On the Today programme this morning Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson tried to compare being outside the EU with being part of different London Boroughs.
Firstly it was clear from his choice of boroughs Camden, Islington and Westminster that Boris has never lived south of the river and had to awkwardness of trying to get a black cab home. When drivers refuse to carry passengers "Sarf of the River". Although I did love the loophole I found of asking a driver to take me to Hampton Wick (North of the River) I could guarantee that the driver would come over Putney Bridge (to go south of the River) and head towards Kingston Bridge but I would ask to get out in Kingston near a taxi rank to make it home.
Of course the connection Boris was making was about a frictionless congestion charge zone in a built up area to a border through often rural areas. Of course on that rural boundary it will not just be the vehicles crossing it that will need to be looked at but also what they are carrying. Boris after all is one of those advocating that when we leave the EU we also leave the customs union. So he is looking at a rural border where arms have been smuggled in the past as being controllable in the same way that London can read the number plates of every cars that has to go along a defined road in an urban environment.
Maybe Boris is looking at his other great enthusiasm the Olympics and will have a fleet of drones like at the PyeongChang opening ceremony patrolling the border to record every vehicle, person, cow and sheep that crosses the border between the roads.
Also while I joke about the Thames being a border in London in Belfast or Londonderry/Derry there are borders between communities. Belfast has its Peace Walls and the River Foyle is largely a divide with the West bank being predominantly Roman Catholic and nationalist and the East bank being largely Protestant and unionist. So Boris before you dare to compare London to the Irish situation look at a bit more history and present day rather just wiff waff on.
In conclusion to even attempt to compare the London Congestion Charge to Brexit is belittling the issues that the UK as a whole faces, but to seem to wipe out the Border issue in this way even more so. The fact that these comments came from the Foreign Secretary gives me no confidence that Britain's future post Brexit is in safe hands.
Showing posts with label London. Show all posts
Showing posts with label London. Show all posts
Tuesday, 27 February 2018
Sunday, 7 June 2015
LGBT* in Ukip and Pride
There is a lot of hot debate going on at the moment about the decision of Pride London to reject LGBT* in UKIP application to march as a group this month in the parade. The Board of Pride London are citing "secuirty issues" as the reason for this rejection, something Peter Tatchell calls a "cop-out" which seems somewhat ironic as the same man had called for UKIP's exclusion mere days earlier.
Tatchell himself is appearing confused in his stance to LGBT* in Ukip's participation and I suspect that London Prides talk of direct action against the parade if they allowed the Ukip group to take part have led to similar confusion within LGBTory, LGBT Labour, LGBT+ Lib Dems and LGBTIQ Greens from taking an official position are they are not aware of the facts that Pride are stating are the security issues. With rumours of BME or immigrant groups threatening the action it is uncertain where the facts lie.
Therefore this is my personal opinion and not in any other capacity.
I think LGBT* within UKIP should be allowed to march in the London Pride Parade.
As for security fears when Pride first started out there were always security fears. In Eastern Europe and Africa there still are when a Pride march takes place. So in that that essence Peter Tatchell is right, it is a cop-out.
However, unlike Tatchell and others I do not think we should tar the LGBT+ representative group within any political party or organisation with the expressed view of the majority within that organisation. After all we have faith groups that are working hard within their groups who oppose same-sex marriage, actively campaign against it and all LGBT+ equality measures. These were all reason that Tatchell noted in his reasons to ban LGBT* within UKIP from marching.
I'm not sure when the predecessors of LGBTory, TORCHE (Tory Campaign for Homosexual Equality) or CGHE (Conservative Group for Homosexual Equality) first marched in London Pride but I suspect that it was probably during the time that the party policy was in favour of Section 28 and opposed to civil unions for LGBT people and other LGBT equality measures that are now in place. There were probably also concerns of how others within LGBT+ circles would react to the Conservatives marching in their midst at that time.
