tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144186362024-03-07T18:54:13.135+00:00Stephen's Liberal JournalBlog of Stephen Glenn who was Liberal Democrat candidate for Linlithgow and East Falkirk candidate from the 2005 and 2010 Westminster General Elections.
As a fan of Douglas Adams he knows the true meaning of 42. When not blogging and Lib Demming he can be found supporting Livingston Football Club.Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.comBlogger2650125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-24948135473034009962012-02-02T10:45:00.005+00:002012-02-02T10:45:00.099+00:00The King is Dead, Long Live the Queen 60 Years OnSixty years ago George VI died of his lung cancer at Sandringham Palace out in Kenya the young Princess didn't know for some hours. She returned by plane a week after he had seen her off. To mark that Diamond Jubilee here is how, the event was reported.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rZkDulaNnT4&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rZkDulaNnT4&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Here is some footage of her coronation the following year.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rZkDulaNnT4&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rZkDulaNnT4&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />The public perception of the Queen has often been one of seriousness of purpose, but of course over her 85 years and 60 years as Monarch there have been occasional glimpses of some of her lighter side.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/u0Ro_TK69eY&hl=en_GB&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/u0Ro_TK69eY&hl=en_GB&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-79100057804212635492011-05-09T13:50:00.001+01:002011-05-09T13:54:29.590+01:00I've movedTo find my up to the minnute blogging please follow the link below.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-large;">http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com</span></a></div><br />
Also check your blogroll or other tracking source if you have me listed some of you are still linking to here.Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-67142456495170752882011-04-19T21:48:00.000+01:002011-04-19T21:48:41.464+01:00RIP Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/icwales2/jun2008/0/3/9C5AF62D-9BBF-A7F9-D53DFC6358B35B64.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/icwales2/jun2008/0/3/9C5AF62D-9BBF-A7F9-D53DFC6358B35B64.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A young Elisabeth Sladen with K-9</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The BBC has just confirmed the news that I was seeing across Twitter when I got in a few moments ago. Elisabeth Sladen the actress best known as Sarah Jane Smith companion to both Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker's Doctor as well as appearing with with David Tennent and Will Smith has <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13137674">passed away aged 63</a>.<br />
<br />
As a result of her appearance along with K-9 in that David Tennent story <i>School Reunion</i> she was given what was her second spin off series <i>The Sarah Jane Adventures</i> having previously been in the short-lived<i> K-9 and Company</i> in the 80s. <br />
<br />
The new generation of Doctor Who fans including my nephews will always have as their first companion Rose Tyler as played by Billie Piper. For people of my vintage the first companion we remember is Sarah Jane. So her return to the new series was like us revisiting our childhood. Indeed when she left the series in 1976 serial <i>The Hand of Fear</i> it was the first time that the leaving of a companion caused as much media interest as the previous three Doctors leaving.<br />
<br />
She first appeared as an investigative reporter when the Doctor himself was undercover to the Smith and Jones was born, the Doctor used in the pseudonym Jones when he needs to have a last name. But she also was the first of the companions to actually have a strong personality and really be able to get some solutions even before the Doctor managed which is why she stands out as a iconic assistant. She will be sadly missed amongst the Whovians from here to the co-ordinates of Gallifrey, although I suspect some lifeforms within metal containers may well CEL-LE-BRATE. However, I'm sure if they do so in front of the Doctor his sonic screwdriver may well get revenge for us all.<br />
<br />
<b>Elisabeth Sladen 1948-2011</b>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-30669591594696905222011-04-19T12:36:00.000+01:002011-04-19T12:36:13.742+01:00Not all sports are first past the post<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksso2wCAQeXs1Q4yeOFC30fOp-LO-LwsVxss_2hIPKpHfUmmWMjL1-OXrT2eI07D3f0EkGFWgpO_uHEzptjX6nNc6iUUlTDQWBSFRNdGVi0Bdi7fZ2sfvvr-nFum9LYDQ-i-K/s1600/Ballot+Boxing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksso2wCAQeXs1Q4yeOFC30fOp-LO-LwsVxss_2hIPKpHfUmmWMjL1-OXrT2eI07D3f0EkGFWgpO_uHEzptjX6nNc6iUUlTDQWBSFRNdGVi0Bdi7fZ2sfvvr-nFum9LYDQ-i-K/s320/Ballot+Boxing.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By Bob Moran in <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cartoon/2011/apr/19/alternative-vote-av-referendum-cartoon">The Guardian</a> 19 April 2011</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The above cartoon in this mornings Guardian was to some up the two cross party events yesterday by the Yes and No campaigns in the AV referendum. However, it also draws to mind the No2AV literature which starting arriving on people doormats yesterday morning as well. There were three sportsmen from three different sports featured inside.<br />
<br />
The first was Amir Khan the boxer, the timing of his appearance in this literature couldn't have been worse timed. At the weekend Khan retained his title when a doctor stepped in to controversially say that a cut above Khan's opponent eye was too bad for the fight to continue. The thing is in boxing there such event do occur, on Saturday Khan was ahead on points at the time the doctor intervened, but there have been occasions when the boxer leading on the judges score cards has been deemed unable to continue because of a cut. Sometimes such cuts are also the result of illegal actions earlier in the fight like a boxer using the thumb of his glove, or rubbing heads together. Even if the referee has giving warnings or point deductions for such activity if this results in the other boxer eventually bleeding, the fight could be stopped and given to the opponent who may have cheated and may have been trailing to get that far.<br />
<br />
The second was Olympic rower Sir Steve Redgrave. Redgrave took part in one of the events that has a strange route to getting to the finals of an event <i>the repechage</i>. This is a way that the rowers who didn't quite qualify for the final as of right in their heats have a second race in which to do this. Redgrave himself is not superhuman and has had off days that have necessitated going through a repechage to get to a final. He's even come through a repechage and gone on to win gold at World Championships. If he'd been trying to qualify for a USA or Kenyan position in a Olympic team athletics event there would have been no repechage no second change, the top three only get to go to the Olympics there is no discretion for the selectors. Yet Redgrave and other rowers do benefit from having that second change within their sport at the highest levels.<br />
<br />
The final choice is Sir Bobby Moore the captain of the 1966 England World Cup football sq. Yet in football we now have the misnomer of a Champions League, when in some cases the team that has come 4th in their national championship can go on to lift the title, unlike in the old European Cup where the national champions and the holders fought it out over knockouts from the start. Even as a Liverpool fan I have to admit that our 5th title in 2005 was achieved from just such a position, champions of Europe despite not being champions of England since 1990. Or teams can lose out on aggregate to a team in the various group stages and then go on to win the trophy. There has even been cases of teams being unbeaten on the way through losing out to a team that had lost in the group stages going out on away goals after two draws in the knock out stages.<br />
<br />
Football like boxing or rowing is a game where the team that is leading at the first stage isn't always the winner at the end. As Kris Akabushi said when he appeared at a Yes2AV event even in the 100m at the Olympics there are the first and second round and semi-finals. It is rare that the eventual champion will have won every round of that race. What is important is that they win on the final round. Just like Alternative Vote it is getting over the final line, the one that is set at 50%, the one that doesn't move that is important. That will lead to more competitive elections where you are the <a href="http://www.ippr.org/publicationsandreports/publication.asp?id=814">IPPR report</a> said yesterday.Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-40543786087055030172011-01-08T22:43:00.000+00:002011-01-08T22:43:11.855+00:00Gabrielle Giffords shot, child dead and staffers and others injured<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2006/07/07/PH2006070700384.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2006/07/07/PH2006070700384.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rep. Giffords with her husband Capt. Mark E Kelly NASA Astronaut</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The news this evening that Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has been <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/us-politics/8248267/American-congresswoman-Gabrielle-Giffords-shot-dead.html">shot </a> point blank shot to her head while out campaigning is harrowing news. The fact that some of her staffers and others in the grocery store when she was holding her first <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/Rep_Giffords/status/23785624238563331">Congress on Your Corner</a> were hurt or killed sadly highlights that in some cultures where guns are readily available, reaching out into the community isn't always safe. The fact is that a nine year old child has died and eight others are being treated, four others along with the congresswoman in a critical state.<br />
