After events like Friday night in Paris there are always a few different
kinds of response around. These points apply in general whenever there is a
similar tragedy, but I'll use Paris as an example to discuss them.
The first, which can generally be ignored, is the idiot response, where
idiots use horrific events to back up their stupid, bigoted viewpoints.
They'll say things like 'Proves Islam is a violent religion'. There are well
over a billion followers of Islam in the world. If they were all homicidal the
world would be a hell of a lot more violent than it is.
They'll justify persecuting and attacking Muslims. However, these attacks
are not just against Westerners, but everyone that disagrees with the
terrorists' world view, including the vast majority of Muslims. That's why they
also attack Muslims and countries in the Middle East and Africa.
All religions have been used to justify violence and murder. There's even a
militant wing of Buddhism, for goodness sake! How does that work?
Oh, and the Donald Trumps of this world who are using this to argue against
gun control, who think that any member of the public with a gun would have
stopped this, just fuck off. If good guys with guns solved everything, America
wouldn't lose more lives every year to gun crime than Europe has in decades to
terrorism. If guns made the world safer, America would be the safest, most
peaceful place on earth.
They blame migrants, ignoring the fact that these are the people that the
migrants are trying to get away from. In their war torn homelands they face
this terror every day, that's why they risk everything to cross into and
through Europe.
Then there are those who think that other events are more worthy of the
Western world's grief.
They'll say, 'Sure, it's sad, but where were your tears for
Nigeria/Turkey/Tunisia/Kenya/Lebanon?'
The further away, the better, but this is not the time for one-upmanship.
There is no need to be a 'sympathy hipster', trying to prove that you cared
about a tragedy before everyone else, that you prefer the old massacres in smaller countries.
France is closer, geographically, culturally and politically, to us. Many of
us have walked through the streets of Paris. This makes the events more
relatable to most people in the West than the events in Beirut. We are human, we are
flawed.
Of course, it's not helped by the 24 hours news channels repeating the same
few details over and over for hours, not daring to look away and report on
anything else for even a minute, lest they miss out on being the first to
reveal some new tiny morsel of information. If they spent less time focussing on one
story and instead gave more attention to more stories, the quality of both the
reporting and the public's knowledge would be much better.
So yes, by all means bring attention to events that have been overlooked,
but there is no reason that people can't care about more than one group of
people at once.
It seems every bad thing in the world now results in a #PrayFor...
If praying ever did any good, there would be no need for the hash tags in
the first place. The majority of problems in the world involve people's
imaginary friends. The sooner they grow out of them, the better. Gods can't
save us, only our own humanity can.
There will be calls for changes in security policy, but we cannot defend
freedom by losing freedom. So don't close the borders, don't give up your right
to privacy. Go out next Friday night and meet friends, make new ones, live,
laugh and love.
Sunday, 15 November 2015
Wednesday, 6 May 2015
Final election round up: Smash the system in their stupid faces.
So, it's almost time. Not that it's going to really end for a while as the leader's of the main parties have stubbornly refused to accept that it's going to be a hung parliament and have been busy drawing 'red lines' all over the place, insulting all the others leaders & Scotland, meaning that a formal coalition is very unlikely, and even getting enough MPs to back a government will be tricky.
In the final weeks candidates have been doing and saying stupid things, leading to them being suspended. Yet they will still appear on the ballots. For example, the Lib Dem candidate challenging Jeremy Hunt has been suspended, meaning the NHA party (http://nhap.org/candidates/) could have a chance to cause an upset, but people will still be able to vote for him despite it really being a wasted vote. It's against the law to even tell people at the polling station that he's no longer standing, the ballot papers can't be altered.
FPTP obviously doesn't work anymore. When the views of 20% of the population are likely to be represented in parliament by 3 or 4 MPs, something has to change. Might as well make have an elected House of Lords while we're at it. Hell, why not get rid of Lordships and the like altogether, this is 2015 after all.
But we're stuck with it tomorrow, so vote for what you believe in, even if it's a lost cause. The closer we've got, the more people (Russell Brand, Owen Jones, etc) have started to say that you should vote for the party you'd rather protest against. Since when did we actively vote for what we want to protest against? Nonsense. Plus, if a sizeable chunk of votes move away from the smaller parties to Labour, it'll make it harder to force change as Labour will be able to point at the results and say 'If people really wanted change, why didn't they vote for it?' Read Armando Iannucci's excellent article: here. Then go read everything else he's written in the last few weeks, most of it is brilliant.
The Tories have been desperately trying to convince the country that a government with the backing of most MPs will be illegitimate unless it's theirs. Just plain bullshit. If you have the backing of a majority of MPs, you get to govern. It's how the system works.
There will be major cuts to welfare whoever is in charge, thanks to Labour voting through the Tory bill that legally limits the spending (http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/05/revealed-coalition-plans-to-slash-welfare-for-sick-poor-young-and-disabled). The Tories haven't worked out where they'll make their cuts yet, but ask us to look at their track record of finding things to cut and trust that they'll be able to do it. I do trust their record. I trust that they'll screw over the most vunerable again. Read The Austerity Delusion by Paul Krugman
Labour keep talking about being best for 'hard working people'. What about those who can't work? The sick, the young, the old? Don't you care about them anymore?
Everyone seems to think that millions more apprentices are the answer to everything.Working for a year at £2.73 an hour doesn't sound like an answer to much to me. They will 'encourage' employers to pay a living wage, instead of just making the minimum wage the minimum that you can actually live on. £8/hour minimum wage by 2019 or 2020(depending on party)? The current living wage is £7.85, so £8 in 4 or 5 more years of rising living costs is just not good enough.
No surprise that the rental market is so screwed up when you realise that almost 1 in 4 MPs make money from it (http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/06/number-of-mps-who-earn-from-renting-out-property-rises-by-a-third) Some are even renting out homes that were part subsidised by parliamentary expenses. I think I can see where to make an easy budget cut.
The one issue that affects all others is the environment, and it's been completely ignored. UKIP deny climate change, the 'greenest government ever' favours fracking over renewables and Labour just don't seem to give enough of a shit to commit to anything. More reading: here, George Monbiot article: here
Tomorrow, go vote. Vote for what you believe in. And then prepare to fight for those beliefs over the next 5 years because trying to change everything once every 5 years isn't enough, the pressure needs to be constant. Smash the system in their stupid faces.