I would be ashamed if the security measures were a smokescreen from the Board of London Pride to give in the bullying tactics of some within the LGBT community to petition against the inclusion of LGBT* within UKIP from participating, and that includes high profile opponents to their participation like Tatchell. I would also be ashamed if any LGBT group threatens the safety of Pride because other LGBT people and supportive friends are participating because they disagree with the certain aspects of the politics of the group then shame on them.
I would love there to be an LGBT unionist presence at a Belfast Pride soon. Currently all three of the unionist parties in Northern Ireland with MLAs DUP, UUP and TUV have fair from exemplary LGBT voting records but there are unionist party members and supporters who are LGBT are lobbying those MLAs to change just as LGBT* within UKIP are doing to those politicians and candidates in their own party who are far from LGBT supportive and even overtly anti-LGBT. The LGBT and Pride community should be supporting such groups seeking change not excluding them from our parade.
Tatchell himself is appearing confused in his stance to LGBT* in Ukip's participation and I suspect that London Prides talk of direct action against the parade if they allowed the Ukip group to take part have led to similar confusion within LGBTory, LGBT Labour, LGBT+ Lib Dems and LGBTIQ Greens from taking an official position are they are not aware of the facts that Pride are stating are the security issues. With rumours of BME or immigrant groups threatening the action it is uncertain where the facts lie.
Therefore this is my personal opinion and not in any other capacity.
I think LGBT* within UKIP should be allowed to march in the London Pride Parade.
As for security fears when Pride first started out there were always security fears. In Eastern Europe and Africa there still are when a Pride march takes place. So in that that essence Peter Tatchell is right, it is a cop-out.
However, unlike Tatchell and others I do not think we should tar the LGBT+ representative group within any political party or organisation with the expressed view of the majority within that organisation. After all we have faith groups that are working hard within their groups who oppose same-sex marriage, actively campaign against it and all LGBT+ equality measures. These were all reason that Tatchell noted in his reasons to ban LGBT* within UKIP from marching.
I'm not sure when the predecessors of LGBTory, TORCHE (Tory Campaign for Homosexual Equality) or CGHE (Conservative Group for Homosexual Equality) first marched in London Pride but I suspect that it was probably during the time that the party policy was in favour of Section 28 and opposed to civil unions for LGBT people and other LGBT equality measures that are now in place. There were probably also concerns of how others within LGBT+ circles would react to the Conservatives marching in their midst at that time.
I would be ashamed if the security measures were a smokescreen from the Board of London Pride to give in the bullying tactics of some within the LGBT community to petition against the inclusion of LGBT* within UKIP from participating, and that includes high profile opponents to their participation like Tatchell. I would also be ashamed if any LGBT group threatens the safety of Pride because other LGBT people and supportive friends are participating because they disagree with the certain aspects of the politics of the group then shame on them.
I would love there to be an LGBT unionist presence at a Belfast Pride soon. Currently all three of the unionist parties in Northern Ireland with MLAs DUP, UUP and TUV have fair from exemplary LGBT voting records but there are unionist party members and supporters who are LGBT are lobbying those MLAs to change just as LGBT* within UKIP are doing to those politicians and candidates in their own party who are far from LGBT supportive and even overtly anti-LGBT. The LGBT and Pride community should be supporting such groups seeking change not excluding them from our parade.
Wednesday, 1 August 2012
Cyclist killed by Olympic bus #London2012
News just coming in that a 30-year-old cyclist was killed in Newham near the velodrome, hockey stadia and paralympic tennis arena on the edge of the Olympic Park. He was run over by a media bus and vehicles are currently not leaving the Media transport Mall's multi-storey car park.
It is not clear yet whether the cyclist was attending events, a volunteer, a passing member of the public or even an athlete. But sadly any death is such a circumstance is unfortunate.
No doubt more details will become clear once the next of kin have been informed.
My thoughts are with his family at this time. As someone who was knocked off their bike four time while I studied and worked in London I know just how inconsiderate some London drivers are, and how some of them even ignore clear traffic markings.
Update the International Olympic Committee have confirmed that the victim is not an athlete taking part in the Games.