<br />
Read the rest of <a href="http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/2011/01/gabrielle-giffords-shot-dead-and.html">this post here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>The blog has now moved, please make it your News Years Resolution to update you blogroll, blog reader etc to <a href="http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/">http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com</a></b>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-50936555719669838372011-01-05T10:24:00.000+00:002011-01-05T10:24:04.611+00:00The Day the Music Died Twice ; 4 January 2011I have a confession to make.<br />
<br />
Well not so much a confession as any of you who knew me in the 80s will know I walked around school, blazer sleeves rolled up, the hair as big and up (as an athlete could have it without causing blindness by sweaty hair gel), and a dash of colour in the paper clips on the label. Any one who has seen me since will know my aversion to still wearing anything covering the end of my arms as a result.<br />
<br />
Yes I was a...<br />
<br />
Read the <a href="http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/2011/01/day-music-died-twice-4-january-2011.html">full article here</a> <br />
<br />
<b>This blog has now moved. Please make it your New Year's resolution to update you blogroll to <a href="http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/">http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com</a></b>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-64299777841824966012011-01-04T16:16:00.006+00:002011-01-05T10:30:27.396+00:00Anne Francis Stars in Forbidden Planet 1930-2011<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Qzd9HIsRWeA/R-8OORU_VKI/AAAAAAAAHSQ/yv840XxgQ20/s400/Robby+Anne+Francis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Qzd9HIsRWeA/R-8OORU_VKI/AAAAAAAAHSQ/yv840XxgQ20/s320/Robby+Anne+Francis.jpg" width="264" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anne Francis with Robbie the Robot in a still<br />
to advertise <i>Forbidden Planet</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>As <a href="http://miss-s-b.dreamwidth.org/1118524.html">Jennie</a> and others noted yesterday the acting world lost Pete Postlethwaite, but the day before we lost one of the stars who warranted her own line in <i><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A944255">Science Fiction Double Feature</a></i> the opening song over the titles of <i>The Rocky Horror Picture Show</i>.<br />
<br />
Yes <a href="http://www.annefrancis.net/">Anne Francis</a> may have starred in<i> Forbidden Planet (1956) </i>but...<br />
<br />
Read the <a href="http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/2011/01/anne-francis-stars-in-forbidden-planet.html">full article here </a><br />
<br />
<b>This blog has now moved make it your New Year's Resolution to update your blogroll etc to <a href="http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/">http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com</a></b>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-50487372655311158102010-12-31T23:59:00.002+00:002010-12-31T23:59:00.879+00:00How did I do with my predictions for 2010Well with a minute to go to midnight how did I do with my<a href="http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-stating-bleeding-obvious-predictions.html"> bloody obvious predictions</a> from last year.<br />
<br />
1. There will be a General Election<span style="color: red;"> this took place on May 6th</span><br />
<br />
2. The boat race will be won by Oxford....or Cambridge...one of those two teams at any rate. <span style="color: red;">Yeah, I was right here too.*</span><br />
<br />
3. The ice and snow currently covering large swathes of Scotland will melt.<span style="color: red;"> It did, the last from out the back of my house in Bathgate melted in March.</span><br />
<br />
4. During the Football World Cup in South Africa there will descent from players against at least one official. <span style="color: red;">Take you pick of a number of incidents.</span><br />
<br />
5. There will be new boxing world champions....what you want the divisions, belts etc?...hey these are the bleeding obvious predictions not Nostradamus or some Mayans. <span style="color: red;">Yes.There were quite a few changes check <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_world_boxing_champions">here</a>.</span><br />
<br />
6. Talking of Mayan's somebody somewhere during the year will point out that the end of the Mayan calendar has happened before, and if only some Mayan were creating new far reaching calendars the film 2012 might not have happened. <span style="color: red;">Need to check this one</span><br />
<br />
7. There will be 5 men and 5 women nominated for the best Actor and Actress awards for the 2010 Academy Awards. <span style="color: red;">Yes they were Morgan Freeman, Jeff Bridges, George Clooney, Colin Firth, Jeremy Renner, Meryl Streep, Sandra Bullock, Helen Mirren, Gabourey Sidibe and Carey Mulligan. </span><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/merylstreep" title="More from
guardian.co.uk on Meryl Streep"></a><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/morganfreeman" title="More from
guardian.co.uk on Morgan Freeman"></a><br />
<br />
8. David Cameron will smile, look pensive and wave. <span style="color: red;">Yes, he did all of this on the day he walked in number 10 for the first time.</span><br />
<br />
9. Gordon Brown will look glum, look glummer and try not to smirk again. <span style="color: red;">Yes he did the first two quite a lot during the general election. He may have tried and failed with the last during the leaders debates.</span><br />
<br />
10. The Earth will do a complete circuit of the Sun, the moon will make approximately 13.4 orbits of the earth and Vogon Constructor Ships will not demolish us to make way for a Hyperspace Bypass...at least not this year. <span style="color: red;">Yes, result and not a Vogon in sight.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Of course I also made <a href="http://linlithgow-libdems.blogspot.com/2009/12/ten-for-2010.html">some considered predictions</a></span><br />
<br />
So how did they go?<br />
<br />
1. Britain will take their best return ever in the Winter Olympics with 5 medals. We'll start with the local pair Sinead and John Kerr who will win their first Olympic medal. Zoe Gillings will snowboard her way to the podium and not to be outdone in form Chemmy Alcock will bring her best to the piste to also lift a medal. On the bobsleigh track two Britons Amy Williams and Shelly Rudman will stand on the podium in the women's skeleton bob. <span style="color: red;">Only Amy medalled, even though it was Gold it was not GB&NI's best performance.</span><br />
<br />
2. The results of the General Election in Scotland give Labour 28, Lib Dems 16, SNP 13, Tories 2. <span style="color: red;">Labour 41, Lib Dem 11, SNP 6, Tories 1. Miserable fail but I would still have guessed more for everyone bar Labour at 7am on polling day.</span><br />
<br />
3. After the result and Gordon falling on his schian dubh, the Milliband brothers tie up most of the remaining Labour MPs nominations between them. Inspired by the Polish President and Prime Minister, or maybe Jedward they decide to run a joint leadership bid. They try to use the name Dedward Milliband, although rumours that Louis Walsh, or PM Cameron are going to either sue or use the 'deadwood' sounding name they decide on Edvid instead. <span style="color: red;">Well they did tie up most of the Labour nominations, some of their supporters lent their nomiation to get Diane Abbott on the ballot. Of course there was no joint leadership bid but they were the last two standing.</span><br />
<br />
4. Andy Murray will win a Grand Slam this year....(I know I said that last year). If he hasn't won the Australian watch out for the US Open. He will reach the semi-finals in all four (if he is fit). <span style="color: red;">Came mighty close to this one in the Austrailian he was leading 6-3, 7-6, 3-0 before Federer came back to win it in 5 leaving Andy in tears. He didn't reach the semi-finals in all four and didn't blame injury for either the French or US exits (although he had a number of trainer calls out in New York).</span><br />
<br />
5. Michael Schumacher will win two of the first three races of the F1 season, but a shunt mid-season brings his comeback to an end when he aggravates old injuries.<span style="color: red;"> Oops! Schumey failed to impress upon his return, no major craches ended his career either.</span><br />
<br />
6. Team Sky Rider Bradley Wiggins will ride along the Champs d'Elysee behind his Green Jerseyed compatriot Mark Cavendish to the best finish ever by a Brit in the Grand Tour when he podiums.<span style="color: red;"> Brad said himseld he'd done badly in preparing. A couple of crashes cost Cav a close run in the Green jersey. But he won all the sprints he took part in at the line.</span><br />
<br />
7. The Church of Scotland to stop the anti-gay grouping in the church continually breaking the moratorium of silence over homosexual ministers will bring forward a decision on the issue at this years General Assembly. <span style="color: red;">Err no. There are still whispers on this one but it will come to an end at this years General Assmebly, I predict fireworks.</span><br />
<br />
8. Russell T. Davis after bringing back Doctor Who announces that he is try it again. He plans to bring back to the small screen Charlie's Angels with a twist, Charlie is female and the angels are a mixture of male and female eye candy. <span style="color: red;">No word from RTD on this.....yet.</span><br />
<br />
9. A small group of Premier League footballers hold a joint press conference to announce that they are gay. Football fans are surprisingly supportive with the news. Fans of both sets of fans drowning out the homophobic numpties who try and make something of it. <span style="color: red;">Still no out gay footballers in the Premier League and as Qatar have been awarded the 2022 World Cup to Homophobic comments from the FIFA President I don't think it will happen soon, at least not willingly.</span><br />
