aspiblog

Cameron government refuses Howard League permission to visit private prisons

Tom Pride exposes a particularly nasty example of the Cameron government being unable to face reality…

(not satire – it’s the UK today!)

Well, this is as shocking as it looks.

The Howard League for Penal Reform has famously been campaigning for the improvement of criminal justice policy in the UK for over 140 years.

But now the Cameron/Clegg government has effectively banned the charity from visiting privatised prisons Birmingham and Oakwood, which are now run by G4S:

The author of the shocking letter – Ian Blakeman – was appointed head of the National Offender Management Service by the Cameron/Clegg government because of his enthusiastic support for the coalition’s policy of privatising prisons.

And Blakeman makes it clear in his letter to Francis Crook – the CEO of the Howard League – that it is her criticisms of privatised prisons which is the reason for the ban.

To be clear, it was G4S itself which invited the Howard League to visit their prisons, and they have made it clear they are still willing to allow the…

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Cricket World Cup, Six Nations Rugby and Other Stuff

Some excellent links at the top os the post. Then some comment on the cricket world cup, then some cool pics, then the Six Nations and finally some more pics.

As with my last post I am going to start with a links section before moving to the main meat of the post…

LINKS

http://blog.autism-mom.com/2015/03/what-we-told-the-school-district/ An inspiring account of a meeting between parents of autistic kids and education authorities.

http://autisticeyes.com/?p=1012 A post about aspies and difficulties with handwriting.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/20/muslim-woman-veil-hijab A sensible article about the veil.

http://www.cosmosup.com/meet-james-webb-space-telescope/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Cosmosup+%28CosmosUp%29

http://www.cosmosup.com/over-million-young-stars-are-forming-in-a-mysterious-dusty-gas-cloud-in-nearby-galaxy/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Cosmosup+%28CosmosUp%29

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/school-children-banned-from-watching-the-solar-eclipse-for-cultural-and-religious-reasons-10122964.html An outrageous story of a headteacher who banned children from watching the eclipse for “cultural and religious reasons” Ivor Johnstone, the headteacher concerned failed miserably to justify this decision. He compounded the failure by saying that cloudy weather probably meangt they had not missed anything anywway – wrong, as the desktop background on my work computer testifies.

http://voxpoliticalonline.com/2015/03/21/tory-education-secretary-is-right-she-should-be-held-responsible-for-the-mess-in-our-schools/ A rattling good article about Nicky Morgan

http://voxpoliticalonline.com/2015/03/21/broxtowe-do-you-really-want-anna-soubry-as-your-mp/ Anna Soubry gets the Mike Sivier treatment.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/tory-minister-esther-mcvey-accused-5375040 More trouble for McVile.

https://dankeeling1.wordpress.com/2015/03/20/political-centre/ This is the post that signposted the survey below.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31973051 No surprise where I came out!

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/21/grant-shapps-dean-archer-legal-action-michael-green?CMP=share_btn_tw – Bad news for the downright dishonourable Mr Shapps/ Green/ Fox is good news for us ordinary folk!

http://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/anger-after-reeves-tells-benefit-claimants-labour-is-not-for-you/ – Is Rachel Reeves the Kim Philby of this election campaign? Stories such a this suggest that it is a possibility.

http://politicalscrapbook.net/2015/03/was-grant-shapps-trading-as-a-corporation-which-didnt-actually-exist/ – More bad news for the Tory chairman!

CRICKET

The last of the quarter-finals of the cricket world cup ended earlier today UK time. New Zealand obliterated the West Indies in a match dominated by Martin Guptill’s amazing 237 not out (the last 137 off 51 balls if I remember rightly). The semi-final line up is thus India v Australia (head and heart both say India to win that one) and New Zealand vs South Africa, neither of whom have ever got further than the semis (impossible to predict, heart says NZ). South Africa’s potential bete noire is their lack of an all-rounder, which means either playing only four front-line bowlers as they have so far, or dropping a batsman to make way for a fifth bowler. For more details about the Guptill knock, and the records he rewrote in the process check out www.cricinfo.com. Before moving on to the rugby section, some pics…

This is the edited but not cropped version that now serves as the desktop background on my work computer!

