British & Irish Residents

Neil Macdonald, CBC’s senior Washington correspondent, points out that the world’s central bankers are a new, unelected ruling class, more powerful than elected politicians. Every few months they meet in Basel in Switzerland where, away from public scrutiny, “they coordinate an unprecedented global agenda… conjuring up unimaginable amounts of cheap money.” As Macdonald points out in an accompanying series of articles, “When the record of the 2008 global financial catastrophe is fully written the world’s central bankers will emerge either as heroes, or as the people who administered a cure that turned out to be as bad as the disease.” - Halil from Bookmarklet

only posted this because of the above statement and an interesting paragraph about bankers default response to questions about interest rates, otherwise, not a particularly informative article - Halil

Tony Blair did not to have to waste any of his hard-earned income on an expensive hotel. Mr Blair and his entourage were able to enjoy the benefits of a swimming pool, a private garden, a tennis court and a set of rooms on a private visit to the country. Email correspondence, obtained under Freedom of Information laws, shows that Mr Blair flew into Manila on a private jet, landing at the capital’s military airport. - Halil from Bookmarklet

But despite logging an income of over £12 million across the last financial year, Mr Blair only paid £315,000 in tax. - Halil from Bookmarklet

kendrak, think of these poor kids, It is said that hundreds of ethnic Albanian children in Kosovo are named “Tonibler” in his honour. - Halil

Albania hopes to join the European Union and it is likely that Mr Blair’s advice on how to do that as well as how to implement New Labour-style domestic reforms will be high on his agenda. - Halil from Bookmarklet

poster boy for new labour. - kendrak

Hopefully you'll feel fit enough for the day. - Stephan Planken from iPhone

The street is diminutive, with only eight houses on one side and two on the other. The houses were built in the 1780s, are Grade II listed, and remain one of the few intact Georgian streets in London. There are records of the small, bow-fronted shops selling ribbons and mousetraps, and previous inhabitants include manual workers such as carpenters. - Halil from Bookmarklet

aahhh, makes sense now, I did notice the somewhat unusual street names, but I was unaware of this info: A network of streets in the north of Kentish Town was formerly part of a large estate owned by St John's College, Cambridge. Lady Margaret Road is named after Lady Margaret Beaufort, foundress of St John's College. Burghley Road is named for Lord Burghley, Chancellor to Elizabeth I... more... - Halil

And what about police who kill????? They get off, no prosecution or conviction, no justice for the victims or the families!!!!! The police are not above the law, they are supposed to protect and serve and enforce the law, not hide behind it! Corruption much... - Halil from Bookmarklet

If that's the minimum sentence, what's the maximum? - WoH: Professor MOTHRA

I don't know why judges hands are tied, WoH, do you think they should have freedom over sentences, or are you happy with government imposed sentences? - Halil

A total of 333 people have died in or following police custody over the past 11 years, but no officer has ever been successfully prosecuted, according to a watchdog's report. - Halil from Bookmarklet

*bump* - Halil

Mr Kitson even suggested that Mr Farage should consider uniting with Nick Griffin, leader of the far-right British National Party. - Halil from Bookmarklet

UPDATE: UKIP councillor who said 'Islam is a cancer which needs to be cured with radiation' on racist Facebook page 'to step down' after just 12 days http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news... ~ Wyre Forest UKIP councillor in 'racist' Facebook row set to... more... - Halil

"A new grammar and spelling test arrives in primary schools in England this week. It is the first time in a while that such emphasis has been put on grammar. Some of the questions will seem straightforward for many adults, such as where to place a comma or a colon in a sentence. But other aspects - identifying different types of adverbs or distinguishing between subordinating and co-ordinating connectives - might raise eyebrows." - Mark H from Bookmarklet

"So where do you draw the line between pedantry and slovenliness? Mount says the split infinitive is perfectly acceptable. "To boldly go, sounds better than to go boldly," he argues. The word "whom" sounds archaic so there's no need to worry about who and whom, he says. But anything that damages meaning and clarity should be avoided. For instance, the apostrophe should be defended at all costs, he says." - Mark H

In a letter, Cameron claimed tenants such as Iris, who suffers from arthritis and osteoporosis and needs crutches to walk, shouldn’t get full benefits while living in modified homes with spare bedrooms. - Halil from Bookmarklet

Joe, if you think about it, does the government really care? In respect of the suicide victim, the council now has an empty 3 bed house, they're probably celebrating. This coalition has been doing nothing but attacking the poor, if you see the other article I posted -> Recession is a good time to exploit cheap labour, says Cameron aide. http://ff.im/1fqgYa you'll get a better understanding of this governments ideology! They only care about protecting and increasing their own wealth. - Halil

Despite the phone booth and bus, it's Davis, CA. - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

Sneaky! - Andrew C (✓)

