A great collection of images from yesterday’s protest in Parliament. Please share widely to counteract Cameron’s high-handed decision to have TV crews stopped from filming.
Tag: DPAC
Letter to all MPs about #ESACut #NoESACut #ESA #WRAG
This was posted originally be DPAC and I urge you all to read it and make contact with your MP – especially if as is the case for me your MP was one of those who voted in favour.
Source: Letter to all MPs about #ESACut #NoESACut #ESA #WRAG
Links, Pictures and a Test Match
A mixed bag – a brief account of test match, some very important links, especially regarding disability rights, and some photographs.
INTRODUCTION
The pictures and some brief comments on the Test Match that finished yesterday between England and Pakistan not withstanding, this is mainly a sharing post.
UNRESOLVED IN THE UAE
This is nominally a home series for Pakistan, being staged in the United Arab Emirates because Pakistan is still considered off-limits for security reasons. For four and a half of its allotted five days this match had all the makings of a high scoring bore draw, Shoaib Malik having scored 245 for Pakistan on pitch devoid of life and bounce, and Alastair Cook retaliating with a monumental 263 in 826 minutes for England who ended up leading by 75 on first innings. Then a combination of some horrendous misjudgments by the Pakistan batsmen and some good bowling, especially from leg spinner Adil Rashid (Yorkshire born and bred btw) left England with 99 to win, and they were within 25 of doing so when the light closed n sufficiently for the umpires to call a halt, it being at the same level it was when they had done so the previous evening. This is the second time in only just over two years that the current light rule has been horrendously shown up in a test match involving England – the other being at the Oval in 2013.
LINKS
The links I have for you today come in three sections…
DISABILITY RIGHTS
As some of you will be aware, Britain has recently achieved the unwelcome distinction of becoming the first country to be investigated by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. I have three links relating to this very important issue to share with you…
First, this wonderful piece from Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) which explains exactly why this investigation is happening.
Next comes this from disabilitynewsservice about the early stages of the investigative process.
Finally, comes the text of a question and where you can post it (as I have already done) to ensure that it gets asked at next Prime Minister’s Questions. The question we want to ensure that Mr Corbyn puts is:
The United Kingdom is currently being investigated by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities because of allegations of “grave and systematic” violations of disabled people’s human rights. Shamefully we are the First Country ever to face such an inquiry. The Inquiry itself is has been widely reported in the press and DWP have confirmed the inquiry was initiated by the campaign group Disabled People Against Cuts.
Will the Prime Minister now commit to the government publishing in full the findings of the committee when the report is sent to the government next year?
You can put the question on this link: http://www.labour.org.uk/your-PMQS
A COUPLE OF INTERNATIONAL LINKS
The bizarre situation at universities in Texas whereby one can carry a handgun concealed about one’s person with impunity but not a water pistol has provoked one very brave and principled professor to resign his position in protest. The full story has been covered by whyeveolutionistrue in this post. Here for you to view is the resignation letter itself:
My other international link comes courtesy of the wonderful Heather Hastie, whose blog I heartily recommend. This piece, under the heading “Winner of the Week” talks about the sadly endangered pangolin, taking a battering because of the vile superstition that its scales have medicinal qualities (I like to think that even if I was not allergic to woo this piece would have provoked the kind of reaction it did in me).
THE REMAINDER
Vox Political have been pursuing the DWP over claimant deaths for a very long time, and it now looks as though that department have landed themselves in a whole heap of trouble, as explained in this post.
Finally, a link to a piece in the Guardian about Jeremy Hunt (he of rhyming slang fame) and his current target, junior doctors.
PHOTOS
Today’s selection of photo’s also divides into two, starting with some of my usual pics from around King’s Lynn…
My remaining pictures come from Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin, one of the books mentioned in this post which I reblogged from whyevolutionistrue.
The World Athletics Championship – A Retrospective
A Retropsective on the World Athletics Championships, More on the Inhumane Despicable Sociopath case, some photographs and some important links.
INTRODUCTION
As well as my title piece I have some photos, links and infographics to share, including a section following up my much shared “Inhumane Despicable Sociopath” post..
BRITAIN’S BEST EVER
At the World Athletics Championships which concluded yesterday Britain won a total of four gold medals, their best ever. Mo Farah with both the 5,000 and 10,000m, Greg Rutherford (Long Jump) and Jessica Ennis-Hill (Heptathlon) all ascended the top step of the podium in Beijing, all having experienced Olympic misery there seven years previously. There were also a stack of best ever performances from less experienced British athletes, encapsulated by BBC TV in this infographic…
Shelayna Oskanp-Clarke had never previous broken two minutes for the 800m, and until Proctor did so no British female long jumper had ever gone beyond 7.00m. The performances of Asher-Smith and Hitchon were also British records. Dina Asher-Smith having already become the first British woman go sub 11 seconds for the 100m and being part of the 4*100m relay team now has three British records against her name.