In the final weeks candidates have been doing and saying stupid things, leading to them being suspended. Yet they will still appear on the ballots. For example, the Lib Dem candidate challenging Jeremy Hunt has been suspended, meaning the NHA party (http://nhap.org/candidates/) could have a chance to cause an upset, but people will still be able to vote for him despite it really being a wasted vote. It's against the law to even tell people at the polling station that he's no longer standing, the ballot papers can't be altered.
FPTP obviously doesn't work anymore. When the views of 20% of the population are likely to be represented in parliament by 3 or 4 MPs, something has to change. Might as well make have an elected House of Lords while we're at it. Hell, why not get rid of Lordships and the like altogether, this is 2015 after all.
But we're stuck with it tomorrow, so vote for what you believe in, even if it's a lost cause. The closer we've got, the more people (Russell Brand, Owen Jones, etc) have started to say that you should vote for the party you'd rather protest against. Since when did we actively vote for what we want to protest against? Nonsense. Plus, if a sizeable chunk of votes move away from the smaller parties to Labour, it'll make it harder to force change as Labour will be able to point at the results and say 'If people really wanted change, why didn't they vote for it?' Read Armando Iannucci's excellent article: here. Then go read everything else he's written in the last few weeks, most of it is brilliant.
The Tories have been desperately trying to convince the country that a government with the backing of most MPs will be illegitimate unless it's theirs. Just plain bullshit. If you have the backing of a majority of MPs, you get to govern. It's how the system works.
There will be major cuts to welfare whoever is in charge, thanks to Labour voting through the Tory bill that legally limits the spending (http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/05/revealed-coalition-plans-to-slash-welfare-for-sick-poor-young-and-disabled). The Tories haven't worked out where they'll make their cuts yet, but ask us to look at their track record of finding things to cut and trust that they'll be able to do it. I do trust their record. I trust that they'll screw over the most vunerable again. Read The Austerity Delusion by Paul Krugman
Labour keep talking about being best for 'hard working people'. What about those who can't work? The sick, the young, the old? Don't you care about them anymore?
Everyone seems to think that millions more apprentices are the answer to everything.Working for a year at £2.73 an hour doesn't sound like an answer to much to me. They will 'encourage' employers to pay a living wage, instead of just making the minimum wage the minimum that you can actually live on. £8/hour minimum wage by 2019 or 2020(depending on party)? The current living wage is £7.85, so £8 in 4 or 5 more years of rising living costs is just not good enough.
No surprise that the rental market is so screwed up when you realise that almost 1 in 4 MPs make money from it (http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/06/number-of-mps-who-earn-from-renting-out-property-rises-by-a-third) Some are even renting out homes that were part subsidised by parliamentary expenses. I think I can see where to make an easy budget cut.
The one issue that affects all others is the environment, and it's been completely ignored. UKIP deny climate change, the 'greenest government ever' favours fracking over renewables and Labour just don't seem to give enough of a shit to commit to anything. More reading: here, George Monbiot article: here
Tomorrow, go vote. Vote for what you believe in. And then prepare to fight for those beliefs over the next 5 years because trying to change everything once every 5 years isn't enough, the pressure needs to be constant. Smash the system in their stupid faces.
Monday, 27 April 2015
Why I'm voting for the Green Party: I don't want a 'Better Plan', I want a good plan
- Because I don't want a 'Better Plan', I want a good plan, a plan for the Common Good.
- Because I believe in a Living Wage. People working full time on the minimum wage should earn enough to support themselves and their family.
- Because I believe in having a fair, humane, common sense approach to immigration.
- Because nuclear weapons have no place in civilised society.
- Because education shouldn't cost a life time of debt and should be accessible at any stage of life.
- Because big investments in renewable energy are needed if we are to still have any hope of preventing the worst of climate change.
- Because when I've had surgery and chemotherapy, I've known that my health has been the priority, not profit. 5% profit is 5% too much, when it comes to keeping people alive there should be no place for the profit motive.
- Because public services should be in public hands, not making huge profits while providing bad service and taking government subsidies. Public transport should be affordable and easy.
- Because I want a fair rental market. No excessive, unjustifiable fees, no worrying about where you're going to live every 6 months, no uncontrollable rents.
- Because I don't want the return of fox hunting, or more badger culls that go against all evidence.
- Because fracking is just plain bad.
- Because I don't want to vote for a party that I disagree with slightly less than another party. I want to vote for something I can believe in.
- Because everyone should pay their fair share of tax.
- Because they are not bankrolled by corporations, unions, millionaires and billionaires. Which means they don't put the needs of the wealthy before the needs of the many.
- Because no one else mentions climate change, and if we don't get serious about climate change now, no other policies will matter in the future.
Wednesday, 22 April 2015
Immigration: Mongrel and proud
I have been an immigrant and I'm about to marry an immigrant, so I am unashamedly in favour of immigration. While the main parties keep trying to prove that they will be tougher on immigration than anyone else, I can tell you that being an immigrant is already more than tough enough, and instead of just looking at numbers and statistics, how about remembering that immigrants are people, with families and feelings.
I am one of the many millions of UK citizens that have taken advantage to the freedom of movement within the EU. One thing the 'immigration debate' often forgets is that it goes both ways. Imagine you or someone you're close to migrated and they faced the same over the top, hostile press and politics that have taken over the UK. Leaving behind family and friends, missing out major events, living without an established support network is hard enough as it is.
Current Visa rules destroy families for no good reason. Don't fall in love with a foreigner unless you want years of unfair bureaucracy. To bring your husband or wife to the country you have to earn above £18,600 a year. Even if your partner has a better paying job, they won't take that into account. This is supposedly the salary you need in order to support a dependent. Yet it is almost 50% more than someone working full time for minimum wage earns. Surely the minimum wage should provide enough to support a life?
As for 'they took our jobs!', bullshit. Speaking from experience I can tell you that elsewhere, as in the UK, low paid, zero hour, shitty jobs are overwhelmingly done by immigrants. The few natives who give it a go rarely last long. On the other end of the scale are highly qualified people, enriching their chosen destination with knowledge and skills that are needed.
