But the reality is, that by ME working the 24/7 culture I am escaping the 24/7 cluture that others live.

What a bizarre life hey?

income inequalities

2010-11-02T10:51:00.000-07:00

I am reading the spirit level a fascinating book detailing how societies facing the greatest income inequalities have poor health, housing and pretty much everything else. What I realise is its not just poverty. Its the difference between those at the top and the bottom. What the divide is. Whilst I would not advocate a full blown socialist model in all its glory, I would advocate the type of liberalism that allows people to run their lives to enable then to reach their potential. With the state enabling and supporting this fluidity. Better mental health, teenage pregnancy and many other topics can be stymied by bring the inequalities down. Look at the Scandanavian countries. Please dont mention IKEA anyone... I am trying to be serious.

x factor

2010-10-23T12:41:00.000-07:00

Well here we are. Week - whatever it is. I feel the grind of x factor already. Thank goodness I ahd the ironing this evening. And some web research. But now I am drawn back. X factor is a bit like a blancmange. No matter how you push it - it wobbles and bounces back. Like that bit of darning you never get around to. Or the bit of weeding you always leave. It seems it will always still be there. It's already been on an hour and I think there must be hours' left.

Shanks' pony returns

2010-10-08T13:10:00.001-07:00

Another focus is starting to get delivered. I started off this audacious task - along with other folk cranking up the shoe elather - up in Brislington today. It's great to see us getting out there, keeping it real, a colourful A3 with some fantastic local stuff on the back. Lets get out there and fly the flag. Keeping in touch. Thats the thing - letting people know that we are there all year round unlike Labour and the Tories round here taht only seem to put their heads above the parapet from new year until election day. Rest in peace! Repent on election day!

Undercover rock

2010-10-01T04:30:00.000-07:00

Well there we have it a church with climbing walls inside. A bit bizarre but I had a great time there. It's nice to see the combination of stained glass windows, architecture and walls to climb up.

They have quite a good climbing / bouldering section upstairs where you can climb from a through to z. I couldnt get farther than d but then by the end it was p. My friend managed to do a to z very easily and then managed to bound onto the angled wall. bonkers. perhaps one day i will get it.

ropes soon? although i did previously have a fear of heights. low level heights are ok now although looking at some of the walls i'm not going all that high quite yet.....

happiness or equality

2010-09-11T09:39:00.001-07:00

I got into an interesting discussion over dinner last night. About equalities and differences between the communities that have and have not in Bristol. Would the people of say Southmead want to really live in Clifton. Do we as human being always want more and more and look for self-improvement to the level that living places like that become the all emcompassing goal. Or should we be looking to the kingdom of Bhutan where happiness is key. Should we reject our hitherto materialistic whims. Because whilst some strive for financial equalities and redistribution of wealth does this make us happier at the end of the day?

Health Walks

2010-09-08T01:37:00.000-07:00

We were blessed with sun as we strode (well saunetred) along the floating harbour for the next in our series of health walks. There were about 15 of us this time. It was good to pass through udnerfall yard and to see the matthew in it's glory. There's always something new to see of the buildings and architecture.

Onwards....

bat training

2010-08-19T15:02:00.000-07:00

Tonight health walk leaders locally were treated to an exceptionally informative tranining session from the Bat Conservation Trust. We learned all about bats for the first hour and then were let loose with bat detectors milling around Mina Rd Park. This was totally awesome. Like wandering around with a geiger counter trying to spot the bats up in the trees. I have signed up to the Bat Trust and can't wait to share my batty skills with other people!

Troopers Hill

2010-08-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

Earlier in the week we went to Troopers HIll - it is a lovely nature reserve by Crews Hole and St George. With chimneys harking back to an industrial past. I particularly enjoyed the pink heathers and see so many different fruits on the hedges. A woodpecker balsted by overhead at one point. I bumped into Julian the parkie who was covered from head to toe with grass cuttings. Glad to see the green sapce being cared for. I will go back. It was my first visit but thoroughly enjoyable it was!

cobbles

2010-07-29T05:56:00.000-07:00

argh! i'm going to eat my hat. i thought that cobbles were nice bobbly things that make an area look twee. now i have come full circle. i took out the buggy on tuesday around the waterfront and experience a very bobbly experience. can you get vibration white finger me thinks?