INHUMANE DESPICABLE SOCIOPATH: A FOLLOW UP
Partly because of a twitter storm conceived by a well known twitter user named Gail which tied in perfectly with it my blog post about the revelations of DWP deaths, forced out after a long and hard fought campaign, was very widely shared. I have a number of superb related links to share in this section:
- thegreatcritique has this gem: “How Dare ISIL Kill British Citizens – That’s Our Job“
- johnnyvoid offers this on the DWP and faked stories.
- politicalsift have this piece challenging people to remain unbothered by the tens of thousands of deaths for which this Tory government is responsible.
- A view from someone with inside knowledge of Westminster – Michael Meacher argues that parliament should have the power to force IDS out.
- Disabled People Against Cuts have produced “The IDS Files: IDS Versus Reality“.
- From disabledgo comes this reminder of a petition that seeks to force ministers to assess the impact of cuts.
- Vox Political has this about a United Nations probe into whether IDS’s reforms involve gross violations of human rights (the answer is yes btw).
- The Mirror has the full piece on the story referred to above.
- Glynis Millward has this cracker entitled “And Still No Word From the Bald One”
Now, a few infographics about this story, starting with this great tweet:
This, formatted like a DWP case study, differs from them in being a true story:
Finally to the end this section, a screendump from a text book of the future that somehow appeared on my screen…
A PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERLUDE
LINKS
I am dividing this in to two main subsections, starting with…
AUTISM
Within this section I am starting with a case which is reaching a conclusion soon…
JUSTICE FOR KAYLEB
I have blogged about this outrageous case of an autistic grade 6 boy facing a lifeltime with a felony conviction, but since the case is now going through the courts I include these two links:
- :The original change.org petition.
- The latest update.
Also, for twitter users (I have already done so btw), here is a temporary profile pic you may wish to use in solidarity with Kayleb:
OTHER AUTISM RELATED LINKS
- First up, The Art of Autism have this piece about an Op-Ed in the Los Angeles Times that asks searching questions about Autism Speaks. In particular, attention is called to the number of autistic people involved in running Autism Speaks: ZERO.
- thecrickettimes are not an autism related publication, but this edition includes a piece by an autistic person – look under “Leisure”.
- Likewise, tweetedtimes are not actually autism related, but have recently included an article by an autistic individual.
THE REMAINING LINKS
I start with a couple of petitions:
- This from 38Degrees seeking to launch a class action lawsuit against the government.
- This petition, aimed directly at the government, seeking to protect wildlife.
I have three more links to purely text based material:
- From patienttalk comes this about helping a disabled child to have a better experience at school.
- This from Shelter about the fact that golf courses take up as much of England as does housing.
- This post from anotherangryvoice deals with the much peddled myth that national economies are like families.
My last link is to a wonderful protest song by Welsh singer Charlotte Church.
A Figure of Eight Walk
An account of a walk around King’s Lynn, accompanied by photos. Also some important links.
INTRODUCTION
I am in the process of putting together a very large post indeed as an experiment, and meantime I offer you this little post…
THE FIGURE OF EIGHT WALK
I did this walk immediately after lunch yesterday. Setting off I headed through Baker Lane Car Park, across the upper Purfleet and down to the Great Ouse by way of the lower Purfleet. The first photo I got was this one of a bird that was perfectly positioned for the shot…
I headed along the river bank and across the Millfleet, then took the path that skirts old Boal Quay round to…
CORMORANT PLATFORM
This meeting point of the Nar and Ouse provided some fine photos…
Just beyond Cormorant Platform is the path through Harding’s Pits, from which I then headed across the Nar, stopping to photograph a swan…
Up through the South Gate, across the London Road, through a little known passage and along to Seven Sisters, at which point I entered…
THE PARKLAND
The water by the bandstand is generally good for a few pictures, and today was no exception…
After the bandstand I followed the path the exits the parkland by way of the church of St John the Evangelist, walked up past the train station and on to the second loop of the figure of eight, following another little river in King’s Lynn until the path diverged from it to go past the first of two ponds separated by the width of a road. The river provided a few pics, but nothing was happening in either pond…
From the second pond I followed the road I was round until I reached the path through the meadow that leads to a bridge across Bawsey Drain, on to another path that I followed back towards the town centre. This section of the walk yielded only one picture – a green insect that because of its size I was not sure I would be able to capture…
On the last stage of the walk I got a picture of the model spitfire that currently adorns the Trues Yard museum…
After I was home, I got one final picture of a military aeroplane that flew very low (by the standards of powered aircraft) overhead…
LINKS
My first link is to a document outlining Mr Corbyn’s mental health policy, for which I am using a quote from the document itself – the second bullet point to be precise…
My next two links both come courtesy of DPAC (Disabled People Against Cuts):
- A piece about the Marris Assisted Dying Bill.