They put pressure on the NHS? Very few people come here solely for treatment. The vast majority of 'health tourists' are actually people living, working and paying tax here. Now, thanks to the hysteria created by UKIP, migrants from outside the EEA will have to pay a 'health surcharge' on top of the stupidly high Visa fee. For non-students this is £200 a year, giving them access to the NHS. So when my soon to be wife applies for her next Visa, she'll have to pay an extra £500 to continue to use the NHS, even though in a year and a half she'll have paid more NI than I have in my entire life. Absolutely ridiculous. Not to mention the thousands of doctors and nurses that have migrated here who will now have to pay for the very service they provide!
Immigration drives wages down? No, greedy bastards drive wages down. Hundreds of firms are caught paying below the minimum wage each year. Why hundreds, year after year? Because the fines they receive are so pathetic that it's worth the risk. The government could raise the minimum wage to a living wage, but would rather just leave it up to the companies. Increasing the minimum wage to a living wage would greatly raise the quality of life of millions of people, reduce the benefits bill by billions (more working people currently receive benefits than ever before, because employers know that they can keep wages low and the government will top them up) and bring in more tax.
Housing shortage? The major causes are landlords building up huge portfolios, charging sky high rents, and buildings being allowed to be left abandoned for years. Limit rents, limit the number of properties than one landlord can own, take back abandoned buildings and redevelop them for social housing and the shortage would be a lot shorter.
Some would have you believe that everything from traffic jams to climate change is caused by immigrants, but it is uncaring governments, putting money before people and the environment that is the true danger to society.
Immigration brings new ideas, skills, thinking, food, art and love. This country has seen wave after wave of immigration throughout history, from the Vikings to the Romans, make it what it is today. We are mongrels. We should be proud of that.
Extra reading:
As migrants we leave home in search of a future, but we lose the past - Gary Younge
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/24/migrants-leave-home-future-past-borders?CMP=share_btn_tw
Britain’s criminally stupid attitudes to race and immigration are beyond parody - Frankie Boyle
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/apr/20/britain-criminally-stupid-race-immigration?CMP=share_btn_tw
Minimum wage: 37 firms named for failing to pay rate
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30822565
I am one of the many millions of UK citizens that have taken advantage to the freedom of movement within the EU. One thing the 'immigration debate' often forgets is that it goes both ways. Imagine you or someone you're close to migrated and they faced the same over the top, hostile press and politics that have taken over the UK. Leaving behind family and friends, missing out major events, living without an established support network is hard enough as it is.
Current Visa rules destroy families for no good reason. Don't fall in love with a foreigner unless you want years of unfair bureaucracy. To bring your husband or wife to the country you have to earn above £18,600 a year. Even if your partner has a better paying job, they won't take that into account. This is supposedly the salary you need in order to support a dependent. Yet it is almost 50% more than someone working full time for minimum wage earns. Surely the minimum wage should provide enough to support a life?
As for 'they took our jobs!', bullshit. Speaking from experience I can tell you that elsewhere, as in the UK, low paid, zero hour, shitty jobs are overwhelmingly done by immigrants. The few natives who give it a go rarely last long. On the other end of the scale are highly qualified people, enriching their chosen destination with knowledge and skills that are needed.
They put pressure on the NHS? Very few people come here solely for treatment. The vast majority of 'health tourists' are actually people living, working and paying tax here. Now, thanks to the hysteria created by UKIP, migrants from outside the EEA will have to pay a 'health surcharge' on top of the stupidly high Visa fee. For non-students this is £200 a year, giving them access to the NHS. So when my soon to be wife applies for her next Visa, she'll have to pay an extra £500 to continue to use the NHS, even though in a year and a half she'll have paid more NI than I have in my entire life. Absolutely ridiculous. Not to mention the thousands of doctors and nurses that have migrated here who will now have to pay for the very service they provide!
Immigration drives wages down? No, greedy bastards drive wages down. Hundreds of firms are caught paying below the minimum wage each year. Why hundreds, year after year? Because the fines they receive are so pathetic that it's worth the risk. The government could raise the minimum wage to a living wage, but would rather just leave it up to the companies. Increasing the minimum wage to a living wage would greatly raise the quality of life of millions of people, reduce the benefits bill by billions (more working people currently receive benefits than ever before, because employers know that they can keep wages low and the government will top them up) and bring in more tax.
Housing shortage? The major causes are landlords building up huge portfolios, charging sky high rents, and buildings being allowed to be left abandoned for years. Limit rents, limit the number of properties than one landlord can own, take back abandoned buildings and redevelop them for social housing and the shortage would be a lot shorter.
Some would have you believe that everything from traffic jams to climate change is caused by immigrants, but it is uncaring governments, putting money before people and the environment that is the true danger to society.
Immigration brings new ideas, skills, thinking, food, art and love. This country has seen wave after wave of immigration throughout history, from the Vikings to the Romans, make it what it is today. We are mongrels. We should be proud of that.
Extra reading:
As migrants we leave home in search of a future, but we lose the past - Gary Younge
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/24/migrants-leave-home-future-past-borders?CMP=share_btn_tw
Britain’s criminally stupid attitudes to race and immigration are beyond parody - Frankie Boyle
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/apr/20/britain-criminally-stupid-race-immigration?CMP=share_btn_tw
Minimum wage: 37 firms named for failing to pay rate
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30822565
Monday, 20 April 2015
More Reasons to Vote
Following on from http://truthbeauty-freedomlove.blogspot.com/2015/04/reasons-to-vote.html
Midnight is the deadline to register, tomorrow is the deadline to get a postal vote - https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote and send your friends and family to the link too!
8. Think your vote will make no difference? Voting for independents and smaller parties helps get them to 5% of the vote, saving their £500 deposit, making it much easier for them to build up support in the future. It might take a while to make a difference, but it's a start.
9. Think you'll be busy or forget on the day? Get a postal vote, pop it the next post box you walk past, easy.
10. Last time there were more non-voters than supporters of any of the parties. Those millions of votes could change things.
11. Politics will happen to you, whether you vote or not, so try to control it.
12. If you're part of a demographic with low voting rates, politicians think it's safe to ignore your needs.
13. Safe seats are only safe because people accept it. Get out, vote for what you believe in and no seat will be truly safe.
Midnight is the deadline to register, tomorrow is the deadline to get a postal vote - https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote and send your friends and family to the link too!
8. Think your vote will make no difference? Voting for independents and smaller parties helps get them to 5% of the vote, saving their £500 deposit, making it much easier for them to build up support in the future. It might take a while to make a difference, but it's a start.