<br />
10. Strictly Come Dancing sees the return of Arlene Philips as a judge in the new five judges format.<span style="color: red;">Still no Arlene on the main show. She has her own show in development though.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">* For the record it was <span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Cambridge </span>that won on 3 April 2010 </span>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-61596238589859553222010-12-31T12:25:00.000+00:002010-12-31T12:25:01.009+00:00My Rollercoaster Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikVEgKdOoZsMh4OH0ZjoylXTGGa3kcpOBvDv4Wyfzld0f0hR19hzoiikPAY-ltaTHflhASjm_DN3GxAtbhaMr6pX-ZJaz0yJm4mWmiYSDiR0P-42vwUXkxG4uoRft6T468xQ1T/s1600/monks_roller_coaster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikVEgKdOoZsMh4OH0ZjoylXTGGa3kcpOBvDv4Wyfzld0f0hR19hzoiikPAY-ltaTHflhASjm_DN3GxAtbhaMr6pX-ZJaz0yJm4mWmiYSDiR0P-42vwUXkxG4uoRft6T468xQ1T/s320/monks_roller_coaster.jpg" width="313" /></a></div>Those of you who know me ought to be aware that I love a big, fast rollercoasters. I really need to go back to the States and experience some of the new rides since last I was there (1996). However, this year has certainly been one hell of a rollercoaster ride with its highs and lows, switchbacks and unexpected turns.<br />
<br />
This time last year I was sitting in Bathgate, looking forward to kick starting the local Lib Dems into the General Election year, then onwards to the Scottish Elections and the council elections beyond. The same old routine as laid out by the election cycles. Or so I thought.<br />
<br />
Sure enough the year started out in just that manner. On St. Patrick's Night I was selected as the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate (PPC) again for Linlithgow and East Falkirk, with Charles Dundas once again my colleague in the other seat for the local party, Livingston. In the end I came third once more, was agent to Kieran Leach in neighbouring Falkirk (in which campaign I met some new friends). But I was very disappointed on the night that Kevin Lang in Edinburgh North and Leith and Fred MacIntosh in Edinburgh South had done exactly what the party thought was required to win only to no get elected as MPs.<br />
<br />
Well eight days after the General Election I had my CV in to start the selection process for the Edinburgh Central seat for the Scottish elections next May. So there wasn't any real rest between the elections cycles as I started to plot and plan just what I would have to do, first for the seat and then for the list. In the end after another solid 2/3 months of planning and canvassing local members it wasn't to be, but Alex Cole Hamilton had been selected.<br />
<br />
So as I started to work for Alex and was settling down to work on the list selection process, which overlapped with the end of Edinburgh Central, I was brought to a sudden halt. Somehow in all the activity of the previous months I had managed to not notice that certain bills were not being paid, kind of major expensive ones. I tried to get finance from the bank but that wasn't happening. I then felt that the only way to deal with this was to return to Northern Ireland and proposed to work that I could continue to work for them from here. With time running out and me having a letter of notice to hand over if there was no decision on that day I was finally given the go ahead to be a home-worker.<br />
<br />
So with that then came the task of packing up 9 years accumulated stuff and with the help of <a href="http://gyronny.wordpress.com/">Michael</a> completed Operation Evacuate at the end of August. I'd a week to settle in before I started work, but I was also looking for something a little more permanent over here because work, as close friends can attest, was getting me depressed in a major way, even before I moved over.<br />
<br />
There then came an email from <a href="http://andrewrunning.blogspot.com/">a friend</a> saying "Have you seen this job?", I applied and found myself up against Michael for what were probably the most angst ridden two weeks in either of our lives. Until I finally was told the position was mine within an hour of a Nationwide conference call for <a href="http://www.yestofairervotes.org/">Yes to Fairer Votes</a> as the Northern Ireland Organiser. I just had time to talk to Michael before that call, and he has been a great help and support from that time on.<br />
<br />
Since I've got back I hadn't been completely politically inactive, along with Michael we as local Liberal Democrats wrote a couple of responses to consultations from government departments. I've also been involved in the LGBT consultative forum, help establish Delga within the local party, been back across for Scottish conference. As well as attending two party conferences and meeting with others as part of the Yes to Fairer Votes drive.<br />
<br />
This year I attended three Pride Parades Edinburgh, Glasgow and Foyle. Somehow I found the time and a person to fall in love with, though sadly that didn't go as I'd hoped. I've also been elected unto my new local party's executive committee as well as keeping up my record of being a conference rep, Sheffield and Birmingham here I come.<br />
<br />
So what does 2011 hold?<br />
<br />
For a start there is an referendum on May 5th, not the campaigning I expected to be taking up every waking and quite a few of the sleeping moments of my life. But there you are I'm working towards that and looking forward to getting back into the phonebank as people carry on talking to people across Northern Ireland about fairer votes.<br />
<br />
After May, who knows. I have no idea what comes next.<br />
<br />
Last year I felt that I'd love to find someone I could really connect with that didn't abhor the time I spent with politics and maybe settle down. Seeing as how intermittent my love life has been in the last twelve months it is almost like I am saving myself for that person. Maybe I might get lucky this year and find what I'm looking for in that department. My love life has been a bit of a roller coaster in recent years maybe I just want it to be a gentle punt down life's river from here on. But then knowing the passion I put into things maybe not.<br />
<br />
After May I'll be looking for a new job. No idea that that will actually be yet, have an idea what I'd like it to be just need to see if there are openings that I can fill, it may mean a move once more, it may mean staying right here, I just don't know and nobody is able to tell me the answer to that right now. So it looks like 2011 might be another roller coaster year as well.<br />
<br />
Stay tuned I'll return to blogging full time in May.Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-59575138258713732892010-12-22T14:24:00.002+00:002010-12-22T14:24:42.252+00:00The "Weekly" Show with Jon Stewart #More4 #Fail<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://jetpackdreamsthebook.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/jon-stewart-daily-show_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://jetpackdreamsthebook.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/jon-stewart-daily-show_l.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>As a political geek one of my secret passions, though I guess not now, is to sit down at 8:30 to watch <a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/"><i>The Daily Show with Jon Stewart</i></a> on <a href="http://www.channel4.com/programmes/tags/more4">More4</a>. It's on late enough that if I am in on the evening I will have caught my daily news fix, or if I've done a little campaigning I can often fit in in just after I've finished, then do the news junkie bit.<br />
<br />
Rumours that all Americans don't get sarcasm and satire are quickly dispensed by watching this show. The fact it is on Daily means that it covers a lot of ground to fill its slot. Of course some of it is better satirically than other parts of it, but all of it makes you sit up and think.<br />
<br />
Therefore this morning when someone pointed out <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/20/more4-daily-show-stewart">this Guardian story</a> that instead of the four nights of the <i>The Daily Show</i> Tues to Friday with the round up <i>The Daily Show: Global Edition</i> on Monday, we were being restricted to a diet of just the latter I was upset. The reason being that they wanted to schedule more high end American programming. So I wrote the following to Channel 4.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>I understand from this morning's Guardian that the Channel is to cut our daily doses of the high-end American satirical take on politics down to the once weekly highlight package the Global Edition.<br />
<br />
I'm rather disappointed at this decision as this is the one show I tend to come home to sit down and watch either before or between catching up on the rolling news channels. The Global Edition while invariably picking up what the US editors believe to be the highlights often miss out some of the things that I personally enjoy from the shows through the week. Some of the stuff that has been missed out often leads me to looking more in depth at some of the actual news coverage of that item, because it is often lacking from the UK centric news that is available most readily.<br />
<br />
I would ask you please to reconsider this decision.</blockquote><br />
I got a curtesy email saying someone would get back to me within 7 days. I thought that isn't isn't going to happen, but then I returned from lunch to find this:<br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote>Dear Mr Glenn,<br />
<br />
Thank you for contacting Channel 4 Viewer Enquiries regarding THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART.<br />
<br />
Thank you for your e-mail. We are sorry to read that you are disappointed about More4's decision to discontinue showing The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, however, you will still be able to view The Daily Show Global edition every Monday night from the new year.<br />
<br />
Please be assured your complaint has been logged and noted for the information of those responsible for our programming.<br />