The prime minister's adviser on enterprise has told the cabinet that the economic downturn is an excellent time for new businesses to boost profits and grow because labour is cheap, the Observer can reveal. - Halil from Bookmarklet

Young was forced to quit just months into the government in 2010, after he was overwhelmed by condemnation of his claim that voters had never had it so good during the "so-called recession" due to low interest rates. Young quit but was quietly reappointed 11 months later. - Halil

The Lib Dems have a lot to answer for! - Halil

The exam reputed to be one of the hardest in the world has just got (slightly) easier. All Souls College, Oxford has this year dropped the famous one-word essay question that has taxed new entrants for almost a century. - Halil from Bookmarklet

In previous years, by far the most daunting element was a single card with one word on it ("innocence", "miracles" or "water"), about which candidates were asked to write coherently for three hours. - Halil

Huh. I always thought that was pretty cool. - Jennifer Dittrich

:(. Are there outlying areas having lower rent or is it reverse? - Janet:#TeamMonique from FFHound!

more and more people are moving out of the M25 as it's cheaper to rent/buy out of London and commute in, but that's not always an option for most people, especially people on min wages. - Halil

min wage http://ff.im/MgqFG - Halil

"You know who mucked up the economy, don’t you? It’s obvious from the laws proposed in the Queen’s Speech. It’s immigrants who don’t have their papers in order, that’s who. It was Somali refugees, popping out from their hostel to the local council to say: “Yesterday, on the way home from the Jobcentre, I whiled away the afternoon by speculating on the American loans market. So this week, as well as my £24 social security, I need a £20bn bailout as I seem to have lost the lot. And a £3m bonus, otherwise I’ll leave the country.”" - Mark H from Bookmarklet

"Then there’s the £90bn a year lost through tax avoidance schemes, most of which is down to Polish strawberry-pickers. It’s about £8m a strawberry they’re paid, and then they put it all in special accounts in the Cayman Islands and we don’t get a penny. No wonder Ukip is becoming so popular. And of all those cockle-pickers who brought the banking system to its knees – not one has voluntarily given back their knighthood." - Mark H

Sir Thomas More is commemorated with a sculpture at the late-19th-century Sir Thomas More House, opposite the Royal Courts of Justice, Carey Street, London. - Halil from Bookmarklet

"Don't panic: a nice bit of policy will sort Ukip out. Voices on the Tory right urges not one EU referendum but two. Those close to government emphasise moves on prison "perks", and items in this week's Queen's speech that will deal with immigrants' access to benefits and the NHS. Meanwhile, pundits and politicians from all sides claim that Nigel Farage's grab-bag of proposals will fall apart under close scrutiny, and the menace will recede. Well, maybe. Real politics is built on emotion and tribal affinity rather than policy – and on this score, Ukip excels. So full of chutzpah and mischief that he is talking about fantastical Ukip-Tory pacts, Farage knows the people for whom his party now speaks: English conservatives, with both a small and large "C", disproportionately found in the south-eastern working class (quite an achievement for a son of a stockbroker, alumnus of Dulwich College and former banker, but there we are). If you think the country has lost its way thanks to a... more... - Son of Groucho from Bookmarklet

A CORNWALL councillor has apologised but refused to resign after telling a disability charity that all disabled children "should be put down". Colin Brewer, independent councillor Wadebridge East, made the comments to Disability Cornwall at County Hall when the group had an information stand at an event to allow councillors to meet equalities organisations and understand some of the issues they face. - Halil from Bookmarklet

Also, that's not Glenn Hoddle under a new name, is it? - Eivind

Danielle Fischer, her husband, their son Jack and his sister, had lived in a three-storey rented house in Dundonald. But carrying Jack up and down stairs was becoming extremely difficult. The Housing Executive said they were searching "each and every day" to find the Fischers a suitable property. Mrs Fischer wants to be reunited with Jack, but the executive cannot find the right home to suit his specialist needs. "My son is in a wheelchair, it was back breaking work," she said. "Two years ago, I was assessed at home. The girl came out and said the house was completely unsuitable and classed us as homeless." - Halil from Bookmarklet

This is what happens when no one builds social housing, the Labour party didn't build any and this party sure aint doing much better, they are building some, but that's more about political opportunism than actual social policy. What ever your views are about social housing, building loads of "affordable homes" is only a great idea if you can friggin afford it!!! - Halil

This is such a sad story! - Janet:#TeamMonique from FFHound!