The Fakenham cinema viewed from top deck of an X8

SIX NATIONS

Today has been an amazing day in the Six Nations. First of all Wales thrashed Italy to become favourites for the trophy. Then Ireland won by a sufficient margin at Murrayfield to move into pole position to retain their title. England who had the toughest assignment of the three contenders need to beat France by 26 or more to take the title on points difference. At the moment it is not looking good for England. France have just scored and converted a try to move within five points of England – looking more and more like the trophy is staying in the emerald isle. England nine points to the good (34-25) – another 17 needed to take the trophy. Another try for England – moves them within 12 with possibly two more to come. Conversion successful – England need 10 unanswered points for the trophy. James Haskell in the sin bin – not looking good for England. France have just scored the try that surely ends England’s hopes of the trophy – England 41 France 30 with a French conversion to come. Conversion missed – England need 15 unanswered points. Another try – England 46 France 30. A successful conversion for England and it is 48-30 – eight more points for England and they win. France have just scored again – England now need 13 points – conversion to come. The equation is now that England need to find 13 more points and they have 13 minutes in which to do it. Jack Nowell has scored another try – reducing the ask to eight points. Conversion by George Ford – England 55 France 35 – a converted try will win them the Six Nations. The whistle has gone and an amazing final day at the Six Nations is over – Ireland retain the title and England are runners-up for the fourth time in succession. Wales in spite of scoring 61 points in Rome earlier today finish third. I will now finish this post with a few more pics…

A Mixed Bag

This post is going to be in three parts. First of all some links to other blog posts and online bits that have particularly impressed me today, then a bit about today at work and finally some other bits.

LINKS

These links are to the pick of the things I have encountered online today…

http://sudburyspy.com/news/item/236-living-the-life-of-riley-councillor-maintains-refusal-to-stand-down

https://www.change.org/p/suffolk-county-councillor-brian-riley-let-the-people-of-hadleigh-decide-whether-they-want-an-elected-representative-who-lives-3900-miles-away-resign-and-let-us-have-a-by-election These first two both deal with the same story, but as someone who went through the Incinerator battle in King’s Lynn and who therefore has very low tolerance for arrogant and out of touch Tory councillors I felt it worth giving both links!

http://voxpoliticalonline.com/2015/03/19/do-you-know-the-horrifying-facts-about-your-own-mp/ This and the next but one link are related – the latter is a specific example of following up the former.

http://deeclarknz.com/2015/03/14/walls-do-not-have-to-separate-us/ A very moving blog post.

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10726/henry_bellingham/north_west_norfolk

http://paper.li/Dis_PPL_Protest/1411246780

http://www.standupforemily.com/

http://www.standupforemily.com/about-emily/

http://www.blog.rippedoffbritons.com/2013/01/liebrary-are-unemployed-skivers-and-b.html?utm_content=bufferc78b9&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer#.VQvQNI6sXX8

http://leftfootforward.org/2015/03/the-ifs-confirms-it-the-worst-tory-cuts-really-are-still-to-come/

http://blog.autism-mom.com/2015/03/the-secret-life-of-the-bully-1000speak/ One of the bets pieces of writing about bullying I have thus far encountered.

https://beastrabban.wordpress.com/2015/03/19/ukip-candidate-for-westmoreland-resigns-citing-racism-bullying-and-sectarianism/ This is today’s regulation UKIP disaster story!

TODAY AT WORK

Although much of today was taken up with heavy lifting I did get to create a couple of pieces of PR material which I hope to be able to use on Tuesday, the second of which involved some imaging (I used an already created image in the first – it must be pretty good since it already has a confirmed bid of £500 on it)

The first piece was a press release about James and Sons being at an antiques and collectables fair at Newmarket Racecourse…

Map

Newmarket Satellite The second piece was rather more intriguing. It centred on a couple of African cultural artifacts, a Kuba mask and a witchdoctor’s stick. The latter has some serious history – it was once the personal property of no less an individual than Sir Henry Rider Haggard (of King Solomon’s Mines fame). A full gallery follows…

The full poster (as I intend it) - top and bottom the whole stick, around the sides details from various parts of the stick and in the centre the mask. — The full poster (as I intend it) – top and bottom the whole stick, around the sides details from various parts of the stick and in the centre the mask.

