The questioning, as you might expect, was slanted towards “why have the Liberals [...]]]> I listened to Liberal Democrat Lynne Featherstone on Friday gone, as she told the TUC’s LGBT conference that she fully supported them. This talk was followed by a Q&A session, cut very short because she had more important things to do.

The questioning, as you might expect, was slanted towards “why have the Liberals got into bed with the Tories so readily?”. To be very honest, I have yet to hear a convincing answer. According to Featherstone, it’s our own fault because of the way we voted. How demeaning.

There was a lot of talk about the Tories’ past record on LGBT rights. Featherstone said we should not judge the ConDems on their past but on the way they are behaving now. At the same time, however, the ConDems are quick to blame a lot of things on Labour.

Featherstone, as Minister for Equalities, was largely dismissive of delegates concerns over the partnership. The Liberals and the Tories do have different viewpoints on equality issues, so there is no real surprise at the contention. There is surprise at the reaction of the committed Liberals, who on the face of it don’t seem to be able to comprehend that those of us with an interest in equalities can not understand why the Liberals got into bed with the regressive party on that aspect.

Bearing in mind that this opposition to the ConDem relationship is quite apparent, and anyone with half a brain cell would be able to guess that a room full of Trade Unionists from an LGBT background would be more than willing to voice this opposition, why was Featherstone quite so surprised by the grilling she got?

Had the ConDems done research, and rubbed their empty heads together, perhaps they would have figured it out, and briefed the MP so she could pretend at least to understand the views she was being given. It would have been much more helpful if, as an Equalities minister, she understood the views she was being given in the first place.

To quote the Mirror, it’s a Con Dem Nation now.

George Osborne MP announced the tax rise whilst flanked on either side by Liberal Democrat MPs.

I was reminded of this advert from the Liberal Democrats back in April this year.

Campaign against something in April, get elected in May, and do the exact opposite in June. That’s good going.

Behold the solution to London’s transport problems. One complete shell for a station. Yeah, the DDA and narrow platforms may be an issue, but [...]]]> I forgot to upload this a while ago. Anyone who’s been around Holborn will have noticed the old ramp down to the tram station, and wondered what was below Kingsway.

Behold the solution to London’s transport problems. One complete shell for a station. Yeah, the DDA and narrow platforms may be an issue, but isn’t that just a great arterial route waiting to be used.

But no, it’s being used as storage for Crossrail.

If you care for your car tyres, or you have children, you may want [...]]]> I’ve been telling the Premier Inn London Euston (PILE) that they have a problem with glass in their car park for quite some time. They don’t take the issue seriously, and haven’t actually replied to me about it.

If you care for your car tyres, or you have children, you may want to consider this:

The area you drive through isn’t that wide, your car tyres would go over the bottle. Since July 2009 I’ve got five holes in my bicycle tyres because of this glass. I’ve told the hotel manager, and I’ve told the hotel area manager. Neither have shown that they care about the safety of their staff, customers, or those living and working around their hotel.

How can I say with such certainty that the hotel has a laxed attitude to safety outside the confines of the hotel itself? Because if they did care, they would not let this happen.

It’s almost a daily occurence. The staff empty their empties into the recycling facilities. Not all of the glass makes it into the bin though. Perfect if you want to damage your car, your children, or even yourself!

Glad I’m paying for only the best with Walker’s crisps.

Bikers have been protesting in Westminster to say no to the motorbike parking charges. [...]]]> When we elect a Mayor to our local Councils, his job is to be an impartial ambassador for the Borough you live in. When you elect someone to Mayor of London, their job is a bit more involved.

Bikers have been protesting in Westminster to say no to the motorbike parking charges. The latest, in Trafalgar Square, brought Boris into the fight between the Bikers and Westminster City Council.

