Monthly Archives: September 2009
Notes from a gulag for Dads
My emasculation was completed this morning when I took MiniMe to Monkey Music for the first time. It had to happen sooner or later, and while I’m obviously a proud and doting Dad I can’t help but be aware that as the sole man in a room full of mothers (and nannies) and children I [...]
The Labour conference shows politics at its best
Politics are about hope. Or, at least, the best politics are about hope. Politics can represent a way to find freedom from tyranny, or simply highlight a future with a higher disposable income and more security. Entire campaigns can be run on hope and little else (President Obama’s, for example). Politics should be about inviting [...]
Crime briefing, 17 – 24 September
The map below details crimes reported in Wandsworth between 17 – 24 September. If you have any information on any of these crimes you can get in touch with the local police on 020 7350 1122 or via Crimestoppers (anonymously, if you wish) on 0800 555 111. You can click on the individual markers for [...]
The nanny state and nannies
Apparently it’s now illegal to leave your child with friends for more than two hours unless they are Ofsted registered. The BBC reports that two police officers have been investigated by Ofsted had an arrangement whereby they would look after each other’s children when on duty. It seems a sensible way to save on childcare… [...]
Tweets for week ending 2009-09-28
Thinking about: Tweets for week ending 2009-09-20 http://bit.ly/1aauiJ # Thinking about: Crime briefing, 10 – 17 September 2009 http://bit.ly/MOkQd # I need a Twitter client that can filter out #ldconf tweets. # Birdhouse # Is it me, or is the 'How Sexy Am I?' facebook app that gets you deselected impossible to install? – http://is.gd/3wUYy [...]
Old York Road Street Party
Tomorrow is the Old York Road Street Party. Recent years have seen a resurgence in ‘street party’ style events in the retail areas of the borough, particularly Battersea, which has seen the Northcote Carnival, Lavender Hill Street Party and St John’s Hill Festival. However, the Old York Road Street Party has a pedigree longer (just) [...]
Weekly wrap-up, 25 September
A very quiet week on the council front. Partly, as I touched on earlier this week, because the council does reduce its activity during party conference season. And partly because I’ve been working out of London this week in two different authorities. I try and have a portfolio career (though I won’t deny the recession [...]
Nick Clegg can take heart from Gordon Brown
The council goes into a mini-hibernation during party conference season, partly because so many councillors attend their conferences. This doesn’t, however, apply during the Liberal Democrat conference for the simple reason that there are no Liberal Democrats on Wandsworth council. We have been in the fortunate position of being a two party council and, despite [...]
Baroness Scotland’s legacy to Brown
There is something about an end-of-life Government that draws attention to the flaws. There’s nothing you can do about it, it’s not as if they were never there, but somehow your attention is just drawn to them. Governments, it seems, never die with dignity. And the latest indignity is Baroness Scotland. An error that once [...]
My imminent de-selection
I live life on the edge. I’m the type of guy you see in a L’Oreal advert, perhaps running along the Thames, then doing something manly, like chopping down a tree or at least doing something wearing a tool-belt. And I use Facebook (you can even be my friend), which includes applications like ‘How Sexy [...]