9. Think you'll be busy or forget on the day? Get a postal vote, pop it the next post box you walk past, easy.
10. Last time there were more non-voters than supporters of any of the parties. Those millions of votes could change things.
11. Politics will happen to you, whether you vote or not, so try to control it.
12. If you're part of a demographic with low voting rates, politicians think it's safe to ignore your needs.
13. Safe seats are only safe because people accept it. Get out, vote for what you believe in and no seat will be truly safe.
Saturday, 4 April 2015
Easter weekend reading
There's so little going on this weekend that the media has resorted to making up 4th-hand accounts of conversations. Here's some articles actually worth reading:
Opinion:
Politics was once about beliefs and society. Now it’s a worship of money - Armando Iannucci
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/08/armando-iannucci-money-at-heart-of-politics-general-election-2015?CMP=share_btn_fb
If parties are funded by big business instead of average people, who are they going to act in the interests of? (Not a problem the Green Party has..)
It’s a great time to push for change in politics - Armando Iannucci
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jan/18/2015-general-election-enough-fatalism-push-for-change?CMP=share_btn_tw
'...now is the best time in a generation to go out and vote. With such a fragmented system on offer, nothing is inevitable....
No politician voted into office is going to take the number of people who didn’t vote into account; what they will do is heed the number who voted, but not for them, if that number is overwhelming.
This time round, the day after the election, party leaders are going to look at the numbers – how many voted and how many didn’t vote for them. If both those figures breach certain tipping points then, irrespective of the number of seats won, and regardless of the make-up of the new House of Commons, the political agenda will have changed utterly.'
I didn’t leave the Labour party – it left me - Jack Monroe
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/19/leave-labour-party-green-party
'In fact, I had quietly left some weeks beforehand, and run away to look for the living wage, the social housing, the repurposing of abandoned buildings, free education and the NHS. I had left the Labour party to find the values that I thought that it once stood for, and I found them, in the Greens.
Like greeting old friends, I embraced the importance placed on a national health service, on public transport, on sustainable energy, on fair pay for fair work. Here you were, all the time.'
Enough of the dry politics of numbers. We need to discuss values and vision -Will Hutton
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/22/britains-economic-recovery-end-obsession-with-debt-reduction?CMP=share_btn_fb
'Britain’s national debt is comfortably affordable today – even moderate, by historical standards. To present it as economic enemy number one is just wrong.'
Local news:
Library of Birmingham cuts weekend opening to six hours
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-32146016?SThisFB&fb_ref=Default
Spend almost £200m on building the biggest public library in Europe and less than 2 years later run out of money to run it, meaning halving of opening hours and staff. How has this been allowed to happen?
News:
Lords accuse Tories of ‘burying’ review that cleared EU of interference
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/28/lords-accuse-tories-burying-eu-powers-review?CMP=share_btn_fb
Government spend millions on investigating how far Brussels' powers really go into British life. Find out that they're not a problem. Try to hide the evidence.
The rise of DIY dentistry: Britons doing their own fillings to avoid NHS bill
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/apr/03/rise-of-diy-dentistry-britons-doing-own-fillings-to-avoid-nhs-bill?CMP=share_btn_tw
There's still NHS dentists around?
Costa Rica goes 75 days powering itself using only renewable energy
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/costa-rica-goes-75-days-powering-itself-using-only-renewable-energy-10126127.html
Proof of what's possible if you put the effort in.
France decrees new rooftops must be covered in plants or solar panels
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/20/france-decrees-new-rooftops-must-be-covered-in-plants-or-solar-panels?CMP=share_btn_fb
A fellow European country doing something sensible while we sit around in denial? Yep, sounds about right. Go France!
Virgin Care among firms with lucrative NHS deals and a tax haven status
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/21/ow-lucrative--deals-go-to-firms-that-use-tax-havens?CMP=share_btn_fb
The biggest privatisation in NHS history: why we had to blow the whistle - Kate Godfrey
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/16/nhs-privatisation-biggest-history-staffordshire-cancer?CMP=share_btn_fb
Just depressing. And why the Tories must be stopped and Labour kept a very close eye on. Screw 5%, there should be no profit made from cancer or end-of-life care.
Nigel Farage would axe 'much of' race discrimination law
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31846453?fb_ref=Default
UKIP - not racist, they just want the option...
Opinion:
Politics was once about beliefs and society. Now it’s a worship of money - Armando Iannucci
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/08/armando-iannucci-money-at-heart-of-politics-general-election-2015?CMP=share_btn_fb
If parties are funded by big business instead of average people, who are they going to act in the interests of? (Not a problem the Green Party has..)
It’s a great time to push for change in politics - Armando Iannucci
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jan/18/2015-general-election-enough-fatalism-push-for-change?CMP=share_btn_tw
'...now is the best time in a generation to go out and vote. With such a fragmented system on offer, nothing is inevitable....
No politician voted into office is going to take the number of people who didn’t vote into account; what they will do is heed the number who voted, but not for them, if that number is overwhelming.
This time round, the day after the election, party leaders are going to look at the numbers – how many voted and how many didn’t vote for them. If both those figures breach certain tipping points then, irrespective of the number of seats won, and regardless of the make-up of the new House of Commons, the political agenda will have changed utterly.'
I didn’t leave the Labour party – it left me - Jack Monroe
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/19/leave-labour-party-green-party
'In fact, I had quietly left some weeks beforehand, and run away to look for the living wage, the social housing, the repurposing of abandoned buildings, free education and the NHS. I had left the Labour party to find the values that I thought that it once stood for, and I found them, in the Greens.
Like greeting old friends, I embraced the importance placed on a national health service, on public transport, on sustainable energy, on fair pay for fair work. Here you were, all the time.'
Enough of the dry politics of numbers. We need to discuss values and vision -Will Hutton
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/22/britains-economic-recovery-end-obsession-with-debt-reduction?CMP=share_btn_fb
'Britain’s national debt is comfortably affordable today – even moderate, by historical standards. To present it as economic enemy number one is just wrong.'
Library of Birmingham cuts weekend opening to six hours
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-32146016?SThisFB&fb_ref=Default
Spend almost £200m on building the biggest public library in Europe and less than 2 years later run out of money to run it, meaning halving of opening hours and staff. How has this been allowed to happen?
