Two games today.
The England game was washed out, luckily for England. I'm usually far more optimistic about our chances than most people, but I have a horrible feeling we'll lose this ODI series heavily. At least now it can only be 4-0.
India and Sri Lanka played out the inevitable drawn on a road in Ahmedabad. I personally think these dead, flat pitches are fatal to cricket. I am biased as a bowler, but it makes for a really boring spectical if there are 21 wickets and 7 centuries in five days. Pitches need to be far more in favour of the bolwer to allow a balanced game that might actually reach a conclusion. If that means sometimes going too far and having the odd game where ball dominates bat then i think that's a price worth paying for some decent cricket.
Friday, 20 November 2009
Roy Keane on Henry's handball
Good on Roy Keane.
He has no sympathy for Ireland.
Ipswich boss Keane said: "They can complain all they want but France are going to the World Cup - get over it.
"France were there for the taking and Ireland didn't do it. Same old story."
Too right mate, the ref's decision is final. These things happen in football, end of.
He has no sympathy for Ireland.
Ipswich boss Keane said: "They can complain all they want but France are going to the World Cup - get over it.
"France were there for the taking and Ireland didn't do it. Same old story."
Too right mate, the ref's decision is final. These things happen in football, end of.
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Cathy Ashton: 10 things to know
Only one really matters though:
– A full-size Dalek stands in the corner of her sitting room. It was a present from her husband
ace
– A full-size Dalek stands in the corner of her sitting room. It was a present from her husband
ace
EU President
It's fair to say that "Mr Van Rompuy was widely tipped, but Baroness Ashton was not"
Good to see a British woman get one of the jobs, cool.
I'd prefer it if she'd been elected though, both of them in fact
Good to see a British woman get one of the jobs, cool.
I'd prefer it if she'd been elected though, both of them in fact
Unaccountable power
Sounds like a heavy metal song.
But it's worrying if true.
The "changes will give the Secretary of State (Mandelson -- or his successor in the next government) the power to make "secondary legislation" (legislation that is passed without debate) to amend the provisions of Copyright, Designs and Patents Act (1988).
What that means is that an unelected official would have the power to do anything without Parliamentary oversight or debate, provided it was done in the name of protecting copyright"
Don't like that very much, fair play to Tom Watson MP for making it more widely known
But it's worrying if true.
The "changes will give the Secretary of State (Mandelson -- or his successor in the next government) the power to make "secondary legislation" (legislation that is passed without debate) to amend the provisions of Copyright, Designs and Patents Act (1988).
What that means is that an unelected official would have the power to do anything without Parliamentary oversight or debate, provided it was done in the name of protecting copyright"
Don't like that very much, fair play to Tom Watson MP for making it more widely known
Numbers of MPs
I'm yet to hear a good arguement as to why we need less MPs, here a good arguement that we don't need less.
If people are to be properly represented and our parliament work effectively, it needs reform.
I'd like more power to Select Committees, salaries for their members, less formal occasions, power given to Parliament over government etc.
But cutting the number of MPs won't help make it more representative
If people are to be properly represented and our parliament work effectively, it needs reform.
I'd like more power to Select Committees, salaries for their members, less formal occasions, power given to Parliament over government etc.
But cutting the number of MPs won't help make it more representative
Facts, David Cameron, and poverty
What have all these things got in common?
Nothing.
"The verdict
Cameron's claim on poverty just doesn't wash - the number of people in general, and particularly children and pensioners, in poverty have reduced since Labour came to power, although progress seems to have stalled in recent years.
There's also a different definition of "severe" poverty favoured by the Tories, which suggests things have got worse under Labour - but there are so many uncertainties about these figures they merit a separate FactCheck entirely (which we've done, here: FactCheck - more in severe poverty?).
Inequality has got slightly worse under Labour, particularly in recent years, much of it made up of increased riches for the very richest, and a poorer deal for the very poorest.
This increase in inequality is nothing like that which happened under Margaret Thatcher, though it's debatable how much this ice this cuts in the 21st century.
It's worth noting too that Labour's tax and benefit reforms have been redistributive (Robin Hood-like). Had they kept the same system they inherited, there would be far more people in poverty today. "
Factcheck is such a great resource, there really needs to be much more use made of it.
Nothing.
"The verdict
Cameron's claim on poverty just doesn't wash - the number of people in general, and particularly children and pensioners, in poverty have reduced since Labour came to power, although progress seems to have stalled in recent years.
There's also a different definition of "severe" poverty favoured by the Tories, which suggests things have got worse under Labour - but there are so many uncertainties about these figures they merit a separate FactCheck entirely (which we've done, here: FactCheck - more in severe poverty?).
Inequality has got slightly worse under Labour, particularly in recent years, much of it made up of increased riches for the very richest, and a poorer deal for the very poorest.
This increase in inequality is nothing like that which happened under Margaret Thatcher, though it's debatable how much this ice this cuts in the 21st century.
It's worth noting too that Labour's tax and benefit reforms have been redistributive (Robin Hood-like). Had they kept the same system they inherited, there would be far more people in poverty today. "
Factcheck is such a great resource, there really needs to be much more use made of it.
Britain in and or out of the EU
There are some in Britian, maybe lots, who want to leave the EU.
I don't.
There's a good piece on what might happen here, but it's all very speculative. What would happen? No-one knows.
If we stayed in the common market, we'd just loose influence.
If we left that too, we'd be alongside the other non-EU European powerhouses like Norway (although it is "required to adopt much EU legislation due to its participation in the European Economic Area (EEA), through the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)"), Switzerland, Iceland etc.
So, we stay. Changes we want to see, we make from the heart.
On another small point, if David Cameron is the champion of the poor, why is he desperate to get out of European worker-protection legislation?
I don't.
There's a good piece on what might happen here, but it's all very speculative. What would happen? No-one knows.
If we stayed in the common market, we'd just loose influence.
If we left that too, we'd be alongside the other non-EU European powerhouses like Norway (although it is "required to adopt much EU legislation due to its participation in the European Economic Area (EEA), through the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)"), Switzerland, Iceland etc.
So, we stay. Changes we want to see, we make from the heart.
On another small point, if David Cameron is the champion of the poor, why is he desperate to get out of European worker-protection legislation?
Clause 4
I was having a chat down the pub with a mate last night. We got onto talking about Labour history in general and Clause 4 in particular.
My mate reckons that changing Clause 4 ripped the heart out of Labour, while I've never much cared about it. For me public ownership has not been too important, perhaps in part because I was born and grew up under Thatcher, then had it drummed into me how terrible public ownership was and how great privatisation is.
There are some things i'd like to see nationalised - public transport for example.
But it's always been a pragmatic thing rather than an ideological commitment.
So there we go, i never realised the strength of feeling surrouding it
My mate reckons that changing Clause 4 ripped the heart out of Labour, while I've never much cared about it. For me public ownership has not been too important, perhaps in part because I was born and grew up under Thatcher, then had it drummed into me how terrible public ownership was and how great privatisation is.
There are some things i'd like to see nationalised - public transport for example.
But it's always been a pragmatic thing rather than an ideological commitment.
So there we go, i never realised the strength of feeling surrouding it
Football crazy
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has been in charge for 11 months, making him the 51st longest serving manager out of the 92 clubs.
That is madness, that only one third of the managers have made it into their second season. Andy Scott of Brentford is at 32, having completed 1 season in charge.
Good to see Steve Tilson at number 5.
That is madness, that only one third of the managers have made it into their second season. Andy Scott of Brentford is at 32, having completed 1 season in charge.
Good to see Steve Tilson at number 5.
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