Update 2 After initial reports that nobody had been arrested in conjunction with the death, a mid-60s man has now been arrested and take to an East London police station suspected of causing death by dangerous driving.
Update 3 The cyclist has been named as 28-year-old Daniel Harris who was a web specialist from Ilford who had recently started using his bike to commute to work. He death has led to Bradley Wiggins calling on cycle helmets to be made compulsory, and headphones and use of handheld phones to be illegal while riding.
It is not clear yet whether the cyclist was attending events, a volunteer, a passing member of the public or even an athlete. But sadly any death is such a circumstance is unfortunate.
No doubt more details will become clear once the next of kin have been informed.
My thoughts are with his family at this time. As someone who was knocked off their bike four time while I studied and worked in London I know just how inconsiderate some London drivers are, and how some of them even ignore clear traffic markings.
Update the International Olympic Committee have confirmed that the victim is not an athlete taking part in the Games.
Update 2 After initial reports that nobody had been arrested in conjunction with the death, a mid-60s man has now been arrested and take to an East London police station suspected of causing death by dangerous driving.
Update 3 The cyclist has been named as 28-year-old Daniel Harris who was a web specialist from Ilford who had recently started using his bike to commute to work. He death has led to Bradley Wiggins calling on cycle helmets to be made compulsory, and headphones and use of handheld phones to be illegal while riding.
Saturday, 11 February 2012
Boris Johnson hands St. Patrick's Day to Sinn Féin
Dear Boris,
I spent 7 St. Patrick's days in London.
On the first while in the Student Union I helped to set up Kingston University's Irish Society, which is still going strong 23 years later. On every single once of them apart from that one I was doing something Irish, sometimes in one of the centres of Irish population, but not necessarily. But always in London.
I was a member of London Irish and when I returned there after 1992 hoped to be able to represent them in Athletics though I never competed again. I also took part in Gaelic Football when I was there as a local team in Kingston was looking for players, so I merely transposed by football and rugby skills to a different sport for a couple of years.
Therefore to condemn all the London Irish who attend a gala dinner on St. Patricks day as part of Sinn Féin and the event as being "lefty crap", and the people being "lazy and stupid" is offensive and racist. You wouldn't call all the London Scots who attended a Burns Supper last month as being members of the SNP, nor call them tight and drunkards. But then knowing your record of stupid sayings offending cities, peoples and nations maybe you would.
Yours a proud Liberal Democrat, former London Irish man, whose eyes are more on Rome than Paris this afternoon and that for the rugby and not the Pontiff.
I spent 7 St. Patrick's days in London.
On the first while in the Student Union I helped to set up Kingston University's Irish Society, which is still going strong 23 years later. On every single once of them apart from that one I was doing something Irish, sometimes in one of the centres of Irish population, but not necessarily. But always in London.
I was a member of London Irish and when I returned there after 1992 hoped to be able to represent them in Athletics though I never competed again. I also took part in Gaelic Football when I was there as a local team in Kingston was looking for players, so I merely transposed by football and rugby skills to a different sport for a couple of years.
Therefore to condemn all the London Irish who attend a gala dinner on St. Patricks day as part of Sinn Féin and the event as being "lefty crap", and the people being "lazy and stupid" is offensive and racist. You wouldn't call all the London Scots who attended a Burns Supper last month as being members of the SNP, nor call them tight and drunkards. But then knowing your record of stupid sayings offending cities, peoples and nations maybe you would.
Yours a proud Liberal Democrat, former London Irish man, whose eyes are more on Rome than Paris this afternoon and that for the rugby and not the Pontiff.
Thursday, 9 February 2012
Is Thatchell speaking with forked tongue regarding Ken?
The Peter Tatchell foundation have issued the following statement on Facebook regarding Ken Livingstone's 'riddled' comment about LGBT Tories. Embolding is mine for the purposes laid out below.
However, when Livingstone was Mayor in 2005 he invited outspoken Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi to London. Thatchell himself called him out as being a hypocrite at the time.
