Month: November 2016

The Trumpocalypse

A post about the outcome of the US Presidential Election.

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to what I promise will be my only post about the result of the US Presidential Election.

‘ELECTABILITY’

Right up until the result was confirmed many reckoned that Hillary was guaranteed to win – indeed late last night Jerry over at WEIT was still confident enough to follow his schedule of posts and put up one bearing the title “Hillary Wins!”. Many of those who were so confident of a Hillary win were not especially enamoured of her as a candidate, but reckoned that alternative was so gruesome as to be ‘unelectable’. At approximately 8AM GMT this morning that notion of ‘unelectability’ was consigned to oblivion when it was confirmed that he had been elected.

LINKS AND INFOGRAPHICS

I will start this section with a link to this very detailed break down of voting patterns (I draw particular attention to the breakdown of voting patterns by income – this makes it clear that the poorest people voted for Hillary – the only brackets in which she was ahead were those with incomes of under $30,000 per annum and those in $30-50,000 bracket).

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Some detail on voter breakdown
lcpem
A good visual representation of who voted which way, found on twitter.
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Another twitter find.
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This map was produced by http://www.independent.co.uk, and accompanied this article.

Next come some links to longer pieces from various people:

I end this section with this sage advice tendered by Catherine Mayer on twitter, which segues into the next and final section of the post:

tweet

DOING SOME RIGHT THINGS

I will start this section by referring you to the 50:50 Parliament petition on change.org, which I made a point of sharing again today, given some of the things that the new POTUS has had to say about women.

Also in circulation is this petition regarding the education of disabled children.

Next comes this petition against the third runway at Heathrow.

The last petition I am going to link to calls for better protection for victims of domestic violence.

To finish, some good news from the Let Bristol Breathe campaign:

Congratulations!

Following the Let Bristol Breathe campaign and the petition you and over 4000 people signed, Bristol City Council has voted unanimously to support a motion calling for urgent steps towards establishing a Clean Air Zone in Bristol.

Two of Bristol’s MPs and the Mayor have also asked to discuss a Clean Air Zone for Bristol with government ministers.

These are just the first steps, but they are in the right direction.

We’ll stay watching to make sure they stick to their promises. If we need your help again with this campaign, we’ll be in touch.

Meanwhile, give yourself a pat on the back or raise a glass to clean and healthy air!

Thanks again,

Jane, Deb, Steve, Sandy and Clare

SPLC Responds to my Complaint re ‘Field Guide to Anti-Muslim Extremists’

Heather Hastie takes on the SPLC and lands a series of knockout blows…

On 25 October the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) released a ‘Field Guide to Anti-Muslim Extremists’. The guide includes a list of fifteen people, two of whom have caused a great dea…

Source: SPLC Responds to my Complaint re ‘Field Guide to Anti-Muslim Extremists’

Saturday Shares

Sharing the best stuff I have found on the internet lately, and some of my own pictures.

INTRODUCTION

No – I’m not getting into financial writing! This title refers to the fact that this post is largely devoted to sharing interesting stuff I have found recently, with some pictures, mainly from work.

I STAND WITH HARRY – UPDATE

The latest stage of this campaign to get Brentwood County Hugh School to confront and deal with their bullying problem, a campaign being run by veteran anti-bullying campaigner and autism advocate Kevin Healey, is calling for people to post pictures of themselves holding an “I Stand With Harry” poster. For the record this is the one I posted:

dscn7123

MAKE VOTES MATTER

The “Make Votes Matter” campaign have launched a thunderclap as the latest stage of their efforts to get the antiquated and defective FPTP system under which British general elections are fought.

SEA WORLD PETITION

Another long standing campaign entering a new phase. The new development is a map to which you can add your presence:

A NEW INTERACTIVE MAP

I have already posted a couple of links about this on my London transport themed website, but this is so good that I am posting about it here as well:

  • The Time Out piece that set me wise to this
  • The two links posted on my website (here and here)
  • To check out the tool (I caught it out once – when although it correctly had me change at Stockwell to the Victoria line for a journey between Tooting Bec and Great Portland Street it then had me change at King;’s Cross to the Circle/ Hammersmith and City/ Metropolitan, instead of alighting at Warren Street, strolling round the corner to Euston Square and travelling one stop west – a net gain of three stops with little time difference in the interchanges) click the screenshot below:
    tubermap

OTHER LINKS

These are individual links that defy any sort of grouping:

PICTURES

As already stated, most of my pictures are from work on Thursday and yesterday.

1
Lot 1 in James and Sons auction that will take place on November 30th.

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154
Lot 154
293
Lot 293

3030-a30-b3737-a37-b3838-a38-b4040-a40-b4545-b6767-a67-b67-c7272-a72-b112112-a

596
Lot 596
phylogenetic-tree-pin
Finishing appropriately given the nature of the post with an image of a pin badge that I spotted on twitter. The design is a phylogenetic tree btw.

Petition To Brentwood County High School

A link to a petition concerning bullying/ disability hate crime at Brentwood County High School.

I have featured this petition here before. The latest is that there are 4,500 signatures, but Harry remains off school as he will not go back until the bullies have been expelled. The headteacher is currently refusing to meet Harry’s family, and they have reported the attacks Harry has suffered as disability hate crime. If you have not already done so please sign and share the petition by clicking on the screenshot below:

petition

 

 

Midweek Mishmash

Pictures from the last few days, an important video and petition link.

INTRODUCTION

I have a variety of pictures and links to share with you.

IMAGES FOR THE NOVEMBER AUCTION

These images are from yesterday.

419
I took two lpictures of this fort, lot 419, onje with the drabridge down and one with it up. It also disassembles readuly, with a drawer in the base for putting the bits in when it is not in use.

419-a464467468480480-a484487488516543547550591591-a

598
Lot 598 – a selection of interesting beer mats – I made a display of the best ones, keeping the box with the rest inside it in shot.

598-a598-b

NEW SEAT DESIGN CELEBRATES PIONEER AUTOBIOGRAPHER MARGERY KEMPE

Margery Kempe was born and raised in King’s Lynn (one of her former abodes was on the site now occupied by 117 High Street. For more about her check out this link. The seat design is for the Saturday Market Place, which happens to be pretty much on the doorstep of the formed abode of hers mentioned above. Here is a picture:

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TIMES CARTOONIST NAILS IT

The picture below is The Times cartoonist’s take on our current Prime Minister:

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A PHOTOGRAPHIC WALK

These are a staple of this blog, and I offer you these pictures from Monday:

CAMPAIGN FOR CLEANER AIR IN BRISTOL

Bristolians are campaigning over pollution levels in their city, and deserve wider support. Below is a video, followed by a link to a 38 Degrees petition:

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Sign the petition