anyway, the area from ss great britain down to the M shed has a row of cobbles every 2 metres. then the area around pero's bridge and the arnolfini is the worst. i had a job maintaining a healthy apce with the buggy at all. baby was fine. parent was losing sanity!

i wonder if people think through the implications of cobbles. not just for baby buggies but less mobile folk in wheelchairs and on mobility scooters.

walking and the baby

2010-07-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

the baby took it all in as we went for a little pootle up on the mendips from webbington hotel. in the harness we looked out over the view of cheddar reservoir. then back over the bristol channel and back over the chew valley. axbridge had an interest little square with architecture mediaeval style. quick stop off in the pub garden for a lemonade. what a walking experience! baby on front. rucksack on the back. shoulders killed a bit but I felt revived from the walk up on the ridge. sky, views, rugged landscapes.

organics

2010-07-19T06:06:00.000-07:00

at the moment the garden is blooming. i have lots of green leafed veggies. the carbon footprint of me walking to get a leaf of lettuce is negligible. the only downside of all of this organic produce is caterpillars. as a veggie i need to pilfer out the blighters from my kale. oh well. swings and roundabouts. swings and roundabouts

sex education programme

2010-07-06T14:55:00.000-07:00

I am watching a very intriguing sex education programme on channel 4. A TV show goes into a high school and doctors embaress them with live nudity and pictures of hymen. They also had interesting features in disabled people having sex. Also about coming out and gay sex.

Day to day we talk about contraception, sex and STIs at work. Being a health information advisor we have been asked everything. So this programme is good as it dispells some of the myths that people seem afraid to ask.

healthy walks

2010-07-02T10:22:00.000-07:00

A seed some 12 months ago. Then I got talking to the Health Walks people. They did some scurrying around for funding and a bit of PR. Now today on a glorious July morning the first walk. 19 walkers. Yeah! Nightingale Valley and St Annes Wood. Bonza. And guess who slipped over onto her backside on a mangey green step?

the budget

2010-06-22T10:36:00.000-07:00

well her it goes. the age of austerity. the bottom line is that unless we do something dramatic we would have ended up in a double dip. so a bit of a reality check. we need the deficit under control. rather than the nonesense proposals that labour couldn't afford. they were in lala land. the VAT will pinch us but the reality is that even I will be hit. I work for the public sector. I am under 21,000 salary so I will only get 250 increases over the next two years. better than getting made redundant. and the other sigh of relief of course is that the NHS will have ringfenced spending promises. other things that effect me are the child benefit freezes and reduction in the limits for the tax credits. but on the whole, with the tax allowance rising I will probably come out on the level. it's a bit of a rollercoaster budget for some. and to those i share my empathy as we have all been hit in our own way.

Outside the box? Or pen?

2010-06-20T05:51:00.000-07:00

I read that Brighton and Hove Council have incorporated sheep into their grass cutting programme. They have been overun with volunteers to become shepherds. Could we do this in Bristol. I have written to the BEP to see if there is a flavour for this.

child tax credit

2010-06-11T10:23:00.000-07:00

Becoming a parent (it transpires) involves a lot of paperwork, and logistics.

1. registering the birth
2. getting an EHIC
3. signing on at the GP
4. seeing midwives
5. seeing health visitors
6. claiming child benefit
7. setting up a savings account
8. applying for child tax credits etc.
9. childrens centres

(if you want to, you could include the mothercare baby clubs, emma's diary club, netmums, library bookstart club).

there is still a lot more to come....childrens trust fund (soon to disappear) etc. how about a passport god forbid. then there will be childminding - a total mindfield for someone on shifts.

yet with each form it seems the state wants a little bit more out of us and the new baby. for example when I phoned for a claim form today for child tax credits (HMRC) I was subjected to questions sourced from experian such as who is my mortgage provider. it isn't until you take a step back and think why are you asking me all this irrelevant stuff do you start to say no, why does the government need to know quite this much. they don't, not just to send out a simple form.

new baby

2010-06-04T00:46:00.000-07:00

I am now a parent! went to the registry office a couple of days ago. through the layers of red tape that bring a baby into the world. A painless procedure. Although we needed to lash out 3.50 for a copy of the certificate. Apparently the price goes up to 7 quid the next day. Is that an illegal price racket?

a new arrival

2010-05-29T10:16:00.001-07:00

My partner kay gave birth to a wee daughter this morning. It was an all nighter with her going into labour at half midnight and Charlie Cerys appearing at 903am. It was certainly an education. labour is an horrific experience - or from what i saw my end. massive pain, blood, muccus, stitches, injections etc

Its a good job I do my work about health care over the phone. I was too squimish to even cut the cord. And when the midwife offered the placenta to take home - now you have to draw the line somewhere.