News:
Lords accuse Tories of ‘burying’ review that cleared EU of interference
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/28/lords-accuse-tories-burying-eu-powers-review?CMP=share_btn_fb
Government spend millions on investigating how far Brussels' powers really go into British life. Find out that they're not a problem. Try to hide the evidence.
The rise of DIY dentistry: Britons doing their own fillings to avoid NHS bill
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/apr/03/rise-of-diy-dentistry-britons-doing-own-fillings-to-avoid-nhs-bill?CMP=share_btn_tw
There's still NHS dentists around?
Costa Rica goes 75 days powering itself using only renewable energy
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/costa-rica-goes-75-days-powering-itself-using-only-renewable-energy-10126127.html
Proof of what's possible if you put the effort in.
France decrees new rooftops must be covered in plants or solar panels
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/20/france-decrees-new-rooftops-must-be-covered-in-plants-or-solar-panels?CMP=share_btn_fb
A fellow European country doing something sensible while we sit around in denial? Yep, sounds about right. Go France!
Virgin Care among firms with lucrative NHS deals and a tax haven status
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/21/ow-lucrative--deals-go-to-firms-that-use-tax-havens?CMP=share_btn_fb
The biggest privatisation in NHS history: why we had to blow the whistle - Kate Godfrey
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/16/nhs-privatisation-biggest-history-staffordshire-cancer?CMP=share_btn_fb
Just depressing. And why the Tories must be stopped and Labour kept a very close eye on. Screw 5%, there should be no profit made from cancer or end-of-life care.
Nigel Farage would axe 'much of' race discrimination law
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31846453?fb_ref=Default
UKIP - not racist, they just want the option...
Friday, 3 April 2015
Reasons to Vote
1. You actually believe in one of the candidates.
2. If not the candidate, at least the party.
3. To decrease UKIP's share of the vote.
4. Election day is a Thursday. You really have plans for a Thursday?
5. Nothing will change if you don't vote for change. OK, probably nothing will anyway, but at least try.
6. You really like putting Xs in boxes.
7. Most places will also have local council elections. Got issues with rubbish collections, traffic, parking, local services? Then these are your chance to do something about it.
Not got a polling card yet? Then you might not be registered, make sure: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
2. If not the candidate, at least the party.
3. To decrease UKIP's share of the vote.
4. Election day is a Thursday. You really have plans for a Thursday?
5. Nothing will change if you don't vote for change. OK, probably nothing will anyway, but at least try.
6. You really like putting Xs in boxes.
7. Most places will also have local council elections. Got issues with rubbish collections, traffic, parking, local services? Then these are your chance to do something about it.
Not got a polling card yet? Then you might not be registered, make sure: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Wednesday, 1 April 2015
Make sense of it all
Election websites that are actually useful:
Register to Vote
https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Everything else is pointless if you can't vote!
Vote for Policies
https://voteforpolicies.org.uk
See which party's policies you actually agree with. Don't think anyone is worth voting for? Give it a go, you might be surprised.
Full Fact
https://fullfact.org
See if anything politicians say is actually true...
Common Decency
http://www.commondecency.org.uk
Fed up with parties and just want to vote for someone decent? Common Decency will help you find them.
The Public Whip
http://www.publicwhip.org.uk
Check out the results of every debate, see how often your MP actually bothers showing up. For example, since switching parties, UKIP's 2 MPs have almost halved their attendance. Guess it's not a party for hardworkers...
They Work For You
http://www.theyworkforyou.com
See what issues your MP has supported and voted against.
Why Vote 4 Me
http://www.whyvote4me.co.uk
Find out who your options are.
Channel 4 Fact Check
http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck
Channel 4 news fact checks claims.
Register to Vote
https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Everything else is pointless if you can't vote!
Vote for Policies
https://voteforpolicies.org.uk
See which party's policies you actually agree with. Don't think anyone is worth voting for? Give it a go, you might be surprised.
Full Fact
https://fullfact.org
See if anything politicians say is actually true...
Common Decency
http://www.commondecency.org.uk
Fed up with parties and just want to vote for someone decent? Common Decency will help you find them.
The Public Whip
http://www.publicwhip.org.uk
Check out the results of every debate, see how often your MP actually bothers showing up. For example, since switching parties, UKIP's 2 MPs have almost halved their attendance. Guess it's not a party for hardworkers...
They Work For You
http://www.theyworkforyou.com
See what issues your MP has supported and voted against.
Why Vote 4 Me
http://www.whyvote4me.co.uk
Find out who your options are.
Channel 4 Fact Check
http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck
Channel 4 news fact checks claims.
Tuesday, 31 March 2015
'Defend your happiness, organise your rage'
Morning reading today:
'Defend your happiness, organise your rage'
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/31/podemos-revolution-radical-academics-changed-european-politics?CMP=share_btn_tw
The rise of Podemos in Spain shows the potential of the left if it can get people energised about change. In Spain and Greece people sick of corrupt politicians get angry and try to do something about it, in Britain too many have already given up on change, not helped by the Lib Dems failing to get a vote on Proportional Representation when they had the chance. AV was a poor second best, but with around 20% of this year's vote likely to be represented by 1% of MPs, it surely can't go on.
Science spending should be 1% of GDP, say Greens
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-32086204
While the other parties argue about committing 2% of GDP to defence, the Greens go a much more worthwhile route. The recent fuss over the Meningitis B vaccine deal shows the problem with leaving research to the private sector. Science is expensive. If you don't fund it, pharma companies are going to charge for it, if you want a good deal, do it yourself. We spend less than the EU average on Research and Design, despite party leaders frequently saying how important science and technology is they won't commit to funding it.
Quite how this would fit in with the Greens Party's aim to end all animal experiments remains to be seen. If reliable alternatives to animals are available, they are already used. Scientists would love to be able stop using animals, it would be easier, quicker and cheaper, but the technology is still simply not there yet.
A second Green MP?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/generalelection/election-2015-opportunity-knocks-or-call-my-bluff-green-candidate-darren-hall-thinks-he-can-win-in-bristol-west-10141438.html
Despite the massive surge in support for the Green Party, it's going to be tough for them to get any extra MPs, thanks to First Past The Post. The most likely place seems to be in Bristol, The Independent takes a look. He's even more straight talking than Cameron: “People here are so pissed off they are willing to think about something new, they think the system is completely fucked up, and [want] leadership that’s actually going to take us in a different direction.” Good luck Darren Hall.