“Do you want to stay in the bus lanes or what? Then stop this protest.”
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London

Even better – as below, he’s on YouTube doing it too! What a buffoon. The bus lane thing is another story completely. Boris won the support of many London motorbike users by promising to abolish the bendy bus when he came into power. He’s currently getting on with that – wasting millions of our money replacing the rather new bendy bus fleet.

Then Boris started a trial where motorbike users could use bus lanes in certain locations. That 18 month trial comes to an end within a few weeks, and there has been no decision on whether motorbikes will be permanently allowed into bus lanes.

City Hall had to clarify what Boris meant by his short rant.

“He realises their desire to protest about parking charges in Westminster but was making the point that inconveniencing thousands of Londoners by jamming up a large part of central London only damages the respect that they need for the bus lanes trial to be successful.”
City Hall Spokesperson

So yes, he meant what he said. If the protests continue, he’ll punish them by revoking their right to use the bus lanes. Why else would Boris and his staff want to muddy the two issues together?

Don’t look at me. I didn’t vote for him!

Yesterday, William Hague spoke in the house on the Gaze Flotilla.

Frank Dobson in the House of Commons yesterday:

Will the Foreign Secretary not accept that what he said today really amounts to saying that the United States, Britain and Europe will continue to tolerate the Israeli blockade of Gaza? Does he not agree [...]]]>

Yesterday, William Hague spoke in the house on the Gaze Flotilla.

Frank Dobson in the House of Commons yesterday:

Will the Foreign Secretary not accept that what he said today really amounts to saying that the United States, Britain and Europe will continue to tolerate the Israeli blockade of Gaza? Does he not agree that this toleration should be brought to an end, and, if necessary, Britain and the other European members of NATO should say that if another flotilla sets off for Gaza, we are willing to give it naval protection, with the Royal Navy reverting to its traditional role of protecting the freedom of the seas?

Ann Clwyd in the House:

I think that we have pussy-footed around Israel for long enough. The only language that it understands is not the language of diplomacy but the language of the hobnail boot, by which I mean sanctions, telling it to stop building any more settlements, and insisting that it has talks with people-both sides-who represent the Palestinian people, as Sir Menzies Campbell said. I hope that theForeign Secretary will develop a much more robust foreign policy towards Israel.

A ship left Ireland yesterday, destined for Gaza. We’ll find out soon enough if Israel is going to continue to play silly buggers on this front.

All I can say is that it dismays me that Gaza has been effectively closed for 18 months now. Israel says it is letting in aid, but I tend to believe the impartial organisations such as the UN when they tell me that only 25% of the required aid is getting to Gaza. Israel won’t let reconstruction materials into the area. People are homeless, jobless and have no incomes. Is Israel really that surprised that it has created a rod for it’s own back by forcing people to the black market?

The continued invasion, occupation of land, and blockade of Gaza has ensured that the people living there have had a poor quality of life, whilst those in Israel complain about the makeshift rocket attacks. Is it any surprise that the International Community is getting quite so pissed off?

How is the occupation illegal?

There has been a long-running campaign  to boycott products made on the land Israel has stolen from the Palestinians. Supermarkets such as Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsbury’s import products from this “West Bank”.

These ‘West Bank Settlements’ are actually illegal:

“The Occupying Powershall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.”
The Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protectionof Civilian Persons in Time of War, Article 49

What is the effect on the Palestinian population?

• Israel controls over 40% of the West Bank. In the Jordan Valley, that figure rises to 95%
• Home demolition is a frequent occurence – Israel is focussing especially on East Jerusalem – in order to ensure that Jerusalem cannot become a Palestinian capital.
• Violence – in January 2010 the United Nations warned that over 250,000 Palestinians living in or around the occupied territory are vulnerable to violent attacks.

• In the Tomer Settlement, children aged 14 and 15 have been working for several years. The children are paid below minimum wage, are exposed to unsafe working practices and miss school in order to work.  There are videosof child labourers at Tomer settlement.
• In Mehola Settlement, in 2008 young boys between 13 and14 year old were witnessed working here and are paid 20shekels a day (134 shekels below the minimum wage).
• Yifat Settlement: Hilo Glazer’s report for Kav LaOved states that children working in Yifat receive 50 shekels for 7–8hours’ work and do not receive any pay slips.