Anyway, it seems I am now parent and legal guardian to a very small baby. She looks all abit newborn at the moment but is getting herself together with time. The colour is coming back. A little groggy from the pethadine that kay had but other than that things are on the straight and narrow. I think the pointy head will round off.

are we in a democratic mess?

2010-05-23T03:43:00.000-07:00

what is the world coming too?

in a fairly settled state like the UK we know little of what bubbles over in Somalia, Thailand, Haiti. States where there is much turmoil in the role of the state!

what was started by new labour was the idea of incluing people in the evolution of the state and how government relates to the public. the idea that even in a semi dictatorial state blair wanted the facade of inclusion. nieghbourhood partnerships gave us something towards this (although they did actually start to get the wheels of inclusion in motion a lot better than even I with my cycnical eye did expect).

what we can say is that with some states there is a rod of authority that if we think of north korea the hallmarks are there. in burma the junta is nearly there. if they had truly free elections i think i would faint.

lets not get too hysterical as the reality is that we hold democracy in a cherished light yet want places like afghanistan to resemble the tainted democracy of the US. yet if we navel gaze at the US what do we see - a freedom of speech without the full safety net of decent healthcare and social security that would enable those marginalised by inequality or illness or disability to actually fully participate in their so called democracy.

shops upgraded on sandy park road

2010-05-14T12:46:00.000-07:00

good to see the old happy shopper has had an upgrade. the glass is in and the fronting is up on the tcup. its a new cafe on the corner. the wick road cafe has shut down by the library though. alomst like squeezing a balloon when you push at one end something pops out of the other.

the feel of sandy park road is improving with time. that can only be a good thing.

at the other end of brislington, on brislington hill the upgrades to the pavement and bus stop are nearly done. the white hart has become a performing arts centre.

brislington is on the up!

A mixed bag

2010-05-09T10:53:00.000-07:00

Election day came and went. Brislington East was a pandora's box when opened. In the end with a lib dem swing of 14% the tories were bumped out and labour slid in by the skin of their teeth. Our new cllr woolacott is a fishponds resident who is a post office union man. I'm not sure what is worse him or Barbara. At least Barbara put out some detailed literature with local messages in them. Anyway, what seems to be the upshot is that Brislington liked out message, the swing says it all. Will live in changing times and it seems Brislington has an appetite for more. A credit to the local team.

election day

2010-05-06T13:08:00.000-07:00

it's here. e-day.

i woke up at 530am and thought - I need to stop the Tories. So off I trotted to help in Bristol NW constituency to support Paul Harrod for MP. I did three rounds of good morning leaflets in Southmead. The committee room come agent's office was a sea of paper. Leaflets were still being printed and there was a buzz about it despite the fact it was just her. me and the printing machine.

Off I plodded in the rain and cold. I had my puffa on which I usually reserve for walking. I had a minor panic when I thought my car had got nicked on Dunmail Rd (but a white van had just parked by it obscuring it). Later on I had to run like the wind to outpace a huge boxer dog. I just heard the paws before I saw the dog and did not turn back.

At work there was gossip about election day - people still somewhat undecided. Someone found a cheeky bit of information about what you can and cannot do at a polling station. Apparently you can bring a pot bellied pig. A dog must be on a lead and a pony needs to be tethered outside. You can be drunk. A man can be bare chested - but a woman cannot (too distracting apparently - gender equality me thinks?!). Also you cannot bring radios or boomboxes in with you - music to help inspire you to vote is not allowed.

Then later on it was off to Easton. Did some telling for an hour at Newton St. I was the only one. It felt a little un-nerving as the light was fading and the odd drunk was meandering by muttering (I may vote later etc). But I did get into a very interesting conversation with a voter about the state of democracy and we put the world to rights.

Anyway, I am off to the count at Brislington Enterprise College for Bristol East Constituency. Having a moment to just sit down now as it's been a very very long day. And then there's the local election count tommorrow morning. I hope I find the energy.