Unless your works are registered or plastered with a watermark, anyone can use your copyrighted work for their own commercial and personal gains provided they have made a small effort to search for the original owner. If no owner can be found, they are free to do with it whatever they want. - Halil from Bookmarklet

I've signed. - Son of Groucho

"Huw Williams wasn't too worried when he was woken at 2.20am by a mighty crack. The old tree that stood 30ft behind Cilcochwyn, the farmhouse above the village of Pontfadog in Mid Wales, had probably lost another bough in the gale raging outside, he thought. He checked that everyone was safe and the roof intact and went back to sleep. The shock came when he went to work. Last weekend's storm had blown itself out, but the tree that had overlooked the Ceiriog valley for 1,200 years, surviving tempest, battle, fire, the threat of flooding and 40 or more generations of people taking its wood for fuel and buildings had toppled. The Pontfadog oak was the oldest tree in Wales, the third largest in Britain and one of the oldest in Europe. It was lying among the celandines and primroses in the bright spring sunshine, its roots pointing skywards, gnarled trunk collapsed and piles of branches, decayed wood, lichens, fungi, nests and bark in the grass around it. Its massive, hollow bole had... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

I've not heard of this oak, thanks for this - Halil

Wildlife Crime Officer PC Emerson Buckingham said: "This bird was most probably alive when it was attacked and may have starved to death as it would have been unable to drink or eat with its beak bound. We continue to work with the RSPB to investigate the cause of the buzzard's death. Any member of the public who finds dead birds of prey should contact police and are advised not to touch them." - Halil from Bookmarklet

I'm speechless :( - Halil

"Cities around Europe may have to erect flood barriers similar to the Thames Barrier that protects London from sea surges, as climate change takes hold and leads to the danger of much more destructive storms, floods, heavy rainfall and higher sea levels, Europe's environmental watchdog has warned. The effects of climate change will be so far-reaching across the continent that vineyards may have to plant new grape varieties, farmers may have to cultivate new crops and water suppliers look to technology such as desalination in order to cope with the probable effects of more extreme weather. Buildings and infrastructure such as transport, energy and communication networks will also have to be changed. The warnings come in a report from the European Environment Agency, called Adaptation in Europe. The research found that half of the 32 member countries of the EEA still lack plans to adapt to the effects of global warming, although others have begun to take action. Jacqueline McGlade,... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

People over the age of 70 are to be offered routine shingles vaccinations in a move to prevent thousands of cases each year, officials said. The viral infection affects more than 30,000 pensioners in England every year, but experts hope that a new vaccination programme could cut out 40% of cases. - Halil from Bookmarklet

This is a good thing - Halil

The doctors here are pushing the elderly to get the vaccine. - Janet:#TeamMonique

by Isaac Fuller oil on canvas, 1660s? also see The Proscribed Royalist, 1651 http://ff.im/1ffDp1 - Halil from Bookmarklet

The Proscribed Royalist, 1651 (1853) is a painting by John Everett Millais which depicts a young Puritan woman protecting a fleeing Royalist after the Battle of Worcester in 1651, the decisive defeat of Charles II by Oliver Cromwell. The Royalist is hiding in a hollow tree, a reference to a famous incident in which Charles himself hid in a tree to escape from his pursuers. Millais was also influenced by Vincenzo Bellini's opera I Puritani. Millais painted the picture in Hayes, Kent, from a local oak tree that became known as the Millais Oak. - Halil from Bookmarklet

The woman hiding looks like they are kissing the hand of the woman outside...so who is who? I mean if Charles II hid in the tree, would he really be kissing somebody else's hand? - Halil

They disguised the King as a woodsman and his long hair was cut. For safety he and Richard Pendrell hid in Spring Coppice in the estate. Shortly after the King had left the Priory, a company of soldiers, rode up and ransacked the place in the search for the King. At Careless' suggestion, he and the king spent all day hiding in a nearby oak tree (The Royal Oak), while Parliamentary... more... - Halil

The retailer's advert, using the tag "For every woman you are", features models ranging from size 8 to 16 who are supposed to portray the body shapes of real Marks and Spencer customers. But online comments have criticised the advert for Shapewear control underwear, which is designed to help women smooth out their curves, it was reported. M&S has dropped its celebrity models, including Twiggy and Myleene Klass, for the latest campaign - to focus on "real" women. It features ten models including a grey-haired 56-year-old, Yasmina Rossi. But the Shapewear campaign has led to a backlash by some customers, the Daily Mail reported. One wrote on Twitter: "It annoys me that there is only one curvy model on the M+S ad and five skinny rakes". Another wrote: "Only one of these is over size 14 and even she has no wobbly bits at all." Another comment, on the M&S Facebook page, said: "The whole 'plus size' model rigmarole is a bit devious. These women are models. "They are just bigger models than... more... - Winckel from Bookmarklet

Real Women!!! Get real, women are humans they grow old and will have wobbly bits just like men. - Nemo

I've seen some, heard of some and finally I've never heard of some! ;-) extra links: 1) The 49 Best British Films of all time, by Barry Norman http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture... 2) List of British films 1888-current http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki... - Halil from Bookmarklet

97, 96, 93 (should be higher), 86, 81, 73, 67, 65, 58, 57, 54, 51, 41, 34, 33, 32, 30, 28 (excellent), 23, 20, 13, 11, 10, 8 (greatest film ever), 4, 2, 1. - Mark H