I have a few non-work related pics to share as well, including an opportunistic pair of eclipse shots. It was vey overcast in Norfolk today, but between getting off the bus at Oak Street and arriving at James and Sons I did get one half decent shot which I turned into two pictures…

The original holder that these Liebig cards came in split, so I mounted them on card instead (it being the pics I am interested in)

A Tale of Two Rivers

It was the best of days, it was the worst of days: as so often the King’s Lynn weather could not quite decide what it was up to.

The two rivers of my title are the Great Ouse and the Nar, both of which I walked along some of yesterday. Rumours the spring is upon us may not be so far wide of the mark – I saw a privately owned boat at the Jetty on the Great Ouse in King’s Lynn…

A brief diversion to check in on my Aunt’s place in her absence, revealed that even the most familiar of surroundings can spring surprises – this cannon ball in the entrance way to Hampton Court that I had not previously noted…

“Cormorant Platform” revealed no cormorants, but some other sea birds…

I continued along the riverbank further than usual, passing the new road bridge (before this was built the river could be crossed either by ferry or by taking a 12 mile detour via Wiggenhall St Germans, and paying a punitive toll to the Barons of Rising – the ruling class were even more open about fleecing us in those days!) finding more stuff to photograph…

I spotted a position from which I could take “townscape” photos of King’s Lynn looking back down the river and bagged a couple…

Townscape 1 - can you ID all the landmarks in there? — Townscape 1 – can you ID all the landmarks in there?

Townscape 2 - with the zoom increased. — Townscape 2 – with the zoom increased.

I walked on past Palm Paper (first photograph of next series) and then just before leaving the Great Ouse (and far further inland than I would expect) I finally spotted a pair of cormorants…

The small section of walking between leaving the Great Ouse and joining the Nar produced only a few photos…

An unusual sight - a British roundabout and no traffic! — An unusual sight – a British roundabout and no traffic!

The South Lynn logo.

The Nar Valley way runs almost interrupted (save for the bit where it intersects with the Nar Valley Park development) from King’s Lynn to Dereham, so once I had hit the Nar I could follow it to the South Gate, and which point I diverged to head home through the parkland…

A distant view of the Nar Valley Park development.

A tributary of a tributary (the Nar ultimately flows into the Ouse at what I call Cormorant Platform)

A moorhen in the urban section of the Nar

Almost the last pic, and the only one of the day of Britain's soon to be national bird! — Almost the last pic, and the only one of the day of Britain’s soon to be national bird!

I had a go as a kind of tribute to this blog’s latest follower, Charlotte Hoather, at creating a ‘playlist’ to fit my themes:

The Birds by Ottorino Respighi, The Lark Ascending by Ralph Vaughan Williams,The First Cuckoo in Spring by Frederick Delius,The Banks of Green Willow by George Butterworth, Symphony no 6, The Pastoral by Ludwig Van Beethoven. As well as these there were naturally a couple of famous ‘river’ pieces the sprang instantly to mind, Vltava (Bedrich Smetana) and the Blue Danube (Johann Strauss II) – The Great Ouse when the sun is shining is bluer than the Danube ever is (and I have seen both).

Proof it’s NOT benefit fraudsters being targeted by Cameron, but the genuinely sick and even dying

A devastating indictment of the way people in benefits are treated today, courtesy of Tom Pride (each link takes you to a horror story)…

Pride's Purge

(not satire – it’s the UK today!)

DWP tells grieving mum her sick son must attend work interview – on the day of his funeral

The Department for Work and Pensions sent a letter to the mother of a dying man telling him he had to attend a work interview while he was in intensive care.

And although the man’s mother told the Job Centre about her son’s serious condition – they ignored her and sent another letter which arrived on the day of her son’s funeral:

Grieving Burntwood mum hits out over job centre’s letter

But this is NOT an isolated case or a simple mistake.

Here is yet more proof that it is NOT so-called benefits fraudsters who are being targeted by the Cameron/Clegg government – but the genuinely sick, disabled and even dying:

Shameful Britain: terminal cancer patient told to attend work interviews or lose benefits

Thousands of Cancer Patients Wait For Six Months…

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2nd Anniversary

This post by Charlotte Hoather relates to one of my lifelong loves, classical music…

Charlotte Hoather

It has been two years since I first decided to start my blog and record the experiences and opportunities that I would face as a student here at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. So here I am 230 posts later and to everyone that has joined me here, supported my endeavours, shared in my experiences and provided invaluable advice I just want to say thank you.