Good night and farewell to e-day.

Married tax allowance

2010-04-25T09:02:00.000-07:00

This is the Tory policy that is getting people hot under the collars. Even the Tory who axed it looked a bit peaky when asked about it coming back in (aka Ken Clarke).

In a society which aims to balance equality with fairness there cannot be a place for policies like this. The sentiment would drag us back to the dark ages. Adeela the other night showed her true colours at the Fawcett debate.

This policy would affect:
-single parents
-those who are divorced through no fault of their own
-those divorced because of estrangement (I partner sods off into the sun-set)
-those who have never found that special person
-widows and widowers of service personnel from any conflict or war
-people who are quite happy living together (thank you very much)

I attach a link at the bottom of this post to an interesting organisation lobbying against this nonsense.

Bottom line is this - during a recession would you vote for an extra bit of money because you are married. Dream on. We need this dosh to prop up the flailing economy. Come on Dave show a bit of compassion for the coffers. The question should be - can we afford this indulgent inequality in the first place?

fawcett debate

2010-04-25T02:57:00.000-07:00

On Thursday I went to a women and politics event at the council house. A good turn out. On the dais were Kerry McCarthy (labour) Adeela Shafi (Nasty Party), Barbara Janke (Lib Dem), Nicky (Bristol W PPC Green) and a couple of academic.

To be fair the event was good with balanced questions and excellent chairing from Helen Mott who is moderate and assertive. This helps as it sets the tone as a considered debate.

First up were the academics. One from UWE which held strong views about who would be winning where which did not even mention the lib dems which was awful. Then was an academic from Bristol Uni. I ws very impressed with her with delicately balanced insight to gender and politics. Interesting view on gender moulding and access to institutions.

Then came the bun fight Q and A from the politicians. It was fairly even tempered although to be fair the only two to speak with merit were Barbara who spoke with depth and Kerry who to be fair spoke well on teh married tax points. Adeela of the Nasty Party really showed the Tories up with victorian views on marriage and the tax allowances. She quoted how there wer stats about children being better off under the cloak of marriage. Come on Adeela come into the 21st Century and bring the Nasty party with you.

Exmoor

2010-04-18T14:55:00.000-07:00

Just come back from 3 days away in Exmoor. I volunteer / help with the Keynsham Open Award Centre (Duke of Edinburgh). This was a practice expedition with our silver group. Its the first trip of the season.

We supported teenagers on a 3 days activity walking over exmoor. Camping 2 nights. At Westrmill and Doone. The nights were still bitterly cold but the days very hot. Managed to do a few walks whilst monitoring the young people.

On our travels we stumbled upon a hunt. Well stumble from a distance. We weaved our way through the 4x4 wd hunt followers. More followers than riders? They were everywhere. Makes me think. If it is argued that hunting is a country tradition are the 4 by 4s part of this heritage. How does all that carbon make it natural and rural?

At one point I was waiting on a hillside for the young people to pass. In the field below passed a group of beautiful deer including the stag. They quitely went about their business. On the hillside behind was the hunt. 15 mins behind and heading in the wrong direction (completely). Can't be a very good hunt. All those horses (I counted 30 but others counted 200). Least they could do is buy some binos and a compass. Honestly.

Car seats

2010-04-13T13:42:00.000-07:00

A development on the car seat front. Seems from a very quick straw poll of colleagues I am not alone thinking that car seat fitting is a kyrton factor skill. I am not alone. Perhaps there needs to be some sort of helpline supported by youtube videos? As one colleague says "you are never quite sure if the thing is actually fitted right...."

car seats

2010-04-08T07:17:00.000-07:00

yesterday i had the experience of buying a car seat. my partner is pegnant and we need one for the little one due soon. after the antenatal class we were armed with the knowledge and ready to go. to be fair, the guy from the council was thorough in his talk.

down to mothercare. the assistant was very helpful. from my manual i thoguht i had an airbag, this means it is against the law to have a car seat in the front. it would have to go in the back. so we tried various options but nothing would fit. even something with a mountable base. pulling my hair out. how would i transporta baby without a car seat. a restless night ensued with visions of me stopping quickly and baby flying through the air towards my windscreen (shudder...).