Birmingham Green Party
https://fabrily.com/bgp-rotunda-view
Quick plug for the local party's latest fundraising effort, a green Birmingham t shirt, no anti-immigration slogans here.
Election Playlist song 2:
'Defend your happiness, organise your rage'
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/31/podemos-revolution-radical-academics-changed-european-politics?CMP=share_btn_tw
The rise of Podemos in Spain shows the potential of the left if it can get people energised about change. In Spain and Greece people sick of corrupt politicians get angry and try to do something about it, in Britain too many have already given up on change, not helped by the Lib Dems failing to get a vote on Proportional Representation when they had the chance. AV was a poor second best, but with around 20% of this year's vote likely to be represented by 1% of MPs, it surely can't go on.
Science spending should be 1% of GDP, say Greens
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-32086204
While the other parties argue about committing 2% of GDP to defence, the Greens go a much more worthwhile route. The recent fuss over the Meningitis B vaccine deal shows the problem with leaving research to the private sector. Science is expensive. If you don't fund it, pharma companies are going to charge for it, if you want a good deal, do it yourself. We spend less than the EU average on Research and Design, despite party leaders frequently saying how important science and technology is they won't commit to funding it.
Quite how this would fit in with the Greens Party's aim to end all animal experiments remains to be seen. If reliable alternatives to animals are available, they are already used. Scientists would love to be able stop using animals, it would be easier, quicker and cheaper, but the technology is still simply not there yet.
A second Green MP?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/generalelection/election-2015-opportunity-knocks-or-call-my-bluff-green-candidate-darren-hall-thinks-he-can-win-in-bristol-west-10141438.html
Despite the massive surge in support for the Green Party, it's going to be tough for them to get any extra MPs, thanks to First Past The Post. The most likely place seems to be in Bristol, The Independent takes a look. He's even more straight talking than Cameron: “People here are so pissed off they are willing to think about something new, they think the system is completely fucked up, and [want] leadership that’s actually going to take us in a different direction.” Good luck Darren Hall.
Birmingham Green Party
https://fabrily.com/bgp-rotunda-view
Quick plug for the local party's latest fundraising effort, a green Birmingham t shirt, no anti-immigration slogans here.
Election Playlist song 2:
Monday, 30 March 2015
So it begins....
Today is the first 'official' day of election campaigning, after weeks and weeks of 'definitely not campaigning, nope, not at all'. Instead of posting countless articles to Facebook during election season, i'll try to round everything up in my seldom used blog. (I'm off work sick, I need something to keep me entertained!)
First things first, If you aren't registered, you can't vote. So register. Go. Right now. It's quick and easy - https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote You have until April 20th.
The system changed last year, so you might think that you already are, but actually aren't. Even if you think you won't vote, give yourself the option.
Think it's pointless voting? Last time over 15m people didn't vote. If those people vote this time, it could change everything.
In the end, Skunk Anansie say it best...
Full election playlist to come...
First things first, If you aren't registered, you can't vote. So register. Go. Right now. It's quick and easy - https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote You have until April 20th.
The system changed last year, so you might think that you already are, but actually aren't. Even if you think you won't vote, give yourself the option.
Think it's pointless voting? Last time over 15m people didn't vote. If those people vote this time, it could change everything.
In the end, Skunk Anansie say it best...
Full election playlist to come...
Friday, 31 May 2013
In Bruges
I love Bruges. Here's some reasons why:
De Verbeelding, Oude Burg 26
My local and first port of call when in town. First stumbled into this mother and son run restaurant/pub after a long journey to Bruges with a friend. We were desperate for just one beer, but stayed for hours. Good beer, better company and great food (a warning about eating out in Belgium - portions are very generous!). I recommend everything! Say hi to Tom and Lieve for me.
De Halve Maan Brewery, Walplein 26
The Half Moon brewery is the only active brewery left in city. Luckily it's damn good. It used to just brew Straffe Hendrick (Strong Henry), but when this got too popular the recipe was bought by a bigger brewery. This brought about the introduction of a new beer - Bruges Zot (the Fool of Bruges). Bruges Zot comes in blonde and brown versions, the blonde being one of my favourite beers of all time. The new brewers of Straffe Hendrick then went out of business, leading to the recipe returning home. De Halve Maan now brews the 2 Zots and Straffe Hendrick Tripel and Quadruple. The brewery tour includes a great view of the city from the rooftop and of course a glass of the brew of your choice to enjoy in their spacious beer garden.
 |
| Take one down, pass it around, make a xmas tree of the empties. |
Begijntje 'T, Wijngaardstraat 16
The best place for marzipan in town. Buy a slice of rum raisin marzipan and your life will never be the same again.
Moeder Babelutte, Rozenhoedkaai 1 and Wollestraat 24
Being Belgium, there are of course plenty of chocolate shops to choose from, but this has become my choice. The truffles are divine.
Brugs Beertje, Kemelstraat 5
Well known among beer lovers for having the largest and best selection of the stuff around. Get there early, it fills up, and start making your way through the beer list that's so big it's more a book than a list. The staff know their beer and help you whittle down the choices to a suitable thirst quencher.
De Hobbit, Kemelstraat 8
After staggering out of Brugs Beertje, you may think that you see the glowing abode of one of Tolkien's little friends. You probably have drunk too much, but the sign really does say The Hobbit. A restaurant filled with everything you need to feel like you are in a Shire tavern. Although the greeting from the staff after stepping inside can be less than warm, once you're seated the service is good and so's the food. The ham on the bone is a highlight.
The Crash, Langestraat 78
If you like rock and/or roll, if you like it loud and you like dive bars, then The Crash is for you. The choice of beer is simple (bottled or draught), the ceiling is covered with crushed beer cans and closing time is when the head of the last drunk has come to rest on whatever will serve as a pillow for the day.
De Garre, De Garre 1
The is only one place in the world that you can get a glass of Garre, at De Garre on Garre street. Enjoy with a selection cubed cheese and meat.
Here's a handy map to help you find your way around:
View Bruges in a larger map
Monday, 8 November 2010
The Good Pub Guide
On my travels i've stopped for a beverage from time to time, here's some of my favourites.
The Dove, London, England
A few minutes away from London Fields, The Dove stocks 100 Belgian beers and also has a few English ales on pump. 100 Belgian beers. In the middle of East London. Does this really need anymore explanation? Try Saison 1900 and Satan Gold.