<br />
Thank you again for taking the time to contact us. We appreciate all feedback from our viewers; complimentary or otherwise.<br />
<br />
Regards,<br />
<br />
Grace Dawson<br />
Channel 4 Viewer Enquiries</blockquote><br />
Please note that while my initial email did acknowledge the Global Edition I said that in my opinion it was not enough. The Global Edition does tend to emphasis the world news featured more in the week and miss out a lot of the localised American stuff, but often this content is what makes me dig deeper, I'm that sort of creature. Curiosity doesn't kill this cat, it's what I thrive on.<br />
<br />
Clearly I have merely got a standard response from somebody trying to clear their inbox before they leave for Christmas. Sadly it failed to address the point I was making. People who take the line that they 'appreciate all feedback from our viewers; complimentary or otherwise', should really learn to listen to that rather than regurgitate standard responses because the name of a programme or product crops up in the right box.Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-20189441496480203332010-12-16T15:57:00.002+00:002010-12-16T15:57:36.495+00:00Belfast Giants Days of ChristmasOn Tuesday my second cousin and his bride who had minutes before stolen the name of one of his triplet sisters walked down the aisle as man and wife to a live rendition of Mariah Carey's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_I_Want_for_Christmas_Is_You"><i>All I want for Christmas is You</i></a>.<br />
<br />
My friend, and fellow blogger, <a href="http://andrewrunning.blogspot.com/">Andrew Reeves</a> and I are both big ice hockey fans indeed he writes up match reports on the <a href="http://www.edinburgh-capitals.com/">Edinburgh Capitals</a> games. Every day getting to work I pass the Odyssey Arena home of the <a href="http://www.belfastgiants.com/">Belfast Giants</a>. They are a sports team that has done a lot to reach across the divides in the new Northern Ireland. So here is their version of the same song, promoting their Christmas games schedule.<br />
<br />
<object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wzad9-Z0oTU?fs=1&hl=en_GB&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wzad9-Z0oTU?fs=1&hl=en_GB&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-63007164707850865982010-12-14T17:00:00.002+00:002010-12-14T17:00:07.605+00:00The First Day of Muppet ChristmasLast year the Muppets did a lot of excellent Christmas Songs so I am going to share them with you over the next x day.<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IGGuGyaesOo&hl=en_GB&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IGGuGyaesOo&hl=en_GB&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-84863815280343545032010-12-10T13:55:00.001+00:002010-12-10T13:55:30.658+00:00A Personal Statement - On Tuition FeesThe following is a personal statement I have issued as the former Liberal Democrat candidate for Linlithgow and East Falkirk in the 2010 General Election:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101209/debtext/101209-0002.htm#10120946000003">Last night</a> in the House of Commons MPs <a href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101209/debtext/101209-0004.htm#10120946002473">voted 323 for and 302 against</a> the proposal to increase the cap on tuition fees in England to £9000. If I had been elected on 6th May as the Member for Linlithgow and East Falkirk I would have been joining the 21 Liberal Democrats who upheld the Liberal Democrat party policy not to increase tuition fees but instead to look at abolishing them. This had been stated in our manifesto as well as the personal pledge that many of our candidates in May signed.<br />
<br />
The reasons I would have done so are:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>The party had instructed us to do so, not only in the years before the election, but in motions passed since the general election in most of our federal regions upholding that commitment.</li>
<li> Because personally the increase on personal debt to students is something I personally have been campaigning against since I was an undergraduate fighting the introduction of student loans when they first came in to replace grants.</li>
<li> We would be leaving students with half a hefty amount to pay off when they leave university, which when you take in the interest payments comes to a sizable part of a second mortgage</li>
<li> Even though I would have been representing a Scottish constituency I saw that the cut of the teaching budget funded by the increase in tuition fees would have a knock on effect in Scotland were tuition fees have been abolished.</li>
</ul><br />
I take exception to some of the comments made by colleagues in the party I have long considered closely aligned to me on the political spectrum.<br />
<br />
Steve Webb <a href="http://webbsteve.blogspot.com/2010/12/coming-to-conclusion-on-fees.html">wrote on his blog</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"I stood on a manifesto that had literally hundreds of policies and pledges."</blockquote><br />
I thought a lot of that was aspirations, many of those had caveats dependent on the economic situation, one that didn’t no matter what the financial situation was the promise not to increase tuition fees. He goes on to say that he was elected as part of 'Coalition programme for Government', a programme that allowed for Lib Dems to abstain if the findings of the Browne Report were contrary to our beliefs. That was a concession that was made to our party over this sticky issue yet Steve and 27 others not only didn't take that option, or uphold their pledge but voted for increasing the level of tuition fees.<br />
<br />
Lynne Featherstone another blogging MP <a href="http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2010/12/higher-education-funding.htm">wrote</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"For some one like me – who has always believed that education should be free – it has been a difficult decision. Sadly, my view of education (free through raising taxation) isn't on the table – or anywhere near it. That vision was ended when Labour introduced tuition fees and the principle of free education for all feel."</blockquote><br />
Thankfully my colleagues in Scotland didn't feel this way and reversed the decision in Scotland and as a result that was the aspiration of our party nationally to repeat that process in both our 2005 and 2010 manifestos. I also think that because of the general benefit to society as a whole of those who go through Higher (and Further) education that this should indeed be funded, if need be, by increased taxation. The fact that it is not on or near the table would be a reason for me to further vote against.<br />
<br />
Last night I heard Vince Cable even say that Scotland had failed to take hard decisions, I beg to differ one that Scotland has taken in that tuition fees should be abolished and from what I understand the main parties are agreeing that they should remain abolished. That is a tough decision made in light of the current situation and one that I was signed up to as a candidate this May, that we, no matter how bad things were would phase fees out. <br />
<br />
At least in Lynne’s favour she did have the courtesy to apologise for breaking her pledge. <br />
<br />
However, I am most proud of the twenty one, who I feel are erroneously listed as ‘rebels’ they have stood up for what the party believes in, and how the electorate who voted for them believed they would vote. Therefore I salute Annette Brooke, Sir Menzies Campbell, Mike Crockart, Tim Farron, Andrew George, Mike Hancock, Julian Huppert, Charles Kennedy, John Leech, Stephen Lloyd, Greg Mulholland, John Pugh, Alan Reid, Dan Rogerson, Bob Russell, Adrian Sanders, Ian Swales, Mark Williams, Roger Williams, Jenny Willott and Simon Wright.<br />
<br />
However, if Nick Clegg things that those listed above and myself are 'dreamers' because of our opposition to increasing tuition fees, I'm glad that I can still dream of a fairer and truly progressive way of funding Higher and, I want to expand it to, Further Education.<br />
<br />
I'll not stop dreaming. <b>I will fight on</b>.<br />
<br />
Even though this blog may be remaining silent over the next few months due to the nature of my work, I will be keeping up the fight. Recently I was elected as a Conference Representative for my local Liberal Democrat Party. I will not be ripping up my membership card in disgust, I will be pushing up my shirt sleeves and getting down to the business of upholding the things enshrined in the opening paragraph of the preamble to the party constitution:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity. We champion the freedom, dignity and well-being of individuals, we acknowledge and respect their right to freedom of conscience and their right to develop their talents to the full. We aim to disperse power, to foster diversity and to nurture creativity. We believe that the role of the state is to enable all citizens to attain these ideals, to contribute fully to their communities and to take part in the decisions which affect their lives."</blockquote><br />
I'll carry on dreaming of achieving the above, but when I'm awake I'll be fighting tooth and nail to achieve it.<br />
<br />
<b>Note: </b><i>This statement is made in a personal capacity due to the fact that I was a Liberal Democrat candidate in the General Election in May. It is not a statement on behalf of either the West Lothian Local Party, who very graciously selected me, nor the Northern Irish Local Party of which I am now a member, nor of my current employers. </i>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-29882711633279258212010-12-03T16:00:00.001+00:002010-12-03T16:00:04.643+00:00Back to the Long Term Blog Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.london-luton.co.uk/uploads/gfx/347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.london-luton.co.uk/uploads/gfx/347.jpg" width="233" /></a></div>Ok I had a little bit of an excursion because of <a href="http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/2010/12/world-aids-day-actaware.html">World</a> <a href="http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/2010/12/world-aids-day-actaware-hiv-in-northern.html">AIDS</a> <a href="http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/2010/12/world-aids-day-actaware-confession-time.html">Day</a> which carried over into the <a href="http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-thoughts-of-world-cup-location.html">FIFA World Cup announcements</a> yesterday.<br />