- This searing “Open Letter to Iain Duncan Smith“
This piece from disabilitnewsservice makes some unpleasant but hardly surprising revelations about Maximus, the vile American company responsible for administering the notorious fitness for work tests that have blighted so many lives.
Finally, and on a completely different note, here is a link to an excellent blog post by Wayne Pacelle of the Humane Society.
Cricket and Things
INTRODUCTION
As well as my main piece this post will include some good links and some photos.
CRICKET AND THINGS
Thanks to two splendid innings (Cook, finally out this morning for 162 and Stokes, an 85-ball century yesterday) England have pulled off a remarkable turnaround putting themselves in a position from which they might actually win this match. Moeen Ali has just gone, leaving England 343 ahead with one second innings wicket standing. If New Zealand are minded to have a crack at the target we could have a superb finish.
The weather is nice enough, though cloudy, to be sitting outside.
Anderson has just been bowled meaning that New Zealand will need 345 to win in 77 overs. The highest ever total in the final innings to win at a test match at Lords is 344 by the West Indies in 1984, so if New Zealand get these they will make history.
On now to some links…
LINKS
To start with, a link to Charlotte Hoather’s latest post.
DWP LINKS
I have three links in this section, one to a post on johnnyvoid, one to a DPAC post and one to an official government:
1)the johnnyvoid post on sanctions.
2)the DPAC post
3)the official document.
RELIGION
Two links here, one to an article about the Catholic Church’s response to the Irish referendum on gay marriage and one to a piece from atheist republic about proof:
1)The piece about the gay marriage referendum.
2)Atheist republic and science, proof and theories.
PHOTOGRAPHS
I have some excellent photographs from in and around King’s Lynn to share with you. Mentioning sharing, i hope that some of you will share some or all of this post…
A Bloggers Bazaar
I will be starting as usual by sharing some important links, before moving on to some other stuff…
LINKS
To start with, a reminder that the autistic community is still awaiting an apology from Katie Hopkins. On this topic, a prominent supporter of our campaign is Lucy Hawking, daughter of Stephen and mother of an autistic child – check out this piece.
Next comes some information about bumble bees.
My penultimate link is to a list of demands to the next government on behalf of disabled people.
Last of all, courtesy of the Anti-bulliying Alliance comes a suggested anti-bullying charter for use in schools.
PICTORIAL INTERLUDE
MIDDLESEX SECOND INNINGS WOES
Middlesex demonstrated in their match against Durham that batting again rather than enforcing the follow-on is no guarantee against a disastrous collapse. Middlesex reached their eventual 2nd innings total of 83 only because Tim Murtagh, batting at no 11 and suffering with a hamstring strain top scored. Chris Rushworth and John Hastings each took five wickets in this remarkable display.
I was sitting outside listening to the commentary on this and periodically enhancing my collection of photos…
Press Releases, Emails and Other Stuff
I did not have time to write a post yesterday as I had an evening engagement in Norwich (a public meeting about the situation in Greece, which was excellent). Thus, I have several things to share. This is the press release I sent off in the run up to our auction on Wednesday 28th (full catalogue available at www.the-saleroom.com, from which source we have already had over 40 bidders):
HISTORIC FOOTBALL MEMORABILIA SCORES BIG SUCCESS AT FAKENHAM AUCTION – multi-image
Today I sent out a bulk email regarding the auction. I assembled the document myself with two images and several blocks of text. The stamp image was done by my colleague Andrew. Enjoy this gallery…
Going back to yesterday I resolved a query regarding lot 757 by producing these images:
My final image regards a demonstration taking place in Norwich…
If you are going to be in King’s Lynn on February 28th and you would like to campaign on behalf of the NHS there is an event organised b y 38 Degrees happening in the town centre that day. People will be meeting up outside Top Shop at 11AM. Even if you can only spare a few moments every little helps!
If you have enjoyed this check out my twitter account, aspitweets.
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