Ken Livingstone is not homophobic. His use of the word 'riddled' has to be judged in context. It was clearly not used with any homophobic intent. All parties have lots of gay, bisexual MPs, as Ken noted. He is right to state that there were many gay MPs in the Tory party, from the backbenches to the cabinet. After Labour’s victory in 1997 many gay Labour MPs came out, while gay Tories remained in the closet, continued to vote against gay equality. Ken is correct to suggest that in the 1980s and 90s the Conservative Party was avowedly anti-gay, while having many gay MPs. Lots of Tories opposed gay equality, despite their own homosexuality. They were hypocrites, homophobes. Ken is right to point this out.
In recent years, the Conservative leadership has embraced gay equality, which is commendable. However, only two weeks ago it was reported that 100 Tory MPs intend to block David Cameron’s plan to end the ban on same-sex marriage. They still oppose gay equality.
However, when Livingstone was Mayor in 2005 he invited outspoken Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi to London. Thatchell himself called him out as being a hypocrite at the time.
he Mayor justifies hosting Qaradawi on the grounds that he wants a dialogue with Muslims. But why is Ken having a dialogue with a reactionary Muslim leader? Why isn’t he meeting liberal Muslims who believe in human rights? Why does he host a homophobe like Qaradawi while ignoring pleas from the Muslim gay group, Imaan?
Ken has been a long-time ally of the lesbian and gay community. He stood up for our rights long before any other major politician. He deserves our respect and appreciation. But on the issue of Qaradawi, Ken has made a major misjudgement.
In the name of fighting Islamophobia the Mayor is colluding with homophobia. He appears to believe that Muslim rights are more important than queer rights, and that it is acceptable to ally himself with fundamentalists who despise gays and want them killed.
Livingstone would never host Catholic extremists like Opus Dei or right-wing Anglicans from the Christian Institute. Why is he rolling out the red carpet for an Islamist hate-monger like Qaradawi?
Ken seems willing to sacrifice gay rights if it is politically expedient to do so. Does he want Muslim votes? Is that why he is cosying up to Islamic fundamentalists like Qaradawi and the reactionary Muslim Association of Britain (MAB)?
Note at the end of this BBC article that is was the head of the Conservative group in the London Assembly who said "[Qaradawi] is the type of man Mr Livingstone should, like us, be condemning not cosying up to. It's utterly unacceptable."
At that point it was the So why then does the Peter Thatchell foundation now back his use of the word, when in the past he has condemned him as willing to sacrifice gay rights for political expediency. Does raising the issue of previous LGBT closeted Conservatives in the run up to an election campaign not count as political expediency.
Does using a word like riddled, which I notice has casued outrage from with LGBT members of all parties (not just the Conservatives), not warrant an apology. The above which is not condemned, but put into context by the Thatchell Foundation. How come formerly it was a major misjudgement and yet not it is something that Thatchell has to jump in to explain.
Clearly the use of the word was a misjudgement, although the Thatchell Foundation have refused to say that is it. But they are jumping in to defend one candidate, while there are another seven.
It is a political expediency that Livingstone has gone running to the best known LGBT rights campaigner to get him out of this jam following this faux pas of his own making?
At that point it was the So why then does the Peter Thatchell foundation now back his use of the word, when in the past he has condemned him as willing to sacrifice gay rights for political expediency. Does raising the issue of previous LGBT closeted Conservatives in the run up to an election campaign not count as political expediency.
Does using a word like riddled, which I notice has casued outrage from with LGBT members of all parties (not just the Conservatives), not warrant an apology. The above which is not condemned, but put into context by the Thatchell Foundation. How come formerly it was a major misjudgement and yet not it is something that Thatchell has to jump in to explain.
Clearly the use of the word was a misjudgement, although the Thatchell Foundation have refused to say that is it. But they are jumping in to defend one candidate, while there are another seven.
It is a political expediency that Livingstone has gone running to the best known LGBT rights campaigner to get him out of this jam following this faux pas of his own making?