<br />
But just at this moment <a href="http://www.sykes.com/Default.aspx">my employer</a>* for the last 9 years, 1 month and 1 week is no longer my employer. I am now working full time on the <a href="http://www.yestofairervotes.org/">Yes to Fairer Votes</a> campaign.<br />
<br />
Therefore as one friend said to avoid me getting out my "Lib Dem thing" and waving it about while I am part of a campaign that is reaching across political divisions I am parking this blog once more.<br />
<br />
It will also affect the way I use Twitter and Facebook, somebody else pulled me up on that earlier as well. <br />
<br />
I've given <a href="http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/2010/11/parking-up-on-side-of-intergalactic.html">my reasons previously</a> more fully in case you haven't already read them.<br />
<br />
So long, see you all again on 6th May 2011.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">* Yes this is the first time in all the public utterances or writings as a politician either here on this blog or elsewhere that I have actually revealed who they are.</span>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-70956077238831022882010-12-02T22:26:00.000+00:002010-12-02T22:26:05.949+00:00My Thoughts on the World Cup Location Choice...No Not that One<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/images/cia_map_qatar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/images/cia_map_qatar.jpg" width="249" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of Qatar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Every<strike>one</strike> English fan is so up in arms about 2018's FIFA World Cup being awarded to Russia that they have failed to notice something about 2022's.<br />
<br />
It is being awarded to Qatar, a nation with a disgraceful <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Qatar">human rights record</a>, especially in the area of LGBT rights.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/type,QUERYRESPONSE,,QAT,3deceae24,0.html">Article 201 of the 1971 Penal Code</a> punishes sodomy between consenting adults (irrespective of sex) with up to five years in prison. There are also incidents of these laws being <a href="http://www.sodomylaws.org/world/qatar/qanews05.htm">enforced</a> on <a href="http://www.sodomylaws.org/world/qatar/qaeditorials01.htm">non-citizens</a>. Now there are LGBT football fans, I know I'm one of them.<br />
<br />
<ul><li>What happens if we want to visit the 2022 World Cup, are we to leave our partners behind? </li>
<li>Are we to sleep in separate beds, rooms, hotels, cities? </li>
<li>What if in celebrating a goal or victory we forget where we are and get over affectionate even for just a fleeting second in full view of a policeman? </li>
<li>What if we turn up married or civil partnered with passports that say so, wearing matching rings? </li>
<li>Would we get lifted as we arrive and carted off to prison?</li>
</ul><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/hs328.snc4/41599_2388979876_8140_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/hs328.snc4/41599_2388979876_8140_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gay Football Supporters Network</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Qatar is not just homophobic it is a gay criminalising state. </b></span><br />
<br />
If we are imprisoned I bet the cell wouldn't have the multi-million pound air conditioning that the stadia (as yet unbuilt) that will spring up in Qatar.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mymorningjoe.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/qatar2022worldcuplogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://mymorningjoe.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/qatar2022worldcuplogo.jpg" width="145" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bid logo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>There is also the problem that Association Football does not currently have any 'out' professional players. There are suspicions that a number of players may be in the closet. Now would be a good time for those players to come out and stand up for the LGBT fans from around the world, but more important the LGBT community in Qatar itself. As we don't have a spokesman from within the game, it will be up to the LGBT fans and their friends to take this issue further. But I guess we may not have any players coming out, if they have a hope of playing in the 2022 World Cup, even though us gay supporters need a hero, one of 'the family'.<br />
<br />
We should start by <b>boycotting Qatari products</b>:<br />
<br />
<ul><li><a href="http://www.qatarairways.com/splash.html?linkdes_0">Qatar Airlines</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.qatar-grandprix.com/">the Qatar Moto GP</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.qp.com.qa/en/Homepage.aspx">Qatar Petroleum</a></li>
<li>Holiday in Qatar's fine hotels </li>
<li>etc.</li>
</ul><span style="font-size: x-small;">(feel free to provide more in the comments)</span><br />
<br />
Personally I'd not feel safe travelling to Qatar, especially if I was doing so with a partner, I'm just too affectionate. I don't even think I should even contemplate watching the games on television. So I guess I'll not even be watching the 2022 World Cup, even on TV, thanks to decision of FIFA today. Wonder what I'll end up doing instead?Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-27416388428038504152010-12-01T16:55:00.002+00:002010-12-01T16:55:00.136+00:00World #AIDS Day - #ActAware: Confession TimeI have a confession to make.<br />
<br />
I don't always practise safe sex. In fact bareback sex <b>does</b> feel so much better than using a condom....<br />
<br />
...<b>at the time</b>.<br />
<br />
However, to be frank it is one of the reasons that so many people, especially gay men, are still getting infected day by day. People often ask, how can people put themselves in risk of affection, often that is one of the major reasons, it feels good....at the time. <br />
<br />
There is of course then the wait of three months to get outside the window period, the anxious walk to a clinic to get tested, and the wait for the blood results and then the wait for the next time, just to be sure. But at the time it feels good, but that doesn't make it right to do so and here is a personal realisation as to why.<br />
<br />
See the thing is that even though I <a href="http://linlithgow-libdems.blogspot.com/2009/03/all-fun-of-conference-first-thing-on.html">campaign to end the blood ban</a>, I really want it to be lifted in a way that I personally will find it very hard to give blood, not because of my sexual orientation but because of my how I go about it. I have had sex with men who are living with HIV (three of them in total, that I am aware of, though only two told me at the time).<br />
<br />
The one of those who didn't tell me, contacted me rather embarrassed 8 months after we last had sex. His first comment was "I have something to tell you". Before he revealed that he'd just been diagnosed with HIV and probably was living with it at the time we were together. Thankfully for me he had failed to answer my questioning in a positive way when he asked for us to forget about the condoms. He also changed his answers when he'd asked again some weeks later.<br />
<br />
I'm big enough, ugly enough and informed enough to make my own decisions about who I sleep with, providing I'm aware of the facts. With the two who were honest there are two things that I cannot provide:<br />
<ol><li>I cannot offer him anal sex without a condom being involved</li>
<li>I cannot be 100% sure that any sex we have is safe (there is no guarantee of that)</li>
</ol>I'm aware of my current HIV (and other STIs) status, just two weeks ago my bloods came back negative, as did my swabs. But that is as much through luck as good personal responsibility.<br />
<br />
Here's the thing, if I were to fall in love with someone living with HIV, I would want to love them emotional, intellectually, spiritually and sexually. Of course anyone in such a circumstance would also be facing the same two criteria above. I trust on point one they would love me enough to respect that is the case, I hope for point two that they realise I love them enough to want to be part of them, even with that one small chance of doubt every time.<br />
<br />
There has of course been a lot of <a href="http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/11/23/study-says-daily-hiv-drug-lowers-infection-in-gay-men/">jumping up and down in the gay press</a> about Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) benefits from the use of Truvada before infection. However, this is a costly way to counter the issue and <br />
<br />
<blockquote>"For now, and for the foreseeable future, condoms remain the most effective, easily available and cheapest way of preventing HIV transmission. As this trial suggests, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis is going to be an addition to condom use rather than a replacement of it."</blockquote><br />
So therefore as you've seen today through my blogging the message this <span style="color: red;">World AIDS Day<span style="color: black;"> the message of <span style="color: red;">Act Aware<span style="color: black;"> really is one that I am taking on board.</span></span></span></span> That's why I'm protecting myself and others from HIV infection.<br />
<br />
It is why I have taken this day away from parking my blog to make these three posts going from the overall picture, through my local situation and friend, to this very personal post. Hopefully through something I have said today, someone, somewhere, maybe even you, will take a number of steps to Act Aware in your own life.<br />