Jekyll and Hyde, Edinburgh, Scotland
Awesome decor. Toilets can be tricky to find.
Ardview Inn, Port Ellen, Islay, Scotland
Biggest selection of whisky i've ever seen in a pub, friendly staff and locals. Try the Bruichladdich Octomore if you dare.
Het Elfde Gebod, Antwerp, Belgium
Decorated with statues and art collected from churches over the course of 30 years. Saints tower over you as you sip beer that's unlikely to be found anywhere else.
Bauhaus/ The Crash, Bruges, Belgium
Get to know some new friends in the bar of Bauhaus hostel, with giant's melted candle and a clock going backwards, then move over the road to The Crash for rock and/or roll until no one's left standing.
Cafe Olivier, Utrecht, Netherlands
Serving a wide selection of Belgian beer in an old church complete with organ. Good food too.
Excalibur, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Biker bar in the red light district. Good music and suits of armour.
Jazz Rock Cafe, Krakow, Poland
Dark, metal design. Good beer, good music, good atmosphere.
Zly Casy, Prague, Czech Republic
Best selection of Czech beer around, with great snacks.
Monday, 1 November 2010
Prague
Some people think hostels are dirty, crowded, run down shit holes. These people deserve to miss out on having a swimming pool, sauna and bar for under £10 a night. This is what you get at Plus Prague. Just a 5 minute walk away from Nádraží Holešovic metro station, it takes a total of 15 minutes to get to the centre of Prague. However the breakfast isn't free and you can get more, better food by waiting until you get to the metro station and visiting Mr Baker, a wide variety of delicious baked goods, mostly for under £1 each, also home to Andy's Pizza for slices under £1. Any bakery in Eastern Europe is well worth a visit, I recommend one of everything.
In the shopping district there are plenty of sausage stands with big, awesome sausages and mulled wine. Mulled wine is available all over town, the best is at the entrance to the vineyard by Prague Castle. Potrefena Husa has cheap Czech food in massive portions.
I believe walking is the best way to see a city. Prague is a perfect walking city. Stick to the main roads and it's easy to see all the main attractions, wander off through the side streets to find traditional goulash, little local bars and interesting shops. If you want a guided tour, I have always found New Europe tours an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. Although these tours are 'free', the guides are actually charged around 3 euros for each person who starts the tour, so please give them at least 5 euros, in my experience it's more than worth it.
From the old town, cross the spectacular (and spectacularly crowded!) Charles Bridge with it's 30 statues and countless tourist trap souvenir stands (although there are a couple of jewellery stands worth checking out), and start the climb to Prague Castle. I found the Old Castle steps a much easier ascent. The view from the top is well worth the effort, it's the best view of Prague for free. In the middle of the castle grounds is the stunning St Vitus's Cathedral. You can't buy tickets for just entrance cathedral, but must buy a combination ticket which gives you access to the Basilica and other parts of the castle. Unless you are on a very tight budget, do it! Among the highlights are stained glass windows by Alfons Mucha in the cathedral.
Of course, one of the best things about this part of the world is the quality of beer available for prices so small, it would be an insult not to over-indulge. The best place for this is Zly Casy - 24 beers on tap, constanting changing, features many you won't find anywhere else and also has tasty cheap snacks. For something a bit different try BED - just off the main square, does exactly what it says on the tin. Instead of chairs, there's beds, but no shoes on the furniture, please. Live music is never far away. Depending on the night, Matrix is good for Heavy Metal or Drum and Bass. Cross Club has a mix of music in some of the coolest club rooms you will ever see. Seats from buses, trams and trains, fans made form car window wipers, turning engines hanging from the ceiling and and entrance made from exhausts and vehicular bits and bobs. Warning: Keep your bags in your sight, unfortunately there's not much in the way of security here, which can ruin a great night and interesting club.
 |
| Kutna Hora - lots of bones |
One must-do day out is Kutna Hora. You can choose to go with an organised tour, or pay a small fraction of the price to get the frequent train and explore the small town yourself. It's a short walk to the Ossuary (bone chapel) which is decorated with the bones of around 70,000 people (and one bird). Skulls are arranged in 4 huge pyramids, while in the centre is a chandelier that utilises every bone in the human body. A walk through town will take you to St Barbara's church. Outside is a great view overlooking the town, inside are huge murals, great architecture and an amazing organ.
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
European Medley
In Venice i had to provide the ticket office with a timetable, apparently selling tickets and knowing what time train they're for is too much to handle.
In Auschwitz people were posing for photos. I think they may have missed the point...
Due to a government law, Italian internet cafes have to take a photocopy of your passport being giving internet access!
Ran into some Aussies in Venice that i'd met a month or so earlier in Edinburgh on a pub crawl! Didn't realise the first time we walked past eachother as i was distracted by Bo's t-shirt: 'To err is human, to arr is pirate'
Absinthne, agua and lime makes an awesome cocktail.
'One more for the road' is a dangerous saying when forever on the road!
Falafel.
Lots of people have just they're elbow tattooed. Others have all their arm except their elbow tattooed. Do they even out?
I spend far too much money when i go in a bookshop.
Going from Stockholm to Prague we had to change trains in Berlin. We should have had half an hour to make it to the next platform. Neither the lady in our cabin nor the conductor bothered to wake us up. I woke up with 8 minutes til the next train left. As we ran on, the doors closed about half a second behind us!
Lifts can be good places to pass a couple of hours at a train station when it's cold outside.
In Auschwitz people were posing for photos. I think they may have missed the point...
Due to a government law, Italian internet cafes have to take a photocopy of your passport being giving internet access!
Ran into some Aussies in Venice that i'd met a month or so earlier in Edinburgh on a pub crawl! Didn't realise the first time we walked past eachother as i was distracted by Bo's t-shirt: 'To err is human, to arr is pirate'
Absinthne, agua and lime makes an awesome cocktail.
'One more for the road' is a dangerous saying when forever on the road!
Falafel.
Lots of people have just they're elbow tattooed. Others have all their arm except their elbow tattooed. Do they even out?
I spend far too much money when i go in a bookshop.
Going from Stockholm to Prague we had to change trains in Berlin. We should have had half an hour to make it to the next platform. Neither the lady in our cabin nor the conductor bothered to wake us up. I woke up with 8 minutes til the next train left. As we ran on, the doors closed about half a second behind us!