then it occured to me. have i actually got an airbag on the passenger side as there is not airbag marking that side. so despite what the manual says i went to the dealer and low and behold no airbag!

joyfully plodded back to mothercare the next day proudly declaring that all was sane again and to try a car seat in the front. success. a sensible conclusion to almost car-seat rage! a mindful moment once more. job done. everything safe and happy. one less thing to do in life.

on an aside point there is a political issue in all of this (yes again I find an issue). the car seat has changed during the last 15 years from a private to a public issue. what is now public can be governed. as a public we have demanded better support for child safety in cars. certainly in scandanavia they take this ultra seriously with rear facing seats up until quite late in childhood. apparently as a nation we are reluctant to embrace this. why is this. is it the notion of resilience towards the nanny state and social engineering a backlash against the Brown government. or as a body of people do we demand choice about how we go about our private affairs wanting the state to butt out of intimate things like how a baby is transported. time to think. time to change. this is an issue where really we needs systemic action. it's just too important. the risk of harm against the individual is overwhelming as compared to the exposure of individual rights and liberties of the parent in this case.

chancellors debate

2010-03-31T05:22:00.001-07:00

The first beauty contest of the election season. To be fair I think Krishnan did well. All three level pegged in terms of good points. Hwever, with realism and down to earth wit Vince Cable flew the Lib Dem flag well. George Osborne repeated his main messages well and fair play he came off with less of a mauling than I thought he would. This was in part because Alastair Darling really wasnt on form at all. He was stumbling over his words and his responses at some points were vaccuous. As vaccuous as a Tory manifesto, no, but still pretty poor. Towards the end I was considering turning off the download of this programme because it all got much of a muchness. The format didnt inspire and it was a little dry. Plus point was Krishnan's tie. Is he going down the road of John Snow with a melee of assorted ties. I hope so. Brings a little life to current affairs.

Eurovision

2010-03-20T09:07:00.001-07:00

Is there politics in the Eurovision - of course.
Do we enjoy the faux kitsch culture that Eurovision provides - of course.
Is England on a train wreck collison with its act this time around - of course once more!!!

I have been a fan of Eurovision my whole life. Eyes will roll at this. But yes this is something that as 'europeans' brings us together. During these times of financial crisis, environmental insecurity and energy collapse I think we need a little fun.

Lets face it, we need anything to bring a little fire when everyone in europe is scratching each others' eyes out. Take Greece for instance. Will they get many votes this year. I think not. And its not just down to the entertainment - its deeper than this. Everyone votes on partisan bases. And the economic policies of the Greek will mean they will flat on their face. They may as well not even enter the arena

And then there's the Eastern Bloc. Where Ukraine votes for Estonia who votes for Russia and the stitch up ensures that every other year a former Soviet Bloc country gets to host the festival. Call me sore but we need to win. It's fun - all this taking part but come on England we need a scorcher.

Now last year we had a fair bash. They shipped in Andrew Lloyd Webber, with a fairly good song and they gave it a bash. The singer was a bit flakey but hey-ho. Now this year, well I cannot speak about the state of current affairs. I watched with horror the make your mind up programme who chose our singer. Truly awful. And the hopeless icing on the cake was the appearance of Pete Waterman. Head in hands. Look if we wanted music-a-la-Sanita then yes whell him in. Formulaic yes - but inspired no! To win you either need an anthem of a faux-kitsch number. Waterman et al will not give us this. Grrr!

So on my soapbox I am. This is about Bristishness. This is about identity. This is about pushing forward in Europe and putting the best foot forward. At the moment its just the little toe.

roadworks at castle court

2010-03-19T14:17:00.000-07:00

I was filled with trepidation when I inched down towards the junction at the bottom of the hill. So far, and a week later very little has happened. The digger seems to be concentrating on the green by the side of the road. I hope it stays that way! The thought of a gridlock of traffic by that spot was leaving me a little anxious. Previous flooding has been a bit patchy. The odd flash flood from the drain. Lets hope this does the trick

Developments on Brislington Hill

2010-03-16T14:37:00.000-07:00

Seems the diggers are out in force by the shops. New design by the overpass. I seem to remember making comments on the state and layout of the shops 6 months ago. Good to see improvements starting to take place. What comes around goes around.