Thursday, 10 November 2011
London Olympic organisers apology for omitting Belfast
That's HMS Belfast not the city on the banks of the Lagan.
Earlier this week the London 2012 organiser had released a advert that shows an iconic stretch of the River Thames without one of that part's icons, the one that sits on the water.
They said that the omission of the World War II and Korean War veteran was "a simple mistake in the advertising production process", Bizarrely the ship has been there for 40 years, far longer than City Hall to the fore of the image and many of the buildings around it.
But surely for the ship that has been part of the riverscape for 4 decades to not be there means that the picture had to be airbrushed with the removal of it in the first place. As the image on the Mirror's website shows there was quite a lot of airbrushing done.
The Shard obviously had to be completed. Indeed there is shockingly not a crane visible anywhere on this London skyline. But to take HMS Belfast out altogether needs more explanation that simply being a simple mistake. I'll accept that maybe the image at the river may have needed some touching up, but there is no reason why such a large part of the riverscape needed to be removed to do so.
It's bizarre that such a fundamental omission was allowed to go out, first from the ad agency to London 2012, then to have been signed off from London 2012 to go to press and indeed be put up.
A simple mistake that wasn't picked up along various lines of approval, probably from a number of London based people who know that stretch of the Thames. Draw your own conclusions.
Earlier this week the London 2012 organiser had released a advert that shows an iconic stretch of the River Thames without one of that part's icons, the one that sits on the water.
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| Picture comparison via BBC |
They said that the omission of the World War II and Korean War veteran was "a simple mistake in the advertising production process", Bizarrely the ship has been there for 40 years, far longer than City Hall to the fore of the image and many of the buildings around it.
But surely for the ship that has been part of the riverscape for 4 decades to not be there means that the picture had to be airbrushed with the removal of it in the first place. As the image on the Mirror's website shows there was quite a lot of airbrushing done.
The Shard obviously had to be completed. Indeed there is shockingly not a crane visible anywhere on this London skyline. But to take HMS Belfast out altogether needs more explanation that simply being a simple mistake. I'll accept that maybe the image at the river may have needed some touching up, but there is no reason why such a large part of the riverscape needed to be removed to do so.
It's bizarre that such a fundamental omission was allowed to go out, first from the ad agency to London 2012, then to have been signed off from London 2012 to go to press and indeed be put up.
A simple mistake that wasn't picked up along various lines of approval, probably from a number of London based people who know that stretch of the Thames. Draw your own conclusions.
Monday, 7 November 2011
We know the route but who will be the 8000th and light the cauldron
People all over the place are talking about the Olympic torch coming to somewhere near them. I reckon it will come within 100m of this house as it moves from Bangor to Newtownards on 3 June. But the news is also speculating about who will be the final person to light the torch.
Here is a list of the cauldron lighters over recent Summer Games:
2008 Beijing Li Ning winner of 6 Olympic medals in Artistic Gymnastics, China's most successful Olympian
2004 Athens Nikolaos Kaklamanakis yachtsman gold medalist in 1996
2000 Sydney Cathy Freeman at the time the silver medalist in 400m from the previous games, but won gold in that games. Only lighter of cauldron to win gold in the same games.
1996 Atlanta Mohamed Ali boxer who in 1960 won Gold as Cassius Clay in the heavyweight division
1992 Barcelona Antonio Rebello archery who famously fired a lit arrow into the cauldron and is so far the only paralympian to have lit a cauldron
1988 Seoul Chung Sun-Man, Sohn Mi-Chung, and Kim Won-Tak the first two were children while the last took part in the marathon at that games
I've gone that far back to show there aren't really any rules as to who can lit the cauldron, except that it is usually someone involved in sport, although in Lillehammer's Winter games His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Haakon lit the cauldron. While he didn't compete both his father and grandfather had.
So who might have the privilege of lighting the cauldron in the Olympic Stadium on the 27th July. Here are my four favourite contenders and a little bit of a wildcard.
Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson the paralympian first competed in Seoul in 1988 and by the time she retired in 2007 had won 16 Paralympic medals from 100 - 800 m in five games, eleven of them gold. As well as winning the London Marathon on 6 occasions. She would certainly be a popular choice with her connections to London through the marathon route that passes through the nearby Docklands.
Sir Steve Redgrave holds the accolade as Britian's greatest Olympian with six medals, including five successive golds over five games from Los Angeles in 1984. Clearly in contention as an option for the final accolade well know throughout the world of sport for his exploits.
Sir Chris Hoy the cyclist will hope to be competing in the "Pringle" as the velodrome is known next door to the main stadium, to add to his five Olympic medals, 4 of them gold, 3 last time out. He has already cycled into the Sports Personality of the Year Awards show. So a ramp up to where he needs to light the torch is highly possibly.
Sir Roger Bannister is one of the names associated with an historic moment, he was the first man to run under 4 minutes for the mile. He has also a loose association to the 1948 London Games at which he was listed a possible but decided he wasn't ready for that stage at the time. He therefore took part in the 1952 games which had an unexpected semi-final included and he ended up only coming 4th in the final. But that spurred him on to be the first man to break that 4-minute barrier.
My final choice is a wild card and someone you will probably all ask who. So:
David Bond the sailor. Unlike Bannister he actually took part in the last London Games in 1948 and actually won gold in the swallow class along with Stewart Morris. He is the only surviving British Gold Medalist from those games and the surviving British Olympic Gold Medalist from the earliest games. He will be 90 by the time the Games start. The games may be looking to have a legacy that lasts from this games, but here is a man who marks the legacy of starting the games after WWII to keep the young people of the world coming together every four years to compete in sports. If he has the role of lighting the cauldron I would not be surprised, it would be an honour
Here is a list of the cauldron lighters over recent Summer Games:
2008 Beijing Li Ning winner of 6 Olympic medals in Artistic Gymnastics, China's most successful Olympian
2004 Athens Nikolaos Kaklamanakis yachtsman gold medalist in 1996
2000 Sydney Cathy Freeman at the time the silver medalist in 400m from the previous games, but won gold in that games. Only lighter of cauldron to win gold in the same games.
1996 Atlanta Mohamed Ali boxer who in 1960 won Gold as Cassius Clay in the heavyweight division
1992 Barcelona Antonio Rebello archery who famously fired a lit arrow into the cauldron and is so far the only paralympian to have lit a cauldron
1988 Seoul Chung Sun-Man, Sohn Mi-Chung, and Kim Won-Tak the first two were children while the last took part in the marathon at that games
I've gone that far back to show there aren't really any rules as to who can lit the cauldron, except that it is usually someone involved in sport, although in Lillehammer's Winter games His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Haakon lit the cauldron. While he didn't compete both his father and grandfather had.
So who might have the privilege of lighting the cauldron in the Olympic Stadium on the 27th July. Here are my four favourite contenders and a little bit of a wildcard.
Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson the paralympian first competed in Seoul in 1988 and by the time she retired in 2007 had won 16 Paralympic medals from 100 - 800 m in five games, eleven of them gold. As well as winning the London Marathon on 6 occasions. She would certainly be a popular choice with her connections to London through the marathon route that passes through the nearby Docklands.
Sir Steve Redgrave holds the accolade as Britian's greatest Olympian with six medals, including five successive golds over five games from Los Angeles in 1984. Clearly in contention as an option for the final accolade well know throughout the world of sport for his exploits.
Sir Chris Hoy the cyclist will hope to be competing in the "Pringle" as the velodrome is known next door to the main stadium, to add to his five Olympic medals, 4 of them gold, 3 last time out. He has already cycled into the Sports Personality of the Year Awards show. So a ramp up to where he needs to light the torch is highly possibly.