Lifts can be good places to pass a couple of hours at a train station when it's cold outside.
Friday, 14 May 2010
Hostels
I have now stayed in a stupid amount of hostels. Here's some of the best:
Bauhaus, Bruges
It's in Bruges (it's in Belgium), which automatically makes it awesome. The staff are all cool, and can be found in the bar when not working. The bar is great. A big clock that goes backwards, huge masses of melted candles, a good selection of beer, happy hour 1euro beer, and easy to meet fellow travellers. Once the bar closes move across the street to The Crash, which stays open for as long as you can drink, probably longer.
Af Chapman, Stockholm
It's in Stockholm. It's a boat. 'nuff said.
Goat Hostel, Budapest
Crazy (in the best way) staff. Projector for films. Free popcorn. Laid back. 24hour shop opposite. A few metres from the Danube.
ROOM Hostel, Rotterdam
Every room has a different theme. Most comfortable cushions in the world. Good bar with cheap jugs of beer. Near the water.
Hostel Celica, Ljubljana
Former military prison. Nice rooms. Meditation room. Bar with a different event every night. Live music.
Bauhaus, Bruges
It's in Bruges (it's in Belgium), which automatically makes it awesome. The staff are all cool, and can be found in the bar when not working. The bar is great. A big clock that goes backwards, huge masses of melted candles, a good selection of beer, happy hour 1euro beer, and easy to meet fellow travellers. Once the bar closes move across the street to The Crash, which stays open for as long as you can drink, probably longer.
Af Chapman, Stockholm
It's in Stockholm. It's a boat. 'nuff said.
Goat Hostel, Budapest
Crazy (in the best way) staff. Projector for films. Free popcorn. Laid back. 24hour shop opposite. A few metres from the Danube.
ROOM Hostel, Rotterdam
Every room has a different theme. Most comfortable cushions in the world. Good bar with cheap jugs of beer. Near the water.
Hostel Celica, Ljubljana
Former military prison. Nice rooms. Meditation room. Bar with a different event every night. Live music.
Thursday, 6 May 2010
+/-
+ Falafel burgers with chili sauce. Divine, best burger i've ever eaten.
- Take a number. What's wrong with the old fashioned queue in a line? With take a number you never know how long you'll have to wait as people take one, see it's far away and leave. So when your number is 30 away, there could be anywhere between 1 and 30 people before you.
+ White chocolate Lion bars. All chocolate bars should be these.
- Green man lights should mean it's safe to cross the road. Not that traffic could still appear any second.
+ Student discount. If you have a student card, whether you're still a student or not, ask for discount. Most places don't check it's valid. Some don't even ask to see the card so try even if you don't have one.
- Scaffolding/road works. Around every monument/statue/interesting building there seems to be some kind of building works spoiling it. Just give it a rest and be content with the world we have for a minute.
- Take a number. What's wrong with the old fashioned queue in a line? With take a number you never know how long you'll have to wait as people take one, see it's far away and leave. So when your number is 30 away, there could be anywhere between 1 and 30 people before you.
+ White chocolate Lion bars. All chocolate bars should be these.
- Green man lights should mean it's safe to cross the road. Not that traffic could still appear any second.
+ Student discount. If you have a student card, whether you're still a student or not, ask for discount. Most places don't check it's valid. Some don't even ask to see the card so try even if you don't have one.
- Scaffolding/road works. Around every monument/statue/interesting building there seems to be some kind of building works spoiling it. Just give it a rest and be content with the world we have for a minute.
Journey to the Cabin
First i skate around the edge of vast lakes, full to the brim of bone chilling water. Then i must dance across the undulating landscape, never sure if my foot will find snow, ice or water. A small jump over marshland finds a makeshift bridge of wooden slats, ready to crumble without warning. Next is the ice walk. I hope for a snow flurry to provide a little grip. Clinging to whatever my flailing arms can reach, I slip and slide along the clear ice, cracks forming with every step. I make a desperate lunge for the safety of my porch, as the ice i tread on breaks away into the depths, and hold fast. With a deep exhale i dive into the warmth of what I must call home for the night.
Tuesday, 20 April 2010
Rant medley
1. Tourist information offices are must useful when; a) located near the main transport hub
b) open after the main bus of the day gets to town
2. While keeping roads free of snow when it falls for a large chunk of the year is impressive, how about doing the same for pavements? A choice between walking on ice and getting run over is not a good one.
3. Tourism may increase if attractions are open for more than 4 or 5 hours a day. Oh, and please stop closing everything on Monday.
4. Town planning. Planning implies some kind of forethought and logic. This seems to be missing. While we're on the subject, street signs are very useful, just give it a try.
5. It's useful when maps given to tourists actually cover a big enough area of the town to include everything that is advertised.
6. Trams. I hate trams. There does not need to be yet another obstacle to crossing the road. Also, if you stop accepting cash payment, take the on board ticket machines out of service and don't provide anywhere to buy tickets at the stops, i'm gonna ride for free.
b) open after the main bus of the day gets to town
2. While keeping roads free of snow when it falls for a large chunk of the year is impressive, how about doing the same for pavements? A choice between walking on ice and getting run over is not a good one.
3. Tourism may increase if attractions are open for more than 4 or 5 hours a day. Oh, and please stop closing everything on Monday.
4. Town planning. Planning implies some kind of forethought and logic. This seems to be missing. While we're on the subject, street signs are very useful, just give it a try.
5. It's useful when maps given to tourists actually cover a big enough area of the town to include everything that is advertised.
6. Trams. I hate trams. There does not need to be yet another obstacle to crossing the road. Also, if you stop accepting cash payment, take the on board ticket machines out of service and don't provide anywhere to buy tickets at the stops, i'm gonna ride for free.
The Crash
Once the sun has faded, a previously dark, anonymous building lights up. Ceiling bright with the glare of crushed beer cans. Beer mats inscribed with drunken ramblings and wisdom are jammed between cans, failed attempts and those deemed unworthy litter the floor. The music is loud. It is hard. It is rock. It is roll. More bodies than seem possible fill the small, alcohol infused floor. Beers in hand, chatting, laughing, shouting, screaming, singing. Living. The party will go on until the sun rises and slowly the room empties as bodies stagger and sway their way to work. It's over. At least until the sun goes down again. The punks, the rockers, the goths. The misfits, the loners, the down and out. This is their place, their sanctuary, their home. This is The Crash.
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