<ol><li><b>Get tested (and keep getting tested)</b> it may seem like a trauma to do it, but the knowledge of your status at regular intervals is far better than finding out late on you have an issue.</li>
<li><b>Practise safer sex</b> always use a condom in casual relationships </li>
<li><b>Never rely on self disclosure </b>from someone else. As I mentioned above 1 in 4 people living with HIV cannot disclose to you that they are, because they themselves do not know. Respect your own body and health, you are only in control of that, not anyone else's.</li>
</ol>If you do live in Northern Ireland and are concerned about HIV contact the confidential helpline number <b>0800 137 437.</b><br />
<br />
Or make a visit to the Genito Urinary Medicine (GUM) clinics at the following locations:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The Royal Victoria Hospital, <b>Belfast</b> </div><div style="text-align: center;">The Causeway Hospital, <b>Coleraine</b> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Altnagelvin Hospital, <b>Londonderry</b> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Daisy Hill Hospital, <b>Newry</b></div><br />
Condoms are readily available through chemists, public toilets or even in health packs at most gay venues. So even if you pull on a night out there is no excuse to not be prepared.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thehivsupportcentre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/hiv-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.thehivsupportcentre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/hiv-poster.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-63345917862639096822010-12-01T11:25:00.002+00:002010-12-01T11:25:00.744+00:00World #AIDS Day - #ActAware: HIV in Northern IrelandYeah it will come as shock to some people in Northern Ireland, but yes <b>there are people living with HIV here in Northern Ireland</b>.<br />
<br />
You can't tell who they are by looking at them.<br />
<br />
You are not at risk from every day contact with them.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thehivsupportcentre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/hiv-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.thehivsupportcentre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/hiv-poster.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><a href="http://www.thehivsupportcentre.org.uk/">The HIV Support Centre</a> in Belfast says that every week there are two people newly diagnosed with HIV. That is two more people who will be living with HIV in their bodies, two more sets of family and friends that will be living with someone they know very well having HIV.<br />
<br />
Of course it is up to the individual in question as to whether s/he lets their family or friends know their status. There is still a stigma attached to HIV, which is almost as much of the ignorance from the 80s instead of what is known now about the disease. In fact it is possible to be in a full relationship with someone living with HIV and practice safer sex and to remain negative yourself*.<br />
<br />
That stigma is something that is hard to overcome. It only will be broken down if more people living with HIV are courageous enough to let others know. Showing others that they can live a perfectly normal live.<br />
<br />
My friend <a href="http://gyronny.wordpress.com/">Michael</a> is a trustee of The HIV Support Centre and he is adamant that the stigma of HIV is best lifted when people are aware that people living with HIV are all around them. Until recently this was even an issue with The HIV Support Centre itself, referring to itself merely as 'The Centre'; the centre of what, one might ask. I recently witnessed him helping lift that stigma one person at a time.<br />
<br />
He was talking to a friend he had known for some time, the conversation got round to HIV and his work as a trustee. Standing there listening I had an inkling where that conversation was going, especially once the friend seemed shocked that there people living with HIV in Northern Ireland, the friend was not someone you'd expect to be ignorant of such facts. Michael, eventually asked the question, "Do you know anyone living with HIV?". The friend replied "No". A hand was proffered with the words, "Hello, I'm Michael, I'm living with HIV." It was a brave step even to a friend of some standing, and I'm glad to report he shook that hand and carried on asking more questions, over to the side I was fighting back the tear ducts**. <br />
<br />
There is also the stigma of attending a GUM clinic. Some people think that everyone in there is carrying some STI if not HIV. But not every car that you see in a garage needs work doing, some are just being serviced and getting looked over ahead of an MOT, getting tested regularly is just like that. Far better to know what your status is, negative or otherwise at regular intervals that to find out too late that there is something wrong. Late diagnoses means that sometimes the medications may not be effective for the treatment of HIV.<br />
<br />
Scarily 1 in 4 people living with HIV are as yet undiagnosed. Scarily of that set 39% are diagnosed so late that they need to start HIV treatment immediately, and 30% were diagnosed so late that there was a real risk of developing a potentially fatal illness. When there are apparently to 1 in 20 of the UK wide gay male population that are living with HIV that can lead to nightmares. Therefore the rule of thumb is treat every encounter the same, be safe and respect your own body. If someone refuses you because you want safer sex, don't give in to peer pressure.<br />
<br />
The message this year is <span style="color: red;">ACT AWARE</span>. <br />
<br />
Are you aware of your HIV status?<br />
<br />
If you're not but are sleeping around whether with people of the same sex or the opposite, may I advise you to go and get tested now and regularly and be aware.<br />
<br />
If you don't believe how important that can be I'll advise to wait until my next blog post. <br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">* Of course there is no such thing as 100% safe sex, but if you love someone you decide for yourself what you want to do providing you are in full knowledge of the facts.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">** Yeah I tend to well up quite a lot. </span>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-35349229316938472502010-12-01T08:50:00.004+00:002010-12-01T08:50:00.154+00:00World #AIDS Day: #ActAware<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dN7hEeesfx9tTztnyprhy7bav6PyVhemubK9-byfHMCtcbHUwZ2L_v2V0Agr-2e3l67cQYoMlMk16O9vOyz2tfqHDHfwhDnZ_K2CVAU1rpn7W-z3-qlfGWEdZ_9itUq8CF_NhA/s1600/Act+Aware.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="84" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dN7hEeesfx9tTztnyprhy7bav6PyVhemubK9-byfHMCtcbHUwZ2L_v2V0Agr-2e3l67cQYoMlMk16O9vOyz2tfqHDHfwhDnZ_K2CVAU1rpn7W-z3-qlfGWEdZ_9itUq8CF_NhA/s640/Act+Aware.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>I know that I parked this blog a couple of weeks ago, but there is something today that is too big, that is beyond politics that I felt compelled to draw your attention to. Today is World AIDS Day. Here are some of the UK statistics from <a href="http://www.worldaidsday.org/Facts-and-Stats/HIV-Statistics.aspx">their website</a>.<br />
<br />
More people than ever are living with HIV in the UK and each year new infections occur. <br />
<div class="panel" id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_ctl01_Panel"><h3>People living with HIV in the UK</h3><ul><li>The number of people living with HIV in the UK has <b>trebled</b> in the last 10 years</li>
<li>More than 90,000 people are living with HIV in the UK</li>
<li><b>Over a quarter</b> of people with HIV in the UK are <b> undiagnosed</b></li>
<li>About two thirds of people living with HIV are men and a third are women</li>
<li>Over half of all people living with HIV are aged between 30 and 44, but there are significant numbers both of young people and older people now living with HIV</li>
<li>One in 20 gay men in the UK is living with HIV </li>
</ul></div><h3>New HIV cases in 2008</h3><ul><li>7,298 new diagnoses</li>
<li>The two groups most affected remain gay and bisexual men and black African heterosexuals. Three-quarters of people diagnosed were among these two groups.</li>
<li>2,760 new diagnoses among men who have sex with men</li>
<li>2,790 new diagnoses among people from black and minority ethnic communities</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.petehimsworth.com/theworldgayscene/images/Aids_ribbon_world_map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.petehimsworth.com/theworldgayscene/images/Aids_ribbon_world_map.jpg" /></a></div>This year they are running a campaign to be aware. Be aware of your HIV status. The harrowing fact that I highlighted above is that a quarter of people living with HIV are not aware that they are infected.<br />
<br />
I have to admit there have been times that I have gone for my regular checks that I have been worried that I might have been at real risk of being infected. Indeed one of my recent tests I was anxious. I had experienced the primary HIV infection (or sero-conversion illness) symptoms, at about the right time scale when I could have been exposed. However, my tests did come back negative.<br />
<br />
Knowing your status is important whether you are gay or straight especially if you are engaging in an active sex life with multiple partners, or if you are in an open relationship. Get into the habit of going regularly (every six months) to your local genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic or with your local GP. The local GUM clinic for me now is up at the Royal Victoria Hospital, their staff there carried out my last test.<br />
<br />
The message today is:<br />
<br />
Be Aware<br />
Be as Safe as you can be<br />
Be Responsible for you own health<br />
<br />
<b>Footnote</b><br />
<br />
The term living with HIV often only refers to those who actually have HIV. But a friend of mine recently said that those of use who know a family member, friend or partner who has HIV are also in a sense living with HIV. We deal with some of the effects it has on the person that we love. If we carry on living with their HIV we do not love them any less, we may show our love for them even more<b> </b>through the practical things we do for them and the support we give them to help them carry on as normal.<br />