How can I help? Peacefully, of course.

The Israeli occupation in itself is illegal, and dates to the 1970′s. US President Jimmy Carter was even asking questions when 13 colonies housed 9,000 Israelis in 1978.

That means that the British Government should really be making it illegal to import goods from the occupied West Bank. As humans we have a duty to each other that we don’t support people carrying out war crimes.

Over 50% of Israel’s agricultural produce is imported to the European Union. A large percentage of that is purchased by Asda, Tesco, Waitrose, John Lewis, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s. The Soil Association certificates the occupied farms.

Next time you’re shopping CHECK THE LABEL. If it says the origin is “West Bank”, then it’s from the stolen land. It is, effectively, stolen produce. Ask your conscience if it feels comfortable buying.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign aren’t suggesting you boycott Israel completely – just the produce that comes from the West Bank. That may not be as easy as it sounds – several Israeli companies mix produce from the West Bank and Israel, and label their products as Israeli.

Which companies are involved?

Key Israeli companies which export settlement products to the UK are:

• Agricultural Export Companies: Carmel-Agrexco, Hadiklaim, Mehadrin-Tnuport, Arava, Jordan River, Jordan Plains, Flowers Direct.
• Other food products: Abady Bakery, Achdut, Adumim Food Additives/Frutarom, Amnon & Tamar, Oppenheimer, Shamir Salads, Soda Club
• Dead Sea Products: Ahava, Dead Sea Laboratories, Intercosma

Some of these companies may also import products made legitimately in Israel.

Veolia, who clean the streets and provide services in the UK for many Councils, operate bus services in the occupied territory.

Hanson UK is a supplier of heavy building materials to the construction industry. It has a subsidiary in Israel which owns factories and quarries in the West Bank. Hanson UK was acquired in September 2007 by German company HeidelbergCement.

I listen to/read or otherwise follow the directions, but [...]]]> The great thing about these new mobile phones is that they can give you live directions to where you’re going. I’ve got several apps suited to walking, cycling and public transport on my ‘phone. I’ve even got one to track how many miles I cycle.

I listen to/read or otherwise follow the directions, but make my own mind up on the actual suitability of the roads I’m using. I know that if I go off track, the device will re-route me, taking into account my new direction.

For poor Utah, USA resident Lauren Rosenberg it was all a bit too much, we hear. In the peak of the January snow-storms she was battling her way across Park City on foot, and following the directions given by Google, on her ‘phone. The Google Maps app directed her to a four-lane road, with no footpath on the sdie of the road she was on.

Rosenberg tried to reach the footpath on the opposite side of the road, but was struck by a car. Apparently it was pitch black outside.

Laura is planning to sue Google for putting her into such a dangerous position. Her laywer, Allen Young, believes that the information on an electronic device is sufficient to trust your life with. Let’s face it, I’d use an iPhone over common sense crossing the road any day of the week. The mobile’s knowledge of oncoming traffic is far more superior to my mere human senses.

This roadsign, in the Morristown area of Swansea, Wales, gives the correct message in English – “No entry for heavy goods vehicles. Residential site only”. Apparently it was to make [...]]]> We’ve all done it. Had to send an email to someone and trusted the first response we got back.

This roadsign, in the Morristown area of Swansea, Wales, gives the correct message in English – “No entry for heavy goods vehicles. Residential site only”. Apparently it was to make sure the juggernauts which serve the Asda megastore nearby stopped disturbing the locals.

The road-sign manufacturers emailed the translation department at Swansea council, and the response came back:

“Nid wyf yn y swyddfa ar hyn o bryd. Anfonwch unrhyw waith i’w gyfieith.”
“I am not in the office at the moment. Send any work to be translated.”

Priceless.