Remembering through literature: marking Remembrance Sunday with Wilfred Edward Salter Owen’s poem ‘Futility’
World
Meredith Kercher: the Forgotten Victim?
…I can’t help but wonder how many people would recognise the name Meredith Kercher if it was said independently of Amanda Knox. Search on Google for “Amanda Knox” and it returns 12,800,000 results. Search for “Meredith Kercher” and you’ll find substantially less (2,800,000) and most of those will be linked to coverage of ‘Amanda Knox’s ordeal…
Remembering 9/11
Like many people across the world today, I’ve decided not to post on my usual topics today but instead to publish a post in remembrance of the people whose lives were lost, devastated or otherwise turned upside down by the events of September 11th, 2001. Therefore, there won’t be a Sample Sunday post this week(…)
Refugee Week 2010: My Simple Act
This is the last day of Refugee Week 2010, running 14th June to 20th June and I’ve completed my Simple Act today. I chose to both gain insight into facts about refugees and asylum seekers and test my knowledge by partaking of the 20 question quiz. I’m ashamed to say I weighed in with a(…)
Refugee Week: What’s Your Simple Act?
This week (14th June to 20th June) is Refugee Week 2010 and has a great theme to get people involved: Simple Acts. Simple Acts are, well, simple. There are 20 simple things you can do, then you can share your act with others. What’s the point, you might ask? Well, even a simple act like ‘Learn(…)
Granted Refugee Status? Don’t Celebrate Just Yet
I wish those who look down on asylum seekers and refugees could have been there today when I heard about the plight of one young man. Lucky enough to have been granted refugee status (for now at least, since it’s now reviewed every few years rather than granted permanently), he was faced with a new set of(…)
Cut the Waffle
There’s going to be a lot of nervous people in the UK today. I know because, as a public sector worker, I’m one of them. I’m on a fixed term contract and I know there’s a very real chance that it won’t be renewed in January and, not only that, I may be unable to get replacement(…)
Cameron Admiration? Never Thought I’d Feel It
I can see I’m going to find the next few years a bit of a learning curve and that I may have to revise some of my viewpoints. While I was thrilled with the details of the Lib Dem/Conservative coalition as they emerged, I’ve still had some concerns about David Cameron and the Conservatives. Watching Cameron(…)
A Spring in Your Step Today? Enjoy it With Pride
If you’re a Lib Dem supporter, voter or member you may be forgiven for having a little spring in your step today. Perhaps it’s the news that Nick Clegg has kept his nerve and focus and gained a well-deserved Deputy Prime Minister position as a result. It could be the additional 4 cabinet posts on top(…)
Nick Clegg + Hung Parliament = Scapegoat?
Poor Nick Clegg. I doubt he has – as I overheard someone suggest today - been ‘enjoying the glory’. I doubt he has enjoyed emails, Tweets or blogs that have labelled him a traitor or watching BBC News where viewers sent in messages accusing him of holding the country to ransom and revelled in it. I doubt(…)
In Case You Missed It: “How Can We Be Lovers…”
Hooray to randygland on YouTube for posting the ‘How can we be lovers’ clip from the Politics Show (9th May 2010). If you didn’t see it, you missed it a treat but thanks to randygland you can get a glimpse now. Someone on the writing team there has a great sense of humour – I thought(…)
Gordon Brown Bows Out – With Remarkable Political Savvy
It may be one of the smartest moves that Gordon Brown has ever made as head of the Labour Party and an apparent act of self-sacrifice that has injected new life into the Lib/Lab/Con coalition saga. As Brown announces his resignation questions are rife but one thing is clear: Labour suddenly seem to be a major(…)
Why I Still Believe in Nick Clegg
It’s amazing how quickly some people can turn when things don’t go the way they expect and in the hours since it became clear that Nick Clegg may have to consider a Lib-Con pact many comments have been made that have – in my opinion – been less than fair. Whilst some people are still standing(…)
Sad About Many Things – But Not My Lib Dem Vote
However you look at it, it’s a pretty sad day for many people. I’m sad that despite the high profile nature of this election campaign voter turnout was only 65%. The 35% of people who chose not to vote could have brought around a very different result – and future – for the country. I’m also(…)
Voting: A Little Useful Information
Well, today’s the day. I woke up with a real sense of excitement. It feels like Christmas or exam day or getting ready to go on holiday or job interview day all rolled into one. In short, I’m excited but I’m incredibly nervous too. If you’re getting ready to vote for the first time, the(…)
GE2010: There’s Time Enough to Follow Your Heart
Just a matter of hours to go now before the polling stations open and the votes pour in. Many of the polls suggest people are leaning towards the Conservative party but there are lots of other sources out there painting a different picture. They may be labelled as ‘unscientific’ but a quick look at some(…)
6th May: Not Just a Run of the Mill Day
Election fever must be gripping our household as we’ve both agreed to stay up and watch the votes roll in on Thursday night. My commitment is a little less ardent than my husband’s – I’m not working on Friday anyway but he’s actually booked the day as leave. Prior to this election, I’d have baulked(…)
A Right to Vote? A Duty
A huge number of people are expected to return their postal votes this weekend – but will you be returning yours? Do you even have one? The Electoral Commission estimates that ‘millions’ of people do not appear on the electoral roll and will be unable to cast their vote this time around. In a recent survey(…)