Mike Moore film

2010-03-06T13:07:00.000-08:00

Well here we go again - another Mike Moore romp through american politics. Usual gushing tearful scene where american residents get ripped or fobbed off over some basic human right. I don't think this is as good as sicko. Close but no banana. It has all of the Moore hallmarks of wacky gimmicks and publicity stunts - like sealing off wall street as a crime zone. Hilarious. He does have a point about Goldman Sachs thought. Perhaps the cronyism is a little nauseating. And did that congresswoman really say financial coup d'etat? How did that PA child care really get away with proft driven youth detention. Oh Lordy! Watch it and weap. Those poor young people.

Anyway, I came away suitably educated about Mike's socialist world vision. But I think he is harking slightly up the wrong alley. What he misses is the deomcrat deficit. That is the real problem. Democracy does is gives the power to the people. If people don't want to vote or vote the wrong person in the really bully for them. If america wants a capitalist regime they really shouldn't have backed reagan and then later george w bush. But then that's where greed gets you. An all enmcompassing feeding frenzy for more. What we forget is that sometimes money doesn't buy happiness. As my socialist partner says "but it helps". I don't want to live like a monk but equally get incensed by profit, money, dollar sign blinging mentalities. I think sometimes we ought to dabble in a little more humanity, compassion and liberty. Do I sound like ... perhaps I'll go and hug my tree and line up my sandals in contemplation.

bin chips

2010-03-05T11:35:00.000-08:00

i heard on radio 4 today that the council are thinking of bringing in chips for bins. the idea is to reward those who have less waste by some sort of rebate or donaton to charity. i like the spirit of that. they already monitor bins in a number of councils across the country.

the function will be to install a chip into the lip of the bin. the chip will be scanned when unloading onto the bin lorry. this would then update your record and the reward accrued.

in germany they have something similar. what i think ends up happening on the continent is that people lock their bins.i can see why. but then if you are walking along a street, there aren't any waste bins and its bin day its tempting to just nip that odd banana skin into someone's wheely bin. the converse would be that we could end up with more street litter.

there are some suggesting people will fly tip or end up putting the rubbish elsewhere. this would be sad for the 30 quid per year. it's not gold dust, a notable amount but lets hope people don't get too obsessed.

Pedestrian

2010-02-27T14:28:00.000-08:00

Just come abck from the Old Vic. I saw a production called Pedestrian. Almost a stream of consciousness - well not so much consciousness as it was a sort of dream state. It almost seemed like a psychotic state. He did very well. Never again will I doubt the mystery of a goldfish on Broadmead having a soya latte. His interpretation o fcurrent affairs was interesting. The music and effects were good. I left wondering if I had enjoyed it - and mentally exhausted. I'm still not sure what to make of some of the material.

Not just another letter of the Alphabet

2010-02-21T06:24:00.000-08:00

First there was Baby P. Now it seems there is a Baby Y. For Haringey it will never be the same. After all of the media focus this one seemingly got lost under the radar. Domestic violence, rape, assualt. What a home life for this poor child (albeit still alive this time round). That is why child protection is there. That is why Haringey should not have floated the info away from the mainstream. That is why it can never happen again.

I have made child protection referals during my career. They are not nice. It's not a comfortable experience. But at the end of the day we need to think zero tolerance. It must stop. We cannot have another Baby P or Y - or whatever letter of the alphabet we choose. Because people are more than letters. They are still people.

See weblink below:

Neighbourhood Partnership Meeting Brislington

2010-02-16T10:32:00.000-08:00

Went along to the local NP meeting last night. Launch for the new-style of local democracy. Quite impressed with the eye watering array of senior officers in our local youth centre. Almost more officers than residents!! As I had an early shift the next day I only stayed for the first half. There was some interesting discussion about how the NP would function and a start made on local traffic items. I asked a few questions including the priority of narrow estate roads. This is a topic that frustrates like no other. To be fair if you can't get a fire engine down your road you would be a bit bothered. Anyway, deep in the swathes of paper that was the agenda was a list of planned works. Great news, some in Bris would be done although not all. I wish I had a magic wand - back to the NP....

electoral marathon

2010-02-11T13:26:00.000-08:00

it seems we are in the middle of an election campaign! i thought the uk was fairly well disciplined having a nice 6 weeks election period. Then the americans spent 18 months doing the last presidential campaign. something has rubbed off. we now have become self indulgent and have an elongated election campaign period despite the fact that the actual date has not been set in stone. a bit barking. we will now have electoral staleness by mothers day. even the best hack will be wearing thin.