<br />
In that sense I am someone who is living with <a href="http://gyronny.wordpress.com/2010/12/01/ending-the-stigma-guts-needed-to-tackle-it-head-on/">another friend's HIV</a> and I want them to know that I am thinking of them as ever today.Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-82550112155681651032010-11-20T09:25:00.002+00:002010-11-20T09:25:00.707+00:00Parking up on the side of a Intergalactic Super Highway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://thethirdestate.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/1-dont-panic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://thethirdestate.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/1-dont-panic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><blockquote><i>Zaphod Beeblebrox entered the foyer. He strode up to the insect receptionist.</i><br />
<i>"OK," he said, "Where's Zarniwoop? Get me Zarniwoop."</i><br />
<i>"Excuse me, sir?" said the insect icily. It did not care to be addressed in this manner.</i><br />
<i>"Zarniwoop. Get him, right? Get him now."</i><br />
<i>"Well, sir," snapped the fragile little creature, "if you could be a little cool about it ..."</i><br />
<i>"Look," said Zaphod, "I'm up to here with cool, OK? I'm so amazingly cool you could keep a side of meat inside me for a month. I am so hip I have difficulty seeing over my pelvis. Now will you move before you blow it?"</i><br />
<i>"Well, if you'd let me explain, sir," said the insect tapping the most petulant of all the tentacles at its disposal, "I'm afraid that isn't possible right now as Mr Zarniwoop is on an intergalactic cruise."</i><br />
<i>Hell, thought Zaphod.</i><br />
<i>"When he's going to be back?" he said.</i><br />
<i>"Back sir? He's in his office."</i><br />
<i>Zaphod paused while he tried to sort this particular thought out in his mind. He didn't succeed.</i></blockquote><blockquote>From <i>The Restaurant at the End of the Universe</i> chapter 7. </blockquote><br />
I'm hoping this post will help you all to sort out your own particular thought. <br />
<br />
There has of course been rather a lot going on in my life over recent weeks, in will culminate in two weeks time when I will have left the employ of the company I have worked in for over nine years. I'll be taking on a short fix term role with a set end date. Scarily there is also a clause in my contract that something that has yet to happen, if it fails to happen, will immediately initiate a very short notice period for me and my colleagues.<br />
<br />
Why take such a risk? Because the job is for something I really believe in, bringing about <a href="http://www.yestofairervotes.org/">fairer votes</a>. It is something that is happening in a place where there are a factors that are important to me right now, people who will look out for me in a transition, people who will help me relax (especially two who are not yet 10) and it is a step that I have been trying to make for a number of years but somehow never quite found the way to do so.<br />
<br />
However, as all this is happening there is something else that I feel with have to happen in this little quarter of sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha*. I have already said that blogging here will be light, I'm going further today. This blog is being parked on the side of this vast highway that is life. Over the past week to 10 days I have caught myself on at times. There are things I wanted to blog, comments on Facebook I wanted to rebutt, Tweets I wished to make. However, I've come to realise that I can't do that an keep my focus unto the one message that I am charged to deliver over the next five and a half months.<br />
<br />
If I were to do this on this blog it would become boring and mundane for you dear reader, as quite often it would be referring you to the <a href="http://www.yestofairervotes.org/">Yes to Fairer Votes website</a> or page that is relevant to the story in question. One thing I will continue to do is write however, though it may not be publically available, it is one of the things that I have always done to help me relax, unwind, recharge or indeed decharge. So no doubt there will be writing going on, I'm just not sure in what format that will take outside of the work productivity that I will be doing.<br />
<br />
However, I do love blogging and the fact that I am parking this blog does not mean that I am never going to do it here ever again, I'll be chomping at the bit no doubt on very many days. But key people kow that they are to bind my hands, lock me in a store room without a laptop, or just glare at me (which will most likely work) <strike>if</strike> when there is something that is crying out to be said, it need not come from me. Other friends may be getting ideas for stories that I really want to write, indeed this has already started to happen. It does all feel a little bit like I'm entering a Bloggers Anonymous meeting. There is one thing though, I know that I will take up the keyboard once more and write here at some point on May 6th, and it won't be considered falling off the wagon, but merely as steering it once again.<br />
<br />
There is one blog post that will appear between now and May 5th and that is my New Years Eve post rounding up the year of 2010. As you can imagine this will be far from a boring read. In the meantime I leave you with the opening lines of the book <i>Mostly Harmless </i>again by Douglas Adams.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><i>Anything that happens, happens.</i><br />
<i>Anything that, in happening, causes something else to happen, causes something else to happen.</i><br />
<i>Anything that, in happening, causes itself to happen again, happens again.</i><br />
<i>It doesn't necessarily do it in chronological order, though</i>. </blockquote><br />
I'll add may not happen in the chronological order that you yourself may have set out, but when it happens cease the day.<br />
<br />
So like Zarniwoop the editor of this blog is going to be on an intergalactic cruise, I may well be in my office, I may well not get outside of Northern Ireland, but you know what I mean. See you all in May.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Yes this is a popular cultural reference that <a href="http://gyronny.wordpress.com/">Michael </a>wouldn't get #PCRMWG. I'm hoping at some point in our friendship's future that I will be able to enlighten him.</span>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-3124525397289611022010-11-19T17:00:00.003+00:002010-11-19T17:00:04.836+00:00It's Friday so....Allison JannayHappy Birthday today to Allison Jannay probably best known to all my readers as Claudia Jean "C.J." Cregg the Whitehouse Press Secretary who becomes Chief of Staff in the Bartlett administration on <span style="font-style: italic;">The West Wing</span>.<br /><br />So every birthday needs a song, or at least a little lip-synch. What do you mean you haven't seen C.J. do the Jackal.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ez53SY11oEw&hl=en_GB&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ez53SY11oEw&hl=en_GB&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />She also played herself in <span style="font-style: italic;">Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip</span> as Allison Jannay star of the <span style="font-style: italic;">West Wing</span>. Many of the stars of the new show made comment on her being C.J. which is especially funny when it comes from Timothy Busfield (Cal Shanley <span style="font-style: italic;">S60</span> - Danny Concannon <span style="font-style: italic;">WW</span>) , Bradley Whitford (Danny Tripp <span style="font-style: italic;">S60</span> - Josh Lyman <span style="font-style: italic;">WW</span>) or Matthew Perry (Matt Albie <span style="font-style: italic;">S60</span> - Joe Quincey <span style="font-style: italic;">WW</span>).<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/V7wc6wAity8&hl=en_GB&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/V7wc6wAity8&hl=en_GB&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Of course there was a lot of poker playing scenes in <span style="font-style: italic;">The West Wing</span> so what happens when the stars actually play on TV, for real. Well Richard Schiff has an Allison Jannay shaped space on his charm bracelet.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/L7N-wI7s3qo&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/L7N-wI7s3qo&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-52849938623532234252010-11-14T00:53:00.000+00:002010-11-14T00:53:56.270+00:00Blogged at the New Address - Prayers for BobbyAs this blog is in the process of moving the following is merely a excerpt to direct you to the new address:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://eusouumxmen.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/prayers_for_bobby1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="176" src="http://eusouumxmen.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/prayers_for_bobby1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stills from the film <i>Prayers for Bobby (TVM 2009)</i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Earlier this evening I was at a screening of <a href="http://www.prayersforbobby.com/"><i>Prayers for Bobby</i></a> at <a href="http://www.nspresbyterian.org/churches/CHURCH06/churchdetail.htm">All Souls Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church</a> in Belfast as part of the <a href="http://outburstarts.com/">Outburst Festival</a>. In the light of the number of teen suicides over recent months the showing of this film and the discussion afterwards couldn't be more timely.<br />
<br />
The change of Bobby Griffith;s mother Mary played by Sigourney Weaver to harrowingly in this film came too late for her own son, but this bio-pic based on her families story and journey should be essential viewing in every church; not just in Northern Ireland but also the states and many other places.<br />
<br />