Sir Roger Bannister is one of the names associated with an historic moment, he was the first man to run under 4 minutes for the mile. He has also a loose association to the 1948 London Games at which he was listed a possible but decided he wasn't ready for that stage at the time. He therefore took part in the 1952 games which had an unexpected semi-final included and he ended up only coming 4th in the final. But that spurred him on to be the first man to break that 4-minute barrier.
 |
| David Bond earlier this year |
David Bond the sailor. Unlike Bannister he actually took part in the last London Games in 1948 and actually won gold in the swallow class along with Stewart Morris. He is the only surviving British Gold Medalist from those games and the surviving British Olympic Gold Medalist from the earliest games. He will be 90 by the time the Games start. The games may be looking to have a legacy that lasts from this games, but here is a man who marks the legacy of starting the games after WWII to keep the young people of the world coming together every four years to compete in sports. If he has the role of lighting the cauldron I would not be surprised, it would be an honour
Tuesday, 9 August 2011
Worst night of deliberate fires across London since the Blitz #LondonRiots
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| Croydon! Yes, Croydon last night |
Also I watched I saw or heard of addresses where friends live or lived. I saw two separate flats where friends used to live burn down as a result of the worse fires across London since the Blitz. The London Fire Service was severely over stretched as was the Metropolitan Police. There is just no way that they could be everywhere in the numbers required to stop another outbreak or to get to another fire on time before it really caught hold. As I watched I couldn't believe it was London rather than Belfast I was watching.
What is all this looting, razing and pillaging of London business and the housing above them is that people will have been watching their jobs disappear on screens. Small shop holders that are getting looted, or having their businesses burnt to the ground may not be able to set up store again, not just soon but ever again. There was wanton vandalism on cars parked in streets all across the City. This 'pure criminality' as it was called last night, is taking the guts out of local businesses. Many of these have been struggling in the economic climate as it is and now find that their premises and stock have gone. This has very little, if anything, to do with the original protest in Tottenham after the shooting of Mark Duggan. This has now become opportunist burglary, vandalism and rioting.
There is the #LondonCleanup hashtag that is telling people where cleanup in going on. Bear in mind that some can not be done until the police and insurance companies have taken their evidence. But if I were in London today I would be seeing where I could be helpful, even if I wasn't working in retail and being sent to one of the chains other stores.
Friday, 10 September 2010
Frisbee Gains Status Better Than Wiff Waff
Boris Johnson (in)famously declared that Wiff Waff (aka Ping Pong or table tennis) was coming home to the London 2012 Olympics, while in Beijing 2 years ago.
Well as today he announced he was standing again for Mayor, in the hope of being on hand to welcome 'Ping Pong' home to the dinning tables of England [sic]. He may well have inadvertently announced a new sport. If we can get the IOC to ratify it even better. He said:
The frisbee flingers in Regents or Hyde Park or anywhere else in London now have a reason to practice. I mean what more noble cause than to lead to the election of the first headless Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Write to the IOC today and ask that Frisbee Decapitation of Boris gets full recognition, you know it makes sense.
Well as today he announced he was standing again for Mayor, in the hope of being on hand to welcome 'Ping Pong' home to the dinning tables of England [sic]. He may well have inadvertently announced a new sport. If we can get the IOC to ratify it even better. He said:
"I have more chance of being decapitated by a Frisbee [than becoming Prime Minister."
The frisbee flingers in Regents or Hyde Park or anywhere else in London now have a reason to practice. I mean what more noble cause than to lead to the election of the first headless Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Write to the IOC today and ask that Frisbee Decapitation of Boris gets full recognition, you know it makes sense.
Thursday, 4 March 2010
Old Work Location Getting an Olympic Make Ove
Plans are under way to make Piccadilly Circus more pedestrian friendly. As someone who used to work at the foot of Shaftesbury Avenue (see picture) I look forward to the changes. Mind you judging by the foot and road traffic, plus the location of the shadows I cannot speculate what day of the week at about 1 o'clock this is meant to be, far too quiet.