I just love this time of year as all the rehearsals are coming to fruition and the performance dates are just around the corner.
On the 17th April at 7:30 pm I will be taking part with my fellow students at the RCS in our chamber choir, conducted again this year by Frikki Walker at St Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow.

The following day I am very excited that my family and friends will be traveling to Glasgow to see me take part in the Scottish…

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Tory Minister for Disabled Esther McVey set to lose her seat at election

A great possibility (in both senses) – a “McVile” Moment might match the Portillo Moment of 1997!

Pride's Purge

(not satire – it’s the Tories!)

Controversial hardline Tory Minister for the Disabled Esther McVey is set to lose her seat at the General Election.

In McVey’s Wirral West constituency, Labour are on 42% in the latest polls with the Conservatives on 37%:

Labour ahead in Wirral West

It is McVey’s policies which have been responsible for forcing the disabled – as well as seriously sick people such as cancer patients – into extreme poverty and hunger:

UK today: 40% of cancer patients can’t afford to heat their home properly

A new low for the UK: disabled man starves to death

Dying of cancer? Work or starve: the end of the welfare state

Iain Duncan Smith’s portrait made from photos of people who died for being poor

Cameron’s Britain: 7-year old cancer patients on foodbank handouts

Bedroom tax exemptions? Not for injured soldiers, disabled children or adults with carers

I’m normally more of a beer or whisky man, but…

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A West Norfolk Walk and Britain’s National Bird

For those interested in birds, a vote is being taken to decide which will be Britain’s national bird. There is a shortlist of ten, from which I have voted for the Blackbird. For more details and/or to vote visit www.votenationalbird.com. Below is how I introduced this to my twitter followers…

Britiains National Bird

Yesterday afternoon I felt like varying things a bit, so I decided I would follow Bawsey Drain as far as possible, and did so until it hit the Gaywood River, at which point I followed that waterway until I reached Wootton Road, whence I headed back into town, via the Gaywood Clock. I finished up by walking through the parkland to Seven Sisters, past the South Gate and down to the Great Ouse via Hardings Pits, following the river as close as is permitted until reaching Devil’s Alley, which I diverged down as it was necessary to check in on my Aunt’s house and make sure all was OK. Having finished there I returned home by going down St Margaret’s Lane to the river and heading along the bank to the Lower Purfleet, which I followed into the heart of the town before crossing the bridge into Baker Lane car park and arriving back at my flat almosgt exactly three hours after departure.

My candidate for Britain’s national bird was much in evidence, as these pictures show…

There were many other birds in evidence as well, some of which I did justice to…

Of course, I also spotted some interesting architectural features…

For my penultimate set of pictures I am going to focus on the Great Ouse…

To end this post, although it came in the middle of the walk I will feature Gaywood’s principal landmark, a clock that is also a war memorial…

#UnfairWCA – An update on the tribunal ruling

An excellent piece from “notes from the north”…

Foot-in-mouth Tory Chairman Grant Shapps says recession is like “an amusement ride”

Tom Pride gives Mr Shapps/ Green/ Fox (Sebastian Fox is yet a third identity that this man has used!) some thoroughly well merited hammer.

Pride's Purge

(not satire – it’s the Tories!)

Tory Party chairman Grant Shapps thinks the recession we’ve been experiencing for the last 7 years is like ‘an amusement ride’.

He also suggests struggling families can survive the recession by investing in real estate, futures or bonds, eating ice cream and taking regular skiing holidays!

Obviously when people are actually struggling to feed their families, he wouldn’t dare say such an outrageous thing under his own name for fear it would affect his party’s electoral prospects.

So he didn’t.

He said it under his pseudonym, Michael Green, instead.

Michael Green refers to himself as ‘a successful online marketer’, ‘marketing guru’ and states ‘his wealth is such that he actually flies his very own personal plane and also lives in a fabulous mansion’.

But Grant Shapps, the Tory Party co-chairman, has admitted Michael Green is the pseudonym he uses to separate his business activities (which

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	Thomas on World T20 Cup Underway
	Anna on World T20 Cup Underway
	London Underground t… on Project Piccadilly
	Thomas on All Time XIs – Detective…
	Anna on All Time XIs – Detective…