chilcott enquiry

2010-01-28T11:41:00.000-08:00

this is all a bit bizarre. this whole chilcott enquiry. an investigation without recourse to penalties and obligations. it all feels like a bit of new labour PR. in they come lord goldsmith , jack straw et al. they get grilled as though they are being interviewed by fern britton with a feather duster. and the thing that really gets me is the scarey aspect that it is on one minute delay. surely there is a freedom of information point here. also as viewers we can have coverage put off but the people there at the enquiry are still there. what happens about them - do they get their memories wiped star trek style? it's all a bit of a show really. they may get some answers but they are denying the parents of the iraqi vetrans the real truth.

chinese take away

2010-01-02T12:18:00.000-08:00

yes the chinese did take away. a life.

a couple of days ago a man with alleged reduced mental capacity was sentenced to death for drug smuggling. he received the death penalty and is now dead. unable to appeal his innocence.

why did this happen? and do we know the true reasons?

china will have its own rule of law. i have no idea whether this is enshrined in common or statute. what i do hear is that there are laws to allow for mental capacity. were they used thoroughly and robustly?

in the media there were allsorts of reports that this man was leading his own defence. bonkers. for a charge so grave surely you would have thought support would have been given.

yet underneath all of these highly charged media speculation there are several questions I would like to know more on:

1. did he actually know the difference between right and wrong at the point of commiting the offence. we know he is bipolar, but at that point in time was he stable or on a high or low? there are reports saying that he couldn't possibly have been compus mentis because he was bipolar. this does not necessarily follow as bipolar can be helped and treated - someone needn't be in a constant state of flux all of the time.
2. was politics behind the inflexibility of appeal. china certainly came out of copenhagen a little weatherworn. was this case a show of strength over the western world? or a reminder that they have bought up ample debt from the western world?
3. was the uk ever going to get a diplomatic advantage anyway? we support other countries who use the death penalty. george bush's texas puts many to death each year, yet we did not jump up and down at him.
4. if the fco saw this as so morally reprehensible why aren't we talking sanctions.....

soylent green

2009-12-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

just watched a pretty eye watering film on dvd. made in 1973 this film is older than me! charlton heston stars in this film set in 2022 warning of the effects of mass over-population. there is a little about global warming which is insightful by 1970s terms. but the main thrust is that people are poorly housed and have rations of food which transpire to have been made from dead bodies. people disappear, voluntary euthanasia. bodies are processed and make these little green wafers. all this lends to a thought provoking film. i am veggie bar fish so for me a ghastly thought!! i won't be able to eat a wafer ever again......

Shops (again)

2009-12-15T11:15:00.000-08:00

Shops. Shops. Shops.

I have previously mentioned the Brislington Hill shops. I am also concerned about the Sandy Park Road shops. Some units are vacant. I hear whispers that one will be coming back online soon again. That will be good news as it has been looking a bit pants for a while. The panasonic shop is back again risen again as a newsagents and general grocers.

Good Good Good

Nobel Prize

2009-12-10T05:46:00.000-08:00

Nobel Prize winners conjure up an air of dignity and gravitas. Yet as I was watching the news today I wondered what quite was happening?! I saw that Barack Obama was receiving his award. This made me a bit confused given that he is only 11 months into his leadership and was increasing troop support in Afgahnistan. True he is a breath of fresh air. Yet a Nobel Prize so soon. I read on the news voxpops that the Dalai Lama was questioning why so soon? I have a lot of respect for someone like the Dalai Lama. Only time will tell whether Barack will be a worthy recipient. There are so many other people flogging away for decades that I wonder if they could have cast their net a little wider. Time for refection. The song "Where is the love" by the Black Eyed Peas comes to mind.

Think about SAD

2009-11-28T05:47:00.000-08:00

Seasonal affective disorder...winter blues? It's that time of year when the hedgehogs hibernate and some of us feel like snuggling under the duvet. What I didn't realise is that so many are effected - and women more so. Back to the serotonin and melatonin. Those pesky bodies of ours. Light lamps, walks at lunchtime walks and smiles - I'm sure they have their part to play. Time to put the christmas decs out - will that do for now?!