The idea is to ease congestion in the area ahead of the Olympics (876 days away) not only is the Marathon course nearby. But on the 6th and 7th of August the Triathlon is in Hyde Park (nice to know I've probably run part of the Olympic course as part of the Imperial College relays), along with the 10km Open Water Swim. While from the 28th July until 12 August Horse guard's Parade will be ringing out to the sounds of spikes, digs and blocks instead of Guard's bands as the Beach Volleyball takes place.
One Kilometre of railings is to be removed. The roads to to return to two way and some of those leading to St James's Park, Horse Guards Parade and Pall Mall will be opened up. Many of these had been closed at one end and only accessible for pedestrians. But the Pedestrians are not to be missed out as improvements to crossing and central islands down Piccadilly and Pall Mall are to be introduced.
All in all it makes my summer time walk down Regent Street South to the Park for lunch seem somewhat more enjoyable.
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Morning Quickie on the Threatened Tube Strikes
It's been a long time since my daily commute was hit by a Tube strike having not lived in London since the mid 90s. However, I understand that the Underground Drivers are considering striking over the 1.5% pay rise that they have been offered. They are saying it is not in keeping with those in similar jobs.
Maybe they should look over their shoulder at those they are transporting, not so much the bankers, but the shop workers, administrators, call centre workers, whoever. Ask themselves how many of them, often on lower salary than the train drivers, even managed to get as big a raise as 1.5% last year and are expecting the same again next.
Maybe they should look over their shoulder at those they are transporting, not so much the bankers, but the shop workers, administrators, call centre workers, whoever. Ask themselves how many of them, often on lower salary than the train drivers, even managed to get as big a raise as 1.5% last year and are expecting the same again next.
Wednesday, 1 April 2009
Boris Helios Johnson Sun God to the Powerful
Yes you've heard it all now. Boris Johnson claims to be the Sun God when the twit* Tweeted this.
Whether Boris aims to emulate Ra, Helios, Apollo or maybe even Louis XIV of France. Just don't let Boris try and take credit for the GB Cycling Team's recent successes as well.
Personally I hope if rains before the end of the G20 conference so Boris will have to find a head to roll.
*Derogatory not Twitter use of the word.
Friday, 27 March 2009
No Lock for Boris's Bike Then as Well
You'd have thought the floppy haired Mayor of London would have learnt from the woes of his glorious leader last summer at least just a little when implementing his bike hire scheme. You'd also think that Boris Johnson avid bike rider would also have looked at the examples of the other city schemes such as Paris's Vélib. But no Boris is forgetting one thing the lock.
He thinks not having a lock will make people return the bikes they hire quicker to one of the 300-400 docking stations that will be available dotted around zone 1. But what is one needs to purchase a bottle of water, or snatch a paper all quick little dashes into a shop, all quite normal behaviour for cyclists, only to come out to find the bike gone an have to lose the whole £150 deposit.
Transport for London say providing locks will spoil the aesthetic of London.
Jenny Jones, a Green Party member of the London Assembly, said:
The London Cycling Campaign added:
Come on Boris don't be silly. You know a lock makes sense to this scheme. Or we'll take your lock away from your bike.
He thinks not having a lock will make people return the bikes they hire quicker to one of the 300-400 docking stations that will be available dotted around zone 1. But what is one needs to purchase a bottle of water, or snatch a paper all quick little dashes into a shop, all quite normal behaviour for cyclists, only to come out to find the bike gone an have to lose the whole £150 deposit.
Transport for London say providing locks will spoil the aesthetic of London.
Jenny Jones, a Green Party member of the London Assembly, said:
"Commuters and tourists will want the flexibility that a bike brings, and not
providing locks defies common sense. Part of the joy of cycling is the ability
to stop off where you want, nip into a shop, have a quick coffee and do all
those little things along your route that are more awkward when travelling by
bus, Tube or cab. The people setting up this scheme simply do not understand
cycling."
The London Cycling Campaign added:
"The lack of a lock may discourage potential riders, so TfL will need to make
sure there are sufficient convenient docking stations."
Come on Boris don't be silly. You know a lock makes sense to this scheme. Or we'll take your lock away from your bike.
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