Read more here<b> >></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Please note this blog is moving to </span><a href="http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/" style="font-weight: bold;">http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> please update your blog roll accordingly.</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-40270043904603804992010-11-11T11:00:00.009+00:002010-11-11T11:00:06.291+00:00We Will Remember Them<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cache2.artprintimages.com/p/LRG/20/2057/OPQ4D00Z/art-print/steve-thoms-poppy-field.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="319" src="http://cache2.artprintimages.com/p/LRG/20/2057/OPQ4D00Z/art-print/steve-thoms-poppy-field.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Poppy Field</i> by Steve Thoms</td></tr>
</tbody></table>At this time of this morning I will be standing at my desk, to attention and in silence. There will this year be nobody else around but at this time of year every year I will always be somewhere where I can pay respects to the men and women who down the years have given their lives and their health to defend our nation in times of war.<br />
<br />
We will remember them.<br />
<br />
As I posted earlier in the month here are some famous words by which we think of them. I've added a few more languages Irish, Polish and French.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.</div><div style="text-align: center;">At the going down of the sun and in the morning</div><div style="text-align: center;">We will remember them.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tug fás ní bheidh d'aois, mar atá fágtha againn go bhfuil fás d'aois;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ní bheidh feidhm ag aois bonn dóibh, ná na blianta Cáineann.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ag dul síos na gréine agus ar maidin</div><div style="text-align: center;">Leanfaimid orainn cuimhneamh orthu.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Są one nie rosną stare,jak my, które są pozostawione zestarzeje;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Wiek nie zmęczony nimi, ani w latach potępienia.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Na zejście słońce, a rano</div><div style="text-align: center;">Będziemy o nich pamiętać.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ils ne vieilliront pas comme nous, qui nous laisse vieillir;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Âge ne se lassera pas eux, ni le poids des années.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Au coucher du soleil et le matin</div><div style="text-align: center;">Nous nous souviendrons d'eux.</div>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-25652282863922288662010-11-09T14:10:00.001+00:002010-11-09T15:04:53.902+00:00Pink Paper Survey Changes allowing Northern Ireland 2Xist*<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fHqAz5RRspdZH5aUCLeU5gjT1avUeX9KBlsgdoorFgRQFJs4nmZMDGWYpLnfUoA6-zpbpelyCola1LmK-fTn3ghA1kwHeMJWW_-1LdqmCXPfPayCcXp3n40eaCrNxHvcBJtGMg/s1600/Pink+Paper+Awards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fHqAz5RRspdZH5aUCLeU5gjT1avUeX9KBlsgdoorFgRQFJs4nmZMDGWYpLnfUoA6-zpbpelyCola1LmK-fTn3ghA1kwHeMJWW_-1LdqmCXPfPayCcXp3n40eaCrNxHvcBJtGMg/s1600/Pink+Paper+Awards.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Following on from <a href="http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/2010/11/surely-im-not-only-gay-in-province.html">my post</a> yesterday and <a href="http://gyronny.wordpress.com/2010/11/08/pink-paper-fails-its-northern-ireland-readership/">Michael's post</a> and his letter, which led to <a href="http://gyronny.wordpress.com/2010/11/08/exclusive-pink-paper-responds-to-ni-exclusion-post/">this response</a> have now included Northern Ireland in <a href="http://www.pinkpaper.com/survey2011/">its survey</a>.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">In an <a href="http://gyronny.wordpress.com/2010/11/09/pink-paper-readers-awards-now-include-northern-ireland/">email to my friend Michael</a> Tris Reid-Smith said:</span></span><br />
<br />
<blockquote>"There’s a further update. Having looked into it further, we have now been able to include Northern Ireland as an option in the Readers' Awards! Obviously anything you can do to get the word out to people and to get them to take part would be great!<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> "</span></span></blockquote><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've filled mine in (if only the party internal elections were so quick to complete) and any offers of free underwear will be greatly welcomed.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Please note this blog is moving to </span><a href="http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/" style="font-weight: bold;">http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> please update your blog roll accordingly.</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">* What you think that is a little bit of an unsubtle way to try and get free boxers?</span>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-46316286808336347612010-11-09T08:12:00.000+00:002010-11-09T08:12:10.845+00:00Do Labour Need a Better Campaign Coordinator?There is a very good piece by Mark Pack on <a href="http://www.libdemvoice.org/andy-burnham-av-referendum-21996.html">Liberal Democrat Voice</a> about poor Andy Burnham MP who happens to the be the Labour Party's campaign coordinator.<br />
<br />
Burnham has said:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"It would be a recipe for chaos and confusion if Labour candidates were also supporting AV in their literature."</blockquote><br />
Yet Pack points out that there was no chaos or confusion across London when a referendum called by a Labour government on the same day as other elections.<br />
<br />
On the subject of the Alternative Vote and Labour's stance Will Straw on Left Foot Forward is calling for Labour to <a href="http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/11/labour-should-campaign-on-av/">campaign for the Yes vote</a>. He gives two reasons for this:<br />
<blockquote><br />
Firstly it belies the spirit of Labour’s existing policy at a time when the party is (rightly) criticising others for veering from their previous objectives. <a href="http://www2.labour.org.uk/manifesto-splash">Labour’s manifesto said</a>: <br />
<blockquote><b>"To ensure that every MP is supported by the majority of their constituents voting at each election, </b>we will hold a referendum on introducing the Alternative Vote for elections to the House of Commons."</blockquote></blockquote><br />
Also Ed Miliband during his successful leadership bid said <b style="font-weight: normal;">"I support AV for the House of Commons and will campaign for it."</b><br />
<br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;">Other reasons, he rules out the chaos, confusion and cost element, quite correctly a line of support on literature is not that difficult. </b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;">The opposition from Labour in the commons appears to be nothing more than political sour grapes for finding themselves on the opposite side of the House. It is time to put aside political sniping and get on with the serious business of getting a fairer voting system. </b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;">I look forward to working with the Labour Party in Northern Ireland on getting further votes for Westminster and everyone who believes in this step.</b><br />
<a href="http://www.yestofairervotes.org/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsOJkLB6F1T5veVg-ngaw4TKGsBqtNIug53M5kXxijtu-YCz2zneERjpBbUmMiZKmTwjdkc2vukNM54MYyPkoCaOHcGfKOfG6UoyjrqMqZ2U-_5L4To8EwcLS8su4b9N4KWn7C5w/s200/Yes+to+Fairer+Votes.jpg" width="200" /></a><b style="font-weight: normal;"> </b><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Please note this blog is moving to </span><a href="http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/" style="font-weight: bold;">http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> please update your blog roll accordingly.</span><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"> </b>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-43869440740247334752010-11-08T19:37:00.001+00:002010-11-08T19:39:59.904+00:00When Writing Gets a Positive ResponseEarly today I posted about whether I was the "<a href="http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/2010/11/surely-im-not-only-gay-in-province.html">only gay in the Province</a>". Of course I know I'm not and indeed attending the LGBT Consultative Forum meetings here in Belfast shows just the diversity with the LGBT community that exists here all doing their best for that section of Northern Irish life.<br /><br />Of course one member of that community, who I know rather well, also took up the <a href="http://gyronny.wordpress.com/2010/11/08/pink-paper-fails-its-northern-ireland-readership/">cause up on his blog</a>. But Michael being Michael did more that just blog and sent an email off to Tris Reid-Smith, Editor-In-Chief, GT (Gay Times) and Pink Paper and got a response by phone within a few hours, followed up by a response which <a href="http://gyronny.wordpress.com/2010/11/08/exclusive-pink-paper-responds-to-ni-exclusion-post/">Michael has posted</a>, in which Tris writes<br /><blockquote>"Therefore I'm grateful to you for highlighting this anomaly [of our omitting Northern Ireland] and I'll use your blog as an opportunity to consider how we can improve our coverage and our awards. Meanwhile, I and my news team will be very keen to hear from our readers in all parts of Ireland with their news and comments."</blockquote><br /><br />Not a bad days work from all three of us who were involved, even if I have had another busy day. But special praise to Tris for acting so swiftly and positively. If only some of the other media would respond so positively to omission, overlooking or misrepresenting certain sections without their readership.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Please note this blog is moving to </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/">http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> please update your blog roll accordingly.</span>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0